New Year's Resolutions - aka - ACTS(TM)

2010 is coming to a close. Historically, at this time of year people generally start making New Year's resolutions. Popularly New Year's resolutions are regarding losing weight or to stop some other destructive behavior. The tradition is attributed to the ancient Babylonian's - the resolution - returning borrowed farm equipment.

I wonder who was more successful with resolutions, the ancient Babylonians or we in the present day?

There are four ways to make New Year's Resolutions stick.

Step 1 Assess what you would like to change.

At the end of 2009, I reviewed my journal, completed some psychometric evaluations and conducted some informal 360 degree evaluations. The results were astonishing - I needed to work on personal responsibility. (No really, that is not really a surprise, I am notorious for over extending, doing more for others and failing to accomplish my personal objectives and goals. Now, I had a starting point


Step 2 Create a purpose and vision for what you would have identified will help you the most.

I decided to allow myself to expand and innovate. I spent January reviewing my dream inventory (what I would like to accomplish in 2011). My passions came alive in quiet times of reflection and in conversations with close and trusted friends and advisers. I now clearly focused on what I needed to do to ensure personal accountability. and formalized my strategic plan in writing.

Step 3 Transform your life by setting goals and taking action.

I used the wheels of life to help me prioritize my goals physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, financially, socially, financially, and in my career to ensure ta for how I would be more accountable to my purpose with changes This really helped to break my resolution into interesting images for success and growth.Now I could set 1 goal for each area. This simplified the process it was and is easier for me to manage my time.

Step 4 Sustain your progress and success.

In the past, this has been the area where I and most people fail. No pun intended, but now we must hold ourselves accountable for our actions in order to get the results that we desire. I enhanced an approach that I used to monitor my progress weekly, monthly, quarterly and at the end of the year. I changed how I journaled daily to monitor daily when I started something new.

Now you have it, my approach to New Year's Resolutions. This year has proved to be an amazing year in all aspects in my life. I have a very long way to go with personal accountability and I am now in year two for starting ACTS(TM) all over again.

Here's a start for you with ACTS(TM)

What have you Assessed that needs to change in 2011?

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What is the new image, vision or picture that you will create for 2011?

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What goals will your set and actions will you take in 2011?

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How will you measure your progress in 2011?

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Five Keys for The Keeper of Momentum

Entering into a contract, new relationship or role, we often start off with motivation, interest and enthusiasm. As time goes on, however, this level of intensity seems to drop. So how can we become a keeper of momentum?



Purpose. Discovering one's purpose and contribution to the work is the first key to success. "When we know our Why, our How constantly shows up."

Passion. Igniting one's passion for involvement certainly starts a relationship or engagement off on the right foot. Keeping that passion burning after the initial excitement passes is the second key.

Principles. In order to have sustainable success, we must be clear on our fundamental core values. The core values become the foundation that will support all of our actions and thoughts. This key is the midpoint for momentum.

Positive. There is a saying that "people are hired for the ability, they are fired for their attitude." Keeping a positive point of view, appreciating that there is always a better way, a lesson to be learn, a silver lining in each situation is the key that unlocks any obstacle that is thrown our way.

Power. Finally, momentum is maintained even when doors are closed, windows are covered and the lights are turned off, we use the final key of power.

These five keys are available to all, we just need to seek, capture and then put into play.

Talent - Nature and Nurture

Nurture, defined in the traditional sense, can mean family influence. However, that definition has been expanded over time in the societal sense to environmental influences, those influences outside the individual. Nature, is defined as the traits we are born with or nature has directly affected.

Appreciating that we don't come into this world as a blank slate - there are some factors that we are born certainly that can and will affect our careers, our performance and our lives. Nurture now also comes into play. What factors can and does influence our talents. How we use them, display them, and develop them.

There have been numerous instances where a person was born or acquired a physiological element that if there had not been a nurturing factor, the person would have failed. One great example comes to mind, Helen Keller. At a very young age, she was affected by a disease that left her blind and deaf. In spite of these limiting factors, she was nurtured (influenced by a mentor) Anne Sullivan to become an international author, speaker and leader.

So why focus on nature and nurture. Yes, we come with to life, experiences and work with certain traits and talents. Interestingly enough, we can actually destroy natural talent as well as develop it. There are just as many individuals, perhaps more, that because of nurture have either not developed their talent at all or have even used their talents to destroy and to damage.

When we identify what are our natural talents, we can create a baseline but that is best not to be the only factor. To nurture talent is like starting a fire with very little fuel. A spark is created and something is added or not. A word of encouragement can change a life. Just as a word of criticism can shut that life down.

Every day we have an opportunity to overcome and/or enhance our nature and develop our talent. With the right nurture, we are creating a formula for growth and success. Appreciating nature and nuturing talents is one of the greatest endeavors one can embark on, that's why I passionately pursue talent development .

Promoting Health and Wealth - Day 4 - "How do I deal with challenges?"

Yesterday, after raising the question "How do I spend most of my time?", I made a conscious effort to pay attention to whether I was investing or wasting my time. It's amazing how much my awareness increased about my time use just because I was intentionally focused on time uses.

This leads me directly to the second questions - "How do I deal with challenges?"

The comfort zone supports our habits - the good, the bad and the ugly. We need to increase our consciousness about why, what and how we are doing what we do in order to move out of our comfort zone. This takes effort, much more effort than one realizes. There are numerous studies regarding the subconscious versus conscious mind. As much as we would like to think we are in control (conscious), studies show that the percentage of time our mind operates at the conscious level varies from 15% (mostly relaxed and aware) to 5% (stressed and unaware). Which leaves our minds in whopping 85% to 95% subconscious state!

Recently, a colleague shared with me that we don't have a time management challenge, we have a goal management challenge, and I do believe that is partially true. However, I am becoming intrigued with the theory that we might really have a purpose, passion and then intention management challenge. This quote from one of my favorite self development speakers and writers, Dr. Wayne Dyer supports that theory, "You must match your intention's attributes with your own in order to capitalize on those powers in your life." So how does one "match" intention with power?

I could virtually go on for pages with the challenges that we believe we encounter. But, I do believe, no I know, that for me personally, as soon as I clear up my purpose, passion and intention challenge - my goals and my time magically align. Many responses to my challenges are blow out of proportion, almost to degree that I can justify analysis which leads to paralysis. Or my personal favorite, lack of awareness leading to total oblivion.

What would happen if we took the time to align our conscious thoughts and actions to our purpose, passion and intentions? What would help us to attain Abraham Maslow's highest level on his Hierarchy of Needs motivation theory - full Self Actualization?

This leads me to the third question -

"What in my life motivates me to jump out of bed and get started everyday?"

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura