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A well known story about goals

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

fisherman.jpg

Here is a well-known story about goals.

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village where a small boat with just one fisherman was docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied “only a little while”

The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish.

The Mexican said, “I had enough to support my family’s immediate needs.”

The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time? “

The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard M.B.A. and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat with the proceeds. From the bigger boat you could buy several boats and eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The fisherman asked, “But senor, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”

Fisherman – “But what then, senor? “

The American laughed and said “that’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions. “

Fisherman “Millions, senor? Then what? “

The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.“

How are you doing on your goals?

Posted in Daily Inspirational Call, Family, Money & Material Things, Play | 3 Comments »

Woody Allen said “80% Of Success Is Showing Up”

Monday, March 12th, 2007

woody-allen.jpg

This weekend, I presented a workshop at the New York City Elementary Schools Principals Association (NYCESPA) on bridging the gap between math and home. The audience included principals and parents who understood the value of working together. If you would like to get the program notes, please visit www.parentalwisdom.com click on Free Reports and choose Bridging the Gap between Math and Home.

Although well-intentioned, the No Child Left Behind act did indeed leave someone behind – the parents. Much like a three-legged stool relies on each leg for support, the Ready – Fire – Aim execution of the NCLB act didn’t quite understand the importance of getting parents involved.

Clearly we have a problem with our education system. Last week Bill Gates said, “We simply cannot sustain an economy based on innovation unless citizens are educated in math, science and engineering.”

Exxon Mobil Corp. is launching a national program aimed at improving the way math and science are taught in U.S. schools and getting more students to take challenging coursework.

But in the midst of all this focus and excitement, we have added a layer of lunacy – paying students for AP courses. On the Today Show, experts weighed in on the reasons behind it. Please watch the video for yourself, but the Woody Allen quote as the heading for this blog entry applies here.

Please stop the madness. It is a privilege to learn, and our children should enjoy learning for the beauty of it.

Posted in Education, Money & Material Things | 6 Comments »

American Idol and Microwaves

Thursday, February 1st, 2007

American Idol

American Idol and microwaves have something in common – instant gratification.

There has been a lot written lately about the rudeness and rejection that contestants face on the show. I wonder what would happen if Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, or Janis Joplin would have auditioned. Most likely they would have never received that coveted yellow slip that gets you to Hollywood.

But who is to say who is and isn’t talented? It is more about persistence and passion. The problem is that we are raising our kids in a microwave world where success has to be instant – it isn’t. Do what you love to do and if you are fortunate enough to make a living at it as well, then you’ve grabbed the gold ring and are truly successful.

The world is full of overnight success stories, but what we don’t realize is those overnight successes worked at their craft for many years while they waited tables or did temp work. The difference is they had a very secret tool – persistence.

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins…not through strength but by perseverance.”
H. Jackson Brown

Here are some famous ‘rejects’

• Balding, skinny, can dance a little,’ they said of Fred Astaire at his first audition.
• Marilyn Monroe was told she should become a secretary
• In 1962 Decca Records rejected The Beatles, saying that “guitar bands are on their way out.”
• Beethoven’s music teacher declared him ‘hopeless’ at composing.
• Albert Einstein’s parents feared he was sub-normal.
• H. B. Warner of Warner Brothers fame scoffed at the notion of ‘talkies.’ No one would want to hear movie actors talk.
• Television, too, was once written off. It would never appeal to the average American family, pronounced the New York Times.
• George Orwell’s Animal Farm ‘It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA’
• “Chicken Soup for the Soul” was rejected by at least 220 publishers before it was accepted by Health Communications. Most people don’t know that this book, which is now a kind of icon in publishing, was rejected by every major publisher in New York. The obvious lesson is perseverance. Don’t give up if you really feel your dream and have a passion for it. That book was a calling. I was driven. It was truly a divine obsession. – Jack Canfield

What other famous rejections can you share? Please enter a comment below and let me know.

Posted in Media & Marketing, Money & Material Things, Parenting 101, Persistence | 1 Comment »

Waiting on the World to Change

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

I imagine many of us have a vision of a perfect world.

In my vision, everyone would take care of their own families, and then do a little bit more to help someone else. In this perfect world there would be a series of concentric circles where the whole world would be covered by a caring, concerned community.

What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.
Mother Teresa

Having grown up in Brooklyn, New York I know a little bit about diversity. The life lessons I learned there could never be duplicated by a corporate diversity training program. Since my children were growing up in a nice little safe New Jersey town, I couldn’t help but wonder if they would be ready for the real world? Will they understand that everyone doesn’t look like them and doesn’t have the same opportunities they do?

The decisive point came a few years ago while attending a local school meeting. A Board of Education election was coming up, and those running for office talked about how we need to be careful that the money earmarked for education be spent in our town and not in the neighboring poor community. That told me all I needed to know. I realized they were asking the wrong question. The right series of questions might have been:

1. Do all children deserve a good education?
2. If a child has a good education does that offer that child a brighter future?
3. Would a brighter future provide greater opportunity and a potentially better life?
4. Is it possible that a child with a bright future and better life will contribute to society, rather than be a drain on society?
5. Will a child with such a future less likely to be led astray and commit a crime? A crime that could affect your child?

When I heard the approach taken by leaders in this nice little community, I realized that my children were going to school with the children of parents who saw nothing wrong with that question. At that point, my husband and I joined the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization for two reasons. One, so our children could better understand that everyone doesn’t have the same opportunities, and secondly, so that in some small way we could help and mentor children who were not living in a nice little safe town.

But something wonderful happened along the way; we met an amazing family, and two children and their mom became part of our family. So although our intention was to give, we ended up getting a lot more than we expected.

Last night ABC aired Diane Sawyer’s program Waiting on the World to Change could only be described as haunting. I would hope that everyone has a chance to view and understand that there are things we can do now to impact the life of a single child. We often wonder how we can change the world; one person can – you can.

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
Buddha

Posted in Money & Material Things, Parenting 101, Philanthropy | 1 Comment »

Do our children have too much stuff?

Wednesday, January 17th, 2007

It’s possible to own too much. A man with one watch always knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure.
– Lee Segall

An interesting thing happened the year of Michael’s seventh birthday. We didn’t want to exclude any of his friends, so we invited all of them. This was the year the Power Rangers were introduced, and we got every variation imaginable. Rather than appreciating the gifts, Michael was overwhelmed while the gifts were undervalued. They were left on the floor and easily broken.

The following year for his eighth birthday, coincidentally an Olympics year, I suggested to Michael that we have an Olympic theme. But in lieu of birthday gifts, we would suggest that the children coming to the party bring one or two dollars from their banks, and we would donate the money to the Special Olympics. Michael was eating his breakfast cereal, half listening to what I said. When it connected, he said, “Wait a minute – what did you say?” I repeated the idea and added, “Michael, tell us what you would like for your birthday, and Daddy and I will be happy to get it for you.” He couldn’t think of a single thing.

Invitations were sent out explaining our gift idea. Interestingly, as they called to RSVP, some moms were clearly uncomfortable. I suggested they do what made them comfortable, but also asked that they understand my objective. We placed a coffee container on the table decorated with the Special Olympics logo. With what was collected from the can, and with a matching fund from my employer, we sent a check for $200 to the Special Olympics. Michael received a beautiful thank-you letter from the organization, and I didn’t have to clean up any broken toys.

Posted in Money & Material Things | No Comments »

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