An Excerpt from: Even Eagles Need a Push
by David McNally and Mac Anderson
Forgotten Your Dreams?
After a change in head coaches at the University of South Carolina earlier in his career, Lou Holtz, then a defensive coach, found himself unemployed.
"I was unemployed for over a month, a long time for someone like me who had worked since he was nine. I felt very defeated. Our savings account was down to four figures: around $10.95. With a growing family to support, I was feeling pressure. It would have been an unbearable period, if not for my wife. She could not have been any more supportive or encouraging. Beth never complained. She went to work as an x-ray technician to help keep us in groceries. She also brought me the motivational book, The Magic of Thinking Big, by David Schwartz, hoping it would help me feel less depressed.
In his chapter on goals, Schwartz writes that anyone who is bored by life has probably forgotten his or her dreams. He invites readers to get back in touch with them. As a first step, we are asked to list all the things we have ever wanted to accomplish: I had a lot of time on my hands, so I took out a pencil and paper and divided my list into five categories:
· As a husband/father
· Spiritually
· Professionally
· Financially
· Simply for excitement
It was the in fifth category that I let my imagination run wild. Here are some of the things I included:
· Jump out of an airplane
· Land a jet fighter on an aircraft carrier
· Travel the ocean in a submarine
· Go white-water rafting on the Snake River at Hells Canyon
· Be on the Tonight Show, starring Johnny Carson
· Attend a White House dinner with the president
· Meet the Pope
· Go on an African safari
· Become a scratch golfer and play the top 50 golf courses in the world
· Run with the bulls in Pamplona (provided I was matched with a much slower person)
And on it went. I had 107 goals on my original list. Suddenly, I was looking at my life differently and was excited about the future. When I told Beth that I was determined we do all of them, she said, "Gee, that's great, honey, but why don't you add "I want to find a job." Good note-the list expanded to 108. So far, we've managed to achieve 102 of those dreams-including dining at the White House and meeting the Pope. We're still working on the others.
From the moment I made that list, we became participants, rather than spectators, in our life. You do the same and you'll find you don't want to spend so much time sleeping; you'll be afraid you might miss something!
There are 26 other amazing stories in our Even Eagles Need a Push book. So, come explore the power of encouragement and see how it can change someone's life forever...maybe even your own. (*Excerpted from You Gotta Read This Book, by Jack Canfield and Gary Hendricks)
If interested in the book you can go to http://www..simpletruths.com/index.asp Keep pressing on!
Allan
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Keep Moving Forward!
There is a great quote from an unlikely place, the last Rocky movie, that I remembered and it emphasizes this point . . . A quote from Rocky Balboa to his grown up son:
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that!"
What a great quote, and something only Rocky could deliver!
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that!"
What a great quote, and something only Rocky could deliver!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Time (Event) Management
Time Management audio clip
Back to the I-Beam - What Is Important to You?
If you have big goals for your life the chances are that you won’t have enough time to do them all. We need to go back to that I-Beam overtop of the Trade Towers and think about the things we would be willing to wander out, through the wind and rain, and cross for.
We need to look to our goals and decide what the highest priorities are. Knowing what those high priorities are, we can then start to work on them. That will require us to make decisions about what lower value events to sacrifice every day. We need to do this every day, over and over, for the rest of our lives. This is a key principle in living a successful life and achieving our dreams.
"But I'm tired when I get home from work . . ."
Most of us do jobs that are not physically exhausting, yet by the end of the day we feel totally spent. We don't have energy to do any of our more important goals. Why? Some call it stress, or mental exhaustion, but it is a state of mind, not a physical condition where our bodies need to recharge.
Think about the difference in how you feel when you come home from an average day at work but instead of the normal routine, you have a movie you plan to go to. All of a sudden, you're not as tired. The energy that is usually sapped in you now is back in a form of excitement because you're going out, and will see your friends, and you have an anticipation about the fun you're about to have!
