In 2011, there were very few places to make money with investments…

The Stock Market ended up basically flat, with a whole bunch of wild swings and volatility along the way. Putting your money in the bank faired no better, with interest rates at an all-time low. If you invested in Real Estate, you probably lost money on your investment as home prices continued to fall. Gold was the only bright spot, up about 10% from the beginning of the year. It had wild swings too, so many people bought while it was wildly going up and now it’s back down to reality.

The job market was dismal, with more employers laying people off and the real unemployment rate staying stubbornly high.

So… what does 2012 hold in store?

Analysts are not too keen on stocks as Europe looks ready to drop into a recession. Home prices are bouncing around the bottom, with banks releasing foreclosures at a more rapid rate, Gold is an unknown, and interest rates look to stay low for the foreseeable future. The job market is still bleak with real unemployment running over 15% in many areas.

So do we just put our money, what little we may have, in a mattress and take the year off, or is there a bright spot?

That is a really good question…

The best investment advice I have ever heard was to buy items with intrinsic value when no one else wants them and sell things when they are in high demand.

So… many analysts are saying stocks may drop this year if Europe drops into recession. Probably a good time to wait out investing here. Real estate prices are low but not poised for a comeback here for a few years… It might be a good time to start looking for cash flow from buying income property and renting it out. The rental market is booming in some areas.

Gold is a crap shoot. Is it in a bubble or poised to go higher?

Lots of questions… very few answers…

I’ve actually only seen one area that makes me very comfortable at all.

2012 may be the year to start a business or write a book.

I know this sounds crazy, but it might be one of the best times to take matters in your own hands and make something happen. Especially if you can help the rest of us with a new product or new ideas.

So where do you start?

On of the least expensive ways to get off to a great start in the New Year is to pick up a step by step book and take action. I have found a few that can help. Here are three popular ones that can get you started today.

1. Life Plan: This is the best place to start. Download Michael Hyatt’s free e-book and take a few hours and fill it out. This will help you plan out your year in advance and create a plan for action. One you have a plan in place, download our goal setting toolkit and write down your goals.

2. Freelancing Guide: One of the most pro-active things you can do in the New Year is to start a blog. This can help you get the word out about your business and with proper planning it can actually become your business. In the Bloggers Guide to Freelancing, Ali Luke shows you how to make money from your writing and take control of your career.

3. Create an Ebook: Once you have a blog up and going, a great way to start making money from it is to write and promote helpful E-books. I have read a number of books on the subject, but none have been more helpful than Ali Luke’s Guide for creating Irresistible E-books. Her step by step help and fully documented templates have helped me put my books together and actually get them off the ground. If you want a low cost way to create a sellable product in the coming year, pick up this guide. She offers a money back guarantee so there is no risk at all.

Overall: Why not start the year with a plan? The three books above can help you get a quick start.

He knew how to focus.

He knew how to say no to mundane ideas and focus on the best.

His ideas were revolutionary… not evolutionary.

He could take a hundred competing ideas and pick one, just one, to focus on and run with.

He could see what we couldn’t see.

He could envision the future.

He could see us holding a new product in our hands, the shiny screen glowing with light. He could hear the music playing, and see the data flowing, and see the millions of smiles around the world that would be fascinated by its function.

He would stand on a stage, year after year, and show us new things.

He would share our amazement at devices so well crafted, and so easy to use, that they just “worked.” You didn’t have to go back to school, or take a class, you just had to know how to swipe, or drag, or point with your finger.

From the early Macintosh, to the iPod, iPhone and iPad, he thought differently.

While his competitors were telling everyone that it couldn’t be done, Steve showed the world how to do it.

Focus on wow,

Focus on excellence,

Focus on one thing at a time, and make it the best it can be.

Steve said the following…

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you have to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the 100 other good ideas there are. You have to pick carefully.”

Steve did that, and we are all a little bit better off for it.

I for one will miss you Steve. I will miss your roll outs, your speeches, and that little twinkle in your eye that represented the joy and fun you got showing us the cool things your technology could do.

I’m learning how to focus. To put the best ahead of the good. To say no to the mundane and yes to the brave new crazy ideas that are out there.

Thanks for the courage, Steve, to be different. To take a chance. To be a little bit crazy and to create something new and delightful.

Thanks for showing us the way. Rest in peace.

1. Find Influential people in your niche. In my previous post, I outlined how to find important people in different fields using Klout. For job seekers, this is very important. Whatever your field is, you’ll want to do the following.

1. Follow key people and companies on Twitter
2. “Like” the Facebook pages of prospective employers.
3. Take a look at the LinkedIn profiles of key people in your field.
1. Look for résumé ideas
2. Look for key contacts
3. Look at education backgrounds and requirements

Klout can help you do this quickly and easily. With their large list of social media sites, it’s easy to get connected.

