Technology Can Set You Free - Write Your Plans and Carry Them With You

It is terrific to know technology can set you free, so write down your plans and carry them with you. It is hard work developing a plan of action, to create a plan for how you will operate your business or your life. Creating a plan, especially if it is a SMART plan requires a lot of time, patience and attention to details. After going through all the work to create a plan and to get all the details just right, many plans still do not get accomplished. One reason for that is because once the planner creates the plan, she leaves it on her desk looking nice and neat. There are many uses that can be made from a created plan, but sitting on a desk looking cute, is not a good use for a well thought out plan.

Once upon a time, all our planning and organizing took place in cute paper day planners. I owned one and enjoyed the process of writing down my plans and moving my appointments and to-do list from one page to another. I received a great deal of satisfaction from looking at pages full of plans and completed items. As technology advanced and computer technology allowed for smaller and more portable devices I moved with technology and began using PDAs, then tablets and Smartphones.Instead of leaving your well thought out plan on your desk once it is finished, carry it around with you so that you can do something with it. If you leave your plans at home on your desk, when you think of an idea that makes your plan better or want to discuss it with a colleague you are forced to go from memory. Or worse than that, if your plan is on paper and on your desk, when you collaborate or add to it, you must add another piece of paper to your collection. On the other hand, if you have your plan stored electronically on your tablet or Smartphone, it is with you and you can amend, adjust and collaborate about the plan without concern for information being lost in translation or missing pieces of paper.Most entrepreneurs have tablets and Smartphones. These devices make it possible to carry around a significant amount of data. One of the pieces of data that should be carried around on your tablet and Smartphone is your business plan, personal plan and all other important plans. There are a myriad of reasons why your plans should be carried with you including the following the fact that carrying the plan will give you the ability to:

• Work on plan no matter where you are
• Amend the plan as needed
• Review the plan on a regular basis
• Share the plan with others
• Collaborate with team members

So, if you have a plan you are working on or want to complete, take the time to make it electronic and add it to your tablet or Smartphone. Keep your plan with you to keep it flexible, available and usable.

In conclusion, it is terrific to know technology can set you free so write down your plans and carry them with you. So, the question for you this terrific day is, are you carrying your plans with you where they can do some good, or are you letting them sit on your desk?

Take Action Now to Be Independent - Find The Inspiration You Need

It is magnificent to take action now to be independent and find the inspiration you need to succeed. Whether they realize it or not, most people want to succeed. Success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. In order to succeed, you must take action. If you want to succeed now, you must take action now. If you want to succeed in the future you must take action now. In other words, the key to success is to take action and take it now. Perhaps that is the very reason that people do not succeed, they never get around to the action taking. There are many reasons people fail to take action. One of the most common reasons people to not take action now is because they lack inspiration.

Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to do something. Inspiration is the thing that makes people  go from thinking about moving to actually moving. It is inspiration that will cause you to take action now. Inspiration can be thought of as the secret to success. If you are in a situation where you need to take action and you cannot find a way to get moving and take the action you know you know you need to take, it is time to find inspiration. Finding inspiration is not always easy, and it is not a one size fits all type of thing. What inspires me, may not inspire you and what inspires me, may not inspire my next door neighbor. For example, I am inspired in part by the following:

• Ability to claim I always put forth my best efforts
• Desire to make my husband smile
• Need to be a good example for my children
• Responsibilities as a role model
• Duty to my friends to  honor obligations.

These things are special inspirational tools for me and don't matter to you at all. The thing for you to do is go and find your own sources of inspiration. What makes you get up and go? What is it that causes you to do things when you feel lazy and don't want to get out of bed? Once you figure out what it takes to get you up and going, you have found your inspiration. Remember those things that inspire you and use them to  help push you along when you just don't feel like taking action now, but really need to take action now. It is important to remember that only by taking action now, can you maintain your independence and succeed.

 In conclusion, it  is magnificent to take action now to be independent and find the inspiration you need to succeed. So, the question for you this magnificent  day is, what inspires you to take action now?

Take Action Now To Be Independent - Don't Let Others Control Your Destiny

It is magnificent to take action now to be independent rather than letting others control your destiny. When a person takes action now, she does what needs to be done and does it now. A woman who takes action now has moved past hoping, talking and planning. She has moved to the doing and she is a powerful force who can make a difference in her world and the world at large. Independence is the state of being independent. When a person is independent,  she is free from outside control and does not have to depend upon the authority of another. When a person becomes an adult, part of being a responsible, independent person is to take action now for one's self, rather than waiting for other to take action. By taking action now, a person asserts her independence and begins the process of controlling her own destiny.