Most of the time, if we can just take the next step towards the big goal we have, the energy will flow back into you and you'll get that second wind, being able to accomplish a higher priority goal. It's a MENTAL thing, not a PHYSICAL thing. We need to discipline ourselves to push through to the next step; to the higher goal, and launch ourselves into action!
Event Management and Covey's Urgent versus Important Quadrant audio clip
The Difference Between Important and Urgent
Dr. Stephen Covey refers to this in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People specifically in habit 3: Put First Things First. Here, Covey describes a framework for prioritizing work that is aimed at short-term goals, at the expense of tasks that appear not to be urgent, but are in fact very important.
The basis of Covey's prioritization method involves categorizing our activities into one of four quadrants. He separates our tasks or events into four categories: Low Importance/ Low Urgency, Low Importance/High Urgency, High Importance/High Urgency, High Importance/Low Urgency.
These four categories make up the Covey Quadrant. Most of us spend too much time on the urgent but unimportant areas. We should spend time first on the urgent, highly important activities, getting those highly urgent, highly important things done first and then spending time on the lower urgency, but highly important actions and events. There will always be a balance of all four categories, but the way we weight them will dramatically change our futures.
Back to the I-Beam - What Is Important to You?
If you have big goals for your life the chances are that you won’t have enough time to do them all. We need to go back to that I-Beam overtop of the Trade Towers and think about the things we would be willing to wander out, through the wind and rain, and cross for.
We need to look to our goals and decide what the highest priorities are. Knowing what those high priorities are, we can then start to work on them. That will require us to make decisions about what lower value events to sacrifice every day. We need to do this every day, over and over, for the rest of our lives. This is a key principle in living a successful life and achieving our dreams.
"But I'm tired when I get home from work . . ."
Most of us do jobs that are not physically exhausting, yet by the end of the day we feel totally spent. We don't have energy to do any of our more important goals. Why? Some call it stress, or mental exhaustion, but it is a state of mind, not a physical condition where our bodies need to recharge.
Think about the difference in how you feel when you come home from an average day at work but instead of the normal routine, you have a movie you plan to go to. All of a sudden, you're not as tired. The energy that is usually sapped in you now is back in a form of excitement because you're going out, and will see your friends, and you have an anticipation about the fun you're about to have!
Most of the time, if we can just take the next step towards the big goal we have, the energy will flow back into you and you'll get that second wind, being able to accomplish a higher priority goal. It's a MENTAL thing, not a PHYSICAL thing. We need to discipline ourselves to push through to the next step; to the higher goal, and launch ourselves into action!
Event Management and Covey's Urgent versus Important Quadrant audio clip
The Difference Between Important and Urgent
Dr. Stephen Covey refers to this in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People specifically in habit 3: Put First Things First. Here, Covey describes a framework for prioritizing work that is aimed at short-term goals, at the expense of tasks that appear not to be urgent, but are in fact very important.
The basis of Covey's prioritization method involves categorizing our activities into one of four quadrants. He separates our tasks or events into four categories: Low Importance/ Low Urgency, Low Importance/High Urgency, High Importance/High Urgency, High Importance/Low Urgency.
These four categories make up the Covey Quadrant. Most of us spend too much time on the urgent but unimportant areas. We should spend time first on the urgent, highly important activities, getting those highly urgent, highly important things done first and then spending time on the lower urgency, but highly important actions and events. There will always be a balance of all four categories, but the way we weight them will dramatically change our futures.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Finding New Sources of Income
The basic premise of gaining wealth is to spend less than you earn. Controlling spend demonstrates great stewardship of what has been provided to us. We've said before that no matter how much a person earns, we have the capacity to always spend a little more than that! We've all heard stories of movie stars and professional athletes who made millions but died paupers, or wound up in jail because they couldn't afford to pay their taxes! We MUST control what we spend.
New Sources of Income
A lot of people feel stuck in their jobs. Some are afraid to change jobs. Some people are holding out for retirement ten or fifteen years away. There are lots of ways of increasing income in our present jobs usually, and outside of our jobs, our hobbies and other interests can often open up new doors to earning more. Key to the increase is always our willingness to give. Giving our offerings over and above the 10% tithe "opens the windows of heaven." The following ideas are simply some ways that those blessings can come through the window into your life.
