Parquet Flooring And The Simple Things In Life...
Dear Friend,
About this time last year, I sat down and wrote a few pages worth of goals -- both business and personal.
Some of them I accomplished... some of them I accomplished part of... and some of them I didn't even come close to nailing down.
Today, I'm going to share a few of them with you, in no particular order.
I usually separate my goals into business and personal goals -- and then, I break them down even further into sub-categories.
Last year I did a good job of reviewing them regularly, but only for the first month-or-so of the year. What I'm doing this year, is... I'm going to post them up on the wall in my office where I can see them right next to me all day long.
I'm hoping I'll be disciplined enough to review them daily. I'm also going to shorten them so I'll be more inclined to do this and have less excuses for NOT doing it.
Here goes some of what I'm talking about:
1. Family
I'm a very lucky guy in the sense that the person I enjoy spending time with most, happens to be my wife. We still make each other laugh, and she's also nobody's fool either, so when I'm stuck on a problem, she's a great person to bounce ideas off of, or to get some new ideas and input from.
So these goals are very important to me. Last year I had some specific goals to spend more time with my Anne, and with each of our three children.
I've done a good job of it with my wife, and with one of my children (my older son Nick and I now workout together), but I have NOT done as good a job of this as I'd like with my younger son and with my daughter.
I haven't done a "bad" job of it with my daughter, but I need to do more, especially because she's my youngest and after her -- that's it!
This year, my goal will be to pick her up from school on Fridays, and then make sure we spend time together after that. If I can't at LEAST do this, then something's really wrong with my business.
With my younger son, he and I have discussed this and we share responsibility here for both not responding as much as we should.
I really feel bad about this, and I'm sure he does too, so I think a good goal to have would be to just extend Friday afternoons to include some time with him when he comes home after Samanatha does, a couple of hours later.
Plus, he's a cheap date -- all he needs is for us to either go fishing, or to toss a ball around.
Grade: Overall, I didn't do as well as I'd have liked here, but at least I AM moving forward -- albeit slower than I wanted to.
I'm going to do a better job of this in 2006, because it's probably one of the most important goals I have. After all, if you aren't taking care of things as well as you should be at home, it makes taking care of things in the office a little less worth-while, dont'cha think?
2. House
Last year, this is what I said I wanted: "We’re living in a 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom home on a beautiful lake. We have a good-sized back yard... our home is on AT LEAST a half-acre of flat land... and, we have a small boat out back and a deck."
I nailed this one down 100%. We've moved to our lake-house and I can't tell you how great it feels. I was definitely a little apprehensive about this, but I listened to my mentor who encouraged me and basically said, "Look, you have NO idea how good you're going to feel about yourself, until you do it."
And boy-oh-boy was he right.
In case you haven't seen pictures of it yet, here's our lake:
http://www.kingofcopy.com/tips/pictures_of_my_lakehome_071605.html
This is probably one of the BEST action steps I've taken in my life. The quality of our lives, and the memories we'll be able to make here, are so much better than had we moved to a place more within my "comfort zone".
The people here in our little town are so nice and genuine, I can't tell you how happy we all are.
Put it this way -- when we moved out of Plantation (which is just outside of Fort Lauderdale), there were TWO people I missed leaving -- my vet, who took care of our old dog Fred, until we had to put him down at age 15 1/2... and my kids Karate Instructor, who I had formed a good relationship with.
And I'm an outgoing guy, and I lived there for 16 years!
I don't know why, but me and South Florida never really "gelled' -- I never really felt at "home" there.
After I met my wife, I had been waiting for the next "signal" to tell me it was time to go.
And in fact, when I first hooked up with Halbert, the first thing I said to myself was, "Now I know why I was meant to be in South Florida," right there-and-then, and I knew I was headed into the final chapter of South Florida living.
Here was the rest of my "lake-house" goal.
"I go out fishing on the lake AT LEAST once a week, with one of the kids."
Progress: Until the cold weather snap came, again, I nailed this one. I'm currently looking to buy us a fish and ski boat as well, so we can go out and venture across the lake and start skiing and wakeboarding once spring comes.
When I was a kid, the big old apartments in the Bronx all used to have these nice finished wood floors, and I always dreamed of having them some time (as opposed to the lime green stained carpeting I had in my apartment). Today, our first floor has REAL wood floors and I look at them and appreciate them daily.
3. Physical Fitness And Health
Here's what I said last year: "My waistline is no more than 33” inches around, and I’ve got ab “details” as well.
Just as important, I have completely eliminated all sugars from my diet with the exception of an occasional snack (like ice cream out with Anne and the kids).
I’m training in the gym with weights 4 times a week in the morning, and doing cardio AT LEAST 3 times a week.
I’m ALWAYS working out in the morning - preferably first thing."
I lost 7 pounds this year, and although I'm not a 33" waist yet -- I am a 34". And as soon as the first of January rolls around, I'll be starting a VERY disciplined 12-week regiment with my son, where I won't be putting ANYTHING "bad" into my body. (except a good cigar, of course)
So, I DO expect to hit this goal next year.
Tomorrow I'll talk about some of my business goals -- hopefully they'll give you some ideas you can use and run with yourself, in 2006.
Now go sell something,
Craig Garber
Any comments?
Send them to me by scooting over to the contact form on my "Here's How To Contact Craig" page, and maybe I'll publish them -- I appreciate your feedback!
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