New Year + Focus = New YOU!

"I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they do their lives. Perhaps that's because escape is easier than change."

- Jim Rohn

2010 is here! I hope you are as excited as I am!

I don't mean to be over excited, but as a cancer survivor, I take every milestone as a chance to celebrate life. What it means to be here for 2010 is more than words can ever describe. So congratulations...YOU are here for 2010 as well!

If you are anything like me, you are expecting 2010 to be your best year yet. Not just because 2009 seemed to have so many challenges for so many people, but because you are continually BECOMING a better person-who brings more value and good to those around you-every year. That is exciting!

I have a few things planned for this year. I have a new plan to be a better coach, father, and husband. I have Financial, Family, Friends, Fitness, and Fun goals that I will be working toward. All of them require resources and mental shifts from where I am now to where I will be by the year end. What about for you? What do you have planned for 2010?

Whatever it is, I'm sure it's a laundry list to some degree--similar to mine. Do you know the best way to insure hardly any of it happens? I do...DON'T focus on any ONE thing.

I have recently taken up bird hunting which is great fun and great food :) (Sorry bird lovers.) When I walk within 10 feet of the right bush I can see 20 doves come out and fly all over the place. I have about 2 seconds to take a shot. What I have found is that if 20 fly out, I hardly ever walk away with even ONE!!! I see them, I hear them, I get crazy excited and I don't seem to have enough time to pick ONE out of the crowd. So, I take a random shot and nothing happens. BUT...if I walk near a different bush and only ONE flies out...then I'm having dove for breakfast!!

The New Year will be the same for me, and I bet for you, if you have 20 goals all flying out of YOU at the same time. You will be lucky to walk away from 2010 with even one goal completed and in the bag.

We have to FOCUS, focus, and (I will say it again) focus. We will have to pick ONE goal out of the crowd and take a shot, before we ever move on. So, here is a practical and easy guide I recommend for making 2010 be productive and successful in BECOMING a better YOU:

1. Make a list of the top 5 things you would like to change about you, or your circumstances. (For me, I'm starting with getting back in shape)
2. Answer this question; "If you could change one thing in your life that would have the greatest positive impact on your life in 2010, what would it be?" Do not move to step 3 until you have a confident answer for number 2. Many of my clients say something with the five "F's" (Financial, Family, Friends, Fitness or Fun) for number 2 in some way. What is yours? Got it?
3. Ok, now number 3 is to separate that goal from the crowd, and make it specific and put a time frame on it. What will you do and when will you do it?
4. Now, put everything else on the shelf, and set your sights on only that one change.
5. Ask yourself; What do I have to know? What do I have to do? Who do I have to become? for that goal to be in the bag by the date I set?
6. Go get it! Protect it, focus on it, resource it. Do not rest or look at another goal until you achieve it.

Although for me, goal achievement is an art that requires skill, time, commitment and usually some professional help, the take away that I want you to get (which is 90% of the process) is to FOCUS on that one thing.

I am convinced that one of the biggest reasons that so many people live in mediocrity with so much available in our world, is because so much is AVAILABLE that we lose focus.

A new year is here. The pages are blank for 2010. It is time to write the first page. Pick one thing--only one thing--and FOCUS on it until completion. Then move onto the next thing until completion, and so on. Write the greatest story of your life...ONE page at a time...in 2010.

Live a great story!

Jon Bohm

YOUR personal, business, and strategy coach

When You are in a funk... H.A.L.T

Anger is a secondary emotion. You have to kill the root.

On a regular basis I have a client or a friend, kids, or myself that have a day you could put in the funk category. A day when you are not firing on all cylinders so to speak.

Have you ever had a day like that? We all do? The occasional emotional setback. No big deal, right?

Depends, I guess on the day. If you spend your day in a funk instead of landing that new client it could have long term effects. I tell every client I have, if you are going to be an entrepreneur you have to embrace the fact that you don't get the luxury of a crappy attitude, self pitty, or even a funk for very long if at all.

So, how do we avoid the funk? How do we keep the funky day from becoming a funky week, month, year, or your life? I can't cover it all in a little blog post but I will give you this. In almost every situation when you find yourself in a funk it's because 1 of 4 things; you allowed yourself to become too:

H.ungry

A.ngry

L.onely or

T.ired

Next time you feel yourself slipping into the funk, stop (halt) and ask yourself; "Am I too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?" The answer is yes 98 % of the time. So, stop and fix it, or take regular daily checks to keep the funk at bay.

It turns out my Mom new how to keep the funky days at bay with sleep, the right diet, good friends, and emotional health. And that alone can be a great New Year's resolution.

Happy New Year and Cheers to the good life.

Live a great story in 2010!

Jon Bohm

PR, Tiger Woods, and you...

“There are 2 primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist or to accept the responsibility for changing them.”- DENIS WAITLEY

Did Tiger mess up? Yes. I think we would all agree, especially his wife, "yeah, he messed up."

But, that is not really the question we have to wrestle with the question we have to wrestle with is "Now what?" What do we do as sponsors, what do we do as the public with an icon, forerunner, and elite hero like Tiger when they mess up?

