If you’re a founder or senior executive of a franchise brand and you were unable to attend the Franchise Leadership & Development Conference this week in Atlanta, I highly recommend you don’t miss it next year. I’ve always found the event produced by Franchise Update Media Group to be one of the best events on the franchise conference circuit.

The following are some points I’ve pulled from notes that I had taken at past FDLC events I had attended. I trust you’ll find them useful, and especially if you’re in a leadership position with an emerging franchise brand. Certainly, it doesn’t replace what you would have learned at the conference, but let’s consider it an early step on your path to success as a franchise leader.

8 Key Focus Areas of Successful Franchise Leadership

From professional athletes to high-tech programmers, every career requires different talents. However, what makes a career as a leader of a franchise system different are skills that do not have to be acquired through rigorous training or years of schooling.

Instead, success in franchise leadership can come to anyone who is determined, dedicated and willing to invest in their personal development—and will pay off tremendously by developing a network of franchisees who respect your leadership traits. Below are key focus areas for individuals to become successful brand executives and great well-respected leaders:

1. Consistency: As the franchisor, your franchisees will be looking up to you. Being consistent and following through on your word will let them know that they have a leader they can count on.
2. Planning: Your franchisees are invested in the business, so it’s natural that they will want to know where it is headed and the steps necessary to get there.
3. Communications: Make certain to share your vision with franchisees as well as with your team in an open, transparent manner to ensure confidence at all levels.
4. Support: As a franchisor, everyone in the organization is your team member—meaning you have a vital role as a pillar of support and encouragement.
5. Positivity: Focus on creating a positive space for your franchisees. This will help strengthen your bond and let them know you have their back.
6. Respect: Every franchisee makes mistakes—it’s just a part of the business. Making sure your franchisees know you still respect them even when they slip up will go a long way. The same will be true for franchisor mistakes, but only if earned through mutual respect.
7. Face Time: You can’t be expected to visit every franchise location every day. However, the occasional impromptu visit will help you learn more about the day-to-day operations and struggles of each individual location—and let them know you’re invested in solving their problems.
8. Passion: Franchising means getting to work with talented, passionate colleagues who love what they do. Believe in the brand and believe in your franchisees—your passion will shine through and inspire them, as well.

I’ll leave you with the following from MindTools.com to ensure there’s no misunderstanding about leadership:

In its simplest form, leadership is influencing other people to follow. Therefore, anyone who can influence people to follow them has leadership qualities.

Leadership happens at all levels within organizations and society, not just among those who work in defined “leadership positions.”

Leadership means different things to different people, different cultures, and in different situations. But it is always a multifaceted role.

Effective leadership enables followers to succeed. It sets direction, builds a vision, and adapts as circumstances require. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to “win” as a team or an organization. It’s dynamic, exciting and inspiring.

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count!

Owning and operating a small business was once the exclusive domain of the risk takers of the business world. The true entrepreneur had a distinct flair for creativity, innovation and vision.

He, and I emphasize “he”, knew how to operate outside-the-box. He knew how to make things happen. Many times, this individual had little choice as he knew from an early age, he would be responsible for shaping his future and for making it on his own.

Formal education was usually limited and often just a far-fetched dream. Corporate life was not even an option. Besides, he couldn’t be told what to do, how to do it and when to do it. No way. No how.

Well, times certainly have changed in the business world. More so recently as many individuals are again faced with economic uncertainty. An advanced degree is no longer the fast track to success.

As such, many individuals, especially more women than ever before are deciding enough is enough. Wanting to control their own destiny they’re increasingly choosing small business ownership as opposed to leaving their future in the hands of Corporate America.

Sure, the financial aspects are vitally important. That’s a given. However, today’s new small business owners describe their number one priority as establishing true balance in all areas of their life.

They desire the freedom of furthering their own personal growth but will limit that growth by their abilities and resources, finding it more important to help others improve the quality of their lives and build long-term mutually beneficial relationships; both business and personal. They firmly believe people and relationships to be the foundation of success even more than money itself as they have determined money (profits) will be the end result of their actions.