Each person knows or should know what it takes to make her happy, to reach her goals and succeed in her life. Once a person knows these things, if she wants to achieve them, she must take action now and move toward her own happiness, goals and successes. By understanding where one wants to go and then actually starting the journey to get there, one is more likely to reach the targets set, and get desired outcomes. Think about it this way, if you want to go from the front of your house to the back of your house, if you get up to the front door and start walking towards the back of the house, you are more likely to get there than if you sit on the couch and listen to your husband and children discuss how to move forward. The secret to success and independence is to take action, and move according to your own plan.

The alternative is to sit back and wait for someone else to take the lead. Imagine what life is like if instead of striving to take action now and be independent, you wait for someone else to develop a plan for your life and let that person decide where you will go and how you will get there. For example, let's say you need to go to the market because you are out of milk and bread and you need to go to the post office to ship off packages. If you are letting someone else control your destiny, you may not get to the market today. Instead, you may be taken clothes shopping or to window shop for furniture. While those are both good things to do and things you want to do, that is not the best plan for you. After all, this plan created by someone else means that at the end of the day, you will return home with no milk and bread for your family and those packages will still be waiting to be shipped out. Thus, at the end of the day, the most important things for you  and your family have not been done and you are not successful.

Imagine if instead, you took action now and controlled your own destiny. A few things would be different at the end of the day your family would have milk and bread. As a result, you would be better prepared to care for your family and you will have met their basic needs. This is a clear example of why you must take action now, be independent and control your own destiny. In conclusion, it is magnificent to take action now to be independent rather than letting others control your destiny. So, the question for you this magnificent day is, what are you going to do today to control your destiny?

Home and Work Are Independent - Work at Work

It is fantastic to know that work and home are independent entities, so do your work at work. Work, also know as employment, is commonly defined as the state of having paid work, one's trade or profession. Work is a serious activity. Employers who are paying people to work, expect them to work. While it is typical for employees to spend a little work time goofing off or doing personal things, both these activities are frowned on my most employers. When the goofing off at work or spending time on personal things1 goes too far, a person can find herself unemployed.

There are several things about work that are common no matter what type of work is being done:

• Specific tasks that must be done
• Time limits exist for getting jobs completed 
• It is expected that work will be done

If you are interested in remaining employed, whether at a traditional work place, as an entrepreneur, or in a business operated from home, you must go to work and actually work. While people have been goofing off at work since the beginning of time, technology and the internet have made it easier to goof off at work. After all  with social media being so easily accessible, via tablets and Smartphones, people are increasingly spending their work time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like. In addition, the fact that almost every person on the planet owns a cellular phone makes it easier for employees to make personal calls during work hours. While this is beneficial for employees, it makes life difficult for their employers.

There are a few good habits that will help you to be a better employee, remain gainfully employed and have a less stressful work environment:

• Go to work with a plan to work
• Except for emergency situations, leave the personal calls for lunch breaks
• Stay off personal social networks during work hours
• Schedule personal tasks for lunch hours, work breaks and days off
• Have a good attitude about being expected to work

If you want to remain employed, it is important for you to realize that work, employment and a job may not always be fun, but it must be done and should be done well, to the best of your abilities. Even if you are a person who works at home, figure out what work is for you and do it.  It is also important to realize that all play and no work, may make you broke!

In conclusion, it is fantastic to know that work and home are independent entities, so do your work at work. So, the question for you this fantastic day is, do you actually at work?

Make Your Business Successful - Work According To A Plan

It is thrilling to make your business successful by working according to a plan.  Almost everyone has heard the expressions, "prepare for war in the time of peace" and "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Both these expressions, are a perfect ways to describe how you should work for the success of your business. No matter what the business type, from a small mom blog to a Fortune 500 company, in order to be successful, a business has to operate according to a plan. Even an entrepreneur who is planning for a less sophisticated business, one woman, part-time operation should prepare a business plan.


