Terrific Tuesday - The Season for Taming the To Do List

Terrific Tuesday - it is terrific to know that there is a season for everything including taming your to do list.

Everyone has heard the Bible saying, "for everything there is a season." That saying holds true for your to do list. Perhaps it is true that everything on your to do list needs to be done. But, everything does not have to be done NOW. For each item on your to do list, there is a time. If not, you should find a time. Look at the following to do list example:

8/2/12  9 am laundry 
8/2/12  1 am shopping
8/2/12  7 pm find a sponsor

8/3/12  10  am staff meeting
8/3/12    2  pm work on sales project
8/3/12    4  pm create task force for marketing                          



When you look at the to do list above, you see that the things to be done are clearly listed. What makes the to do list special is the fact that each item has a time. By giving each item a time, you know when you should be doing each item. Time has been set aside for each item. For example on August
2, 2012, laundry is scheduled for 9 am and there is nothing else on the to do list until 1:00 am. This gives the person sufficient time to get all the laundry done before the 1:00 shopping trip.  Likewise on August  3, she has scheduled time at 2:00 to work on the sales project. She has noted she also has to create a task force for marketing so she gave herself a deadline. There are two hours allotted for the sales project this means she will have time to work on the marketing task force before the end of the day.



By setting aside a set amount of time for each item on the to do list, you are able to make sure that you have time to do everything you want to do. At the same time, you are able to manage your time and will probably feel better at the end of the day because you made a realistic to do list and were able to stick with it. When scheduling items on the to do list, make sure you give sufficient time to each item. If an item you want to do takes one hour on the average day, give it at least an hour on your to do list. Also make sure to schedule a break between items on the list so that you have time to take a breath between tasks.

There is a season for everything on your to do list, so take time and put everything in its season, in its place. So the question for you this Terrific Tuesday is, how are you going to using the seasons to tame your to do list?

Magnificent Monday - Have a Party for No Reason

Magnificent Monday - it is magnificent to have a party for no apparent reason.

I really like writing my Magnificent Monday posts. I like starting the week celebrating and looking for magnificence. There is something incredible about a magnificent day. It just makes you say "Mmmmmmmm good!" Today I am suggesting you make the day magnificent by having a party for no reason at all.





Who:

• You and those in your home circle or workplace. 

What:

• There are some occasions that beg for a party. Take for example; birthdays, New Year's Even, wedding anniversaries and the like. This Magnificent Monday I say, let's have a party for no reason at all. Make a party and have fun, just for the fun of it. 

When:

• Today, this Magnificent Monday. After all, as the expression goes, there is no time like the present.

Why:

•  It is fun. Imagine the faces of your husband and children when you declare, hey today is a party day.They will all be thrilled and a regular run of the mill Monday will turn into a fun, happy and exciting time for the entire family. It will be a great memory that will last for many years to come.  Your co-workers will be surprised at your generosity and thank you for bringing a sweet treat into their lives. It is something that will be talked about around the water cooler for months to come. 

Kool and the Gang "Celebration"

How:

• I am not talking about spending a bunch on decorations and catering. I am talking about making a fun dinner for the family on the good dishes, getting a pretty cake from the market and saying "Hey family, let's just have a little fun tonight." For those without a spouse and kids, show up at work with the same supermarket cake and sharing it with your co-workers.

A party is a time and place to celebrate and be happy. So today I am going to party for no reason at all. So the question for you this Magnificent Monday is what are you going to celebrate?

Serene Sunday - Secrets of Serenity

Serene Sunday - if you find something that gives you serenity and comfort, do it, and share your secret!

As you know from looking at the banner at the top right of this blog page, I am a wife and mother of four. Serene, quiet and peaceful moments are few and far between. So when I find something that makes serenity possible I latch onto it and hold tight.

When trying to create serene spaces, you really must look at things with your actual family dynamic in mind. At my house for example, my children's favorite word is "Mom." No matter where I go in the house I will hear them. So once per week, I head out to my local Starbucks for 2 hours. I get a tall brewed coffee, with my gold card I get unlimited refills. So for $1.75 I am out of the house for 2 hours working on whatever I want in peace and child free comfort.

Once in a while, I don't want to leave the house for some reason. On those occasions, I enlist my husband as a helper. I let him know I am going out on the porch, aka my sanctuary, and that I want to be left alone for two hours. He is great and he will keep the children lassoed, under control and reasonably quiet for the two hours of "Sanctuary Time." That is all I have on serenity and serene places. I would like to learn more secrets, so if you have any, please share. So, the question for you this Serene Sunday is, what do you do to find serenity?

Sensational Saturday - Celebrating the Sensational in a Friend

Sensational Saturday -  it is a great day to celebrate something sensational in a friend.

Friends are incredible gifts. Some friends we meet as children and we grow up and old together. Other friends we come to know as adults. Throughout our lives there are friends who come and go. Today we are only going to talk about friends who are here and deserve to have one of their wonderful qualities celebrated.

Whodini "Friends"



One of my best friends I met in college.Today I am going to celebrate her perseverance. Over the course of the past two years she has lost a job, gotten job, gotten married, filed for divorce and taken over the care of an ill parent. She has had some things happen to her that would have crippled or debilitated a weak person, bit she is still standing. She is still  moving onward. I choose to celebrate her perseverance because I don't think she know she has  such strength. I admire her ability to keep moving, to keep living and to keep hoping things will get better in the end.

I think we should celebrate the special things in our friends. I am not talking about the typical, "she is cute," or "she has a good fashion sense." I am talking about celebrating things that are unique, special, and maybe even subtle. I think we should thank our friends for being our friends.

Theme Song From The Golden Girls
"Thank You for Being a Friend"



Look over the roster of people in your inner circle. Pick one of them and let her know something about her you find worthy of celebration. So the question for you this Sensational Saturday is, how are you going to celebrate the sensational in a friend?

Fantastic Friday - Dream a Big Dream

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to dream a big dream.

I like the real world in which I live. I am a wife, a mother of four, an entrepreneur, and a writer. I have what is by all traditional measures, a nice life. That does not mean I cannot dream big dreams. In my live I have been blessed to accomplish many things.  I have truly been blessed and for that I am grateful. Guess what, I still have dreams. I have big gorgeous, technicolor, loud and exciting dreams.  There are dreams I have for myself, my husband, my children and my friends. 



Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams"




I dream the impossible dream and to paraphrase Jesse Jackson, if my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it I can achieve it. Dreams are wonderful dreams. Some dreams are fantasies, pretty pictures that will never take place. Other dreams are the basis of wonderful events in the real world. Most of all, dreams are like snowflakes, numerous, delicate and unique.


A special thing to know about dreams is  that you must learn to recognize if your dream is a fantasy, just enjoyment for a time, or if your dream is something you are going to work to achieve.You have heard the expression, "One woman's trash is another woman's treasure." It is like that with dreams. It does not make sense to compare your dreams to someone else's. Your dream is for you, it is not as mystical and incredible to anyone in the world as it is to you. So, don't get upset if people cannot see the beauty ad wonder of your dreams. As long as you see it, other people do not matter. 


So the question for you this Fantastic Friday is what big dream are you dreaming?

Uncomfortable While Pregnant

The most uncomfortable moment I ever had while pregnant, not when I was pregnant, but while a friend was pregnant.

In November of 2005 I had a miscarriage and lost a baby. I was still in my first trimester and had not told people I was pregnant yet. At that point in time I had two children who were alive, well and running all over the house. However, the loss of that child, the ceasing to be of that person was a devastating thing. I only told a few people that I lost the child because, not one had known I was pregnant in the first place.

The uncomfortable moment came about three weeks later when I was at a book club meeting. One of the members announced she was pregnant. When she did I felt so horribly, so sad and as if the loss just occurred again at that moment. I was truly uncomfortable. I went to the bathroom and privately cried. Then I sucked it up and went back to congratulate my friend. This was her special moment. A moment she waited he whole life to arrive. A moment that she deserved to remember and treasure forever. My loss did not give me the right to ruin her special time. So, I sucked it up and acted as though I had no problems and only wanted to celebrate her happiness.

Month after month at book club her belly grew larger and larger. She was a first time mother so everything was new, wonderful, exciting and happy for her. Each month after book club I hurt because I imagined how my belly would be and how my child would be growing and progressing. It was a very hard time for me. Only one of my book club friends knew about my situation and I had asked her not to tell the others because I did not want to take away my pregnant friend's shine and happiness.  So every month I sucked it up, smiled, and wished her every good and wonderful thing.

When the time came, my friend had a beautiful, happy, wonderful little girl. My friend was so overjoyed, so happy, so loving and so looking forward to being  a mother. After her baby was six months old, I told her about my little lost one and apologized if I did not seem as happy as I was for her when she announced her baby. She told me that my friends who was not supposed to talk, had told her about my loss. She said I always acted happy for her and if she did not know about my story from our mutual friend she would not have suspected anything. In addition, she told me she appreciated the fact that I never said anything to make her feel sad and that I always acted happy around her.

That experience was a good one for me. I have never had to suck up anything as horrible as the loss of my child. But, I learned that when push comes to shove, I can suck up what needs sucking and continue through life with style and grace. I survived my most uncomfortable pregnancy moment, the death of my child.

This post was inspired by a prompt from Shades of Social Media.  Karla Trotman, who writes the blog Belly Button Boutique, asked us to share thoughts about Uncomfortable While Pregnant.

Thrilling Thursday SMART Goals

Thrilling Thursday -it is thrilling to know you can accomplish all you desire because your goals are SMART.

For the past several weeks we have detailed how to make our goals SMART.

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Time Bound

We have learned that we must start by being specific when we state what our goals are. We must state exactly and with clear details what we want to accomplish. Next we must make sure our goals are measurable. This means there must be some type of quantity, some amount, some way or determining if more or less needs to be done. After we have ensured that our goals are specific and measurable, we must make sure they are attainable. 

A goal that is attainable is one that is able to be reached with persistent effort. In other words, a major step in making a goal attainable, means that one must get up and get moving.  Our next step is to ensure that our goals are realistic. When we are realistic in our planning we take into account all our resources: time, money, personnel, ability. When we are realistic we divide things into steps that can be accomplished one at a time. When our goals are realistic, we can have confidence in them and then we can make our dreams come true. 

The final ingredient in the goal setting cake is to make the goal time bound. It is important for us to set time limits and schedule our goals because no matter how specific, measurable, attainable and realistic our goals are, we will never achieve them satisfactorily unless we set a time limit for success.

The Winans "Payday"

I realize all of this is a great deal of work. Setting goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound is a hard job. But it is a job that must be done and it has great payoff. The payday for all the work is that we will be able to do what we set our minds to accomplish.

Now that you have all the rules for SMART goals, go set some. So the question for you this Thrilling Thursday is how are you going to put it all together and make SMART goals?

Add a link to your favorite blog post about SMART goals.

Wonderful Wednesday - Work Smarter Read a Book

Wonderful Wednesday - a wonderful way to start working smarter is to read a book!

I am a big believer in working smarter over working harder. Increasing my knowledge base is a source of excitement and delight for me. When I first met my husband, he told me that intelligent people have 1,000 or more books in their personal libraries. So I spent the next several years collecting the thousand books. Two years ago when I got my Kindle 3G he told me that with electronic books and advanced technology, intelligent people now have at least 10,000 books in their libraries. So, once again I started with the book collecting and now have 3,000 books on my Kindle 3G and am still collecting. However, there is a point to collecting the books.

It is my opinion that knowledge can be obtained from a myriad of sources. My recent hot button book is Malcom Gladwell's "Outliers."  I learned about different factors that contribute to success. When I read Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" I learned about candle making, packing a boat for long term travel and food storage. If I am ever stuck in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship, I can catch a whale, make food, fire, and weaponry. As a teenager, I read the original Jason Bourne books and learned about world geography, different cultures and espionage. I believe you can teach old dogs new tricks and it is never too late to learn. 

Recently I have been doing a lot of reading and research on blogging, internet marketing and the power of social media. I am trying to improve this blog and create a lasting brand with a positive impact. The books you see on the left are a few of the books I read within the past month in my search for increased knowledge and better understanding of these areas.

 

One of the ways we can work smarter instead of merely working harder is to find a book and read about something. There are so many sources for books, even for busy people. Even though many bookstores are closing and their selections are getting smaller each day, libraries are treasure troves of information. The manufacturers of the most popular e-readers, the Kindle and the Nook have applications for your computer, tablet and smart phone to read e-books.  I use a Kindle and the Kindle bookstore has thousands of free books on almost every topic. The books listed here on the left were all free when I purchased them.

