Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Pursuit of Success & Happiness.
So many of us go through life with our heads in the sand, accepting current circumstances as inevitable, whilst setting implausible, unrealistic and unreasonable agendas for our futures. Through our actions (and often inactions) we demonstrate our lack of faith in our own dreams, visions and abilities and therefore fail to grasp our own destinies and shape our futures.
Success is both immeasurable and intangible. This is great news because in that state, we can shape it as we wish and develop the mindset to invite as much of it as possible into our lives.
There is a glass ceiling on abundance, just waiting to be smashed. It represents the limited thinking of the 95% of the world’s population who believes in the power of limitation in their lives. In fact, the only limits on success and happiness in our lives are those we place there ourselves, through our own inadequate vision of who we are and where we’re going.
Success is a state of being – it’s a place we reside when we have moved from a position of wanting (desire) to a more agreeable state of being (having).
‘The difference between success and failure is not just one’s abilities or dreams, but the courage to follow them and take the steps necessary to embrace success’ (KR)
Achievement can be many things, depending upon your lifestyle, passion and vision of the ideal world in which you would like to reside. These include optimum health and longevity; an abundance of joy, love and happiness; a better job; new car; larger sums of money; a more stable relationship; deeper and longer lasting friendships; inner peace and harmony; a clearer vision of ourselves and our lives and the accumulation of more compassion and gratitude in our lives. The list and scope are literally endless.
‘I autograph each and every day of my life with my personal signature of success. Achievement comes because I commit to ownership of my positive, results-driven actions’ (KR)
In fact, success can be all of these things and still, none at all. If we look at Mother Teresa for instance, who could ever suggest she was not successful. She had only to visit a head of state or a business mogul and she was able to raise enormous funds for a new school or hospital. I never remember her living in a New York penthouse or driving around in a Ferrari. I have no doubt she had no money in the bank, nor did she have a holiday house on the Riviera where she could spend her summer holiday. However, she was one of the most successful luminaries who ever lived.
‘Once you allow yourself to go within, believe in yourself as a wonderful and unique being and listen to your inner voice, your subconscious self will surely lead you to personal greatness in your life’ (KR)
The true essence of success and happiness is the inner calm we have, at the life we lead. It cannot be measured in material wealth, though for most of us, it is a big part of the equation. It is not a ‘sin’ to have financial wealth and material goods in your life: Indeed, these are two things to which many of us aspire and they are core to our existence. It is certainly not a crime to surround yourself with trappings such as the houses, cars, artwork, holiday homes and large sums of money.
However, they are called trappings because if these are the aspects of abundance on which you focus, you will fall into the trap and whilst outwardly you may appear to have an incredible and abundant life, inwardly you run the risk of becoming barren and desolate.
Success is the result of your keen vision of the future you want – for yourself, your family and friends – and therefore any pursuit must encompass the elements which make up the whole person. You cannot hope to be fulfilled if you do not have gratitude for what you possess, who you are and where you are going. Opportunity comes out of vision. You fuel it with determination and wrap it in a parcel which is driven by love, compassion and gratitude.
‘There is a wonderful and unique garden within each of us. Many sow wonderful blossoms – dreams, visions, ideas and notions - and nurture the growth with inspiration, faith, courage, gratitude and determination. Others however, allow the garden to become like a desert, because of their failure to care for and respect the inner spirit’
You can never hope to find true happiness if you are unable to link with the ‘inner self’. The essential elements of focus, determination, drive, commitment, compassion, generosity, gratitude and love, give you the power to form the key which will enable you to open the door to stability and opportunity in your world.
Once you have a plan of action – and this is paramount to your blueprint for a wonderful future – and you adopt the key components as part of your everyday routine, you will begin to see success and abundance. You have to be truly grateful for what occurs in life. You must believe above all else that you are worthy of great things.
‘Once you learn to like, love, respect and believe in yourself, the fear you hold inside (of failure, resentment, greed, desolation and poverty) will begin to disappear and the acid remarks of others will have no impact on your thinking’ (KR)
Never be afraid of what you may achieve: Instead, feel apprehension for what you may not. Each of us has the capacity for greatness. We need only respect ourselves and our abilities - no matter how limiting we believe them to be – and hitch them to the wagon of planning and opportunity.
‘Most people fail not because they simply don’t embrace success, but rather, because they most fear it and the responsibilities it brings’ (KR)
I always encourage my clients to begin each day with a quiet prayer of gratitude for the wonders and opportunities in the day ahead and for the obstacles which might be encountered. They are simply guide posts towards a more colourful, clear and all embracing future. This need have no religious basis at all. It is simply a prayer to the power which exists within each of us and in the universe, to which we are inextricably linked.
‘Once you learn to listen to the voice of reason within, the whispers will soon become shouts and your life will lead you on a wonderful and fulfilling journey’ (KR)
Similarly, finish each evening with the same prayer for what you have achieved – and still, for what you have not. Tomorrow is another day; begin to fill it with sunshine, abundance, opportunities and encouragement. If there were no clouds, we could never be grateful for the sunshine which touches our lives. Likewise, without obstacles, we would not feel the warmth of success through achievement. Gratitude is the expression of our thankfulness for ALL those things which make us whole beings.
‘Destiny – fortune or failure - is primarily determined by the balance of success and disappointment in our lives and the way we subsequently respond to challenges’ (KR)
Never underestimate the power of the self to respond to adversity. Whilst ever you hold inside the power of intention, fuelled with the wonderfully empowering tools we all have for setting the course for our incredible destinies, we have the capacity to rise to incredible heights in our lives.
Allow the transformation to begin today. Understand what it is that holds you back and begin the program which will see success and abundance as keep components of a great life. There are no barriers to achievement: Sex, colour, creed, orientation and physical ability can never hold you back if you believe in the path you’re traveling and have total and unswerving belief in yourself. In fact, when you learn to have faith in and respect for yourself – with pride and passion for all things positive which are core components of your very being – you will truly have the power to fuel your journey and bring you incredible success. There is no room for doubt.
Begin to build meaningful relationships across your life and never be afraid to step out of the shadow of mediocrity. The sunshine of opportunity will be a far greater and more profound beacon, which will add further dimensions to your life.
The pursuit of success and happiness should come from inside. You cannot ever hope to embrace success if you do not hold yourself in high self-esteem. You are a wonderful being, with unfathomable abilities, drive, knowledge and wisdom. Tap into that great source today and take the journey of a lifetime.
