Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - March 27th

A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement. - Bo Bennett

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness. - Napoleon Hill

Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached. - Swami Vivekananda

First quarter of 2018 is almost complete…how are your advancing on your goals?  The end of each quarter is always a wonderful time to review how we are doing to determine if we need to make any changes to our plan to accomplish our goals or if we need to continue progressing with the same intensity as we have been in the first quarter over the next three quarters of the year to accomplish our goals. 

As I have been conducting my quarterly review, I started questioning if I should continue with my “stretch goal” of reading 50 books this year or change it.  Contemplating this, I considered that I have read 20 books so far and am in the middle of a couple more books.  Now I will say that I did consider changing this goal because I am “fearful” of not accomplishing it.  However, I decided that at this point I am going to continue to push forward.  As I recently told a friend I was talking to, I cannot set goals based on what I “hope” happens in my life.  I have to continue pushing forward on my current goals and do quarterly reviews to determine if my life circumstances changed to help determine if my goals need to change.   

The danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. - Michelangelo Buonarrati

Here is a simply process that I came up with to complete a quarterly goal review:

1.       Review benchmark data and determine progress of goals.    

2.       With those goals that are not progressing, do the goals need to remain because they help fulfill a personal purpose statement or should the goals be removed from the list for the year?

3.       If the goals are staying on the list, what new habit(s) need to be incorporated to accomplish the goals? 

A great way to help accomplish large goals may be to set smaller goals.  Would it be beneficial to break large goals down into smaller goals such as a daily or weekly goal?

4.       Incorporate new habits into life.

5.       Celebrate the progress on the goals that have been accomplished! 

The important thing is to strive towards a goal which is not immediately visible.  That goal is not the concern of the mind, but of the spirit. - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Goals are dreams with deadlines. - Diana Scharf Hunt

Challenge:  Complete your quarterly goal review for the first quarter of 2018.

Resources

https://labs.openviewpartners.com/the-goal-of-conducting-quarterly-reviews/#.Wrj9d0xFzV-

https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasmith/2013/12/30/a-guide-to-evaluate-your-priorities-set-goals/#5d5ffb914c35

http://selahreflections.com/personal-quarterly-reviews/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - March 20th

If you don’t give up on something you truly believe in, you will find a way. ― Roy T. Bennett

Don't give up too soon. If you persevere you will succeed. ― Lailah Gifty Akita

Don't give up your greatness because of someone's cynicism or narrowness of mind. ― Debasish Mridha  

Don't give up on yourself. Leave that for the other people. ― Anthony T.Hincks

You have to dig deep for success. Often that means you have to keep digging beyond failures. Don't give up. ― Akiroq Brost

Recently, I was reading an article about how various successful people were told at one time in their life that they would never make it.  Here are a few interesting points that I read:

·       Thomas Edison was told by teachers that he was “Too stupid to learn anything”.

·       Oprah was fired from a television reporting job because she was “Unfit for tv”.

·       Fred Astaire performed in his first screen test and the MGM screen director wrote down, “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.”

·       Sidney Poitier was told by a casting director after his first audition “Why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?”

·       Lucille Ball was told she would never be an actress and that she should try a different profession. 

·       Theodor Seuss Giesel, which is the author of “The Cat in the Hat” and “Green Eggs and Ham”, was first rejected by 27 different publishers for his first book titled “To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”.

Challenge:  Remember the dreams you have.  Focus on them.  Keep pushing forward AND BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO!

Resources

http://www.budbilanich.com/50-famous-people-who-failed-at-their-first-attempt-at-career-success/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - March 13th

Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction. - Germany Kent

A positive attitude can really make dreams come true - it did for me. - David Bailey

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results. - Willie Nelson

Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart. ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

When negative thoughts come and finding the strength and passion to push forward is difficult, I have found it helpful to have ways to create a positive mindset.  Here are some of my suggestions:

1.       Help Other People – When I moved to Virginia, I knew no one.  Through my church, I found a great opportunity to volunteer at a local senior center once a month.  I have been volunteering for over a year painting fingernails and have learned that even when I am distraught about life volunteering changes my perspective. 

2.       Laugh – Through my volunteering, I have a “special friend”.  He is a nice 80-year old man that likes to talk to me.  He even gave me a Valentine’s Day card and I have coined him my “80-year old boyfriend”.  My friends laugh at me when I say this.  Valentine’s Day is not usually an easy time for me; however, this year I could not complain because I did receive a Valentine’s Day card!    

