This piece of wisdom is something I’ve been sharing for decades: Do the most important thing first. Not the easiest. Not the most urgent. The hardest. If you know you must make a difficult phone call with an unhappy client, the natural tendency is to put it off until the end of the day or end of the week. You tell yourself you’re getting ready or researching for it, when you know deep down, you’re delaying the potential unpleasantness. The truth is, delaying leads to negative mental energy and stress. It just doesn’t make it easier, nor does it remove emotional pressure by doing the lighter things first. Get the hardest tasks out of the way first. PERIOD. Then enjoy the rest of your day accomplishing the easier stuff.

One of the people I’ve enjoyed learning from over my career is Earl Nightingale, who famously told a story about Ivy Lee’s “$25,000 idea” (sometimes quoted as $50,000) in his talks. It’s a legendary story in the world of productivity and business consulting. It goes like this:

In the early 1900s, Charles M. Schwab, president of Bethlehem Steel (one of the largest steel companies in the U.S. at the time), met with Ivy Lee, a productivity consultant and pioneer of public relations. Ivy Lee told Mr. Schwab that he could dramatically increase his company’s efficiency with a simple method — and he would share it for free. But, he added:

“Try it for a few weeks, and if it works, send me a check for what you think it was worth.”

Mr. Schwab agreed. A few weeks later, he was so impressed with the results that he sent Ivy Lee a check for $25,000 — the equivalent of more than $500,000 today, depending on the estimate — and the idea has since been called the $25,000 or $50,000 idea, depending on the source. The method Mr. Lee gave to Mr. Schwab was simple. If you’ve followed my teachings at all, you know that I propose simple is not always easy.

Here’s what’s involved:

1. At the end of each workday, write down the six most important tasks to accomplish the next day.

2. Prioritize them in order of true importance.

3. The next day, start with the first task. Work on it until it is finished before moving on.

4. Approach the rest of your list the same way.

5. At the end of the day, move unfinished items to a new list of six for the next day.

6. Repeat daily.

While simple does not always mean easy, what’s simple is often powerful. What’s practiced becomes priceless. Although this thinking has been around for some time, it works. One might say, because it’s been around for so long, we know it works! Why?

• It focuses your mind on what matters most.

• It reduces decision fatigue – you already know where to begin.

• It builds momentum by creating daily wins.

• It multiplies results through sustained, focused action.

This idea earned Ivy Lee a $25,000 check in 1918 — because it helped a great company become greater. In truth, its real value is revealed not in dollars, but in what it produces: clarity, momentum, and mastery. This isn’t just about productivity—it’s about leadership. It’s about discipline. And it’s about understanding that ‘discipline is not a dirty word’ - another thing I’ve taught for years.

Today, with so many issues and difficulties colliding transparently around us, we can easily confuse what we have to do with what is happening ‘over there’ or ‘right here’. Defining the scope of our attention to the matters we are charged with, and then approaching them in order of difficulty, can both help us toward completion and help us to separate the ‘noise’ from the real deal.

Why We Avoid the Hard Things

Most people get pre-programmed to think that by disciplining themselves to do difficult work, they must necessarily be giving up something more enjoyable or something better expediently achieved. They focus on the easier, preferred thing—the fun activity they’re missing out on, rather than the positive results they’ll achieve if they do the work.

This is backward thinking. Instead of dreading that difficult conversation or challenging project, focus on the outcome. By tackling the most important - albeit hardest thing first, you’re making an investment in your life. You’re getting closer to your ultimate desired outcomes. You’ll have a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment as you work toward your goal, as well!

When we postpone difficult tasks, they don’t disappear—they compound. That difficult phone call becomes a source of anxiety every time you think about it. The challenging project proposal creates mental clutter that impacts your focus on other work. The hard conversation with an employee becomes a weight you carry into every interaction with your team. Procrastination removes the luster of anything done in place of the thing that should be done.

Research in psychology confirms what many of us know intuitively: unfinished business creates what’s called the “Zeigarnik effect”—our brains keep interrupted or incomplete tasks more accessible in our memory than completed ones. When we avoid hard things, we’re literally keeping them at the front of our minds, creating unnecessary stress.

