Music Strikes a Chord in Our Quest for Freedom

I enjoy listening to music whether it is live or recorded. I have collected music on records such as LP’s, 45’s, 78’s, CD’s, and cassettes. I even use the newest streaming technology which allows me to download music to my smart devices and take it with me anywhere I go. Streaming is convenient and inexpensive, yet I still prefer the rich sound of vinyl. I have been to hundreds of concerts and seen, heard, and experienced my musical favorites live. I have worked as a roadie in a country band and was lucky to be backstage and have personally met many artists. They all have one thing in common no matter what the musical genre. Their music all started with an idea. It may have started with a chord or a hook, but there was an idea ready to catch fire. A great song may get you to download a complete album. A great album may get you to buy a concert ticket to hear the music live. A great performance may make you a lifetime fan of the artist. It is the emotional connection of that idea that the fan is buying and how this makes them feel through the music. This is true in sales, a purchase we make or an idea we embrace. All sales start at the heart which leads to the head. Emotional connection is a powerful driver of our habits and success. Music is thought of as being universal and, like an idea, it can spread from person to person. Think about a song you heard in high school that you liked. You shared it with a friend and may have said, “Hey you have to listen to this song, it’s great.” And they did. This friend tells their friend, who tells another, and now you have some momentum in launching that song into a hit for that artist. Word of mouth exposure is the most effective way to get others to buy into your point of view. Think about a movie you like or a book you read or a restaurant where you enjoyed a meal and told friends and family. Your recommendation can have a huge impact on others if they trust you and you have credibility. Think what could happen if you were to treat the idea of freedom as you would when you have a cultural or culinary experience. The WOW factor could be infectious. What if you took some time to talk, write, and discuss how freedom, like music, makes your life better? I have talked to many younger people who do not understand the idea of freedom. They do not see how people have had to fight for it to preserve it. They take it for granted. Freedom has not been the normal progression throughout history. The natural order of things, especially in a political sense, has been dominated by kings, chiefs, clans, tribes, religious theocracies, or central power brokers who rule through fear and force. It has only been in this one exceptional place that people have been free to rule their own lives and property because of the rule of law. From Jerusalem to Athens to the Angolshpere, the manifestation of freedom, capitalism, free markets, property, and individual rights have been fused together and coalesced through the American experiment. There is an adage which states that four strangers who fight a lion will die, but four friends who fight a lion will win. It is time to find or create groups capable of mutually supporting one another to plan together, write together, speak to others, and become activists for freedom by writing, telling, and sharing your story of freedom with family, friends, grandchildren, and acquaintances. This can be a catalyst for others to share their freedom story as something we should be talking about and how it allows for human flourishing. When you sit around a campfire you often tell stories and sing songs with friends and family. A campfire must be stoked occasionally for the embers to flare and the heat to warm those around it. Music, like the idea of freedom, can strike a chord if properly nurtured. The great Duane Allman who formed the Allman Brother Band once said, “There’s a lot of different forms of communication, but music is absolutely the purest one.” Freedom makes it all possible. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/music-strikes-a-chord-in-our-quest-for-freedom/?vgo_ee=cOYF0CjDoWqp1nzq7oqu09LzNb4lNxdaR61JJNMLCWatmAC0q9RoiLmh%3AFzFzKbqKbu72C56Pi4VnjRZnGP0jh8Sn