3.       Friends –  During the hard times, it is great to call or text friends.  Usually, I do not tell them I am down or discouraged.  Simply interacting with positive people changes my perspective.  

4.       Positive Music – Listening to positive upbeat music can change a person’s perspective.  According to a study in the Journal of Positive Psychology in 2013, two weeks of consistent positive music can help a person feel happier. 

5.       Remembrances – It is so important to remember the progress of how far we have come and events that have helped move us closer to our dreams.  This is often hard for me because I want my dreams immediately and I often forget what has already happened moving me closer to my dreams.  I learned that I have to hang up pictures or reminders from events that occurred and regularly look at them to encourage myself.  Also, I have a list of important dates reminding me of events/activities that occurred moving me closer to my dreams.  When I review these items, I am reminded that I am progressing toward my goals, the trials I am going through are developing my character and everything happens in perfect timing!

Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. - Joseph Campbell

Challenge: Find two ways to create a positive mindset for yourself.  Preparing in advance ways to change a mindset will help you immediately change your perspective instead of waiting until a negative mindset comes and then trying to figure out how to change it.

Resources

Choose Music to Boost Happiness: https://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/choose-music-to-boost-happiness-3267.aspx

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - March 6th

Be who you want to be, not what people want to see. – Unknown

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. — Eleanor Roosevelt

Be yourself.  The world worships an original. - Ingrid Bergman

Never let anyone tell you who you are, hold your head up high, look them in the eyes and TELL them who you are. - Sonya Parker

Last week, I wrote about the story of Monty Roberts receiving an “F” on a high school assignment and was given the opportunity to rewrite the paper for a better grade.  Monty told his teacher he could keep his F and Monty was going to keep his dream. 

This story greatly resonated with me as I have recently had people tell me that the dreams I am praying for are impossible.  Over the last month, I had an acquaintance ask me a question and then lecture me for five minutes about how I needed to walk away from a situation because it would never happen.  Another time I listened to a webinar and when I contacted the speaker to receive her husband’s perspective on a story she told, an employee of the company responded with her opinion of the question I asked and never tried to obtain the husband’s perspective.  

During the frustrating times when are dreams are not progressing at the pace we would like and people are telling us our dreams are impossible, these are the times to stay upbeat and have a positive mindset.  In the first example I gave above, the person I was talking with kept saying “What if” and my response was “Everything happens in perfect timing.”  Her response to me was “That is a positive person’s mindset”.

When people say your dreams are impossible and tell you why something is not going to happen, be gracious during the conversation, walk away when the conversation is over, take time to calm down and analyze what was said.  After these types of conversations, it is important to remember your purpose so that you can determine if what the person said is congruent with your life’s purpose or not.  If it is not, disregard what they said and move on.  If what they said is something you needed to hear, take time to analyze and incorporate changes into your life.

Remember that you have to work as hard as you can to accomplish your dreams and then leave the rest up to God. 

90% of life is about remaining calm. - Dr. Chris Feudtner

Challenge: Develop a process of how you will deal with negative and unsupportive people. 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 27th

Be a witness, not a judge. Focus on yourself, not on others. Listen to your heart, not to the crowd. - Nishan Panwar

Sometimes you've just got to listen to yourself and be okay with nobody else understanding. - Unknown quotes

Sometimes we don’t need advice.  We just need somebody to listen. – iliketoquote.com

Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done.  Life’s too short to think small.  – Time Ferriss

We are almost two months into 2018 and I hope you are as strong, passionate and determined about accomplishing your dreams as Monty Roberts was about accomplishing his dream.  If you have never heard of Monty Roberts, let me tell you about him. 

Monty was born in Salinas, California to Marvin Roberts, who was a horse trainer and authored the book Horse and Horseman Training in 1957.  Monty won his first rodeo trophy at age four.  While attending college at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, he won 2 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association National Championships.  Today, Monty Roberts owns a 154-acre ranch in Solvang, California that is home to thoroughbred racehorses and where he teaches his Join-Up method for training horses.  His horse training methods were the inspiration for the Robert Redford movie “The Horse Whisper”. 

However, none of this would have occurred if he listened to his high school teacher.  Monty was given the assignment to write what he wanted to do when he grew up.  He dreamed big and said he wanted to own a ranch and raise thoroughbred racehorses.  The teacher gave him an “F” and told him that his dream was unrealistic for someone who was currently living in the back of a pickup truck.  The teacher told Monty he would never make his dream into reality and gave him the opportunity to rewrite his paper to receive a higher grade.  Monty Roberts said:

You keep your F; I’m keeping my dream.

