The Lottery and Purpose

While checking out some morning headlines I saw a Yahoo article entitled, How to lose 3 million in 6 years. Out of curiosity I read the article and had to laugh. While it highlighted one young lady's fall from riches to almost rags, the article mentioned a larger issue: Why so many lottery winners often wish they had never even played in the first place. They squander such a "rich" opportunity and feel huge remorse that they didn't spend the money more wisely.

In some ways I'd like to have their initial monetary excess for just a few moments, but their plight is similar to many of us. We are given a full day, week or other period of time to accomplish what is most important, but often squander it on less than critical tasks. We allow our choices to be made based on convenience, laziness or the emotion of the moment. And like those lottery winners (now losers) we feel bad that we didn't spend our time and energy more wisely.

The answer for us-like them-is to act with purpose. Making wise investments of our time and energy based on purpose "pays off" in dividends of satisfaction, peace and confidence that we have done the right thing. I bet lots of those lottery winners would like a piece of that kind of action.

New Act For The Family Lineup

A study by coolsavings.com found that 60% of children in families are "couponing." Faced with shrinking family budgets and the need to cut back, 78% of families surveyed indicated that they see saving and budgeting as an important life lesson.

Cutting back is rarely pleasant-and having to tell your children "no" is never easy. A more constructive approach may be to involve them in the process of saving money. As a parent we know the value of involving them in the solution versus just telling them about the plan.

I tried this approach with my 5 year old a few days ago. We had been talking about the need to save our money and make good choices. We then looked through the coupon section of the newspaper and found some of the items she liked and clipped those coupons. Later that week we went to the store and compared prices with the store brands. Good time in the relationship ring.

Read the full article here.

Innovation vs. Death

When times are tough, it sounds so good to roll up in a ball and "sleep it off." But it can also be the time to be entrepreneurial and innovate. I appreciate the quote that was sent to me from a colleague:

Constraints spur creativity. Bad economies demand it. Innovation is easier when the alternative is death.

~Venture Hacks

Be creative. Think of something new. Develop and innovate. Innovation doesn't have to be costly. There is such good energy around coming up with new concepts and trying something different not only at work but in your personal life.

Remembering The Power Of The Small Things

Twenty three years ago today, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 74 seconds after takeoff. It was a tragic day, marking the first time US astronauts had died in flight. It seemed especially painful due to so many school children across the country watching the launch of the first teacher in space. We as Americans had become so accustomed to seeing successful space flights that we were in total shock that something like this could happen.

After a lengthy and thorough investigation, the cause of the explosion was determined to be a faulty "o" ring in one of its solid rocket boosters. The diameter of the rings is .280 inches. That's the diameter of the average pencil eraser. It seems impossible that something so small could cause such a catastrophic event for a shuttle so large, but it reminds us of the need to never overlook or neglect the small details.

As you go through your day, reflect on your own actions. Are you neglecting to address an issue with a co worker that is impacting office productivity? Ignoring an item on your task list because it would be uncomfortable to tackle it? Failing to start improving your health because you're "too busy?" Remember the "o" ring, and get the right things done-Now.

The Time To Improve Your Circus

A slumping economy has been affecting corporate America for some time now. The impact on communities and cities as a whole, however, is just now beginning to take shape. A recent article in the New York Times, however, highlighted a city that seems to be insulated from many of the challenges facing other areas. In the article, For Pittsburgh, There's Life After Steel, several reasons are given for their ability to withstand the negative impact on so many other communities.

The sentence that was most telling was this: Pittsburgh had the luxury of reshaping itself while the rest of the United States economy was relatively strong. It goes back to that old adage, "The time to change is when things are good." Whether it's a corporation, community or a household, those entities that are constantly analyzing their surroundings (i.e. being good ringmasters) and making changes proactively instead of reactively fare better in the difficult times. Many saw this impending crisis developing, but did little to prepare for it or modify business practices, budgets or even family spending habits.

So, if your circus is struggling now, commit yourself to continuous improvement so you can insulate yourself from future downturns that will certainly come. If you are experiencing only minor discomfort during this crisis due to your forethought and progressive action-bravo! Along with Pittsburgh, thanks for being an example for the rest of us.