Category Archives: Uncategorized

WARRIOR ON

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WarriorOn #SoldierOn #FightOn #CarryOn
Warrior on. Soldier on. Fight on. Carry on.
Circumstances will come at you. Illness may befall you.
The world will change in front of you.
All you knew could be gone tomorrow.
Yet, you are still here. You are here to be the best you can be.
Though circumstances may not be ideal, you can still be stronger than they are.
Or, you can let yourself be defined by those circumstances. Remember, circumstances cannot conquer you without your permission.
Certainly, things WILL happen to you. Some of those things you will not want. Yet, they bring out your inner strength that allows you to rise above them.
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Is your life not where you want it to be? Have you resigned to your circumstances, to the point of giving up?
If so, it’s not too late to summon your inner strength.
If not, then you must look for something that will help you get out of your situation. Certainly, there are many vehicles out there that can help a person not only change his or her life, but also the lives of others who wish to join him or her.
These programs can give you the resources to overcome any adverse circumstances. Or, to quote a friend, help you work out your problems in style.
To learn about one of the best of these programs, message me.
Meanwhile, though you may see the grimness of the world, you don’t have to accept it.
All you can do is your part to change it. But as you do your part, you may encourage others to do their part. Collectively, change can come – perhaps not with the speed some may want, but it can come.
Remember, too, that only you can change you. Other things can change your circumstances, but they do not have to change you.
The changes upon which you embark may be dictated by circumstances. You can give in to the circumstances, or you can work to overcome them.
Changes in you sometimes come when a friend introduces you to something that could change you, and your circumstances.
Strong people willfully examine, evaluate and decide on opportunities placed before them.
Weaker people pass on those opportunities, out of fear of change.
Strong people look for those opportunities. Weaker people hope they are never offered such opportunities.
So, keep your eye out for something that perhaps you never envisioned yourself doing.
Look to change you, so you can overcome anything that befalls you.
Seek the wisdom of those whom you trust. On the other hand, don’t let those around you talk you out of what’s best for you. Act on the best advice you can get. Sometimes, that means shelving some of the old adages, customs and fears you had been taught. Take on what seems right to you. Though risks are part of life, they are also part of your growth.
Warrior on. Soldier on. Fight on. Carry On.
Peter

KNOWLEDGE VS. WISDOM

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#knowledge #wisdom #education #power
It’s great to have knowledge.
But knowledge without wisdom can be useless, even dangerous.
First, let’s talk about the differences in the two. Knowledge is a collection of facts, skills and other useful components.
Knowledge gives you the ability to do some things. It equips you with the wherewithal to be your best self. Yes, knowledge is power.
Wisdom, on the other hand, is the comportment to do good. It’s the ingredient that allows you to take what you’ve been given, and use it to the best of your ability – but in a way that enhances the world.
If knowledge is power, wisdom is the vehicle that implores you to use that power for the greater good.
The power of knowledge can be used for evil – say, by a criminal.
But the wise person would never use his knowledge for evil.
So, are you both knowledgeable and wise? Here’s a test: Is what you are doing now to earn a living what you really want to be doing? If so, you are both knowledgeable and wise.
If not, is it because you don’t have the knowledge, you believe, to do something better?
That can be a relatively easy fix. Certainly, getting educated would be a help. But education may not be for everyone, especially if it requires going into debt.
So how does one gain more knowledge without more formal education? Reading, researching on one’s own is one way.
But when it comes to bettering one’s life, that may requires a new way of thinking. It may require the wisdom to think outside of one’s comfort zone. It may require a person to look at something that he or she may have never thought he or she would do.
There are many programs out there can change a person’s life. Potentially, they can give a source of income you may have never thought about. They can potentially allow you to get the things in life you may never thought you would get.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
To sum it up, knowledge can be acquired, without the formality and expense of some types of education. But it requires wisdom to know what you don’t know, and take steps to learn it.
Knowledge is out there for the taking. Wisdom has to be created.
Knowledge is power. Wisdom is the strength to harness the power of knowledge for the greater good..
To know may be to love. To be wise is to learn before you love.
The combination of knowledge and wisdom can give you everything you may need to get whatever you want, and also to help others do the same.
So, indeed, learn what you don’t know. And, be wise in learning what can help you change your life, and, perhaps, those of others.
Peter