So, no matter what you budget, no matter what your schedule, you have the ability and resources to get a book and read all about it. My mother-in-law used to say, "Get all you can and can all you get." That was wise advice when she first said it and it is still wise advice today. It is smart to gather information, to learn all you can about all that you do.  Information, data, facts, knowledge, no matter what name you call it, if power. It is power that will help you work smarter and enable you to accomplish more.

There are millions of books published each year on thousands of subjects. There are literally billions of journeys to information you can travel upon in your search for information. So, the question for you this Wonderful Wednesday is what book do you want to read to learn to work smarter?




Add a link to your favorite blog post or website about working smarter.

Terrific Tuesday - Delegate and Get it Done

Terrific Tuesday - it is terrific to delegate effectively in order to get done what needs doing.


Like most women, I think I am a superwoman. To paraphrase a popular jingle from my childhood, I can bring home the bacon, fry it and still make my husband feel like a man. At the same time, I recognize that I am one woman and that though I often do three things at once, on occasion, I need to delegate some tasks.


It is important to learn the correct way to delegate. The first step in delegation is to understand that you do not delegate tasks that only you can perform. For a business woman this means if you are the authorized check signer, you cannot delegate signing payroll checks to the temporary worker in for the week. For a wife, you do not delegate intimate attention for your husband. Those are tasks that only you can perform. You do delegate  tasks that can safely be performed by another. For a business woman, this means you can let your assistant make copies, deliver telephone messages or run some errands. For a wife, this means you can hire a housekeeper or nanny to help with routine household chores.


The next important step with delegation is to to give the person the task and let them have the opportunity to do the work. Most of you have heard the expression, "Let go and let God." Well, with delegation, the saying should be "Let go and let the worker work." You will never be successful in delegating duties if you do not let the person you have given the task actually do the task. After all, you would not delegate to a person incapable of doing the task right?




It is not easy to delegate. We often have a hard time matching people to the tasks to be done.  Delegation is a job for the strong. Be picky and make choices about those to whom you delegate tasks. Be careful, select the right person for the job so that you can be reasonably certain of success. Give the person the tools needed to do the job. One more piece of advice, do not get upset if the person does the job differently than you would have. If the job is done and has been done correctly, the delegation was successful. Once you have delegated and the person you have chosen has done the task, make sure to use the special magic words we all learned before kindergarten, "thank you." It makes people feel good to know that you trusted them with a job and that the work they did was pleasing to you. It is similar to the words sung by Marvin Sapp in this song:


Marvin Sapp "Never Would Have Made It"



So the question for you this Terrific Tuesday is what can you delegate to someone else to more effectively get done what needs doing?


Add a link to your favorite blog post about delegating tasks.

Magnificent Monday - Suck it Up and Succeeed

Magnificent Monday - it is magnificent to suck up the complaining and excuses in order to succeed.

So many people have excuses for why they cannot succeed. They talk about how other people have more advantages. There is always an excuse not to succeed. Everyone has heard the cliche, "the grass is greener on the other side." I say, your grass would be green too if you watered it, fed it and mowed it. In other words, if you put the good hard work in, you get the good results out.


There is always a reason a mission should fail. You can always find a reason that makes your dream impossible to achieve. A reason to quit can always be found. The hard thing, the challenging thing is to suck up the complaining an excuses and find a way to make things work. The people we admire, who are doing great and wonderful things are not there by chance. They are there because they worked hard and put the time in that is needed to in order to succeed. 

Instead of coming up with reasons why an idea will fail, look at ways to make  dreams come true. If you want to leave your job and operate your own business, make a plan. Get out the pen and paper or turn on the computer, tablet or smart phone and get planning. What ever you want to do, you can do it, success is within you, let it out! Instead of living your life from a place of fear, think about what you would do if success was guaranteed. Now, go and start doing those things and get rid of all the obstacles to your success.


There is one idea that I hold my hat onto all the time when making plans, that is the idea that based upon my faith in God and my Christian walk, everything will work out in the end. No matter how hard things are a the beginning or in the middle, when push comes to shove and everything is done, everything will be fine for me. That comforting thought has helped me suck up a lot of bad days and get moving toward the happy times.
So, the question for you this Magnificent Monday is what do you need to suck up in order to succeed at your life's plan?

Serene Sunday - Panic for 5 Minutes Then Move

Serene Sunday - when things go wrong, find serenity by panicking for five minutes then get moving.

A few years ago, the TV show Lost was a major hit, watched by millions of viewers across the United States and the world.  One scene from that television show had a profound and lasting impact on me. The young doctor who would become a hero on the show told a story about his first surgery when he was scared and panicked. He said he gave himself five seconds to panic, to be afraid and then he forced himself to get up and get back to work.


I liked that idea and have used it many times in my life. When I was afraid one of my children was about to die, I was upset and allowed myself time to panic. I did not try to stop the panic. I panicked, I cried and I was upset. Then I put on my big girl panties, sucked it up and started praying and listening to the doctors to figure out how to keep my daughter alive.  The panic, the upset, the fear was necessary for me to get to where I needed to be.

Just as the panic was necessary, so was the next part. I had to put on my big girl panties and move. My fear and inaction would not save my daughter's life. Sitting and blindly relying on the doctor, a doctor who is loved by my family, was not going to get me to where I needed to be. Prayer is my safety net, my strength and my refuge. As a Christian woman, I believe in the power of prayer. I also believe that God gives each person talents and gifts for a reason. So, my daughter's pediatrician was given talent to heal for a time when she would need it to care for my child. Panic had to be pushed aside so that I could pray and get mentally and spiritually ready for what was to come.


Long story short, my daughter was healed and five years have passed since that horrible day. I still use the panic and pull on the big girl panties method.  It has worked for me on numerous occasions. I recommend it highly. There you have it, my method for dealing with panic and extreme stress. So the question for you this Serene Sunday is what do you do to find serenity when panic is staring you in the face?

Sensational Saturday - Celebrate Your Children

Sensational Saturday - it is a great day to celebrate something sensational about our children.

I am the mother of four extraordinary children. My teenie bopper has a truly sweet heart and is able to find a good quality in every person she meets. My son is a creative genius who finds a way to build almost everything he dreams. My big twin girl is a loving protector who wants to save the world, starting with her twin. My little twin has a creative mind and she makes up new songs that she sings every day. My children are so incredible, so fantastic, so sensational. I am constantly amazed by how truly wonderful they are.

