How To Stick Out in the Stack.

New Experiences

As some of you may know, I began a new job a few weeks back.  I work for a human resources company that offers staffing and HR resources for companies throughout the western United States as well as select locations on the east coast. 

This experience has opened my eyes to many things that I thought I knew.  Several of these revolve around the recruiting and hiring process.



Photo courtesy of bionicteaching, Some Rights Reserved

Resumes

I wanted to share with you one thing that I thought I was fairly competent in two weeks ago, but have since learned volumes about...resumes.

I have taken classes that taught how to write resumes, I have scoured websites, read blog posts and books and thought I had a fair handle on resume writing--after all, my high school business teacher used my resume as an example for like 6 years after I graduated!!

Yeah, not so much!

So here's when I realized exactly what is important in a resume: When I was on the other side of the table, reading 70+ resumes and trying to narrow them down to 4-5 that we would interview for an advertised position. 

In my few weeks at this job, we average 10-20 new applicants a day--that isn't counting emailed or mailed resumes, simply those people who physically walk into our branch office and fill out an application.  This may be more than most small businesses get, but here's the point:  The economy is tough and there is a lot of competion when you apply for a job. 


Here are four suggestions to help your resume stick out in the stack of resumes on the HR manager's desk:

1.     Don't Stretch.  Recruiters will often advertise for positions and not list the company for which you are actually applying.  If this is the case, do not, I repeat, do not use phrases like "I have wanted to work for your company for some time." or "I have great respect for your company and what you stand for".  Such phrases, when obviously not true or disingenuous, immediately turn off those reviewing your resume. 

If you do know the company, and honestly respect them, by all means, say so, but make sure it comes across as genuine...if they know it's just a tactic, it will fail every single time.   

2.     Job History.  As proud as you are of your job history, focus more on your skills than the jobs themselves.  If I am looking for a Customer Service Rep and you list your jobs prominently at the beginning of your resume as "Cashier", "Head Waiter" and "Construction Foreman" you will have painted a picture of who you are in my mind.  This picture may or may not be accurate, but it is still there.  You may actually be a great fit for the Customer Service Rep, but with dozens of resumes to review, you'll be passed up for someone else with job titles like "Bank Teller", "Administrative Assistant" and "Regional Sales Manager". 

How do you avoid this?  Focus on your skills.  List the skills you have acquired from being a cashier or construction foreman that will apply to a Customer Service position.  Skills like resolving customer concerns, assisting clients in making informed decisions, and setting and achieving goals and budgets.  This allows the recruiter or HR personnel to paint a picture in their mind of you fitting what they are looking for, rather than a picture of the person they think holds the job titles you listed.

3.     Don't put Objectives.  I'm going to be straight up, and this might make my high school business teacher mad at me, but...whoever came up with the idea of putting an objective at the beginning of a resume was completely stupid and never had to read through a stack of resumes!!!

When I read:

"Objective: To gain employment with a reputable company with good values where I can utilize my skills, grow as a person and have opportunities for growth."
 

Do you know what I think? NEXT!! 

Do you know why? Because I when I read that I hear:

"Its all about me, I want a company that will be fair to me, that will cater to my skills, spend their time and money to develop me into a better person and give me raises and promotions (or I will take the training they provided and go somewhere else that suits me)".
 

Even if you mean every word of your objective there are at least two reasons it's a bad idea. 1. The person reviewing your resume is busy, they aren't your mother and therefore don't have time to find out about your life's ambitions.  2. It makes you appear self centered (even if you aren't) and they are looking to fill a need they have, not a need you have.   So just delete the objective.

4.     Prove it.  My mentor showed me his resume the other day.  At the very top of his resume he listed "Achievements".  He has been interviewing people for employment for probably 15-20 years.  He said that the Achievements say all he needs to know about a person.  What have you done with your life?  "The proof's in the puddin'." , so to speak. 