The difference is the more sophisticated the business enterprise, the more in-depth the answers will be. However, even if you are a sole proprietor with a business you work on the side, part-time, you should still go through all the business plan steps and questions and provide at least short answers to all the questions. Many people who read these words will disagree. Those people are wrong. In addition, there will be all kinds of excuses, reasons why one should not do a business plan. The reasons will be things like:

• I have been in business for years already, I don't need a plan
• I am running a small business, I don't need a plan
• I have been working fine  for years, I don't need a plan
• I am happy figuring things out as I go, I don't need a plan

All those business owners listed above, are wrong, they do need a plan. No matter how well the business is going when it is run haphazardly, it will run even better with a plan. While every entrepreneur can hire a company to do a business plan for them, and believe me, companies like mine love doing the work, it is important for a business owner to go over all the questions and think about the answers herself. There is nothing like having knowledge for yourself. As my mother-in-law used to say, "get all you can and can all you get." Additionally, the consultant who prepares the plan for you will do a better job if you know the information that will be needed and can explain the answers specific to your business and your operations.
If you have never drafted a plan for your business check out my blog series on business planning for guidance:

• Part One: Introductory Matters: purpose statement, executive summary and business information
• Part Two: Personnel Matters: who will work with you, and where will they work
• Part Three: Marketing Matters: who are your clients, who is your competition, how will you get more clients 
• Part Four: Financial Matters: current finances, sources of income and explanation of expenses
• Part Five:   Financial Projections: what will happen with the money moving forward

Once you have checked out the series, if you still need a little help or advice, contact me here at Janeane's World,  for more advice and guidance. In conclusion, it is thrilling to make your business successful by working according to a plan. So, the question for you this thrilling day is, what do you have planned for your business?

Find Work That Helps You Be Independent - Upgrade Your Skills

It is wonderful to know that you can find work that helps you be independent by upgrading your skills. When a person is independent, that person is free from outside influence and not dependent upon the will of another. When a person between jobs is looking for new work, work that will allow her to be independent, she must look at ways to upgrade her skills. By upgrading skills, a job seeker is able to do her job better and able to take advantage of advancements in the industry.

Some people work because they enjoy the professional challenges, interactions and stimulation. Other people work because they need the income in order to survive, to live the lives they want to live and to take care of their financial obligations. In other words, some people work so they can be independent. When a person who works in order to be independent finds herself between jobs, it is a good idea for her to upgrade her skills. Just as improvements in computer technology make it easier to do work more efficiently and in more places, improving one's personal job skills makes one a more valuable and versatile employee. After all, given the choice, most employers would prefer to hire an employee who keeps up to date with changes, developments and news in the industry. Additionally, employers tend to prefer employees who work to improve their skill sets. Typically employees or potential employees who are seen as working to improve skills and upgrade their knowledge base, are seen as more valuable and more dedicated to the success of the business.

Sometimes people who are between jobs do not work to upgrade their skill sets because they do not know that they need to upgrade or they do not know how to upgrade their skill sets. Perhaps, people who are looking for work would be well served to ABU aka Always Be Upgrading. If one is always upgrading, one is always becoming more prepared, more valuable and more employable.

There are numerous ways to upgrade and upgrade one's skill set. Check out the following articles for additional information:

Upgrade Yourself While Between Jobs -  for a list of potential skill sets to improve

When Out of Work Get on the Internet for a list of things you can do on the internet to improve your skill set

Raising the Bar With Continuing Education for information on free college classes via the internet

No matter what type of work one does, from trash collector to rocket scientist and everything in between, there are always new things to learn, skills to upgrade, developments to monitor and use to do one's job better. The fact that there are resources all around us that can be used to upgrade our skills makes upgrading easier than it ever has been in the past. This makes it possible for one to ABU aka Always be Upgrading throughout the job search process. Additionally, it may be a good idea to continue to ABU, Always be Upgrading once one starts the new job.

In conclusion, it is wonderful to know that you can find work that helps you be independent by upgrading your skills. So the question for you this wonderful day is what are you doing to upgrade your skills?

Technology Helps You Put the World in Your Hands

It is terrific to know that technology can help you be independent by putting a world of information in your hands. I am old enough to remember when computers were big heavy things that got put on a desk and never moved. Over the years I have seen them evolve into laptops,  notebooks, tablets, PDAs and now Smartphones. One thing that has stood out for me with the evolving computer technology arena is that things are getting smaller and more powerful all the time. Today, technology allows us to have the world in our hands at all times and that is a wonderful thing.
Tablets make it easy to store, save and view information of all sorts. I like tablets that can connect to the internet with ease because of the larger screen size and ease of portability. Technology enables us to be free from wires, papers and our desks.  Recently I was shopping and forgot the ingredients I needed for a recipe. It was not a big deal. I was able to pull out my Smartphone, look up the recipe in seconds and get the items I needed while at the market.  Think about how many times you have been traveling from one place to another and pulled out your Smartphone and used it as a GPS device and gotten to your destination on time and safely?