Start with people and companies that you know and look at their influencers and who they influence. Here is an example…

Justin at Career Builder is a great person to connect with on Twitter. He’ll keep you updated with current job search advice and career trends.

2. Take a look at Lists. Klout has a great list feature that can help you find influential thought leaders in business and government. These lists can be a goldmine of information. Klout user Mike Sansone has compiled a great collection of lists to get you started in your business and leadership search. Here is a screen shot of how they work.

Lists are easy to access. Just open a Klout profile and you’ll see any lists that the person has created or is included in. For direct job information and career professionals, Karen Siwak has a great career based list. Very helpful.

3. Make It Easy To Find Your Resume: When you setup your Klout profile, you can add numerous social media sites to the mix. if you are looking for a job, you’ll want to put your best foot forward. Make sure any profile that you list has been updated and has current contact information. If you have an online résumé at Career Builder or other site, be sure to provide a link in one of your profiles. Make sure it’s up to date and that it is easy for prospective employers to contact you.

If you apply for a job on LinkedIn, you can upload your résumé with it. In the Résumé section of the job application, click Browse. Locate your résumé on your computer and select it. Your resume will be uploaded when you submit your application.

Overall: Job Search can be a time consuming activity. Klout can help you do your research and find key contacts to communicate with. Make sure it’s part of your job seeker’s tool chest.

Question: How could you use Klout on your job search?

These positions require the person to facilitate outcomes for the leader. The tasks may include creating presentations, training staff, and balancing budgets. While the leader is focused on where the company is going, the facilitator is focused on how to get there.

In the blog-o-sphere there are many blogs dedicated to the leadership role. Leadership is a tough job, and I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the position through posts from some of the best leaders in the business.

Some great leadership blogs are…

Michael Hyatt

John Maxwell

Tom Peters

But what about a blog focused on the facilitators?

This is the focus I want to take with Success Begins Today.

A blog that has the tools to make things happen with time management tips to get projects done on time. A blog that deals with goal setting, personal development, and working with the latest technology.

They say that the definition of leadership is to turn around and see if anyone is following you. If you don’t have followers behind you but instead have a list of projects in front of you, then this blog is for you.

This is the place where you’ll find tools to save you time, organize your projects, and help you with the latest technology.

This is a place for the facilitators.

This is a place where things get done.

As we go forward here at Success Begins Today, I want to offer tools, strategies, and training to help facilitators get done earlier, better, and with less stress.

A place where the focus is on solving problems and moving forward.

Let’s get started…

DM Employee. You are Fired. Clean Out Your Desk. You Will Be Escorted to the Door at 4pm.

Could this happen? I’m sure it has and will probably become more popular in the future. Heck… you could lay off a whole department with a @company-department tweet.

But one thing I know for sure… you can now quit via Twitter.

CEO Jonathan Schwartz of Sun Microsystems did it yesterday.

And he did it with a Haiku…

Financial crisis
Stalled too many customers
CEO no more

While his resignation wasn’t unexpected, quitting by Twitter was a first by a major company CEO. But it isn’t surprising. Jonathan was the first CEO to start a blog.

So now if you want to quit and let the whole company know about it, just send a broadcast tweet. Just be aware… there is NO undo button!

1. When you meet someone, make eye contact and smile. A great way to do this is to make a mental note of their eye color.
2. Wherever you are, act like you are the host. Initiate the conversation. Be the first to say hello.
3. Use simple memorization techniques to remember people’s names or write them down on a small card. As Dale Carnegie says, “The sweetest sound to a person is their name.”
4. Make others feel important by giving them your full attention. Help them feel like they are the only person in the room and that you are enjoying your conversation with them. Refrain from yawning or looking at your watch.
5. Show curiosity and interest in others. Ask them open-ended questions and listen to their answers. You will become more likeable, and really start to understand the person’s wants, needs, and desires.
6. Be enthusiastic about your life. People gravitate to optimistic, positive and cheerful people.
7. Be able to speak on a variety of subjects. Keep abreast of current events and read timely books and magazines. Be able to tell people what you do in a few short sentences. Speak concisely.
8. Invite people to join you for other activities such as lunch or an informal meeting.
9. Be sincere and compliment others about what they are wearing, doing, or saying.
10. Give people more than they expect. Don’t promise things you can’t deliver.

I was like superman without all the fanfare. While these dreams were very cool and many times I would want to go back to sleep just to fly some more, I quickly realized that this was just pure fantasy when I woke up. As much as I wanted to fly, there was no current way to do it like I did in my dream.

In high school I had another dream. I wanted to be able to speak like Martin Luther King, or John F. Kennedy. I wanted to be able to motivate people like Zig Ziglar or Billy Graham. I had a whole bunch of words inside of me that I wanted to share with the world. Yet I was scared to death to get up in front of the audience.

