Proposal Writing - How to Make Your Proposals Attractive to Your Clients

Corporate Training No Comments

Successful proposal writing requires you to make your proposals attractive as well as informative. Your proposal needs to offer your clients a sample of what their world will look like and feel like when they select you for their project.

You can make your proposals more attractive in at least three ways.

AVOID THE “WAR AND PEACE” PROPOSAL

Don’t force your clients to dread reviewing your proposals because they conjure up images of reading “War and Peace.”

Use the proper mix of graphics, fonts, photos, headers, bullets, and paragraphs that immediately proves to the clients that your proposal will be pleasing to the eye and not a burden on their brain.

FLATTERY WILL GET YOU MORE BUSINESS THAN BRAGGING

Attractive also means the readers will be drawn into your proposal because it addresses their stated wants, needs, desires, goals, budgets and timetables. Flatter your clients by making them the Number One consideration in the proposal, not the great things your products or services have done for others.

Your clients will be attracted to the proposal because it fits their situation, not your capabilities and past successes.

AIM FOR THE HEART AND THE HEAD

Your proposals become more attractive when they appeal to your clients emotionally and logically.

It appeals to their emotions because they appreciate something created to solve their problem, fix their pain, or vault them into a productive, prominent, and profitable position.

It appeals to their logic because they recognize the value your solution delivers to them. Your solution may not be the lowest price but the value your solution brings far exceeds any cost considerations.

Attract more business; attract more profits; make your proposals attractive to your clients.

Thus, editing and evaluating your proposals should be come a critical step in your proposal creation process. For your FREE instant access to an offer to evaluate up to 20 pages of your next non-government proposal, please visit: http://www.proposalwritingsuccess.com

 

Employee Performance Planning and Review Process

Human Resources No Comments

There are many advantages to both supervisors and employees in having an effective performance planning and review process. The process should identify clearly what is expected of the employee, which in turn provides the opportunity to recognize good performance and identify areas that need corrective action or added training.

Four areas that must be identified in a performance plan are:

1. Job responsibility - what has to be done?

2. Performance measure - how will this be checked or measured?

3. Performance standard - how well must it be done?

4. Target date - when will it be checked?

When building a performance plan, you would obtain information in these areas from the job description and you would also look to the organization needs to clarify which duties have priority and the standard they must be performed to. An effective performance plan should outline results expected, performance measures, standards to be achieved and target dates for measurement.

Performance plans are usually prepared at the beginning of annual review period, or when an employee first starts their new job. Preparing for the initial planning meeting should be undertaken by both the supervisor and the employee. Both supervisor and employee should be reviewing the goals, objectives and needs of the work unit and looking at the current job description. The supervisor should list the things in the job that they intend to measure, and the standards you will measure to. The employee could write down the ways they think each of their tasks could be measured and how well each should be performed.

Performance objectives and results to be achieved should be focused on results and set in order of priority. Measures should be specific to each task, with clear standards which include dates and times when appropriate.

The next step in the process is providing regular feedback. The supervisor should be maintaining a log of performance facts, which will ensure that important issues are given the attention that is required and will help the formal review proceed in a more focused and potentially more positive way. The employee should also maintain a record of accomplishments and special achievements, or issues that need to be resolved. Discussion of these things during scheduled or spontaneous feedback sessions will allow resolution of problems in a timely manner.

Reviewing performance gives the supervisor and the employee the opportunity to look at results that have been achieved in relation to the original plan and standards of performance that were established. At this meeting, you should review all performance records and assess each task, discussing whether they met the standards of performance or not, and whether they exceed those standards. Review any outside factors that may have had an effect on performance. At this time, the supervisor should be identifying any areas where improvement may be necessary or performance could be enhanced. The employee should also have the opportunity to discuss areas where they could have used more help.

Another important aspect to completing this cycle is action planning. This is where the supervisor and employee would plan for any training that needs to occur, and could also be where you discuss career planning.

The completion of this cycle should illustrate to us that a positive atmosphere of working together is beneficial to both the work organization, the supervisor and the employee.

Diane Ruth Mackay has worked in the human resource field for most of her career and is specifically interested in career planning, career development and helping people reach their full potential.

