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/

Invest Wisely

We live in an age where many spend a lifetime preparing for the future. Investors constantly monitor portfolios with the hope of good return to benefit us when we find ourselves in our retirement years. This may be well and good and prudent to invest time and energy in living comfortably both now and in the future. But in so doing, are we missing the little things that matter? It is imperative that we don’t miss the point in living our life. Why are we here? How can I not only add value to my life but add value to others? William Arthur Ward summed it up well:

"The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of life is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give." ~ William Arthur Ward~

A kind word and a smile can brighten someone’s world and give encouragement to others we may pass on our daily trek through life. The investments that will pay dividends long after we are gone from the stage of life are those where there is not a dollar value attached to it. The monetary systems of this world will go up and down through the eons of time, but a kind word said to someone will live on in their hearts forever. We must never forget when working and investing in our various businesses not to forget the things that matter most when it’s all said and done.

"Live simply. Speak kindly. Care deeply. Love generously."

M. D. Gray

http://www.nwlavbs.com/

The Possibilities of Success

Tomorrow's another day….today is the first day of the rest of your life and the list goes on concerning the possibilities of a fresh start. There must be a starting point where we make up our minds to move toward a goal that we have set in our minds. Zig Ziglar said it well, “If we don’t start, it’s certain we can’t arrive”. There are defining moments in everyone’s life and it will be up to you to “Carpe Diem” (Seize the Day).

“On a day no different than the one now dawning, Shakespeare

sat down and started Hamlet, Leonardo stepped to an easel and

made the first strokes of the Mona Lisa, and Beethoven took out

a sketch book and began the Ninth Symphony.”
-Adapted from Robert Richardson, Emerson: The Mind on Fire-

Many today have absorbed the negativity that bombards us on a daily basis from the media telling us how bad the economy is and that the future does not look much better. Rather than embracing this line of thinking, it is imperative that we see the opportunity that comes with the challenges and changes that are facing us at this time.

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects
it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."-William A. Ward-

A wise man once said, “He that observes the wind will not sow; and he that regards the clouds will not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4) The possibilities of success will come if you stay focused on goals that you have set. Think of Thomas Edison and the failures that he encountered, but he persevered until there was success. Success becomes more possible with persistence and a definite goal.

May you have success today and always.

M. D. Gray

http://www.nwlavbs.com/