We know better than to crucify someone for messing up, we know we don't ever want to be the one to be casting any stones, because we know that we all mess up to one degree or another. We know that forgiveness is stronger than bitterness and we know that to love someone's strengths and despise them for their mistakes isn't love at all. And we love our heroes, don't we?

So, how do we handle this? How does Tiger handle it? How do we avoid it? And how should we think about it?

As for "how does Tiger handle it?" The experts and press have beat this one to death. We all know, he needs to step out front and own the fact that he is a hero and continue to act like a hero by taking responsibility for it. But, that isn't our call, is it? This whole things is actually none of my business. All we can really think about is how are we going to deal with it? How should the sponsors deal with it?

I have found, I deal with it in a very simple way. I hope and pray he finds the right help to get healthy and live a great life with or without golf. I hope he finds the people and the tools to reach deep and get healthy emotionally so he can enjoy this one chance at life we all get. And money isn't the answer, we all know that. Happiness come from within, and clearly Tiger needs to reach within.

So, that leaves really only one question left to deal with. What do the sponsors do? What do you do? To support or not support those products? or Tiger in front of the kiddos?

As for me, as a consumer, I don't buy products because of who sponsors them. So, I won't NOT buy them based on who sponsors them either.

As for the sponsors, what a tough decision! They have one of the greatest athletes to ever live partnering with them to promote their livelihood. Incredible. But, I don't see how they can still use him as a sponsor, it's down right ironic how difficult it will be given the nature of Tiger's bad decisions. Woods’ sponsors include Gillette, Gatorade, Accenture, Nike and AT&T. So here is why I don't think they can keep him. Wood's apparently had multiple sexual affairs with a wide range of women over a large portion of the country or maybe event the world and listen to the tag lines of each of his sponsors:

• Gillette "The Best a man can get."
• Gatorade "Is it in you?"
• Accenture "High performance. Delivered."
• Nike "Just do it."
• AT&T "More bars in more places."

It's unbelievable isn't it? Almost hilarious, and I'm probably missing a few good ones. When you build a brand, your company will rise and fall on how much positive attention the consumer is willing to give to you. So, of course attracting attention is half the battle and the other half is keeping it positive. If it's not positive, then you can't keep something in your brand.

So, in the balance of standing on the rock solid foundation of a great product and the thin ice of public opinion, where is your brand? You have a brand whether you know it or not. Personally you have one. When I google your name, what do I find? Your business definitely has one. So, how strong is your brand? Or better yet, how much positive attention does your brand get? How much negative attention needs to be dealt with? It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. It's the unspoken piece to the puzzle every company needs to pay attention to. It is directly connected to your success personally and professionally.

Do you dress? Speak? Act? Walk? Type? Live? as the person you are becoming? As the person or company want to be? Does the world see the real you? Does it see your company in the right light? Is it a pretty picture, or could it use some polishing. Sometimes a little polish goes a long way.

Give us a call if it's time to get some positive attention or do some polishing.

Live the dreams you have imagined! No nightmares allowed:)

Jon Bohm

Giving During the Holidays - Some Ideas

"There is just something about the way we are as humans, we will never find deep satisfaction focused on ourselves, it's not until we plant the flag of focus outside ourselves that we can find true fulfillment." Me

A trusted person who has demonstrated the ability to give and focus on others gave me some ideas for serving others and finding fulfillment during the Holidays, please comment and add your ideas to the list!

Some possibilities:

1. Deliver meals on wheels so the person who normally does that volunteer work will have more time with their loved ones

2. Invite someone who will be alone to participate in your family's holiday celebrations

3. Take time to go visit a friend who has become homebound due to age-related or health challenges

4. Consider giving time or a gift in the name of your children or grandchildren who may already have their needs well supplied.

5. Consider giving a Shelter Box in the name of your family - then share with them the news of where your family was able to make a real difference when the box is finally placed

6. Call those family members who are separated by miles - especially those in the older generations who have already lost some of their siblings and many of their dear friends

7. Share a few fond memories of "how it used to be" with your children and grandchildren - too often this history is lost and the bridge between generations is damaged

8. When you prepare those family favorite dishes, make copies of the recipe to have available for those who enjoy it.

9. Give everyone you meet a warm, friendly smile!

10. Take time to follow your spiritual traditions and be true to the moral compass your faith brings to you.

11. Find a way (phone programs, gift boxes, letters, etc.) to send to our troops all around the globe who are separated from loved ones during the Holidays.

12. My personal favorite. Start a new program that feeds those who need it, food, clothing, and gifts.

I would love to hear your ideas as well. Merry Christmas!

Enjoy Life!

Jon Bohm

Are you living a STORY?

Are You Living a Story worth telling?

I am in the middle of a great book by Donald Miller "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years."

Great book, and it's all about "story." What makes a great story? What makes a story worth watching, reading, or even living?

It got me thinking about my life..... am I living a story? Would anyone watch it as a movie? Would anyone read it? Does anyone care? Or, would I have to add a bunch of things to my boring life to make it a real "story?"

I have concluded, I am living a story. I don't know that anyone would watch it, but it is an epic story. What about you?