 

Four Strategies to Provide Training on a Limited Budget

Corporate Training No Comments

Imagine…you’ve just managed to save the training budget for this year. Although it’s been cut 25%, you were able to convince your boss of the need to maintain training, especially in economically challenging times. Now, working with 25% less, you have to implement training to address the concerns of several departments: Jennie, the customer service manager, wants her 25 reps trained; Bob, the IT manager, wants IT training for his department; Clarise, the administrative manager, says her support staff desperately need email business writing help. How can you service Jennie, Bob, and Clarise? What can you do to meet everyone’s needs on a limited budget?

The scenario mentioned above is all too real in today’s workplace, but with some creativity and a good training company willing to work with you, you can pull it off. Here’s how.

Assess the specific training needs of each manager; in our case: Jennie, Bob, and Clarise. Use this fact-finding assessment to identify the specific job performance skills each manager wants addressed. For example, it’s not good enough for Jennie to simply state, “My people need customer service training.” What kind of customer service training? What kind of skills do they already have? What are Jennie’s performance objectives for her department? What kind of training have they had in the past?

Assign a category to the training needed. Can it be provided on an informal or formal basis? Can you use an in-house trainer–someone from the department with that skill set, or will you need an outside trainer? Can you provide any part or all of the training online?

Address the cost involved to provide the training. For example, once you have determined that providing Jennie’s customer service training is most cost-effective utilizing web-based training, figure out what it will cost per employee. While conducting your research keep in mind that a reputable company should:

  • Charge no more than $25 per employee
  • Charge on a monthly basis (allowing you to stop and start on-line training at your discretion)
  • Be able to build or customize training content to meet your on-going and ever changing needs

Further, let’s assume that you’ve determined Clarise’s e-mail training request would benefit all three departments. In this case, you want to bring in a trainer, and you want to stagger the training days to enable all employees to attend. Negotiate with the training company to give you a full day of training split over two days for one price. For instance, if the company charges $3,500 for up to 40 employees, get the company to come in two half days. This option allows you to send 20 people to training one day and 20 the next day. Let’s not forget Bob, the IT manager. You find out from Bob who are his brightest team members and suggest using them to teach their other team members. Perhaps Bob feels uncomfortable with that solution, so you suggest he send one or two of his brightest and best to an outside training session then come back and teach the rest of the group. This option will keep your training costs down and morale up because Bob’s employees can now see a way to increase their value to the company and to themselves. Others on Bob’s team benefit from learning from co-workers, and they, too, see the company in a favorable light — one still willing to invest in their employees!

Analyze/Action involves analyzing all possible solutions and then taking action. So, let’s wrap this up and see how you’ve met everyone’s needs on your limited training budget:

  • Web-based Customer Service training for Jennie’s 25 reps totals $4,000: One-time set-up fee for unlimited monthly web access: $1,500 (This is an average. Some companies may charge up to $2,500). $25 per employee per month fee to access web-based training ($25 x 25 = $625). Jennie’s reps need three months ($625 x 4 = $2,500)
  • On-site E-Mail/Business Writing training for Clarise’s team is $3,500: Two four-hour training sessions for 40 employees, which happens to include Clarise’s team, Bob’s team, and Jennie’s team
  • Outside training session for Bob’s two employees who will, in turn, come back and teach/train their colleagues is $1,118: One day of training @ $399 for two employees = $798; paid time off for two employees @ $20/hour for 8 hours = $320

Summary: For $8,618, you’ve given each manager the training they’ve requested to grow their departments, increased the overall value of the organization to your customers, and… you have $1,382 left over for pizza! Remember, with a little creativity, the right training company, and a willingness to look at different options, you can assist each department in meeting their training needs!

Happy Training!

Dr. Angela D. Massey, an international motivational speaker, corporate trainer, and author is the owner of Life On Purpose LLC. She is the author and self-publisher of “Going the Distance - Success Strategies for Online Students” and “Turbo Charge Your Team!” She can be reached at http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com

 

7 Tips to Grow Your Savings Account Without Depriving Yourself

finances, money matters No Comments

Surely we all agree that having a savings account is important. What’s hard, however, is putting that concept into practice. It’s difficult to add to a savings account when you find yourself living paycheck to paycheck like many people find themselves having to do these days.