This is where the road gets tricky as a decision must be made between starting their own venture and assuming total risk or reducing the learning curve and limiting the risk by investing in a franchise where they would be in business for themselves but not by themselves.

The key questions posed by many emerging small business owners are asked very emphatically, “Can I achieve my goals and objectives as part of a franchise system?” and, “Do I have what it takes to be a franchisee?”

In addressing these questions (and concerns), it’s relatively easy to analyze the two and realize, beyond the viability of a particular franchise brand as addressed in due diligence of the franchise concept itself, the answers are really contingent and dependent upon each other.

The answers actually lie in understanding the mindset required to be a franchisee. Once understood, a choice must be made regarding the desired path either as an independent small business owner or as one of the hundreds of thousands of franchisees across several thousand franchise concepts worldwide.

The typical franchisee must be willing to follow and adhere to a franchise company’s business system and ultimately, promote the same within their new franchise community at all times. It must be completely understood the system cannot be changed by the franchisee nor can their business be operated differently than the franchise company requires as the system is proven and uniform across the chain.

It’s this uniformity throughout the organization that is paramount to brand awareness leading to company and franchisee success. It is the foundation of an interdependent relationship between both parties to the franchise agreement.

A franchise is almost definitely not the right choice for the business maverick or renegade. Certainly, there is an important place in business and in our hearts for these unique innovators. If not, we wouldn’t know Apple or Amazon as they’re known today.

Even McDonalds, as probably the greatest franchise of all time that stormed through the country under the leadership and direction of a true maverick, Ray Kroc, would not have been successful without franchisees being required to strictly follow and adhere to the McDonalds system without fail. No questions asked and no room for negotiation.

Entrepreneurs will be around for centuries to come blazing trails as never before. Some will actually plan to choose franchising as an expansion strategy and build the foundation of future franchise concepts. They will provide a choice for tomorrow’s small business owners on whether to go it alone or invest in a franchise.

And it will be those franchisees of tomorrow that will follow, promote and expand those systems that will prove to be the steel, bricks and glass built upon the foundation of new franchise companies. Thus, continuing the growth of franchising as it increasingly expands throughout the world, giving back by affording people more opportunities and options in determining the path to small business ownership that suits them best.

The Path to Business Ownership (A Resource)

Are you thinking of business ownership for yourself and learning how the choice of a franchise, startup or acquisition can “jump-start” the process and your earning potential? 

Well, Acceler8Success Group can help. Working with in-house small business professionals you will work one-on-one in determining if you’re right for buying a franchise, starting a new business, or acquiring an established business, and whether business ownership is right for you.  

Learn more at OwnABizness.com.

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count!

American self-help author, Napoleon Hill has shared a world of wisdom and perspective on achieving success. It’s no wonder his book, Think and Grow Rich is among the 10 best-selling self-help books of all time. For me, one quote from Hill speaks volumes, and especially for today’s entrepreneur…

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

We’ve all heard stories about great entrepreneurs, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, and of course, Walt Disney. All three, along with other creative like-minded individuals each had a vision that many thought was crazy and as such, unachievable. Key parts of their vision hadn’t even been thought of before. To that point, each had much more than a vision in mind.

Steve Jobs envisioned a future with computers on every worker’s desk, a progressive culture where technology creates more opportunities for employees and a workplace without secretaries. Key components of his vision included very precise criteria for both internal parts and exterior looks. Even detail for font size and type were important elements to his vision.

Specifically with a goal of helping farm families to become less isolated, Henry Ford’s vision was to build and market a simple, strong, reliable, affordable transportation for the masses. Key to Ford’s vision was the manufacturing process to be able to turn his idea to reality. His assembly line technique of mass production enabled Ford to convert his basic automobile design from an expensive luxury into an accessible conveyance that profoundly impacted the landscape of the 20th century — one that middle-class Americans could afford.

Walt Disney’s vision was much broader than that of Jobs and Ford as it evolved over time from his early interest in drawing to development of the Mickey Mouse character to becoming more adventurous, introducing synchronized sound, full-color three-strip Technicolor, feature-length cartoons and technical developments in cameras. All were key components of his ultimate vision, to create a place in which both parents and their children — together — could have fun.