‘Never rely on the enlightenment of others, to show you the way. Use your personal light within to shine on the path ahead and forge your own strong and successful future, according to your individual hierarchy of values’ (KR)
The future will continue to unfold no matter what you decide. So make the conscious decision - RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW - to shape your destiny according to your own values, dreams, and visions.
‘Keep hold of your dreams and follow them; they surely won’t follow you’ (KR)
With gratitude,
Kieran
Success is both immeasurable and intangible. This is great news because in that state, we can shape it as we wish and develop the mindset to invite as much of it as possible into our lives.
There is a glass ceiling on abundance, just waiting to be smashed. It represents the limited thinking of the 95% of the world’s population who believes in the power of limitation in their lives. In fact, the only limits on success and happiness in our lives are those we place there ourselves, through our own inadequate vision of who we are and where we’re going.
Success is a state of being – it’s a place we reside when we have moved from a position of wanting (desire) to a more agreeable state of being (having).
‘The difference between success and failure is not just one’s abilities or dreams, but the courage to follow them and take the steps necessary to embrace success’ (KR)
Achievement can be many things, depending upon your lifestyle, passion and vision of the ideal world in which you would like to reside. These include optimum health and longevity; an abundance of joy, love and happiness; a better job; new car; larger sums of money; a more stable relationship; deeper and longer lasting friendships; inner peace and harmony; a clearer vision of ourselves and our lives and the accumulation of more compassion and gratitude in our lives. The list and scope are literally endless.
‘I autograph each and every day of my life with my personal signature of success. Achievement comes because I commit to ownership of my positive, results-driven actions’ (KR)
In fact, success can be all of these things and still, none at all. If we look at Mother Teresa for instance, who could ever suggest she was not successful. She had only to visit a head of state or a business mogul and she was able to raise enormous funds for a new school or hospital. I never remember her living in a New York penthouse or driving around in a Ferrari. I have no doubt she had no money in the bank, nor did she have a holiday house on the Riviera where she could spend her summer holiday. However, she was one of the most successful luminaries who ever lived.
‘Once you allow yourself to go within, believe in yourself as a wonderful and unique being and listen to your inner voice, your subconscious self will surely lead you to personal greatness in your life’ (KR)
The true essence of success and happiness is the inner calm we have, at the life we lead. It cannot be measured in material wealth, though for most of us, it is a big part of the equation. It is not a ‘sin’ to have financial wealth and material goods in your life: Indeed, these are two things to which many of us aspire and they are core to our existence. It is certainly not a crime to surround yourself with trappings such as the houses, cars, artwork, holiday homes and large sums of money.
However, they are called trappings because if these are the aspects of abundance on which you focus, you will fall into the trap and whilst outwardly you may appear to have an incredible and abundant life, inwardly you run the risk of becoming barren and desolate.
Success is the result of your keen vision of the future you want – for yourself, your family and friends – and therefore any pursuit must encompass the elements which make up the whole person. You cannot hope to be fulfilled if you do not have gratitude for what you possess, who you are and where you are going. Opportunity comes out of vision. You fuel it with determination and wrap it in a parcel which is driven by love, compassion and gratitude.
‘There is a wonderful and unique garden within each of us. Many sow wonderful blossoms – dreams, visions, ideas and notions - and nurture the growth with inspiration, faith, courage, gratitude and determination. Others however, allow the garden to become like a desert, because of their failure to care for and respect the inner spirit’
You can never hope to find true happiness if you are unable to link with the ‘inner self’. The essential elements of focus, determination, drive, commitment, compassion, generosity, gratitude and love, give you the power to form the key which will enable you to open the door to stability and opportunity in your world.
Once you have a plan of action – and this is paramount to your blueprint for a wonderful future – and you adopt the key components as part of your everyday routine, you will begin to see success and abundance. You have to be truly grateful for what occurs in life. You must believe above all else that you are worthy of great things.
‘Once you learn to like, love, respect and believe in yourself, the fear you hold inside (of failure, resentment, greed, desolation and poverty) will begin to disappear and the acid remarks of others will have no impact on your thinking’ (KR)
Never be afraid of what you may achieve: Instead, feel apprehension for what you may not. Each of us has the capacity for greatness. We need only respect ourselves and our abilities - no matter how limiting we believe them to be – and hitch them to the wagon of planning and opportunity.
‘Most people fail not because they simply don’t embrace success, but rather, because they most fear it and the responsibilities it brings’ (KR)
I always encourage my clients to begin each day with a quiet prayer of gratitude for the wonders and opportunities in the day ahead and for the obstacles which might be encountered. They are simply guide posts towards a more colourful, clear and all embracing future. This need have no religious basis at all. It is simply a prayer to the power which exists within each of us and in the universe, to which we are inextricably linked.
‘Once you learn to listen to the voice of reason within, the whispers will soon become shouts and your life will lead you on a wonderful and fulfilling journey’ (KR)
Similarly, finish each evening with the same prayer for what you have achieved – and still, for what you have not. Tomorrow is another day; begin to fill it with sunshine, abundance, opportunities and encouragement. If there were no clouds, we could never be grateful for the sunshine which touches our lives. Likewise, without obstacles, we would not feel the warmth of success through achievement. Gratitude is the expression of our thankfulness for ALL those things which make us whole beings.
‘Destiny – fortune or failure - is primarily determined by the balance of success and disappointment in our lives and the way we subsequently respond to challenges’ (KR)
Never underestimate the power of the self to respond to adversity. Whilst ever you hold inside the power of intention, fuelled with the wonderfully empowering tools we all have for setting the course for our incredible destinies, we have the capacity to rise to incredible heights in our lives.
Allow the transformation to begin today. Understand what it is that holds you back and begin the program which will see success and abundance as keep components of a great life. There are no barriers to achievement: Sex, colour, creed, orientation and physical ability can never hold you back if you believe in the path you’re traveling and have total and unswerving belief in yourself. In fact, when you learn to have faith in and respect for yourself – with pride and passion for all things positive which are core components of your very being – you will truly have the power to fuel your journey and bring you incredible success. There is no room for doubt.
Begin to build meaningful relationships across your life and never be afraid to step out of the shadow of mediocrity. The sunshine of opportunity will be a far greater and more profound beacon, which will add further dimensions to your life.
