Tag Archive for: Goals

What Could Be Worse?

I recently heard Robert Kennedy speaking about a conversation that he had held with Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, prior to his sad and unwarranted assassination. Kennedy suggested that there were worse things than dying. One such example would be to live in a communist or socialist state where you had no choices, effectively in a position where you could not make your own decisions, one where you had no Constitutional rights.

Now, I do not want to turn this blog into a political diatribe, but I do wish to use it as a launch pad for you to reach a higher level of your future. If money were not an object, would you pursue some role that is different than your current one? Do you absolutely love what you are doing in your life? Do you have higher aspirations? Are you being your best self?

If so, I applaud you. My point is that we have so many options available to us. Let’s not overlook them, particularly out of fear. Fear is nothing more than an acronym for – False Expectations Appearing Real…

Have you been thinking about something new and challenging, career wise or for your Family or something even bigger? Set the goal, recognize the obstacles, and then figure out how you can mitigate each of them, as you set out on your new mission.

Motivational speaker Les Brown tells the story outlined by Dr. Howard Thurman, who said that the ultimate positive would be to be on your deathbed and be completely surrounded by your Friends and Family, providing you with your final moments of love & comfort, celebrating your accomplishments in whatever you had pursued.

Contrast that with the pain associated with being in the same situation, except that you are surrounded by your unfulfilled dreams, and these dreams say to you, “We came to you, and only you could have fulfilled us. But now we must die with you.”

What a sad situation that would be… What goal or decision have you been putting off?

Please don’t let another moment go by without addressing this. Move forward with your dream. Prove the naysayers wrong!

I will see you at the finish line and if I can assist you on this process, please let me know.

“Wherever you are in life, you made an appointment to be there.”

Les Brown, Motivational Speaker

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

If You Think for One Moment…?

If you think for one moment that you can do something, you are correct. In a recent article by Joshua Becker entitled “Focus on the Reasons You Can,” he does a great job of explaining the benefits of changing our thinking. As the saying goes, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are correct.”

So often in life and in business, we remind ourselves to be “realistic.” As a result, we temper our expectations. We accept less than what we could have or achieve. Sometimes even well-meaning friends or relatives tell us not to take the risk… If you do a survey of people, you will find a very small percentage of people who can tell you what they want in life. However, 95% of them can tell you what they don’t want in life!

Joshua Becker suggests that “Almost everything worth accomplishing in life is difficult.” He goes on to tell the story about a conference that he attended years ago where the prolific writer, Anne Lamott, was asked the following:

“‘How do I find time to become the writer I want to be? I am a new mother, tired and ragged, and I just can’t find the energy to write during this phase of my life. Should I wait until it passes?’

Anne’s response was swift, pointed, and memorable.

She replied, ‘Listen, there is always going to be an available excuse as to why you can’t do your writing. You are newly-married, or you have a young child. Next, you will have more than one child, or you will be parenting teenagers, or beginning a new career, or traveling too often, or involved in this or that. There will always be a reason why you think you can’t do what you need to do. The pursuit is to overcome these obstacles in order to realize what you are called to accomplish.’

I’ve never forgotten Anne’s words of wisdom that day. In fact, it’s been ten years, and I still remember where I was sitting in the room.”

The point is that you can, indeed, reach that goal you have in mind. Get beyond the paralysis of pessimism. Instead of asking if you can do something, start to ask how you can achieve this objective. Write it down and give your mind an opportunity to start working toward its achievement. Your subconscious mind will push you forward in a positive direction, and as Joshua Becker points out: “… those who focus on the reasons they can, find hope and energy and perseverance.”

What goal or decision have you been putting off? If I can assist you with this, please let me know.

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

What Should I Do Next?

Recently, I had a Client ask me if they should go ahead and order the steel roofing they need for a barn reroofing project. The conversation turned to tariffs and what their impact might be on prices. Since he has the necessary Cash & Credit available, I suggested that he proceed. I’ll explain why in a moment.

However, I first want to address the issue of tariffs since they seem so prevalent in discussion today. First, tariffs are nothing new. Countries have been placing them on the U.S. for years. Prior to the Federal Income Tax being put in place in the early 1900’s, it was the primary source of financing for the U.S. government. While they can impact prices somewhat, the impact of tariffs is often absorbed by the Importer or Exporter whereby they take a smaller margin, at least for a while. Why were they put in place to begin with?

For the past 20+ years, the U.S. has run trade deficits with our trading partners, and these deficits were being financed by taking on additional government debt. Given the large trade and budget deficits of the U.S., we could not allow this to continue. The tariffs were also designed to move manufacturing back to America. Given the multiple trillion-dollar investments being pledged by corporations, it seems to be working.

