Friday, December 30, 2005

Happy New Year...Here's to 2006!

Why do so many people talk of, and even admit to, making New Year's resolutions when almost none of them will be kept?

A resolution is defined as "the state or quality of being resolute; firm determination. Resolving to do something…" Is it a self-defeating prophesy or just an empty wish? It's a mystery. Or at the very least, a paradox. It's not a resolute or firm determination, as much as a leftover list for Santa just in case he might want to bring us something before next Christmas.


Each year, many people set resolutions for the new year. It's often a giddy declaration of lost weight, better jobs, more wealth, controlled spending, and healthier habits. Many are broken and forgotten before the ink dries, if they are recorded in writing at all. This is often because the goals are set without full consideration and without any planning for their achievement. These resolutions are important to those who made them, but without a clear path old patters quickly resume. Knowing how to set effective goals for the new year can
help create more lasting results and lead to the self-improvement and greater wealth so many seek.


What if we resolved to make better choices and better decisions?

What if…there were a whole new way to get to your destination?

To do this, or become that? As many studies and statistics as there are to support that resolutions just don't hold water or help us develop the habits that lead to what we say it is we want, there are equally as many supporting the fact that many people, in fact most people, don't set goals.

Effective goals are more than just thinking or stating a "wish" out loud but actually taking a pen and paper and beginning the process. Success in any endeavor has substantial evidence that it is a process. If success is a journey then why can't we get better directions? And why our repeated failures with resolutions and goals?"

The reasons are simple…
1. Most people actually expect not to keep a resolution
2. Most don't know how to truly set goals or don't believe it matters

Goals are personal. Or should be. It's more about gaining an understanding of what it really means to have goals as a compass to take you in a specific direction or away from some undesirable destination. Of the small percentage of individuals who set goals (typically salespeople), it is often something that has been handed to them from someone else, seldom anything more than a number you must deliver. Ship this number of packages, make this number of sales, etc.
Hidden in our everyday lives is the real truth. Architects know it. Coaches know it.

Builders and rocket scientists know it. Blueprints and game plans and models work. In short, work goals.

These six tips can help any goal setting exercise lead to more effective results.

1. Fix in the mind, the exact goal. One must be able to imagine what it will feel like to have achieved the goal. This is the mental picture which will provide the "compass" towards its attainment.
2. Determine exactly what will be done to achieve this goal.
3. Establish a date for when this goal will be achieved.
4. Create a detailed plan and take some action immediately.
5. Write out a clear statement of the goal.
6. Review the goal, preferably out loud, twice a day.


2005 has come and gone…It’s been a great year for myself and my family. Here’s to a new year with new opportunities for all of us!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA:
TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker

Phone: 678.458.5812

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Friday, December 23, 2005

Christmas Joy

I’ve noticed a big change in our society in recent years. I was watching the news one afternoon at lunch and CNN mentioned the lighting of Nations “Holiday Tree”. I looked up to find that this object looked very much like a “Christmas Tree”. In this day and age of Political Correctness the main stream media over the years has made a distinct change in the way they report this wonderful season we use to call “Christmas”. Make no mistake; it’s a conscious effort on their part.

That evening, I went to my daughter’s school for a Christmas Recital and listened to her sing with her classmates “Happy Birthday Jesus” and am thankful that my wife and I are able to surround her with the true meaning of Christmas. I love hearing her talk about the birth of baby Jesus. But at the same time, I wonder what kind of world she will be growing up in, one that finds it safer not to offend anyone, and will put others beliefs ahead of their own.

By the way…I took a very unscientific poll later that afternoon as well. One that asked the question, what kind of tree people have in their home this year. Not a single person called it a “Holiday Tree”, so I guess our common man has more sense than our journalists on CNN and NBC News. We too, have a “Christmas Tree” in our home.

Growing up, my father had very simple Christmas lights on the house. It was three letters made of wood that he cut out of plywood stapled lights to himself. It spelled JOY. Now that I’m an adult, I have just a little more elaborate lighting system on the house, one that’s actually automated to come on every night and every morning. I have a spotlight that can project images up on our garage door. I change out the images throughout the season, starting with Happy Thanksgiving and ending with Happy New Year. In the middle of those two images however are those same three little letters that I am proud to display…JOY.

May the Christmas Season and the New Year bring you and your family JOY.


Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA:
TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker

Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
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Book Your Travel & Vacations With


Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450

RTA #24635

Friday, December 09, 2005

Breaking The 4 Minute Mile...

It was 51 years ago, that Roger Bannister, a 25 year old medical student, broke the Four-Minute Mile Barrier. A barrier that many "experts" felt was impossible to cross; because they 'knew' that the human body couldn't run that fast.

But what's the difference between running 4:01.4, which at the time was the current world record set in 1945 and running 3:59.4? Only two seconds. Just a couple of steps. That must have been what Roger Bannister had been thinking as he trained for what many track-and-field experts consider to be the most important event in the sport's history.

For middle distance runners, the fascination was The Four-Minute Mile, for it was widely assumed that it was impossible for a human being to run a mile under four minutes.

Bannister ran 3:59.4 on May 6, 1954. He broke the Four-Minute Mile Barrier.

What’s interesting about this record is that for the HUNDREDS of years they have been keeping Track-and-Field records it took one person to break this Barrier. 46 days after Bannister's breakthrough, another runner surpassed the record, running 3:57.9 in Finland. By the end of 1957, 16 runners had logged sub-4-minute miles. Between 1954 and 1964, one decade, 326 runners had logged sub-4-minute miles. Fast forward to July 7, 1999. Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco set the world of 3:43.13 - an incredible 55.78 seconds per lap. This was the 19th time the record for the mile had been broken since 1954. By the end of the Century, 955 runners had run sub-four-minute miles, accomplishing it an astonishing 4700+ times.