Are you living a story?

Every great story meets the following criteria:

• It has a character that wants something so bad that they are willing to overcome any obstacle, run through any wall, and conquer any mountain to get it. Without that, you don't have a story. You are the character in your story, are you on an adventure towards something you want? What is it? Are you willing to overcome the obstacles to realize your dreams?

• Every story starts with a look into the character's life and mind. The story shows you that the character is a "good" person, a person making in a difference in some way. Why? Because, nobody cares if the character wins in the end if we don't know they are a "good" person, making a difference. Are you making a significant difference? Does the world see an impact because of you in some big or small way? Do people want you to win in the end? Do people rally around you and your cause? Or, are you standing idly by?

• In every story the character doesn't really and truly make changes towards the life they want until something makes them move. Someone loses a job, loses a spouse, loses an opportunity, loses a life, a friend, or focus and they are finally forced or driven to change. Are you saying you want to do, see, get, or be someone someday? What is it? Why don't you have it yet? Are you waiting for an event to make you move? What has to happen in your life before you are willing to go after the life you want? What can you do to make it happen now?

Just some thoughts. So, are you living a story?

Let me tell you; I want you to win in the end. I want you to make a move now. I want you to want something so bad you begin to really, really live a story.

The pages are blank moving forward, it's time to start writing your own epic. If you need help putting pen to paper and make your move, just give me a shout. After all, you only get one time around on this life? Don't stand idly by.

Live YOUR STORY-

Jon Bohm

What do you WANT?

Living your entire life always doing what you SHOULD can give you a safe predictable life that leaves you completely disappointed in the end because you never answered the honest and simple question of “What do I WANT?”- Jon Bohm

What do YOU want?

I mean really what do you want, not what you SHOULD want, but what do you really WANT?

Sometimes those things are the same. I should go to work today and I WANT to go to work today. Great! That is an important distinction. When you live your life the way you should instead of the way you want your heart, emotions, desires, and mind are sitting on the sideline as you live your dutiful existence moving through the motions without passion.

What are you doing in your life that you SHOULD be doing?

What are you NOT doing that you SHOULD be doing?

I should go to church. I did go to church because I SHOULD.

I should go home and hang with my family. I did go home and hang with the family because I SHOULD.

I should make that sales call. I made the call because I SHOULD.

I SHOULD take my spouse out. ETC. ETC.

What is it that you do without emotional passion and desire because you SHOULD?

Now, don’t take me wrong I’m not saying we all need to ignore whatever we SHOULD be doing. Instead of ignoring, we have to make the mental and attitudinal shift to quit saying I SHOULD and change it to I WANT to do this.

Most of the time it’s as simple as catching your self in the middle of a SHOULD and simply replacing the word SHOULD with WANT. It’s time to get YOUR passions and emotions off the bench and into the game of life.

The bottom line is you have an incredible life to live. Start living it because you WANT to and stop living it because you SHOULD. It’s time for YOU to get emotional involved in YOUR life. If you need help making the switch, please contact me anytime!

May we hit the ground living the life we WANT to live today!

Enjoy Life!

Jon Bohm

Money, Money, Money

“Money Defined: An article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except Heaven, and as a universal provider for everything except happiness. Money is a wonderful servant and a terrible master.”- Anonymous, published in the Wall Street Journal

What is your definition of Money?

It's been said that if money doesn't buy happiness for you, then you simply don't know where to shop.

What about you? Do you know the power of money? Does your money work for you? Does your money serve you? Or... do you serve your money?

Every entrepreneur, investor, or professional has to answer this question with careful certainty. Money can't be ignored it has to mean something to you.

The bottom line is you are using your money or your money is using you.

Are you using your money:

• As a score card?
• As a tool to living your best life?
• As a tool to help others?
• As a tool to make more and buy time?
• As a tool to making our world a better place?

Or is your money making a "tool" out of you:

• As a slave to the "grind" so you always make more of IT at any expense?
• As a tool to the system of working in the "rat race?"
• As a slave to the never ending search for security at the expense of opportunity?
• As a slave to the never ending search for self worth in things and stuff?

Obviously the list goes on. Test yourself; does your money buy you more time? a better quality of life for you and those around you? does your money make a positive impact on your community or the world? bring you personal satisfaction? a better life?

If you can't honestly say yes to at least 4 of those, it might be a good time to check who is serving who?

Money can be an incredible passport to anywhere and just about anything, and one of the most powerful tools to making a positive impact on people and our planet.

Or...

money can be a powerful force that keeps you a slave to the intangible quest for happiness. Constantly slaving to the idea that if you can just get more you will find happiness and satisfaction. Of course, the big secret is that happiness is found deep within yourself, never in a certain amount of money or anything else. The choice is yours. And you don't have to be rich to make that choice, often people in debt have a harder time viewing money as a tool than the affluent, but it's still your choice.

No matter how much we have it can always be used by us or it can use us. Choose wisely and with certainty.

May we all make more money and use it as a tool to make the greatest positive impact we can on us, our friends, and the world.

Find happiness in you first. Then see money for what it really is, a big tool.

Enjoy life!

Jon Bohm