As an entrepreneur I  use my Smartphone and tablet for business all the time. I have composed briefs, motions, business plans and proposals on tablets and Smartphones while sitting on a commuter train or at a playground. Having portable technology means I do not have to sit at my office desks and wait for clients to call. I can go on vacation, sit on the beach, read a book and stop my leisure activities to take a client call and get all the information I need to give my clients from my tablet.

Even my e-reader is an awesome device because it allows me to carry all my reference materials in the palm of my hand. My e-reader has more than 2,000 books and 100 documents on it. This means I can study, read and learn something new with ease and on the road. Gone are the days where you needed to carry a briefcase full of documents, books and papers in order to get work done. Technology makes it possible to carry lots of information and be independent.

In conclusion, it  is terrific to know that technology can help you be independent by putting a world of information in your hands. So, the question for you this terrific day is  what is the most fun thing you have done with your technology on the go?

Taking Action Now Helps You Be Independent, Make a Plan

It is magnificent to know that taking action now helps you to be independent, so sit down and make an action plan. Planning is an important part of the action process. Almost everyone has heard the expressions, "measure twice, cut once" and "look before you leap." Both these expressions have the same idea at heart, take action, but before you do, come up with a plan. After all, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." 

Sit back and look at your life, at all the things you want to do, need to do have to do.  Some of them get done and some do not. Among those things that get done, some things are done satisfactorily and some are not. Among the things that are done satisfactorily, some you felt better about accomplishing than others. It is not accident,  chance pr luck that gets things placed in the satisfactorily completed list. In order to get as many things as possible into the completed satisfactorily completed pile, you must develop a plan.

The initial planning phase is not hard, just do the following:

• Decide what you need to be done
• Figure out what tools you have at your disposal
• Determine what tools and materials you need to gather
• Make a list of other people who need to be part of the plan
• Set a time line for starting and completing the plan

Once you have this initial information, you are in position to develop an initial plan for your action. Once you have done this initial work and have made a plan, set about making your plan SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time bound). Check out this article Commit to Taking Action Now By Having SMART Plans  will give you guidance on how to make that happen. Keep in mind that you cannot plan forever, even if your plan is SMART. You must move from planning to taking action, to doing what you plan. Taking action and planning for the action are tools for grown ups.  in other words, even though planning and taking action are hard work, it has to be done. One of the things about being a grownup that cannot be changed is that sometimes you have to do things that are not fun or easy.

In conclusion, it is magnificent to know that taking action now helps to be independent and to make an action plan. So, the question for you this magnificent day is what is your plan for being independent?

Commit to Taking the Job Search Seriously By Sharing Your Plans

It is wonderful to commit to taking the job search seriously by sharing your plans. Normally, when one hears the phrase "job search" what comes to mind is the traditional  worker who leaves the house in the morning goes to work and comes home in the evening. However, there are many more types job searches than the traditional picture provides.  Bloggers who are seeking advertisers and sponsors are on job searches. Entrepreneurs who are looking for new customers and business alliances are on a job search. Even people who work at home are on job searches as they must also find new sources of income.

Looking for jobs and opportunities does not have to be a solitary pursuit. Instead, it is wise in many cases to share the news that you are on a search for jobs and income opportunities. Bloggers for example come across job opportunities, PR reps, and potential sponsors on a regular basis. Not every opportunity that is pitched to a blogger is a fit. The jobs that are not a fit for one blogger, will undoubtedly be a good fit for someone else in her network. so, if you re a blogger  in search of revenue opportunities, let those in your circle know so that they can pass you opportunities that come their way. In a similar manner, entrepreneurs should let those they come in contact with know that they are looking for additional customers. By doing so, people will feel free to share potential customers and opportunities with your business. People who work at home should also let their networks know they are looking for income opportunities.