What Barriers Are Keeping You Back?

Fifty-one years ago Roger Bannister broke through the Four-Minute Mile barrier. What barriers are keeping you back? What negative thoughts are in the back of you mind.

That wee small voice that says

* You're not good enough.
* You don't have enough talent.
* You don't have enough education/training.

Don't accept it. Don't listen to it. Forge ahead. Turn those negative thoughts into positive actions generating phenomenal results.

How many nay-sayers do you have in your life?

* People who pull you down, instead of building you up.
* People who take from you, but don't give anything back.
* People who drain you of your energy, enthusiasm and your dreams.

Remove them from your life. Surround yourself with positive uplifting, encouraging, and supportive people. People who want to see you succeed.

What are your dreams?
Goals?
Ambitions?
Where do you want to go?
What do you want to become?

Roger Bannister wanted to become a physician. But along the way he wanted to do the impossible. He did both. His name is forever etched in history.


What about you?

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA:
TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker

Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
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Book Your Travel & Vacations With


Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450

RTA #24635

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Have you seen "The Dream Giver"?

It is said that the definition of “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. My business has made me rethink about how I live my life, and I’ve made a lot of changes. The best part of working in this industry we call Network Marketing is how motivational it is. This industry is packed with Personal Development and Motivational books, tapes, e-books, and even message boards like this one. I started to first feed my mind with these same books, tapes, e-books, and message boards. Once I started to get my mind in shape I then dropped about 20 pounds feeding my body the right type of food, and I recently started exercising. I feel better than I have in years both mentally and physically. I feel alive and vibrant and when I take action, I feel strong and confident.

How could I still feel something is missing?

I’m what’s known as a P.K. (Preachers Kid) I like to refer to myself as a T.O. (Theological Offspring) I don’t know how many of you either are, or have ever known a P.K. We are a rebellious bread who tend to be some of the biggest “Hell Raisers” you may have ever known. We need to prove to the world that we are not the “Angels” everyone expects us to be since we come from such religious bread.

Even after 41 years, I still have a hard time with the concept of allowing God into my life and asking Him for help. It’s something I’ve really struggled with and I know I shouldn’t. Even without asking, I know He has put people and circumstances in my life at just the right time. There has only been one time in my life that I really feel I’ve been able to surrender and let God take over. I’m also a recovering alcoholic. Without turning my sobriety over 16 years ago, I wouldn’t be where I am today. (I might not even be alive today.)

About a month ago, one of my upline introduced a book to all of us. He gave this book as a gift to someone who is having wonderful success in our business. I admire and respect both of these gentlemen and aspire to model myself after them. When my sponsor told me this book was a must read, I went out and got the CD the next day. Both my wife and I listened to the entire book while driving to a family vacation two weeks ago. It was like nothing I had ever heard, and really started to bring to the forefront my belief system. This book talks about spirituality which I was able to listen to thanks to what I have learned from other tapes and messages I have found in this industry. (A mind is like a parachute, it don’t work if it’s not open.) I was also able to connect with the story, and the main character in the book. I could relate and find direct correlations to what I was going through in my own journey.

Because of this book, like everything else I’ve read, I want to put it into action. I made the decision to visit a church with my family Sunday morning. I’ve always considered myself spiritual, but have been doing it on my terms because of the whole P.K. thing. I know I often act like my 2 year old son and say “I can do it myself!” I also knew that the book was right, because it explained other feeling and emotions dead on that I had going on inside of me. I could no longer ignore the direction I felt I needed take in order to move my business to the next level. My wife was thrilled with the choice I made and we all got up and went to church. She has been actively involved in this church for some time without me.

As I’m sitting there listening to the minister and his message, he starts to talk about an author Bruce Wilkinson, and a book called “
The Dream Giver””, and how God gives each of us a dream. Some of us follow this dream, some of us don’t feel worthy enough to pursue the dream, and some of us feel it’s to overwhelming or to difficult to even think about any longer. This was the very book my upline recommended and I had been listening to for the last several weeks.
The message floored me and I knew what had been planted for me as a seed just 3 weeks ago. People, places, ideas, and directions all became clear and thumped me over the head with a sledge hammer.

Some of us pursue our dream. Some don’t realize we even had a dream deep down inside until we get into the business. But I can say with certainty each and every one of us has a dream right now. We are born with it. This industry does a wonderful job about helping us dream. Sometimes we even achieve them! This industry is full of filling our minds with great information, and even talks about keeping physically fit to help us perform better.

But I don’t believe it does enough for all three, Mind, Body, and Soul. We tend to keep religion, like politics, out of any conversations or topics.

After this experience however, I can’t ignore what it’s done for me. This form is for sharing ideas and concepts that we find moves us and motivates us to achieve success in this industry. If you are chasing a dream like I am, and would like to connect with a journey we all go through in this industry, I would highly recommend
"The Dream Giver” by Bruce Wilkinson. Yes, it is spiritually based, and it does talk about God. He’s someone who I know has been working in my business, even without asking. He’s patiently waited on the sidelines letting me find my own way, but giving me clues that He needs to be more involved in my journey and my business.

Thanks for letting me share.

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA:
TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker

Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
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Book Your Travel & Vacations With


Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450

RTA #24635



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