Yet, let’s get back to the decision about reroofing the barn. Since the Client had the funds and his herd will clearly benefit, why wait? The tariffs and all kinds of regulations will occur. However, they should not impact a sound business decision. Besides, are they the “real” reason prices have risen or is it the impact of the past five years’ inflation?

When we are facing a decision, let’s consider the following steps:

·       Decide at the outset what goal you want to achieve.

·       Consider the pluses and minuses of the various options.

·       What are the next steps?

·       Who will complete these steps and by when?

If you focus on these key steps, you will undoubtedly make better decisions and achieve solid progress. Besides, if we always waited for prices to drop, wouldn’t we all be driving rusty cars from 1962? Think about it.

“It is always your next move.”

Napoleon Hill, Author of Think & Grow Rich

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

What’s Your Next Action Step?

Do you have a Goal? Brian Tracy, in his book The 32 Unbreakable Laws of Money and Success, outlines a 7 Step process that we all should follow to achieve the goals that we desire.

Here is a synopsis of those seven steps:

·       “Decide exactly what you want.” This is just like archery. You are very unlikely to hit a goal you cannot see. In the case of archery, if you are blindfolded, you probably won’t hit the target. The same holds for goals not set.

·       “Write it down.” There is some “magic” to writing down your objectives. Your subconscious mind works toward them, even as you go about other tasks. Don’t overlook this “hidden” advantage.

·       “Set Deadlines.” Otherwise, nothing happens, so create a “Sense of Urgency!”

·       “Make a Checklist.” What needs to happen? By when? By whom?

·       “Organize Your List by Sequence and Priority.” In what order do the steps above need to be completed?

·       “Take Action.” This is imperative.

·       “Keep Going.” In the infamous words of Winston Churchill, “Never give up!”

It is important that we then manage our time and, frankly, make every moment count, and just in case you are nervous about making a big decision, please allow me to offer you a story from my Business Coach Dan Sullivan of The Strategic Coach:

“When I started as a copywriter at a large ad agency in Toronto, my creative director taught me something that changed how I approach decision making.

He was a tough street kid who didn’t go to college until his thirties, and when people would stress about making the “right decision,” he’d look at them and say, “Nobody makes right decisions. You make a decision—and work like hell to make it right.”

That mindset has stuck with me for decades. And in today’s world, it’s more relevant than ever.

In times of uncertainty, most people wait. They stall. They default to bureaucracy. They overthink and delay progress because they’re afraid of making the wrong move.

But entrepreneurs have a distinct advantage: You don’t have to wait. You can make a decision right now and start moving forward—while everyone else is still standing still.

This mentality—prioritizing action over perfection—is what separates entrepreneurs who thrive from those who get stuck. Because when you’re indecisive, you’re not just pausing … you’re slipping backward. You’re building pressure, second-guessing yourself, and cutting yourself off from learning.

But the moment you make a decision—any decision—and take action, everything changes.

You start learning.
You gain insight.
You build momentum.
You get feedback and make improvements.
You make progress.”

I’ll conclude with Dan’s final thoughts on this:


“Uncertain times don’t have to slow you down. In fact, they can be the best time to invest in yourself—because while the rest of the world waits, you can move forward.

The entrepreneurs who win aren’t the ones who play it safe. They’re the ones who act, learn, and adapt.

Because indecision isn’t safe—it’s the riskiest position of all.”

If I can be of assistance to you, please let me know.

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

What’s Your QTR?

Last week, I heard a new term, or at least it was new to me… QTR or Quality Time Remaining.

Of course, I have heard of Quantity Time Remaining. If you are 50 years old and plan to live until you are 80, your Quantity of Time Remaining would be about 30 years.

So, what is this term Quality Time Remaining? It is not only how much time you have left, but it is also what can you offer? How much time do I have left to contribute positive output that can impact others for the better?

I was talking with a prospect last week, and he said that, for the first time, he was being asked to provide his bank with an Annual Budget. I did not consider this an unreasonable request, but after 50 years with the same lender, the prospect was slightly offended. The loan officer’s quantity of time was 30-40 years (before he retired), but his Quality of Time was currently low on this measurement. He was new to this role and did not know how to create a budget with the customer. I’m not sure how he will interpret it when he receives a new one… Nonetheless, never having generated one before, the borrower did not know how to complete the process either.

Ultimately, it created an opportunity for me to build a budget for them. While the borrower “reacted” to the situation, I wanted to take a different approach. Have you noticed that “reactive” and “creative” contain the same letters? If I view this as an opportunity to be creative, the entire process will go much more smoothly.

My suggestion for you? Boost the amount of times when you can be creative and minimize the times when you are reactive. Life will be far better, and you will boost your QTR as well! Stay focused, and you will be prepared for whatever arrives, instead of wondering what just happened.

