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GOALS ENERGIZE OUR LIVES

Goals Energize Our Lives-Ray and Lyn achieving their Italy goal

Ray and Lyn celebrating their 25th anniversary in Italy 2022.

Goals energize our lives.

Goals provide us greater clarity, focus, and direction for living more joyful, fulfilling, and meaningful lives.

 

These tips will have you setting goals the SMART WAY.

Make them…

  • Specific(not too vague),
  • Measurable(so you know the progress you’re making),
  • Attainable(but a definite stretch),
  • Relevant(in alignment with your purpose, values, mission, and vision), and…
  • Time-bound(scheduled milestones). It is also important that you have them be…
  • Written(this makes them more solid), and build in…
  • Accountability(hence the need for individual development plans for your employees) and, finally, have a strong…
  • Yearningto achieve them (never underestimate the power of enthusiasm).

Here is a good example of a goal statement

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THE POWER OF PURPOSE: KNOW YOUR “BIG WHY?”

Martin Luther King Jr Power of Core Purpose and the Big Why

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Inspiring Core Purpose

Martin Luther King, Jr. clearly understood his “BIG WHY?”—his inspiring purpose to create equality for all through one of the most successful Civil Rights movements humanity has known.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., visited India in the early 1960s to learn satyagraha principles first-hand from Mahatma Gandhi’s family and followers.  He used these principles of nonviolence to lead the civil rights movement of the 1960s. This resulted in improving privileges and rights of African Americans throughout the United States.

Like Gandhi, King saw injustice being imposed on people because of the color of their skin.  Martin held dear the words crafted by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.”

Dr. King chose to take a nonviolent stand and create a movement attempting to bring our society back into alignment with our founding principles of equality.

Why Understanding Your “Big Why?” Is Important

Do you know your “BIG WHY”—your CORE PURPOSE? If not, LASTING SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT may elude you.

Knowing your core purpose keeps you centered on what’s most important—during good times and challenging times.

The Core Purpose of your organization is like the seed of an apple. “You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the number of apples in a seed.”

No one knows the potential IMPACT your purpose will have in the world.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit, cannot be severed; for the effect already blooms in the cause, the end pre-exists in the means, the fruit in the seed.”

Your organization has a unique Core Purpose for SERVING THE WORLD. This is your “Big Why?”—why your organization was started in the first place—beyond just making money.

Clarifying Your Organization’s Core Purpose

What’s your organization’s Core Purpose? Read more

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Create a Balanced and Fulfilling Life

Balanced and Fulfilling LifeDo you want to create a balanced and fulfilling life? Do you feel like your life is spinning out of control with all the chaos and turbulence that we have been experiencing lately in the world in the form of Covid, hurricanes, wildfires, and politics, etc.?

If so, now is the perfect time to refocus your attention on the things that you can control and restore balance back to your life. Don’t let others dictate what you should focus on. Invest some personal time on self-discovery to refocus your energy on the important areas of your life. This quick self-assessment can help.

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Do Values or Principles Matter Anymore?

Do values or principles matter anymore? If so, what is the most important value or principle you live by? Why?

For me, two intertwined principles seem to rise up from deep within our collective humanity during trying times such as these we are facing today—a global pandemic, widespread unemployment, and the recalibration of political, cultural, gender and racial justice. These principles have been my guiding light throughout my entire life especially during turbulent times.

Hope and Healing After 9-11-01

One such time I remember is the aftermath of the 9-11-01 events. I was inspired, at 45 years old, to pedal my vintage bicycle 3,369 miles in 70 days from Phoenix, Arizona, to Ground Zero, New York City to honor the heroes of 9-11. Supported by my wife, Lyn, we rolled across America and shared a powerful message of hope and healing with thousands of people across America. People shared heartwarming stories with us, grounded in timeless principles that can help each of us be more peaceful and joyful no matter what is happening in our lives and the world.

The Golden Rule principleThe Golden Rule

The principle that echoed the deepest in my heart and others’ hearts that I connected with during my bicycle journey—and has echoed again during this present chaotic time—is The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. This overreaching principle embodies values such as respect, caring, trust, honesty, and simply being nice.

 

The Diamond Rule principleThe Diamond Rule

Another equally powerful principle is the flip-side of the same coin. I call it The Diamond Rule: Strive honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view. It means to walk a mile in another person’s moccasins to better understand their unique perspective. Read more

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How to Realize Your Goals Like a Pro

Introduction

Are you looking to grow and expand your business and life? There’s and art and science to it. The art is choosing to create an intention (or goal) you love that is meaningful to you and others. The science is invoking the universal creation process to realize your inspired idea.

Invoking the 4-Phase Creation Process

Each of us has been born with the same power to create the reality we desire. In each moment, we get to choose to be a creator or a reactor in life. A creative life is a joyful, expansive life. A reactive life is a stressful, contractive life. As human beings, we feel most alive and energized when we are consciously creating something new.

If you are satisfied with what is showing up in your life, do more of that. If you don’t like what’s showing up, do something different to create a more satisfying experience. The four phases of creation to manifest any inspired idea or intention are:

  1. Imagine
  2. Visualize
  3. Expect
  4. Allow

Here’s what each of the phases entail. Read more

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Human Relations Principle #5 to Become a Friendlier Person

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

~ Abe Lincoln

Happiness is an inside job revealed as a smile.

 

Human Relations Principle 5: Smile

(“A simple way to make a good first impression.”)

(This is the fifth in a series of articles where I will encapsulate each of Dale Carnegie’s timeless, life-changing principles for dealing with people. (Adapted from How to Win Friends and Influence People.))*

How a smile triggers happiness and success

People rarely succeed at anything unless they have fun doing it. People who smile tend to manage, teach and sell more effectively, and to raise happier children. That’s why encouragement is a much more effective teaching device than punishment.

You must have a good time meeting people if you expect them to have a good time meeting you. Your smile is a messenger of your good will. Your smile brightens the lives of all who see it. Smile at people and they most likely will smile back. It’s contagious!

Actions speak louder than words, and a smile says, “I like you. You make me happy. I am glad to see you.” That’s why dogs and babies make such a hit. They are so glad to see us that they almost jump out of their skins. So, naturally, we are glad to see them.

An insincere grin? No. That doesn’t fool anybody. We know it is mechanical and we resent it. I am talking about a real smile, a heartwarming smile, a smile that comes from within. Read more

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Human Relations Principle #1 to Become a Friendlier Person

Do you want to be successful in business and life?Then it takes mastery in dealing with people.

Seeing so many people in attack mode these days can be disheartening. Maybe it’s time we remember the basics of human relations much like baseball players will return to the fundamentals of their swing when they are in a slump.

The best guide on effective human relations that I have ever encountered is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, published in 1936. Prior to writing the book, Carnegie spent 20 years researching the habits of successful people. The book has sold over 30 million copies and is still listed on Amazon’s top 100 best selling books.

This is the first in a series of articles where I will encapsulate each of Dale Carnegie’s timeless, life-changing principles for dealing with people. (Adapted from How to Win Friends and Influence People.)

Human Relations Principle #1: Don’t criticize, condemn or complain (or “If you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive.”)

The easiest thing to do in the world is to criticize, condemn and complain (The 3Cs). It is the lowest form of human creative expression and takes little energy and effort. Using the 3Cs is a destructive habit we mistakenly choose in an effort to prove our superiority over another person in a battle which no one can win. Read more

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How to Create a Balanced, Successful and Fulfilling Life

Do you know what it takes to live a balanced, successful and fulfilling life? If not, you may find that your life feels like it is spinning out of control with all the chaos and turbulence that we have been experiencing lately in the world in the form of hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and politics.

This is the perfect time to refocus your attention on the things that you can control and restore balance back to your life. Don’t let others dictate what you should focus on. Invest some personal time on self-discovery to create your own energy focus for the key areas of your life.

Staying fulfilled and successful is a continuous balancing act. Things are in a constant state of flux—changing and transforming from one state to another. Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed and out of balance it is time to reassess how you are spending your time and refocus your attention on the things that matter most to you. Remember…

There is no guarantee of tomorrow, so live more fully today.

3 Steps to Create a Balanced, Successful and Fulfilling Life 

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