Tag Archives: Lifestyle

Reflections and Resolutions: Building a Better Future, One Category at a Time

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Image by Simon from Pixabay resolutions

Less than three weeks before the year draws to a close.

It’s a perfect time to reflect on the journey traveled and set the course for the year ahead.

I’ve found that breaking down my life into specific areas has helped me focus on what truly matters.

Here are the eight categories I use for my year-end review, and perhaps they can inspire you too:

  1. Faith: Reflect on your spiritual journey.

Have you nurtured your faith this year?

Whether through prayer, meditation, or community involvement, acknowledge the growth and set intentions for deepening your spiritual connection in the coming year.

  • Family/Friends: Relationships are the cornerstone of a fulfilling life.

Take stock of the time and effort you’ve invested in your family and friendships.

Consider ways to strengthen these bonds and create lasting memories together.

  • Wealth/Investing/Income: Assess your financial goals and achievements. Celebrate the wins, learn from the losses, and adjust your financial strategies accordingly. Whether it’s saving more, investing wisely, or exploring new income streams, aim for financial growth in the upcoming year.
  • Lifelong Learning/Books/Music: Learning is a lifelong journey.

Consider the books you’ve read, the new skills acquired, and the music that has inspired you.

Set ambitious yet achievable learning goals for the next year, be it picking up a new instrument, diving into a new genre of books, or exploring different forms of art.

  • Care of Self: Your well-being is paramount.

Reflect on how you’ve taken care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Identify areas for improvement and commit to self-care practices that promote a healthier, more balanced life.

  • Politics: Stay informed about the world around you.

Reflect on your engagement with politics and consider how you can contribute positively to your community.

This could be through volunteering, advocating for causes you believe in, or simply staying informed and participating in civic activities.

  • Fun & Optimistic Living/Writing: Life is meant to be enjoyed.

Take stock of the moments that brought joy and laughter.

Embrace a positive mindset and look for opportunities to infuse more fun into your daily life.

If you enjoy writing, consider journaling your experiences and thoughts as a way to preserve memories.

  • Daily Life Support – Must-Do Items: Sometimes, routine tasks can be overlooked, but they are the foundation of a well-organized life.

Reflect on the efficiency of your daily routines and adjust where needed.

Streamline tasks to create more time for the activities that truly matter.

As you work on this year-end review, remember that it’s not about perfection but progress.

Embrace the lessons of the past year and use them as stepping stones toward a more fulfilling and purposeful future.

Make 2024 your best year yet!

Thank you for reading this post.

Get started today.

Good luck next year!

Can Banjo and/or Guitar be learned later in life?

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Can Banjo and Guitar be learned later in life?

Yes, it can be learned.

The problem when learning at almost any age, especially later in life, is that we compare ourselves to the best of the best.

· I want to play banjo like Earl Scruggs, but it isn’t going to happen.

· I want to play lead guitar and be in a famous band, but it isn’t going to happen.

For years I have been a closet player. I would not play in front of people.

I played many songs, but as I now know, I was not playing them well. I certainly was not playing with good timing.

Several years ago, I decided to take a 6-week course in Bluegrass jamming. There were about six adult learners that signed up and showed up for the class. It was a real eye-opener.

We all were in the same boat, adults who never played in front of or with others. It was a tough inner fight to go to the class, stay at the class, and show up for the rest of the classes. I am glad I did. One lady never returned after the first class.

Later as the classes progressed, the instructor said it was interesting to watch us the first couple of sessions. Some people had to be reminded to breathe. That was me for sure.

As we progressed, it became easier. I even led one song and sang a couple of bars. I won a prize for stepping out of my comfort zone.

After the six weeks were complete and we graduated, I felt as though I was ready to go out and jam. The problem was that there were few places to go. I live in Texas, not a lot of Bluegrass jamming going on.

Over the past several years, I have noticed an interest growing in Bluegrass music. I have heard of several jamming groups but never attended.

Recently I moved to a new community; they have a Bluegrass band that plays within the community. They have weekend driveway gigs periodically, and I have met several members of the band. I was invited to jam with a couple of members of the group.

Wow! Even though I had gone to and graduated from a jam class, I was not prepared for this, but I thought I was.

They were very supportive people; they had all been beginners at some point. I had learned only the basics of jamming etiquette. I was still not prepared to jam and stay on time with others, but I was learning. I now attend weekly jam sessions with two of the band players. 

I have attended an actual jam session at the county courthouse.

This jam session was an awakening for me. The group meets on the steps of the courthouse every Saturday morning, weather permitting. At my first visit, about 15 musicians showed up, 6 or 7 guitar players, three fiddle players, a dobro, and several other instruments, all there to play bluegrass music.

I was the only banjo that day. I again had trouble breathing but stayed to see how their jam worked. We were in a large circle, some people standing some sitting. I had a stool and sat.