In my dream public speaking was easy, but when I woke up, reality was a much different place. Through the years I just about gave up on the dream. Fortunately someone invited me to a Toastmasters group. In Toastmasters I was able to give my first scary speech in front of a group of supportive people. And you know what… I didn’t die!

In fact I actually did pretty good my first time out. I remembered most of my speech and I didn’t need my notes as much as I thought. The cool thing was, all those words that had been trapped inside of me for years had a way to finally come out. Within weeks I was doing additional speeches, each time with more passion and confidence. Toastmasters helped me take the fear out of public speaking.

While both of these dreams were pure fantasy at first, public speaking became a reality because it was a doable thing. Others had blazed a trail and all I had to do was follow. Someday we’ll all be able to fly. Someone will blaze a trail and come up with an invention that will free us all from gravity.

Maybe that person will be you?

But for now, personal flying is a fantasy. We can dream it but we can’t do it.

Are you pursuing dreams in your life that are realistic and doable… or are they just fantasies blowing in the wind?

As an example, I have many co-workers that play the lottery every week. They probably spend an average of 10 dollars a week or 40 dollars a month pursuing this fantasy. No one has ever won the lottery where I work, but people play just the same.

The interesting thing is, those same people could amass a fortune over the years by taking that same money and investing it in an investment account that compounds interest. The path is straight and the concept is proven, but many people do not follow it.

The choose fantasy over reality.

We have all seen the people that try out for American Idol that can’t sing. They have this misplaced notion that they have singing talent when they really don’t. It’s somewhat humorous but often just sad to watch them give it their all. Their singing fantasies just don’t come true.

I would love to be able to sing and participate in a TV show. But my natural talents don’t include singing. While I could spend many years with a speech coach trying to improve my singing voice, it would probably be better for me to pursue something that I’m naturally good at.

One of the best ways to find out what a person will be good at is to have them take a strengths test. The Gallup organization has put out an online test that will help you find out your top 5 strengths. It’s quick to take and the results can really help you see your areas of excellence.

The test is part of a book entitled Strengths Finder 2.0 written by Tom Rath. For under 20 dollars you get the test and a book full of helpful advice to take your individual talents to the next level. Researchers have found that you are much more likely to be successful focusing on your strengths rather than your weaknesses.

My five top strengths include, Ideation, Positivity, Learning, Futuristic, and Individualization. The materials in this book and on the accompanying web site have been very helpful in setting my sites on what is truly achievable in my life. Instead of just dreams and fantasies I now have a road map to reality.

1. To the first servant he gives five talents
2. To the second servant he gives two talents
3. To the third servant he gives one talent

A talent in those days was a considerable sum of money, worth thousands of dollars in today’s economy.

In Matthew 25- Jesus relates their actions…

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.  So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.  But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. It is interesting to note the rewards of their actions…

The man who had received the five talents brought the other five.  “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with five talents.  See, I have gained five more.”

His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!”

The man with the two talents also came.  “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.”

His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Then the man who had received the one talent came.  “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.  See, here is what belongs to you.”

His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant!  So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?  Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

“Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.  For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)

While there is great significance in this parable from a spiritual and moral sense, it is interesting to view this in the concept of our personal talents. We all have talents, but like the third servant, many of them may be covered up or buried deep in the ground.

From a personal development viewpoint, we may have considerable buried treasure in our lives, just waiting to be dug up and opened. As in the parable above…

• If we uncover our talents and invest them wisely, there will be a considerable reward.
• If we do nothing with them, one day we may be called to account for them and find that difficult consequences await.

This parable hits home with me in various ways. From a career standpoint, I have found that there are many talents that are needed for today’s modern workplace. One simple example comes back to me almost everyday.

I took Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint classes back in the late 1990′s. I didn’t realize the importance of the classes at the time, but they have been incredibly helpful over the years.

Just knowing how to setup a graph in Excel or create an outline in Word, have been very useful on my job. I use them almost every day.

I can’t tell you how many people that I work with struggle with Powerpoint presentations. I am often called in at the last moment to get a presentation going or to get the computer to communicate with the projector.

Using our talents can have a profound effect on our lives. Instead of just letting our lives move aimlessly along, if we develop our talents, we can move ahead in a successful and deliberate manner. We can turn these individual talents into an incredible treasure.

For many of us this personal treasure can be explored by looking into seven different areas… and asking some direct questions…

Who
1. Who am I and what are my strengths?
2. Who are my customers/clients?
3. Who are my mentors?

What
1. What great thing would I do if I knew I could not fail?
2. What small things can I learn that will help me along the way?

Where
1. Where do I work?
2. Where is my mission field?
3. Where am I going?

When
1. When will I start?
2. When will I finish?
3. When is success?

How
1. How will I get there?
2. 12 month, One Year, and Three Year Goals

Why
1. Why am I doing this?
2. What is my purpose?