The Business Impact

In business, this principle creates a ripple effect. When you tackle the most challenging client issue first thing in the morning, you approach the rest of your day from a position of strength. When you have that difficult performance conversation with an employee early in the week, you both have time to process and move forward productively.

Too many leaders procrastinate on hard decisions—delaying layoffs, avoiding difficult strategic pivots, postponing uncomfortable conversations with investors. Every day they wait, the situation gets worse, not better. The hardest thing doesn’t become easier by waiting; it becomes harder.

Here’s how to implement this in your daily leadership:

• Morning Priorities: Before you check email, before you grab coffee, identify the one thing you’re dreading most about your day. Do that first.

• Weekly Planning: On Sunday evening or Monday morning, identify the most challenging task of the week. Schedule it for early in the week when your energy is highest.

• Difficult Conversations: Stop scheduling them for Friday afternoons or end-of-day slots. Have them Tuesday morning. Give everyone time to process and move forward.

• Strategic Decisions: The big, scary decisions that could change your business trajectory? Don’t wait for the “right moment.” The right moment is now.

The Freedom in Discipline

My nearly five decades of business has revealed this truth: Doing the hardest thing first is actually liberating. It’s not about sacrifice—it’s about freedom. Freedom from the mental burden of avoidance. Freedom from the anxiety of procrastination. Freedom to enjoy the rest of your day knowing you’ve already conquered your biggest challenge.

Self-discipline isn’t something to be feared or struggled with. You get to see who you really are and how much you really want something by how disciplined you’re prepared to be. As leaders, we’re being watched. Our teams see how we handle difficult situations. When we model the behavior of tackling hard things head-on, we give our people permission to do the same. We create a culture where challenges are met with action, not avoidance.

The most successful people—whether they’re running billion-dollar companies or just starting their first business—have learned this fundamental truth: The things you’re avoiding are often the very things that will move you forward the fastest. So tomorrow morning, before you do anything else, ask yourself: What’s the hardest thing you need to do today? Then do that first. Your future self will thank you for it.

Discipline has been a guiding principle in my life, and the ability to decide to do things deliberately that will assure reaching a determined outcome has been a key strength. It can be yours too. You often regret the hard work you didn’t do. You never regret the hard work you did.

Here are my top five tips for working from home:

1. Be awake. in voice and appearance! On any technology, your voice and appearance are amplified by the attention required to tele-meet. Treat your home work culture with the same respect required for office work culture.

2. Keep your energy up!!!! Eat well, not overeating nor over-snacking. They’re not the same.

3. Move yourself from distractions. Watch that movie on your own time. If your job doesn’t demand you watch the news, save it for breaks and off duty…especially if you lean to being depressed by it.

4. Take breaks. It’s healthy and legal to do so!

5. Go outside. Fresh air is not a distraction, it is vitamin giving…and we all can use a little more these days.

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Adapted from The Art of Work: How to Make Work, Work For You!

The supreme intelligence is my strength, all of my weaknesses are forgiven. I forgive everybody and I forgive myself; therefore, only good comes into my life.

Understanding that everything that has happened in your life is over, what can save you from a vicious cycle of futile regret is accepting that everything that has happened cannot be changed. The only place that your past mistakes should hold in your mind is in the learning, the growing place. Given that you can’t change the past, you must employ it in the betterment of your life by reflecting upon situations after your emotions have cooled enough to see ‘what really happened’ clearly. This may seem to be an oddly placed message right here; yet, I urge you to understand that passing judgment on yourself is almost as futile as dwelling on things that can never be changed. Understand?

Self-evaluations should be made based upon the character you exhibit once you are truly aware of the considerations at hand. When you step back, with the benefit of hindsight, you become more aware of everything that was in play at the time of an event. Therefore, you can objectively realize and understand the dynamics of an exchange or decision. While ignorance is not a defense in the case of the law (not a legal defense), not fully realizing every aspect of past events sort of is one in life. If you didn’t know, let it go.

