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Persistence

February 15, 2012

Fort Fisher AquariumYou need persistence in life.  It is a fact to winning in just about everything you do.  If you don’t keep moving forward and moving obstacles you will fail before you get to the finish line.

What brings up this topic is a place in North Carolina.  It is the aquarium at Fort Fisher and I can only assume the other aquariums in the state do this as well.  We visited back in 2006 and upon walking into the lobby you are greeted and asked if you would like to have your picture taken at no charge.  You can see the picture we had taken just under 6 years ago to the left.

This seemed innocent enough and, of course, we knew they would want to sell us a package which we did not buy as we were on a budget for the trip.  However, once we got home I received an e-mail asking if I would like to purchase the picture now.  I deleted it and kept going.  Then I got another one, and another one, and another one.  Just earlier this month I received another one offering my Valentine’s borders and gifts of the picture we took several years ago.

I in no way look at this as a bad thing.  I could always opt out of the e-mails if I decided to.  However, I get to relive the memory of this trip and this moment each time they send out the marketing e-mail.  Their persistence turns into a trip down memory lane for me and you never know, someday I may purchase a high resolution version of the picture.

Bottom line is you need to be persistent if you want something.  Do not annoy and nag but don’t be willing to settle for less than you deserve and push through the rough spots and WIN!

 

Filed Under: Customer Service, Goal Setting Tagged With: , , ,

Savings Snowball

February 9, 2012

snowballIf you have researched paying off debt in any form more than likely you have come across the “Debt Snowball” method of paying off debt.  Many people have talked about it but most notably of those is Dave Ramsey.

Ramsey suggests in order to pay of debts quicker and get a psychological advantage in your process you start with your smallest debt and work up to the highest balance debt until you are debt free.  I was thinking a few weeks ago, why not try this with my savings accounts?  And so I have and thusfar has worked like a charm.

I have several savings accounts which gets money automatically transferred into them on a set interval.  These accounts are my budgeted items – you could call them my electronic envelopes.  They are named for what they are to be used for such as car maintenance, clothing, birthdays, Christmas, etc.  I know how much I want in each of these to consider them “fully funded”.

I make a list of these accounts and how much each one needs in it in order to be maxed out at from the smallest one to the largest one.  Now, the money that is budgeted for is put into these accounts with the most going into the smallest one each pay day.  Once that one is fully funded I move to the next one on the list and put the budgeted amount into that account plus what was budgeted for the first account.  We continue this until all of the accounts are fully funded and then everything that was budgeted for them starts going into my emergency fund.

I find this to be a natural progression if you use the “Baby Steps” as part of your personal finance plan.  It easy to keep up with, you already understand the snowball, and it gives you another set of financial goals whose whole purpose is to keep you from getting back into the debt trap again.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Grimm.

Filed Under: Goal Setting, Money Saving, Personal Finance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Have you started saving for Christmas?

February 8, 2012

Plaza ChristmasIt is almost that time of year again! What? It isn’t? Oh, it is just time to start saving for that time of year. That is what I wanted to discuss.

Every year I see first hand hundreds of people waiting until the last minute to purchase presents for Christmas because they do not plan throughout the year. They wait and wait and at the last minute it is like a ghost that was leftover from Halloween screamed “BOO!” and they are rushing to get gifts or get money for the holidays. Want to have a less stressful season in 10 months? Start saving now!

You don’t have to be stressed this year.  I promise you, if you will follow a few simple steps you can have the easiest holiday season you have ever had.  Everything feels different when you have the money saved, you pay with cash, and you know you won’t have a huge credit card bill come January that may very well stick around until the following Christmas.

All you have to do are a few simple steps:

  1. Write down everyone you want to buy for.
  2. Double check that list.  Are you sure you want to buy something for everyone on that list?
  3. Can you make something for some of those people (including food items) instead of buying them an expensive gift?  If so, move them to the side of the list.
  4. Write down how much you want to spend on each person beside their name.
  5. Total that number up.
  6. Divide it by how many times you will get paid between now and your last pay check before Christmas.
  7. BAM!  You just decided how much you needed to save each pay day to pay in full in cash for Christmas this year and not have the stress of running around at the last minute.

