Summer of Possibilities

The talking heads (Media) are proposing a double-dip recession and the default of the United States on its debt. And while these and other things may be true, it begs the question, must my focus be on these negative events? Mark Twain pointed out, "Ninety-eight percent of what I worried about never happened." In the darkest of nights, there is the possibility that light will come. As we move forward into the summer with fuel prices at their highest levels and inflation eating more and more into our budgets, remember to focus on the possibilities that can and will bring success to you and your business.

It is noteworthy to see that some of the major iconic companies were started in the midst of a recession:

GE (General Electric) was established in 1876 by famed American inventor Thomas Edison. In the middle of the Panic of 1873, a six-year recession, Edison created one of the best known inventions of all time--the incandescent light bulb. In terms of market capitalization, GE is now the third largest company in the world. The enterprise has evolved from a manufacturing-strong business to an enterprise earning more than 50 percent of its revenue from its financial services division.

Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. was born during the recent post-9/11 recession. Established in January 2001, the online encyclopedia had more than 100,000 entries by 2003. Today it is home to more than 2.5 million articles and continues to grow.

And there are many other companies that were started during tumultuous economic times. So my advice would be to set your sails for success and you will no doubt find it and drop anchor and prosper in this Summer of Possibilities.

"Look for the opportunities in the difficulties, not the difficulties in the opportunities."

~Victor Fiorelli~

Endless Possibilities

Limitless possibilities are available in business and life for those who choose to pursue them. Anyone can point out the doom and gloom and name all the reasons why success cannot occur in today’s economic climate. It takes vision to see the possibilities amidst the adversity that surrounds each of us today. The media talking heads seem to be only good at pointing out the dark part of the cloud while ignoring the silver lining. I propose that the climate is perfect for innovation and to blaze new trails. The “we’ve always done it that way” mantra must be ignored and our minds attentively tuned to the endless possibilities.
There are new paradigms yet to be implemented and just waiting for someone to discover them and as the Star Trek episodes would prompt…..”to boldly go where no man has gone before”. Many times we look at a problem so long that we become almost hypnotized by it when our eyes all along should have been looking for the solution. There is a proverb that says:

“He who observes the wind will not sow, and he
who regards the clouds will not reap.”
~Eccles. 11:4~

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “If a man can make a better mousetrap, the world will make a beaten path to his door”. From mousetraps to new innovations to a better business model are possible if entrepreneurs will focus on the possibilities. Time passes and markets fluctuate, but it is key to stay focused on predetermined goals and on goals that you can allow to be bent in positive ways that will make the possible become reality. I wish you much success in the days that are to come.

Focus

It is easy in an economic downturn to allow your focus to be on the wrong things. But remember that opportunity presents itself even in stormy economic times. Somehow it goes against conventional wisdom that success can be experienced in times of recession. When the Stock Markets are on a downward spiral and many are bailing out, it is often the best time to buy.

I find myself shunning those who bring tidings of negativism. Charles H Duell with the U. S. Patent office said, "Everything that can be invented has been invented” in 1899. And we know from observation, Mr. Duell was proven wrong. We as business entrepreneurs must focus on the opportunities and not the obstacles. There are opportunities to be found in the obstacles. There is an old Bible verse that relates: “He that observes the wind shall not sow; he that regards the clouds shall not reap.” Ecclesiastes 11:4

I am not advocating to wear rose colored glasses, but that we maintain the focus on our goals through good times and bad. If we persevere, the refrain from our lips will be the words of Johnny Nash :

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

A Stitch in Time

The essence of time is something all of us have a love and hate relationship with. At times it seems we are in control of it and other times it becomes a task master that drives each of us to our limits. In the business world, timeliness can be profitable and being careless with time can be the ruin of the bottom line. There is a saying in a nursery rhyme that relates, “a stitch in time, may save nine”. What that means in a nutshell is a timely effort will prevent more work later. There are many things that can be done in our personal life and business that can and should be done in a more efficient manner.
I am amazed each year when thousands of Americans wait until April 15th to prepare their taxes and get it in the mail. No doubt many will file for extensions which will only serve in pushing the date of reckoning a little further away to buy more time. In order to be successful in business and reach your full potential, it is imperative to make the best use of time. Being a good steward of time will pay dividends many times over the initial investment. Listed below are some things that can be done to manage your day:

1) Put First Things First or prioritize your to do list. There are certain aspects of your business that are more important than others and you must make sure that they are taken care of in a timely manner.