As we progressed around the circle, each person turned to suggest a song for the group to play. I told them, Cripple Creek. I could barely get the melody out of my banjo, but I made it through my first song.

Everyone, there was accommodating and had good words for my continued playing with the group.

I watched and listened and tried to keep my banjo in time with each song I heard. There were many songs I did not know, and I had to sit there and not play. I found this the same problem for other players; I wasn’t the only one.

I went back the next week and got through two songs, not my best playing but better each time. This group with varying members has been playing at this venue for over thirty years.

If you are an alone player or closet player, I highly recommend finding others to play along with and jam. Having internet access to songs and practicing along is good but getting out with real people is the way to learn and advance.

I have also restarted the guitar. I played in high school many years ago. I plan to take my guitar to jam sessions soon.

I am now in my early 70s and can’t wait to go to my next jam session.

Do you have a later-life learning experience to share?

Do you have a system to record Life experiences?

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“Life is a collection of experiences, people met, and books read” – according to Jim Rohn

Have you heard of and followed the extraordinary life and business philosopher, Jim Rohn? 

I have read his books, articles, listened to tapes, and attended his seminars. 

One article captured my attention and prompted a change in my behavior many years ago.  

Jim Rohn talked about the habit of writing down daily life experiences. He described his early journaling as a process of continuously writing things down all day long so that he wouldn’t forget the thought of the moment. 

He wrote on scraps of paper, napkins, post notes, anything he could find. Then he put them in a drawer. He then described having a drawer full of information that was not neat and was hard to organize.

We all want to remember and save ideas of the moment. Many of us either forget the idea later, or like Jim Rohn, we have a great collection of paper scraps with notes.  That was me.

Jim Rohn changed and thought it best to journal, in a sense, all day long. He started keeping a notebook at his side to jot down notes and thoughts of the moment.

I decided this was something worthwhile and started carrying a notebook with a daily date and began writing whatever thoughts I had that seemed essential to keep. Some days hardly anything. Some days I filled two pages. 

My books are messy and not organized, but I have a chronological method of getting experiences on paper. Generally, each month I go back through the past one or two months looking for ideas’ thoughts, or things that still seem significant.

I talk to people who want to start journaling but don’t know-how. This method has been working well for me. I have taught it to others.

I have books of my life experiences, and I attest to it –“Life is a collection of experiences, people met, and books read.”

Start keeping a daily running book of life, and you will be astonished at how you and your life can be changed and influenced.

Make 2022 your best year yet!

Let me know your thoughts.

How is your time spent – sleep, ready, eat, commute, Leisure, Life Goals!

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If you spend 8 hours working, you sleep 8 hours, work 8 hours and bathe, eat, and drive 3 hours — what do you do with the other 5 hours. 

Ready Eat Travel?

Bathe, eat, travel / commute — I call this time RETy (Ready, Eat, Travel time).  Most of us can quantify the travel time fairly closely. I typically spend 45 minutes in the car going to work and coming home.  For 2019 I want to maximize this time, as learning time.  If I go to work 5 days per week 50 weeks a year I have 1-1/2 hours / day x 5 days x 50 weeks = 375 hours that can be used for listening and learning.

Remaining daily 5 hours?

So, if you come close to this daily living model.  What do you do with the other 5 hours. 

Some people spend the time unwinding some people spend the time working toward life goals.  Some do both.  5 hours / day x 5 days x 50 weeks = 1,250 hours that can be used for leisure and life goals.

Think about it, that’s on week days, not even counting weekends.

How do you spend time?  Track it and see what you do with your time.  Then look at weekends — It adds up! 

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Tough times! — Remember, “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” -Lucille Ball

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Here are some good pointers to remember — Especially when Tough Times happen:

1. Everything can – and will – change.

2. You’ve overcome challenges before.

3. It’s a learning experience.

4. Not getting what you want can be a blessing.

5. Allow yourself to have some fun.

6. Being kind to yourself is the best medicine.

7. Other people’s negativity isn’t worth worrying about.

8. And there is always, always, always, something to be grateful for.

Get readyfor 2019!  Christmas and New Year are coming — I’m grateful!

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Goals — Are yours written? Are you working them daily?

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After much reading, discussing and watching I am convinced that over 95% of people going into a new year don’t have written measurable goals for the year.  Many or probably most have heard this and know the importance of goal setting goals, still not written down.

If you are a sales person and say “Wow! I need more sales to make my year!” — You may be out of luck. If your sales cycle takes longer than 10 weeks from start to close to shipment, you are running out of time.

Now is the time to begin looking toward the New Year 2019. Begin by setting an appointment with yourself for 30 – 60 minutes. Get blank paper or a blank computer screen and begin writing your thoughts and ideas for accomplishment next year. This first cut at goal setting doesn’t have to be neat — just take time to think about and write your ideas and thoughts down. My beginning session is usually quite messy and unorganized.