Today, it’s hard to imagine life and business without the likes of Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, and Walt Disney. I believe it is especially the case when one considers the multitude of developed processes and components that are entwined in the organizations of these entrepreneurs that might not have been created if not for their follow through on turning their ideas to reality.

Ideas and inventions aside, it was the passion for detail, perfection, and excellence that drove the success of each of these famous entrepreneurs. Attention to detail for each of the organizations they founded is still prevalent to this day. Perfection and excellence at Apple, Ford and Disney are evident in both product and experience. This brings a couple of questions to mind…

Why isn’t ‘attention to detail’ considered to be a necessary trait for entrepreneurs? How much does ‘command for perfection’ and ‘commitment to excellence’ contribute to the success of entrepreneurs and their endeavors?

With respect to the quote above — “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” — is entrepreneurial success possible without attention to detail, command for perfection, and commitment to excellence as foundational components of the plan to turn an idea into reality?

And one last question… To what extent must entrepreneurs include these foundational components as rock-solid cornerstones of their ideas and plans to ensure a sustainable business for the long haul?

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count!

Sundays at Acceler8Success Cafe are now focused on providing motivation and inspiration for the week ahead. My goal is to provide a positive foundation for the week that will complement the weekday activities at Acceler8Success Cafe. My intent is to do so as an extension of my commitment to helping current and aspiring entrepreneurs achieve and accelerate their success.

Motivation & Inspiration

Entrepreneurship is a lot like solving a Rubik’s Cube. You can work at it for long periods of time and get very excited as more things line up and success looks to be in reach. Or, you can end up solving the puzzle, sometimes by accident, but still after significant effort. Or, you can just give up and quit, frustrated and never knowing how close you may have been to achieving success. The bottom line is that you only fail, if you quit!

“I have definitely come to understand the fine line between success and failure in trying to nail down the American Dream. I know it is sometimes counterproductive to even mention failure which is why the subject is always avoided and never discussed. Yet, it’s out there and it’s real.” – From the article, ‘Fear and Consequences of Failure: A True Story Retold’ by Paul Segreto, Founder of Acceler8Success Group.

In light of the ups and downs of the past two years or so, have you lost sight of goals for your business? Possibly, you may believe goals don’t seem as important as just surviving? If so, isn’t that akin to playing not to lose instead of playing to win? Think about it. Are you playing to win? Or, are you constantly defending your position, deflecting one challenge after another, but never using a proactive approach to make things happen? If only being reactive, you’re essentially playing not to lose. Control your chances to succeed. Be proactive. Play to win!

Your success is never guaranteed. Sure, it’s easy to start a business – you can create a veritable avalanche of new entities with a few clicks of your mouse and then run them right from your couch or recliner. That makes you a business owner, not an entrepreneur. If you take those ideas and grow them into an enterprise that successfully solves a specific issue for your clients, then you might just be on the way to being an entrepreneur.

Creativity is about connecting experiences… “And the reason they were able to do that was they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.” – Steve Jobs

At Acceler8Success Group we believe making the right connections is paramount to success. Our tag line – Connecting the Right Brands, People & Opportunities! – is more than just words. It is the foundation of our comprehensive service offerings. All delivered to ensure right-fit connections and interdependent relationships for optimum, mutually beneficial results.

Learn more at Acceler8Success.com.

Have a great week ahead. Make it happen. Make it count!

Often, Saturday mornings feel like a much-needed rest stop after driving all day. You know the feeling, right?

You come to a stop and take a deep breath as your arms drop from the steering wheel. It’s then you feel the tenseness in your hands from gripping the wheel tighter than you had realized. A stretch before exiting the car helps the transition from the focus required as you managed your three-thousand-pound vehicle through traffic, turns, sudden stops, other drivers, less than ideal weather conditions, etc.

Upon exiting your vehicle, you stretch once again – this time just a bit longer as you work out the slight pains in your neck or knees. Maybe even a couple of sharp twists of the neck, without even realizing what has really become a habit of sorts – a routine to transition to relaxation and to your next steps, whatever those may be.

Saturdays are key to the transition from the past week. It’s key to the maintaining work-life balance that is essential to your well-being, and to your success. Sometimes, forcing yourself into the right mindset to establish a sense of calm is necessary. Determining ways to do so is essential.