Almost everyone has heard the expressions, "you have not because you ask not" and "one man's trash is another man's treasure."  These expressions hold true in the job search aka search for income streams. If those in your networks do not know you are looking for a job, additional income or more customers, they are less likely to share this information with you. If you are looking for  job, customers or opportunities, do not keep it a secret, share the information with those in your network. One word of warning. There is a difference between  gentle reminder that you are on the lookout and hounding those around you for help relentlessly. The first one will get you referrals, the second will get you blocked on the phone and social media! Be kind and considerate to the time constraints of those who could potentially help you.

In conclusion, it is wonderful to commit to taking the job search seriously by sharing your plans. So, the question for you this wonderful day is, do you share your job search plans with those in your circle?

Commit to Taking Action Now By Having SMART Plans

It is magnificent to commit to taking action now by having SMART  plans. People are always plotting and planning to move forward with one plan or another. It is interesting to witness the flurry of activity that goes into the making of plans. Then people get tired, don't take action now and they don't make their plans smart.

photo credit: jurvetson via photopin cc

If you want to succeed at anything good and wonderful thing you must move from planning to taking action now with SMART plans. The idea behind the words, "take action now" is that a person is going to do something now. The crucial idea is that action takes place now. The planning, plotting and dreaming stops. Action begins, things start getting crossed off the to do list and accomplishment begins to take place. Actually taking action now is one of the best things you can do with a plan is to TAN it. In other words, take action now and start accomplishing things.

Once you have made the commitment to take action now to action now to accomplish your goals, it is time to get SMART about accomplishing your plans. When plans or goals are SMART, they are:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time Bound

For the sake of illustration, let's take the following common goal and make it SMART: I want to make more money. This is a common plan made by people every day of the week. It is also a plan that is often not accomplished because as it stands now, this plan is not smart. When looking at it you cannot tell how much more money the planner wants to make. We have no way of knowing if any money made is more money. We don't know if it is possible for the person to make more money. We don't know what type of time frame we are working with. Let's work in a methodical way, in a step by step manner to make this plan SMART.

Specific

When a plan is specific, it has sufficient information to make it clear to the reader what is that is planned. It is the specifics that help make sure action is moving forward in the right direction. By adding specific details to your plan, it is easier for you to start moving towards where you want to end the journey. Using our example of wanting to make more money. More is not a specific word. Yes, it indicates an increase in amount, but what is the amount we are looking to make. Instead, let's amend the goal as follows: I want to make an additional $500. Now we have something specific we can work with. Five hundred dollars is a specific, clear and identifiable target.

Measurable

When a plan is measurable, there are indicators that permit one to gauge whether success has been reached. In our amended example: "I want to make an additional $500" is a clearly measurable marker. It is easy to look at the target and measure success and rate of completion along the way. It is possible for one to look their historical and current income and measure if five hundred additional dollars have been made.

photo credit: austinevan via photopin cc

Attainable

When a plan is attainable, it is one that can be achieved with the hard work and determination. If a plan is attainable it can reasonably be accomplished. Attainability cannot always be determined in a vacuum. Sometimes we need to look at the other parts of the SMART plan to determine if a goal is attainable. If we amend our sample goal to: "I want to make $500 using the ideas for affiliate marketing I read in a book that my friends used in order to earn $750". The fact that the marketing tips that will be relied upon have been successfully used before with success indicates that the tips the person wants to put into place may work.

Realistic

When a plan is realistic, it is logical that it will come to pass. When a plan is realistic, it makes sense that it will come to pass. Realistic plans give you ideas and information sufficient to make it reasonable to believe the plan will come to pass. So, let's amend our plan again: "I want to make an additional $500 by using the ideas for affiliate marketing in the book *** that my friends used  in order to earn $750 in one month and I have already started using with moderate success."

Time Bound

When a plan is time bound, there are clear and identifiable time barriers to starting and completing the plan. SMART plans do not have indefinite or undetermined start and end dates. So our plan would be amended as follows: "Within the next  three months I want to make an additional $500  by using the ideas for affiliate marketing I found in the book *** that my friends used in order to earn $750 in one month and I have already started using with moderate success."

Commit to Taking Action Now With SMART Plans

This amended plan is a way for a person to take action now using a SMART plan. By looking at it we know in a Specific way what the person wants to accomplish, earn an additional $500. Success is Measurable because one can look at historical data and determine if the additional income has been obtained, The plan is Attainable because there is a plan in a book that has been successfully used and the person has started  using the plan with success. The plan is realistic because it makes sense that the plan can be achieved as laid out. Finally, the plan is Time Bound because there is a clear tie period from the start and to end of work on the plan. This plan that the person is taking action now to complete is SMART.

