The Never Ending Goal: Networking

If you are heading out into the world to make your fortune, build the life of your dreams, or simply become healthier, you probably already realize that it will be easier if you have some help. You have probably already done some networking and have started to surround yourself with supportive, passionate people who motivate you. That’s great. Keep it up. Not just for the time being but always. Expanding your network should not be a short term goal but rather an on-going and constant goal. You will never know just how much help you can get, or how much you can help others, if you aren’t out there meeting new people and exposing yourself to new ideas.

No matter what kind of goal you are working on or how far along you are, there is always someone out there who can make it easier, help you accomplish it quicker, or simply make the process more enjoyable. Networking, at a minimum allows you to expand your circle of supportive friends. It also gives you access to new ideas as well as views that offer insight into yourself and even your goals. Many times, a solution you are searching for comes to you through someone you meet incidentally, someone who has access to the people or resources you need. There are also those serendipitous moments where you end up meeting your next project collaborator, investor, or coach all because you reached out a hand and said hello. Networking is an amazing thing.

What’s more amazing about it is the impact you can have on others. You could be the good friend, solution resource, idea person, instigator of change, or next business partner someone has been looking for. But none of these wonderful things can happen if you don’t get out there and let fate and chance play their part. You don’t need to have a specific idea about who or want you want from your social networking, you just need to go out and see what pops up. The interaction alone will enrich your life. The opportunities you will open yourself up to could be invaluable.

Starting Your Wise Investment Journey

The recession is still being felt in many parts of the country and the depressing talk about how bad things are continues. Real estate prices are still depressed, interest rates are still uncommonly low, and jobs are still on the scarce side, but those indicators aren’t actually signs of doom and gloom, they are shining signs of opportunity. It is unlikely that you will see better deals on real estate or find lower interest rates on loans in your lifetime and if you are stuck in a job you aren’t happy with because you can’t find a new one, start your journey to financial freedom by investing now and investing wisely.

Of course, the first question you are asking yourself is, where do I find the money to invest? The common belief is that you need to be making big bucks in order to have extra money to invest. But the fact is, it doesn’t matter how much you make. All you need is a plan and a little discipline.

If you have ever had a big jump in salary you may have been amazed 6 months into getting those fat paychecks that you were not able to save any more money than before. That’s because we tend to spend at our income level or beyond it so if you make more, you feel like you can, or even should, spend more. Nicer dinners, more expensive clothes, a few more nights out, a pricier car or vacation and the “extra” money you are making is gone. So how do you get around this tendency?

You can do this by putting away 10% of every paycheck—automatically, without exception, every pay day–then pay yourself (i.e. pay your bills as well as earmarking money for essentials like groceries and gas) before spending on any non-essentials. This will keep you within budget and on track to gathering a sizeable sum that you can then invest and start making even more money from. In today’s economy, real estate is an accessible and wise investment opportunity that you should really be taking advantage of. And starting with this smart savings tactic will get you there far sooner than you think.

You can read more about the potential of real estate investments on pg 191 of How to Ignite Your Passion for Living as well as on page 31 of Waking Up The Financial Genius Inside You (write me directly to order this book for just the cost of shipping).

Making it Through a Hectic Day

You might have already noticed that no matter how well you map out the steps you need to take to reach your goals or how intent you are on hitting every deadline you set for yourself, you don’t always manage it. Sometimes unexpected circumstances arise and other people need your time, attention, and support. It’s important that you make the needs of your family and friends one of your priorities-—helping them and others is a big part of living a fulfilling, passionate life–but you must never forget to take care of yourself as well.

I know this can often be very difficult and some days you just want to throw your hands up in surrender. Well don’t. No matter what is happening you really can help the people you care for, keep making progress on your own goals, and keep sane all at the same time. The way to do this is to use that “L” factor I talk about in Chapter 8 of my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living–list making.

Lists are the ideal life line for when things get hectic so be sure you make a list of what you want to get done for yourself and others every day. Then when the proverbial wrench gets thrown into your plans get the issue resolved or the interruption wrapped up as soon as possible and return to your list. Don’t worry if it takes hours to get back on track or even the next day. The important thing is to keep the list as the guideline for your day so you don’t get sidetracked or lost in the chaos.

You will also find that if you complete the items according to their priority for that day that even if you are interrupted, the most important things still get done. Anything left undone should be transferred to the next day’s list and made a priority for that day. If one or two of your top priorities are steps toward accomplishing your goals, you are certain to make the progress you need to keep up your enthusiasm and eventually accomplish what you are after. Because, in the end, it’s not how quickly you reach your goal but that you have something to strive for that fuels your passion and creates a life worth celebrating.

Living in the Now while Planning for the Future

As I mentioned last week, you can strive to make your life better but you also need to appreciate what you have and what you accomplish today. This is the concept of living in the now. No matter what your circumstances are at the moment, you should strive to enjoy the life you are living today. This can be a difficult concept to put into practice, especially if you focus so much of your energy on the future and reaching your goals. So, how do you live in the now while working towards a better future?

The answer is to balance your thoughts between enjoying what you have now and looking forward to what you will have in the future.

Chances are if you are reading this blog you are a goal setter, or are trying to become one, so you probably spend a lot of time thinking about your future. And you should regularly take time to think about how your life will be when you reach your goals as it will help keep you focused on what you are after and motivate you to keep going. However, while chasing your goals, you should also be striving to live as fully and as passionately as you can, today.

For instance, don’t go to a cheap diner and spend the entire meal thinking about how you’ll be able to eat at high-end, ritzy places when you are successful and rich. There’s nothing wrong with letting that thought in—for a moment. But then sit back and enjoy your meal and don’t let your mind wander back to what you aren’t able to do, right now. Because right now, being frugal is probably necessary for you to eventually reach your goals as well as take care of today’s responsibilities. And besides, no ritzy place is going to have that sweet old waitress who calls you ‘hon’ and always has a colorful joke to get you laughing at the end of a long hard day.

So become a keen observer of your own mind, being conscious that you spend the majority of your time focused on taking in the experiences and sensations of the moment you are living in. Because what is the point of working through today just hoping to enjoy tomorrow? You should be enjoying today as well!

Being a Responsible Influence

Recently I ran into an old tennis friend and eye doctor, Dr. Steve T. Jackson. After we caught up a bit, Steve stopped to thank me for giving him a copy of my book, “How to Ignite Your Passion for Living”. He mentioned that he had loaned it out and was having a hard time getting it back. It was a book that really influenced him and he knew it was helping those he shared it with.

The encounter with Dr. Jackson was not that unusual. One of the most rewarding things about having written the book has been having people stop to tell me how helpful it has been for them. But this chance meeting with the doctor was a little more than confirmation that the book was truly helping others. It also affirmed for me the idea and goal I’ve been talking about in the last couple of posts.

Steve said it was the chapter on goal setting that really got him thinking about getting back in touch with the people that influenced him. Like me, he set a goal to organize a gathering of all the great people he’d meet over the years. Dr. Jackson, life myself, had realized just how important the influence of others are in our life and what we do with it.

He thanked me profusely for reminding him of this point, one that I hadn’t even realized was there. But that, in the end, is the point. We influence people in ways we don’t even expect and the people that influence us don’t always realize the impact they’ve had. That goes for the negative influences as well as the positives. So whatever you do, aim to promote the admirable qualities and the motivation to succeed in others.

I hope all who read and are motivated by “How to Ignite Your Passion for Living”, pay it forward by motivating and energizing the people around them. What a fantastic world this would be if we all did that. And what huge gathers Steve and I would have to put together!

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