Put this information away in a place you absolutely won’t forget where it is so that you can retrieve it, early December.  Then set an appointment with yourself for 30 – 60 minutes early December and get your list out.

In December you will be amazed at the progress you will have already made toward thinking about and planning your goals for next year. Your fist list may be messy, but you will be ready to define and refine the list. You will be subtracting, adding and modifying the original set of goals. Make the list a little neater and resolve to begin your goals and measure your goals.

Why do I believe in doing this? It’s because I use this method every year and then I set a tracking system and measure progress. This works!

Try for yourself and get into the 5% group of people who actually write and strive to achieve their goals. Remember a lot of “Luck” goes along with a lot of preparation.  

While continuing to build my own goal system I have found and in process of reviewing a software program that looks very promising — Click and have a look 

I’ll comment further as I look at this software — Let me know your thoughts.

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Sales planning — Visualization?

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Sales planning — Visualization?

I am a salesperson. I have been associated with selling most of my life. My dad was a commission man. I was intrigued with what he did. I traveled with him and observed the ups and downs of selling.

When time to choose a career, I rejected sales. I decided to go to engineering school and get my BSME – Bachelor of science mechanical engineering. Then figuring I didn’t have enough business education from engineering I went after and received an MBA.

I went through several engineering jobs and finally ended up in inside sales, quotations, warranty — sales support but not direct selling.

One day in the early 80’s business was slowing down and my boss came in and said he wanted me to go on the road and sell and bring in business. I told him emphatically I did not want to be a direct salesperson. He told me to go home and tell my wife I no longer had a job. I decided right then and there that selling was exactly the career path I wanted to be in.

I asked for sales training and was told no. I bought and read every book and article on selling I could find. I was successful (The definition of success at that time was selling enough product to fill the plant and I was asked in September to stop until next year.)

So even though I have had many roles in business, I have stayed the course as sales and selling my real career path. I have hired and trained many sales people over the years. I subscribe to the “Sandler Selling System” and work with Acuity Systems Inc. here in Dallas.

I have a proven system for tracking behaviors and a cookbook for tracking. Over the years I have always wanted a good visual program to look at and review my sales year. I’m about to come out with an excel spreadsheet and white paper, that outlines an entire year. I will be able to plan each month, day and week for the year, look at and review it everyday.

The problem with this for typical sales people will be discipline of doing the daily behaviors and committing to the grind.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Sales planning — Visualization?

 

What role are you in?

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As a sales person or actually anyone for that matter, do you know what role you are in?

Good sales training teaches that you are you first. There are many, many “roles” other than just sales, of who and what you are in your life.

As an example, I have many roles that I need participate in to be successful in my life. I am husband, father, grandfather, wanna-be-golfer, company owner, sales person, and on and on. There are many roles I am in my life. Not one role defines me, but they all collectively define who I am.

Too many times I see sales people not performing in the proper role. Selling is difficult! You need be in the proper role to make it work. Good sales training combined with on-going sales training helps to understand the process of roles in all aspects of life, especially in selling.

So. what does it mean to not be in proper role for sales — here are three there are many more:

  1. Sales people in sales role, must learn not to take rejection personally.
  2. Sales people in sales role, must stay motivated to do daily behaviors that bring success.
  3. Sales people in sales role, must create a self-worth high enough to achieve success they want.

Think about the roles in your life. Are you able to get into the role of the moment. It took many years of study and sales training for me to get the concept of being in the proper role as the moment requires.

Think about your roles and where you are or will be. Can you get into the role of the moment and be the best you can be in that role.

Heavy thoughts — but — with proper application you can create the success you want and deserve, in all areas of your life.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Customer satisfaction!

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Have you ever made one or more of your customers mad and didn’t even know it. Consider the following:

What is one of the worst things you can do to a customer — Cause opportunity for an RMA – Returned Material Authorization — something is wrong and the customer is not happy!

An RMA is the black mark of black marks.

I started my career of customer service in the world of RMA and Warranty.

It can be one of the most frustrating things you can do to a customer.

1.     The product was bought to use not send back.

2.     On-time, instant gratification, great product — gone.

3.     There is a tremendous need for a system, procedures, and people to handle the returns. 

4.     Both Sides are MAD – Customer returning product and the supplier trying to handle non-routine work.

From experience of owning a company I have witnessed the process of people in the organization knowingly shipping product, that was bad, to make the monthly numbers. 

When I discovered this several people were immediately removed from my organization. 

BUT

As I stopped and reflected on what happened, I decided I was probably part or all of the cause. 

I stopped cold — all managers were summoned and we decided this needed correction. Aanother moment of getting the Lean Journey started and not really being aware of it. The underlying cause was bad operating systems. We did not have good repeatable processes to ship material.

So began the journey. We did get better and improve. We began the real “Lean Journey”

I was amazed at the rate we lowered RMA’s at our company! — and — our growth took off.

 

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Comments welcome!