REMOTE NO LONGER A REMOTE POSSIBILITY

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#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #RemoteWork #RemoteLearning #InternetProviders
We’re doing more things remotely these days.
We’re working remotely. We’re going to school remotely etc.
Most would rather not, but the pandemic has made it a way of life.
What if your Internet provider craps out on you for an extended period?
There’s no Plan B for that, unless you have data plans in your devices.
What if you’re in the middle of a virtual meeting, and, suddenly, everything freezes?
It may not be the provider’s fault. Road construction and other things can affect Internet access.
There are certain cost advantages to bundling phone, TV and Internet service. But all of them, in most cases, are dependent on the Internet. When the Internet goes down, they all go down.
And, when you’re stuck at home with no landline phone – yes, most of us have cellphones – TV or working computers, time surely passes slowly. Still, there is a positive here. It might encourage people to read more.
We also have the issue of limited Internet access, in general, in certain areas of the country – very rural and low-income urban areas come to mind.
What if we could make Internet service as universal, low-cost and essentially required as basic telephone service was decades ago? What if basic Internet service with reasonable speed were a public utility? That means costs would be regulated, providers would be required to make service available to all and have to get any rate changes approved by a governing body.
Certainly, providers would oppose that. If the providers don’t want that eventuality – and the pandemic has prompted people to think of that eventuality – they have to step up and provide essentially universal service, spreading the costs around in a reasonable fashion.
The pandemic has also given all of us time to think, especially when the Internet goes down.
Is your “old” life worth wanting back? Sure, we’d all like to get back into circulation, even back to work. But is that work giving you what you want from life?
If not, there are many programs that allow anyone, regardless of education, experience or background, to pursue their dreams part-time and, in many cases, provide an income that can dwarf what he or she is earning in the job they may not like. As a bonus, these programs can insulate you from the whims of employers, pandemics, economic ups and downs etc. You can even do these programs remotely, when your Internet is up and working.
To check out one of the best such programs, message me.
A few years ago, in Internet’s infancy, we thought of it as a luxury. Some even thought of it as an unnecessary monthly expense.
Today, life, as we know it, is online. The pandemic has emphasized that. The Internet is changing the way we do almost everything – some for the better, some, not so much.
Yet, we can’t live without it. We just need the providers to make it more universal, more reliable, more resistant to road construction and other outside forces and less costly.
Will these providers step up? Or, will other forces step in and force the issue?
We’ll all have to log in to find out.
Peter

BLEND IN, OR STAND OUT?

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#BlendIn #StandOut #BeDifferent #CelebrateDifferences
Most kids want to blend in.
Many adults want to stand out.
Blending in, by definition, makes you “average.”
Standing out, by definition, makes you exceptional.
Children, when interacting with other children, prefer to be included, rather than excluded, from “the crowd.”
When someone, like a child, looks different, or acts differently, from many of the other children, he or she is ostracized, picked on or otherwise treated badly in many cases.
This can hurt a child’s self-esteem – never mind his or her relationships with the other children.
But what if, as the child grows, he or she discovers that being different is not only good, but desirable?
What if being different makes a person not necessarily BETTER than the others, but encourages him or her to celebrate the differences? Perhaps it will encourage others to emulate him or her.
Those who become successful in life, however they define success, usually start out as “different” from most around them.
They come to celebrate their difference. They see “average” as something to shun.
Then, because they learn to celebrate their difference from others, others then want to emulate them.
This begs the question for everyone: do you want to blend in, or stand out?
What if there were a way to go from “average” to exceptional?
First, you have to WANT to be better than average. You have to WANT to hold your head high, rather than keeping your head low, out of fear that it will get chopped off.
Once you decide you want it badly enough, you have to find a way to do it. Then, you need to pursue that way consistently, without stopping.
There are many vehicles out there that allow anyone, regardless of education, experience or background, to go from average to exceptional.
To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
Meanwhile, think about what you want from life. Do you just want to be like everyone else – blending in? Or, do you want more than what you can get by just blending in?
If you want more, you may have to decide to be different. That requires not listening to the blenders, but rather mixing your priorities a little differently.
Standing out also requires that you change how you see yourself. You have to see ways you can grow and be better. You have to see how you can use what you have, and what you know, to greater advantage. And, you have to emulate others who have stood out and reached where you want to be.
In short, it’s tough to stand out when you hang with blenders.
So find what makes you different. Celebrate it. Use it to your advantage. Be open to being different. Be open to standing out.
Peter

WE ALL LIKE ROUTINES, DON’T WE?