And he didnt just list career achievements like "Took office revenue from $4 million to $10 million" He put things like "Married 20 years with 5 children", "Eagle Scout and Boy Scout Troup Leader", "President of local youth football league.", "Active member of Rotary International".  

Listing achievements from your business and personal life, volunteering and hobbies will say more about who you are to a hiring executive than any statements about how trustworthy, hard-working and considerate you may be.  Your achievements--business and otherwise--speak volumes.  Don't tell them who you are, show them through your accomplishments.

These are just a few impressions I have had from sitting on the other end of a resume.  I'm sure I'll come up with more, and when I do, I hope you'll indulge me when I share them. 

Take what you can use from this, "round file" the rest. 

But know this: If your resume doesn't stand out, you won't get an interview.  And if you don't get an interview, it's real hard to get hired, even if you're the most qualified person in your area code!

Question:  What will you do to improve your resume in the next few weeks?



If you find value in these posts, please share them with your friends, family and collegues. 

Twitter: @Skropp2

Get Behind the Wheel

A large portion of my job is hauling equipment with a truck and trailer. It's not uncommon for me to spend 4-6 hours a day driving.



My truck, trailer and machine at work

I've learned there is a lot about driving truck that can be applied to business and leadership.

Allow me to explain:

Look Ahead

Semi's are big, and they weigh A LOT when loaded. My weight is usually around 85,000 lbs. You can't stop over 40 tons like you can stop a little family sedan.

When you drive truck you've got to look a long ways ahead of you. You have to know where to turn, what lane to be in, what traffic is doing, what stop lights are doing, and a million other things.

Likewise, in leadership and business, we can't look at only what is happening now. We've gotta keep an eye on what's going down the road. If we fail to look and plan ahead, sooner or later the full weight of our business will crash and burn. Plan ahead.

Look Behind

As important as looking ahead is looking behind you. Watching what's behind you helps you plan as well. It's important to see that little sports car coming up quick in the other lane, or the idiot in the 4x4 that is so close to your trailer you think you're actually towing him.

In business, looking behind you and recognizing mistakes or areas for adjustment will also help you avoid a future crash.

Accept Help

Fun fact: Next time you're on the interstate watch for this:

When one semi passes another, the semi being passed will often either hit his high beams, or turn his headlights on and off to let the other semi know he is clear to move back into the right lane.

Driving a truck and trailer makes it difficult sometimes to judge when the tail end of your trailer is past the truck you're passing. This gesture is extremely helpful!

As a "thank you" you will see the truck that has just passed flip on his hazard lights, or turn his clearance lights on and off a couple times.

These are nearly universal signs used by upwards of 90% of trucks.

As we travel down the road in our business take notice of the suggestions and insights of others. They often have a different view than you do that will help you avoid misjudging a situation that could cost you a lot of time, money and frustration.

Take the Wheel

So next time you're driving and you see one of those asphalt cowboys, take notes! They just might teach you something that'll lead to a huge payload in your leadership!



Question: What can you learn about leadership from your commute and/or travel?



If you you enjoy these posts, please share them in your social circles.

Twitter: @Skropp2

Do You Respect Your Mentor?

Full Disclosure:

I have only been meeting with a mentor for about 3 months, on a monthly basis.  I am not an expert mentor, nor an expert mentee. 

My purpose in the following post is simply to share with you some suggestions and ideas that I am trying to implement into my relationship with my mentor that I believe will make it more beneficial--and I hope you can take some of the suggestions and utilize them as you will!

Stuck!

To begin, let me share with you why I decided to have a mentor.  This past year I have felt stuck.  I dont mean just stuck, I mean STUCK!!!!! And to be sure that you and I are on the same page with that, I'm talking good ol' country boy, mud boggin', burried to the axles, wheels spinnin', mud flyin' everywhere, STUCK!! Got the picture now?  If not, here's one for ya:

 

Photo courtesy of margaretkilljoy, Some Rights Reserved

 

 

Stuck.  Now you get it, right? Anyways, I felt stuck and kept thinking that I needed to find a mentor.  Someone smarter than me, more successful than me, better looking than me (well, I could at least shoot for the first two!). 