Challenge: Have you ever had anyone tell you that your dreams were impossible and that it was never going to happen?  What did you do about it?

Resources

https://www.48days.com/you-keep-your-f-im-keeping-my-dream/

http://www.terri.com/dont-let-anyone-talk-you-out-of-your-dreams/

https://www.montyroberts.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Roberts

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 20th

Too many people are worried about having results NOW...the Mona Lisa was not created in a day. Perfection takes time. – Unknown

Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is "timing"; it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way. ― Fulton J. Sheen

In 2008, I was given a book called Lincoln’s Sword at a convention where I served as the caucus secretary.  Lincoln is one of my favorite president’s, so I would have thought I would have read the book immediately; however, I did not.  Since receiving the book, I have moved 3 times and never gave it away.  It just sat in a plastic container in a closet. 

One of my goals in 2018 is to read the 11 books that are sitting in a pile in my apartment.  Lincoln’s Sword was one of them!  FINALLY, I read the book and it was the most interesting book.  I learned so much about the various speeches President Lincoln gave, his humor and his perspective on writing his views versus speaking his views.    

Most of what makes a book 'good' is that we are reading it at the right moment for us. ― Alain de Botton

After completing the book, I realized that if I had read this book when I received it I would not have learned nearly as much as I did by reading it in January 2018.  When I received the book, I enjoyed public speaking, but did not have the strong passion I do now for it.  Additionally, I had not started my blog and did not need to understand the differences between writing my perspective and stating (speaking) my perspective.

Furthermore, I had an epiphany through processing this whole situation that has been hard for me to grasp.  This experience taught me that sometimes we need patience to wait for the perfect timing for events to happen. 

Timing in life is everything. – Leonard Maltin

Everything you need will come to you at the perfect time. powerofpositivity.com

Challenge: What aspects of your life do you need to have patience in?  What actions/activities can you do while you are waiting for other things to happen?

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 13th

Before you eat the elephant, make sure you know what parts you want to eat. ― Todd Stocker, Refined: Turning Pain Into Purpose

Each day I will accomplish one thing on my to do list. ― Lailah Gifty Akita

I really, really want to produce. That's the top of my to-do list. - Lauren Conrad

We have to start putting ourselves on the to-do list. – Giuliana Rancic

People who want to appear clever rely on memory.  People who want to get things done make lists. – Peter McWilliams

What motivates you?  I am a click/ding addict!  In the last year, I discovered that I love to mark things off my to-do list.  At one time, I had an app on my phone that would “ding” every time I marked something off my to-do list.  I finally had to get rid of it because I liked the “ding” a little too much! 

On October 10, 2017, I introduced my crazy idea of “40 Before 40”, which is where I wanted to do 40 new things before I turn 40.  As Friday February 1, 2018, I completed my first 40 and the following day I started my next 40.   For me, I had to have the motivation to push forward to keep discovering new things. 

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, motivation is “the state or condition of being motivated or having a strong reason to act or accomplish something”. 

My motivation has been hearing a ding, checking/clicking off an activity on my task list or accomplishing a goal of doing 40 new things.  Honestly, I probably would not have taken the time to see the great history in D.C. and the surroundings areas if I had not had a purpose/goal/motivation.    

Challenge: What motivates you?  Find what motivates you and incorporate it into your life to help you accomplish your goals.   

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 6th

Accountability breeds response-ability. - Stephen Covey

You’ll never accomplish the results you want until you are wiling to do what you don’t necessarily want to do. – Trish Blackwell

Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results. – Beachbody Challenge

According to Wikipedia, an accountability partner “is a person who coaches another person in terms of helping the other person keep a commitment”.  This person will be there to encourage you through this long journey of accomplishing your goals; however, it will still be your responsibility to accomplish your goals and be able to explain “why” if you do not.

Here are some things I have thought about:

1.       Find an individual that will hold you accountable and not allow you to make excuses.  This person should also be able to encourage you when you are discouraged or struggling to accomplish your goals.        

2.       Arrange an initial meeting to discuss goals for the year.  Go in prepared to review your goals with your accountability partner and explain why you established each one.  Explaining your goals to your accountability partner will help them understand why you chose them and why they are important.  For you, explaining them will provide more ownership of why you selected the goals and how they will impact your life.   

