Time to Nudge Ya

I know I know.....it isn't polite to nudge someone....hey I'm Canadian after all....The last thing I want to do is offend anyone or make them feel like I'm putting them on the spot.

But it's my blog and I'll nudge if I want to ")

I'm just going to come right out with it. Where is your written list of goals?
If you can answer that in three seconds, you have failed the test.

I can not overemphasize how important it is for you to make written goals and to have them in a handy place that you can review them daily or several times daily if necessary.

Human nature dictates that we are so easily distracted...by minutia, by news, by fashion, by bills, by drama, and gossip and the list goes on.  But if you won't stick to your goals who is going to get you back on track?
It is up to you. If you can't find a pen, use a crayon from your child's coloring box. If you can't find anything to write with, then type it into your cell phone as a new contact on your list of stored contacts.

You might be rolling your eyes right now....is it really that important to clutter up my slick cell phone with
a motley bunch of written goals that might not come true? Hey there, I caught ya...you already have given up on your goals even before writing them down. That is the real reason you don't want to write them down. The fear of failure is preventing you from setting any goals at all.

Well, mister or missy, it's time to get over yourself and how your emotions might be screaming for more coffee this Monday morning. I am just going to tell you nice and quietly but firmly......you still HAVE to write down those goals, even if your confidence in yourself has wavered. Emotions come and go, but your goals can remain. Confidence can be fickle. Winning comes when you ignore your feelings and take steps towards your goals anyway!

That is all I am asking from you this cloudy quiet Monday morning. Take that step today and write down those goals. And when you do, send me a quick comment in the section below to let me know you did it! You DID IT!
We are here to cheer you on. Now go find that pencil.

Peaceful productivity.

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REstoring Life to the Classrooms of America

I stumbled across an interesting read last week...
"Third World America" by Ariana Huffington...

Normally, I'm not enthused when I read a socialist-bent rant on capitalism, but there are a few gems in this book that make it worth the read.....and hopefully you'll still believe in free enterprise when you're done readin' it..

Permit me to quote:

pg 121 2nd paragraph
"But if we are to survive---and avoid turning into Third World America----it's essential that we make it easier for creativity and fresh thinking to flourish in our classrooms, We need to start looking at things in bold and different ways."

Now isn't that portion something we can all agree on? Right and Left? Capitalists, Socialists, Independents and everything in between and beyond?

Jus' thinking aloud here....
When push comes to shove we are all going to wind up living with the countries that we create today. We will watch our descendants either thrive and prosper in what we create, or struggle and suffer for our stodgy old fashioned ways.

One of my pet peeves which I have yet to reconcile in my brain is that I get so upset whenever I see how new thinkers are viewed and rejected particularly in Christian church circles, I am horribly disappointed. I hear sermons on how to "not rebel" which these young thinkers interpret as a stern admonition to  "stick with the status quo, or you might just upset someone".

I believe that if good changes are going to come to our educational systems we must EMPOWER radical thinkers. We MUST empower those rebels who dare to color outside of the lines...for they look at life in new and fresh ways. We can not stick to what is comfortable and traditional if we are going to pioneer new breakthroughs for America.

You see, other countries don't have this hang up. They welcome unusual unique thinkers and they sponsor inventors to go beyond what has always been done.

We can not be afraid of change. CHANGE is our very best friend.
With the information age, being able to ADAPT to change is a crucial skill that not only
sports figures must possess to excel in their chosen sport. We ALL must learn how to bob and weave and
change how we think about what is possible for life in our towns, cities, countries and globally.

The world is indeed our marketplace, our school yard, our library, our fellowship hall, and our church.
Our friends and cohorts should not just be found in our own backyards. WE must be able to fellowship with
radical thinkers around the globe for the purposes of free enterprise, scientific breakthroughs and educational partnerships.

If most of the large cap businesses are, of necessity, globally competitive....we must educate our children also emotionally and socially to be able to socialize with people from other countries with other cultures, foods, and language. We must pass on an ability to participate on this global stage.

If we hesitate and run backwards with our tail between our legs, our countries will simply NOT be able to compete on the world stage. Our North American society will not be the envy of the world any more, and even our own citizens will flee to other countries where change and invention are welcomed and encouraged.

If our churches figure out how to love inventors and scientists and free thinkers, we will be harboring the best up and coming leaders of the next generation. But if we make them feel unwelcome for thinking in new ways, we will have kicked creativity out of the church.

Christendom, used to be the Mother of higher education. We still have a chance to reclaim that opportunity to incubate great thinkers and inventors,creative artists, educators and business people. We must learn to not be easily offended and offer our listening ears and welcoming homes to all, especially those who show an ability to pioneer something that is new and untried.

Churches can be the leaders in times of change, or they can become the unwilling mule that stubbornly refuses to go where it needs to. Love the new, test the new and escort the new into your churches, so that these precious entrepreneurs and creative folks will stay and flourish INSIDE the safety of the fold instead of outside of it.
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How Badly Do You Want That?

I was perusing Tim Ferriss's blog again today. It's not for the faint of heart.
It brought to my mind that nagging question:
How Badly Do I Want what I Want?

Maybe you've started something new lately....started a new work out, or are thinking about applying
for some new college course. Perhaps it's something much more urgent and intense that involves uprooting yourself to a new city or a new job.

Well, let's chat a bit. How badly do you want what you have set your sights on?
How badly do you want this new job? Are you willing to move to a new town? A new province, another country? Your first response is usually the most accurate. Don't over-think it....just jot down your answers on a clean sheet of paper or on a your notepad on your phone.

Fill in the blanks:  .I want __________ so badly that I am willing to change my ___________
in order to achieve or get ______________. But I am  not willing to give up _________ to achieve or get __________.

This simple self assessment tool will help you see what might be holding you back. Maybe your desire for that new job is not yet strong enough to warrant uprooting yourself or your family. Maybe there are other conflicting priorities that are more important at this specific point in time.

Never feel like it's a crime to change your mind about a goal that you have set for yourself. I am merely encouraging you to "KNOW WHAT YOU WANT" before you put the wheels into motion making a huge change in your life. The sacrifice you are going to make must be WORTH it! The end result must be worth the phase of upheaval.

I am not one of those people who encourage "change" just for the sake of "change". There MUST be rhyme and reason to making a drastic life change. Some folks are just hyper and they enjoy making any kind of change just because they can't sit still. Don't be one of those people.

Measure your goals, and pick the ones that really fuel your passion . Let the rest flutter to the ground in the sea of forgetfulness. Your close friends and family will appreciate your "levelheadedness" because you have proverbially "looked" before "leaping".

Peace and productivity.


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