Paul Simon "Loves Me Like a Rock"



I know that I am a mother. In a way that means I am genetically wired to think my children are special. Unlike other mothers who think that about their children, I actually have wonderful, extraordinary spectacular and sensational children. Sometimes with all the chores, diaper changing, homework and nose wiping we stop thinking about how special, individual and spectacular our children are.

      


Therefore, today is a sensational day to celebrate our sensational children. So the question for you this Sensational Saturday is, what is something sensational about your children?

Fantastic Friday - Finding the Fantastic in a Friend

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to look at a friend and tell her something fantastic about herself.

I have never met a person who did not like to receive a true and heartfelt compliment. It does something good for us to have another person recognize the good and wonderful qualities we possess. So today I say, let's pick a friend and say, "I am so glad to have a friend like you because . . ."  

This song, "A God Like You" by Kirk Franklin gives the idea I am trying to get across.
Kirk Franklin "A God Like You"


We need to celebrate friendship and how fantastic our friends our. Not only should we celebrate, we need to let our friends know how fantastic we think they are. I am on Twitter at www.twitter.com/janeanedavis. One of my favorite features on Twitter is the phenomenon of  #FF. By using the #FF and then adding twitter names from various people, you are telling the world that the people you list are good in your eyes.  You are saying these are people that you should follow because they are interesting,worth paying some attention and are people you should follow on Twitter.

The first time I made someone's #FF list I was really excited. I thought, "Wow, what a compliment, this person who I respect and follow is suggesting that other people should follow me." If I told the truth, last week when I made someone's #FF list I was really excited. I was honored, I was excited, I jumped up and down like it was the first time.  It was a compliment. I am not saying I was all Sally Field at the Oscars with  "You like me, you really like me," but truth be told, I really was. I get that way each time I make someone's #FF list. It is a compliment to be named in a #FF, it makes me feel fantastic and I love to return the favor.

I like to give that feeling to other people. I try to spread compliments heavily.  You know how at a restaurant a typical tip is 15%, well I like to compliment in the 25% to 35 % range. I really want people to know that I like them, I appreciate them, and think they are wonderful in some way. So today, I want to find the fantastic in my friends. They are some amazing women. So in case I don't get to you in person, if you are my friend, I think you are fantastic and I celebrate the fact that I know you. So my question for you this Fantastic Friday is which friend are you going celebrate as fantastic?

Thrilling Thursday - Making Goals SMART and Time Bound

Thrilling Thursday - it is thrilling to know your goals are SMART because they are time bound.

For the past several weeks, the Thursday blog posts have been about having SMART goals, that means we have goals that are:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Time Bound


This week's post is about making our goals time bound. It is important for us to set time limits and schedule our goals because no matter how specific, measurable, attainable and realistic our goals are, we will never achieve them satisfactorily unless we set a time limit for success.


The Winans "It's Time"



Let's look at 2 goals


1.     I want to prepare to run the Philadelphia Marathon, so I will train 


2.     I want to successfully run in the Philadelphia Marathon in November of 2012 so I have dedicated the next 20 weeks to a training program that gradually increases my strength and endurance


Look at goal number one. True, it is a plan, but it is not a SMART goal. It is missing several elements that make a goal SMART. We do not know when the race is that this person wants to train for, so we are missing the specifics. We do not know the person's current level of fitness so we are unable to determine if this goal is attainable or how realistic it is. The final thing that keeps this goal from being SMART is the fact that we do not know when this person wants to accomplish this goal. There are no time limits so there is no way of knowing when the goal will be finished.


Now, let's look at goal number two. It is specific, this person has listed a specific date and place for the race to be run. The goal is measurable in many ways, a marathon is 26 miles, this marathon is taking place in November of 2012 and a specified training period has been listed. It  is attainable, a properly trained human being is able to run a marathon after completing  training program of increasing intensity. The goal is realistic because if the plan described is followed, a person would be able to run the Philadelphia Marathon in November of 2012. Finally, the goal is time bound. A clear date for completion has been listed so failure or success by a date certain is assured. Goal number two is a SMART goal. 


 It is not easy to create SMART goals, it is hard work. In the end it is very much worth the effort it took to go from dream to plan to accomplishment. So the question for you this Thrilling Thursday is are you putting time boundaries on your goals to make them SMART?

Wonderful Wednesday -Working Smarter with a Team

Wonderful Wednesday - it is wonderful to work with a team in order to get things done.


Everyone has heard the cliche, "Team work makes the dream work." I believe that saying is true. There are so many situations in life where you must compete as part of a team. When you are competing in a team sport, no matter how good your solo efforts may be, a team is needed to handle the challenge.  In any situation, a good team can make or break the mission.  With teamwork of any kind, it is important to have the best team possible and to select the best team leader possible.  When you have a team, you have others you can lean on, others you can depend on and who depend on you.


Bill Withers, "Lean on Me"




Sometimes we get to pick our teams and sometimes we have to work with what we've got. When you pick your own team, it is important to pick team members who are conscientious, loyal and trustworthy. Other important factors in selecting a team include intelligence, education and ability. Additionally, make sure your team members have spunk and are not easily punked or bullied by a challenge. When you are given a team and have to make that team work, it is important to take steps to judge the talent, abilities, intelligence and risk tolerance of the people who have become your team. You will need to act quickly match talent with the tasks to be done so that you can move forward and meet deadlines.


It is also important to have a good person in charge of your team. If you are a person who is capable of leading, have experience as a leader and can handle to burden of leadership, it is good for you to lead your team whenever possible. However, it must be notes that there are times when you should not lead the team, but should select someone else. If the team members have a strong preference for another person and would not respond positively to your leadership, you must select another leader. If you do not possess the ability, education or experience to effectively lead your team, the intelligent thing to do is select another person to handle the leadership duties.


A leader must be able to organize resources and people. In order to be successful, a leader must have strength of character that will enable her to stand up to criticism. Successful leaders are able to motivate and inspire those around them to follow leadership. When selecting a leader, it is not always necessary to select the most popular or the most powerful. However, selecting someone who can influence the most popular and the most power is a crucial step in finding the appropriate leader for your team .


I know some people reading this post and thinking, "Screw that, I don't want to be part of a team, I work better solo. Keep in mind that when you are supposed to be working with a team, like projects at work or being a member of a family.  Learning to work as part of a team is a crucial step in development, one that should not be ignored or taken lightly. So the question this Wonderful Wednesday is what are you going to do to build a better team and make your life better?