Many of the ideas below relate to earning extra money at a job. In Proverbs 16:3 it calls for God's people to "Commit your works unto the Lord . . ." In my experience it is usually impossible to distinguish people on that basis. I've even experienced people who felt that they didn't need to work as hard because they had a higher calling on their lives. My belief is that the correct understanding of that scripture is for us to distinguish ourselves in the workplace because of our attitudes and work ethic.
As you enter your workplace consider:
* Do you work hard and smart all the time you're being paid to be there?
* Are you thinking of ideas to make your company more successful?
* Do you help others be successful by encouraging them or lending a hand?
* When you see something wrong, do you complain or do you present a possible solution?
* Do you often volunteer to help or go the extra mile to make sure the job is done right?
* Do you avoid the attitude and expression "it's not my job!" ?
* Do you honor your boss and respect your peers, even when they may be wrong?
* Are you seeing the affirmation of these attributes in your performance reviews?
Consider those work ethic opportunities and start making them part of your daily way of working. Now look at the list below to see where those "heavenly windows" might overflow into your life.
1 Work Overtime – if your job allows overtime, consider taking advantage of it whenever possible.
2 Ask for More Money – most people NEVER negotiate their salaries after they start working. Negotiation should be done tactfully, but can make a huge difference. Note that by embracing the attitude and work ethics described above, your ability to negotiate successfully for more money will be increased dramatically!
3 Increase your Knowledge and Skill – make yourself more valuable to your current or future employer. Often your employer will pay for it.
4 Job Changes or Promotions – Don’t get stuck thinking that the job you have is the only one you can do. You have valuable skills and knowledge that others are willing to pay for. Consider other opportunities. Consider promotions. Don’t be afraid to look.
5 Hobbies can become a small business – do you have hobbies that lend themselves to a small business? Opening a business has never been easier because of the internet and many people have used a hobby to become business owners with all of the tax advantages and extra income it provides.
6 Network, Network, Network – the majority of people get new jobs because of someone they know. Personal contacts and relationships open more doors than any other activity. Networking is also a great source of knowledge and expertise. It is possibly the most powerful tool in your arsenal for moving ahead.
Six Ways to Increase Your Income (audio clip)
New Sources of Income
A lot of people feel stuck in their jobs. Some are afraid to change jobs. Some people are holding out for retirement ten or fifteen years away. There are lots of ways of increasing income in our present jobs usually, and outside of our jobs, our hobbies and other interests can often open up new doors to earning more. Key to the increase is always our willingness to give. Giving our offerings over and above the 10% tithe "opens the windows of heaven." The following ideas are simply some ways that those blessings can come through the window into your life.
Many of the ideas below relate to earning extra money at a job. In Proverbs 16:3 it calls for God's people to "Commit your works unto the Lord . . ." In my experience it is usually impossible to distinguish people on that basis. I've even experienced people who felt that they didn't need to work as hard because they had a higher calling on their lives. My belief is that the correct understanding of that scripture is for us to distinguish ourselves in the workplace because of our attitudes and work ethic.
As you enter your workplace consider:
* Do you work hard and smart all the time you're being paid to be there?
* Are you thinking of ideas to make your company more successful?
* Do you help others be successful by encouraging them or lending a hand?
* When you see something wrong, do you complain or do you present a possible solution?
* Do you often volunteer to help or go the extra mile to make sure the job is done right?
* Do you avoid the attitude and expression "it's not my job!" ?
* Do you honor your boss and respect your peers, even when they may be wrong?
* Are you seeing the affirmation of these attributes in your performance reviews?
Consider those work ethic opportunities and start making them part of your daily way of working. Now look at the list below to see where those "heavenly windows" might overflow into your life.
