Tag: Opportunity

CategoriesActionGoals, Results & New ThinkingObserveReframe your thoughtsThink About It

Avoiding Work Is Avoiding Opportunity

Posted on August 24, 2024

It is easy to dismiss work as hard, boring, dirty, tiring or dismal. This is not a helpful way to look at things. Check yourself if this is the only way you see work, as you may lean to the negative, which you may want to adjust.

Work can also be interesting, fun, enjoyable, creative, confidence-building and energising.

How you see it is in part how you see things generally and also what it is. You can change what you do and you can change how you see things, so don’t delay in making some changes.

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CategoriesFinancialThink About It

The Cost Of Watching TV

Posted on November 15, 2020

You would be surprised how much your TV costs you. And I am not talking about the purchase price. The cost of watching TV may be higher than you think.

There are many ways to look at this whole TV watching scenario. It has really been brought home to me several times in my life. However, it may have had its biggest impact years ago, when I heard this idea from Jim Rohn.

For most people it is not the cost of the TV, even if it was £3,000. The real cost is higher, even if you add in the cable cost, movie channels and streaming services at £150 per month. It is the time you spend in front of the TV that costs you dearly.

First, that time could be spent with children, loved ones or on other engaging endeavours. Secondly, what is the financial opportunity cost of the TV? If you are paid £20 per hour (£40k per year) and watch three hours of TV on five of the seven days a week for 52 week, that would equate to an additional £15,600 if you were working. That is almost 40% more income.

Imagine if you turned your nightly TV watching into a profitable hobby that generated an extra £15,000 of income a year from now.

Ah, the cost of watching TV.

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CategoriesGratitudeObserveProgressThink About It

The Big Stuff Is Behind Us

Posted on November 5, 2020

It’s easy to find something to complain about. There are even times that certain people will go as far as outrage. The big stuff is behind us though. Not that the world can’t be an even better place with a little more tinkering. However, we need some balance to ensure the tinkering doesn’t go too far.

What I mean is this. There is a lot more acceptance between people on the big things. In most of the 37 OECD countries there are few, if any, major rights not available to all people. All races and genders are able to freely vote. People have the right to liberty and freedom of expression and religion.

There is an abundance of opportunity for all people. The majority of people in these countries seem to be fine with where things are at. Yes, there will always be small groups or individuals that feel that the laws and norms don’t quite work for them. The good news is that those people can work towards having things improved for them.

Now, we can still tip into an abyss. However, it is ever less likely to happen. As people continue to get comfortable with improving standards of living, fewer will want to wage wars, riot or remove socially agreed basic human rights.

The big stuff is behind us.

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CategoriesActionObserveThink About It

Some Will And Some Won’t

Posted on August 20, 2020

People can be divided up into these two categories. Regardless of the situation or context, some will and some won’t. Get familiar with which people will end up in which group.

Perhaps you’ve invited people to a meeting. A group of the invitees will come to the meeting. Several people will not. Maybe you’ve transacted business with some people. Some will pay you and a few will not.

Having an opportunity fall into your lap is wonderful. There are those that will act on it straight away and use that opportunity to grow and succeed. Though there are always some people that will hide, shirk or otherwise ‘miss’ the opportunity.

The trick is to not get discouraged. Simply remember that some will and some won’t. Then focus on those that do. Help them. Work with those people. Forget about the people that won’t do their own push ups. Unable is one thing. However, choosing not to make the effort that will benefit them, that is another story.

I’m willing to help people that are willing to help themselves. Even better if they can take a little direction. Being able to see the reality they are in and confront the brutal facts of that reality is also beneficial.

So, in general, are you one that will or won’t?

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CategoriesReframe your thoughtsTime

It’s Got To Be Easy!

Posted on July 3, 2020

Everything ideally would be like the big red button theory espoused by Rory Sutherland in one of his insightful and funny TED talks. It’s got to be easy and simple for something to work well.

Remember the first time you ever used Google to search for something? There was nothing on the page except a letterbox to type in. It was so simple, intuitive and easy. And it got the result you wanted in milliseconds. Google also found two million other options should the usual suspects not be what you were looking for.

I opened a bank account at Starling Bank recently. Oh my, how easy was that. I didn’t have to leave my home and it was all done in 10 minutes. Then they sent me the bank card.

We often make things harder than they need to be. Keeping things simple is almost an art form. It takes more effort to make things effortless. But it is worth it.

Spend 10 minutes today trying to make your life simpler. If you are going to succeed at things, it’s got to be easy. Set up your environment to win. If you want to eat healthy, keep healthy food where you spend you’re time.

You get to make the choices, so make good ones.

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CategoriesActionGoals, Results & New ThinkingProgressReframe your thoughts

You Can Turn This Around

Posted on February 17, 2020

It’s not hopeless. It doesn’t need to be forever. There are always options. Good ones even. You can re-build or re-start from scratch. There’s a lot of awesome out there!

First you need to want something different. Ideally you can picture it in your mind, feel it in your bones and then describe it on paper. If you can’t find the time, or make the effort, to write it down, in a few bullet points, consider re-assessing if it is simply a wish rather than a goal.

If you’ve done the writing and are ready to go, then make a short little plan including the very next three simple steps you think you need to take to inch yourself closer to that goal. Call someone. Find an answer. Buy or borrow a book about it. It will then seem a little easier and you’ll feel like you’re on your way. Because technically, you are! (Cue the Quote: A journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step…)

Do these three steps as quick as you can. Do one now. Then the other two. You will feel good for starting.

You don’t have to do these steps and you don’t have to change anything. But if you want to change something, you really should get on with it: the clock’s ticking. If you don’t have anything in your life you would like to change or improve, you may now return to your regularly scheduled programming…

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CategoriesGoals, Results & New ThinkingReframe your thoughtsTime

New Beginnings

Posted on January 31, 2020

Setting off in a new direction can be both exciting and intimidating. The future could bring untold opportunity or challenges.

Regardless of what is to come, or how the change has come about, or whether you wanted the change or not, the best thing you can do is to take a deep breath, stand tall, smile and go forward, with an open mind and the confidence that things tend to work out well for those looking for things to work out well.

We can focus on the past, the “what could have been’s“, the plans you had, etc., but that is over now and new paths are to be forged. Allow yourself 5 minutes to mourn your loss, and not more, because every minute of life is too precious to dwell on unavailable paths.

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