Terrific Tuesday - Taming the to Do List One Item at a Time

Terrific Tuesday - it is terrific to know you can tame your to do list just like you eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

My husband has never been afraid of hard work and struggle. He taught me and is teaching our children to eat an elephant. He always asks, "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer of course is one bite at a time.  As you know, an elephant is a big thing. It can seem almost an insurmountable job to eat an elephant. If you think about the big picture only, you may think you will ever get from the start to the end of the meal. However if you look at the elephant as merely one bite, one little bite, that is not so hard to imagine. If you look only at one bite at a time, instead of being a struggle, the job of eating an elephant will becomes quite doable.

Our to do lists are often a struggle to get though. But, at the end of the struggle is victory and joy. Check out this song called, "Stuggle" from Tye Tribbett for an idea of what I am talking about.




This is part of my to do list for today. As you can see, it has a whole lot of stuff on it. I understand there is no way I can get all of these things done at one time.
The eat the elephant thing teaches us that we can accomplish any task if we attack it a piece at a time. Take a good look at my to do list for the day. All the things on that list will take hours or even days to accomplish. It is quite scary to think about all the work that is needed to get this stuff done. But, nevertheless, I have to get it all done. It isn't negotiable. It has to get done.  So, I need a plan. I need a system of some kind in order to get everything done. This is where the eat the elephant plan comes into play.

I am going to get done all the things on the list. One item at a time. My way of choosing an item to work on, is to pick one thing I want to do because the reward is great. Next I usually pick a task I hate so I can knock it off the list. I go back and forth like that until the list is complete. Once I will pick one item, any item and do that item,  my list will be one item shorter. I probably will do the create meal plan thing first. I can sit at  my computer and whip that out easily and go to the market, which I hate, to get the food to match the plan. Next I will work on the children's book piece because that will make me smile.

Over and over, piece by piece, item by item and bite by bite I will eat my elephant. I will get my to do list completed.  Your to do list is really long. There are so many things you have to do.  All of them have to be done. Get out your to do list and start chomping away at that elephant. So the question for you this Terrific Tuesday is how are you going to tame your to do list and eat your elephant?

Magnificent Monday - Dream a Big Dream

Magnificent Monday - there is something truly magnificent about having the courage to dream a big dream and making the dream come true.

It takes courage to dream a big dream. Most people like to live in safe and secure manner. They never step out of bounds and never try to do anything different that may be a little hard. For most people predictability and stability are more important than the rewards that come from bravery and potential success. It takes courage to dream a big dream. Often people who are afraid to dream a big dream because big dreams are scary and require work and dedication. But the dream, the big dream is the start of bigger and more wonderful things.




Dreaming a big dream opens a person up to the possibility of having to change and get uncomfortable. Moving from being a 9 to 5 employee with a dependable every other Friday paycheck to a self employed entrepreneur with uncertain pay dates is a big dream. It is a scary dream. The truth is, it's not actually the dream itself that is the scary part. The scary thing is the making the dream come true part. Action is always scarier than sitting and thinking about what is to come, or what could happen. When we dream big dreams there are big things possible. But at the same time, the big dreams require big work and big work is scary. 

I am a Christian woman, a wife and a mother. None of those roles allow me to be afraid of dreaming big dreams. As a Christian woman I have been taught that God has not given me spirit of fear, but has given me a strong heart and a strong mind. As a wife I am part of a team, working toward a common goal so I am not alone and don't need to be afraid. As a mother, I am responsible for molding 4 young minds and that work does not have room for fear. As an entrepreneur I cannot to be afraid. I have to get up and find solutions to problems for myself, my company, my employees and my clients.

So yes, I am a big dreamer kind of woman. I imagine a world where all my dreams come true. Check out this song "Imagine Me" by Kirk Franklin to get an idea of the power of imagination and dreams.




So now, I am stepping out and I am going to dream a big dream. I have a lot of little dreams on my horizon, but I am looking for a big one. I want to dream a big dream and go for it. I am Janeane Davis and I am a big dreamer. So, the question for you this Magnificent Monday is what big dream are you to dream?

Serene Sunday - Finding a Peaceful Place

Serene Sunday - there is nothing in the world like a safe quiet place to enjoy your own company.

As anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows, I am a wife and a mother of four. For those who don't have children, this means that peaceful, quiet moments when I am not exhausted are few and far between. However, my need for peaceful quiet moments comes more often. So I created a place in my home called "Sanctuary." It is a little room with a couch, my desk, a bookshelf and a few tables for knicknacks.  I taught my family members that the Sanctuary is my special place where they are not welcome without invitation.

We all need a special place, a room, a closet or even just a corner where we can go, be alone, be safe and at peace.  So the question for you this Serene Sunday is where do you do to find peace, quiet and serenity.

Sensational Saturday - Celebrating a Sensational Spouse

Sensational Saturday - a sensational spouse is something to celebrate.

I have had a wonderful husband for more than 22 years.  So this sensational Saturday, I want to celebrate my sensational husband. He is indeed, a mighty, mighty good man.

Salt N Peppa, featuring En Vogue "What a Man"



Good things are indeed hard to find and even harder to keep. So under that notion that we should shower our loved ones with flowers while they can smell them. Today I celebrate my husband and how happy I am to be his wife. My teenie bopper says all her friends think we are a cute couple, crazy and perfectly suited for one another. Several of her friends have parents who are divorced and she likes our stability. My twins say, "Go on a date and kiss." I am grateful to have a happy, loving, God filled marriage. Today I celebrate my husband and how happy I am to be his wife

If you have a spouse who is faithful, trustworthy, loving, kind and a good father to your  children. Take some time to celebrate him, praise him at the city gates and let the world know what a treasure you have found. Good spouses are hard to find and even harder to keep. But so worth the effort.  So in a move towards keeping my marriage spicy and strong, I am going to close this post with a grown folks' song that sets the mood

Al Green "Let's Stay Together"


So my question for this Sensational Saturday is how are you going to celebrate your spouse?

Fantastic Friday- Finding Fantastic Ways to Do Things

Fantastic Friday - it is fantastic to find a new way to shop and get your husband involved!

All my friends laugh at my shopping stories. I have told them many times about the time when I was married for only two years and my husband gave me a handful of money and told me to go shopping for new clothes. I cried like a baby. Why? I hate to shop! The only two things I have ever liked shopping for are yarn and books. I don't like to buy food. I do not like to buy clothes. I HATE shopping for clothes.  So when the people from www.eShakti.com contacted me recently about sampling something from their catalog, I was curious. The first page of the website said they offered ready to wear and custom clothes. The model was wearing a beautiful yellow dress, my favorite color, so I continued.