The pursuit of success and happiness should come from inside. You cannot ever hope to embrace success if you do not hold yourself in high self-esteem. You are a wonderful being, with unfathomable abilities, drive, knowledge and wisdom. Tap into that great source today and take the journey of a lifetime.
‘Never rely on the enlightenment of others, to show you the way. Use your personal light within to shine on the path ahead and forge your own strong and successful future, according to your individual hierarchy of values’ (KR)
The future will continue to unfold no matter what you decide. So make the conscious decision - RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW - to shape your destiny according to your own values, dreams, and visions.
‘Keep hold of your dreams and follow them; they surely won’t follow you’ (KR)
With gratitude,
Kieran
Your eyes are like my mothers, when we talk you're like my brother.
Where we gonna go from here? -Matt Kearney
Lyrics to Where We Gonna Go From Here :All of your ways and all your thunderGet me in a haze running for coverWhere we gonna go from hereWe we gonna go from hereCar lights in the drivewayI wonder who's going coming my wayTomorrow we're turning down the highwayWith another bright state on a weekdayGreen grass and a radioWatching it fly past and away we goSeven hundred places seven hundred faces more[chorus]All your haze and all your thunderGot me in a haze running for coverWhere we gonna go from hereWhere we gonna go from hereThe back of your eyes look like my mothersWhne we talk your like my brotherWhere we gonna go from hereWhere we gonna go from hereTime is moving on our sideHow could I miss you to another guyPull of the ocean and the roaring tideIs bigger than my eyes or my designFather got a best planSaving his daughter for the best manSeven hundred places seven hundred faces more[chorus]I've waited and I'll wait some moreWon't see me knocking on another doorBut all this is crazy and amazingThere's only one half of us that I'm savingSo I'm praying just to let it goWatch from a distance just to see you glowSeven hundred places seven hundred faces more[chorus]
Lyrics to Where We Gonna Go From Here :All of your ways and all your thunderGet me in a haze running for coverWhere we gonna go from hereWe we gonna go from hereCar lights in the drivewayI wonder who's going coming my wayTomorrow we're turning down the highwayWith another bright state on a weekdayGreen grass and a radioWatching it fly past and away we goSeven hundred places seven hundred faces more[chorus]All your haze and all your thunderGot me in a haze running for coverWhere we gonna go from hereWhere we gonna go from hereThe back of your eyes look like my mothersWhne we talk your like my brotherWhere we gonna go from hereWhere we gonna go from hereTime is moving on our sideHow could I miss you to another guyPull of the ocean and the roaring tideIs bigger than my eyes or my designFather got a best planSaving his daughter for the best manSeven hundred places seven hundred faces more[chorus]I've waited and I'll wait some moreWon't see me knocking on another doorBut all this is crazy and amazingThere's only one half of us that I'm savingSo I'm praying just to let it goWatch from a distance just to see you glowSeven hundred places seven hundred faces more[chorus]
The Big 3; not as smart or corrupt as Enron but just as idiotic.
Reading more about the Big 3 is frustrating. They were in trouble well before this credit crisis, and this credit crisis is definitely the straw that broke that camels back. But this industry has long been flawed. It's amazing to me the Big 3's CEO's would have the audacity to come before Congress so inept, unprepared, and clueless. Like they had some right to the bailout money. They had no plan in place, no details, or concept of what they would do with it. I'm sure they had some sort of notion, but they failed to show Congress they did. On top of everything, just like Enron's bigwig's they flew in corporate jets to the hearing. You cannot be connected to the outside world if you think you're going to beg for money for the goverment and spend $20,000 just to get to court. Are they lunatics? Have they not learned from Enron? I am appalled how clueless they seem to be about their persona to the rest of the world, to the rest of the nation, to it's very own state. This "right of entitlement" attitude is unbelievable, but that's the same attitude that let the foreign automakers somehow get a competitive advantage. It isn't necessarily okay to bailout wall street and the financials, and then turn a blind eye to the automakers, but it doesn't mean we have an endless well to draw from either. The banks didn't fail because they were behind the eight ball, they didn't fail because they were losing to competitors, they failed because they made stupid gambles, quit acting like banks, and were on the wrong side of credit-default swaps, securitization and leverage brought them down, greed and stupidity. The big 3 are failing because they aren't efficient, they have to many grandfathered debts (healthcare, union, penions, etc), the competitors are simply more profitable. How will a short term bailout change anything in the long term? If the banks act like banks they practically mint money, not anywhere near 20% but a nice slow steady growth, that's if they act like banks. The big 3 however is losing money every quarter, they aren't making money, how is chasing bad money with good money a good idea? They at least need to have a game plan, you can't win the game if you don't know the rules. If you can't sell goverment on a bailout how are you going to sell a car on a lot?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
"The Last Song" -All American Rejects
This may be the last thing that I write for longCan you hear me smiling when I sing this song?For you and only youAs I leave will you be someone to say good-bye?As I leave will you be someone to wipe your eye?My foot is out the door and you can't stop me nowYou wanted the bestIt wasn't meWill you give it back?Now I'll take the leadWhen there's no more room to make it growI'll see you againYou'll pretend you're naiveIs this what you want?Is this what you need?How you end up? Let me knowAs I go remember all the simple things you knowMy mind is just a crutch and I still hopeThat you will miss me when I'm goneThis is the last songThe hearts start breaking as the year is goneThe dream's beginning and the time rolls onIt seems so surreal And now I sing itSomehow I knew that it would be this waySomehow I knew that it would slowly fadeNow I am goneJust try and stop me nowYou wanted the bestIt wasn't meWill you give it back?Now I'll take the leadWhen there's no more room to make it growI'll see you againYou'll pretend you're naiveIs this what you want?Is this what you need?How you end up? Let me knowAs I go remember all the simple things you knowMy mind is just a crutch and I still hopeThat you will miss me when I'm goneThis is the last songWill you need me nowYou'll find a way somehowYou wanted toI want it tooAs I go remember all the simple things you knowMy mind is just a crutch and I still hopeThat you will miss me when I'm goneThis is the last songAs I go remember all the simple things you knowMy mind is just a crutch and I still hopeThat you will miss me when I'm goneThis is the last song
The scary loss of market support (Charley Blaine)
I was fairly sure a couple of weeks ago that the market was putting in a bottom. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index told me so.