 

The final push was a blog post by Mr. Chris LoCurto posted about the same time titled, "Why You Need A Mentor". 

 

Now, maybe it's just me, but sometimes I feel like God is just hiding around the corner with a two-by-four, waiting for me to walk by; and when I do... 

 

WHACK!!!!!

Upside the head. 

 

That's kinda how I felt when I read his blog post.  That post seemed to be God saying "You need to get a mentor Ding Dong!" (I'm dense enough I don't think its too far of a stretch to think God may just call me a "ding dong" at times...) 

 

So I sent a text to a friend of mine that I'd been wanting to ask to be my mentor and asked if he'd be willing to sit down with me regularly and share with me some of his vast knowledge.  He readily agreed.  And THAT is how I began my mentoring relationship. 

 

Making the most of Mentoring

One thing that I believe is very important is to respect your mentor's time.  They are doing you a HUGE favor by being willing to meet with and counsel you. 

 

For this reason, here are a few things that I have tried to do, and am trying to implement, to make the most out of the time with my mentor. 

 

1.    Time limit

Dont let your mentoring sessions drag on like a freakin' Major League baseball game (I'm not a baseball fan, I'd rather endure Chinese water torture while laying on a bed of cacti in my skivvies than watch a baseball game!). In my (amateur) opinion 60 minutes is long enough for a mentoring session, maybe 90.  Have a time in mind and ask your mentor if that is acceptable.  Then when you are there STICK TO IT!!! Your mentor is busy with their own life, don't take all their time or they will dread meeting with you.     

 

2.    Come prepared with Questions 

Don't try to "wing" your mentoring session.  If his knowledge, expertise and insight are valuable enough for you to want to learn from him, his time is too valuable to be wasted in a conversation that has no focus or direction.  Come with 3-4 questions that you want answered, it'll assure that the time is not wasted.

 

3.    Share your goals

A week before our first mentoring session, I emailed a list of goals I'd set for myself to my mentor to review.  We discussed them at that first session.  Sharing your goals gives your mentor insight into where you desire to go.  This will allow your mentor to help you work towards and achieve those goals.  It also shows the level of trust and respect you have for him as your mentor that you are willing to share your personal goals. 

 

 

4.   Ask for an assignment

Ask your mentor what she would recommend you do between now and your next meeting to incorporate the things you talked about into your life.  This shows that you have a desire to change and grow, and that you take seriously the counsel that she is giving you.

 

5.   Return and report

When you come to your next meeting report how you have done on the things you discussed the time before.  Discuss how you did on the assignments you accepted, what went well, what you could improve.  Ask follow up questions to clarify principles you discussed.  Being ready and willing to report on your successes and failures is evidence of your desire to learn and grow.

 

6.   Show gratitude

If you meet at a restaurant and have lunch or breakfast, pick up the tab.  Shoot your mentor a text or email afterwards thanking them for their time and insight.  I wrote a letter to Jason's wife and kids.  In the letter I told them that I wanted them to know what a great guy their husband and father was.  I told them that I knew they must make alot of sacrifices with as busy as he is, and that I, for one, was grateful to them for their sacrifice so he could spend a little time with me every month.  I got a text the next week saying thanks for the letter and that it had brought him to tears.  Gratitude goes a long ways.

 

 

What it comes down to...

Making the most out of the time you have with your mentor really comes down to one thing.  Respect and appreciate your mentor and their time.  If you will do these six things, you will get more out of your mentoring sessions, your mentor will be more engaged in mentoring you, and both of you will grow and develop in ways that would not be possible without your relationship. 

 

I hope implementing these suggestions will help you.  I am looking forward to implementing them in my own life with my mentor. 

 

If you don't have a mentor that you are meeting with regularly, I would strongly recommend finding one!  Read "Why You Need A Mentor" if you still aren't convinced of the importance of such a relationship. 