The site was full of beautiful dresses, tops, shirts, skirts and even accessories. I felt like a kid at a candy store as I looked at all the beautiful clothing, scarves, bags and accessories. It was fun to look at the merchandise on the computer. There was such a large and varied selection and the prices were truly amazing. It was nothing like the horrible experience I had in clothing stores. I was on my couch, with my computer on my lap looking at dozens upon dozens of beautiful items while sipping my coffee.
   






I have no sense of fashion, so I called my husband and asked him to help me find a dress and color that would look good on me. I noticed that many of the dresses came in a variety of colors that I could examine in detail by moving my mouse over the colors. It was kind of fun. We finally settled on a blue scalloped cotton dress. The neckline, sleeves, waist and hem, all have the same beautiful scallop cut. The dress was comfortable to wear and made me feel fantastic.

Once we narrowed our choices down to the dress I wanted, it was easy to order. All I had to do was click on the dress and options came up for me to choose from size 0 to size 26 and select the custom features I wanted. About ten or so days later, a beautiful dress arrived in the mail. There is a hassle free return policy, but when you can buy the dress you want and customize it in numerous ways, why would you ever need to return it.

My husband was excited because the eShakti.com site will allow him to sit at his desk and order dresses and accessories for me. He has my sizes and knows what he likes. So now, no matter how busy he is, he can order something fantastic for me. How many brownie points would your husband earn if he had packages of clothing and accessories showing up on the doorstep for you? I mean roses are nice, but a new purse and scarf last a lot longer. All in all, this was a wonderful experience for me and I am looking forward to shopping at eShakti.com for myself and to receiving "surprise" boxes from my husband.

Shopping via the internet can be a fun and easy experience. Try it yourself and see how you like it. So, the question for you this Fantastic Friday is how can you use internet shopping to make the shopping experience fantastic?



Disclosure
This shopping experience was compensated, but the opinions listed here are my own honest views. Janeane

Thrilling Thursday -Thinking Things Into Existence

Thrilling Thursday - it is thrilling to look at things realistically and know you can achieve what you want.

For the past several weeks, the Thursday blog posts have been about having SMART goals, that means we have goals that are:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Time Bound


This week's post is about making our goals realistic.  As usual, let's take a look at two different goals to make it easy to visualize the point.





1.     I want to exercise 5 hours per day at the gym,  work 9 am to 5 pm each day and still spend time with my husband and children at home each day and get to bed by 11 pm each night.


2.     I want to exercise for one hour each morning at home before going to work from 9 am to 5 pm so that I can spend time with my husband and children in the evenings and get to bed by 11 pm each night.


Goal number one is just crazy. It is not realistic that a person can meet that schedule for a sustained period. There are just not enough hours in the day to make this possible. Goal number two is realistic. In order to get in that one hour of working out each morning, the person just needs to get up a little earlier. With a little work, this can be done.

When making goals, you must look at what can actually be done. It is not realistic to  make a goal requiring you to spend $500 per week if you only earn $600 per week, because you still need money to live. When we dream, we can dream of impossible or hard to do things. When we are setting goals, we need to be realistic. When setting goals, we need to plan step by step, piece by piece the steps necessary to achieve the impossible. Flight was once impossible, but step by step, piece by piece, plan by plan, the Wright Brothers made it happen.

In fiction, we can dream and using hope alone make things real. Like in the story, the "The Velveteen Rabbit."




In the real world, we have to put in work to make things happen. We have to go out on a limb, to put the work in, to plan realistically.



Goal setting is not where we go to dream, goal setting is where we sit down and in a practical manner, plan to get something done, one step at a time. So we need to be serious about our thinking and our plans. Each piece of the plan must be something that is based in reality, not in a dream. When we are realistic in our planning we take into account all our resources: time, money, personnel, ability. When we are realistic we divide things into steps that can be accomplished one at a time. When our goals are realistic, we can have confidence in them and then we can make our dreams come true.

Next week we will talk about how to make sure our goals are time bound. So, the question or you this Thrilling Thursday is how are you setting up your goals so that they are realistic?

Wonderful Wednesday - Work Smarter with a Team

Wonderful Wednesday - it is wonderful to work with a team in order to get things done.

Everyone has heard the cliche, "Team work makes the dream work." I believe that saying is true. There are so many situations in life where you must compete as part of a team. When you are competing in a team sport, no matter how good your solo efforts may be, a team is needed to handle the challenge.  In any situation, a good team can make or break the mission.  With teamwork of any kind, it is important to have the best team possible and to select the best team leader possible.  When you have a team, you have others you can lean on, others you can depend on and who depend on you.

Bill Withers, "Lean on Me"


Sometimes we get to pick our teams and sometimes we have to work with what we've got. When you pick your own team, it is important to pick team members who are conscientious, loyal and trustworthy. Other important factors in selecting a team include intelligence, education and ability. Additionally, make sure your team members have spunk and are not easily punked or bullied by a challenge. When you are given a team and have to make that team work, it is important to take steps to judge the talent, abilities, intelligence and risk tolerance of the people who have become your team. You will need to act quickly match talent with the tasks to be done so that you can move forward and meet deadlines.

It is also important to have a good person in charge of your team. If you are a person who is capable of leading, have experience as a leader and can handle to burden of leadership, it is good for you to lead your team whenever possible. However, it must be notes that there are times when you should not lead the team, but should select someone else. If the team members have a strong preference for another person and would not respond positively to your leadership, you must select another leader. If you do not possess the ability, education or experience to effectively lead your team, the intelligent thing to do is select another person to handle the leadership duties.


A leader must be able to organize resources and people. In order to be successful, a leader must have strength of character that will enable her to stand up to criticism. Successful leaders are able to motivate and inspire those around them to follow leadership. When selecting a leader, it is not always necessary to select the most popular or the most powerful. However, selecting someone who can influence the most popular and the most power is a crucial step in finding the appropriate leader for your team .

I know some people reading this post and thinking, "Screw that, I don't want to be part of a team, I work better solo. Keep in mind that when you are supposed to be working with a team, like projects at work or being a member of a family.  Learning to work as part of a team is a crucial step in development, one that should not be ignored or taken lightly.

So the question this Wonderful Wednesday is what are you going to do to build a better team in your life?

