Tag Archives: quote

On Time and Priorities

There is never a shortage of time. Instead, there is a confusion of priorities. – Unknown

This quote was in one of my favorite personal finances blogs: http://financialmentor.com/

If you’re feeling busy, is it because you are doing busy-work?

Can you step back and clarify your priorities and invest your time with your true priorities?

The other stuff will likely take care of itself.

Yiddish Proverb on Choices

No choice is a choice too – Yiddish proverb

When you don’t act, you agree to stay right where you are.

If you mean to look for a new job but don’t, you accept your old job over again.

If you mean to get fit but don’t change your exercise routine or diet, you choose the health you have now.

Are you satisfied with your choices?

Martha Fay on Your Own Standards

I did what I understood, and what I was interested in, and what I loved.  It was not reckless, as I secretly worried it was, but neither was it as brave as some people have suggested.  It was urgent and irresistible – like falling in love with exactly the wrong person by all objective standards and exactly the perfect one by the only standard that matters to you. – Martha Fay – on buying a house in Italy

I might be closing on some property myself in a few months. Nothing as exciting as a house in Italy, but exciting for me nonetheless. Fay’s description of “urgent and irresistible” is exactly how I feel about my passion for real estate investing.

What are you passionate about?

What hobbies or goals make you feel like you’re falling in love?

Are you able to dismiss naysayers who might say you’ve picked the wrong one “by all objective standards” and instead stick to “exactly the perfect one by the only standard that matters to you?”

Neil deGrasse Tyson on Guiding Principles

The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things in life like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock. The most successful people in life recognize, that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation. For me, I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you. – Neil deGrasse Tyson

That successful people create their own love, meaning and motivation implies it’s all up to you. How will you create your next opportunity?

The notion of having two “main philosophies” to drive your decisions is interesting. What are your main philosophies?bonsai tree

My main drivers are fun and money on the professional side. Not as altruistic as deGrasse Tyson, but authentic to me. When I’m considering a work project, I ask: 1) will I enjoy this, regardless of the outcome; and 2) will a positive outcome have enough of an upside to say NO to other things. What are the questions you ask yourself to decide on a commitment or goal?

 

If you want help staying focused on your big goal for 2015, I will be co-presenting a webinar on Focus with peak performance coach Renita Kalhorn (she coaches Navy SEAL candidates on mental toughness!). Full details on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/focus-make-2015-the-year-things-happen-tickets-15308583385

John Lennon on Happiness

When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. – John Lennon

Look at the measurements most people track – 401k balance, credit score, performance at work, last year’s or next year’s bonus or raise. How do you measure happiness?

For me, happiness is when I don’t feel so stretched for time and can allocate my energy and attention to prioritize outside my business. So in 2015, this means I’ll be cooking more (prioritizing family who loves it when I cook), doing more comedy (I jumped in last week after 6 months of a break and did a set at Gotham, and Jerry Seinfeld dropped in as a surprise guest!), and I’ll be working on my real estate portfolio (yes, my outside interests even unrelated to my main business are business-related).Please, please, please

How will you incorporate more happiness into 2015?

If you want help staying focused on your big goal for 2015, I will be co-presenting a webinar on Focus with peak performance coach Renita Kalhorn (she coaches Navy SEAL candidates on mental toughness!). Full details on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/focus-make-2015-the-year-things-happen-tickets-15308583385

Alfred Perlman on Starting Over

After you’ve done a thing the same way over two years, look it over carefully. After five years, look at it with suspicion. And after ten years, throw it away and start all over. –  Alfred Perlman

End of year is usually when people get introspective. Take advantage of that reflection and ask the big question Perlman implies. What do you need to throw away and start all over?

This might be difficult to admit – it could be a relationship you’ve outgrown. It could a belief that is preventing you from making a change or taking a chance. It could be a habit that you do by default.

Make a list of any areas you’d like to improve. Try to think of at least 5 alternatives to take in each area.

Don’t assume you need to more of the same thing.