 

 

 

Question: What do you do to make the most of the time you spend with your mentor(s)?

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to peruse this blog! If you've found this information timely and beneficial, please share it with others!

 

 

 

Twitter: @Skropp2



Gathering Your Thoughts When You Have No Idea

Cool Ideas

 If you're like me, you get some way cool ideas on a fairly frequent basis...
 
What!!? You don't?
 
Ooohhh, let me guess,

 

You're one of THOSE people that thinks that everyone around them gets awesome ideas but you never do?
 
I used to think I didn't either. But do you know what I've found?

 

We ALL get them, but most of the time, we choose to dismiss them before we consciously realize we had one! 
 

Dismissing Ideas

 

Why do we dismiss them?  

I don't know, it's kind of silly, in all honesty.

If we listened to all the ideas we had and acted on one or two, you and I would've probably ran into Chris a couple months ago on some remote Caribbean beach just down from where we anchored our yacht! (If that's your thing...my point: we could be wealthy!)
 
Having great ideas is vital in business, leadership, and personal life.
 
I believe that you're smart. I believe you have a unique perspective of the world and that with your perspective and skills you could improve the lives of countless people! Your ideas are valuable! And they are right there in YOUR BRAIN!!
 

So how do we capture these ideas?

 
1. Be Aware: Pay attention to what you're thinking. Some of your best ideas will come when you are supposedly "not thinking". Proactively ask yourself what you are thinking about.
 
2. Write it Down. Committing your ideas to paper conveys to God (and your subconscious) that you value those ideas. When I show my wife I value her cooking, I typically get to enjoy MORE great food. The same applies here: Assign value to your ideas and you'll begin to receive and recognize more fantastic ideas!
 
3. Sundown Rule. Before the sun goes down the next day, share your idea with someone. Your spouse, children, close friend, mentor--someone! Articulating your idea out loud will clarify your idea and spark other related ideas in your mind and from those with whom you share them.

4. Come back to them. Keep all your ideas (good, bad, or ugly) in a note book or on 3x5 cards. Go back and review each idea once every couple weeks or each month. Some time may give you added perspective on an idea.
 
5. Act! You may have no idea how to bring your idea to fruition, but don't let that stop you! Take a cue from Andy Andrews. Andy says if he doesn't know what to do he asks himself this question:

"I know you don't know what to do, but if you DID know what to do, what would you do RIGHT NOW? (emphasis added)

Then make plans to do that one thing with your idea right away. Research the idea. Write a blog post about it. Do a brainstorming session. Seek further counsel.
 
YOU are intelligent. YOU have great ideas. You just need to convince yourself of as much!
 

 

Question: What do you do to recognize and develop new ideas each day?

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings! Please pass them along to your friends, family and associates if you find them valuable!



Twitter: @Skropp2

 

Culture: Party of One

Culture: Party of One.

Listening to the EntreLeadership Podcast, you can't go too long with out the word "culture" being mentioned.  I'm pretty sure Chris LoCurto has the word "culture" tattooed on his bicep!

You hear how you're creating culture no matter what. Culture affects productivity. It's up to leaders to set the culture. It takes a lot of work to create and maintain a culture. And so forth.

So I started trying to decide what I want the culture to be like in the business I'm starting.

Hmmm...

 

• a love of soccer

• fun atmosphere

• desire to teach and encourage

• determination to be the best

And then I made a goal to implement it as soon as I had 5 team members!

But then I started thinking that if I didn't try to implement a culture until there were 5 team members, that means there would be 4 team members that would slip into a culture that was created inadvertently by my lack of proactively setting one.

 

How??

But how could I set culture when I'm the owner, CEO, COO, CFO, and every other C-O a business may have???

I didn't know exactly what I could do all my my lonesome. But last Friday night I set my alarm for 6am Saturday morning. I decided I'd take my soccer ball and head over to the park a couple blocks from my house. And I'd just listen to my iPod, kick around the ball, chase it, dribble, enjoy the early morning and "kick around" some business ideas.