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, MAKE THEM.”

                                                George Barnard Shaw

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

Were They Planning to Fail?

Recently, I visited a business prospect who suggested that, frankly, he did not know how they arrived in the challenging situation they were currently facing. After looking at their situation, I made two quick suggestions that may yield an additional $100,000 of profit.

Their situation reminded me of the cartoon with the two cowboys leaning on a fence and a starving cow standing next to them. They said, “Gee, just don’t know what happened, but she just suddenly took a turn for the worse…” The reality is the cow had been starving for weeks. They just hadn’t been paying attention…

This is all too common in business today, and the resulting downturn for some is coming faster than ever. While we cannot control the impact of variables like COVID, inflation, higher interest rates or tariffs, we can structure our business operations to build some “cushion” for these types of impactful events.

We know these various challenges will arise at times, sometimes when we least expect them. With this in mind, let’s develop a plan to overcome them. Remember, tough times don’t last; tough people do!

What can you do? First, develop a plan for what you want to achieve, or as Stephen Covey often stated, “Begin with the end in mind.” What are the obstacles you will potentially face, and how can you mitigate these? Set dates for the steps you will need to take and determine who will be implementing these tasks. Otherwise, you could end up like the four people: Everybody, Anybody, Somebody, and Nobody.

Everybody agreed that a task was essential. Anybody could have implemented the next step. Somebody should have taken charge, but, in the end, Nobody did. The result? They were “painted into a corner” with no way out…

Don’t get caught in this trap. Develop a plan, monitor its implementation closely and adjust it when necessary. Stay the course, and you will be “Ready for the Big Dance” when good times arrive, instead of sitting on the sidelines, wishing you had made some changes.

“A good plan is like a roadmap: it shows the final destination and usually marks the best way to get there…”

                                                            H. Stanley Judd

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

What Is the Key to Success?

During a recent trip to Florida to participate as a judge in the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge contest, my wife and I had a unique experience. On the way to Florida, we stayed in the Nashville, Tennessee area and were on our way out of our hotel when we faced a daunting challenge.

As we were entering the elevator from our third-floor room, she handed me the car keys and suggested that I should drive. That was great, except during the handoff, we didn’t quite connect, and the keys went sliding across the hallway. In fact, it was worse than you might imagine.

The keys slid across the hallway and fell down the elevator shaft. Oops! First, the good news – we had a second set of car keys with us, so we were not “car disabled” for four days. However, my Bride quickly reminded me that our house keys were on that set of keys, along with her nice leather key FOB that we had purchased during a trip to Italy…

Please recall that in prior blogs I have advised you to first outline the objective – in this case, recover the keys.

Then, identify the hurdles and find ways to get around them:

·       Hurdle #1 – It was Sunday afternoon, and no elevator company is open on Sunday, so we talked with the Hotel Manager and were advised that the maintenance man might be helpful.

·       Hurdle #2 – The maintenance man was off until Tuesday… Our solution was to talk with him ASAP Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, he had car problems and came in later than usual. Eventually, he was unable to assist us…

·       Hurdle #3 – While constantly checking with the Manager each day, no one had any suggestions or results for us. Remember – Stay the Course!

·       Hurdle #4 – We asked the Manager Wednesday morning if she had heard back from the elevator company. She claimed she had never said she would call the elevator company, but “Let me check with them today.” Sheesh…

·       Hurdle #5 – We needed to head to Florida for the contest I was supposed to judge. Our departure was scheduled for Thursday morning…

·       Hurdle #6 – In response to our request, the Manager said getting the elevator company to come out and recover the keys from the elevator shaft may cost up to $300. Ouch! However, we reasoned, it might cost that much to duplicate our car key and change the door locks on our house.

·       Hurdle #7 – Always the waiting! We set out and took care of other business that was necessary that day. We felt we had initiated the necessary steps to reach a successful outcome.

Lo and behold. When we returned to our hotel on Wednesday evening around 6 pm, the keys were in an envelope at the front desk with no charge from the elevator company. Wow!

What was the key to our success? Perseverance. Even when we had doubts, we stayed on the task at hand, and kindness & success eventually prevailed. The same holds true for you and your business endeavors. Stay focused. Stay engaged with your goal, and you will get there!

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

What Ever Happened to Cost Control?

Peter Drucker once stated, “In cost control, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This has never been more true than it is today.

Since the joyous period of Covid and the intense & the extensive damage that it inflicted upon us, costs for many businesses have simply been out of control. How could this have happened?

Well, I would suggest that the damage stemmed from well-intentioned interventions. It suddenly came into vogue for our government to throw money at the challenge to keep our economy going. Initially, this helped as businesses struggled to keep their doors open (or add a drive through window…).