However, WILLFUL ignorance truly is no defense. If you have followed the commitments, then you must take responsibility for the decisions that matter, the ones you make NoW! and from this point on. examining yourself shouldn’t cause you to be discouraged or ashamed. It will make you more accountable for what you do once you are armed with broader vision and greater insight into life.

The point here is, you don’t have to add self-doubt (or lack of confidence) and greater accountability to yourself with this exercise. The self-doubt is there to begin with for many of us, whether we vocalize it or not. What you will do in practicing this commitment is alleviate any useless feelings of incompetence and replace them with confidence and competence in realizing your success.

It’s not uncommon to have difficulty in forgiving yourself or others for what might be your, or their stupidity, fumbles and frailties because it is so frustrating when you believe things are no longer within your control. It’s easy to get mad about things that are no longer within your control. What you need to be mindful of is that “They’ve already happened!” Understanding that we all share space in this universe, and that our universe is in divine order, will allow you to enjoy the brief time you are here to your fullest potential.

In order to grow forward, you must forgive and put yesterday behind you. You can certainly survive and continue to harbor grudges, resentments and self-hatred. However, in order to really thrive! you must forgive the things that you have counter productive emotions about. It will not be easy to accept, let alone do, if this is your first time thinking this way. That’s okay. You are learning. It is important that you go through the practice though, so that you can, and will, grow from it.

The ability to forgive someone for an injustice (whether perceived or real) comes easily for me. In fact, this ability is a great blessing. While I may, from circumstance to circumstance, grapple with my own ego in a situation where I feel I have been treated poorly or unfairly, I am still able to completely forgive the perpetrator … and, I most often feel the winner for having done so. In honesty, though, I still struggle every now and then with forgiving myself when I believe that I am the one in error. even when I know beyond a doubt that my error may have been innocent or unpreventable, I experience difficulty forgiving myself.

While raising our children, my husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to take them on family vacations each year. Sometimes we went to North Carolina, USA, to visit with my Bryant side of our family. At other times, we went to Yorkshire, England to visit our Howroyd branch of the family. During one of our trips to Yorkshire, I was bundling the kids into rented car seats while Bernie loaded the boot (…a British word for trunk) of the car we were using. Although our daughter, Kay, was only 18 months at the time, she was quite precocious. She early on fancied herself my helper. She has always been as efficient as she is precocious, and I have enjoyed the assistance and independence she has continuously exhibited. Brett is only fourteen months younger than she, and they were, in many respects, twins as they grew up. on this particular trip, Kay had ‘assisted’ me in strapping Brett into his car seat before we went around to the other side of the car to strap her into hers. The ground was icy with snow, and just beneath the car, the snow had formed a slick and slippery patch. We finally got Kay all bundled in, and when I was closing the door to the car, I slipped. Kay reached out to ‘help’ me, and I slammed the door onto her little fingers!

Let me tell you right now that no serious or lasting damage was done. But, of course, I cried my heart out … and this is the one time that I think I truly frightened my children with my own behavior during their early years. Bernie couldn’t console me, nor could anyone else that day. For the rest of our vacation, I stayed on the verge of tears each time I looked at my precious little baby girl with her fingers all wrapped up from what ‘Mommie had done.’

Luckily, the fingers very quickly healed, and Kay forgot about the accident. She assures me that she doesn’t remember it today. Still, it remains a very strong memory for me. While some of this is due to a maternal instinct, I know that a large part of my regret is evidence that I am a work in progress… I am still a student of my own lessons on forgiveness of oneself. The fact that I am, is evidence that we must all reaffirm ourselves of this lesson with a lifelong commitment!

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When I speak at colleges and universities, students and “soon to be” graduates ask me varying questions. The one that is consistently asked regardless of whether I’m at a public or private institution is…

“How do I make the transition from student to career?”

Here are five tips that will assist you on this new phase of your journey.

1) Career: It’s important that you pay attention to, as well as research, what your future/desired company/employer is doing in their industry. At a minimum, learn how they are generally performing in the market, any news about their current market position or future potential of the industry. You can search information from a company’s website as well as conduct your own research online. If they have public annual reports, get and study the three most recent ones. Annual reports are a good investment tool for shareholders and employees, too.

