Scott, Author at Scott's Thinking

Stick With It

Posted on January 3, 2021

Failure occurs when you stop trying. As long as you press forward, you have not failed, you are on the path to success. Stick with it!

Apart from ageing, change can be difficult, uncomfortable and time consuming. However, if you truly want to achieve anything, you need to set the course and stay the course. You will need perseverance and determination. Mental fortitude will be helpful, as will resolve.

If you can push through the challenges and see past the setbacks, you increase your probability of succeeding. It can get frustrating, embarrassing and even overwhelming at times. But these moments pass. Push through to the better times.

Accept you are not perfect and that setbacks occur. Realise some things won’t be easy for you, though other things will be. Enjoy the progress while you are making it. Double down on your resolve to succeed when the future looks bleak and uncertain.

Allow yourself to be uncomfortable in some situations. It’s natural. Accept that it might take longer, or stretch you further, both mentally and physically.

You will savour your progress, success or victory more if you have to endure challenges, uncertainty and hardship. It becomes less about the outcome and more about your ability to have weathered the storms.

Despite the gathering clouds and the anguish, stick with it.

Action Progress Time

Follow Up

Posted on January 2, 2021

What is the difference between done and pending? How do you shift a ‘no, not right now’, to a ‘yes, thank you‘? Often you just need to follow up.

This action does not always guarantee you will move something forward. However, in my experience, making an extra call, visit or effort, can move things closer to a resolution.

People are often not prepared to buy, or move forward with your request, until they feel comfortable of familiar with you or the situation. In addition, some studies note that you need seven, regularly frequent touch points before they will be ready to act.

So you need to be determined and persistent. ‘No’ can often mean not now or not yet. Sometimes it will be no, not now and not ever.

Often we see flyers come through the door and we do not act on them. We toss them in the recycling bin. But one day, our garden will need some work done or a room will need repainting. Then we will act and maybe call on the company we have seen drop flyers through our doors for the past several months.

Sometimes it is good timing that someone knocks on your door when you are in need of what they are offering. But sometimes they just need to follow up. Remember to do so too.

Action Reframe your thoughts Time

Welcome To Your Year

Posted on January 1, 2021

Everything you have chosen to do in life has lead you to where you are now. You have been preparing for this. Welcome to your year.

You have had your unique challenges and opportunities. You have made decisions and reacted, or responded, to situations you’ve been faced with. However, now you are ready. Enough is enough. Your training is over.

No more playing around the edges. No more playing small or not fulfilling your potential. This is going to be the year that you launch out of the gate. You will begin with a strong start followed by a determined follow through.

Think quickly but with long a term vision to guide you along. You will take action and seek definitive results. Play offence like your life depends on it.

Make the call. Delegate. Ask for help. Seek out mentors, advisors, guides and those who can help. Make new friends who challenge you to go beyond the yawn of daily life. Become an unstoppable force. Be sought after and recommended.

You can make this happen. But you have to want it bad enough. Yes, there will be some sacrifice. And you will be outside your comfort zone often. However, you, and only you, can take the actions to get the results. Finish 2021 with success and pride.

Welcome to your year.

Financial Gratitude Health & Fitness Time

Happy New Year!

Posted on December 31, 2020

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope you are making the best of things. Whatever the future brings, I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year!

Although 2020 will be long remembered for many things, we know what the main one, world-wide, will be. Covid-19 and it’s many challenges, including physical, financial and mental health related.

This next year, 2021, will come in with some similar challenges. In addition to masks, social distancing, lockdowns, and tiers, there will be the added component of a vaccine.

Hopefully this will allow us to have a major shift in getting back to regular life.

This time last year, we did not know this major health and economic challenge was going to be impacting us. Now we do know. We still don’t know how it ends, as no one can accurately predict the future at any time.

However, this year, you start by knowing it will be a part of your life in various ways. How will you play the 12 months that you will have in 2021? Knowing what you know, how will you think, what will you do and what things will you focus on?

I hope you have found ways to successfully navigate the challenges you’ll find in the year ahead. May you have peace, prosperity and good health, both mental and physical.

Happy New Year! ?

Action Financial Reframe your thoughts

Don’t Leave It To The Kids

Posted on December 30, 2020

Have you had a look around your house recently? Are there books, clothes, papers, tools or toys that should be tossed? Don’t leave it to the kids to clean up your mess when you are gone.

One of the best things a parent can ever do for their children is to keep their house streamlined. Every year it is easy to add more things to the family collection.

We buy new clothes but don’t always give away or recycle older clothes. We tell ourselves we will still wear the item once in awhile and it is still good. Or the classic thought that we will fit into it after we drop a few pounds this year.

Old sports equipment also gets this treatment. We assume we will use it again one day. I enjoyed squash in my 20’s so I am bound to start it up again in my 40’s or 50’s. Right?

Books you’ve read build a library. But is it a library worth keeping? Would the kids want to inherit this collection? Keep your absolute favourites on a shelf. However, gift all the others to your children now or send those books off to the local library or charity shop.