Wisdom Listens

“That you may be strong, be a craftsmen in speech. For the strength of one is the tongue, and the speech of one is mightier than all fighting.” – Ptahhotep In the twenty years that I have been in Toastmasters, I have had the opportunity to evaluate hundreds of speeches presented by my fellow club members. Giving critical feedback helps a speaker understand what they did well and what they can work on to improve. A good evaluator balances being helpful and encouraging while providing an honest reaction to the speaker’s presentation. Giving an evaluation in Toastmasters is an improvised activity that is given in three minutes or less and takes practice and excellent listening skills. The ability to listen is a fundamental skill that has been essential to human communication since the dawn of civilization. Offering helpful ideas on what you heard, felt, and thought about the speaker’s presentation can be enhanced by the way the speaker uses their vocal intonation, body movements, facial expressions, and use of words. Engagement through the transferring of an emotion to your audience is key. There are not any courses on listening, only speaking, however the wisdom of listening has a long history. Kim Monson Show Sponsor Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance In ancient Egypt in the late 25th to mid-24th century BCE, lived a city administrator and vizier (first minister) to the King of the Old Kingdom. His name was Ptahhotep and his sayings were transcribed as one of the earliest known pieces of philosophy and wisdom. Written in an ancient hieratic style, this compilation is considered the oldest collection of moral advice and virtue practices. In his book, “Instruction of Ptahhotep,” are his timeless maxims that not only benefit a Toastmasters evaluator, but anyone in school, business, politics, or non-profits who wish to improve their success by listening. Here are just a few of his ideas: “Listening benefits the listener.” “Only speak when you have something worth saying.” “He who listens becomes the master of what is profitable.” “To listen is better than anything, thus is born perfect love.” “God loves him who listens. He hates those who do not listen.” “If he who listens, listens fully, then he who listens becomes he who understands.” “If you are a man of authority, be patient when you are listening to the words of a petitioner. Do not dismiss him until he has completely unburdened himself of what he has planned to say to you.” Ptahhotep’s maxims on listening were derived from a lifetime of experiences and taught ethical and moral guidance to young men and nobles in dealing with human interaction and governance. His words taught humility, justice, and truth by avoiding unnecessary arguments and practicing self-control. Learning not to immediately respond and asking clarifying questions to let the speaker know you were listening can pacify a tense or contentious situation. This is sage advice which works well in most interactions, such as when you are trying to persuade others or have an audience accept your position. Hearing critical feedback can be difficult and makes one feel exposed and vulnerable. It can make a world of difference to one’s speaking abilities if they are open to a peer’s observations. This happens with trust and empathy when giving an evaluation. There are many ways to give feedback, and the most often used in the Toastmaster’s process is referred to as “the sandwich technique.” This entails offering praise on what a speaker does well and encourages them to do more of it. Next, suggest ideas on ways to improve or do something different. Then, offering some closing praise to encourage and help the speaker feel good about their presentation. The beginning and the closing of an evaluation are like slices of a loaf of bread, smooth and rounded. The middle is the meat of the evaluation and where the growth can occur. Personally, I like the “manure method” of evaluation which is the opposite of the first. Since I am a more experienced Toastmaster I am looking for brutally honest comments, therefore I encourage an evaluator for my speeches to give me “the stuff that rolls downhill.” Then, observations on what I did well. Finally, more of the “stuff that hits the fan” to help me grow faster. With a speaker’s permission one can also record a video so a speaker can watch and study their process. One’s tolerance for hearing truthful feedback determines which evaluation structure is best for a speaker. I believe it is the listener/evaluator who mostly gains from this process by artfully using their active listening skills and observations to help the speaker advance and improve. The listener/evaluator must incorporate all their faculties such as hearing, observing, feeling, and connection to the content of the speaker. Ptahhotep’s maxims combined with these Toastmasters techniques are useful for anyone who wishes to be a better listener and communicator. The musician and guitarist Jimi Hendrix once said, “Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.”

