by Motivation Expert, Jim Cathcart

“Resume The Boom!”

The economy is in the doldrums because the people are depressed. Much like The Dark Ages when the prevailing mood was gloom and doom, we see very little optimism and hope today. The news is filled with discouraging information and reports that lead us to be more suspicious of each other and skeptical of everything we hear. Each day brings a new expose’ of some corrupt institution or a new regulation that carries with it a host of reporting requirements and restrictions on normal communication. But there is enormous opportunity behind this gloom.

What we need is a “Rennaissance,” a rebirth of the desire to grow and succeed.

When business is depressed it doesn’t go away, it just gets postponed. People still want a new car and many need one, but they’ve delayed their purchase due to economic fears. Couples still want to buy a new home or renovate the one they have but banking and mortgage regulations have caused them to delay.

But the need and desire to buy still exist. In many cases, the money is also available, but the commitments are inhibited by fears and uncertainty. It’s hard to exert initiative when you are confused. So what do we do?

Re-Start with a Dream

Every great advancement begins in the mind of one individual who decides to take action on his or her dreams. They see the goal in their mind or feel the desire in their heart and then they act upon it. That is what we need MUCH more of today: goals and desires.

Step One is to Define What You Want. Until you have a clear target you will not take bold action.

Here’s an exercise to break the inertia:

1. Start a journal page listing all the things that you care about; your family, friends, health, home, country, company, church, body, mind, relationships, skills, tools, toys, everything you can think of. Add to this list over the next week and make it as complete as you can. Get everything you care about onto that page.
2. Take time to review the listings in a leisurely way. Don’t “study” it, just review it. Let it drift before you…and then Notice What You Notice. In other words, reflect on what you are seeing and make notes about what matters most to you.
3. On a separate page start writing what you want. Don’t worry about sequence or priority just start listing what you want or would like to have or do. It could be as simple as a new lamp for the family room or as ambitious as being elected to the presidency of your industry association. Have no concern over whether you can achieve it, just write it down. Take your time and do this over a week or so. Come back to the list each day for a few minutes and add to it or refine it.
4. Once you have the Wants List you are ready to set some new goals. Review the wants and circle the ones that matter most to you. From this short list you will be able to draw some Next Step goals to truly go to work on. This process can be done for a company as well as an individual.

“Without Reflection there is no true learning.” Kevin Buck

It is time for the dreamer in you to emerge once again. Re-ignite the caring genes in you. Start talking about what’s possible. Get others engaged in conversations about how good it could be if we all started contributing toward the growth of our company, community, family or country. The big questions are:

What do you really want?  

What are you willing to do in order to achieve it?

How can you start working on it today? 

Be one of the initiators of the ReBooming of America! Resume the Boom!

I was born in 1946 and graduated high school in 1964. Those dates define “The Baby Boom”; 78 million people born during the 18 years after World War II. Our boom has driven a mega-market for everything from diapers to depends over the course of years.

Today 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every day. Read that again…yes, “every day!”

But unlike Mom & Dad and our own grandparents, we aren’t retiring and fading away. We are still active. Socially, financially, professionally, physically and intellectually…we are vitally still engaged in the world.

This presents an interesting opportunity for the rest of the world. How do we cope with and profit from meeting the needs of this huge group? The answer will vary depending upon your field of involvement.

Here are just a few of the emerging needs and wants.

• Learning to use Social Media to stay actively connected
• Special Interest Groups: every imaginable area from hiking clubs to NASCAR to culinary arts to photography, sailing and salsa dancing
• Fitness for Seniors who still desire to compete or advance
• Musical performances: still eager to Rock & Roll
• Discussion Groups: continuing their intellectual growth
• Political Involvement
• Community Leadership & Public Service
• Financial Security
• Leaving a Legacy
• Leisure Travel & Exploration
• Healthcare Services
• Seniors Communities and Services
• Making a Difference in the World

They are also still looking for opportunities to do more.

You might enjoy this brief video from my appearance before 1,500 professional speakers in Anaheim, CA recently. It adds a musical perspective to the message above.

by Motivation Expert, Jim Cathcart

You’ve no doubt seen the emails with descriptions of the various regions of our country before but as I read this one, it occurred to me that all of these are true! Though humorous, there is more fact than fiction in these lists. I’m from the South, live in California and have visited all 50 states multiple times. See if you agree with the truth in these descriptions.

Geography Lessons for Retirees You can retire to Phoenix , Arizona where 1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade. 2. You’ve experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl. 3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town. 4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food. 5.. You know that “dry heat” is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door. 6. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! {we in Texas have a winter, but it is short; most of the rest applies.} You can retire to California where 1. You make over $250,000 and you still can’t afford to buy a house. 2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway. 3. You know how to eat an artichoke. 4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party. 5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is. 6. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought.You can retire to New York City where 1. You say “the city” and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan . 2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can’t find Wisconsin on a map. 3. You think Central Park is “nature.” 4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual. 5. You’ve worn out a car horn. (ed note: if you have a car) 6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression..You can retire to Maine where 1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco …… 2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas. 3. You have more than one recipe for moose. 4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons. 5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.You can retire to the Deep South where 1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store. 2. “Y’all” is singular and “all y’all” is plural. 3. “He needed killin’” is a valid defense. 4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jim Ed, Mary Sue , Betty Jean, Mary Beth, etc. 5. Everything is either “yonder,” “over yonder” or “out yonder.” It’s important to know the difference, too. You can retire to Colorado where 1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car 2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and so he stops at the day care center. 3. A pass does not involve a football or dating. 4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail. You can retire to the Midwest where 1. You’ve never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name. 2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.. 3. You have had to switch from “heat” to “A/C” on the same day. 4. You end sentences with a preposition: “Where’s my coat at?” 5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, “It was different!” 6. Hotels have Tornado Warning Instructions in the guest rooms. AND You can retire to Florida where 1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon. 2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind — even houses and cars. 3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist. 4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state. 5. The most common hair color is blue. 6. Cars in front of you often appear to be driven by headless people.

Enjoy your day, and your “retirement.”