Find that spark
Posted by Faith, 21 October 2009
When the going gets tough, the tough have a plan and keep going.
Long term planning does not kill spontaneity and excitement; it provides resilience to keep going no matter what. It enhances and strengthens the resolve, keeps everything in perspective and puts the silver lining on what can sometimes be very dark clouds.
I was reminded of this great lesson from two New Zealand business leaders at a conference last week. These fantastic speakers are everyday people, but they also stood out from the herd in two distinctive ways:
1. They have a vision, a set of beliefs and dreams, which are so clear that when they describe them, you can almost reach out and touch them.
2. They have a long-term plan, which is spelled out with such clarity that all their employees know the reason why they come to work. They know how they contribute to the greater goal and they put in the hard work and long hours to get there. The plan is one that will outlast recessions, market cycles, short-term setbacks and personal crises. It keeps everyone moving in the right direction, without strangling passion and excitement.
Both of the speakers explained that their success in business and life was not because of a family inheritance, amazing genes or impeccable schooling. They have home lives like most of us and grew up in small towns with modest means. However, they found the one thing in life that really excited them – a spark - and then capitalised on it.
Most of us know that spark - the one a singer feels when they hit just the right note, sending shivers down the spine of the audience or for a writer, when sentences flow so well that the pen has trouble keeping up with the mind. A parent experiences it when their child reaches a new achievement and then turns to Mum or Dad and grins.
Successful people tap into this spark daily, as it renews their reason for living and working. They don't just crawl out of bed thinking, "Another day at work, is it Friday yet?" Sure they have bad days, weeks, even months, but this doesn't have the same dragging effect, because everything can be put into perspective.
We can all achieve greater happiness if we can find that spark and fan it alight. It doesn't have to relate to a great business venture. It just has to be something that moves us, that helps us walk a bit taller, smile a little more and to remember that the world is full of solutions and opportunity.
When you find your spark, you must decide how to use it. If the spark is related to a business, career, or a longer-term dream, write down what you want to achieve and how, to keep you focussed on it. If it is simpler, like teaching your child how to ride a bike, plan on how you can do this now to make it happen.
There might be financial issues to deal with, but when you have the "what" and "why", the "how" will fall into place. Money management is easy when you have the right motivation. All you have to do is find it.
What's the spark that will set you alight?
Need more help? Check out:
- Make a wish come true
http://www.keepingthefaith.co.nz/financial_planning_faith_blog_070708.cfm
- Transitions - more life or more of the "same old, same old" boring stuff?
http://www.keepingthefaith.co.nz/financial_planning_faith_blog_170308.cfm
- Who wants to be a millionaire?
http://www.keepingthefaith.co.nz/financial_planning_faith_blog_280509.cfm
Buy my new book Faith Speaks Money Talks to discover how to:
- Stop money pouring out of your life
- Smash the spending habit so you have more money for what you really want
- Handle the big money decisions with ease
- Buy property with confidence and without going broke
- Get a better life with the 7-week money challenge
- Decide what is important to you
See previous blogs:
Don't sweat the small stuff.
Can you grow a money tree?
What's holding you back?
Money or your life - which has more value?
The seven secret thieves
Five questions to change your life
Find that spark
Switching lives - what would you choose?
Who can I trust to help grow my money?
How to swim in a sea of money
Life can be unfair
The rule of happiness
No way to live
Anyone can be good with money
Best ways to warm up winter
Who wants to be a millionaire?
The secret of wealth
Keeping your money safe
Having it all
Win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Europe (Part 3)
Win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Europe (Part 2)
Win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Europe (Part 1)
Make a change for good
A recipe for a happy Christmas
Nothing else matters
Rage, rage against the dying of the light
Make a wish come true
Buying or Selling a House – Those that care least, usually succeed
When is a good time to buy a house?
Sleepless Nights in a War Zone
Transitions - more life or more of the “same old, same old” boring stuff?