2) Wardrobe: We should all present ourselves in a manner that expresses us properly within the workplace. Your attire should be consistent with the culture of the organization and always professional. Your clothes should be clean, and it goes without saying you, should always have good personal hygiene. If you find yourself looking in your student closet asking the question, “Is this appropriate for work?”, it’s probably not. There’s a well-known saying that “You should dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” With that being said, you need not break the bank in order to be stylish. Minimalist works well. Invest in classic pieces. Fashion changes, classic does not. Be wise: Invest in stocks not stockings!

3)  Saving Culture: Financial stability is very important to your future. You should intermittently determine the most consistent amount that you can pay to yourself. In The Strangest Secret, I discuss that, ideally, it is good to save 10% of your income. Your job must support you and the ability to save a little over time. If your job does not allow for this, see where you can adjust your lifestyle, or build a timeline to get there! Although the amounts you initially start to put aside may be small, it is important that you start, don’t put it off! Make the financial commitment to yourself.

4) Journal: Writing down your goals (long-term and short-term), aspirations, and dreams is important. It supports your ability to physically see and clearly articulate your desires. Journaling is a great way to track your progress, provide encouragement that reminds you of past successes, and helps to determine your next steps. Don’t wake up one morning and let where you are in life be a surprise. Journal it all! Journaling forces you look.

5). Be Candid and Honest: Communicating with clarity, purpose, candor, and honesty will enable you to communicate with others in a more profound way. It allows you to be about your message in more than just your speech. Communication is not merely talking…it’s listening, seeing, and being invested. This way, you can see things as they are, not as you wish them to be. Candor is best useful because it is data supported. When you’re honest, you’re being complete and utilizing the entire picture. Nothing falls out of context.

It’s important to remember this: Everything you do contributes to your own personal brand. #You can own your life, even when you don’t own the business!

The post Five Tips to Consider During the Transition Phase from Student to Career appeared first on Janice Bryant Howroyd.

So often, when I’m asked for advice, it is really about how to win in life; how to settle discourse. One thing I’ve found is that most who are asking, are asking from a position of their rights or being right. Winning in life is truly not so much about being right as it is about getting it right. Here are Four Ways to Win an Argument – any argument.

1. Be Honest – Standing your ground on anything less than truth places you on a shaky foundation. If you’re in conflict with someone smart, they will see through you and chances are, whether you win or lose the argument, you risk losing your friend and your reputation. It’s still true that Honesty is the best policy.

2. Be Prepared – This long standing Boy Scouts motto is founded on wisdom. Whether your argument is fueled at home, at work or at play, if your position is worth arguing for, its worth being prepared for. This means studying to be fully informed, not just fully committed. You may be committed to a viewpoint, but if your picture is not clear, you could lose your whole focus.

3. Be Empathetic – It’s never enough to just know where you’re coming from. Know where ‘they’re’ coming from, too. The Art of War teaches this, and so do I. I’ve learned through many years that winning is not always about a single thing. It is about the opportunity to give, to be reliable and to Love.

4. Understand Compromise – Most arguments, at root, are not born from wanting different things, but from seeing different ways to get to a same result. Ask yourself, “Is this argument about what I want, or about how I win?” Too often, winning becomes more about disengaging the thoughts, rights or things of another than about achieving a result. The wins and the respect you gain in life rely on the respect you give. Compromise is elegant; and, compromise is not about Winner Take All – rather – We All May Win.

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2. Getting rich quick suggests that Money is mainly respected as a reward. Creating wealth usually requires study, time and discipline. Success and money are different things. Sustained, multigenerational wealth – Long Money – is a form of success. Quick Money is fun, but doesn’t last. Turning Quick Money into Long Money is an art.

3. The ways by which money works are not a new phenomenon. We use Bitcoin the same ways we used pebbles. Some people amass wealth and some work from greed. Money isn’t happiness; it’s a part of gaining experience. For many, this is often where life really begins. The value of anything you buy is determined by what you’re willing to pay. In the 17th Century in Holland, tulips sold at what we now consider crazy rates. The Dutch realized that the value of tulips was more about how they sold them than what they were selling! Those who want it first, pay full price; those who are willing to wait for it, pay at discount.