So that's what I did (and if you don't believe me, ask Lily Kreitinger... She sent out a tweet at 6:05 am and I responded, so there's proof!!!)

I had a great time.

 

I'd forgotten how fun it was to just kick around a soccer ball all by yourself!  When you're all alone and no one's watching, you can pretend your Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, or Christiano Ronaldo!

I headed back to my house, hopped in the shower and grabbed some cereal for breakfast.

 

And that's when it dawned on me.

I was creating the culture of my business! What I'd just done was exactly how I envision brainstorming sessions with my team, and many of the meetings we'll have as a company.

 

Standing in the grass kicking around ideas, challenges, solutions and a ball!

On Saturday, June 9, 2012 the CEO, COO, CFO and every other C-O a company needs of my business called the first brainstorming session of the company to order.  Every team member was present and as we kicked around a soccer ball we kicked around ideas. We got some good ones too! 

I was beginning to create a culture that will grow and strengthen as time goes on and business expands. But on that Saturday morning it was Culture: Party of One. And it was great!

 

 

Question: what do you do to set the culture you want in your business, group, or family?

 

 

 

 

If you enjoy these posts please pass them onto your friends, family and team.

Twitter: Skropp2

 

I Can't Hear Myself Think!!

Was I the only person that heard that as a kid?? Without fail I'd be listening to music in my bedroom, jammin out to something super awesome...like Matchbox 20 or 98 Degrees (hey, don't judge!) and my mom would just walk in...she didn't knock or anything!! Ok, she may've knocked and I just couldn't hear it!
Anyway, she'd come in and invariable say something very close to,

"Geez! Your music loud enough??? I can't even hear myself think!!"

And I, of course, would respond with something brilliant like,

"It wasn't THAT loud!"

Here's my question:

Do you ever feel like saying today what your mom said to you then?

"Geez, it's so loud, I can't even hear myself think!"

We live in a loud world. We are bombarded with information from the moment we wake up to the second our eyes shut at night.

We wake up and what's the first thing we do?? Check our favorite blogs (I don't drink coffee, so it really is the first thing I do, haha). We check our email, maybe flip on the news or the radio. We read a paper or a magazine. Then we head for work or otherwise start our day. Favorite CD in the changer, music, books, podcasts on our phones.

Our phones are on 60 second repeat of dings, chimes, and rings from calls, texts, twitter and Facebook.

Get my point? It's so loud, you can't even hear yourself think. It's not that any of these things are inherently bad, it's just a constant onslaught.

What's my point?

Where are you going with this Mark??

Do you want us all to become Tibetan monks?

Sacrifice our iPhones on the alter of Greater Enlightenment?

Take a vow of silence pertaining to all things electronic, 140 characters or not?
No. I don't.

Here's my point: 

Lately I've started just shutting off the radio, turning off my favorite podcasts and just thinking. I know. How boring and old fashioned of me! Old man. Grinch.
I dont turn it off all day, and not every day.  But I turn it off for 30 minutes  here, an hour there. On my drive home from work or as I'm going about my day.

And here's what I've learned:

1. I'm more relaxed.
   

 Just thinking to myself calms me down. I can work through what I'm facing. I can plan my day, evening, week. I can sort through what I think about situations I'm facing. Heck, sometimes I even relive a funny joke or conversation from earlier in the day (burnt rice or nitrous anyone??) Maybe people who meditate are onto something....

2. I can solve problems.

     Without the distractions I can logically think through problems I'm facing. I can figure out what the actual problem is (it's not always what I think), I can think through my options, I can come up with a plan of action. And if there's another person involved I can try to understand their perspective. I can overcome obstacles.

3. I can get new ideas.

      This has been HUGE for me lately. As I'm working to move my dream of business ownership forward I have ran full speed, head first into a mental wall-- more than once!! Thinking has provided me with multiple ideas that I believe could be very beneficial, very successful, and very profitable. Will I use them? Some. But even more important than the ideas themselves is that I'm teaching myself to think...

