Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. For years in my corporate and arena speaking engagements, I have challenged my audiences by telling them that most people spend more time planning their three-day weekend than they spend planning what they are going to do for the rest of their lives. This accurate self-evaluation is extremely difficult.

Excuses are those stories we tell ourselves and repeat to others in order to justify our own lack of performance. I understand and am fully aware that bad things happen to good people. Current conditions and factors often get in the way of our plans; however, for every person experiencing an obstacle that uses it as an excuse to justify their failure, I will show you another person facing the same obstacle who has used it as a springboard to even greater success.

We human beings live with the interesting paradox that we seem to want that which we can’t have and despise that which is readily available to us in abundance. Scarcity becomes attractive, and quantity is ignored. Whether it’s a car, a club, clothing, jewelry, or travel, when we have acquired or experienced things that others have not, we feel the value. On the other hand, if everyone has experienced something, we take it for granted. This can be important to us both personally and professionally.

Recently, I was in a meeting of executives and business owners. The conversation turned to work ethic and the length of their work day and work week. I heard several individuals who were intending to brag state, “I haven’t had a day off in six months,” or “I haven’t taken a vacation in five years.” In my mind, these ludicrous statements are like someone discussing car maintenance stating, “I haven’t changed the oil in my car since 1998,” or “I’ve ignored a Check Engine light on my dashboard for a whole year.” There’s a big difference between working smarter, working harder, or working longer.

As you go through the holiday season this year, try to live in the moment and enjoy each experience one at a time. Avoid the temptation to become over-committed and learn the power of the amazing two-letter word: no. Try to take a few days off before January 1st to reflect upon where you’ve been and where you want to go. Try to get out of your normal environment and eliminate all distractions so you are forced to reflect.

The average American is 27 days from insolvency. This means that if you cut off their income, they will run out of cash within 27 days. As we face layoffs across the country and a very tight job market in which to find a new position, it is not surprising that people are going into a crisis mode. If you find yourself suddenly being one of these unfortunate statistics, there are several steps you can take that may help. First and foremost, don’t panic. Fear is never your friend, and panic always produces pain. Calmly take inventory of your current situation, and try to rationally and creatively answer the following questions.

If I had a dollar for every time during the past year I have heard someone say, “These are the worst economic times since the Great Depression,” I would have enough money to create my own stimulus package. I am well aware that there are many people hurting. With double-digit unemployment, the decline in the stock market, and the ongoing bleak forecasts, it can be alarming. As you go through your day today, commit to make these difficult times ones that you can look back on as the springboard to your future success.

When you have reevaluated both the top line and the bottom line, there is one more very fertile place to look for additional revenue, and this is in the area of productivity. Adding to the top line is like putting more fuel in the tank. Cutting expenses and adding to the bottom line is like throwing cargo overboard or shortening your trip. Increasing productivity is like tuning up your engine to get more out of the fuel you currently have while taking the same trip or even traveling farther.

Humanity, itself, creates an ongoing set of problems that are inevitably followed by solutions. These solutions create a new and ever-expanding set of problems. As you go through your day today, welcome opportunities disguised as problems, and seek the knowledge that is waiting to be known.

In our daily lives, you and I have the opportunity to perform any number of tasks. Many of these tasks are simple and even mundane. We can perform these tasks in a haphazard or mediocre fashion. On the other hand, we have the privilege of beginning to perform simple and unnoticed tasks with a degree of excellence. In doing so, we can begin to improve our lives and elevate our existence.

Balance has been a buzzword and popular topic in business circles over the past few years. There are any number of consultants, advisors, and life coaches that purport to help you find balance between your life and your work. I am somewhat skeptical of this in principle, because part of your life is your work, and your work should be one of the elements that makes your life rich.

Human beings seek to avoid the feeling of randomness; therefore, we want to establish blame or responsibility for everything that happens. Control is an illusion just as blame and responsibility are impossible to clearly establish. We judge our own intentions while judging everyone else’s actions. This gives us a skewed perspective on the world.

Success is much more of a balancing act. You must master each of the elements that matter most to you. It is not a snapshot but much more like an epic motion picture. It is always changing, growing, and evolving. You do not achieve success in gardening one time and reach your goal once and for all. Having a wonderful garden is a process. It is always either improving or declining.

It is ironic that, in our formal educational process, we are taught to obey all rules, stay in line, and don’t do anything out of order. Then we enter the corporate world where we are handed a book which outlines policies and procedures that we are expected to understand and follow. These boundaries are beneficial only if we understand their limitations and become willing to welcome the exception to the rule.

I just heard a story on the business channel of my satellite radio about a self-made person and their business success story. It was, indeed, an impressive story about a person who came from an impoverished background and--through diligence, determination, and tenacity--became a tremendous success. While I admire this person, and while there are elements in their story that we can all learn from, I was left with the question: Are any of us truly a self-made person?

Each of us are confronted with a myriad of tasks each day that require our attention. Most of us allow far too many things to get onto our calendar or day planner. There are very few things that are truly important or critical enough to require your immediate and personal attention; therefore, we go through our day confronting routine items while asking ourselves:

“What do I have to do?”
“What is expected of me?” or
“What is the least I can do in this situation?”

If we did fewer things but did them better, we would find ourselves achieving and moving ahead faster.

In recent months, we have been inundated with stories about the economy and how it has effected people around the world. It is interesting to consider whether these stories report on economic conditions or create economic conditions.

As a weekly columnist for almost a decade, and as the author of 12 books, I am embarrassed to admit, for many years of my life, I was not a reader. Reading is one of the activities that most directly correlates to success in every area of life. One of my favorite book reviewers and bookstore owners was a learned gentleman who had a motto that stated, “The more books you read, the taller you grow.” Truer words were never spoken.

If you have been following the news media’s coverage of the worldwide energy status, you have probably heard multiple times that we are in the midst of an energy crisis. The word “crisis” can be translated from an ancient Chinese sailing term meaning “an opportunity on a dangerous wind.” Rarely are there opportunities without a crisis, or a crisis without opportunities.

A recent worldwide survey revealed that there are 6,800 languages and dialects spoken globally today. While I am often amazed how inaccurate communications can get, when you consider the number of languages spoken, it is somewhat amazing that we communicate at all.

I will always remember George Burns stating, “If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life.” George Burns enjoyed his life and his work for a century. If you enjoy what you do, you can substitute the “Thank God it’s Friday” club for the “Thank God it’s Monday” club. Beyond what you do for a living, you will receive tremendous benefits if you enjoy the people you work with.

When you start out in life or in business, it may seem as though you are doing everything yourself, and, in reality, you may be; however, there will come a day when you will discover new dimensions of your own talent and have people on your team whose talents will complement and not compete with yours. 

Whether it’s the holidays or end-of-year tax planning, December is the time that many people think about giving.  While any motivation that causes us to give is probably good, I believe we should begin to look at giving as a way to define who we are instead of simply providing a tax deduction or fulfilling our holiday gift list.