Now you’re ready to move through the day of different activities that will take you further away from the mental weight of the work week. Whether it’s physical work in the yard or a heart-pounding bicycle ride or even a stroll through the mall, you’ll be recharging your batteries while re-energizing your mind.

Have you ever felt your computer was just a bit faster after restarting? And have you ever sensed your car drove just a bit better after washing it? One is actually a real experience while the other is perception, and that’s perfectly okay as both are positive experiences, each in their own way.

I believe Saturdays are “mindset” days. Better still, “mind reset” days!

The song, Saturday in the Park by Chicago seems to pop into my mind quite often and for me, epitomizes that mindset, especially the last lines of the lyrics…

“People reaching, people touching. A real celebration. Waiting for us all. If we want it, really want it. Can you dig it (yes, I can)? And I’ve been waiting such a long time. For the day, yeah, yeah.”

I strongly recommend taking a few minutes to sit back right now and listen to the entire song or better yet, watch this video. I believe you’ll find your feet tapping to the melody as you visualize the experience, and wait for it, you’ll begin to smile. Trust me. It will happen!!

How to Improve Your Work-Life Balance Today

Relaxed. Recharged. Re-energized. I’m now ready for Sunday.

To many, Sunday is considered the end of the weekend. To me, it’s the start of a new week, a new beginning.

I love the quiet and solitude of Sunday mornings as I awake by 4AM. I use the time to think about possibilities as I catch up on reading, reviewing the many publications, newsletters & blogs to which I subscribe. Sunday afternoons are typically reserved for family time.

Preparing for the week ahead is reserved for Sunday evenings and typically takes me well into the night. This ensures a stress-free start to the week ahead and goes a long way toward achieving goals. Doing so actually helps plan for free evenings during the week. This allows me to maintain a work-life balance as family commitments & events are firmly in place on my calendar, not to be interrupted by work.

7 Ways Successful Entrepreneurs Refuel Over the Weekend

Have a great weekend. Make it happen. Make it count. Yes, you can!

When asked whether age is a determining factor in achieving success, many will answer with a resounding, yes, especially when the age in question is past 40, and even more if past 50 or 60. The same is true when the question is about starting a business – or anything new, for that matter.

In research conducted by MIT professor Pierre Azoulay the average age of individuals who founded companies between 2007 and 2014 was around 40 years old. His research was based upon analyzing over 2.7 million company founders. That’s a huge number to ensure accuracy in his findings.

Further, Azoulay discovered that a founder at age 50 is approximately twice as likely to experience a “successful exit” compared to a founder at age 30. A successful exit meaning their company gets acquired or goes public.

So despite the success of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and many others who founded companies in their teens and twenties, those are the exceptions, rather than the norm.

Let’s take a look at the opposite end of the spectrum and highlight those that achieved success later on in life:

Vera Wang

Before creating runway clothing and wedding dresses, Vera Wang was a figure skater and a journalist. She did not enter the fashion industry until she was 40 years old. As one of the most famous designers today, it’s hard to imagine Vera Wang doing anything but building her fashion empire. It just goes to show that it’s never too late to change careers, or to chase a passion.

Ray Kroc

After spending his career as a milkshake-device salesman, Ray Kroc, already in his 50’s, founded the McDonald’s System, Inc. in 1955, a predecessor of the McDonald’s Corporation. Six years later, he bought the exclusive rights to the McDonald’s name and operating system. He is credited with turning McDonald’s into the most successful fast food corporation in the world.

Julia Childs

An American cooking teacher, author, and television personality, Julia Childs is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs. After working many years in media and advertising, Childs learned how to cook as a hobby. She publish her first cookbook when she was 50 years old.

Harland Sanders

After holding a number of jobs in his early life, such as steam engine stoker, insurance salesman, and filling station operator, Harland Sanders began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Kentucky during the Great Depression. Despite closing his business, Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, franchised Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952 at the age of 62. He sold the franchise business for $2 million 12 years later.

If interested in learning who else achieved success later in life, check out the article, 28 people who became highly successful after age 40. I’m sure you’ll find it quite interesting!

