The Dream Challenge!

We’ve all heard the story about the turtle and the hare. The turtle, slowly, but surely heading towards the finish line, beating out the quick, but lazy rabbit. Obviously, there is a moral to that story, and here it is:

Just because you’re a genius, or you think you’re smarter than 90 percent of the population, nothing (and I mean NOTHING) beats out a good work ethic. A good work ethic means showing up every day and working towards your goals. It means putting in the time it takes in order to get from point A to point B, and not letting the distractions of life prevent you from hitting that finish line.

The world is full of high-powered executives who didn’t go to Harvard or Yale and who aren’t necessarily smarter or more talented than you. The difference between the executive and the entry level (or the unemployed, for that matter), is the work put in.

The executive has paid his dues. He has probably worked for various companies, built valuable relationships, and now has the clout and resume necessary to work in an executive-level position.

You may be a super genius. You may be the next Mark Zuckerberg for all I know, but that won’t mean anything if it’s not geared toward any focused goals.

I’m not sure if you saw the movie,  The Social Network, but if you did, you saw that Zuckerberg and the programmers for facebook, the ones who are essentially responsible for the social media-giant, were certainly not sitting around. They were docked at computer stations, typing code days on end.

Now, you don’t need to lock yourself in a way, sitting at a computer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to get ahead. But how about this, for all of those employed, and unemployed, give yourself a goal. From Monday morning between 9 and 10, to Friday night between 6 and 7, work toward that goal. Without distractions, without doubt (doubt is toxic to success), and without lazing around.

Working toward your goals, slowly, steadily, and putting in the the proper time (40 hours a week minimum of actual work) I can assure you, you can achieve your goals. Whatever they may be.

Take the dream challenge!

Tags: 40 hours work woeed, dreams, employed, Friday, monday, success, unemployed, work

Giving Thanks: The New Face of Veteran’s Day

We like to give thanks when it’s Friday. You might hear your co-workers chirp “TGIF!”, or see many shout-outs to Friday in your friends’ status messages on Facebook or Twitter. Some of you out there might have been especially perky today because you have Monday off for Veteran’s Day.

Before you start mentally reviewing your 3-day weekend (or what you would do if you had a 3-day weekend), let’s just take a moment to give thanks again. Not because it’s Friday, but because there are many, many veterans out there who need to be recognized for their service.

When you think of Veteran’s Day, you may picture a group of older gentlemen telling stories about their service in WWII, Korea, or Vietnam. They may appear at dedications in their honor, waving small US flags and wearing their medals. Certainly Veteran’s Day honors the brave men and women from these past wars, but what about recent history?

The wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan have yielded veterans of all ages and backgrounds. Veteran’s Day is no longer just about honoring your grandmother or grandfather. It’s also about the guy who lost his leg in Fallujah and now working at the 7-11, the young family down the street having financial problems since the wife was deployed to Iraq, a young man rying to sell some of his things before his deployment. They are people your age fighting for our country and then many times returning to work in our stores, fields, and schools. Sometimes, sadly, they don’t come back.

Rethinking the way we look at Veteran’s Day also means rethinking how we might observe it. If you know a veteran, call them and offer your heartfelt thanks. Listen to their stories if they want to tell them.

The future First Lady Michelle Obama has strongly hinted that her focus may be on military families.

Here are some websites you can go to for more information about getting veterans the help they need and deserve:

Welcome Back Veterans lists many ways you can help.

Hire a Hero: a resource where employers can find quality candidates who have military experience.

Volunteer for the USO

As we go about work and make plans, remember that our wars involve US Citizens who left civilian life for our sake.

Tags: day off, Employment, Friday, Jobs, michelle obama, military, obama, Veteran's Day, volunteer, war