You must be realistic on what you want to spend on each person.  If you make $20,000 a year you need to spend what you can afford.  If you feel bad for this, then let the people know now that you can’t afford it and settle on a mutual amount to spend on each other based on what you can spend.  Don’t let the people who put everything on credit cards tell you how much you should spend on them.

If you want to go a little further figure out how much it will cost for the supplies to make the people at the side your list their gifts and budget for that as well.  Or, better yet, of you aren’t making them a food item figure out how many items you need to make each month to be finished for Christmas and you can save that stress at the end of the year as well.

Have A Merry February Everyone!

More Information:

What Dave Ramsey says about saving for Christmas

Photo courtesy of David DeHetre

 

Filed Under: Goal Setting, Money Saving Tagged With: , , , ,

Leap Year

January 13, 2012

Leap Year2012 is a leap year so you have an extra day to accomplish something. What are you going to do? How are you going to use this extra day to enhance your life or that of your family?

Don’t let this day go to waste where you are questioning why you have to go back to the same boring job or wondering how you are going to pay the credit card bill. Take steps on February 29th to push your envelope and begin a game plan where you find the career you love, you make the plans to get out of debt, or you start the journey to completing the goals you have for this year.

Filed Under: Goal Setting Tagged With: , , , ,

Woo Woo Woo… You Know It

January 7, 2012

Zack RyderIf you watch WWE you know who Zack Ryder is. What you may not know is that he should be an inspiration to anyone who has goals and dreams in life.

I am going to be honest, prior to about March I didn’t know anything about Zack Ryder.  He was a name that came up every now and then on TV and then he would come out, lose, and would disappear.  Not much going on is it?  However, in February of 2011 Ryder uploaded a video to YouTube that would change the course of his career and make him a household name.

Zack had started his own campaign to further his career –  it was make it or break it time.   He laid it on the line.  In his web series on YouTube, Z! True Long Island Story, he would take jabs at himself about being on the back burner, almost getting over with the fans, and being put on ice by the higher ups.  This series led to him amassing over 10 million views and over 118,000 subscribers in under a year.

Along with starting his series on YouTube he is also very active on Twitter connecting with fans.  At the time of this writing he has over 444,000 followers and was listed as one of the top 100 most influential sports personalities to use social media by  Sports Illustrated.

Now, why should he be an inspiration?  He realized he could be more than what he was being used for in the WWE.  He knew he had value and knew the fans would enjoy his work.  He was willing to put everything on the line to show the executives and writers that he could carry the ball.  In short: he had goals and a plan.

Ryder could have had a victim mentality.  He could have kept asking the executives “When are you going to do something for me?”.  Instead he asked himself what he could do to help himself – he then went and did it.

Zack is a perfect example what you can do when you have a plan and are willing to take a risk to get what you want out of life.  He took it upon himself and proved he had it.  In December of 2011 he was awarded the United States Championship which I hope is just a stepping stone in his career.

Take Aways:

  • Have a goal with a plan.
  • Be willing to take some risks.
  • Get rid of victim thinking and figure out how you can position yourself where you want.
  • Go for it!

You can find Zack Ryder at the following sites:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LongIslandIcedZ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZackRyder
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/longislandicedz

Filed Under: Goal Setting Tagged With: , , , , , ,

2012 Goals

January 5, 2012

GoalsHave you set your goals for this year yet?

If you haven’t now is a great time to do it.  All you have to do is get a piece of paper or a calendar and write down your exact goal (be specific) and when you want to achieve it by.  Then put it somewhere that you will actually look at it.  That is it!  You have set goals.

If you want to have more fun with it download the free goal sheet from The Project Girl.  You can break your goals up into the different areas of your life so you can focus on each one when you need to!

Filed Under: Goal Setting Tagged With: , ,

New Year’s Eve 2011

December 31, 2011

Happy New YearIs it really that time again?