Terrific Tuesday Taming the To Do List

Terrific Tuesday - it is terrific to be able to use technology to take control of the to do list.

We all have things to do. We have projects at home, work and school. We must remember things to do for oursleves. our spouses, our childen, our work mates and our friends.  Everyone has a different way of doing things. My husband for example has a pen and a bunch of little yellow legal pads. He writes everything down on one of his little pads and everyone in the house has been trained to stay away from them. I have a girl friend who has a beautiful paper day planner that she carries around and uses to plan her life. I am a gadget-aholic and like to use my technology. I also  break gadgets like you would not believe, so I have built some redundancy into my routine. I currently am using my Kindle Fire to manage my life.




                              

I keep my calendar on line with the Google Calendar application. This works for me because it syncs to many other commercial calendar programs. I carry my Kindle Fire with me in my purse everywhere I go.  I don't use it to read ( I have the Kinxle 3G for that) I use it as a kind of PDA on steroids. On the Fire, I currently have two calendar programs, Cozi Family Organizer and Calengoo. Both these programs sync with my Google online calendar. So anything I out into one will be on all three. 


I like the Cozi program because it automatically sends a report of the calendar for the week to my husband and teenie bopper each Sunday. This helps them coordinate their schedules with the rest of the family. It also is color coded so I know by color what family member has something going on. Cozi also has a built in journal for the family. One feature the teenie bopper likes is that she can go online and add items to the grocery list for when I go shopping. Cozi also has a recipe section and can add items to your grocery list.

 www,cozi.com

The Calengoo calendar is a calendar designed sync with the Google online calendar and it works wonderfully. Unlike Cozi, with Calengoo you can change appointments made on the Google calendar. Since all three of the calendars sync with one another, I mainly use Calengoo and let Cozi work in the background to give my family information. I keep both Cozi and Calengoo on my Fire so that if one program crashes or goes crazy, my back up is already in place. All these programs also work on a smart pjone or Android phone.

www.calengoo.com

So, now that I have the electronic planner, what do I do with it? First, I put all my appointments and to do tasks in the planner. This means if I want to plan a party six months from now, I put it in the calendar now while I am thinking about it. I need to go school shopping for my four children in the middle of August. I thought that in April, so I scheduled it in April.  I have post ideas I would like to write in my blog, so they go in the Calendar. I like to keep track of all kinds of information so I keep those notes in the calendar as well. It is easy to move appointments and to do items with an electronic calendar and still keep the calendar neat and easy to use.

The important thing to remember with techmological to do  list management is the same thing you need to remember with the old pen and paper method. You must look at the list at the beginning and end of each day to see what has been done and what must  be amended, moved or cancelled altogether. You must also keep the calendar, to do list, and notes complete and up to date so you can safely rely upon the record keeping method you are using.  The technolgy of eletronic management with internet sync is great because you don't have to go crazy or be unproductive if you lose your list.

So the question for you this terrific Tuesday is, how can you use your technology to manage your to do list more efficiently? 

Magnificent Monday - Add Something Magnificent to the World

Magnificent Monday - sometimes it is magnificent to add something special to someone else's life.

Source: tumblr.com via Janeane on Pinterest

I belong to a support group on Facebook made up of wonderful women who write blogs and are involved in a wide variety of social media networks. Recently one of the members started a procedure that reviewed each member's blog and offered constructive criticism. My blog went through this process and the new and improved site you see is in large part a result of the comments I received from my group members.

One of the group members,  Brandi Jeter of MamaKnowItAll, who blogs at www.mamaknowsitall.com, commented that a nice header that reflected my personality would be a great improvement. I do not know Brandi personally, only through our Facebook group. I agreed I needed a better header, but put the idea on hold because I did not have any good ideas for the change. Without me asking, Brandi stepped in, designed an amazing header, offered it to me and now it is part of my blog. Go back to the top of the page and check it out. It is AWESOME. Look on the left at the definition of Superwoman. Is that clever or what?  I think her improvements are such an amazing thing. My husband and daughter looked at her changes and agreed they were an incredible improvement to the blog.

Check out this song by Mary Mary that describes my feelings on the matter.


Mary Mary "The Biggest Greatest Thing"



I think we should all take the opportunity to do something incredibly kind for someone else without being asked. There are two rewards that result from you doing kindnesses for others. First, the person you are kind to has some sunshine added to her life. Secondly, you have sunshine added to your life. It feels good to do something good for another person. When the person you have done something kind for really likes what you did, it makes you feel really good. In addition, very often, the person you did something kind for wants to return the favor, wants to do something something kind for someone else.

It works that way for me. Whenever someone does something kind for me, I appreciate it. I know that no one owes me kindness and generosity, so I appreciate when the kindness and generosity comes my way. It always makes me go find someone to show unexpected kindness and generosity. Good things, good acts are as contagious as the common cold. So, get up, go out, do something kind for someone who is not expecting it from you.

So the question for you this Magnificent Monday is what magnificent thing can you add to someone else's world?

Draft 7/14/12 Sensational Saturday Celebrating Your Spouse

Sensational Saturday - a sensational spouse is something to celebrate.

I have had a wonderful husband for more than 22 years.  So this sensational Saturday, I want to celebrate my sensational husband. He is indeed, a mighty, mighty good man.

Salt N Peppa, featuring En Vogue "What a Man"



Good things are indeed hard to find and even harder to keep. So under that notion that we should shower our loved ones with flowers while they can smell them. Today I celebrate my husband and how happy I am to be his wife. My teenie bopper says all her friends think we are a cute couple, crazy and perfectly suited for one another. Several of her friends have parents who are divorced and she likes our stability. My twins say, "Go on a date and kiss." I am grateful to have a happy, loving, God filled marriage. Today I celebrate my husband and how happy I am to be his wife

If you have a spouse who is faithful, trustworthy, loving, kind and a good father to your  children. Take some time to celebrate him, praise him at the city gates and let the world know what a treasure you have found. Good spouses are hard to find and even harder to keep. But so worth the effort.  So in a move towards keeping my marriage spicy and strong, I am going to close this post with a grown folks' song that sets the mood

Al Green "Let's Stay Together"


So my question for this Sensational Saturday is how are you going to celebrate your spouse?

Serene Sunday - Getting Your Mind Ready for Things to Come

Serene Sunday - there is a serenity that can be found in getting your mind ready for the things to come.