1 Work Overtime – if your job allows overtime, consider taking advantage of it whenever possible.
2 Ask for More Money – most people NEVER negotiate their salaries after they start working. Negotiation should be done tactfully, but can make a huge difference. Note that by embracing the attitude and work ethics described above, your ability to negotiate successfully for more money will be increased dramatically!
3 Increase your Knowledge and Skill – make yourself more valuable to your current or future employer. Often your employer will pay for it.
4 Job Changes or Promotions – Don’t get stuck thinking that the job you have is the only one you can do. You have valuable skills and knowledge that others are willing to pay for. Consider other opportunities. Consider promotions. Don’t be afraid to look.
5 Hobbies can become a small business – do you have hobbies that lend themselves to a small business? Opening a business has never been easier because of the internet and many people have used a hobby to become business owners with all of the tax advantages and extra income it provides.
6 Network, Network, Network – the majority of people get new jobs because of someone they know. Personal contacts and relationships open more doors than any other activity. Networking is also a great source of knowledge and expertise. It is possibly the most powerful tool in your arsenal for moving ahead.
Six Ways to Increase Your Income (audio clip)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Controlling What You Spend
Why is spending less than we make so hard to do? Do you just "owe it to yourself?" Is it lack of discipline? Maybe some things are really critical and can't wait?
Whatever the reason, here are some tried and true tips that will help you to get control of your finances. Some will apply more than others, but the important thing is that you START TODAY! Pick something, and do it! Even starting with something easy is better than just thinking about things and not applying them! Good intentions never got us anywhere good!
The Value of Money Management audio clip
Tracking your spend helps you see where it’s all going however, controlling it requires great discipline. Breaking old habits is extremely difficult. You MUST start with a written budget. No exceptions. You can’t control something that is not clearly defined. If it’s just a though in your head – that’s an idea, not a plan.
WRITE IT DOWN
Why is it so important to write your plan down? For the same reasons we make "to-do" lists and write down our other goals. A budget and your plans to adjust your spend down and your income up need to be written down. You need to look at them frequently, touch the paper, slide action items into your daily calendar, and check off accomplishments as you achieve them!
Written Budget audio clip
1. Cut up the credit cards – some people need to take this step first just to avoid the temptation of overspending. Others can manage spend through other methods. Think about your will power. The discipline of saving and waiting versus credit’s instant gratification can be very very hard to adopt into your lifestyle.
Cut the Credit Cards audio clip
2. Pay with cash only – going out and buying things with cash feels very different than using a card or paying with a check. Some people have paid for gasoline using one dollar bills – just to remind themselves of what they are spending every time. Paying for groceries or trips to the WaWa with cash heightens the awareness of what things cost. Maybe you’ll put back the extra bottles of Red Bull or bag of potato chips, if money is running tight.
Purchase With Cash Only audio clip
3. Only buy if it’s on the list – NEVER go to the store without a list. Think through what you need ahead of time, and if it’s not on your list don’t buy it unless it’s a true need that you just overlooked.
Shop With a List audio clip
4. Envelope System – is a variation on paying cash only. For most major expense categories take out cash for the weekly budget amount and put it in an envelope. Do this for lunches, groceries, gasoline, and other things spend on daily. When the envelope for that budget area is empty, you stop buying!
Envelope System audio clip
5. Use debit cards only – a variation on using cash but has the advantages of using a credit card. The debit card approach forces you to only spend what you have, but requires more discipline then the cash methods to use effectively.
Use Debit Cards audio clip
6. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate – everything in this world that you want is either owned or controlled by someone else. Everything is negotiable if you are willing to ask.
Negotiate Everything! audio clip
7. Routinely update your spend totals versus your budget. Make adjustments in what you spend in the "controllable" areas to reign it in at least monthly, and weekly as you first start this process. Note that some categories are not very controllable - your rent or mortgage, minimum balances on credit cards, etc. cannot be cut back easily. Other categories of spend - lunches, groceries, snacks, entertainment for example, can typically be reduced, eliminated or delayed. This requires some sacrifice but is absolutely worth it as you get control over your money and feel the peace in your life as you conquer this challenging area.