The good news is that even the smallest of contributions can have big impacts on the future of your account. There are certain things you can do to add to your account without it being a burden.

Try these tips to effortlessly boost your savings:

1. Small Automatic Deposits. Chances are you need all or most of your paycheck each period. However, you can save a small portion of this amount by having it automatically deposited into your savings account. Most banks will allow you to set up automatic transfers. Each time your paycheck is due in, schedule a transfer to savings.

  • Even if this amount is $5, it will add up over time.

2. Pay With Cash. When you pay for your essentials with cash, you’re really seeing the exact amounts of money you’re spending as the money changes hands. Then drop the change from these transactions into a jar when you get home. Before you know it, you’ll be depositing large amounts of change into your savings account with little effort!

3. Credit Card Round Up. Some credit cards, such as one by Bank of America, will actually round up each of your purchases for you to the nearest dollar amount. The rounded amount will be automatically deposited into your savings account. Getting one of these card accounts could make adding to your savings account easier on you.

4. Add Up Your Charges. One month, add up everything you spend. It doesn’t matter how you’ve made the purchases­ - cash, credit, debit, etc. In analyzing these expenses you’ll likely find some recurring expenses that can go. Perhaps there’s something you could live without. That small expense will pay you back in the future if you add it to your savings instead.

5. Avoid Impulse Buys. Everyone has fallen victim to an impulse buy at some point. Make a pact with yourself that you’ll never make them again. Instead, when you feel the need to get something, give yourself a 24-hour cooling off period.

  • If you still feel that you must have it after that time, go ahead and spend the money. If you’ve thought it over and you don’t need it, perhaps that money is better spent going directly into your savings account.

6. Avoid Credit Card Use. If you have trouble paying off your credit cards in full each month, stop using your cards. Switch over to cash and debit card use and slowly pay down the balance on your credit card.

  • As your balances are paid off, the money you used to pay in interest to the credit card companies can be better spent in your savings account.

7. Reduce Everyday Expenses. Do an evaluation of your required expenses such as internet, phone, and grocery bills. See if there are any ways to reduce these bills.

  • For instance, maybe you could easily switch to a lower cost phone plan or start clipping coupons at the grocery store.

  • If you could find an extra $50 in your budget this way, you can greatly improve the look of your savings account!

While you don’t need to implement all of these changes at once, you should now have a better idea of the many ways you can add to savings. Just remember that even a few cents can go a long way!

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How to Become an Effective Listener

Human Resources, Leadership, productivity No Comments

Effective communication is one of the keys to success, and when you’re good at it, people notice.

Most people think that strengthening communication skills involves developing persuasive speech and conversational skills, but what you may not realize is just how important effective listening can be.

Without an effective listener, none of your conversational skills would matter. This is because your points - no matter how clear - still wouldn’t be heard or understood.

Remember that listening is a full 50% of the communication effort so it’s worth your time to develop this precious skill, too.

Here are some techniques you can use to build your listening skills:

1. Fight the urge to speak. Sometimes when you’re engaged in a heated conversation, you start to concentrate on what you’re going to say next. You may even be tempted to open your mouth before the other person is finished. Make the extra effort to keep your lips sealed until they’re through talking.

· While they’re speaking, don’t worry about what you’re going to say or how you’re going to say it. Instead, focus on the words and body language of the other person.

2. Look interested. Your nonverbal communication skills are important while you’re listening. If you’re looking disinterested and uncaring, the person trying to communicate with you will likely pick up on these subtle hints. They may be flustered or less likely to share their thoughts. Makes sense, right?

· Engage with the person talking. Make eye contact and nod your head or smile. Let your conversation partner know that their points are coming across to you.

3. Repeat the highlights. One way to literally tell your conversation partner that they’re effectively communicating is to simply restate their points. You can repeat key phrases in an affirming tone. You can even give them a quick summary of what they just said in your own words.

· Avoid sharing your opinions when repeating their concepts or ideas. At this point, you simply want to communicate that you’ve completely understood their meaning.

4. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask your conversation partner to elaborate on what they’re saying. If you need further information, then ask for it. The important thing is that you understand what they’re trying to get across.

