What Really Matters

Good Morning!

Have you ever had a time that you needed inspiration?

This has been an interesting time for me...has it been for you?

What I found interesting was my inward journey...the introspection and my discoveries...

I have wriiten and rewritten this update more times than I want to remember!

Why?

Every time I reread it...it does not carry the message that I want!

I will not settle for for a mediocre message...

These massages come from me...and not some marketing ploy or menial filler to keep you coming back!

Shifting Gears...

In an effort to gain a better understanding of myself, I often look back at all of my social network quotes and comments...Sometimes the hidden themes (true intent) tell me something...and what I found over the past few weeks...did!

The purpose of "The Weekend Update" is not about me...but about observations and thoughts that can help YOU achieve your goals...

So...I will not spend too much time on the results of my introspection...but on those things that you can apply to yourself...

Although it doesn't seem like it...I enjoy cutting to the chase...I really do!

So..."What really matters?".

Everyday, I receive numerous email messages focused on the importance of a professionally edited resume...

Some promote the critical need for a "personal website"...AND...

A large professional network...and a personal brand...

I smile that when they do that...without taking a "virtual breath" they also say and we can help you for only $XXXXX.

I have given up reading all of them and have tagged them as spam!

If I read all of the messages that I received just this week...I wouldn't have had time to write this update!

What I realized was that that stuff is nothing more than icing on the cake...AND...that a ton of people are making millions of dollars putting decorations on a cake that needs to be baked by you!  They are creating these things for desparate people!

What really matters is the cake!  It is all about doing something...or what you have done...

...RESULTS...

You have heard it before...and I will say it again...It is about results!

Not about the format of a resume...

OR...

Who knows who...in your network...

OR...

The ability to come up in the first three spots during an internet search...

None of those things are  of any value...unless you have some substance behind it...not spin...not smoke...or a high powered title...but tangible results...something of substance...

You can't put icing on air and smoke...the cake has to have body! 

Not Passion...

Not "Secrets"...

Not a Brand...

Not a cool personal website...

It is all about substance...your RESULTS...and nothing else...

That is the first and last thing that matters...

Not enough said though!

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Let's shift gears for a few minutes...

24,000 

This is quite a number!

It actually is a cool looking number...

I grew up in a town of 15,033

That first number (24,000) is significantly larger than the second!

So what is 24,000 all about?  and why does it catch my interest?

That is how many children die each day for reasons that are under our control!

That is if we "gave a darn" and did something about it...

Every day the equivalent of my home town is destroyed...and more than half again!

I can imagine what the news would look like if the entire population of a town like Wisconsin Rapids were killed...that would definitely make the news...or at least I would hope so!

Yet...we don't hear about the deaths of the and equally tragic number of the world's children...Our children...do we?

Please periodically think about the children...there are 24,000 little souls that need our help...

Give a darn!

To me...this is another of those things that really matters...and to some extent...more!

Still not enough said!

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This past week I was talking with a good friend about attitude...

His comment was that I was always optimistic and never let the current state of affairs affect my attitide...

His comment was that more people (himself included) need to be 100% optimistic like me...

The fact of the matter is...the sad and pessimistic side is just as large as my optimistic side!

There is a public side of me and a private side...

The public does not want or deserve pessimism...so I do not give them that...

Sadness and frustration and pessimism is for me and me alone..

That is why it rarely shows itself to you...

But rest assured that it is there...

For those who have it and think yourself less for having it...STOP!

It is OK...as long as it does not affect the performance of anyone outside yourself!

The darkness is yours...keep it to yourself...use it to your advantage...

Take control over it to the point that the outside world believes that you have none!

Enough Said...because this is one of the things that really matters...

***********************************

Life is good...it is challenging and full of body and substance if you do something about it!

Do not try to put a ton of icing on your performance if it lacks body and substance...

If you do...it will cave in!

Success depends on honesty...and the first person that you have to be honest with is yourself!

Have you been successful?

YES...then be able to show your performance...

If you have to dig...or need an excuse or two...stop trying to ice your cake and go back to baking!

The quality of the cake is noone's responsibility but the baker's!

Enough Said!

******************************

What matters is...

Honesty...with yourself and then the outside world!
Substance...Real results...
Love and Caring...You can not overuse the phrases "I love you" or "I care" if they are sincere and drive action...

Stop lying to yourself...you are not only hurting yourself...but self-deception hurts many innocent people around you!

What matter is a realization of the fact that you are fully responsible...

Pura Vida!