Unbelievable

I attended a business seminar in Denver years ago and one of the many speakers was the best-selling author and sales trainer, Tom Hopkins. He said a word that stuck with me, and I have used it myself successfully for years. He said when he takes a trip on a plane and the flight attendant greets him as he enters with “How are you?” most people reply, “Just Fine” or “I’m OK.” Not Mr. Hopkins. He replies, “Unbelievable.” More times than not the Flight Attendant will say, “I’ve never heard that before” or “That could be good or bad.” Mr. Hopkins will continue, “You are correct, I’ll let you decide.” That short interaction and a bit of laughter by both the flight attendant and Mr. Hopkins, makes him stand out as he boards the plane. He receives better service and a positive interaction with the flight crew, plus, it’s memorable. I can prove it; I am retelling this story to you now. I have often thought about how one or two words can create a positive interaction. Remember all the words you learned as a kid. You were taught to say, please, may I, thank you, yes sir, or yes mam. These words show respect for the person you are speaking to. This is something our culture has moved away from. We have become lazy with our language. I am no Grammarian with words, yet using better words that demonstrate your ability to speak well shows a level of maturity and mastery. How are you being “unbelievable” with the words you use? According to a Harvard University and Google project to digitize books, researchers estimated there are a total of 1,022,000 words in the English Language. Many of these words are archaic and not in general use any longer. According to the Oxford English dictionary there are about 600,000 defined English words, again many out of everyday use. According to an article in English Live, most adult English speakers have a vocabulary of 20,000-35,000 words. This is an enormous number of words to choose from, especially when you think that we have only twenty-six letters in our alphabet! Kim Monson Show Sponsor Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance I often find myself using repetitive words when I write. This is why I usually have a thesaurus by my side to look up words that have a more meaningful impact on what I am trying to express. In addition, I could never pronounce the word thesaurus until my wife taught me to place my tongue under the roof of my mouth behind my front teeth and say the “th” sound. Try it; It works. The word thesaurus comes from the Greek word meaning “treasure,” or “storehouse.” Indeed, words in a thesaurus are a treasury of knowledge that can enhance our ability to communicate clearly and concisely. Even though many words are added to our language every year there are thousands that have their origins in ancient languages. An example is the word laconic, which can be said of a person, or speech, or style of writing. This word’s origin comes from the region in Greece that includes the ancient city of Sparta. The Spartans were known for their concise wit as opposed to the verbose orators of Athens. There is a story told of the Spartans correspondence with the Macedonian King, Phillip II, the father of Alexander the Great. Sparta was the only Greek city not subjected by the Macedonians. When Phillp asked the city’s council if he would be received as a friend or foe, the response was “neither.” Phillip then sent this reply to the Spartans, “If I invade Laconia, I shall turn you out.” To which they replied, “If.” The word laconic conveys complex ideas concisely. At a Toastmasters workshop presented by two by World Champions of Public Speaking, Darren LaCroix and Mark Brown, I was chosen as the first volunteer to give an introduction to a speech. When my name was called my mind went blank. All I could think of was the opening of a song I wrote for a program teaching children about flowers. Along with hand gestures I sang, “I have a little seed. I put it in the ground. I covered it with earth. And watered it around. Up comes the stem. Out comes the leaves. Then UP pops the flower that comes from the seed.” I was stopped before the next verse by Darren LaCroix. He said, “Let’s give Brad a hand for being brave enough to start us off, and for separating himself from anyone else by trying to sing.” There was a great laugh from the audience, including me. Darren continued, “Brad why did you use “I” as the beginning of your sentence? Why not the word “You”? Darren was pointing out I was speaking to an audience, and it was more important to address them than to talk about myself. An excellent observation I would never have been aware of had I not been challenged by a perceptive evaluator. The difference of using “You” rather than “I” connected my song emotionally to the audience. The skill of curating your words to become more impactful and persuasive is something everyone can implement into their daily lexicon. In a word, you too can be “unbelievable” by being observant, listening to the lyrics of words, and crafting ways to be memorable with your language. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/unbelievable/?vgo_ee=k3q2hbUqgYbEPQU7Gg9xgCQuYSGBaLvgXzEpHGu1mE7UfI0cSLrp5VQY%3AyIOCdVfGwsP7ekJDBYrsGZqK1E9fjSZ1