Review and Balance Your Budget audio clip
Remember: There is never a shortage of resources, only a shortage of ideas! God is a creative God, and in His image, we are a creative people. Before getting discouraged, always brainstorm other ways of solving the problem!
Whatever the reason, here are some tried and true tips that will help you to get control of your finances. Some will apply more than others, but the important thing is that you START TODAY! Pick something, and do it! Even starting with something easy is better than just thinking about things and not applying them! Good intentions never got us anywhere good!
The Value of Money Management audio clip
Tracking your spend helps you see where it’s all going however, controlling it requires great discipline. Breaking old habits is extremely difficult. You MUST start with a written budget. No exceptions. You can’t control something that is not clearly defined. If it’s just a though in your head – that’s an idea, not a plan.
WRITE IT DOWN
Why is it so important to write your plan down? For the same reasons we make "to-do" lists and write down our other goals. A budget and your plans to adjust your spend down and your income up need to be written down. You need to look at them frequently, touch the paper, slide action items into your daily calendar, and check off accomplishments as you achieve them!
Written Budget audio clip
1. Cut up the credit cards – some people need to take this step first just to avoid the temptation of overspending. Others can manage spend through other methods. Think about your will power. The discipline of saving and waiting versus credit’s instant gratification can be very very hard to adopt into your lifestyle.
Cut the Credit Cards audio clip
2. Pay with cash only – going out and buying things with cash feels very different than using a card or paying with a check. Some people have paid for gasoline using one dollar bills – just to remind themselves of what they are spending every time. Paying for groceries or trips to the WaWa with cash heightens the awareness of what things cost. Maybe you’ll put back the extra bottles of Red Bull or bag of potato chips, if money is running tight.
Purchase With Cash Only audio clip
3. Only buy if it’s on the list – NEVER go to the store without a list. Think through what you need ahead of time, and if it’s not on your list don’t buy it unless it’s a true need that you just overlooked.
Shop With a List audio clip
4. Envelope System – is a variation on paying cash only. For most major expense categories take out cash for the weekly budget amount and put it in an envelope. Do this for lunches, groceries, gasoline, and other things spend on daily. When the envelope for that budget area is empty, you stop buying!
Envelope System audio clip
5. Use debit cards only – a variation on using cash but has the advantages of using a credit card. The debit card approach forces you to only spend what you have, but requires more discipline then the cash methods to use effectively.
Use Debit Cards audio clip
6. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate – everything in this world that you want is either owned or controlled by someone else. Everything is negotiable if you are willing to ask.
Negotiate Everything! audio clip
7. Routinely update your spend totals versus your budget. Make adjustments in what you spend in the "controllable" areas to reign it in at least monthly, and weekly as you first start this process. Note that some categories are not very controllable - your rent or mortgage, minimum balances on credit cards, etc. cannot be cut back easily. Other categories of spend - lunches, groceries, snacks, entertainment for example, can typically be reduced, eliminated or delayed. This requires some sacrifice but is absolutely worth it as you get control over your money and feel the peace in your life as you conquer this challenging area.
Review and Balance Your Budget audio clip
Remember: There is never a shortage of resources, only a shortage of ideas! God is a creative God, and in His image, we are a creative people. Before getting discouraged, always brainstorm other ways of solving the problem!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Managing Money - Why Is It So Important?
When setting long-term goals the question of money always seems to come into play. Money too often limits the scope of our dreams and goals. Christians are called to "walk by faith" yet the scriptures are filled with teachings about money. This is confusing to some but makes perfect sense when you think about it. God wants us to be stewards of the gifts He gives us. While the love of money is the root of all evil, the use of money is a powerful vehicle that God can pour into us when He knows that we will allow it to pass through our hands to the places it needs to go. This might involve giving to church or charities or supporting widows and orphans, or maybe even investing into your BIG GOALS so that you can bless others on a much larger scale.
