The Benefits of Moving Slowly

A standard automobile in top condition can sustain 150kph for long stretches of time without endangering the driver and passengers only if these situations are present: a long even, super-clean stretch of road, negligible traffic, and the best tires available. But even then, you run the risk of damaging your cars engine pushing it that hard and even a small rock or a tiny pointed thing that gets embedded in your tires can cause a serious accident.

Try this: run as fast as you can at full throttle and see how long you can sustain that speed. Chances are, your fastest speed was only a couple of minutes five minutes at most. And that is if you are in very, very good physical condition or probably when running for your life. Even professional track and field athletes cant sustain top speed beyond what they trained for. Anything beyond that is abuse and deadly.

Both situations above prove one thing: life was not meant to be lived at a fast pace. Unfortunately, many people forget that. They go about life trying to accomplish things at lightning speed. Success is measured by how fast you can reach a particular ambition. The younger, the better! Slow pokes are considered laughable road blocks and are not worthy of praise or even slight notice. And thats where everyone would be wrong.

You see, there are benefits to moving slowly. First, your steps will be sure. Going after a goal slowly makes you see the plan in its entirety. You can note the pitfalls and the steps needed to reach it rather than whizzing by and hoping that youll open the correct door by chance. Moving slowly up the career ladder for example is tiresome but if you learn everything you can in each rung that youre placed in, youll be surprised that not only are you moving vertically, you are also broadening your horizon at the same time. Not only that, since youve been through the paces and know each one, small detours along the way will not distract you too much. Every step is a learning experience. It might even be the key for you to realize that going to Goal #2 is better than going for Goal #1.

Moving slowly also makes you appreciate the way youve come. You can note who helped you along with those who didnt. You would have avoided the mistakes done by others and you can move up without the benefit of trampling somebody else. At the end of the day, thats more important than speed.

Best of all, moving slowly also makes you remember not to neglect the important things in life like your family and your health. Success wouldnt just be the same without them at your side.

Posted by Maureen | No Comments »

Six Easy Steps to Improve Your Goal Setting Skills

Setting goals is one thing that many people love to do - find a new job, get a salary raise, buy a new car. The bad news though is most people are not capable of achieving their goals. Lets explore the probable reasons why this is so.

First reason why people cant achieve their goals is that they do not have a clear image of what their goals are and the second reason is that they dont act.

Here are six steps that can aid in improving your goal setting skills.

1. Be specific in terms of your goal. You need to be clear with what you really want to accomplish with your goal. Rather than aspiring to be rich, specify a certain amount you want to meet. This way, you make your goal achievable.

2. Establish a timeframe for the goal you will set. It is important to set a particular duration for each goal you make. This will enable you to evaluate as to your performance in terms of achieving the goal.

Likewise, a timeframe can encourage you to work for the deadline and initiate steps in order to achieve your goal. Otherwise, you could be working on that goal for the rest of your life.

3. Be realistic. Putting a touch of realism in your goal can contribute to the authenticity and accomplishment of the goal. Nothing is wrong with setting high expectations but you need to bend your goals a little if you realize that they are not realistic.

4. Monitor Your Performance. It is very significant to point out your short term goals or what can also be referred to as landmark goals to find out how you are doing with regards to your goal.

This is a means by which you can establish whether you have surpassed or have lagged behind as far as the goals that you have set are concerned. If you are trailing behind, you can make the necessary corrections.

5. Expect Some Obstacles. In most cases, you will encounter obstacles as you aim to meet your goal. Frustration and discouragement are natural occurrences that you might feel. It would be a great achievement if you can surpass these obstacles.

While you might no be able to accomplish your goal, use it as a stepping stone to improve on your succeeding goals. Do not lose hope.

6. Identify The Reason Behind Each Goal. At times, pointing out your goal is not enough to encourage you. There could be underlying reasons why you identified such goals. Use these reasons to encourage you.

Following these basic steps can help you achieve your lifetime goals. If you work hard to accomplish your goal, the dreams that you have longed for may not be far behind.

Posted by Maureen | No Comments »

Saying No Creatively

Sometimes, you just find yourself buried in a ton of tasks because you didnt say no. Doesnt it just bug you that your day stretches into a week without sleep because you couldnt refuse your boss asking you to walk his dog?

Or you may not like the task to be done, but you just choose to hold your tongue and say yes then grumble inwardly. Rocking the boat by saying no to a task is too much work and hassle, right?

But then saying no is not complicated, when you think about it. The word just contains two letters after all, and we get lots of practice saying it to errant babies and dogs. However, when saying no already means offending the other person, boy would you think twice!

And yet, it is very important that we say no when your plate is full, and when you dont like the way things are going. For your sanitys sake, above all. And so, you ask, how exactly do you say no, with all firmness and conviction, without offending the other person?

Simple. Offer alternatives.

Lets say your friend needs help with her PC, and you have a packed Saturday. Ask your friend if she wants to do it some other day instead. If you honestly do not want to help your friend with her pc, suggest the name of another friend who can help her.

Here are guidelines when you want to offer alternatives:

1) When: if you really want to do it, but your schedule is just packed, choose an alternative date.

2) Where: if you cant do the task in the place your friend suggested, suggest doing the task somewhere else.

3) Who: if either you really cant do the job or you dont want to do the job at all, suggest someone else who will do it.

4) What: if you dont like the task and an alternative task can be done instead, ask for it.

5) How: if you dont like the way a task is to be done, suggest how else you think it could or should be done.

Do remember, though, that you should employ ethics in giving alternatives. You should remember that when you have said yes to someone or something else, you should stick to the first one you have said yes to, and give second priority to the one that has conflict with the first one, unless the second task or request is infinitely more important. You should also remember that you have to make sure that the alternative will work out. There is no sense in frustrating a persons trust in you, no matter what.

Saying no may seem to be socially daunting, but in offering alternatives, you kill two birds with one stone: you make yourself a little saner, and you keep your friends and loved ones happy by still giving them a solution nonetheless. Remember, win-win situations are the key to keeping this world a better place.

Posted by Maureen | No Comments »