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#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #routines #RoutinesThatPayOff
Much has been made about the loss of routine during the pandemic.
Many articles feature tips on how to get one’s routine back, once COVID-19 disappears.
Sure, we want our kids back in school. We want to be able to go to weddings and other gatherings. We may want to go to parties and other friendly assemblies.
But did we have a job we really want to go back to? Certainly, we want income back that may have been missing during the coronavirus spread, but is that job the best way for us to get it?
Routine is a word that has two edges. The first edge gives us a sense of normalcy. We get used to doing things in a certain way, in a certain order to give us a sense of contentment.
The second edge gives us a sense of doing the same thing over and over – year after year, day after day. No changes. We feel obligated to do things that way, perhaps because we were taught to do it a certain way.
That first edge – normalcy – may be something we all want.
The second edge –obligation – may be something we don’t want.
If we have to accept the second edge to gain the first, is that really OK?
What if your routine never fulfills your dreams? Sure, contentment may mean pleasant survival, but, as the Peggy Lee song says, “Is That All There Is?”
Maybe you’re a person who wants something more from life. Maybe, pleasant survival will not get you what you want. Maybe, there is something out there that will help you get everything you want.
Indeed, there are many programs out there that allow anyone, regardless of education, experience or background, to have the chance to get what he or she wants.
Such a person needs to be open-minded, willing to look at something he or she may never have thought they would do. And, if he or she sees those dreams stand in front of them and takes the plunge he or she then has to be coachable. Yes, there may be a routine they have to follow. But, the payoff will be so worth it.
If you are such a person, and are willing to check out one of the best such programs, message me.
Military, law enforcement and other professions not only thrive on, but require routine. These routines have been proved to get the desired results. You may have had – or still have – a job that requires routine. Such routines may be dreaded. Others may be comfortable, even fun. Others may be completely necessary.
The question you have to ask is whether the routine you are in, or seem to want to go back to, gives you the payoff you really want? Some will. Some won’t.
If your previous routine isn’t giving you the payoff you want, why would you want to go back to itr?
Certainly, employers shake up routines for no good reason. Job descriptions often change from what you were allegedly hired to do. They may have a reason for these shakeups, but you don’t see it. And, just as you get used to the new routine, it gets shaken up again.
It may be time to find a routine that not only works for you, but also gets you closer to your dreams. You may have been discouraged from dreaming as a child, because those dreams were deemed unattainable for you. Those same discouragers may have, at the same time, encouraged you to find the security of routine.
Since then, you may have learned that those routines disappear before you want them to, regardless of a pandemic.
In short, dream. And, know that those dreams can come true if you find the routine that pays off for you.
Peter

GOOD LEADERS POSITION THEMSELVES TO BE LUCKY

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#luck #leaders #leadership #success
You need luck to be a leader.
Though many people might quarrel with that statement, David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group private equity firm, told that to Fareed Zakaria on Zakaria’s GPS program on CNN Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020.
Rubenstein has interviewed many leaders of all styles in his research.
But let’s break this down a little more. Many would dispute that people who are leaders, who do well in life, are lucky. They also would dispute the opposite – that those that do not do as well are unlucky?
Rubenstein also believes leadership is a skill that can be learned.
If that’s the case, those willing to learn to be leaders just need to work at it. Luck really would have nothing to do with it.
You’ve heard others say that they would rather be lucky than good. If you are an amateur golfer, for instance, and you sink a long putt, you might consider yourself lucky.
But good luck is more than just carrying four-leaf clovers, a rabbit’s foot or some other charm.
Good luck is acquired, in general, by those willing to put themselves in position to get it.
How does one do that? It requires an open mind. It requires a person to look at things that may seem out of their comfort zone, and take a shot at them. You take enough shots at good things, and you will probably get lucky more often than not. Also, you can take multiple shots at ONE good thing and probably get lucky enough to keep you in the game.
Regular gamblers get lucky often enough to keep them coming back to the table. They also have the mind-set that losing – even losing often – goes with the territory. You might look at that as a failing forward strategy, though gambling might not be the best vehicle to do that.
That brings us to the topic of risk vs. luck. It would be difficult to find a real leader, or successful person, who didn’t take risks. One never gets to the top of the mountain by playing it completely safe, just as one doesn’t get rich with simply a savings account in a bank. He or she may start off with a savings account, but, eventually, for wealth to grow at a reasonable pace, he or she has to invest in things that may carry more risk.
It’s the person who takes calculated risks as opportunities arise that becomes successful. It’s the successful person who helps others succeed that becomes a leader.
Rubenstein points out that leaders come in various styles. In general, though, real leaders will, as the saying goes, know the way, go the way and show the way.
Do you consider yourself a leader? Are you willing to learn to be a leader? If so, do you have a vehicle that can propel you to the leadership you want to provide?
If what you are doing now doesn’t suit that scenario, there are many programs out there that can allow you to become a leader, regardless of your education, experience or background. As stated earlier, you may have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone to check out these programs.
If you are, and want to check out one of the best such programs, message me.
In short, luck doesn’t just always just happen. More often, people put themselves in position to become lucky. To win, you have to be willing to play.
Successful people don’t just settle for contentment. Instead, they go for what they really want.
It’s also been said that good things come to those who wait. But, more than likely, if you are waiting and doing nothing to change things, good things will not come as quickly.
But if you are consistently doing things that put you in a position for good things to come to you, they likely will come more rapidly, and more often.
Peter

