The Time Is Now
You Better Get Going
By Janet Lund
Greetings and salutations! I hope your 2016 has been filled with many a good time so far.
If it’s been more of a bumpy ride, well, we get it.
11 Things We Learned From Failure
Or…Some Lessons Are More Expensive Than Others
Joel’s Blog
[This blog first appeared September 27, 2015]
If you have been following along the past few months, you know we have been winding down operations at the office suite we’ve occupied for the past year. In a few days, our business operations will be run from our dual home office. Janet’s recording studio is upstairs. My coaching (and writing) office is downstairs.
To say it has been a “learning experience” kind of doesn’t even get close to it. “Failure” does. (more…)
6 Reasons You Must Be A Human Doing
~Joel’s Blog
A Human Doing vs Human Being
You’ve heard it, right?
We come into the world as a human being, but then once we grow up, we turn into a human doing.
There’s truth to that. We feel the truth of it because we’re living it. Seeing it. You don’t have to look very far. Maybe no further than the mirror.
Our work world easily mutates until it becomes outsized. And we risk losing touch with our human nature. We get busy. Really busy. In fact, insanely busy. Running from one thing to the next. Creating long lists of things that must be done…if only we could find the stinking list again! And while we’re at it, we’d like to find the missing Costco card and mailbox key (both currently lost in our house). (more…)
Resolve Versus Resolutions: 4 Steps For Progress
~Joel’s Blog
Resolutions? What Resolutions?
Every time a new year begins, we hear a chorus of voices declaring that we should make resolutions for what we want throughout the course of those fresh, 365 days to come. From the media to gurus, ample guidance is given for “how to make resolutions you can keep!” Until we rinse and repeat, next year.
Well, if you’re anything like me, there’s a trail of still-waiting resolutions stretching off into your past.
There’s a better way of engaging in your life–of living your life.
Choose Resolve
There are four problems with making resolutions. But they provide clues to a better approach.
Resolutions are basically just a list of what you’re unhappy with and, as a result, what you plan on doing differently:
- I want to lose weight.
- I want to make more money.
- I’ll do better in my relationships this year.
- Less TV, more books!
- I’m going to start ________________.
- I’m going to finish ________________.
- This is the year that I’m finally going to _________________________________________.
Observing how we state our resolutions, how we build them in our minds, helps us see why they fail:
- They are too simple. With no details, how will you know when you have achieved your weight goal? How much “more” money will make you happy? When are you “going to finish” the whatever?
- There’s no motivation. Besides have some vague feeling that prompted the resolution, what will drive you towards making the changes? More vague feelings?
- There’s no measurement. How do you measure doing “better” in your relationships?
- There’s nothing unique. Really? This year you want to be healthier, wealthier, nicer…whatever-er? And that’s different than what everyone else wants…how?
We make resolutions because we want to change a certain behavior. Or we want a different result in our life. We want to be a better version of us.
Which is great! Resolve to make it happen. And then make it happen.
- Get specific: Write down what you resolve to make happen in your life this year. Be specific: how much weight? and by when? Do you need the entire year to achieve it? Or only 6 months?
- Be daring! This is your life, after all. Whatever you resolve to change better be powerful enough, exciting enough, and serious enough to keep you focused and motivated. Dream big. Dream really big! Get audacious.
- Embrace accountability. Let’s go back to the goal of having better relationships. With who? Have you asked them how they would measure your improvement? If that’s not an option or just doesn’t fit, decide how you will measure what “better” looks like. Monitor your progress, at least every week.
- Be you. There’s no one else like you. Chances are good that the very things you resolve to change–to make better in your life–might also make life better for everyone else.
The task is to recognize that you are uniquely special, have something to give, some talent no one else shares in quite the same way. This gift needs to blossom so we can appreciate and enjoy the benefits of it and acknowledge you for it. You owe this to yourself and to all of us to honor your gifts, for only when you share your unique joy with the world does the entire world benefit. Every advance humankind has known has come because of someone’s effort. Don’t let shyness rob you and the world of the power and the passion that lies within you. No one can be all that you will be except you yourself. Follow your passion.