According to AARP, the three top sectors older entrepreneurs go into are business services, food/restaurant and health/beauty/fitness, followed by general retail and automotive. No matter where they choose to start their businesses, entrepreneurs 50 and older have a lifetime of experience they can leverage to get started.

FranchiseOpportunities.com reports, If you’re retired or will be retiring soon, there are many ways in which you can become a franchisee. You can open a location, you can work part-time, you can invest or start a brand with others, etc. You can be hands-on working full-time, or you can stay in the back and watch your bank account grow. There are many options as to how you can become a franchisee, and that’s half the fun of it. There’s not a one-size-fits-all, but ways in which you can adapt to what meets your preferences and needs. 

Whether a franchise or an independent business, whether an acquisition or startup, entrepreneurship is a viable option for many individuals who believe they still have what it takes to succeed. Entrepreneurship is an excellent path to achieving that success. Albeit, success is not guaranteed. So, despite years of wisdom and experience, it’s still important and essential due diligence be performed to the highest level possible.

Learn more about business ownership, franchising and entrepreneurship at OwnABizness.com and Entrepreneurship411.com.

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count!

This morning I sat down at my desk prepared to share an article I had written for today’s newsletter. That is, until I completed my early-morning routine of taking a spin through my personal social media. I do enjoy reading what my friends have posted, seeing whose birthday is today, and reading through a multitude of funny and uplifting memes.

As I was wrapping up and shifting my mindset toward today’s article, I came across a post on Facebook by Greg George, long-time franchise professional, serial entrepreneur and CEO at Peach Cobbler Factory.

After reading through the post multiple times, I just knew I had to share his story here today. It needs to be shared far and wide – not for Greg’s benefit and recognition, although his story is both remarkable and courageous, to say the least – but for the benefit of others.

Greg’s story can provide hope for anyone facing the despair and helplessness of addiction. I truly believe that to be true. In today’s world, there are so many that need help. There are so many that are going through a very dark life, in many cases unknown to others. As such, Greg’s story must be shared.

Greg’s Story

I want to share a story about two miracles. My story is about a father and son. The father was a drug addict and drunk for over 45 years. The son was a drug addict for over 8 years. Both were on a path of self destruction because of addiction.

The story all began when the father picked up his first drink at ten years old and the son took his first pills in high school after a football injury. Both father and son loved the feeling they got by drinking and or drugging as it killed the pain that was either mental or physical.

So all the father knew as a boy was his daddy drank to much and all the son knew was his daddy drank to much. Both father and son only knew what they had learned from their fathers.

So after years and years of killing their individual pain there were two distinct miracles that occurred. As the father just kept on his routine of drinking alcohol and smoking weed what he didn’t know was the son was spiraling out of control. By the Grace of God both men hit tough times.

The father was relieved but at the same time was scared that his son would never recover and end up like so many that had lost hope. So the miracle happened when the son hit his bottom and the father was able to get the son into a faith based rehab center. So, while the son was away at treatment the father who had smoked chronic weed like a wild man and drank like a fish for over 45 years almost daily hatched a plan for bringing home his first born son once he completed 3 months of treatment. Being fearful of losing his son the father came up with an elaborate plan where he would remove the alcohol and drugs from his home as not to tempt his son and he would simply go out with friends to drink and use hoping to pull one over on his first born son. So, after the son was in treatment for 3 months it was time for the father to pick up his son. The night before the big day the father got drunk and stoned like never before.

The next morning the father woke up and looked in the mirror and something came over him like never before as he knew his run was over. He drove to the rehabilitation center still half drunk and on his way inside he noticed from far away there was a stranger standing at the door. When the father started to open the door to go in and get his son he looked over at the stranger and he saw the person whom he barely recognized. The stranger was unrecognizable to the father but was his actually his son who was not the same person the father had dropped off three months earlier. So the father in shock went into the treatment center and ask for the Director and ask to gather all the men at the center into the kitchen.

