One Success At a Time

Success is a fairly short word that packs a lot of power. It is the driving force behind every accomplishment. Goal attainment consists of many smaller successes along the way.

If your goal is to purchase a new vehicle at a reasonable interest rate, you must first be successful in managing your expenses, paying them in a timely manner and saving for a down payment. The accomplishment of each component denotes a personal success and will eventually lead to the ultimate success, the vehicle you desire.

Too often we associate success with a major win and forget that it took many smaller successes to reach the ultimate goal. We also often tend to wait until the major goal is accomplished before we celebrate.

Those who have received my newsletters over the last ten years are well aware of my belief that celebration should be a key component of our daily life. Every accomplishment should be cause for a thank you and a self-congratulatory pat on the back, thumbs up or fist pump.

Celebrating the little wins provides motivation to keep moving forward toward the bigger win. Also, knowing there is a reward at various milestones/mini-goals along the way gives us a short-term incentive, as we work towards the long-term endpoint.

Let’s also not forget the most important success of all. Upon awaking each day, I say, “Thank you” for another opportunity to learn, grow, share and love. Don’t take this success lightly or for granted. As I’ve recently experienced (with the unexpected death of a family member), you never know when a day might be your last. Cherish, be thankful and celebrate every day as a success bonus.

Try this for the next 30 days. Each evening, write in your journal, Blackberry, Ipad or any other place, one success of the day. You might even want to make it a family affair and use this exercise as a dinner table activity or topic of conversation. However, recording successes provides a record of accomplishments over time.

At the end of 30 days, review your recorded successes. You’ll be surprised at how many wins you’ve had (at least 30) and how much you’ve accomplished. Also, remember to set your milestone rewards in advance. Doing so will provide additional motivation to stay the course, drive for tackling future challenges and desire to set additional goals.

Let me know how you’re doing.  Post your successes in the comments section.

To Thyself Give Love

It's that time again. Hearts, candies and flowers abound. In another lifetime, I owned multiple retail floral locations and this was our busiest time of the year.

This is also the time of year when expectations are high. We sometimes anxiously await a gift, a card or a romantic evening with someone special. On February 15th, there will be thoughts of dreams fulfilled, underwhelmed gift recipients and lonely hearts.

Why wait for someone to demonstrate their love or affection for you? Resolve to show yourself love. and continue to do so throughout the year. Whatever you decide you'd like to experience, do it for yourself. Begin to give yourself the love you want from others.

Too often, I see people searching for "the one" who will "complete" them. Pssst. That person doesn't exist. News flash. You're already complete. Now take the complete package that you are and start enjoying yourself. How do you love thee? In countless ways.

If you're already in a relationship, this applies to you as well. Whatever you want for you, don't wait for your partner to give it to you. If you need more from your relationships, don't hope other's will guess what you need, be clear about what you require and how you want it.

Take care of yourself. Work to make yourself feel complete, and you will be okay, regardless. People will enter and exit your life, but wherever you go, there you'll be. Since you'll be with you for a long time, might as well learn to love yourself.

Oh, and on the subject of finding someone to love...the more fun you learn to have with you, the more attractive you'll be to others. Though looking good will definitely help your ego, the package wrapping is always far less valuable than its contents.

I believe a man/woman should not be a necessity, in your life, but an accessory. Their presence should only complement what is already beautiful.

Appreciate the beauty in and of you, and the world will reflect the same.

Making the Best of Any Situation & Change

Our Shih Tzu has lost most of his sight due to detached retinas. However, he hasn't missed a beat. Though he never was a very active dog, he has maintained his personality and managed to adapt to his near blindness.

His nose has become his bumper guard. As it bumps against walls or other objects, he realizes the need to go in a different direction. I've also taught him to follow the sound of my clapping hands. I clap to let him hear sound from the direction he should walk toward. Whenever his sense of direction is off, I say, "No" and he course corrects toward the direction of the clapping sound.

When I think of him and how well he has adapted, I think of how we humans so often put a great deal of energy into fighting change. Rather than "going with the flow", we can dig our heals in and go absolutely nowhere. In so doing, we halt our growth and progress.

What if our dog, "Deak", had decided to dig his heels (paws) in and refuse to walk anywhere, because he wasn't certain of where he was going? He'd never be able to walk outside, smell fresh air, relieve himself outside (very important) or sniff another dog (he probably thinks this one is also important). His life would be less fulfilling, less normal and less interesting.

Change was forced upon him. Yet, he adapted and made the best of his situation. Seemingly, with little or no fear. What situation are you afraid to deal with? What change are you refusing to make? What uncertainty are you afraid to face? You too have a bumper guard. You can use your instincts to course correct.