I was so confident that a bottom was forming that I even commissioned a graphic showing why. Now, I'm worried about how far much farther the market could fall. The S&P 500 tells me so.
Here's why.
My confidence was built on how the S&P 500 behaved after dropping for no more than a minute on Oct. 10 to 839.80. That was the start of a wild day of trading.
The S&P approached 839.80 one more time on Oct. 10, and, between then and Nov. 12, the market tested that low four times, bouncing up each time.
Technical analysts call repeated bounces off a low level the establishment of a support level, which means that the mere act of approaching that level generates new buying. (There are, of course, millions of ways to identify a market bottom -- which is to say, a market bottom shows up when it shows up. Check this set of criteria.)
I, for one, was hoping that support seemed to be forming between 840 and 850 on the S&P. If it kept holding at roughly those levels, then confidence would start to build among investors and, in time, confidence would beget buying. I wasn't alone in watching the market trend after Oct. 10. Check this post on Seeking Alpha. USA Today noted the chatter as well.
I was under no illusions that the formation of a bottom meant stocks would take off again. If all went well, I thought the market would muddle along for, say, six to nine months. And, once the economy started to show real signs of recovery, then stocks might move slowly higher. That's what happened after bear markets in 1973-74, 1981-82 and 1987. After the dot-com bust and the after-effect of the Sept. 2001 terror attacks, the bottom came in October 2002, followed by a major test in March 2003.
Alas, my hopes were shattered quickly.
On Nov. 13, the S&P dropped to 818.91, which was bad but not horrible.
On Wednesday, the support gave way. The S&P 500 closed at 806.58, just above its low on the day at 806.18.
Thursday, the market just seemed to fall apart. The S&P 500 fell to 752.44, which was below its closing and intraday lows in 2002, in the aftermath of the dot-com bust and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The index is now down 52% from its October 2007 peak -- the largest percentage decline for the index since it fell 82.4% between March 1930 and June 1932.
Wednesday's was so ugly a fall that Barry Ritholtz, who writes the Big Picture blog, suggested the S&P 500 could drop to, say, 681 before new support formed.
That level is basically where the trend line of the S&P since it peaked in October 2007 intersects with the long-term support line since 1984. That would translate into Dow Jones Industrial Average falling to 7,100 or lower.
"There are deeper levels, but it's too ugly to write now," he added.
Thursday, Ritholtz wrote simply "Ouch!"
These are scary times, really scary times.
What happened? Markets don't operate independently of reality.
Here are the problems.
Bank stocks tanked. Here it looks like Treasury boss Hank Paulson created another problem. He said on Tuesday that the Treasury Department had decided that buying up bad assets from financial institutions was a bad idea -- even though he'd gone to Congress and begged for $700 billion to do just that.
"The sense that policymakers are struggling to get ahead of the markets' woes, and have frequently switched course or backtracked on earlier declarations about what needed to be done, has damaged investor confidence and created even more jitters in the markets," Jane Sasseen wrote on BusinessWeek.com.
She's being polite. So far this week, Citigroup has lost 51% of its value. JPMorgan Chase is down 32%.
The decision of Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke to let Lehman Bros. fail in September dried up credit sources for everyone and everything: from General Motors to the young couple looking to take out a mortgage.
Tech stocks have slumped. Concerns have deepened in recent weeks as concerns deepened that business spending on technology will slump. Intel has fallen 8.2% this week; Microsoft is down 12.6%.
Oil and commodity prices are a problem. Slowly, the markets have realized that this will be no ordinary recession. So commodity prices -- and related stocks -- are crumbling. Crude oil fell below $50 for the first time since 2005 and is down 66% from its peaks in July.
Commercial real estate is becoming increasingly stressed. Real estate is throwing us another sucker punch. With retail chains like Linens 'N Things going out of business and cuts coming from other retailers, retail real estate is sagging. General Growth Properties, the nation's second-largest mall operator, is in such trouble that it has hired bankruptcy counsel. Just in case.
A ton of office space will come on the market in New York, Chicago, Seattle and elsewhere following the collapse of Washington Mutual, Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros. and huge layoffs coming from Citigroup and others.
So, when will a bottom show up?
I offer up Carter Worth's list to watch. Worth is the chief market technician at Oppenheimer Asset Management. He and others at Oppenheimer were beginning to think after Oct. 10 that a bottom might well be forming. He has enough visibility that a number of people will pay attention to him.
He also wondered which stocks would signal if he was right -- or wrong. He crunched some numbers and, on Nov. 10, came up with a list of 26 stocks that he believed could be used as a "control mechanism" to signal the market's direction. The idea was that it takes a lot of buying pressure to move a stock to a new high and an equal amount of selling pressure to move a stock to a new low.
The group included Citigroup, Bank of America, Internet retailer Amazon.com, search giant Google, chip maker Intel, leather-good producer Coach, and railroad CSX.
Sadly, the list pretty quickly offered a pretty strong signal of what to expect. By Nov. 14, the group was down an average 11.9% from Nov. 7. By Thursday, the declines had widened to an average 29.8%. The best performer of the group, Polycom, was down 13.6%. The worst was Citigroup down nearly 60.2%. One blogger wrote Thursday that Worth's call was "way to soon."
The S&P 500 dropped 6.2% between Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 and finished on Thursday down 19.2% from Nov. 7.
Let's hope the index can find a bottom soon. Or things, which are scary enough, could get really scary.
I was so confident that a bottom was forming that I even commissioned a graphic showing why. Now, I'm worried about how far much farther the market could fall. The S&P 500 tells me so.
Here's why.
My confidence was built on how the S&P 500 behaved after dropping for no more than a minute on Oct. 10 to 839.80. That was the start of a wild day of trading.
The S&P approached 839.80 one more time on Oct. 10, and, between then and Nov. 12, the market tested that low four times, bouncing up each time.
Technical analysts call repeated bounces off a low level the establishment of a support level, which means that the mere act of approaching that level generates new buying. (There are, of course, millions of ways to identify a market bottom -- which is to say, a market bottom shows up when it shows up. Check this set of criteria.)
I, for one, was hoping that support seemed to be forming between 840 and 850 on the S&P. If it kept holding at roughly those levels, then confidence would start to build among investors and, in time, confidence would beget buying. I wasn't alone in watching the market trend after Oct. 10. Check this post on Seeking Alpha. USA Today noted the chatter as well.