Take the plunge!
Dump making resolutions! They’re nothing more than fancy-sounding wishes.
Throw yourself completely into resolve. Embrace your life. Take action. Everyday.
What are things you resolve to change in your life? Have you considered how much better that could be for those around you, too?
Engage here. Please add to the conversation.
photo credit: Iguanasan via photopin cc
Money & Fear: 5 Steps To Emotional Recovery (Part 2)
~Joel’s Blog
Fear Of Debt? Crawl Before You Walk
It’s simple enough and requires no math skill. Spend more money than you make. You go into debt.
That was true for us, as we revealed in part one of this series. In retrospect, there really was no way to avoid that unpleasant money outcome, given our meager income versus the cost-of-living challenges we faced. Consequently, as soon as we could we sought out greater income opportunities. Things got better.
As we saw last time, having loads of money doesn’t mean you will feel secure. Kara and Ron taught me that, as a financial planner.
Many people around the world, especially in America, had been living very high until the Great Recession hit. Things were pretty good. Money was moving easily. Account values and home prices were rising quickly. The expectation of that continuing may have actually set us up for the crash.
Life is what happens after you make plans.
But that assumes that there was a plan. Many people, around 2007, didn’t have any plan. They were winging it. Things felt good. And making a plan felt like work. Even unnecessary. They found out the hard way that not having a plan feels terrible and creates much more work, headaches, and heartache.
5 Steps to Emotional Recovery
So, what does it mean and how do you “prepare for rain” in your life? Prepare For Rain is a place where people get “unstuck,” start growing again, and renew their dreams and passions. To do that, you must take these five key steps:
- Recognize that you need “rain” in your life. Because of the Great Recession, that’s not so hard these days. Of course, we’re not talking about physical rain. Too many people are stuck in the mindset and expectation of scarcity, rather than abundance, even with money. “Rain” here means renewal, restoration, maybe even rebirth.
- Honestly reflect on where you are right now. Is your work satisfying to you? Sure, it’s important to have income, but are you trading your time for too little money? Is there something else you could do to supplement your income? A part-time job? Better yet, a home-based business that involves something you love…something you are gifted at?
- Get serious
about your debt/income ratio. I’m all in favor of not having debt. But I don’t advocate people get out of debt as fast as they can—as many financial experts do. Don’t get me wrong. I am totally on board with the concept and the goal of becoming debt-free. The problem isn’t with the concept. It’s with people’s money habits. Many behaviors need to change, simultaneously, to achieve a “no-debt” status. Debt isn’t evil. It makes economies run and allows companies to expand, which includes hiring more people. The critical issue is how expensive is the debt: how much does it actually cost to buy the money. As an advisor—and then a leader of advisors—I saw many people work very hard at paying off their debt, using every spare dollar to do so. Often, I was advising and helping them to do so. While their goal was admirable, when life threw them a curve some stopped trying. Because every dollar had gone to debt-reduction, no money went to savings [not what I recommended]. So, what happened when life threw them a curve? They went back into debt to deal with the challenge. For some, this became a rinse & repeat cycle. They felt defeated. Therefore, I advocate that you continue building a savings account even while paying down the debt because it’s proactive and responsible. - Re-engage your dreams. Chances are high that you put them on a shelf some time ago. Maybe a very long time ago. Why? Because you needed to work? OK, but why does it have to be one or the other? If you’ve always wanted to be a writer, then write. Get up a little earlier every day for a month…and write. See how you feel a month from now! You’ll feel awesome. Maybe you’ll have something to publish. Same thing for painting, music, poetry, whatever. It’s your dream. No one else can bring it to life besides you.
- Give back. Our perspective about things gets very skewed when we’re in our own little bubble. Volunteer somewhere. Lots of organizations need help, so find one that engages your passions.
Engage here. Does any of this resonate with you? Someone you care about? Have you downloaded our free guide yet?
photo credit: Alan Cleaver via photopin cc