Success in Balance

Well, I took the plunge. You should start seeing some changes to this site in the next few days or weeks (always seems like there is more to do than I have time). Those who have checked here from time to time know that Success in Balance with the rest of your life if a passion of mine. I think many misinterpret both “success” and “balance”. Even this last weekend my definition of these two was being refined….more on that later.

Anyway, I have been looking at an online program by Holly Mann called “Honest Riches” and it attracted me for several reasons. First the honesty. There were/are no outrageous claims and the process makes sense. So I bough the e-book. On first glance the thing that struck me is “I know most of this already”, but that’s actually a good thing as it shows the program is in line with what I am thinking. What I am hoping is that it will take what I already know and help me better focus/apply it.

Isn’t that the case with most of us? Think about it. You have probably ready many Time Management books, but it’s what you are able to apply that makes the difference. Anyway, wish me luck and check back later to read how things are going as well as to see how the site evolves….I have some new ideas

Check it out for yourself if you are interested:

ABC News: The Last Lecture: A Love Story for Your Life

Professor Randy Pausch’s inspiring last lecture at Carnegie Mellon about living life to the fullest struck a chord with people all over the country. Seven months later, Pausch talks about his battle with cancer, his family and how that last lecture changed his life.

Wow, every time I listen to Randy I  get something of value. I came across this web page by ABC News with interviews and links to his lectures and just found it so inspirational. So I thought I would share. I hope you find it encouraging as I did.

I just read this interesting article by John Dvorak. The interesting thing is it is a PC Mag article. His whole premise is that phones have not made life better, in fact in many ways it has created some misplaced priorities. At least that’s my take. At first I didn’t agree, but the more I thought about it the more I think he is right. A friend and I had an e-mail conversation earlier today about the latest smart phones and PDAs. We really like the promise of convenience, but is it a reality? Do they allow me to work from the beach and thus allow me to spend more time at the beach? Or a ballgame or someplace else I enjoy? The reality is they could, but instead I can now work from the beach when I would have been at the beach anyway. So the reality is they enable work to creep into my private life…not a good thing.

Years ago scholars predicted with all the improvements we would be able to work 20 hours a week. But what has really happened? All the improvements mean we can now work 70 hours a week.

Gadgets can help with success in balance, but they must be used strategically. So instead of running out to get the next gadget, think about how it will make your life better…I mean really better.

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I am pretty excited about this one. All the experts: Covey, Ziglar, Mackay, Peters…the list goes on and on. For less that $20 a month! And they have an affiliate program. So you can get what you believe in and promote what you believe in as well.

I don’t know about you, but I recognized most of the people on the list and I listen to them and always get something from what they say that I can immediately use it to make my life better.

And to make it even better, they have a 14 day FREE trial!! I plan on enjoying this for quite some time

Instapundit.com -

Finally, while I know some lawyers who are happy, most aren’t. It’s possible, of course, that they’re the kind of people who weren’t really happy before they became lawyers — not surprisingly, the field has an attraction to people who like to complain. But it’s also true that older lawyers seem to enjoy it more…

I found this post over at Instapundit quite interesting and it made me relfect on my last post. Could it be that many lawyers are unhappy because they went into it for the wrong reasons? After LA Law many people pursued law becasue they saw it as glamourous and a quick way to wealth. But often it is neither. And as we all know, money alone does not make one happy

Could it really be that simple? As this blog indicates I have looked at multiple sources for online income; something to help pay down the student loans. But nothing has “fit” me. I mean I really like my “day job.” So as I was mowing the lawn last night I had an epiphany (mowing the lawn is a great time to think). The key is doing what you love. I know you knew that already, but I am a slow learner

Well what is it that I love? All of a sudden it was clear: Digital Stakeholders + Success in Balance = help others use technology to create better relationships. Now I’m not talking about Dr. Phil type of relationships. But we all know that it is easier to retain good customers than to get new ones. But all the “programs” out there are there to show you how to get new “affiliates”, “partners”, “clients”, the list goes on.

So why me? Well I have spent years observing how successful companies use technology to enhance stakeholder relations. I wrote a dissertation on this topic to complete my Ph.D. So there’s a lot in my brain that can help others. Now I just need to get it out there and that will be my focus for the future. That is true success in balance. Stay tuned.

SI.com - The Fortunate 50

But the average wealth of the 50 actually fell by $500,000 since last year’s list. The reason? Endorsers are taking fewer chances on athletes and increasingly turning to Hollywood celebrities (No. 2 Phil Mickelson and No. 4 Kobe Bryant are the only others on this list to have a noticeable increase in corporate income).

I read this last night and didn’t think much of it. But as I was thinking this morning I wondered, why do so many people put so much effort into sports? Sure there are a few that can make it big time. But if we put our efforts into business and building things, what’s the potential there? Well I posted eariler on Warren Buffet and Bill & Melinda Gates. What sport did they play? They passionately pursued their dreams on the business field and either one of them could buy everyone on this top 50 sports list and still be amongst the wealthiest people in the world. So instead of looking for a shortcut to wealth and fame, learn from Warren, do what you are passionate about. The rest will take care of itself.

BaseballAmerica.com: College: LeClair, 40, Dies Of ALS

“Most people are defined by what they do in terms of wins, honors, accomplishments and things like that. Keith is defined by the way he lived his life. He put his family and religion first and did everything else after that the right way.”

Today his family, friends and ECU lost a great man. But that great man taught even those who did not know him a great deal about life. A great deal about what true success in balance is. I arrived after he had already stepped down. All I was able to see was the disease get the best of his body. But it never got the best of his spirit. He always had a positive word and wisdom for those who needed it and he always kept things in perspective. When great men like Keith (I am reminded of Keith Green as well) leave this world at such a young age I wonder, but as Keith would often say:

“We can never live our lives wondering why,” he said during an interview in December of 2001. “We have to be grateful for what we have. It’s like the 5,000 people on Sept. 11. Why them?

“We don’t know the answers, and we never will until we have that day of judgment. I don’t ask, ‘Why me?’ That’s irrelevant. I’m just grateful to have today.” (Reflector)

We can all learn a lot from Keith. I know I did.

CNN.com - The mean value of the ‘Nasty Boss’ - Jul 7, 2006

Nor does Stanford professor Robert Sutton, an organizational psychologist. He’s developed a whole philosophy, presented in an upcoming book, on bosses who are, well, jerks: They’re a drain on society. They shouldn’t be hired in the first place, and if they won’t change their ways, they should be fired.

This article is fascinating and it makes me want to see the movie and by the book that is soon to be published…or perhaps I will listen to it. Anyway, as we seek success in balance it reminded me that it is not just an individual balance that we should seek, but corporate/communal balance. Often mean bosses can have their life in “balance” while forcing everyone around them to be out of balance. So are they really in balance?

What about you? What about me? As I seek to get balance in my life do I force others out of balance? Actually, as I reflect I realize that when I am out of balance I often cause others to be out of balance. If I do too much for others I allow them to not do enough for themselves. Remember what we do impacts more than just ourselves.

FOXNews.com - The Lesson of TGI Friday’s: Never Take the Customer for Granted - Business And Money | Business News | Financial News

The lesson is that you can become a victim of your own success, unless you always keep in mind that you are not responsible for your success — your customer is.

Hum. So how does this apply to us personally? I think for me personally it indicates that just because things start going my way (hopefully they will soon I should not become complacent. You know, sort of taking it for granted. In a sense to truly have success in balance there always has to be a hunger for self improvement. For businesses it means always looking out for the customer. For individuals it means always looking to make yourself better.