I was under no illusions that the formation of a bottom meant stocks would take off again. If all went well, I thought the market would muddle along for, say, six to nine months. And, once the economy started to show real signs of recovery, then stocks might move slowly higher. That's what happened after bear markets in 1973-74, 1981-82 and 1987. After the dot-com bust and the after-effect of the Sept. 2001 terror attacks, the bottom came in October 2002, followed by a major test in March 2003.
Alas, my hopes were shattered quickly.
On Nov. 13, the S&P dropped to 818.91, which was bad but not horrible.
On Wednesday, the support gave way. The S&P 500 closed at 806.58, just above its low on the day at 806.18.
Thursday, the market just seemed to fall apart. The S&P 500 fell to 752.44, which was below its closing and intraday lows in 2002, in the aftermath of the dot-com bust and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The index is now down 52% from its October 2007 peak -- the largest percentage decline for the index since it fell 82.4% between March 1930 and June 1932.
Wednesday's was so ugly a fall that Barry Ritholtz, who writes the Big Picture blog, suggested the S&P 500 could drop to, say, 681 before new support formed.
That level is basically where the trend line of the S&P since it peaked in October 2007 intersects with the long-term support line since 1984. That would translate into Dow Jones Industrial Average falling to 7,100 or lower.
"There are deeper levels, but it's too ugly to write now," he added.
Thursday, Ritholtz wrote simply "Ouch!"
These are scary times, really scary times.
What happened? Markets don't operate independently of reality.
Here are the problems.
Bank stocks tanked. Here it looks like Treasury boss Hank Paulson created another problem. He said on Tuesday that the Treasury Department had decided that buying up bad assets from financial institutions was a bad idea -- even though he'd gone to Congress and begged for $700 billion to do just that.
"The sense that policymakers are struggling to get ahead of the markets' woes, and have frequently switched course or backtracked on earlier declarations about what needed to be done, has damaged investor confidence and created even more jitters in the markets," Jane Sasseen wrote on BusinessWeek.com.
She's being polite. So far this week, Citigroup has lost 51% of its value. JPMorgan Chase is down 32%.
The decision of Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke to let Lehman Bros. fail in September dried up credit sources for everyone and everything: from General Motors to the young couple looking to take out a mortgage.
Tech stocks have slumped. Concerns have deepened in recent weeks as concerns deepened that business spending on technology will slump. Intel has fallen 8.2% this week; Microsoft is down 12.6%.
Oil and commodity prices are a problem. Slowly, the markets have realized that this will be no ordinary recession. So commodity prices -- and related stocks -- are crumbling. Crude oil fell below $50 for the first time since 2005 and is down 66% from its peaks in July.
Commercial real estate is becoming increasingly stressed. Real estate is throwing us another sucker punch. With retail chains like Linens 'N Things going out of business and cuts coming from other retailers, retail real estate is sagging. General Growth Properties, the nation's second-largest mall operator, is in such trouble that it has hired bankruptcy counsel. Just in case.
A ton of office space will come on the market in New York, Chicago, Seattle and elsewhere following the collapse of Washington Mutual, Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros. and huge layoffs coming from Citigroup and others.
So, when will a bottom show up?
I offer up Carter Worth's list to watch. Worth is the chief market technician at Oppenheimer Asset Management. He and others at Oppenheimer were beginning to think after Oct. 10 that a bottom might well be forming. He has enough visibility that a number of people will pay attention to him.
He also wondered which stocks would signal if he was right -- or wrong. He crunched some numbers and, on Nov. 10, came up with a list of 26 stocks that he believed could be used as a "control mechanism" to signal the market's direction. The idea was that it takes a lot of buying pressure to move a stock to a new high and an equal amount of selling pressure to move a stock to a new low.
The group included Citigroup, Bank of America, Internet retailer Amazon.com, search giant Google, chip maker Intel, leather-good producer Coach, and railroad CSX.
Sadly, the list pretty quickly offered a pretty strong signal of what to expect. By Nov. 14, the group was down an average 11.9% from Nov. 7. By Thursday, the declines had widened to an average 29.8%. The best performer of the group, Polycom, was down 13.6%. The worst was Citigroup down nearly 60.2%. One blogger wrote Thursday that Worth's call was "way to soon."
The S&P 500 dropped 6.2% between Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 and finished on Thursday down 19.2% from Nov. 7.
Let's hope the index can find a bottom soon. Or things, which are scary enough, could get really scary.
20 Fun Things You Can Do with Family on Thanksgiving
20 Fun Things You Can Do with Family on Thanksgiving
We all know some of the favorite things people like to do on Thanksgiving: watch football, watch The Macy's Day Parade, and of course taking a nap after gorging on Turkey.Well the purpose of this article is to inspire everyone who reads it to turn off the TV (web, video games) for part of the day and really spend some quality time with your friends and family. You'll have have fun doing it and you'll create fun, fond memories.
1. Take a Walk. Pick an enjoyable destination. All you need to bring are your sneakers and conversation! Or you could join a Thanksgiving road race or road walk.
2. Play Touch Football. Or soccer, tag, hide-n-seek, etc. Just get outside with the gang and do something that involves running around and taking in some nice fresh air.
3. Boardgames! Get out those games you have in the closet since last Christmas and haven't played yet. Scrabble, Life, Yahtzee, Cranium, Trivial Pursuit, Trouble, Chutes & Ladders, whatever! Have some silly fun!
4. Play Charades. This doesn't take much. Make your own rules as you go. Have fun!
5. Sing-a-Long. Karaoke. Get out the instruments, guitars, piano. Dust off that accordion. Bring out the tambourines, spoons, etc. Put on a holiday radio station and sing along. Make up a contest. You can really have fun with this.
6. Memory Sharing. Share stories. You can pick a theme such as:
The greatest day of my life.
The best thing that happened in my life this year.
My favorite memory from childhood.
The funniest thing that ever happened to me.Have someone scribe the stories or videotape the event.
7. Share Thanks. At dinner have everyone share what they are thankful for before eating dinner.
8. Silly Dance Contest. Just like it says. Be silly. Dance. Make up your own rules.
9. Kids Talent Show. There's usually one grownup at family gatherings who likes to get the kids doing activities. If you're that person maybe you want to have the kids perform for the whole family after dinner. While everyone is watching football you could throw it together. (Of course adults can join the show too!)