4. I'm (re)learning how to think.

      In our fast paced, high energy, information packed lives, it's easy to get caught up in just taking information and storing it. Don't get me wrong, we need to, and ought to, learn, study and grow. What I'm saying is that God gave us a filter and a processor.  I believe He expects us to analyze the information we receive and add to it out of our own reasoning. We need to reason, deduce, question with boldness, and create. In short, we need to think. Quiet time with just our thoughts trains us to do so.

5. I come to know God.

      Elijah learned that the Spirit was in the still, small voice rather than the wind or the earthquake or the fire (1 Kings 19:11-12). I too have learned it is easier to hear my Heavenly Father speak to me when I turn off all distractions and shut my mouth. I haven't heard an audible voice, but I have felt that still small voice in my soul.  It is worth every missed song on the radio and every podcast I put off until the next day. 

Spending time with just my own thoughts has been one of the most enjoyable and rewarding decisions I have made in my life recently.

Question: How does spending time quietly with your thoughts help you personally, professionally, and/or spiritually?


Twitter: @Skropp2

If yo appreciate these posts, please pass them along to all your friends and relatives...after you finish your quiet time!

MY TMMO....

If you clicked on this post, there's probably one of three reasons...#1 You are my friend and just want to read whatever I write (thank you!). #2 You recognized the acronym "TMMO" or #3 you don't recognize the acronym "TMMO" and you're curious (well, you'll find out!).

TMMO is an acronym for Total Money Makeover, which is the name of Dave Ramsey's best selling financial book.  Before we get into MY TMMO, I want to explain the journey that I went on to get to this place.

In December, my little brother, Kevin, who blogs over at The Next Successful Farmer emailed me and told me that he thought I'd enjoy Dan Miller's 48 Days Radio podcast.  So I began listening to Dan, and REALLY enjoyed it!  In the process of listening to it, Dan mentioned Dave Ramsey's Entreleadership podcast, so I started listening to that.  After listening to that for a few months, I finally took the host, Chris LoCurto's advice, and began following him on Twitter (@ChrisLoCurto).  The day after I followed him on Twitter, I was VERY surprised to get a direct message from Chris himself!  That type of personal interaction really solidfied my dedication to the podcast and Chris, and I started following his blog at www.ChrisLoCurto.com.  As a side note, while there, I made several new friends as we have chatted in the comments of Chris' blogs (isn't technology great?)! 

Anyways, back on track.  Since I was now listening to Entreleadership, as well as following and reading the blog of one of Dave's VP's (Chris), I had opportunity to learn more about Dave and get to "know" him.  I decided one day to download the Dave Ramsey Show podcast.  I LOVED it! 

Now, I'm not saying that we're in the worst financial shape in the world, because we arent...but we've definitely got more debt that we'd like to have (of course, $500 would be more than I want to have!). 

So after listening to Dave for 3 of 4 days, I decided to go buy The Total Money Makeover. 

This is a book I would recommend to everyone! Basically, it is a roadmap to getting out, and staying out of debt.  It is a great book.  It outlines the myths that we all have been taught to believe in our culture and then shows you a very doable plan to get out of debt and build wealth.

I'm not going to outline the whole book for you here...you've gotta read it to really get it.  But I will tell you that it is broke up into "Baby Steps" that make the process bearable and allows you to focus your efforts on one thing at a time.

We are currently working on Baby Step 1.  Saving $1000 for an Emergency Fund.  This allows you to take care of any emergencies that come up while you are working on the other baby steps.

The greatest blessing so far has been getting on a written budget.  How to do this alone, is worth the price of the book!

Bottom line, just having a plan laid out to get out of debt, gives hope!  It helps you to see the end of the race, and that keeps you going when you get discouraged and think you'll never be able to get out of debt. 

It is that plan and that hope that has given me the assurance to sell my 1979 Camaro that I love dearly.  I've thought about selling it several times before, but never wanted it to be sold just to have the money used for something stupid.  With a plan in place to pay off our debts and become financially stable, selling my baby (the car, not really my baby ;)) is bearable, it means something. 