Capitalism Works

Have you ever bought a scratch-off lottery ticket hoping to get rich only to find out you did not win and instead have some opaque pigment stuck under your fingernail? It reminds me of doing the very least amount of work while trying to get the biggest payout. There is no easy get rich quick scheme, yet many try. Work done well takes time, skill, determination, persistence, ingenuity, and a mind to do it exceptionally. Free market Capitalism allows a person to go from poverty to wealth in one generation, but you must do the work. No other social-economic system allows for this advancement in the human condition. When I was a kid, I had a paper route. I delivered the Los Angeles Herald Examiner after school and the Sunday edition on the weekend. The papers were delivered in a bundle to my parent’s doorstep. I would fold each paper with a rubber band, otherwise the papers would come apart as I flung them into my customer’s yard. I had to purchase them from my boss. I soon figured out I was in the hole before I began. I bought a handlebar delivery bag for my Schwin Sting Ray and purchased the rubber bands. I also discovered I had to go to the door of my customers to collect payment monthly. Now, it was not only money I had invested but also my time. I thought about my expenses. The cost of rubber bands could be expensive and there was also maintenance on my bike. I learned from another paperboy that I didn’t need rubber bands. He taught me how to fold and tuck the paper in such a way that would secure it. So, when I would fling the paper into the customer’s yard it did not fall apart. One day while collecting payment for delivery, a customer asked me if I could “porch” their paper for a quarter tip. My response was, “Heck Yes.” That solved another problem. The Sunday paper was bigger, and I could only get half of the folded papers in my bag. I would have to go home and get the other half and deliver them. That took more time. If I did not have to fold the papers, I could take them all on my bike and not have to go back home while I was out delivering. In addition, I could walk the paper onto the customers porch and charge them for this service. I learned early on about the Trader Principle of trading value for value. As a paperboy I invested in a business, kept my costs low, and gave the customer what they wanted. I paid my employer on time for the papers they delivered and learned how to manage a paper route. Three groups of individuals benefited from this experience, the customer, my employer, and me. This job taught me personal responsibility at an early age. It taught me the importance of delivering the paper on time. It also taught me to be creative. By learning to fold the weekly paper I eliminated the need for rubber bands, delivered the Sunday paper unfolded onto my customers’ porches, and charged for the value-added service. The lesson here is “trust” by all parties can only be found where freedom abounds. The same holds for Capitalism, which is moral because it is congruent with human nature, allows for voluntarily serving others, and being rewarded for one’s time and work. There are no guarantees that work will give you success, yet, certainly, you will not have success without the ability to work in a system that allows you to keep the fruits of your labor. As Thomas Jefferson said, in his first inaugural address in 1801, “a wise & frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government; and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicities.” Capitalism is the only social system congruent with man’s nature which endows him with the individual right to pursue his own life, survival, and well-being. Therefore, it is morally superior to any other alternatives such as collectivism or statism. Therefore, the only role for government is the protection of rights. When a government, special interest groups, or an individual take what is not theirs because of some need it is a violation of rights. To paraphrase Francisco d’Anconia’s idea in Ayn Rand’s opus, Atlas Shrugged, the desire for the unearned is the root of all evil. Said differently, those who seek the benefits of wealth without earning it through the productive efforts of their own work, are indeed malevolent. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/capitalism-works/?vgo_ee=eOYRncGGSMKBOojxDBigrCaYVdFjvNNM2egXxQjOdsbEuHTPdLiOpw0M%3AUU45DfKtEwo4okksJH6%2BSFaEwJWBwVky

The Town Square

In a small town lived a man who went by the name of Old Ned. He was a bit of a curmudgeon who liked engaging with people with his not so politically correct stickers plastered on his old truck. These stickers ran the gamut from provocative to humorous, to bordering on being offensive. Old Ned would park his truck around the town square and attract people passing by who would stop and gawk and read the hundreds of stickers plastered from roof to tailgate. Many would laugh, others would be horrified and walk on, and occasionally someone would stop a passing policeman to complain about the offensive words on the stickers, only to be told by the officer, “It’s called free speech.” When people noticed Old Ned sitting on the park bench across from the truck, they asked him if it was his. He would reply, “Yep, my stickers are my way of expressing my views, like ‘em or not.” With a wry twinkle in his eye he would continue, “If people don’t like it, they can look the other way. I’m not here to please anyone but to help people think.” I love characters like Old Ned. They challenge the reader to stop, notice, and absorb the ideas and comments. In the sound bite world of today even if it’s a bumper sticker idea, it can have a huge impact on the reader. Much like the “X” (Twitter) of today, bumper stickers can plant seeds that can be held in fertile soil for years. I remember when I was growing up in the 60’s and 70’s the bumper stickers of my youth had sayings like “Suck Eggs”, or “Don’t let THEM immanentize the Eschaton”, or “Nuke a gay whale for Jesus.” They provoked but also made me think of what they meant. I still smile and know that someone was offended by these sayings. This is what free speech does. It protects the minority opinion from the majority’s way of thinking. Our first amendment in our Bill of Rights gives the individual the unalienable right to think, say, write, and publish unpopular ideas. We must be consistent in our belief in free speech. We must recognize that there will be challenges that will often conflict with our morals and our decency. A prime example is what is happening on college campuses. The pro-Palestinian protestors have every right to protest and petition on the public square. If they are peaceful and don’t physically harm others, they are in their right to be nuisance. Yet, when they block other students, especially Jewish students, from fulfilling their right to attend classes or walk freely on a campus, they are violating rights of other individuals and should be dealt with swiftly. Conversely, Jewish students have every right to do counter demonstrations and peacefully get their message across without being accosted. Americans are fortunate that we have this codified in our law but more importantly in our DNA. We were a nation born of the idea that you will not be considered treasonous for simply going against the grain. If we wish to oppose a heinous idea or message, we must do the hard work of coming up with a superior message that persuades our fellow citizens to consider it as an elevated alternative. We are better people and an exceptional nation when we tolerate distasteful speech to occur, if it does not incite physical harm or provoke violence. We do not want our government to be the arbiter of speech, individuals should decide for themselves what they listen to or read. The transparency of bad ideas and unpopular speech allows for moral speech to advance and expand the footing that free speech is laid upon. We must have the fortitude to speak out against bad ideas and bad speech, but we should not stop those who want to wallow in the mud with pigs. After all, bacon comes from these creatures and our reward is butchering bad ideas with better ones to earn our tasty reward. The town square used to be the place where people could get up on a box and speak their minds. Today, social media is the town square and often the messages posted are hateful, harmful to feelings, and horrendous in tenor. In places like the UK one can be arrested, for speaking one’s mind, which is determined by governmental hate speech police. What a hellish scenario. Once our thoughts or speech is self-censored, we lose our freedom of expression. I am grateful that in the United States of America all speech must be part of the dialog. I recommend we give those with terrible ideas, and even worse messages, enough rope to hang themselves out to dry. The next time an Old Ned appears in your town square stop to thank him, for free speech is precious and must be protected even if you disagree with the message. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/the-town-square/

