business

Accelerated Goal Achievement

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I throughly enjoyed reading this book.  It is full of useful information on how to change your life by setting and achieving goals.

Here are a few quotes from the book:

  • A goal is the clear vision in your mind of a target you aim to hit by a specified date.
  • Goal setting is the process of defining and working towards achieving goals.  It is a powerful skill which, once learnt, is the path to success.
  • You set goals to achieve the things you want in life.
  • Goal achievement is the step-by-step realization of your specific goal — the actual process.
  • Vision is about the future, and mission is about what we will do to achieve the vision.
  • You can’t just set a goal and expect it to be delivered.  To make it happen, you need a strategy that is consistent with your mission and values.  Your strategy tells how you are going to get things done.  In a nutshell, your strategy is like a compass showing you, directionally where to go.
  • The plan will describe the way you will apply the strategies to achieve the objectives, which in turn support the overall mission (or primary goal).
  • A burning desire is the first ingredient of success.  Your desire for what you want to achieve must be so strong that it dominates your thinking, making it difficult to concentrate on anything else.
  • Achieving your goal has little to do with your ability or intellect.  It has to do with heartfelt desire.
  • The five keys to successful goal achievement still apply:
    • 1.  Define your goal in writing
    • 2.  Play your work
    • 3.  Get started — take massive action
    • 4.  Track your progress
    • 5.  Reward success
  • Written goals put direction into your life and empower you to face the future in a determined way.
  • SMART goals are:
    • Specific – the goal must clearly describe the desired outcome.
    • Measurable – the goal should consist of specific criteria for measuring progress toward its successful completion
    • Attainable – the goal should be challenging, but achievable
    • Relevant – the goal must be something you really want
    • Time Bound – the goal must have a time frame or deadline
  • If you are constantly pushing ahead and never taking the time to celebrate your accomplishments, you will most likely suffer burn out.

Mousetrap Destruction Brigade – Poetry

I wrote this poem several years ago; however, it’s still one of my favorites.

The Mousetrap Destruction Brigade

Once upon a time
There were five little mice
Working hard for cheese and rice
Serving in the Mousetrap Destruction Brigade
Allowing all mice to live to an old age
Timesheets were due on Thursday
If they wanted food on payday
One mouse ignored this rule
On payday he felt like a fool
For he had no food and was starving
He took cheese from a trap they were disarming
I am sad to say
The mouse died that day
However, since that date
Not one timesheet has been late

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Who Moved My Cheese?

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I have read, “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson several times and each time I benefit from it.

The focus of the book is on how to deal with constant change in our lives.  It’s a short book, easy to read, and easy to understand.  The concepts are simple, yet profound.

The main points are:

  • Change happens
  • Anticipate change
  • Monitor change
  • Adapt to change quickly
  • Change
  • Enjoy change
  • Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again

Free Business Training

The Small Business Association (SBA.GOV) offers free online training courses for small business owners and anyone interested in improving their business skills.

Topics include:

  • Customer Service
  • Contracting
  • Cybersecurity
  • Financing
  • Preparing a Business Plan
  • Franchising
  • Marketing

At the end of each course, there is a list of resources for additional information and assistance.

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Free Continuing Education Classes

http://www.edx.org

The continuing education classes on this website are available to everyone at no cost.  It is a non-profit organization that relies on participation from major universities.  The participating schools upload videos from actual classes and offer certificates of completion for students that complete the coursework and pass the exams.

A few of the participating schools include:

  • MIT
  • Harvard
  • Sorbonne University
  • University of Queensland

There is a huge variety of classes available, for example:

  • Humanities
  • Sciences
  • Computer Programing
  • Business, Finance, and Economics
  • Engineering
  • Law
  • Mathematics

I have taken a couple classes on this site and I throughly enjoyed the experience.

My Secret Life on the McJob – A Book Review

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Jerry Newman is a university professor.  He took a sabbatical from his job to work in the fast food industry, as part of a human resources research project.  His findings and insights are recorded in his book, My Secret Life on the McJob.

Jerry Newman was able to capture the personal side of his co-workers life, as it relate to working in fast food.  He also spoke highly of the skills that each employee learned as a result of their job:

  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Time Management
  • Working Under Pressure
  • Leadership Skills
  • Customer Service

The book also covered the negative aspects of being in the fast food industry.  Employees often felt marginalized by society and are often treated poorly by customers, because their jobs are seen as unimportant.

I think this book is worth reading and I really enjoyed it.

I give it an A-

Technology Based World

Living in a technology based world can make it hard to connect with people.  According to Dr Doug Kelley, the following points will help you improve your relationships and better communicate with people.

  • Don’t spend so much time focusing on things, that you forget to focus on people.
  • Smile and greet the people you encounter on a regular basis
  • Show interest in people
  • Exhibit a positive and cheerful personality