Adjust your perspective and focus on positive and grateful aspects of your life. Things could be better, sure, but they could also be much worse, don’t forget that. Work on those areas you want to improve, but don’t take people and valuable opportunities you have for granted.

We are all people first. Then, our gender, race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, political or sports affiliations come into play. People first, please remember that in all you do each day in your daily lives and be of service and value to others, don’t go out of your way to bring them down. Help others and by doing so you will be helping yourself.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle”

Find your comfort zone, then leave it.

As you arrive at a new place pay attention to whether you are challenged to grow and learn as that is a good place to be a part of long-term. Learning new things and failing along the way is part of career growth and advancement so don’t doubt yourself for a second as there’s a reason you were selected to join this new organization.

Fulfillment, progress and growth is what all of us what in life so go find your place that provides those for you.

Time. The value of time. It is something you can’t buy or acquire. We all have 24 hours in a day, what matters is how we use those hours each day.

Meetings. Ever present for most in some shape or form, yet commonly ineffective and disliked by the majority. Why?

• Why do they default to an hour?
• Do we need a full hour to discuss the agenda items and make decisions? That is of course, if you get an agenda ahead of time.
• Do they need to take place every week?
• Do we need to have 17 of them to discuss the same thing over the past 6 months?
• Are the decision makers present? If not, why not?

As you can tell, there are so many questions about how and why we meet and what is the value that is expected to come out of them as a result of that invested time, effort and energy.

Greatness requires discipline. While your talents and innate abilities are outside your immediate control, what you can control is work, effort, energy and commitment. All of which require you to be disciplined and intentional with your time, responsibilities and priorities.

I love success, I do. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be successful, however you might define success for yourself.

Failing along the way is an unavoidable part of learning, improvements and growth, but to love failing is insane. While I don’t know anyone who loves to fail, one shouldn’t be afraid of taking risks, challenging themselves and trying something new. Going to places you haven’t been before is how you will see what you are truly made of and are you able to adapt, innovate, create and think differently.

Share business and career opportunities as they come your way and you are unable to capitalize on them. Also, speak the truth about those you have worked with, don’t simply “pass the buck.” Be honest and help others, in everything that you do.

Say yes to opportunities and don’t over-analyze everything that comes your way. Additionally, take every opportunity to surround yourself with intelligent and capable people. Do all you can to find ways to spend time with successful people, people you can and want to learn from and perhaps join them at their level one day. Finally, be very intentional about how and where you spend your time, efforts and energy as it mattes, a lot.