The Two Basic Secrets to Building Wealth
There are two essential rules that enable us to prosper financially. One is spiritual and the other very practical.
1 Tithe and Give Offerings - this enables God to "open the windows of heaven" and pour resources into our lives.
2 Spend less than you make - this is an amazingly simple concept that most people don't ever learn to do.
Why are they such hard concepts for us?
The concept of tithing the first 10% of our income is mentioned many times in the bible. It is an act of obedience, acknowledging that God is our provider and the first portion of our income goes into the storehouse where we are being fed, normally our local church. Offerings are over and above the tithe and we give obediently and in faith, knowing that all of our provision comes from an unlimited God.
The second secret seems to be simple common sense, but many, if not most people struggle with it. The easy access to credit makes the notion of saving money until we can afford something we want seem antiquated. I've often found that by waiting and saving for something that by the time you save enough up to buy it, you find that it's not quite as appealing as it initially was. Spending less than we make often means denying ourselves that instant gratification that credit encourages. That is a hard thing but not necessarily a bad thing.
Below are the audio clips from the meeting on October 26, 2008 where we discussed this. Take a listen and begin to see how these two secrets are working in your life!
Introduction to Money Management
First steps to Money Management
Tracking Our Spend
Tracking what we spend and where we spend it is a simple thing to do. It goes beyond just balancing the checkbook, but requires that we look at where every penny goes.
Try this exercise. For the next few weeks track every single thing you spend money on during the day, while you're going about your normal activities. Just jot it down in a notebook or piece of paper and track where every bit of it goes. At the end of each week, roll the spend up into categories to see where it all went. Ask yourself some hard questions. Where did I buy things you really didn't need? Where could I have cut back or gone with a less expensive option? Could I have prepared a meal versus eating out? Could I go to a matinee movie versus a prime time movie, or rented a DVD? All of these things can help you make informed decisions about where you want to curb your spending. Remember that every cent you can redirect is another step towards enabling that dream you have. Isn't it worth it?
The following is the audio clip from our meeting of October 26th:
Tracking Your Spending
Getting Out of Credit Card Debt
Credit cards are a huge issue for some people. Experts say that if you have credit card debt, the best approach is to start by cutting up the card to avoid the temptation of using it. For some people that might be the right approach. Others might have the discipline to tuck it away and not use it. So, what can you do if you're already in debt? If you have several bills and want to pay them off, how can you do it?
The first step after stopping use of the cards is to track your spending and find some extra money every month to apply to your outstanding debt. It might only be $50 or so, but it's still a big step forward! Instead of paying off the card with the highest interest rate, consider paying off the one that has the shortest time left on it. Keep paying the minimum on the other cards, but put the full $50 on the card with the shortest time left. Continue doing this month after month after month until it's paid off.
Now tackle the second card with the next shortest time left. Continue putting the $50 towards it, but now include the amount you had been paying on the first card (that you just paid off) perhaps now having $100 a month to accelerate the payment of the second card. Eventually you'll pay off this one too and you can go on to the third shortest debt, taking the $100 plus the amount of the second credit card payment and applying all of it to the third debt.
This approach will get you out of debt faster than spreading the extra money among the individual card payments. As a plus, you'll be able to see quicker results of your sacrifice as one by one the debts fall off. Eventually you'll be debt free from the chains of credit cards.
Take a listen to the excerpt from our October 26th meeting:
Accelerated Plan to Eliminate Credit Card Debt
The Two Basic Secrets to Building Wealth
There are two essential rules that enable us to prosper financially. One is spiritual and the other very practical.
1 Tithe and Give Offerings - this enables God to "open the windows of heaven" and pour resources into our lives.
2 Spend less than you make - this is an amazingly simple concept that most people don't ever learn to do.
Why are they such hard concepts for us?
The concept of tithing the first 10% of our income is mentioned many times in the bible. It is an act of obedience, acknowledging that God is our provider and the first portion of our income goes into the storehouse where we are being fed, normally our local church. Offerings are over and above the tithe and we give obediently and in faith, knowing that all of our provision comes from an unlimited God.
