Monday, April 13, 2009

Wanting It Bad

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We all want it. "It" is many different things to different people. "It" could be freedom from the cubicle. "It" could be no more living paycheck-to-paycheck or getting yourself out of debt. Maybe your "it" is having more time for your family. But do you really want it?? How badly?

We all want things. If we could just push a button to get the things we want, we would all run out of room. Obviously, things aren't that simple. First we need to determine which things we want. Since that list would likely be long, we also need to prioritize. Which things do we need or want most immediately? Which things would have the greatest positive impact in our lives now and in the long run?

OK. We've narrowed our list down to the key couple of things that really mean something to us. So how bad do you want it? What are you willing to do to make your dreams come true? Focus on your top priority "it" for a second. What are you willing to do to today and each day until you've reached your goal?

Often, the difference between those with dreams and those who are living their dreams is the intense, burning desire to make it happen. Wishes without action are just that - wishes. If you want something bad enough, roll up your sleeves, remove all obstacles and let nothing stand in your way. Using laser intensity, do whatever needs to be done to move your dream forward.

Working too hard/too many hours to work on change? Consider how you could possibly find one hour each week to keep pushing the ball down the field. No money to start that dream project you've always wanted to do? What have you done today to find the money you need. It only takes a small indication of success to ignite your spirit. Once you feel a little momentum, the excitement of actually acheiving your dream starts to grow. Focus enough thought and effort on making your dream come true and you will discover that burning desire.

Do you just want "it" or have you chosen to make "it" happen?

Monday, April 6, 2009

No Excuses, No Limits

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Although an education is no guarantee of success, developing a greater understanding of topics relevant to your goals can be a huge step in the right direction. Recently, access to courses at some of the finest colleges and universities have been made available to the public, free of charge. You will not get college credit for the courses and access to the professors is not offered. Aside from those limitations, you can experience and benefit from courses currently offered at institutions like Yale and MIT, at no cost to you.

If you feel like you have been limited in your growth at work, taking a few of these courses may give you a needed knowledge boost. If you are starting a new business, but feel that your understanding of current marketing methods is lacking, a couple of courses could get you up to speed. For someone who is considering a change in their field, dipping your toes in the water might help you decide which field is right for you.

Remember that if we stop growing, we are effectively losing ground to those still learning around us.

"I'm too busy and need my income. I can't take time out to go back to school." - With online/distance learning, your time is flexible. Take courses at your own pace and when your time is free.

"I can barely cover my bills now. How can I afford tuition?" - With these free offerings, from high-quality educational institutions, you can't afford to pass up an education.

Stop the excuses, remove the limits. The only one slowing you down is you. Grow. Thrive. Prosper.


Below are links to some resources for free online courses:

Brigham Young University
Capilano College (Canada)
Carnegie Mellon University
Glasgow University (UK)
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1,800 courses
Open University (UK)
Stanford University - iTunes U
Tufts University
United Nations University
Universidad Nacional De Colombia (Columbia/Spanish)
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Irvine
University of Massachusetts, Boston
University of Notre Dame
University of Southern Queensland (Australia)
Utah Valley State College
Utah State University
University of Washington
Yale University

Additionally, below is a link to a range of sample courses:
Online Education Database

Your success is in your hands. You can do it. Nobody is going to do it for you.

See you in school!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Perseverance

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"Press on:
Nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
Press on!"
- Calvin Coolidge

Never give up. No one can take away your will to succeed. If you believe in something, stay with it.

When you are thrown a roadblock, look around - there is always a way over, around or through that obstacle.

Thomas Edison was known as one of the most prolific inventors of all time. His harnessing of electricity and invention of the light bulb did not come without setbacks. When asked about his failed attempts at the light bulb he stated, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Additionally he optimistically viewed his perseverance. "I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." Edison understood that his perseverance was imperative to much success: "Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

If you have a dream, focus on that dream. Picture yourself living at the end of that dream. Find the path you want and never give up. You eventually will find your success.

Press on!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

We've Moved!

As evidence of my ADHD mind, I present to you the following:

I have decided that after three weeks of learning about blogging, how to use and fine-tune Blogger and developing a writing flow, the next step was obvious! Time to start over!

I have made the switch to Wordpress. A number of nagging issues came to a head when one Twitter friend was having difficulty subscribing to the feed. I will continue to update both sites for the next few weeks, then I will discontinue the updating of Blogger.

In business, as well as in life, you have to believe in what you are doing. Staying on a particular course, because it is easier than correcting, is a sure path to mediocrity.

There will be some minor changes in the coming days. My intention is to keep it simple, clean and focused on the content. Please update your bookmarks, links, subscriptions, etc. to Base Camp: Home here.

Thanks for all of the encouraging support!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Urgent vs. Important

They sound similar, but are they? Do you know what the difference is between urgent and important? I know you probably do. When was the last time you gave those two concepts thought when looking at a laundry list of things to get done?

Urgent could be defined as "compelling immediate action or attention".
Important has one definition as "of great significance, value, or consequence".

The telephone ringing could be considered urgent, but it may or may not be important. Completing a school or work project is probably important, but may or may not be urgent.

Having addressed those suttle differences, we can apply those labels to the things that need to be done in our lives. Some things are not urgent, nor are they important. Others have varying degrees of those two labels or characteristics.

With time management, we try to focus first on those things that are both important and urgent. Anyone out there still working on their taxes? How about those deadlines for college applications?

Next we make sure that we allow time for working towards those things that are important, but not urgent. Maybe we need to make some headway on that budget we keep putting off or planning our goals for the next year or two and monitoring our progress. Setting aside time to be with family can fit here. Maintenance projects that tend to sneak up on us could be considered important, but not urgent.

As time allows, we can look at those things that are urgent, but not important. Some phone calls or e-mail could be considered urgent, but not important. Your friends just called with plans to go away for the weekend tomorrow? Definitely urgent, but important? That's for you to decide.

Lastly, we have the things in life that are not urgent and they are not important. In this area we look to minimize any time spent at all. Junk mail goes here. Solitaire anyone? Try to eliminate the time wasters in your day that do not help you or your situation. You'd be surprised how much time this will free up in your life.

I am not suggesting that your life must be a perfect model of efficiency. Steering your time towards the things that will have an impact on your life, while making sure we don't ignore those things off on the horizon, will make for a more successful, satisfying life.

Next time something gets dropped in your lap, ask yourself "Is this Urgent? Is this Important?" Then decide when it will get done, if ever.

When you are all done, meet me by the pool. I'll be doing something that's not urgent and not important. But that's okay sometimes too.