In conclusion, it is magnificent to commit to taking action now by having smart plans. So, the question for you this magnificent day is, what SMART  planning are you bringing your actions today?

Commit to Making Your Business a Success By Showing Up Each Business Day

It is thrilling to commit to making your business a success by showing up to work each business day. If you ask most employers what they want most from an employee, one thing that will almost always make the list is for the employee to be dependable and show up to work each day. After all, employees are needed to do the tasks that make the business run. Interestingly, many entrepreneurs do not show up at their own businesses each day. They fail to show up literally and figuratively. This is a mistake that should be avoided, period. As the owner of a business enterprise you must physically show up your place of business. Further, when you show up you must have your mind on your business and your business on your mind.

photo credit: A river runs through via photopin cc

Many entrepreneurs spend a great deal of time picking out just the right employees who will carry forth the business vision. A mistake that is then made by some entrepreneurs is to leave running the business in the hands of those carefully selected employees. No one can communicate an entrepreneur's vision quite like the entrepreneur herself. For that reason, the entrepreneur must be present in the workplace to do the communicating. I have a client who owns a business in an exciting and developing industry. He hires good employees and gives them almost unlimited freedom to carry out work related tasks. He however almost never comes into the office. He prefers to work at home and will call employees periodically to check on things and to complain about how things are going. What he does not do is actually go to work when the employees are in the office working. Because he is never at the office, he is threatened when the people who are succeed or come up with good ideas. He sees great employees as threats instead of valuable parts of the business. As a result, the business has never reached the lofty heights it should have reached.

Most businesses do not succeed unless people put work into them. It does not matter what type of business it is that you are creating show up and work. If your business is selling Avon on the side to earn extra money, show up and do some work on your business, sit at your work area and place orders, research products, try out samples, do something to make your business work. If you are the owner of a sales organization, show up work, talk with your sales staff about their challenges and areas of ease. Go out on sales calls with them on occasion to see what the environment your business operates in is like. Your employees should never think they know more about your business than you simply because you refuse to show up and work each day as you should. By showing up in your workplace each day, without saying a word, you show your employees that you care about your business and are as committed to it as you want them to be. Think about the situation realistically and rationally. Who do you respect more, a person who leads by example or a person tells you to do what they say, not what they do? Most people have more respect for a person who leads by example. Be the shining example in your business. No matter how large or small your business is, no matter what type of business you have, there is work for you to do each day, so, show up like a grown up and work.

In conclusion, it is thrilling to commit to making your business a success by showing up to work each day. So, the question for you this thrilling day is, how do you show commitment to your business?

Commit to Taking the Job Search Seriously By Updating Your Resume

It is wonderful to commit to taking the job search seriously by updating your resume. Over the course of the past twenty years, the ways we look for jobs have changed a great deal. One upon a time, we looked for jobs in the newspaper columns. It was common to see people dressed up and going into town on commuter trains with the classified section of the paper on their laps with various advertisements for positions circled. Today, people are increasingly looking online for jobs with Craig's List or filling out applications online. What has not changed is the use of the resume to impress those in a position to hire. The crisp linen resume paper that was once the standard is increasingly lessening in popularity as more people apply for jobs online. However, resumes are still the main way of communicating experience and expertise to potential employers.

photo credit: Tax Credits via photopin cc

It is important to keep in mind that a resume should be a living and ever growing and developing thing. For that reason, it is important to keep a digital copy of your resume. This way you can update it as you achieve new goals and accomplish new things. When your resume is on paper and you have 100 copies sitting on your desk you are not likely to spend time updating it, revising it and customizing it to fit various situations and positions. On the other hand, when your resume is a digital file on your computer, tablet or smart phone, it is very easy to update and customize. For example, if you come up with a plan that saves your company 25 percent on office supplies or increase sales by ten percent over the last quarter, update your resume to reflect the accomplishment.

It is also worth noting that it is not only the unemployed who need to keep their resumes updated for job searches. People who are employed and love their jobs should keep their resumes at the ready. A reality of today's job market is that people rarely stay in one job for their entire working lives. Instead, people often leave great jobs as the result of buyouts, layoffs and in search of opportunities for advancement. People who are employed should also have an updated resume at the ready to use in discussions for promotion, advancement or when requesting special projects. Another group of people who should keep resumes as the ready is entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are responsible for keeping current customers and for bringing more customers into the business. This means an entrepreneur should have a resume of accomplishments, achievements and impressive details at the ready to share with prospective customers and potential project partners.

