June 2015
New ideas ~ A good book ~ And, writing appetizers
Do you see yourself
in successful people?
In the last few years, it has come to my attention that very successful people take steps – one at a time – to reach their goal.
I’m not sure why this surprised me – or rather, why I didn’t realize this is “normal.” But, I guess it’s because when you have a goal (particularly a BIG one that someone you know has achieved), it seems that they did it overnight. And, of course, never struggled.
Dear reader, I know you at least suspect that is not so. And, it’s not.
We never physically see these successful people crying in their closets, reading hour after hour educating themselves, calling hundreds of investors, skyping their kids from one thousand miles away, or (if we can get into their heads) pushing themselves forward day after day despite millions of doubts and fears.
Because we don’t see them struggle – with our own two eyes – we think it was easy for them.
That’s what I love about this month’s recommended book by Starbucks
founder, Howard Schultz. He shows you his struggles and how he worked through them to make his Starbucks dream a reality.
Successful people focus on today. Ask yourself, “What can I do today to bring me one step closer?”
Sometimes, that might be clipping magazine pictures or website photos of things you’re working to acquire. And, hanging them in a place you see daily. (Some people call this a vision board.) Other times, it’s practicing your craft – whether it be writing, sculpting, or computer programming. May be it’s reading a book, journaling, meeting with a mentor or friend, taking a class, or simply sitting on your back porch staring at the sunset strategizing (or just screaming in your head, “WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT…BLAHHHH(fill in the blank)…????).
Recently, I watched one those weight loss shows where they chronicled one man’s life for an entire year. His goal was to shed LOTs of pounds but also to become healthy – on the inside and out.
This particular episode included a clip of Kobe Bryant advising the participant to keep making HUGE goals. But instead, Bryant suggested that the man avoid focusing on the end result so much while working on the goal itself. He
advised him to focus on what he could do today to get closer to his goal.
Bryant’s example, if your goal is Mount Everest, focus on the part you’re climbing today – not the summit!
This makes big goals “easy.” And to me, it takes the pressure off.
To bring your dream closer, choose to walk only two miles up the “mountain.” It’s only two miles. Certainly, you can do that. You can’t climb the entire mountain in one day, right? So, remember, you’ll get there . . . eventually, as long as you keep moving forward.
Today, do what you must. Take the small step. No matter how little you think it is. As long as you move in the direction of your goals – your dreams, that’s all that matters.
All the best,
Ms. Bahe
P.S. One last thought . . . read books and articles about famous people. You’ll learn their struggles – before becoming an “overnight” success. Then, you just might see a little of yourself in them.
(1) Hodges, J. (2015, May 4). How mixed-income couples plan. The Wall Street Journal, R4.
Book Recommendation
Book Recommendation: Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time (by Howard Schultz)
I fell in love Starbucks (or specifically, their café latte) in Germany. But, I fell in love with the company and its mission after reading Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time by Starbucks founder, Howard Schultz.
This is one of the best business books for showing the process of entrepreneurship. Schultz shares his personal story of leaving a great job and taking a chance on coffee.
It was not easy… you see his struggles both in his work and personal life – such as deciding to move his family across the U.S. to take a lower-paying coffee job just as he learned his wife was pregnant. Then there are the challenges with convincing his boss to serve espresso in the coffee bean store – and deciding to go out on his own, buying the Starbucks name and designing the logo.
All
these little things and more are what entrepreneurs face when starting their own “thing.” Schultz persevered. And, that’s what the book is about. A story of perseverance in the face of No’s and while climbing his Mount Everest dream.
To see how an entrepreneur starts with tiny steps and builds a city on the top of a HUGE mountain – and not just one but several, read Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time.
Whet Your Writing Appetite
with these . . .
HOT and FRESH writing appetizers –
Here are three writing appetizers to get you thinking and writing:
1. Write about a time when you used steps to complete a goal or achieve your dream.
2. Think of some steps you’ve walked up or down. A unique flight of steps. May be you walked the steps of the Great Wall of China or a cathedral in Paris, France. Pick your favorite steps and write about them. What made them unique? What was special? If they had a story, what is it (or make one up)?
3. Create a new Starbucks coffee flavor and write an advertisement for it.
Note to New Subscribers: The writing prompts can be used in classroom or for creative free writing. Enjoy and be creative!
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