3.       Create a reminder to communicate each week.  For me, I created a Task Reminder for each Wednesday to communicate with my accountability partner.  It does not mean that is the day we will email each other, but it starts me thinking about what I might want to ask about or if I have read an article that I might want to forward.  For you, it might work better to set up regular face-to-face meetings or phone calls because the personal interaction will hold you more accountable.  Decide what will be best for both of you.

4.       Honesty…During weekly communications, be honest.  The person you select should be an individual you trust and know that whatever you say will not be repeated.  By being honest, the other person will know what struggles you are having and can either provide recommendations based on their own experiences or encourage you weekly as you find ways to overcome your struggles. 

5.       Reciprocal action…your accountability partner will be there to encourage you in accomplishing your goals, but you will also need to be there to help encourage and motive them to accomplish their goals. 

6.       Remember that your accountability partner may not have the same qualities as you.  Flexibility will be important.

Challenge: Set up a meeting with your accountability partner.

Resources

http://www.covenanteyes.com/2013/03/08/accountability-partner-script/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accountability_partner

https://www.goal-setting-guide.com/the-role-of-an-accountability-partner-in-goal-achievement/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - January 30th

Your accountability partner keeps you on track and moving forward in all aspects of your development. – Mike Staver

People often say that motivation doesn’t last.  Neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily. – Zig Ziglar

Accountability: The missing link in achieving your health and fitness goals. – thehumbledhomemaker.com

People who wrote down their goals were 42% more likely to achieve them than the ones who didn't. Telling a friend increases this rate to 78%. - Brian McCormick

As a goal-driven and pretty disciplined individual, I have never had an accountability partner.  I know what my dreams are and work towards accomplishing my goals to achieve my dreams.  However, this year I had a friend ask if I would be interested in being accountability partners and I said yes.  The plan was to meet once to discuss our goals for the year and then weekly we would communicate via email to discuss our progress.   

With it being only a month into the year, I have to say it has taken my drive to accomplish my goals to a whole new level!  For example, I have a goal to cook or bake something every week.  I have gotten away from both activities since I do not have anyone to cook or bake for and need to work on developing my skills again.  Knowing that I will have to give an update to my accountability partner sometime in the week, I am challenged to make sure I am working on this goal as it would be an easy goal to dismiss. 

And by having this goal, I had a first in my life…I was told by a friend that I was not allowed to make Oreo truffles for a while because they were amazing and way too easy to devour all of them! 

Challenge: Would having an accountability partner assist you in accomplishing your 2018 goals?  If so, start thinking about a colleague or friend who you could ask to be your accountability partner. 

Next week, I will give some tips and guidelines on how to set up an accountability partnership.

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - January 23rd

Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.
― Barry Finlay, Kilimanjaro and Beyond

You can’t fall if you don’t climb.  But there’s no joy in living your whole life on the ground. – Unknown

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. – Henry Ford

Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it. – Andy Rooney

If you never attempt the ascent, you'll never know the thrill of swooshing down the other side. - Unknown

Over the last month, Terri’s Tuesday Tip of the Week has discussed dreams, dream boards, goals and “mundane repetitiveness” (habits).  After a conversation with a friend last August, I had an epiphany.  Accomplishing our dreams is like climbing a mountain.  When we dream, we are excited about a new idea and are at the mountain peak.  We are drilling down on our dreams (going down the mountain) when we create our goals and our habits are the base of the mountain.  HOWEVER, to accomplish our dreams, we must climb the mountain.  We start at the base of the mountain by doing our daily habits, which helps us accomplish our goals advancing us up the mountain and we reach the peak of the mountain when we achieve our dreams.   

Last week, I listened to a Business Boutique podcast (see Resources for podcast) by Christy Wright that had a similar idea.  She stated that when you come up with an idea, you have to break down the dream into smaller goals.  In her podcast, she did a formula of breaking down a goal all the way to the point of knowing how many words to write in a day to complete a 70,000-word book in 6 months.  Like me, she is a runner and used a running analogy for the mountain.  She said the scariest part of running a hill is looking to the top and immediately trying to reach the peak.  Wright says that she accomplishes running a hill one step at a time, one milestone at a time.  After mundane repetitiveness of putting one foot in front of another, she reaches the peak! 

Life is like a mountain, the climb is hard, but when you reach the top, the view is amazing. - Unknown

Challenge: What mountain are you climbing this year?  What small steps do you need to do to reach the peak of the mountain? 

Resources

https://www.businessboutique.com/podcast/ep-38-hitting-big-goals-by-winning-small/