5. Be patient. It’s also important to maintain patience, especially when working with people who may be shy or may not have the ability to communicate very well. If you’re not patient, you may end the conversation prematurely or scare off your conversation partner.

6. Follow your partner’s lead. Being an effective listener doesn’t mean that your only job is to listen. You can certainly add to the conversation, too. At the same time, you don’t want to overpower the conversation. Add your input when they ask for it or when they’ve finished their point.

Remember that practice makes perfect. After you’ve had an important conversation, ask yourself what you remember from the conversation. Write down the details if necessary. Did you allow the other person to do most of the talking?

When you fight the urge to dominate conversations, you’ll be able to truly hear what people have to say!

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Layoffs - Managing Those Left Behind

Human Resources No Comments

Barbara managed a small company of 30 employees, a company we had been working with and helping to grow by working with the Laws of Achievement. Though the company was healthy and the team was growing in their abilities, through no fault of Barbara or her team, the current and projected level of business could not support 30 people. Barbara was forced to conduct a significant layoff.

Though she handled the layoff process as well as could be expected and worked with each employee to deal with unemployment issues and/or find other work, still she and the team members that remained were paralyzed…until Barbara learned how to manage the people left behind.

Layoffs are hard. And they are supposed to be. If they weren’t, it might mean you don’t have heart. Nevertheless, layoffs can become necessary even in a healthy business.

There are two main categories of reasons for layoffs. If an employee is not performing adequately, a manager needs to take that person through due process of counseling, training, or discipline. If the employee still can’t perform adequately, he or she needs to be terminated.

Too often we see companies putting up with inadequacies or incompetence, usually in the name of good will toward the employee. But this kind of inappropriate tolerance affects the entire team. At the least it lessens their motivation and morale, at the most it gives silent permission to be inadequate too.

A business is a business and needs to be conducted as one. Though you want to take care of people, you are not running a hospital. Though you want to accept people and help them grow, you are not running a church. A high performing team expects contribution from the team members and never tolerates incompetence. No contribution - no job.

A second reason for layoffs can be if there is a strategic decision to downsize. Outsourcing a current in-house function, eliminating a regional presence or the economy not supporting the current number of employees - all can cause a manager to lay off staff. And this is particularly hard.

Often, when a strategic decision to downsize occurs there is a decision to eliminate good people. When happens the individuals terminated can ask, “Why me?” (…as compared to other employees who, in their estimation, deserve to be fired). Even those left behind can say, “Why them?”

In any case, when layoffs occur, the event typically perpetuates questions, confusion and often fear in those left behind. There are many issues that need to be addressed in the process of layoffs - from HR, to financial impact to job restructuring. However, one issue that is not often handled well is managing those left behind.

The first consideration for their well being is to handle the layoff in a quick, kind, and caring way. Afterwards, especially if the layoff is significant, hold a team meeting to give as much reason and context for the layoff as possible. Be encouraging but not apologetic. This is one of those meetings where leadership skills (as compared to management skills) are supremely important.

The first person to consider in “managing those left behind” after a layoff is actually yourself. Your perspective will dictate your attitude and behavior. If your perspective leads you to feel remorse, guilt or being protective about those terminated, your attitude and behavior will be affected and transparent to others.

Get support, however, not from your staff. Seek encouragement, support or realistic perspective from someone senior to you or outside the company, as in your counselor, pastor or friend. As a manager, you must learn to “care without carrying.”

Next, it’s others on your team. The path of what to do is clear, but the timing of it is what takes wisdom. In addition to the process of loss, which each individual experiences, there are three phases the team as a whole will go through. They are as follows:

1. Adjustment: The team will need to adjust to a variety of realities surrounding a layoff - from personal issues, such as losing friends, to work load adjustments. During this phase there can be a lot of questions, confusion and questions about further layoffs. During this phase it is important to be close to your team. Give them as much information and perspective on the company as possible. Be positive, but not defensive. Your personal confidence about the future and firm stand on the necessity of the layoff decision is critical.

Be prepared for irrational responses. Unless significant, try to fend them off. Individuals who criticize and speak openly about their concerns may need to vent. This should be temporary. Making a mountain out of a mole hill at this phase can amplify something that may simply evaporate with time.

