One thing that I see stresses friends and family to the max is just living day to day putting out fires.

I want you to think about that statement.  Putting out fires.  Is that what you do?

Do you get up with a routine, knowing what happens to be done, but having no plan?

Before you click away, I don’t mean something so regimented that it takes away your “free” spirit.  Just the opposite.  This is something that actually liberates you.

Yesterday I chatted on MSN (I’m dave at davejackson.com on there) with a friend who admitted he loved working for a paycheck.  And the more we got into the conversation, I could see that what he really loved was the freedom from stressing out over what had to be done.  Go into a job, punch your timecard, get a coffee, and see what has to be done that day.  Putting out the little fires.

Is that what you really want out of life?  And there is a sense of security in that.  Yes, even when others who pitch their lifestyles to you, telling you that many who have had corporate jobs forever have found themselves unemployed, you look at your job and find security in that.  It’s OK.  Don’t stress.

The question you have to ask yourself is whether what you’re doing is getting you any closer to what you had in mind for life?  It may be… slowly.

Take two things away from this today, OK?  First, I don’t know about you, but for me, the best way to stop living putting out fires, stressing out all day, is to plan.  Now I didn’t go out and buy a planner, but I do have one of those 99 cent composition books beside my bed, and I know where it is at any given time.  I write things in it.  Plans.  Things I know I want to get done.  And it works.  Something about that writing down stuff.

Next, don’t stress out about it.  I find that making my “plans” about helping other people in life make it fun and worth doing.  It’s not all about me, then.  It’s how I can help others.  That’s the main reason for this website.  I’m hoping it helps others…somehow.  I don’t stress out about it.

Plan and help others.  Hey, a good motto.  Think about it.

If you were a visitor to this planet, you’d probably wonder why everyone was under such stress.  Looking around, it’s not apparent that we’re in a recession – not at this writing.  And I know you can choose not to participate in that, but I want to tell you what I think about the current situation with the U.S. economy.

Most Americans have lived beyond their means for the past two decades.  I don’t claim to understand everything about it, but so much credit has been extended that now the strength of many companies is withering.  Everything around us is so tightly woven into our earnings that complete companies can fail if too many of us can’t make our monthly payments.

And it really struck me the other day, while listening to Tom Alkazin on home based businesses, that it really is a tiny amount that brings down the house of cards.  He said something like the extra $200 – $300 a month that a small business would give you, is just what is needed to stop bankruptcy.

The way that works is remember, if you have a bill for $250 each month, and can not pay it for a time – it snowballs.  It doesn’t go away – so a little money from another stream would help.

Think of that on a nationwide scale and you have what is happening to thousands of companies.  And thousands upon thousands are being sent home from work without a job.  As bleak as that is, there is a silver lining in it for you.

The first wave you will see will be normal stores begin to offer better customer service.  Competition will become fierce as companies place prices as low as they can and still remain in business.  With the huge cuts, companies will have lower overhead.  Still some will fail.  And I believe those companies that play around with creative pricing will fail as well – because deep discounters will put them away.  We all want a good deal.

So look for pricing wars, and customer service bonuses galore, right now, in the bigger retailers.  For example, at cosmetic counters see special treatment, and businesses that sell similar products – take advantage of the pricing wars.  Unfortunately, the only way you can do that is by subscribing to your local newspaper, and by watching the local newscast – both which are appaling to me.

The next wave will bring service closer to home.  The days of doctors making house calls will return.  Specialists in all sorts of areas will be knocking at your door offering special deals.  You’ll have to be keen to know which is best.  Try creating a neighborhood group, or even a small group of neighbors that come over to play cards and discuss these “deals.”

Home based businesses will spring up everywhere.  The problem is knowing which one may be right for you.  Here is my view.

Look for a company with a strong history.  There are many new companys coming online.  Stay away from them.  There are enough old companies with workable businesses that you can get involved with.  My view here is that the track record for brand new home based business companies is atrocious.  You’re going to have to work to make money.  Why not work for a company that is going to be around for a long time.  Many people have been burned badly by companies that folded overnight – after having put years of hard work into them.