Unfortunately, their last $10 Trillion infusion pushed us over the edge, financially. The result was severe levels of inflation. While we have now been able to get this under control, as the saying goes, “the damage is already done.” Typically, once the price of various items goes up, they tend to not come back down. Who pays for this?

The end user or consumer, and it becomes a difficult cycle to manage. While you may already have solid cost controls in place within your business, we cannot afford to take our eyes off the goal.

Drucker cited a pharmaceutical company which, during a highly inflationary period from 1965-1995, grew almost eightfold, adjusted for inflation. They simultaneously held their cost increases to a fixed percentage of their increase in revenues. They controlled their costs by limiting the rise in costs to 6% for every 10% increase in revenues. After several years, they also strove to make sure that their costs went down in the same proportion as their sales decreased in any down periods.

Not to oversimplify this process, but begin by asking yourself the following question: “If my sales were to decrease by 10% this year, where can I decrease my costs to offset this, without impacting the productivity of my operation?”

It is only a start, but it can be the beginning point for vastly improved profits. If you need assistance with this process, please let me know.

“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”

                                                            Stephen Covey

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

Is It Time to Reset?

I recently finished reading a new book by Dan Heath entitled Reset.  It is an excellent book, and I would highly recommend it. The book contains a tremendous amount of change management and outlines methods we can use to make huge improvements in our processes.

One area where I hear the most complaints from Clients is “Labor Challenges.” Heath points out that “there is no emergency, only choices.” The key to making improvements on labor or any other issue, he suggests, is to identify “Leverage Points & Restack Resources.”

In one business, for example, the management team was having difficulty with employee motivation. As a result, they shared a questionnaire with employees that asked four questions that they could answer anonymously:

·       What makes a good workday for you?

·       What makes you proud to work here?

·       When we are at our best, what does that look like?

·       What are any impediments to your performance?

Then, in response, the same management team addressed these issues quickly, especially the small ones. For example, the coffee machine did not always work properly. It was relatively low cost and got replaced right away. They leveraged this item (at a reasonably low cost, too).

Additionally, they put three clear, plastic boxes at the place where their employees exited at the end of their workday. One box had orange ping pong balls, one had white ping pong balls, and the third one was empty. As they left work, the employees were asked to put orange ping pong balls into the empty box if they had experienced a difficult or unreasonably challenging day with conditions that needed to improve. If their day was solid, they were requested to place a white ping pong ball into the empty box, likewise giving management some immediate feedback on the day.

If you think about it, this process was very practical and provides a good example of participative management by asking the employees: “What matters to you?” It identified leverage points that were important to the crew and allowed management to “restack resources,” often at very low cost, to create a better outcome.

Give this some consideration in your operation, and if I can assist you with this, please let me know.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

Zig Ziglar

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!

Do You Have the Advantage?

As you begin a new year with your dairy operation, this is a new game where the score is 0-0. You haven’t won yet, but I’d like to remind you – you haven’t lost either. However, consider the following. Many people are busy doing very proactive tasks on their dairy, but do they really know if these steps are working?

To know this, you need a scoreboard. That scoreboard is a Financial Statement. Your CPA can produce a masterpiece Financial Statement once, twice or even four times per year, but a lot can happen between those periods. That is why you need to track your results every month. Allow me to introduce the Success Strategies Advantage™ software.

  • Do you know how you did financially last year? This program can tell you.
  • How did your results compare with others in your region? It will compare your results with your region’s averages.
  • Have you developed a Budget for this year yet? The program can assist you with this process, too.
  • Do you know your Break-Even levels for Milk Price, Production/Cow/Day & Feed Costs?

If not, it is time to get the advantage, more specifically, the Success Strategies Advantage™! Regardless of where you are located in the U.S., the system will create a budget for you, and after you type in about 20 Revenue & Cost numbers, it will give a Financial Comparison and point out where you may need to make some adjustments in your business.

It will also, as I said above, generate your Break-Even levels to guide you in making changes that result in better profits. One other benefit of this program lies with its ability to run “What If” scenarios. For example, if you want to automate some tasks on your dairy, you need to know if it will pay off. To learn this, you would simply add the monthly payment for that new equipment into the program and then change other expenses, such as labor savings, that you would expect to achieve with this new automation. This will then give you a good idea of whether the investment will pay off for you and avoid the process of buying equipment and then being disappointed on its payback…

What is the Next Step for you? I would suggest you check it out at www.success-strategies.com and look for the Milk Cans & the video right below them. You can even get a free 30-day trial. Consider the following advice:

“Change can be tough. But the only alternative is eventual obsolescence.”

Michael Hyatt

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!