4. Know your own worth. Whether you’re selling talent, skills, ideas or knowledge, it’s important to know who your buyer is and where your market is. Think this way: Who, What, When, Where, How. Who – Who is my customer? Who is going see the value, as I frame it, for what I’m selling? Know that because you love it, or because you’re really good at it, is not always gonna be the buyer’s guide. What – What is my value proposition? What makes my ‘sell’ pop? When – When am I – or my ‘thing’ – ready to go to market? Have I thought it all the way through? If you’re selling a song, does it message well now? If you’re selling your ability to teach, are you fully learned and credentialed now? If you’re selling an app or a technology, is it functional all the way and will it integrate or service wide as is; or is it a great idea in beta stage and ready to be sold for that, alone? Where – Where will I launch my service or my product? Broadway shows launch off broadway for a reason. They test the ‘hit’ value on off-markets so that they work out the glitches, gain the buzz and hone the players to top performance! How – After all is ready, HOW is the secret formula to success. No matter that the product or service is ready and great, HOW it’s perceived is where the money is. This is why some terrific ideas that take years to come to fruition as products – really great products – fail; yet, some successes appear to be ‘overnight successes’. If you want proof, ask Issa Rae of Insecure.

5. Know your true motivation about money. Understand what money really means to you. How does it align with your value of yourself, to yourself and how you value life. Mother Theresa and Gandhi died broke. Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson left fortunes. Yet, some would say Mother Theresa and Gandhi lived rich lives and Elvis and Michael died broken. Whatever your true motivation, it’s your right. Just be honest about it and then dedicate to it. If you’re a manager of people, remember that you cannot achieve your monetary goals without lifting those you lead. If you seek stardom, remember that you may shine like sun or moon, or burst and fade like a meteor – depending on how you serve your customer. Always attach your true desire to service you are prepared and happy to give. From these will come your wealth.

Watch the rest of The Strangest Secret on YouTube.

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Originally I was introduced to The Strangest Secret by my hero, Bernie. In fact, it was the first gift he gave me when we were dating. After we married, I noticed just how much the little book, The Strangest Secret, served as a catalyst (along with his work ethic) to him earning his first million dollars in business. Similarly, I have learned from this book principles that have helped to guide my decisions personally and professionally.

You may be asking: “Who is Earl Nightingale?” or “What is The Strangest Secret?” or “Why is it relevant to me – today?’ While many are familiar with The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, or have heard motivational advice from the likes of Tony Robbins and others, few younger generations seem to be woke to the original source of these lessons.

Earl Nightingale was a pioneer in the self-help and motivational industry. He was also a radio program host inspired by reading Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, and in 1956 he recorded the spoken word album, The Strangest Secret. It went on to sell over a million copies and became the first spoken-word record to go Gold.

Our world has significantly changed since Earl shared his principles in the 1950’s, but his message is perhaps now more relevant than ever. Technology has supported our societies to be more informed and connected. Still, people are more lost, unhappy, and dissatisfied than ever. Young people are despondent, fearful, uncertain, and have lost a measure of hope and excitement about their futures. Sadly from what I can tell, an entire generation has never heard of Earl Nightingale nor The Strangest Secret. Now they will greatly benefit from this message. My timeless piece about motivation, mindfulness, and character development will impact the world as the gift that keeps on giving, and I want to share this gift with you.

Truly, I’m fully lit about my partnership with Nightingale-Conant, and will be re-recording and releasing several audiobooks of Nightingale’s recordings, beginning with The Strangest Secret. My re-releases contain more inclusive messaging and my updates include statistics and quotes from some of our greatest thought leaders, including Nelson Mandela and Buddha. My versions are gender-inclusive, and for the first time, contain a women’s point of view. Many of these older books focused on saying things such as: “when a man” instead of “when a person” – and I believe that words matter and do make a difference.

You can download my updated The Strangest Secret audiobook on Nightingale.com and Audible. It is my hope that all of us will now gain new wisdom from Earl Nightingale’s original recordings and apply them to our lives. What has been so instrumental in my own business and personal success can now bring you the same! In the words of Nightingale, “We become what we think about.” Remember “you have nothing to lose but you have a life to win.”