I’ve started a few home based businesses, and there are a few things that need to be right in order for you to succeed.  One, is the company, as I mentioned.  Another is the product.  I am amazed at how many companies out there are set up for one time sales.  Find a company that is producing something that is consumed on a daily basis.

And finally, find a company that has a low to zero start up cost, and doesn’t require you to buy stock.  With the Internet, it is just too easy to order online and drop ship.  This is efficient.

So watch for the markets to adjust, or correct; be aware of the many advantages of huge sales companies will have.  And then start your own stream of income.

I am flabbergasted at the news.  CNN reporting some guy took the lives of his family and then himself because he couldn’t find work.  First, I think where our priorities are nowadays.  And then I think the guy could have possibly been mentally ill from any number of things.  There is enough toxin around us to affect our minds.  That, along with influence from media, friends, global events; it’s enough to give you the creeps that this could have happened.

And yet, I know it’s not the end of it.

Listen, people – life is precious – and even if you’re down to your last penny, know that there is someone somewhere who cares about your life.  My first thought would be to go to a local church – seek help from a pastor.

You can let this external drain on your mind drag you down to despair if you want to.  And you can also not buy into the fact that the world is going to h*ll in a hand basket.  It’s a choice.  Maybe you’re too attached to stuff to make it an easy choice.  I don’t expect you to be like Job in the Bible.  And believe me, this ain’t nothin’ like that was.

Still, at first glace, these are trying times.  My word to you is that you can get through this and it can be better than you think by simply believing you are going to be OK.  It is not as horrible as you may think and certainly, these cyclical things come and go.

Here are five tips that will help you make it:

1. Stay away from negative people.  This includes people who you get bad vibes from.
2. Pray.  Ask God to guide you through this time.  He will.
3. Begin a gratitude and abundance journal.  Each night write down what happened that day that you could either be thankful for, or that was abundance!
4. Become the world’s best money steward.  Be frugal and celebrate at your frugalness.
5. Set goals weekly to where you want to be in 6 months.

Take that and really do it.  Rewrite those items and then do them.  You will be SO surprised when you can actually see how things work.

Talk soon,
Dave

Anybody knows that if you can get some great minds together, you’ll probably have some great ideas percolate up. And so many times we depend on other people that we short circuit what great stuff we can come with ourselves. For example – there’s a ton of great ideas that can come simply from asking focused questions. Something about a well-worded question that just gets to the meat of what we’re after and triggers new ideas and insights.

When you’re trying to come up with the best ideas, stimulate your creating thinking by figuring out what your end result should be. What are you trying to do? And when you get frustrated with the whole thought process, step back and ask again – what are we trying to do?

The next question should be, how are we trying to do it. If you find it hard to get it done, or experience resistance from people, maybe your method is wrong. That’s where that question comes into play – how are we trying to do it? And is this the right way? Maybe there’s a better way? What if what you were doing was completely wrong? There may be another way to get the job done.

I know this is rough, especially if you are in a position of leadership, but facing the possibility that you may be wrong opens yourself up to new possibilities. Look at what’s right before deciding who is right.

Another good question to ask is what is our assumptions? You can ask this about your prospect, your products, your business. Maybe you’re assuming something that isn’t correct. I’ve heard the saying – Errant assumptions lie at the root of every failure.

What if your implied assumptions were wrong?

Here’s another tough one my wife and I do – put past decisions on trial. Sort of like looking at your track record and sometimes it’s not fun. You ask a question like – knowing what I know now, would I have made the same decision? Try to find similar ideas or decisions to what you are trying to cover now and look back.

I want you to be very clear about what you are trying to do. Write it down and then describe it as if you already achieved it. Next, always question your assumptions – especially in the marketing you do. And if there may be a better way… be willing to try something completely different.