The second secret seems to be simple common sense, but many, if not most people struggle with it. The easy access to credit makes the notion of saving money until we can afford something we want seem antiquated. I've often found that by waiting and saving for something that by the time you save enough up to buy it, you find that it's not quite as appealing as it initially was. Spending less than we make often means denying ourselves that instant gratification that credit encourages. That is a hard thing but not necessarily a bad thing.
Below are the audio clips from the meeting on October 26, 2008 where we discussed this. Take a listen and begin to see how these two secrets are working in your life!
Introduction to Money Management
First steps to Money Management
Tracking Our Spend
Tracking what we spend and where we spend it is a simple thing to do. It goes beyond just balancing the checkbook, but requires that we look at where every penny goes.
Try this exercise. For the next few weeks track every single thing you spend money on during the day, while you're going about your normal activities. Just jot it down in a notebook or piece of paper and track where every bit of it goes. At the end of each week, roll the spend up into categories to see where it all went. Ask yourself some hard questions. Where did I buy things you really didn't need? Where could I have cut back or gone with a less expensive option? Could I have prepared a meal versus eating out? Could I go to a matinee movie versus a prime time movie, or rented a DVD? All of these things can help you make informed decisions about where you want to curb your spending. Remember that every cent you can redirect is another step towards enabling that dream you have. Isn't it worth it?
The following is the audio clip from our meeting of October 26th:
Tracking Your Spending
Getting Out of Credit Card Debt
Credit cards are a huge issue for some people. Experts say that if you have credit card debt, the best approach is to start by cutting up the card to avoid the temptation of using it. For some people that might be the right approach. Others might have the discipline to tuck it away and not use it. So, what can you do if you're already in debt? If you have several bills and want to pay them off, how can you do it?
The first step after stopping use of the cards is to track your spending and find some extra money every month to apply to your outstanding debt. It might only be $50 or so, but it's still a big step forward! Instead of paying off the card with the highest interest rate, consider paying off the one that has the shortest time left on it. Keep paying the minimum on the other cards, but put the full $50 on the card with the shortest time left. Continue doing this month after month after month until it's paid off.
Now tackle the second card with the next shortest time left. Continue putting the $50 towards it, but now include the amount you had been paying on the first card (that you just paid off) perhaps now having $100 a month to accelerate the payment of the second card. Eventually you'll pay off this one too and you can go on to the third shortest debt, taking the $100 plus the amount of the second credit card payment and applying all of it to the third debt.
This approach will get you out of debt faster than spreading the extra money among the individual card payments. As a plus, you'll be able to see quicker results of your sacrifice as one by one the debts fall off. Eventually you'll be debt free from the chains of credit cards.
Take a listen to the excerpt from our October 26th meeting:
Accelerated Plan to Eliminate Credit Card Debt
Monday, November 3, 2008
What's Wrong With Failure?
An excerpt from the October 26, 2008 meeting
Failure?
We're taught in school that things are either right or wrong. We either understood or we didn't. In most cases our parents taught us the same way and clearly the Bible is very black and white on many issues. However, even in the scriptures the way God calls for us to deal with failure is very different than how most people practice it. When we sin and fall short, God calls for us to repent, change our ways, and seek His forgiveness.
As Christians, we know that Christ paid the price for our failures on the cross at Calvary. It also says that God chooses to remember our transgressions no more, burying them in the deepest parts of the ocean, or as far as the east is from the west! Most of us however, continue to hold on to the memories of our failure and often limit ourselves by dwelling on them long after God Himself has pushed them aside.
No One Gets It Right All The Time
There has probably never been a Big Goal achieved, or a project done anywhere, anytime that didn't have a number of failures spread along the way. Even with the best forward and contingency planning, stuff is going to happen that nobody could anticipate. Things will always go wrong. This isn't some "negative" confession, just a statement of truth. If we do enough things, some percentage of them will miss the mark! Some by a little. Some by a lot!