Once in a while we have to do things that are hard. Once in a while we have to do things that are scary. Once in a while we have to do things that make us uncomfortable. It is always hard to do these things. We have to find a way to suck up the gumption to do the unpleasant thing. So what do you do?

When I have something unpleasant to do or am nervous about what is to come, I take the worst case/best case approach. By that I mean, I look at real close look at what is the worst thing that can result from the situation. Then I look at the best thing that can result from the situation. Once I do this, some of the fear is gone. I understand the best and worst that can result. I have visualized these things in my mind,  I have a clear picture of the entire situation. When I do this, I feel empowered. I gain strength and perspective. I am able to move upward and onward.

Source: google.com via Natalie on Pinterest

So the question for you this Serene Sunday is what do you do in order to get mentally prepared for the things to come?

Sensational Saturday -Finding Sensible Ways to Make It

Sensational Saturday-my days are over full of people to love and things to do so I need a sensible way to get more done.

Sometimes I think my life would be better if I found a way to get more done each day. At other time, I think my life would be improved if I spent more time doing enjoyable activities. There have been occasions when I thought the secret to successful living could be found in the loving embrace of my children. I even admit I experimented with ways to make each day 28 hours instead of 24 in my part of the world. But, alas and behold, none of these solutions turned out to be feasible.

So here I sit, searching for ways to get more done each day. Like  most of you I have read books on time management including these:


      

Every one of these books has a slightly different approach. One thing they all have in common is the fact the there is no secret to getting done everything that needs to be done. I think the truth of the matter is that the most sensible approach to getting done, what needs doing is to admit sometimes work sucks, but it has to be done.




So the question for you this sensational Saturday is what sensible solution do you have to getting more out of each day?

7/6/12 Fantastic Friday - Finding a Way Out of No Way

Fantastic Friday- sometimes it is fantastic to figure out how incredible you really are and enjoy the wonder that is you.

Almost everyone has heard the expression, "A man works from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done. As a wife, mother and business owner, I am always up and at something. I like it when I read about people who say it is time to rise and grind. I think it is cute that you have the luxury of rising in order to grind. I am a mama, I have to grind wherever I am, in bed while I sleep, at the breakfast table or while braiding hair. I am sure the mothers among my readers agree with the following poster I found on Pinterst recently:
















I am a wife and a mama, I get it done!  I am helping my husband run a business, I am raising 4 wonderful children. My teenie bopper got accepted into Penn State in the 10th grade and into an International Baccalaureate program. My nine year old son is in the mentally gifted  program in school. My five year old twin daughters are intelligent, have a wonderful vocabulary and love me to the moon and back. I knit like a professional, read books like crack heads smoke crack and still make sure my family has clean sheets and fresh dinner everyday. THAT is awesome.

Many of you who are reading this post do incredible thing, fantastic things, amazing things. You have friends who say to you, "Wow, I don't know how you do that, I could never do that." Instead of thanking God for the miracles you pull out of your hat each day, you respond, "No, it's nothing, anyone could bake a cherry pie, braid six kids hair, cook a five course meal, do the grocery shopping and still look ravishing for your spouse, all by 10:00 am."

Too often  we play down the fantastic things we do, we refuse to acknowledge the awesomeness in a goal we have achieved. When we do that we insult the person complimenting us. We also lose an opportunity to thank God for giving us whatever it was that made someone think we were awesome in the first place. Each time we are complimented for doing something, it is an opportunity for us to thank God for the success we have achieved and to show others the gift God has given us.

This fantastic Friday I think we should acknowledge that we are pretty awesome and that the awesome things about us that others see and appreciate are miracles from God. Check out this song, "God in Me" from Mary Mary that illustrates my point.





So the question for you this fantastic Friday is what fantastic quality about yourself are you going to stop, acknowledge and thank God you have?

7/5/12 Thrilling Thursday - Thinking Things Into Existence

Thrilling Thursday - it is thrilling to be able to attain the goals you set for yourself, so get up and do it.

For the past several weeks, the Thursday blog posts have been about having SMART goals, that means we have goals that are:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Time Bound


Here are a few of the books I have read that talk about achieving your goals and being successful. Each of them has a different approach. What remains constant is that they all tell you you must get up and do something in order to be successful.


                      

No matter how specific and measurable a goal is, if it is not attainable, the goal is not a good one. No goal is attainable if there is no work taking place.  Check out the following goals:

1.      I want to fly to the Florida Keys. I have no plan to buy tickets.

2.      I want to fly to the Florida Keys on Friday July 6, 2012 on the 1:00 pm flight operated by Southwest Airlines so I ordered the tickets on line.

When you look at the two goals. It is clear to see that the person who wrote goal number one has has not learned to make goals specific measurable and attainable. Goal number one has an idea and a vague plan. But all the details to help take the goal from a simple notion to an actual event that has occurred are missing. 

This week we are concentrating on attainable. A goal that is attainable is one that is able to be reached with persistent effort. In other words, a major step in making a goal attainable, means that one must get up and get moving.

No matter how specific and measurable a goal is, if it is not attainable, the goal is not a good one. No goal is attainable if there is no work taking place.  Check out the following goals:

1.      I want to fly to the Florida Keys. I have no plan to buy tickets.

2.      I want to fly to the Florida Keys on Friday July 6, 2012 on the 1:00 pm flight operated by Southwest Airlines so I ordered the tickets on line.

When you look at the two goals. It is clear to see that the person who wrote goal number one has has not learned to make goals specific measurable and attainable. Goal number one has an idea and a vague plan. But all the details to help take the goal from a simple notion to an actual event that has occurred are missing. 


When making our goals attainable, we can't sit back and relax, we must get up, get moving and do something. 


This song from Mary Mary, "Get Up" illustrates the idea.

When you look at goal number two, you can clearly visualize the road to mission accomplished.  The person who wrote goal number two has gotten up and done some things. It is clear that goal number to is specific. That person wants to be in the Florida Keys on the afternoon of Friday July 6, 2012. She knows specifically where she wants to go and when she wants to get there. It is easy to measure the progress toward reaching the goal, because a date and time are listed. The goal is attainable, because airline tickets have been purchased.

The woman who wrote goal number two has packed her bags and will be sitting by the ocean this weekend. She will be texting her friend who wrote goal number one. The woman who wrote goal number one will be sitting in her backyard swatting flies this weekend. Next week we will talk about how to make sure our goals are realistic. So, the question or you this Thrilling Thursday is how are you setting up your goals so that they are attainable?