10. I Love My Family because.... Gather round as a family and have each person share what they love about the family.
11. Share the Love. Have the family all in one room and have each person tell why they admire the person next to him/her. And then that person says why they admire the person next to him/her, and so on. "I Admire ___________ because..."
12. Treasure Hunt. Create a simple treasure map and "prizes." There can be one prize or multiple prizes, like an egg-hunt. Ideas for prizes: chocolate turkeys (is there such a thing?) or a packet of coins or a gift certificate wrapped up in a box. Share your ideas in the comments please!
13. Name That Tune. Play the humming game where each teams or individuals have to name the tune.
14. The Questions Game. Here is a link to a family game with very few rules. You get to make up the rules. The idea is to spark conversations, have fun, and get to know each other better.
15. The Craziest Thing .... (that I saw or experienced this year). As a family tell stories that can be true or made up. It can be a little bit like "To Tell the Truth." Everyone tells a crazy story that is either true or made up and everyone has to guess if it is true or not. And the story doesn't have to be something that they actually experienced.
16. Our Family Tree. Have everyone imprint a fingerpaint handprint on a big sheet of paper with their name underneath. You can have it framed or take a picture of it to share with everyone.
17. Start a Thanksgiving Day Banner. Starting this year create a banner that can hang in your living room that will have a picture of the whole family from each year. It can become an heirloom for future generations. You could also create a similar item electronically say with a website.
18. Three Legged Races. Link up kids/grownups. You could also try a sack race or create an obstacle course race too. Have some fun silly prizes or simple privilege prizes like the first place team doesn't have to help with clean up or they get first dibs on the turkey.
19. Family Thanksgiving Journal. Grab a blank notebook. It doesn't have to be fancy. Write down everyone's thanks for this year. And then next year do the same so that over time you build a treasured family book of thanks as well as a sort of family history.
20. Make Me Laugh. Tell jokes. You can make it into a game to see if you can get someone to laugh. Can be done as individuals, round-robin, or as teams.Happy Thanksgiving all! Enjoy!
(from dumblittleman.com)at the end of the day...
About a week and half ago, I realized that we needed OSU to lose for us to go to the Rose Bowl. Of course we need to beat PSU in Happy Valley as well. I was rooting for PSU against Iowa anyways, but after realizing that them losing would really hurt our chances of the Rose Bowl, I was really pertubed. But, after taking some time to think about it. 1) Being 9-2 is pretty nice. 2) We are either going to the Capital One, Outback, or Rose Bowl. 3) None of this matters, if we don't beat PSU in Happy Valley. And that's when I realized, at the end of the day, we need to beat PSU. We may not go to the Rose Bowl, but to have a chance at the Big Ten Title is leaps and bounds better then we've ever been since I've been a fan of state. To even talk about Big Ten aspirations, or really respected bowls, is almost unbelievable from where we were a year ago. At the end of the day, let's worry about our win against PSU, we're 14 1/2 point underdogs. I was shocked to see that at first, then I realized last time we won in Beaver Stadium was in the 50's, our average loss in that stadium is by 22 points. On the upside Hoyer's first start was 2 years ago on their field and we lost 17-13, last year we actually beat them at home. So our starting quarterback is undefeated against them, that has to say something right? Either way, at the end of the day, we're going bowling....
Monday, November 17, 2008
Proud to be an American (From thee man, Mark Cuban)
voted for President Elect Obama.
The rest of my votes went almost exclusively to Republicans , Libertarians and Independents.
In looking at the Democratic platform, there are a few things I agree with, but on the economic side, other than being ok with him raising my effective tax rate to 40pct, there isn’t a lot of his economic policy that I do agree with him on. So why did I vote for him ?
Its simple. Having an elected black President will do more to energize this country than any economic or social policy ever could. In a single day of voting, our amazing country once again reinvigorated the dream that any child in this country, no matter what circumstances they are born into, can grow up to be anything they want, including President of the United States.
That dream, staying viable, being reinvigorated, will do more for this country than any economic policy or any legislation that could ever be passed.
I have said it before, the power of the American Spirit is what separates our country from every other. We have been able to overcome the stupidity that politicians do every year, and will do for ever more. The election of Barack Obama is a shot of adrenaline for those who felt they could never participate in the American Dream.
How do you stimulate and turn around the economy in this day and age ? Motivate those who in the past couldn’t , wouldn’t or didn’t, into those who can and do. Motivate those who can and do, to continue to innovate and increase productivity.
As any successful CEO will tell you, leadership, vision and motivation has far more impact on results than any tax cut or increase. While I prefer lower taxes, I can tell you that no entrepreneur or CEO worth a damn in this country gives up or works less because of a change in tax policy. In this country you work harder to achieve your dreams and goals.
I can honestly say that I never thought that I would see a black President in my lifetime. I’m incredibly proud and excited to be part of this moment in our history. I believe that the election of President Obama will energize many, many more of our fellow citizens to work harder to achieve our goals.
I’m Bullish on America.
The rest of my votes went almost exclusively to Republicans , Libertarians and Independents.
In looking at the Democratic platform, there are a few things I agree with, but on the economic side, other than being ok with him raising my effective tax rate to 40pct, there isn’t a lot of his economic policy that I do agree with him on. So why did I vote for him ?
Its simple. Having an elected black President will do more to energize this country than any economic or social policy ever could. In a single day of voting, our amazing country once again reinvigorated the dream that any child in this country, no matter what circumstances they are born into, can grow up to be anything they want, including President of the United States.
That dream, staying viable, being reinvigorated, will do more for this country than any economic policy or any legislation that could ever be passed.
I have said it before, the power of the American Spirit is what separates our country from every other. We have been able to overcome the stupidity that politicians do every year, and will do for ever more. The election of Barack Obama is a shot of adrenaline for those who felt they could never participate in the American Dream.
How do you stimulate and turn around the economy in this day and age ? Motivate those who in the past couldn’t , wouldn’t or didn’t, into those who can and do. Motivate those who can and do, to continue to innovate and increase productivity.
As any successful CEO will tell you, leadership, vision and motivation has far more impact on results than any tax cut or increase. While I prefer lower taxes, I can tell you that no entrepreneur or CEO worth a damn in this country gives up or works less because of a change in tax policy. In this country you work harder to achieve your dreams and goals.
