Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Week 2 - The Plan

According to Jim Rohn, "all good things are upstream, but the natural flow of life is that downward, negative pull. To combat that downward pull, you need a plan, a map to help you reach your desired destination."

I remember when I was told I needed a degree to move forward in my job. I immediately registered at St. Mary's and worked steadily and dilligently to earn a degree. After a while, I realized my GPA was high enough to graduate with honors. Then I really put in the effort. I loved school. I liked the other students. I was the same age as the professors. It was fun, and I learned a lot.

The downward pull of that experience was my family. This sounds so negative. But I mean that if a better job was upstream, my family and the easier life, with no stresses were downstream.

As a single parent, I had to juggle family, school, and a full-time job with overtime. I feel like I cheated my kids out of so much when they were little. They were 6 and 8 when I started school. At first, we still went camping, biking, visiting. Then, as my school work became more challenging, we spent much of our time at home. I feel like my zest to get a degree and graduate with honors cheated my kids of their childhood. My daughter was 18 when I graduated -- actually, she graduated from high school a couple of weeks later. I asked them both to forgive me for spending so much of their childhood studying, and neither felt there was anything to forgive. Yet I still feel guilty.

You'd think they'd learn from this experience and go to college right after high school, but they didn't. My daughter is struggling to juggle a full-time job, school and a child. Now she's expecting another (YEA!), and it will be even more challenging.

Anyway, Week 2 is about the Plan. The main points are Develop the Plan. Establish times to spend working on the material. Keep a journal. Reflect. Set goals. Act.

Jim Rohn talked about turning nothing into something. Here are the steps:
  • Have ideas and use your imagination
  • Believe what you imagine is possible for you
  • Go to work and make it real
  • Appreciate and welcome the disciplines

To succeed in extraordinary times and unprecedented opportunity, we need to:
  • Learn multiple skills
  • Learn the disciplines
  • Be eager to learn
  • Argue later -- just take it in for now
  • Be a student, not a follower

One of Jim's famous quotes is "Giving starts the receiving process."

Laws of riches and wealth
  • Service to many leads to greatness
  • The Bitle says to find a way to serve many
  • JFK said to ask what you can do for your country
  • Zig Ziglar says if yo help enough people get what they want, you will get whatever you want out of life

The Questions for Reflection
List two ways in which you can associate with others who are of a positive mindset and who also want to move toward success.
1. Stay involved in Toastmasters
2. Stay involved in my Church

Make a list of at least five people you can associate with regularly in order to form a good support system for yourself.
1. DF - Toastmasters mentor
2. AAW - Introduced me to personal development
3. GLV - Toastmasters mate
4. My dad
5. TF - my manager

Action Steps
Take some time this week to dream and imagine your future. See what the future you (the life you desire to have, the person you desire to be) will look like one year from now.
I weigh 160 with shoulder-length hair. I've been working out in the gym at least 4 times a week for the past year, and my body has transformed quite a bit. I still have a ways to go, but I'm much happier and healthier than I was last year. I finally figured out a way to eat that is satisfying and at the same time allowing weight loss. Because of my weight loss, I was able to cut back on my medications, and that has helped save about $40 a month! Yea!

I was able to extend the warranty on my car so major repairs weren't a major drain on my budget. I have paid off my credit card and substantial amount of the loan I have just by cutting back spending.

My house is in good repair. I was able to barter with friends and family to have some things done like the sprinkler system for babysitting, web design and flyers for some minor repairs on the house. The lawn is beautiful, and I'm working to earn Yard of the Month soon.

I finished almost everything I needed to earn DTM, and I have a cruise waiting to celebrate. I was so blessed that 3 friends wanted to join me this time, so I'll have plenty of company.

My job is awesome. I have quite a bit of responsbility keeping the web up to date and marketing the programs. I didn't think I would, but I really enjoy the analytics part of my job. I guess having more time to devote to it helps. Having 2 people on my team also helps.

I've gone bowling a couple of times with my daughter and her kids and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm not as good as I once was, but I really had fun. Last year I realized I needed to set a regular routine so I could see my daughter and her family more regularly. I didn't want to be the grandmother they see only on holidays, especially since they only live 20 miles away. We've really had fun. Having a regular date made me look for things to do that were fun without being a drain on our pocketbooks. We started out by going to the library, then we explored and looked at Christmas lights, shopped at novelty shops, found museums and places to go that we'd enjoy. It has been a life-changing experience. I've never spent so much quality time with anyone in my entire life. I definitely suggest you try it.

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