Besides, I've already decided, once we are debt free I'm going to start saving up to buy a 1969 Camaro RS/SS with cash :)


Feel free to share these posts with all your friends, family, hairdresser, and mailman if you find them to be valuable and worthwhile.

On Twitter: @Skropp2

Left Turn at Albuquerque....

Remember the good old days of cartoons?  Bugs Bunny? Daffy Duck? Elmer Fudd? Wylie Coyote?  Those were the glory days of cartoons!

Anyway, as I was thinking of this post today, something came to my mind...probably one of Bugs Bunny's most well known lines--besides, "ehhh, whats up doc??". 

We all remember watching a Bugs cartoon and seeing a line of dirt flying across the screen as Bugs quickly travelled to wherever it was that that cartoon was going to take place at.  And almost without fail, he'd pop out of his rabbit hole, look around and say, "I KNEW I should've taken that left turn at Albuquerque!"

If you don't remember that, watch this video to remind yourself.  If you have never watched Bugs Bunny, #1 Shame on you #2 you live a horribly sheltered life #3 watch this now!

Now, you may be asking, "What in the world am I suppose to learn from a 50+ year old cartoon character??"

Thanks for asking, I thought you never would! 

I am going to share with you how I feel MY life has gone, and hopefully we can all find some application.

I am 27 years old.  A lot of people would say that I've done alright in my life; and those that say that would be right.  I've got what many would consider a good job.  I've got a beautiful wife, a 3 year old daughter and another child on the way.  I grew up in a great family. 

I have been extremely blessed in my life.  But I am not where I want to be.  I have coasted through life.  I have let life happen to me. Rather than happening to my life. 

What do I mean by that?  I have not had a plan for my life.  I haven't determined where I want to go and set a plan in motion to achieve it.  I have received almost every single job I've had--not because I wanted them--but because they came along, and they got me out of the job I currently had (which more often than not, I had come to resent). 

Now for the analogy.  Bugs is always cruising along in his rabbit hole, going a million miles and hour.  Zigging and zagging across the screen.  When he pops out, he thinks he's made it to his destination.  He looks around and says "wait just a cotton pickin' minute!"--He's no where near where he should be.  When he realizes this, he takes out his trusty map and finds out that he "should've taken that left turn in Albuquerque!"

What can we learn?

Don't get "tunnel vision"
We too can get tunnel vision.  We get cruising along in our rabbit holes and we feel like we're making great progress!  We're "going places!" We're busy, we're getting raises, we're being complimented and encouraged.  But "going places" is only a good thing if you're going where you want to go! It would be better for us to take a break sometimes, pop out of our hole and take a look around to make sure we're going in the right direction.  If we aren't, at least we're closer to Albuquerque so we can get back there and take that left turn!


Know where you want to go
We have got to have a firm idea of where we want to go.  "I want to make lots of money" or "I want to have a really big house" or "I want to have a great family". We've got to be specific.  Specific goals will get us specific results.  Generalized goals will get us frustration and failure. Be specific about what you want and where you're going.

Have a map
Let's give Bugs some credit here, he had a map!  The map is our plan. The best goals in the world are only dreams without a plan to accomplish them.  Dave Ramsey often says that we should "back into" our plans.  Meaning, determine what we want to accomplish then go backwards to determine what needs to be accomplished to get there.  Figure out what you need to do every year, every month, every week, and every day. 


By utilizing these three lessons learned from Bugs Bunny, we can be sure that we'll get where we want to go, and not look up one day and realized we're millions of miles from where we wanted to be and if we'd only paid attention and taken the left turn right there in Albuquerque, we would be where we had hoped to be!

Question: What do you do to make sure that you get where you want to be in life?

If you find value in these posts, please share them by facebook, twitter, email, and smoke signals with all your friends, family, and enemies!

On Twitter: @Skropp2