2. Challenge: It is important to allow a period of time for the adjustment phase. However, don’t get stuck at the first phase. A well meaning manager may perpetuate the complaints, concerns and fears of the team by continuing to talk about the layoffs, defend the decision, or act as a “care taker” of those who remain.

How long should you wait to begin phase two? This is your judgment call. Your personal wisdom or wisdom that comes from fellow leaders can determine when to engage this phase. Too quick and you appear insensitive. Too long and you risk embedding negative responses seen in phase one.

What needs to happen here is to call a meeting and create a challenge. The team needs to stop looking backward and begin to look forward. The challenge can refer to the need for the company to grow with the obvious implication - to avoid more layoffs. Be specific about what the challenge is and what each person or department needs to do to meet the challenge.

At this phase you need to be a leader and a manager. Be motivational and clear on the tasks, tools and metrics for success.

3. Development and growth: Remember - growth sustains success. When you and your team have normalized after a layoff, it’s time to get back in the saddle and work on growth issues. Developing, training and growing your team will support the challenge in phase two. Additionally it will create a stronger work force to grow the business.

Returning to the development and growth of the business is important now too. Strategic plans, marketing efforts, getting more efficient - all are important activities towards growing your business and preventing further layoffs.

These three phases will strengthen the team and build your business. Phase one, Adjustment, allows the team to vent, decompress and find their footing. Phase two, Challenge, gets the team looking forward again. Phase three, Development and Growth, is focused on preventing further layoffs. Taking a team through these three phases is the best way to manage those left behind after a layoff.

Bill and Joann Truby, are authors, consultants and speakers, who are focused on helping individuals achieve personal fulfillment and organizations increase their performance. They are the founders of Truby Achievements: http://www.trubyachievements.com

 

What is Co-Dependence and How Can It Stifle You?

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Everyone has likely heard the term co-dependence. But what does it really mean? When you get into a relationship, chances are you depend on your partner for certain things. This is to be expected and it’s part of the trust you build. However, you don’t want to lose your independence completely.

What Is Co-Dependence?

Co-dependency is a learned behavior that’s usually passed down from other family members. It is often described as losing yourself in your relationship. If you’re co-dependent you’d likely cover up the actions of others for relief in the short term, even if it’s a bad move in the long term.

Co-dependent people often don’t listen to their true selves and end up covering up negative emotions with destructive actions. They are more likely to develop problems with alcohol, drugs, food, sex, and more.

Are You Co-Dependent?

You might wonder if you just have a co-dependent tendency every once in awhile, or if you’re completely co-dependent all the time. In order to figure out whether you’re co-dependent or not, it might help to ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do you find it hard to adapt to change?
  • Are you worried about the opinions of others including close family members?
  • Do you tend to avoid an argument at all costs?
  • Do you make excuses for loved ones?
  • Do you feel lonely or ignored when your loved ones spend time with others?
  • Do you find it hard to express yourself?
  • Do you have trouble telling others “no”?
  • Do you often feel ashamed about your inner feelings?

While your answer can be yes to one or a few of these questions without being co-dependent, you should now have a better idea about how a co-dependent person feels. Deep down you likely know whether or not you have a true problem with co-dependence. If you do, it’s in your best interest to seek out professional help. There are counselors available that are specially trained in the area of co-dependency.

How Co-Dependence Affects Your Life

Co-dependence can affect your life greatly and affect your partner and others around you. Of course the affects will be of varying degrees.

Let’s say your partner battles a common, yet debilitating problem such as alcoholism. When they have a slip up, your co-dependent nature may wish to just cover up the slip up and just hope it’s a one-time deal. You’d make decisions like lying to others about whether or not it happened, helping your partner sober up quickly, or calling into work for your partner and claiming that they’re just sick.

You can now see how this decision just makes things “better” in the short run. It’s the easy way out and your partner won’t have to face anything difficult. They’ll be happier in the moment because you’re not causing them any immediate stress.

However, in the long run the problem is just going to continue and snowball. While it may not be the popular decision, you’ll need to learn how to stand up to your partner and strive for what you believe is right deep down.