PANDEMIC MAY HAVE TAUGHT US GOOD HABITS

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#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #FoodWaste #food
In the early day of the conornavirus pandemic, many of us were outraged at farmers throwing away crops, milk and other food just as many lost jobs and would eventually need help feeding their families.
But, as restaurants closed and distribution was disrupted, farmers could neither sell nor store their crops.
In normal times, however, most food waste is generated from households. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that consumers might throw away 30 to 40 percent of the food they buy. So says an article by Rachael Jackson for the Washington Post. It was also published Sept. 2, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
But, as the article says, the pandemic is causing us to change our cooking habits.
“Perhaps, hesitant to risk virus exposure at the store, you have improvised more meals from whatever the fridge offered,” Jackson writes. “Or, (you) started doing inventories of your pantry and shopping with targeted lists. And, amid tightening finances, you may have eaten something past its ‘best by date, or frozen vegetables before they turned to mush,” she continues.
If enough of those habits stay with you, we may cut into the amount of food we waste, the article says.
So, the pandemic has us doing things differently. In addition to wasting less food, we are saving more money. Those two behaviors blend together well.
Therefore, we would like those behaviors to continue, wouldn’t we?
Staying at home has given us time to think. Among the thoughts undoubtedly is how best to improve our lives even when the pandemic goes away – which probably won’t be anytime soon.
Staying home gives us time to take stock of what was good about our lives, and what was not so good. Even if we are able to go back to the old way, do we really want to?
Was the job that perhaps the pandemic took away worth getting back? If so, will it come back? If not, what to do next?
Fortunately, there are many programs out there that enable a person to earn an income without the benefit, or headaches, of a W-2 job. And, technology allows many of these programs to be done from home, should another pandemic – or other disaster – return.
Anyone, regardless of education, background or experience can do these things. You just have to be coachable, and, more importantly, open to checking them out in the first place.
If you are, and want to learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
Meanwhile, as you continue to contemplate your life, don’t just look at the bad things the pandemic has wrought. Look at the good things you have done to live with, and through, it.
A successful vaccine may be the only solution to this crisis. Hopefully, one will be found as soon as it is scientifically possible. Let’s hope we don’t offer a vaccine before it is thoroughly tested.
The lessons from Jackson’s article are many. Buy only what you will eat within the time it is edible. Congruently, eat what you buy within that time.
If you have to throw food away, think before you throw. Think of your friends who may have lost their jobs and are struggling to eat. Think of how else you might use that food.
It may mean more trips to the store. If the pandemic is still on, don’t forget to mask up.
Often, things happen for a reason, though we may not know the reason immediately. The pandemic has taught us some better habits. Let us continue them.
Peter