Risk
1. What is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
2. What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
3. What is the best thing that can happen if I don’t do this?
4. What is the worst thing that can happen if I don’t do this?

Answering these questions can take some doing. First we have to find and dig up our treasure chest. Then we have to unlock it and discover the hidden talents. Then comes the fun part… once the talents have been cleaned up and polished, we get to spend our treasure. With our new found talents it might be a business, a new job, or a mission trip to a far off land. The possibilities are endless.

Are you ready to find your treasure?

I have had a few teachers like this in my life. You walk away from their class excited and with a renewed sense of direction. You want to do the assignments and learn more. All of a sudden learning has gone from laborious and boring to exciting and rewarding. It takes a special person to do this. It’s not just facts and figures, but stories and personal experiences. It’s a learning experience that matches your unique learning style.

In thinking back to some of the teachers that have had the greatest impact in my life, I can think of three important things that they did that made a difference. Practices that may not be recognizable at first but have a subtle impact to your learning experience.

1. Their teaching matches your learning style. There are three primary learning styles, Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic/Tactile. Visual learners learn through seeing, Auditory Learners learn by listening, and Kinesthetic Learners learn through moving, doing and touching. If a teachers presentation matches your particular learning style you’ll come away with more retained knowledge. Really great teachers know this and may include all three styles in their presentation.
2. Individual attention. Everyone learns a little differently and we all have different goals and aspirations. Through individual attention, teachers can custom tailor their presentations to our individual needs. This is especially helpful for kinesthetic learners that may need a more hands on approach. A great approach is to say it, then show it, and then have the student do it himself. This can take more time than just telling us the facts and figures, but the results are incredibly powerful.
3. Passion for Teaching. Great teachers have a passion for their profession. They have a vision for each student and really care about the outcome. Instead of just sharing a lot of data, excellent teachers are results oriented. They take the time to work with each individual student and learn about their aspirations. Some of my best teachers were more interested in where I was going than I was. Their aspirations for my life and career helped change the direction of my life.

I did some career retraining in the mid 90′s and as a fill in to my computer network training I took some free classes at the San Diego Career Center. I had a teacher named Karen Owen who had an incredible gift of teaching. She taught classes in Word, Access, Excel and Photoshop. Every one of her classes was an amazing adventure. She taught by telling us what we were going to do, then showing us the exercise, and then having us do the project hands on. She also got to know each one of her students and really had a vision for each one of us. Her goals were big and audacious. She wanted us to all have incredible careers… she wanted us all to be extraordinary.

I can truly say that the knowledge I learned in her classes changed my life. This knowledge is a help everyday on my job. I am constantly in Word, Access, and Excel. She instilled in me a passion for Photoshop and the graphic arts. She made learning fun. This is what true teaching is all about. She truly created hundreds of student evangelists, excited about technology, and with a vision for the future.

As American author William Arthur Ward says… The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

Thank you Karen for the inspiration to do truly great things!

What is more sobering is Friedman’s treatment of Bill Gates’ statement about the American education system…

“When I compare our high schools to what I see when I’m traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow. In math and science, our fourth graders are among the top students in the world. By eighth grade, they’re in the middle of the pack. By 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring near the bottom of all industrialized nations. . . . The percentage of a population with a college degree is important, but so are sheer numbers. In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor’s degrees as the U.S., and they have six times as many graduates majoring in engineering. In the international competition to have the biggest and best supply of knowledge workers, America is falling behind.

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As someone who works in the education field I find this is an extremely important book to read. While much of the historical content is common knowledge, the overall effect is much more profound than the individual pieces. I listened to the audio book version while shopping at the local mall. All you have to do to realize the impact is to listen while you pick up items in a store. Just turn them over and see where they are made. We don’t manufacture many things in America anymore.

I came away with some important points. In America we need to educate our students to be able to compete in this rapidly changing global landscape. Students need both left brain and right brained job skills. It’s not enough anymore to know how to do something, you also need to know how to innovate, create, and market new products and services.

It is really important that our students embrace creativity through the I-Force. This is a profound set of inspirations that will help students in the new century.

1. Inspiration thru Information

a. The what, where, why, and how

2. Inspiration thru Innovation

a. Can an existing thing be made bigger, better, faster etc.

3. Inspiration thru Imagination

a. Can you imagine the possibilities?

These three “big picture” skills will help our students compete but they are not enough. Students also need to learn communication and leadership skills. It is imperative that students rise above “commoditization” and become truly gifted leaders. Organizations that teach these skills such as Toastmasters International are becoming more important every day.

Mr. Friedman wants to tell you how exciting this new world is, but he also wants you to know you’re going to be trampled if you don’t keep up with it.

This is one of the most important books of our time.

Read it, take note, and hold on.