This is what I believe is “The Most Valuable Gift of All Time”, as expressed in a movie that I wrote and produced.
January 18, 2011
The Power of No
Despite my oft-repeated mantra of ignoring the naysayers, there is value to a “no” — when it comes from you and your own careful consideration. Don’t say no just because a lot of other people are saying you should. And don’t say no just because certain people are saying you should say yes. Think about it from your own perspective and opinions, and decide based on your thoughts.
But as always, if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t, so you should always listen to your heart on that.
I recently purchased a system related to one of the business projects I’m working on. The purchase was something new and different, something that I’ve never purchased before. I did so mainly because it came with a no-risk 30-day evaluation period … if you’re not satisfied, you can return the product and get your money back.
After spending a couple of weeks evaluating the system, I found that it didn’t really match what I was trying to accomplish. But most of all, it didn’t “feel right”. There were numerous typographical errors in the documentation and even in some of the products, and getting questions answered wasn’t always immediate. So I returned it.
I couldn’t have reached a “no” if I hadn’t spent the time to evaluate the pros and cons, and realize my feelings about the product. So use the power of “no”, with consideration and forethought.
January 9, 2011
Off to a Good Start
I hope you all had a good New Year’s holiday, and by now are off to a good start to 2011. I’ve been mapping out the things I need to do to pull together a project I have in the making. I also completed the conceptual phase of some new material I’ll be releasing in a new book this year, so my research and writing phase will start soon on that.
The key thing is to have your plan mapped out somewhere … sketched out on a sheet of paper (as my current project is), or in a list of notes in Word or some other electronic document. Wherever you have it, have it, so you can look it over and make changes to it as new ideas occur to you.
So take action, pronto. Happy New Year!
December 31, 2010
Happy New Year!
As you get ready to welcome 2011 tonight, stop for a moment and think of one thing that you accomplished in 2010 that you’re thankful for. Then think of one thing that you want to accomplish in 2011. I know, you want to accomplish way more than just one thing in the coming year, but think of the one that is most important to you, based on what you know and how you feel today.
Take those two thoughts, file them in your brain, and go out and enjoy the ringing in of the New Year! Be happy, be safe, and be well. Happy New Year!
December 24, 2010
Forgot My Own Advice
I’m a little ticked … I ordered something off the web earlier this week, and selected ground shipping instead of 2-day because the price was double. I didn’t need it before Christmas, and I figured I could save the extra dollars for another day. Then I received the shipping confirmation and realized that my stuff will arrive when I’m out of town. If I paid the extra few dollars, it would have arrived before my trip, so I could have enjoyed it then.
I forgot my own advice … to realize the value of paying for a service if it benefits my time schedule. See, that happens to even me, once in awhile!
But I’ve learned and moved on. Since it’s Christmas Eve, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
December 22, 2010
No Humbugging Allowed
I was out running a couple of errands today, and happened to overhear a conversation while waiting in a checkout line. The person behind me was complaining to her friend that with three days to go until Christmas, “everything’s just terrible.” Her friend asked what was wrong. The woman’s answer was long and drawn out, but I heard bits of the answer that involved keywords like “Wii”, “XBox”, “bicycles”, and “sold out.”
Admittedly, I didn’t hear every word. But this didn’t sound like worry over a life-threatening situation. To characterize this as “just terrible” seemed like a severe overreaction. Not to mention this woman was essentially making herself feel bad. I felt like turning to her and saying something like “You should be thankful that you can easily consider buying things like Wiis, XBoxes, and bicycles.”
Of course I didn’t. But next time you, or anyone else you know has thoughts about how bad things are, try to take a moment and think about what you can be thankful for. According to Oprah Winfrey, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
Christmas is getting close!
December 21, 2010
Time is Money
Sometimes you have to remember that time is money. When you spend time trying to do something, and it’s not happening, think if there’s another way to get it done. Even if you have to pay someone else to do it. The time you spend unsuccessfully trying to do something could be spent instead working productively on something else, to greater profits.
Time wasted, is lost. Money spent to save time, is an investment.
December 5, 2010
Staying the Course
Life is hard. You make plans, put them in motion, and often have to wait to see what happens. All the while, you make more plans, put them in motion too, and wait some more. Whether you run your own business, or you’re looking for your next great opportunity, after awhile, you might think, am I doing the right things?
Chances are, yes, you are doing the right things. The main thing is that you’re doing something. Which is far better than doing nothing, and just hoping. And if you later find out that the “something” is not the right thing, you can make adjustments so it becomes the right thing.
So stay the course … keep at it. Take action. Pronto.
December 1, 2010
Holidays A’Coming
December’s here … already. Another year coming to a close. Did you accomplish all of the things you were aiming for, when the year started? Half? One-quarter? Don’t feel bad; you’re not alone. For this last month remaining, think of one thing that you can accomplish, that you can add to your “Done” list. You’ll feel great about it.
November 18, 2010
Take action!
Welcome to the ActionPronto blog. Stay tuned for ruminations and observations!
And remember to take action. Pronto.
ActionPronto - Inspirations and Insights 