Become More Independent

There are ways you can learn to be more independent. In the above example, you’ll know that you need to have the difficult conversations with your partner. You need to help them decide that they need to get over their problem once and for all.

You then need to decide that you’re going to concentrate on yourself. You need to know that your relationship with your partner is not all about them and their own problems. It’s about you, too.

Take the time to think about your long-term goals and what makes you happy. Remember that you must be able to stand on your own two-feet without shame, guilt, fear, or worry!


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7 Tips for Staying Within Your Budget

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For many people, staying within a budget can be challenging. If keeping to your budget seems like an insurmountable task, you’ll be happy to know that there are ways to stretch your budget and still enjoy a quality lifestyle.

Some budgets may work well with your lifestyle, while others may not. If you find that one technique is difficult, all is not lost! Other techniques may be a better fit, which can then lead to the financial freedom you desire.

Consider the following tips for staying within your budget:

1. Put Your Credit Cards Away. You can even freeze your cards in water if it’ll deter you from using them! It’s so easy to forget the true costs of the things you buy when you just swipe your card. Don’t feel guilty about falling for this trick; the easiest way to combat it is to keep your cards hidden away. Only bring them out when they’re truly needed.

2. Make Envelopes. Grab a stack of envelopes, mark each one with a designated expense, and put in your allotted allowance for each expense. It’s easy to stay on track when the money for your bills is pre-counted and away from reach.

3. Use Cash. It’ll help you see the true value of what you’re spending if you only use cash. If you don’t like handling money, you could opt for using your debit card. Just remember to stay on top of your balance so you don’t overdraw your account.

4. Cut Back. Believe it or not, there are usually ways you can cut back without even feeling much of a difference.

  • Take some time out of your weekend to call up the cable company, the phone company, or your cell phone company. Discuss different lower cost plans. Maybe you don’t use all of your cell phone minutes each month or perhaps you can live without HBO.

5. Grocery Shopping. There are certain luxury items that some people opt to place in their budgets, while others won’t. However, a grocery bill is something that everyone shares. Analyze how much you spend each week at the grocery store and see if you can bring down the average amount.

  • Coupon clipping and warehouse shopping are great places to start.

6. Budget for a Splurge Item. Treat yourself to something special every once in awhile while still staying in your budget. While you may not be able to afford it too often, you can save up some money for a special treat for yourself.

  • It may be something you’ve been meaning to get or maybe you just want some money to hit up the town or go to a movie. The point is, if you’ve budgeted for this it won’t be a shock when you balance the books later.

7. Homemade Gifts. There are always many holidays throughout the year where you’re expected to deliver gifts for your loved ones. If you’re tight with cash, don’t forget about homemade gifts. These gifts are most often considered more thoughtful than anything you could have purchased.

  • For example, make a scrapbook or photo album. While there’s some cost involved, the finished product will be priceless - yet far less than the latest gadget.

Keep Tweaking

If you’re still having trouble balancing the budget, it’s important to keep trying new things until you have a system that makes you feel comfortable. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. A financial planner or financial counselor can give you even more valuable ideas.

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Expect the Unexpected - Creating a Plan B for Greater Financial Security

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Now more than ever, it’s important to secure your financial future. If the chips are ever down, you’ll at least have a plan to turn to for help.

It’s true that you should put your whole heart in your main source of income. When you work hard enough with a drive to succeed, nothing will keep you away from that success. However, unexpected circumstances come into play every so often, so you may need to divert to Plan B temporarily.

Here are some ideas for building a rock-solid Plan B:

1. Develop Multiple Streams of Income. When your main stream of income is sufficient to sustain your family, you may be tempted to rely on that income alone. However, it’s always a good idea to insulate and supplement that income. You may think you don’t absolutely need the money, but you can always save for future unexpected expenses.

  • Look for other opportunities for side jobs in your field
  • Turn a hobby into a money maker
  • Consider wise investments to grow money faster

2. Add to Your Savings. You’ll need to realize that even small contributions will add up to something big before you know it. Shop around for a high yield savings account. Tell yourself that you’ll add a fixed amount to the fund each month. Have an automatic withdrawal every month even if you can only afford $10 or $25 at a time. Over the long run this really adds up!