In Five Years

Disruptions happen in life all the time. It is what makes the human condition interesting. The question I will ask myself when something happens is how will I react to the disruption? Did I do enough preparation prior to the event so that I can calmly react or am I in DEFCON 1 mode? The worst part of a disruption is not knowing how long it will last and what its impact will be. Yet, if you are prepared, it will not matter. When the lab leak happened in Wuhan China known as Covid 19, the virus that escaped shut down the world. I thought I was prepared with my “bug out bag” and a few weeks’ worth of water and food that was for my emergency preparation. I had not prepared for the right disaster. During that time only “so-called” essential workers were allowed to go to work. I ignored it. I would go to my office when others did not. Rather than become a couch creature staring at a big screen, I invested in myself by reading more and staying socially connected. I am a member of Jeffrey Gitomer’s Insider Club, a group of businesspeople who subscribed to a monthly online meeting to discuss the best business practices, sales tactics, and strategies. When the shutdown happened Gitomer shifted his business to what he practiced for years, giving value first. He started the 9:59 Club. Every day during the “plandemic” at 9:59AM Eastern Time Jeffrey Gitomer started streaming live on various social media platforms. I never missed a day. This daily gathering was a lifesaver which helped countless business professionals get over the trauma of not being able to make a sale or physically go to work. Rather than listen to the so-called experts and be physically distanced, our group came together to be present. There is plenty of negative to remember about this period of death, despair, and lies. I choose to remember the relationships and skills I built because of this situation. Here are just a few. I learned how to use Zoom and other virtual platforms to communicate and stay in touch with customers, friends, and family. Learning this skill improved my understanding of how to be a better online communicator; for instance, having clearer sound by using a better microphone. Sufficient lighting was key to better illumination as well as a pleasant backdrop that demonstrated I respected the person I was talking with. There were no unmade beds or messy rooms in my background. These are all important elements when you are sharing an idea or demonstrating attention to detail when online. The experience forged lasting relationships with a group of fellow salesmen who lived in the local area. We met in person and began a Mastermind group to help each other overcome obstacles, hold each other accountable for our goals, learn, read, and then discuss books that would help make us better. The best reward for this effort is that we have become friends and advocates for our mutual success and meet to this day. Out of adversity, this worldwide event made many panic and become proficient at watching television or worrying about their future. Like many people I knew, I took this opportunity to realize that if you can invest your time in preparation, you can find new paths to success. It was a challenge at first to adapt to this new way of staying engaged, yet with persistence and determination I became proficient at new skills, and I was able to persevere in this lifestyle change. As an example, five years ago, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was not as developed or as useful in our daily lives. Today you use it daily without noticing it. AI can be found in a word processing program, such as the one I am using to write this essay to improve my productivity, spelling, or AI filters to help manage my e-mail by prioritizing and organizing them. You can use simple AI programs to help with your calendar management, task tracking, and smart controls to manage your lights, thermostat, and security system. When I started in business, I used an analog paper navigation device known as a map. Now, I cannot think of going somewhere without using a GPS app to find an optimal way to get to a destination and know how long it will take to get there. We use AI technology without thinking about it or realizing its presence in our daily communication via smart phones, our security via facial recognition, or health monitoring through useful health data on wearable devices. These AI applications save time and help individuals become more productive in their lives. Ask yourself how well prepared you are for the inevitable shifting landscape. Start now to gain excellence in your field of work, or a skill in which you need to be proficient. That way when change happens you will be in command of your situation rather than change being in command of you. A classic Aesop Fable tells of an Ant and the Grasshopper. During the hot summer, the hardworking ant diligently gathers food for the winter while the grasshopper spends his time singing and enjoying the sunshine. When winter arrives, the ant is well prepared with plenty of food in reserve. The grasshopper is left cold, hungry and its survival is left in the balance. The moral being, prepare now for the future during times of abundance to ensure your success during the difficult times that are sure to come. How well you react will be apparent by how well you are prepared. The clock has already started on the next five years. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/in-five-years/?vgo_ee=zy%2FjwFQtjCCJw6l69dDJDdjFzF3aw09k9P5JveRZ0oGKaYHOEjmjR3bw%3A53XMTcng%2BcQjDYZMpdpM7%2FNNxSYtzsYl