I can honestly say that I never thought that I would see a black President in my lifetime. I’m incredibly proud and excited to be part of this moment in our history. I believe that the election of President Obama will energize many, many more of our fellow citizens to work harder to achieve our goals.
I’m Bullish on America.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
"The fundamentals of our country are strong..."
People blame Sara Palin for Mccain losing. I'm flabbergasted by this. Although she may have been a drop in the bucket. Have you ever thought about blaming the incumbent, you know the current cabinet being Republican and all the things that have gone wrong during Bush's two terms as president. Have you thought about the presidential nominee? What is he 71? How likeable is he? How good of a debater was he? Was he a good public speaker, or did he remind you of Bush. On top of that, during the last year, oil prices absolutely killed us. It was until our economy collapsed that we know longer worried about oil, and we worried about the biggest financial companies in the world, and our real estate, and our very own pockets. From the time Sarah Palin was nominated to the Lehman went under, Mccain surged ahead and took the lead in the straw polls. You really think Sarah Palin was the reason Mccain lost? She was indeed a hail mary, but rarely does the most qualified get chosen, rather the most appealing to the general public, than and only then can you get someone in office, and then do your bidding.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
OBAMA.
His only blunder, “You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. And it’s not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”
It's funny, I went from loving Obama to not being a fan of his experience, to not liking him because he was the "en vogue" candidate, to hating his lack of experience, then started liking his attitude, charisma, and demeanor, especially in the debates, even though i don't like his socialist healthcare plans, and finally if i would've voted today.... i feel like obama would be a better president because his view on the war vs. mccain's, his diplomatic skills, and finally his aura of something great. He is the next Kennedy. I truly believe that, and I have an eerie feeling he will suffer the same fate.
It's funny, I went from loving Obama to not being a fan of his experience, to not liking him because he was the "en vogue" candidate, to hating his lack of experience, then started liking his attitude, charisma, and demeanor, especially in the debates, even though i don't like his socialist healthcare plans, and finally if i would've voted today.... i feel like obama would be a better president because his view on the war vs. mccain's, his diplomatic skills, and finally his aura of something great. He is the next Kennedy. I truly believe that, and I have an eerie feeling he will suffer the same fate.
25 steps to being successful by the blogger Ritu.
Who doesn't want to strive and become successful? Exactly, no one. Deep inside all of us, we have our own personal reasons for striving for success, and really, we all define success in very different ways whether it is for financial freedom or mere sense of accomplishment.When you go to the bookstore, there is a reason that there are six thousand different books proclaiming to know the recipe for success; it's one of the most sought after things on the planet. Ironically, we tend to think that the most complicated solutions are the most effective and we subsequently ignore the simple facts.Simplicity is what makes everything possible and with every great feat, there were hundreds of small, simple decisions that had to take place first. Look at Google and their simplistic homepage; did simple work for them?In this article I am not going to break some earth-shattering news or reveal a 10-step program to success. Instead, I want to refresh your brain a little, tip some simplistic approaches and get you back to basics. The simplest things are easily forgotten, have some of these fallen from your scope?
Let go of the past. Act and apply in the present and shape up the future
Utilize your failures as a guide towards success
Do not try. Just do it.
Make a list of your dreams. No matter how hard they might be to achieve, just sit down and write all your dreams down.
Make a list of your goals and think how you can achieve them
Use negative feedback and criticism to your advantage and better yourself
If you want to be successful in someone else's game (if you have a boss), play by their rules or create your own game.
Make a list of your values. What do you value most and build your success upon them
Keep personal time separate from business time.
Your success depends on your failures as well as your achievements.
If you are in doubt let someone else do it. Doubtfulness is saying I almost believe it. If you don't fully believe it, leave it for someone else who does
Avoid interruptions during your productivity time. Whatever it might be, work or family or some alone time, interruptions can throw you off for whatever it is you are doing.
Determine your peak performance hours. Work at a point in day when you feel like you are most effective.
Breath deeply and let go off any stress.
Rest and relaxation plays as much an important part as exercise itself.
Do not worry. All it does is gets you ready for negative outcomes.
Think happy thoughts and there will be positive outcomes.
Do not step back from the job at hand when fear subsides in you.
Use your brain not only your heart.
Eliminate emotions by letting go off the past and thinking about the present.
What has happened in the past will most probably stay the same; you can't change it. Instead focus on the present and live today instead of yesterday.
Don't let the time control you. You control the time.
Time management is the most effective tool you can utilize and become successful.
Create strategies and build credibility among your peers.
Once again, forget the past and live it up in the present.
Let go of the past. Act and apply in the present and shape up the future
Utilize your failures as a guide towards success
Do not try. Just do it.
Make a list of your dreams. No matter how hard they might be to achieve, just sit down and write all your dreams down.
Make a list of your goals and think how you can achieve them
Use negative feedback and criticism to your advantage and better yourself
If you want to be successful in someone else's game (if you have a boss), play by their rules or create your own game.
Make a list of your values. What do you value most and build your success upon them
Keep personal time separate from business time.
Your success depends on your failures as well as your achievements.
If you are in doubt let someone else do it. Doubtfulness is saying I almost believe it. If you don't fully believe it, leave it for someone else who does
Avoid interruptions during your productivity time. Whatever it might be, work or family or some alone time, interruptions can throw you off for whatever it is you are doing.
Determine your peak performance hours. Work at a point in day when you feel like you are most effective.
Breath deeply and let go off any stress.
Rest and relaxation plays as much an important part as exercise itself.
Do not worry. All it does is gets you ready for negative outcomes.
Think happy thoughts and there will be positive outcomes.
Do not step back from the job at hand when fear subsides in you.
Use your brain not only your heart.
Eliminate emotions by letting go off the past and thinking about the present.
What has happened in the past will most probably stay the same; you can't change it. Instead focus on the present and live today instead of yesterday.
Don't let the time control you. You control the time.
Time management is the most effective tool you can utilize and become successful.
Create strategies and build credibility among your peers.
Once again, forget the past and live it up in the present.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Can You Really Redesign Your Own Life?
Can You Really Redesign Your Own Life?
Written on 10/15/2008 by David Bohl. David shares the viral message Slow Down FAST and helps people raise the roof on all facets of their lives without risking implosion. Get some must-haves here.