2) Have a Master Plan for the day or at least a map in mind of where you want to go and what you wish to accomplish. Remember the old carpenter’s rule: “Measure twice, cut once”. Taking a little time to map out your day is never wasted time!

3) It pays to be Proactive rather than reactive. There are many business issues that can be compensated for and acted on before being pressured by a deadline.

Success depends largely on how time is managed and great efforts must be made to be a wise investor of the time we have. Remember: "A stitch in time, may save nine." I wish you much success today and always.

“Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves”
~Lord Chesterfield~

Playing Life in a Different Key

I have always had a deep appreciation of music and was in awe of any artist that could play the piano exceptionally well or any other instrument for that matter. What separated some of the artists was their ability to utilize other keys beyond what the sheet music called for on a particular arrangement they were playing. Many call this coloring outside the lines or thinking outside the box. Life itself can become mundane and common when we continuously follow the same path day in and day out. Businesses can become accustomed to mediocrity when doing business the same way year after year. There is a new vibrancy that can come to our lives and businesses if we can endeavor to try a new path. It is uncharted territory that can awake the explorer that is deep inside each of us. I am not advocating throwing caution to the wind, but to be bold and blaze a new path of success for yourself and be an inspiration for others to follow suit.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”

~Albert Einstein

Curiosity is a good thing and can jump start innovation. One of the curses that most adults have is that we lose this important aspect of being curious. To a young child curiosity is a natural gift. A young child is blessed with the fact that they have few preconceived notions. They constantly are asking who, what, when, where, and particularly why. Young children believe that most everything is possible until someone convinces them otherwise and they view the world as a wide open place filled with delightful possibilities. If we could as adults somehow recapture this important element, it could take us to new heights that we have not known before. We are three months into a new year and Springtime is in the air and brings with it evidence of new life that is springing forth all around us. Perhaps we should resolve to color outside the lines or leave our boxes for a few minutes each day to get a new perspective. I believe we can all learn to play life in a different key and be better for it.

I wish you much success. M. D. Gray

Successful Thinking

The thought life is so very important in a person’s life. Often times I don’t think we can fathom how thinking can bring success and it can bring utter failure as well. Life is going to throw enough curve balls without us assuring failure by our daily thoughts. It is up to us to keep our focus on the proper things. Many define success on many different levels and in a number of diverse ways. But the very nature of success is connected to our thinking and in preparing ourselves for success. True success in life cannot be achieved without knowledge. As we grow older, the more historical data we have on which to draw and this can be beneficial as we contemplate our past failures and successes and this can move us forward to greater success in life.

You and I are not what we eat; we are what we think.
~Walter Anderson, The Confidence Course, 1997

The very nature of life is a forward continuous motion that moves us beyond our failures and our successes until the final curtain falls. It is imperative each day that we seek to improve our thinking and replace the negative with the positive. Focused thinking is a practice that must be learned. Negative events are part of the very nature of life and always will be. But we have a choice on where we focus our thoughts and that must be bent to the positive. Just as a plant in the darkness moves and reaches to any exposure of light, we too must reach with our thoughts to that which is positive. Success could be just a thought away!

The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking. ~Albert Einstein

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Destination: Success

“Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down.”

Days have passed since we crossed the threshold of the year 2010. It is imperative that we verify goals and steps to reach them on a weekly basis or at the very least monthly. Often times, the New Year prompts resolutions that last a couple of weeks and then become quickly buried in the day to day tasks. Anita DeFrantz emphasized that “Your goal should be out of reach but not out of sight”. Success is a journey and a process. I was once told by a very wise friend of mine that “dreams do come true if we don’t oversleep”. Each day is a new day to move forward toward our goal learning as we go and always remembering that each day brings us closer to the goal we seek.

Practical Advice: Write down your goals
Evaluate your goals consistently
Enjoy the Journey to reach your goal

“Somewhere on your journey don't forget to turn around and enjoy the view”

I wish you much success. M. D. Gray

http://www.nwlavbs.com/