The father stood in front of all the men at the treatment center and looked each of them in the eye. The father admitted 45 years of drug and alchohol abuse. The father admitted he did not recognize his son standing beside him and was ashamed of himself. The father told the group he was a broken man in more ways than one. The father then told all the men in the room and his son that the night before was his last drink and or drug as long as he was ALIVE! The father admitted he was a drug addict and an alcoholic for the first time ever and the father and son walked out of the rehab center two scared but changed men. Both were more scared of living life clean and sober than they were of dying prior to this day when their miracles occurred.

So the two whom acted alike, looked alike and thought alike committed to living their lives drug and alcohol free. They teamed up to gain sobriety. They went to 90 Narcotics Anonymous meetings in 90 days. The pair that once relied on pills and booze to manage their lives started changing. Their brains started working. Things changed…life became much different for them both. They renewed their broken relationship, were baptized together and decided there was a better way.

The two miracles that happened were that those two human beings are alive today. Many people can’t and don’t overcome addiction. Drugs and booze are tearing at society, breaking up families, killing many before their time.

The reason I can tell this story of the father and son is because I am the father and he is my son. My son is almost (5) years clean and sober and I am not far behind. Sharing our miracle is very painful and embarrassing but it also is very important that others know that addiction can be overcome. God has bigger plans for us both and I tell our story so those that have lost hope in themselves or their loved ones understand there is hope and they to can recover.

#havefaith

To all, please share Greg’s story with someone today. I’m confident it will make a difference in someone’s life… and in many lives. Thank you, Greg for your courage and willingness to help others. It speaks volumes of the person you are!

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count!

In light of the high number of comments I’ve received over the past two days about the two articles about dreams and goals that I’ve posted this week, today I’m sharing an article about goals from a few months ago. I believe it’s a good way to wrap up the conversation about both goals AND dreams as I’m of the belief that dreams are essentially nothing more than long-term goals.

Just in case you may have missed the two articles I’ve referenced above, here are the links – if you’re interested in catching up:

Dreams Are Always Worth Pursuing!

Dreams & Goals: A Positive Effect on Maintaining Positive Mental Health

Note: The following article was originally posted on Acceler8Success Cafe on June 29, 2022. It’s shared again today with slight edits for relevance to the current time of year.

Treating Goals Like Utility Bills

Time appears to be flying by as it’s hard to believe we’re already two plus years removed from the first lockdown and didn’t we just celebrate our third holiday season since then? Now, with the end of the year less than three months away, it feels like time is flying by at break-neck speed. Do you realize we’re 22 years removed from Y2K and get this, we’re closer to the year 2050 than we are to the year 1990? Let THAT sink in!

I bring up the notion of time flying by because time doesn’t change. It’s one of the only constants we have in life with the same number of seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour, hours in day, days in a week, etc. What does change is how we make use of our time.

I believe time appears to fly by when goals are met. Achieving goals is like maneuvering from rock to rock to get across a stream with each rock getting us closer to the other side, albeit several or more feet at a time. Sometimes, it means assessing the situation and may mean changing course. The quote, “Change the plan, but not the goal” comes to mind.

With each step, stride and leap, we’re closer to the goal. As that occurs, the pace may quicken. The sense of achievement motivates us more and more. The rocks become easier to navigate. As the goal is reached, the excitement inspires us to do more, to establish another goal or set of goals, and so on.

But what happens when we miss achieving our goals? Well, time flies by even faster as time appears to be wasted. We become frustrated by the loss of time, spinning our wheels and getting nowhere. Procrastination becomes the order of the day. Denial soon sets in. Progress, or any semblance of progress is non-existent.

Before we know it, six, twelve, eighteen, twenty-four days, weeks or months fly by like a blur. If you don’t agree, think about what had been described as the “new normal” since the lockdown two-plus years ago. Many implemented a plan but have never monitored or even evaluated it. Yet, the plan remains, half-assed as it may be.

Stuck in the new normal, it’s easy to become complacent. “We’re giving it more time,” is what I’ve heard from many business owners of late. “We believe it’s working” is the follow-up statement. Based upon what? And how long is more time? Is giving it more time and belief that it’s working anything more than procrastination and/or denial? Is it anything more than just not wanting to make necessary adjustments, revisions or change? It’s no wonder time flies by.