Photo Credit: KSquierThere are no guarantees that life will turn out the way you want. However, you have a better chance of it turning out how you want if you know how to design your own life.I like the image of an architect designing a building by first laying out the blueprints or a writer outlining a book by starting with the table of contents. The ability to create from scratch is a powerful feeling; the house emerges from a sheet of drawings, the book takes shape from the imagination of the writer.Can you really design your own life in much the same way? I don't know if we can design every aspect of our lives because we have certain fixed and certain variable aspects.For example, we cannot change our upbringing: the parents, siblings, education, childhood experiences, and all that went on before you came to this awareness of your ability to design your life. All that happened in the past has shaped who you are today, so you will need to start designing your life from this point forward.Since we can't control the past and we can't control the future, what can we control if we want to design our own life? Well, we can make a plan today, we can work our plan each day, we can modify our plan as necessary, and we can make the best of what shows up even when it's not what we want.I've assembled some tools I think every life architect should have in their toolbox as they take on the lifetime project of designing their life. See if these work for you.
BlueprintThe blueprint for your life can be like the architect's house design, the author's table of contents, or a business plan. You set out certain goals and you map out a plan of actions on how you will get to each one of them. Maybe you start with your ideal career and strategize on how you will get from where you are to where you want to be. Then you can design your personal life, intimate relationships, friendships, children, pets, home, hobbies, and whatever else fits in your plan.
FocusAfter you've created your blueprint, but before you've take action, you need to get into the right mindset. The power of your thoughts, your positive mindset, your committed focus on your goals and your plan will improve your chances of success in each area you take action in. You must believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals. You must become aware of your thoughts and maintain the ones that will support your getting what you want. You must eliminate distractions and focus on the end result.
ActionWith your plan in place and your mind set on success, you're ready to take the actions necessary to build your life as you desire it. If you want to change careers, your first action may be to set up interviews with people in that career who you can get guidance from. The next action may be to sign up for classes that will provide you with the skill level necessary for the career move, etc. Just keep following the action steps you outlined in your blueprint.
MaintenanceActions need to be monitored regularly to check on your progress. Did the information interviews provide you with all you needed to know or do you need to schedule some more. Are you finding you have enough time to study for the classes you're taking, or is it a challenge while holding a full time job? Have you taken an internship or entry level position in your new field and now it's time to ask for a promotion? Keep monitoring your progress toward your goals so you can stay motivated. Celebrate the small successes on your way toward your bigger goals. Each success is one step closer to your ultimate life design.
RepairsMake corrections, adjust for change, re-examine your actions and your goals. As you hit obstacles, find a way around them. Make sure they're not showing up often to tell you you're on the wrong course. If that is the case, reassess your goal to make sure it's that you really want. Then establish some new actions that will get you back on the path even if it's a different route.
SupportAll builders have a team. The architect designs the house, then the contractor steps in and hires plumbers, electricians, framers, etc. As you design your life, your team may include coaches, mentors, teachers, associates, partners, interns, contractors, and anyone else can help you achieve your goals. As you start working your plan, review it on a regular basis, adjust for changes, and always reward yourself for your progress. With these tools in your toolbox, you're on your way to designing your own life.
Written on 10/15/2008 by David Bohl. David shares the viral message Slow Down FAST and helps people raise the roof on all facets of their lives without risking implosion. Get some must-haves here.
Photo Credit: KSquierThere are no guarantees that life will turn out the way you want. However, you have a better chance of it turning out how you want if you know how to design your own life.I like the image of an architect designing a building by first laying out the blueprints or a writer outlining a book by starting with the table of contents. The ability to create from scratch is a powerful feeling; the house emerges from a sheet of drawings, the book takes shape from the imagination of the writer.Can you really design your own life in much the same way? I don't know if we can design every aspect of our lives because we have certain fixed and certain variable aspects.For example, we cannot change our upbringing: the parents, siblings, education, childhood experiences, and all that went on before you came to this awareness of your ability to design your life. All that happened in the past has shaped who you are today, so you will need to start designing your life from this point forward.Since we can't control the past and we can't control the future, what can we control if we want to design our own life? Well, we can make a plan today, we can work our plan each day, we can modify our plan as necessary, and we can make the best of what shows up even when it's not what we want.I've assembled some tools I think every life architect should have in their toolbox as they take on the lifetime project of designing their life. See if these work for you.
BlueprintThe blueprint for your life can be like the architect's house design, the author's table of contents, or a business plan. You set out certain goals and you map out a plan of actions on how you will get to each one of them. Maybe you start with your ideal career and strategize on how you will get from where you are to where you want to be. Then you can design your personal life, intimate relationships, friendships, children, pets, home, hobbies, and whatever else fits in your plan.
FocusAfter you've created your blueprint, but before you've take action, you need to get into the right mindset. The power of your thoughts, your positive mindset, your committed focus on your goals and your plan will improve your chances of success in each area you take action in. You must believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals. You must become aware of your thoughts and maintain the ones that will support your getting what you want. You must eliminate distractions and focus on the end result.
ActionWith your plan in place and your mind set on success, you're ready to take the actions necessary to build your life as you desire it. If you want to change careers, your first action may be to set up interviews with people in that career who you can get guidance from. The next action may be to sign up for classes that will provide you with the skill level necessary for the career move, etc. Just keep following the action steps you outlined in your blueprint.
MaintenanceActions need to be monitored regularly to check on your progress. Did the information interviews provide you with all you needed to know or do you need to schedule some more. Are you finding you have enough time to study for the classes you're taking, or is it a challenge while holding a full time job? Have you taken an internship or entry level position in your new field and now it's time to ask for a promotion? Keep monitoring your progress toward your goals so you can stay motivated. Celebrate the small successes on your way toward your bigger goals. Each success is one step closer to your ultimate life design.
RepairsMake corrections, adjust for change, re-examine your actions and your goals. As you hit obstacles, find a way around them. Make sure they're not showing up often to tell you you're on the wrong course. If that is the case, reassess your goal to make sure it's that you really want. Then establish some new actions that will get you back on the path even if it's a different route.
SupportAll builders have a team. The architect designs the house, then the contractor steps in and hires plumbers, electricians, framers, etc. As you design your life, your team may include coaches, mentors, teachers, associates, partners, interns, contractors, and anyone else can help you achieve your goals. As you start working your plan, review it on a regular basis, adjust for changes, and always reward yourself for your progress. With these tools in your toolbox, you're on your way to designing your own life.
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