An important part of the resume process is the rearranging and reorganizing of the information on the resume. It is important to keep in mind that the resume is a living thing and should be customized as much as possible for each situation. This is one of the things that technology and a digital resume make possible.

In conclusion, it is wonderful to commit to taking the job search seriously by updating your resume. So, the question for you this wonderful day is, when was the last time you updated your resume?

Commit to Take Action Now With An Accountability Group

It is magnificent to make a commitment to take action now with the help of an accountability group. There are certain times on the calendar when people turn to goal setting, goal planning and resolving to do better. The times are predictable:

• The beginning of a new year
• The beginning of each new season
• The start of each new quarter of the calendar
• The midway point of the year

 At these times, books on self-help, goal setting and planning for the future fly off the shelves at bookstores and orders for them are clicked all over the internet. People get bitten by a bug to take action, to get things done. Everyone starts deciding they need to take action now in order to succeed at whatever it is they are trying to accomplish. For many people, the difference between success and once again failing to complete the mission is having the support of an accountability group.

An accountability group is a group of people who join together in order to support one another in accomplishing goals. Even people who have never been in an accountability group have heard of successful one. Some popular accountability groups include Weight Watchers and  Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). One of the reasons people tend to stick to their plans in Weight Watchers and AA is that the members work together to accomplish their goals. These groups provide support, feedback options and don't take excuses for failure to stay on track. The members of these groups meet on a regular, predetermined basis to share stories, brag about successes, commiserate about failures and to promise to continue on the journey together. It is an old formula, but it is a formula that works. An interesting thing about accountability groups is that for the most part, they are single purpose groups. The people in Weight Watchers do not help you stop drinking. The people in AA do not share weight loss secrets and low-fat high taste recipes.

The first step in creating an accountability group that will work for you is to decide what goal you want to accomplish. Do you want to start a business, become a better wife and mother, move up the corporate ladder? It doesn't matter what you want to do, just decide what you want to do before starting or joining an accountability group. Once you have decided what it is you want to do, it is time to form a group of like-minded people to help you. In my life, I have a few different accountability groups. The first group is the smallest it is just my husband and I working together to make a better home for our children and ourselves. The second group is a  general purpose group formed by two women, Rachee Fagg of Say It Rah-shay and Pam Margolis of The Unconventional Librarian and I on the spot at the PowerUp Weekend conference last year. The third group is a group with two blogger friends Arelis Cintron of My Pocketful of Thoughts and Brandi Jeter of Mama Knows it All to help me better my blog and the blog we started together, Pushing Lovely to help support women writers. Each group is important to help me succeed in different areas of life. I depend upon each to help me. At the same time, each group has people in it who are depending upon me to survive and accomplish my goals. When you become part of an accountability group, your participation is important and you must work to help the other members of your group to succeed. In order to do that, please pay attention to the following guidelines:

• Attend group meetings
• Support the members of your group
• Offer helpful suggestions to members
• Be receptive to criticism
• Take the group and your responsibilities seriously

It is important to keep in mind that accountability groups are like most things in life you get out what you put in. This means you must be a good member of the group in order to have others respect you, help you and want to have you involved in the group. If you want the members to give you good suggestions and to help you reach your goals. You must be a good member, you must offer good help to the other members. You must treat the accountability group as if your success depends on the success of the group, because believe me, it does.

Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Commit to Take Action Now

When you form an accountability group it can be informal like the group my husband and I make up. We decided that we must work together to make our home what we want it to be or our children who outnumber us would run wild and rampant. Your group could be formal, have meeting dates and a format for reporting progress like my group with Rachee and Pam. We meet once a week, virtually and discuss our big picture, how we did on the big picture over the course of he last week and plans for the upcoming week. Your group could be a combination of both, like my group with Arelis and Brandi. We meet about every other week to formally go over business matters and we talk almost everyday to push each other along with personal and business areas.  No matter what combination you choose, it is important that you make a plan, join a group and get moving on the road to success. In conclusion, it is magnificent to take action now and get things done with the help of an accountability circle. So, the question for you this magnificent day is, do you have an accountability group helping you achieve your goals?