It’d be interesting if we were to receive a monthly bill for time and goals. Think about it. Receiving a bill each month for an allocated amount of time toward the plan developed to achieve our goals would be motivating. The bill would include a payment date (achievement or progress deadline), late-fees (urgent action items) and a termination date (personal accountability, change or stop). Need an extension? Sure, with a definitive payment date and only two times within a year.

As we start to prepare for both year’s end AND the year ahead, I suggest reviewing all goals. We must be honest in our evaluation. This should include estimating what has been done to-date as a percentage and then, what must still be done as the remaining percentage. We must determine the remaining time to achieve each goal and establish firm payment or installment dates. Terminate what should be considered a closed or inactive account.

The rocks in the stream mentioned above have a similar approach as bills for goals. Each rock is in and of itself a bill. The difference is that the rocks are tangible. They’re right in front of us. We know if we don’t reach the next rock, the goal is terminated. Now, let’s apply the same theory to our future goals and to the remaining goals for 2022. After all, due dates are just ahead, and the clock is ticking!

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count!

I hope you enjoyed some rest and relaxation over a very welcomed three day weekend – at least for many. Hopefully, the extra day helped settle minds some, considering all the negative news seemingly in our faces non-stop on TV, across social media, posted on billboards, etc.

It’s essential to our mental health to take a break here and there, and especially in light of economic uncertainty and challenges being caused by the same in our work lives. We must be able to work at our most effective level possible in order to navigate our businesses through these challenging times. Yesterday was a good reminder as it was World Mental Health Day.

As I was writing yesterday’s article, Dreams Are Always Worth Pursuing, and knowing it was World Mental Health Day, I started thinking about the effect dreams and goals may have on our mental health. Interestingly, I found quite a few articles about the topic.

One article addresses it as, Setting goals is an effective way to increase motivation and to help you to create the changes you want. It can be used to improve health and relationships, or improve productivity at work. Setting goals can also be an important step in the recovery from mental illness.

Dreams, which are often longer-term goals, would apply, as well. Of course, I’m not referring to dreams that occur during sleep. Instead, I’m referring to dreams of achievement, accomplishment, a positive outcome.

Another article I had found in my research confirms the role of dreams in mental health. Here is an excerpt from the article, Pursuing your dreams and staying positive can improve mental health:

The study, which was recently published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, surveyed more than 3,000 people in the United States over a period of 18 years, looking at their tendency of persisting for their goals, having a positive attitude when facing challenges, and self-mastery, that is, believing in one’s ability to fulfill their goals.

The study found that those individuals who indicated greater goal persistence and optimism at the beginning of the study had lower incidences of anxiety, depressive, and panic disorders throughout the study.

Working on persevering for their life-long goals and keeping a positive outlook can be two important tools in helping individuals build resiliency, gain success in their personal and professional lives, and ultimately improve their sense of well-being and fulfillment.

Reading through a number of articles with similar information stimulated some thoughts of my own on how dreams and goals could help entrepreneurs and business owners deal with mental health issues – of which we know both groups are highly susceptible.

It brought to mind an article I had written some time ago about dreams and goals. It was originally published in January 2010 but the similarities between the economic challenges faced in 2010 and today make the article, albeit with minor edits, very relevant today!

What Happened to Our Dreams and Goals?

I recently came across an interesting discussion in one of the LinkedIn groups that I found quite intriguing, and downright enjoyable to read. It wasn’t about franchising. Nothing about social media. There was no mention of business or entrepreneurship. Money or finances weren’t a major part of the equation. And, surprisingly, just a few mentions about current economic challenges. The discussion was actually about the concept of dreams and goals.

It was enlightening that there were well over one hundred responses in a relatively short period of time. Definitely a considerable amount when compared to other discussions within the same group. Often, the responses were being posted one right after the other. It seemed like people wanted to talk about their dreams and goals, almost as if they had been prohibited from doing so of late.

In light of the economic uncertainty surrounding us today, it seems the subject of dreams and goals has hibernated like a bear for winter. During good times, dreams and goals are out in the open, shared by many. Actually, bragged about by some, and the end results, often materialistic, flaunted by others.