3. Develop Your Skills. Always be on the look out for opportunities to improve your current skill set, or to develop completely new skills. This will give you back up career opportunities. If you pigeon hole yourself into one set career, you’ll be scrambling if something unexpected happens. While it’ll still be a bummer if Plan A falls through, it’ll feel so much better when you can launch into Plan B without panicking.

4. Make Contacts and Establish Good Relationships. You’ve probably heard the saying: “Don’t burn your bridges.” You truly never know when you might want to walk a certain path, so don’t close any doors hastily. Also, remain open and make contacts wherever you can. You might just be hanging out at the gym after work, but you never know what kind of friendship you can drum up, and how that person may be able to help you out in the future.

5. Write Out Your Plans. It’s vital to maintain a certain amount of organization in your plans. When establishing your life’s Plan A and Plan B, it’ll really help to write everything down. Have separate lists for your short term and long term financial goals. Cross off goals as you meet them. This way you’ve got a written reminder of your progress. If Plan B comes into play, you’ll have written instructions and you won’t have to worry.

Making Wise Choices

When it comes down to deciding what you should do with your money, remember to always invest in some sure bets. You don’t want to gamble with your money expecting greater gains. Your best bet is to find a middle ground. Decide on a certain amount of money that automatically goes into a savings account and can’t be touched.

When you have a nest egg for unexpected life events, it gives you time to execute your Plan B. If you’re lucky enough to have extra cash coming in, you can then decide to be riskier with your financial decisions. As long as you know you have enough money coming in, it may be worth your time and investment.

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Keys to Success: Perseverance

Human Resources, Leadership, money matters, productivity No Comments

Achieving your goals is hardly ever an easy journey. If it were easy, we’d all already be there. One of the keys to success is, without a doubt, perseverance. With improved perseverance you’ll have that extra push from within to try, try again.

Humans have the tendency to want to control everything. Since there are always situations that can’t be controlled, suffering occurs. Unfortunately, this suffering can’t be escaped. Your goal should never be to avoid mistakes at all costs and seek control. Your goal should be to strengthen your perseverance by effectively dealing with the situation when things go awry.

Keep these tips in mind as you strengthen your perseverance:

1. Never Give Up. When you have an ultimate goal, you owe it to yourself to completely follow through. There are going to be plenty of bumps in the road. Don’t let any of these bumps bring you down. Always be seeking new ways of approaching problems.

2. Seek Out the Positive. When things have become overwhelmingly negative for you, seek out positive things in your life. You might want to surround yourself with loved ones or watch positive movies. You definitely want to seek out situations that’ll promote your optimism and enthusiasm.

3. Take Action and Responsibility. Do whatever you can to inspire yourself to take bold actions toward your goal. Fight the urge to procrastinate or settle for less. Thinking about your goals is simply not enough; you need to start somewhere in order to get yourself there. You can’t wait for some sign or higher power to get you to where you want to go, you must be willing to take action!

4. Get Help When Needed. Be wise enough to know when a situation warrants help from others. You don’t need to take every single thing into your own hands. Instead, choose to follow advice from the people you trust or the experts in your chosen field. Flat out ask them how they’ve maintained the drive to keep going.

5. Know Your True Self. Knowing yourself and having organized thoughts can improve your perseverance. When you know where you’re going and the steps you need to take to get there, that’s half the battle. That’s why you need to take the proper amount of time for self-reflection. Know the true ins and outs of what you want and exactly why you want it.

6. Stop Bad Habits. Do everything in your power to put a stop to bad habits. If there are certain behaviors you’ve identified that are keeping you from achieving your goals, you need to get rid of them. This could be simply negative thinking or you might be fighting procrastination. When you concentrate on each bad habit individually, you’ll be better able to deal with the problems that might exist.

7. Concentrate on Stress Management. Stress management and your level of perseverance are definitely related. When stress overwhelms you, it clouds your current thinking and brings on negativity. Your perseverance can’t flourish in a negative environment. You must first conquer any problems you have with stress so you’ll be better able to reach your goals.

Step By Step

Perseverance is likely already a part of your life. You just need to bring it out and strengthen its existence. It all boils down to the power of thought. When you think you can, you will. When you think you can’t, you won’t.

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