Take a picture if any items that conjure up fond memories.

Just don’t leave it to your kids to clear out all your stuff.

Action Observe Progress Reframe your thoughts

Everything Has A Process

Posted on December 29, 2020

If you want to achieve anything in life, you are well advised to find out how successful people before you have done it. Everything has a process and it is your job to find out, or figure out, what it is.

Every process fits along a spectrum. Some processes can be quite ineffective while others can be exceptionally useful. Your task is to find one for what you want to achieve. Ideally you will find one that is closer to the exceptional end of the continuum.

Regardless of where you start, you will then want to look for better processes to adopt and build into your life. Continual search and personal improvement would be a good personal mission to run with.

So take a look at the processes you are using, that have become habitual, and see if you can improve upon them. If you are looking for a new job, or a promotion, see what has worked for others in your field of interest. Look at the top 10 people in your field of interest and dissect their careers backward.

What schools did they go to? Did they apprentice or intern?

For others, how did they lose weight, improve fitness or gain muscle? Look for a book that helps you achieve anything you are interested in.

Everything has a process. Find it and use it.

Action Time

Get It Done!

Posted on December 28, 2020

Go after whatever it is on your mind. Take the first step today. Phone a friend, call a company or make a plan. Whatever it is, get it done!

Don’t let up and keep moving. The prize will come in the end. You’ll really have to go swiftly. Be sure not to break or to bend.

It may seem easy, especially to say it. But as you move forward you realise there is more to it. There will also be more obstacles than you had predicted. Getting things over the line is seldom easy. The persistence, tenacity, and discipline required can be exceptional.

Regardless, you just need to press on and keep your head held high. Ask some questions, particularly of someone who has knowledge in that area. People are often open to helping. Use your manners and be mindful of the time involved.

It is amazing how much easier it is when you focus and get some help. People are service oriented. In addition, if they know it is your dream, and it is a good, just and fair one, many will go to great lengths to assist.

Map out what the next five steps are to be completed. Then start working on those steps. Don’t delay.

Get it done!

Gratitude Health & Fitness Reframe your thoughts Time

Pause And Reflect

Posted on December 27, 2020

This is a great time of year to consider what you have going on and what you have achieved. You should pause and reflect on whether you like the destination that your current path is taking you to.

With our eyes open, we can see where our actions are sending us. Are you positive or negative in your thoughts and communications? Do you search for the argument or the peace? Whose life will you be shadowing if you continue down this road?

Sometimes our goals change due to a different perspective. It is good to keep checking in with ourselves. If you no longer want to arrive in Paris, it would be good to get off the motorway sooner rather than later.

You may save yourself a lot of time if you take a few moments now to consider your direction and destination. It’s not only that this is a good time of year due to the holidays and being the year end. In addition, you probably have a little more time between Christmas and New Year as things generally slow down.

Take some time and get a feel for where you are. You can also write out your major and minor achievements for the year. Where are these taking you? Did you hit the relevant goals you set out for 2020?

Pause and reflect on your past and future.

Action Financial Progress Time

Start Making Plans

Posted on December 26, 2020

Get a jump on the new year. There is no time like the present. You have had a couple of days of celebrations and relaxation. Now start making plans.

There may only be one good time to start anything. That time is now. Don’t lose another day, hour or minute. You probably still can’t believe how quickly the last 12 months sailed by. In the moment, it might have seemed to be dragging on due to the challenges of 2020.

However, the clock keeps ticking. Whether you are happy with it or not. Whether you are lying in bed, lazing around, working away or spending time with friends and loved ones.

Time waits for no one. And if you keep doing the same thing as previous years, you will continue to get the same results. Little changes at the edges are a good start. Though you will need to make bigger changes to see really significant shifts in your reality.

Life is very exciting. Small steps completed daily will be compounded and will, in time, bring results you may not have imagined. Press on! Get going today. Write down 20 things you want to achieve this year. Select five from that list. Focus on these ones. Put a start date and completion date next to these five items. Then get going.

Start making plans.

Progress Think About It

So Now What?

Posted on December 25, 2020

When you get through a big event, or reach a big milestone or a significant goal, there is often a big sigh of relief. Then comes a feeling of, ‘So now what?’

We often need a moment or two to relax and recharge. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. That can be part of the celebration of having completed. Some people will go all quiet and others will jump up and down and be very vocal.

Regardless of how you celebrate and recharge, there will be a requirement to fix your mind on a new goal or event. Without a new focus for your days, you may start to drift. As you drift, you can lose your way. Your good habits may dwindle and poor ones may develop in their place.

So switch your focus onto the next big event. Lock it in and start taking the next steps required. Start building momentum toward your next big adventure and victory.

The time between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve is an excellent time to reflect on your next moves. There is a lull in the universe. It allows you to gather your thoughts and prepare for the challenges ahead.

So now what?