It’s ironic that we’re taught that in order to achieve a goal, a key element in doing so is to enlist the assistance of people that can help us achieve the goal. Yet, in the current economic climate, discussions about dreams and goals have subsided, and have almost disappeared. It’s almost like we feel guilty to have such discussions at this time. Or, that we should just be thankful for what we have and dismiss our dreams and goals as frivolous.

What about the dreams and goals that are not financially driven or rewarding? Why have they been put on the back burner? Well, to all of this, I say “enough is enough.” Yes, enough of the poor me attitudes. Enough of the pity parties. And, enough of the social “rubbernecking.” (Social rubbernecking is when people excitedly talk about other people’s miseries – i.e., neighbor lost his job, their house was foreclosed on, he was having an affair – it’s just like slowing down to look at the horrific car wreck!)

NOW is definitely the time to put all the negatives aside and re-ignite the passion behind our dreams. It’s the perfect time to pull out those lists of goals and remember why we wrote them down in the first place. Why they’re important. How they’re important to people close to us. And how our lives would be positively affected upon achieving our goals and making our dreams come true.

Certainly, it’s time to face the realization that it’s up to us to make our dreams and goals a reality. They’re ours. We own them. No one can take them from us. To paraphrase a quote that I’ve seen many times (in many different forms) in discussions about success, “There are people that make things happen, some that watch things happen, and others that wonder what the hell happened?” Could you tell which group of people are most successful at achieving their goals and making their dreams come true?

And I’ll leave you with my favorite quote to ponder:

The best way to predict your future is to create it.

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count!

As today is Columbus Day, I woke up this morning recalling a particular Columbus Day when a good friend of mine and I decided to pursue a dream. I say, “pursue” with a chuckle in my mind as our dream was really just a wish that had no formidable plan behind it. Honestly, it was not even realistic or practical. Yet, we were committed to making our dream come true.

The days before the holiday when we would have the day off from school, we talked about what we were going to do that day… almost incessantly. Mind you, we were each 13 years old and freshman in high school. The year was 1971. Definitely simpler and more innocent times. Safer, as well.

Our goal was to meet girls from a European country at the United Nations! We would get up early and trek into Manhattan from Staten Island and visit the United Nations. Keep in mind, the U.N. was open to the public. I recall being able to sit in on meetings and listen in on the discussions as they were translated in real time. We did visit often.

Anyway, on this particular day our commitment to our dream was steadfast. As the activity at the U.N. would be extra busy due to it being a holiday weekend, we truly felt our dream would come true. Would it be girls from Hungary? Germany? Spain? Italian would be nice as we were both from Italian families.

On the Staten Island ferry, we talked about our “ dream” girls. We knew they’d most likely have dark hair. Of course, they would be pretty — correction, gorgeous. Exotic, too. At least in the minds of 13 year-olds, right? They’d be our age so we assumed they’d be dressed much like the girls we knew.

We even thought about their names. Olga, Heidi and Isabel are ones that I remember the most. If the girls were Italian, we just assumed their names would be similar to the girls in our families. Oh to have such naivety and innocence again!

Our dream was real. Yet, I don’t believe either one of us believed, truly believed our common dream would come true. I say that now as we really never discussed the what ifs or even the obstacles that now seemed so evident.

How would we talk with them with only elementary Spanish as our only foreign language skillset? As the girls would most likely be with their families, how would we even be able to approach them? What would be the likelihood of two girls together with both being our age? And if we did get past these hurdles, where would we take the girls? Especially, since neither of us had more than five dollars in our pockets!

The dream was just the possibility, as remote as it might be of actually meeting these girls and truth be told, even just an exchange of smiles would have been considered a success.

We spent the day at the U.N. We sat in on various meetings. We saw who we knew to be foreign dignitaries and ambassadors by their clothes, some traditional to their country, and their name badges, many with names we couldn’t even begin to pronounce. We marveled at the formality of it all. And the flags both inside and outside the building!

Our dream may not have come true that day, but I will never forget that splendid day, a dream in and of itself. I’m thankful that we pursued our dream as how many other dreams are remembered and still bring a smile to our faces after fifty years?

Have a great day. Make it happen. Make it count! And may all your dreams come true!