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

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#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #LaborDay #EssentialWorkers
“The metro (Atlanta) area alone has about 300,000 workers in retail and sales jobs, 250,000 people doing food-related work, 16,000 police officers and 8,000 emergency medical technicians and dispatchers,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
And, we take them for granted.
That was the main point in the Labor Day article by Michael E. Kanell, business and economics reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It was published Sept. 7, 2020.
“They have no choice. If your employer says, ‘Go back to work,’ you have to do it,” the article quotes Andrew Stettner, senior fellow at The Century Foundation, who has studied the labor market.
During the beginning of the pandemic, some of these workers were getting hazard pay. Much of that has ended, the article says.
Basically, these necessary workers who have to be out there regardless of the susceptibility to disease are overworked, underpaid and undervalued, the article points out. We might put school bus drivers in that category as well. They have lots of responsibility, but generally get paid very little.
Yes, as Kanell writes, Labor Day is a celebration of blue-collar labor. But as necessary as these folks are, many of the higher-paid white-collar workers got to work from home, protected from the pandemic.
And, these lower-paid, necessary workers also enjoy fewer benefits and protections in many places, Kanell writes.
“Each and every day going into work, you feel at risk,” Kanell quotes longtime supermarket worker Mary, who didn’t want to give her full name out of fear of retribution. “They make the schedule. And if you are on the schedule, you work,” the article quotes her.
Many of us can relate to hard work. Many of us can relate to having to go to work regardless of weather, job hazards etc. The pandemic adds a colossal risk to the workplace.
You could not only catch it yourself, but also spread it to anyone who lives with you or near you. Though you may not get noticeably sick, someone close to you, particularly if they have other underlying health problems, could catch the virus from you and get terribly ill – or die.
The pandemic gives new meaning to at-risk employee.
Still, many of those employees love their jobs. They want to help people, regardless of the conditions.
And, some employers, who may want to pay them more, simply cannot afford to. The traditional job market can be very unfair. Still, many of us have to work – period.
But what if there were something out there you could do that wouldn’t have to put you at risk, and paid you potentially a lot more than a risky job would? What if you didn’t need any significant education, experience or background to do it? What if you could do it around your current job, until it came time that you didn’t need your current job?
There are many such programs out there. To learn about one of the best, message me.
We are thankful that our essential workers are doing what they are doing for us, regardless of what may – or may not — be in it for them. All we can do is thank them, be nice to them – regardless of the encounter – and respect them.
They help us get the necessities of life, and some of them do not have the pandemic protections they should have. Many, like meat packers, HAVE to work shoulder-to-shoulder, and are at great risk of spreading disease.
Our lives depend on their labor. Happy Labor Day.
Peter

PANDEMIC CREATES FRUGALITY AMONG AMERICANS

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#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #spending #money
Americans are holding on to their money, even as the country gradually reopens, despite the pandemic.
A survey of 2,200 adults shows how COVID-19 has dramatically changed behavior among Americans, potentially for a long time.
So writes Tiffany Kary, in an article for Bloomberg News. It was also published July 5, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Americans have become more frugal, after many unexpectedly lost jobs as businesses shut down, the article says. That can be a good thing for individuals, many of whose saving habits have been less than stellar.
In fact, in a later article, the Atlanta newspaper reported that some people’s financial health has actually improved during the pandemic. That likely doesn’t apply to those who’ve been out of work for a time, but for those who have been working from home, they are not going to theaters, they are not going on vacation etc., in large numbers. Yes, entertaining yourself at home can have its rewards.
But if you are a small business owner whose profit comes with gathering, socializing in large groups, you are probably hurting. Even if you are allowed to open, there are only so many people you can have. Over time, that may not be profitable.
So, here are some raw numbers from Morning Consult in Kary’s article:
• 29 percent of Gen Z consumers, ages 18 to 24, are looking forward to returning to restaurants, with about one in four getting excited about concerts and movies. The younger folks are the most eager to get out and spend.
• In the past three months, 23 percent purchased more generic items.
• In the same period, 28 percent increased bulk purchases.
• 41 percent chose to save money more often by forgoing a purchase.
So, let’s break it down. People were stuck at home. That means they didn’t spend as much
as they normally would. If they were still earning money while at home, that put more in their pockets and allowed them to save more. That could hasten their purchase of a much-needed big-ticket item, or could jump-start their retirement savings.
If they lost their jobs, not spending became a necessity. If they are getting their jobs back, or getting new work as restrictions ease, they have some catching up to do. If their employer closed for good, these employees, after getting over the initial shock that their jobs are gone, now have a chance to try something new, should they be open enough to looking for it. .
Fortunately, there are many programs out there that allow people to do that. And, should they have to work from home, they can. But, they require a willingness to consider something they may never have thought they would do.
As a bonus, a person can take advantage of these programs AND still hold a traditional job, should he or she choose.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
So, have your new routines created newer habits for you? Has the confinement encouraged you to re-examine your life and change a few things?
For many it has. The “new” normal could be different for many. That may not be a bad thing.
Peter

COACH OF A DIFFERENT COLOR

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It is with great pride that I announce the publication – due out in September 2020 – of the book “Coach of a Different Color,” by Ray Greene.
I was Ray’s writing partner for the book.
Ray was one of the first black men to coach in big-time college football back in the 1960s and 70s.
If you are not a sports fan, you will admire Ray’s story of tenacity, courage and challenge of the status quo. He fought discrimination in general, as well as in the coaching fraternity.
If you are a sports fan, you’ll recognize the names of many of the coaches he’s worked with, and the players he has coached. Legendary head coaches Johnny Majors, who died recently, and Jimmy Johnson have endorsed the book and contributed to the book’s forward. Ray worked with both of them at Iowa State University.
It was published by Ray’s hometown University of Akron, where Ray played and coached.
Advanced orders for the book can be placed by going to this link.