Don't hold back your opportunities for learning and growth. Though you may move forward with uncertainty, you take your instincts along. You have the ability to couse correct at any time. Don't hold back. Discover all the wonders of life that await. You'll be better for it.

Kennette Reed
www.speakerkennettereed.com

Is Eight Enough or Too Many?

With all the hype surrounding the Gosselin family, I've been wondering a lot about how the kids are fairing and thinking about the entire concept of a large family. Can parents with so many children even consider divorce to be an option?

With so many children, how can two parents possibly provide each child the time, attention and nurturing they need to become a healthy, happy, well-adjusted adult? It's certainly challenging to raise and send one well-adjusted person off into the world. Even when parents seemingly do everything right, the adult who emerges may not always be the responsible and successful person the parents had hoped for.

With all of the out-of-control in vitro fertilization (and the resulting multiple births) occurring, do you think it is unfair, unwise and unjustified for couples to be able to bring more than two or three children into the world at a time? I've seen too many parents who thought about having babies, but didn't think about all the years after the baby stage. Many of these parents will be the ones who fail to instill / enforce behaviors / values in their children during their "formative years" to help them effectively manage life and their relationships as teens and adults. These ill-prepared children are often unable to cope with a world that requires them to adhere to a code of conduct, effectively manage relationships and accept responsibility for the consequences of their behavior.

Parenting isn't easy when there is only one child in the family, let alone four or more. Add on the in-your-face messages of worldly influences constantly reaching out and touching our children and the cost of living steadily climbing. With all of this, effectively managing, nurturing and supplying for the needs of a large family in the twenty-first century seems to be untenable.

Am I the only one thinking about these things? What do you think? What's the answer?

Kennette Reed
http://kennettereed.com

Thank You!

Thanks to everyone who allowed me to give to them on my birthday. It was wonderful hearing from so many of you. This is definitely going to be a continuing birthday tradition.

Here's the amazing thing, no one asked for anything outrageous. All requests were reasonable and achievable.

I'm still feeling generous. Therefore, from now until the end of May, I'll give a 40% discount to anyone who purchases any products from my site:

1. Go to the site http://kennettereed.com/products
2. Choose the products you want to purchase
3. Click "View Cart" to see the checkout page
4. Once on the checkout page, enter the Customer Code "maygift" (without the quotation marks)
5. Then click the "Submit" button to the right of the Customer Code area

Your 40% discount will then be deducted from the cart total. Enjoy your shopping trip.

Kennette Reed
http://kennettereed.com/products

What can I do for you today?

Native American and other cultures have a custom of giving to others on your birthday, instead of receiving. Since today is my birthday, I wanted to do something different. So, I am flipping the script and asking, "What I can do for you?" Tell me how I can help you today.

There is a catch to this. Your request can't cost money!

Do you need something edited? Do you need advice for your business, personal life or to help a friend? Do you need career change advice? How about publishing advcie? Or something else? Let me know via a linkedin message/reply http://www.linkedin.com/in/kennettereed, e-mail kennette@gmail.com, comment on my blog using this link http://www.thoughtstream1.blogspot.com , or Twitter it to me at 7fppbr@twittermail.com .

If I can write, do, act, ask or tell, send your request my way. If I can't do it myself, I will work to find someone who can.

What Are You Willing To Stand For?

In my newsletter today I wrote about an incident that occurred with one of my consulting clients. The client wanted me to comply with their intention to unethically require a contractor to complete additional out of contract scope work or not be paid for the work they had already completed according to the contract terms. Since the contractor had already satisfied all the terms of the contract, I refused to withhold the contractor's payment. Because of my "blatant defiance" the client felt he had the right to speak to me in a highly escalated and demeaning tone. Finding this behavior and his unethical intentions to be unacceptable, I suggested that we part ways. He agreed.

What would you have done? Would the possible loss of income keep you working for someone who lacked integrity and respect for you? How would you justify working hard for someone who didn't value you? Do you feel allowing an employer or manager to speak to you in a demeaning manner is acceptable? If it happened once, and you did nothing, aren't you telling them it's okay? If you've allowed them to compromise your integrity, what will keep them from doing it again? At what point do you say, "No!"?

We must all have a line we will not cross. There must be a choice made as to how we want to operate in the world. If we want to be treated fairly and be respected, we must give the same to others. When we know what is right and true, we must stand up for it. It won't always be easy, but stand we must. It's not just about the respect that others have for us, it's about the respect we have for ourselves. I could not respect myself if I were blindly obedient and caused another harm as a result of being so.

Don't allow fear of losing your job or contract to compromise your principles. Stand up for what is right. You and the world will be better for it.

http://www.kennettereed.com/