A lot of people will set their resolutions this weekend on how they are going to be better or improve their life next year.  I hope you have already set your goals and you are prepared for what the new beginning has in store for you.

A new year is not the only time to make changes in your life.  Review your goals throughout the year so you can recommit to them.  Many resolutions never get completed and that is because they are out of sight out of mind.  Review your resolutions/goals/wants regularly and achieve what you are looking to achieve.

Here is hoping that 2012 brings the happiness and purpose you want in your life and we will see you next year!

Filed Under: Goal Setting, Life Coaching, Time Management Tagged With: , , , ,

It Is Never To Late To Try Again

November 12, 2011

Never To LateI hear people talk about how they wish they had done this or that. So, why not now? Is it really ever to late? As long as you are breathing I don’t see why it has to be.

mental_floss recently put up an article with 10 people who did not start their careers or what they became known for until late in life.  This included people such as Colonel Sanders who didn’t open KFC until he was 65, Grandma Moses who was 76 when she did her first painting, and Takichiro Mori who left teaching at the age of 55 to be a real estate investor and died with a net worth of $13 billion dollars.

No matter what it is that you wish you could do in life it is never to late to try.  If you are 40 years old and wish you had a degree then go get one.  60 and want to be a professional wrestler – I can show you how to do that as well.

“Don’t dream it.  Be it.”  Rocky Horror Picture Show

Photo Credit:  Terry-Anne

Filed Under: Careers, Goal Setting Tagged With: , , , ,

To Big To Tackle?

October 15, 2011

Turtle vs. StrawberryDo you have a task in your life that you feel that is to big to tackle?  Feeling overwhelmed or like to much is being put on you?  Well, there is an easy way to fix this.  Now, the way is easy – that does not mean your path to the end of the obstacle will be but it helps you get to the end.

How do you do it?  One step at a time.  Simple, right?  It really is that easy.  Take whatever you are dealing with at write it at the top of piece of paper.  Now write down small steps that you can do to help you get to the end.  Hang this up where you will see it and mark off the steps until you get to where you are going.

How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time!  – Author Unknown

Take any large task and break it down to it’s smaller steps.  Before you know it you will have accomplished something you thought was out of your reach.
 
 
 

Photo from Must Love Dogs by way of Jonfun.
Filed Under: Goal Setting, Life Coaching Tagged With: , , ,

What do you think is enough?

October 8, 2011
Never Good Enough

Photo Courtesy of Evan Holloway

I run into people all the time who say that they do not have enough.  This is a very broad statement and one I think we all need to evaluate in our own lives.

What constitutes “enough” in your life?  Is having a loving family enough or do you need to own the house your family is in?  Is being able to pay the bills every month enough or do you need a million dollars in the bank?  There is no right or wrong here – just an evaluation of where “enough” stands for you.

Let us do something to take action.  Take three minutes and write a list of items that you feel satisfies your life.  This could be kids, money, family or could even be something like notebooks if you are a writer. Whatever you feel fulfills your life and you have enough write it down even if it wouldn’t make sense to anyone else.

Now,  beside that list make another column and write down items in your life that you don’t feel that you have enough of.  Same rules apply, whether it would make sense to anyone else is irrelevant and go for three minutes.  Just let it flow out of you as you write the list no matter how out there you think the item is.

Done?

Now, compare the two lists.  Do you see similarities?  If you wrote for the full three minutes I bet you do.  See how you can use what you have enough of to fill what you feel you do not have enough of.  Many times having it in front of you makes you realize you have more than you thought.  What about those things that you do not see similarities on?  Well, now is the time for you to determine how much of that thing you need to have enough, pull out your goal planner/calendar/paper and outline what specific steps you need to take to have enough.

Do you see what I did there?  You just learned another step in setting goals.  You have to figure out what you want or need out of life to be fulfilled before you can set a goal.  You need the target.  Now you should have several to shoot for.  Can’t say you don’t have any goals now can you?

Special thanks to Randy Pausch for teaching me the head-fake.

 

Filed Under: Goal Setting, Life Coaching Tagged With: , , ,
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