Happy New You

Two great beasts were thirsty and arrived at a small watering hole at the same time to drink. They fiercely disputed which should drink first and soon were engaged in a mortal battle. After several advances of attack, they both stopped to catch their breath. When they looked up, they saw vultures circling above waiting to feast on the first one to fall. The beasts at once reconciled from their quarrel saying, “It is better for us to be friends, than to become the food for vultures.” The New Year can seem like this when the resolutions you made with yourself in the past year do not come to fruition. You can come up with all the reasons why you fell short and battle with yourself. Or you can notice the vultures circling and come to an agreement with yourself to do better and greet the new year as a new opportunity to reinvent, reposition, rethink, repurpose, remind, and revise your goals. If you reflect on what worked and do more activities that won you success, you won’t dwell on what didn’t work. Time will pass whether you choose to do something to improve yourself or not, therefore it makes sense to try and take past successes and combine them with a goal you can achieve for an outcome that gets you to where you wish to go. There will always be interruptions that will deter you and make you lose focus on the goal you wish to achieve. It’s bound to happen. Take it as a short break and start once more. I have many friends who tell me they want to write a book. I will smile and ask, “How many pages have you written so far?” The topic usually changes quickly. I have been trying to write a book for years. Each year I set it as a goal, and I seem to always fall short. I have written hundreds of pages. Many of my stories have nothing to do with each other. That’s OK. Many do and they can be woven together into an interesting grouping of ideas. Instead of sitting down and writing a book, I decided to write short essays at least monthly. Eventually I will have enough material for the basis of a book. I set a goal that would not work in a traditional way, so I structured it in a way I can and will make it happen. There are many paths to create your success. Just start with something small. Tweek it as you go. Be persistent in your work. Be determined in your outcome. Celebrate your small successes. Rinse and repeat. I have found once I deconstruct my goals or opportunities down into small, bite size pieces, over time they come together. At the end of the year there is always a countdown to the New Year. Why not create a countdown to the new you. Write your own top ten ways you will need to meet your goals this year. There are many books and blogs on the internet that can help guide you. Here are mine. Start. Set time aside each day to advance your goal. Dream. Envision what your outcome will look like. Write the steps to achieve your goal. If you write it down, there is a record of your movement, and you’re more likely to hold yourself accountable. What is the time frame to accomplish your goal? Set your days, weeks, months, or year up to help you achieve success. What resources do you need to accomplish your goal? What things, people, money, etc. will you need to outline your success? Focus on your outcome. When you achieve your goal what will it look like and then work backward. Stay determined and persistent in reaching your goal. Situations will arise and events will seem to get in your way. Don’t lose sight of the prize. Adjust to any obstacles you encounter. You may need to temporarily reassess your goal, time frame, or needs. Setbacks can bring out creative solutions for success. Celebrate your achievement and evaluate your next step. Enjoy the outcome of your success. Enjoy the completion of the journey. Then think, how can I challenge myself to make it better. I read a story of a Rabbi’s mother who would tell the following. “There was a tall tree in the yard of her home. The neighborhood children used to climb up and would often fall out of the tree. When the Rabbi was young, he would climb up and reach the top of the tree without falling. When asked, “How is it that you don’t fall, and all the other children fail to make it to the top?” Her son responded, “As others climb, they look down and get frightened and fall. When I climb, I continually look upward.” Like the wise sage, keep looking upward and your success will be achieved. https://open.spotify.com/show/7FqEyZLXxp2lGzTYBcS9hQ