When our plans get derailed what choices do we have? One option is to give up. Realize that we've missed it, maybe even missed God with our dream or mission. We can stop and feel bad for ourselves; maybe repent and try something else. More than likely that will fail too and the cycle will begin over again.
Successful people recognize that a failure is a place to examine and learn from. It's a time to reflect on what went wrong and creatively develop a new and better plan that will still take them to the next milestone. They bob and weave and keep on pushing towards that dream!
W. Edwards Deming is considered by many as "Father of Quality." One of the many things he gave the world was something referred to as the Continuous Improvement Cycle. It applies as much to our own lives as it does to running a business.
The Continuous Improvement Cycle
Plan - Every project or goal starts with a plan, considering the details of what must be done and how we will do it.
Do - Get started! Begin working the plan immediately.
Check - After you've begun to see the results of your actions Evaluate what impact they had. Are you on target or missing it?
Act or Adjust - Understand where your original plan "failed" and learn from it. Take that new understanding and use it to develop a new and better plan. Start the refined process all over again.
Recognize that failure is a normal, natural part of life. Everyone has failed who has ever attempted anything. You will not be the exception. The question is - will it make you stronger and smarter and more able to do it better the second time? Or will it crush you, demoralize you and cause you to quit? Don't quit! Don't think of it as failure. The bumps in the road are there to learn from and you'll avoid them next time around!
The following is an excerpt from the meeting:
Failure and the the Continuous Improvement Cycle Audio Clip
Failure?
We're taught in school that things are either right or wrong. We either understood or we didn't. In most cases our parents taught us the same way and clearly the Bible is very black and white on many issues. However, even in the scriptures the way God calls for us to deal with failure is very different than how most people practice it. When we sin and fall short, God calls for us to repent, change our ways, and seek His forgiveness.
As Christians, we know that Christ paid the price for our failures on the cross at Calvary. It also says that God chooses to remember our transgressions no more, burying them in the deepest parts of the ocean, or as far as the east is from the west! Most of us however, continue to hold on to the memories of our failure and often limit ourselves by dwelling on them long after God Himself has pushed them aside.
No One Gets It Right All The Time
There has probably never been a Big Goal achieved, or a project done anywhere, anytime that didn't have a number of failures spread along the way. Even with the best forward and contingency planning, stuff is going to happen that nobody could anticipate. Things will always go wrong. This isn't some "negative" confession, just a statement of truth. If we do enough things, some percentage of them will miss the mark! Some by a little. Some by a lot!
When our plans get derailed what choices do we have? One option is to give up. Realize that we've missed it, maybe even missed God with our dream or mission. We can stop and feel bad for ourselves; maybe repent and try something else. More than likely that will fail too and the cycle will begin over again.
Successful people recognize that a failure is a place to examine and learn from. It's a time to reflect on what went wrong and creatively develop a new and better plan that will still take them to the next milestone. They bob and weave and keep on pushing towards that dream!
W. Edwards Deming is considered by many as "Father of Quality." One of the many things he gave the world was something referred to as the Continuous Improvement Cycle. It applies as much to our own lives as it does to running a business.
The Continuous Improvement Cycle
Plan - Every project or goal starts with a plan, considering the details of what must be done and how we will do it.
Do - Get started! Begin working the plan immediately.
Check - After you've begun to see the results of your actions Evaluate what impact they had. Are you on target or missing it?
Act or Adjust - Understand where your original plan "failed" and learn from it. Take that new understanding and use it to develop a new and better plan. Start the refined process all over again.
Recognize that failure is a normal, natural part of life. Everyone has failed who has ever attempted anything. You will not be the exception. The question is - will it make you stronger and smarter and more able to do it better the second time? Or will it crush you, demoralize you and cause you to quit? Don't quit! Don't think of it as failure. The bumps in the road are there to learn from and you'll avoid them next time around!
The following is an excerpt from the meeting:
Failure and the the Continuous Improvement Cycle Audio Clip
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