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Adapted from The Art of Work: How to Make Work, Work For You!

Every single step you take, every list you make, must be supported by your confidence in your ability to succeed.

I grew up with a strong identity as part of a group that was my family and my local community, and I’ve been diligent to build myself as an individual. One of the ways I have accomplished my goals is by acting as though failure is never an option for me. This means that I’ve worked very hard to evaluate myself with an open mind as I’ve developed myself. I know that along with a concrete sense of self and a firm individual identity comes the power of choice. This does not require me to give up my sense of community, or the warmth and security I enjoy as a family member. What has been necessary for me to enjoy my power of choice is to abandon any thinking that allows my choices to be determined outside of myself.

Acting as though you cannot fail dynamically empowers you to make better contributions to all your efforts and relationships than you could otherwise. Being the weakest link in any group has never appealed to me, and I do not believe that working to be the strongest link in the chain is in opposition to the spirit of teaming or family. I encourage you to think carefully on where your own convictions lie about areas of your work and your life that you seek to improve.

My first rule for myself is “Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally.” To act as though you cannot fail, you must act from motivations and beliefs that are truly your own.

People often ask me, “How did you get so successful?” Then, they look at me befuddled when I give them my honest answer, “I dream about it! Every night! I never see failure in my dreams.” Even when it appears that the odds are stacked against me, I maintain confidence in my ability to succeed. My track record proves that I am correct to believe so. One expression that articulates how I look at situations of this nature is the commonly used phrase: ‘seeing the glass as either half-empty or half-full.’ Another, which I cannot repeat often enough is, “Jobs don’t have futures; people do!” I don’t always know the details of every situation I’m faced with, but I always act believing that I will succeed. You are not being a gambler when you take calculated, educated risks in your work, if you’ve done your best to prepare and bring your best to the situation. The odds are highly in your favor that you will succeed.

Remember this one thing, too. There is a big difference between acting earnestly and acting with bravado. You must be prepared to weed out the things that don’t work in your life, and to plant and water, in their place, the things that need to grow. From day to day, you will be better at some more than others. While you may not be aware of, or fully understand, every circumstance you encounter, you have subconsciously influenced those circumstances. The seeds in the garden that awaits you have been planted long before you see what will sprout. Still, it was you who planted them. The energy and spirit with which you approach your life from this day forward affects your state of mind both consciously and subconsciously. This is an amazingly powerful piece of knowledge for you to work with. No one ever really wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. Maybe, they just laid down to rest with the wrong kind of head.

The power of positive thought is more than just the ability to put on your good game face. You truly must re-orient the direction and focus of your thoughts. The direction you take them in will invariably guide your decisions and actions. In any garden, growth comes as the result of the concerted efforts of many factors: the land, timing, weather, seeds chosen for planting, and the planter’s toil. Just like a garden, any place you find yourself will have been affected by many things. Unlike a garden, you are in charge of most of these things. Your mind is the place from which greatness can bloom. Plant the seeds of your choosing–positive or negative. Your mind is more fertile than any soil. While there may come things beyond your control, they cannot alter what you have already firmly planted, planned and nurtured. Let that be your success. If you really commit, you will achieve a progressively enjoyable work and life experience.

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As I work to fulfill the role of chief executive for a global company and of socially responsible leadership, I invest about three weeks of each month away from home. It continues to be important to me to personally engage with my clients and teams globally. When I’m away from the comforts of home there are a few things I never travel without:

1. Black Forest Candles: Smell is key to comfort for me. When I walk into my home, I enjoy inhaling sweet, refreshing smells that bring a sense of calm to my spirit as well as a smile to my face. Candles offer my hotel rooms the personalized touch of scents from home. As I alter scents in my home, so do I alter the candles that travel with me to places often unfamiliar. Investing as much time as I do as a guest of different hotels all over the world, it’s nice to have the scent of my home present when talking from a distance with my loved ones! Right now, that’s Black Forest by Archipelago.

2. Onesies: Whether I’m at home or in a hotel, the second thing I do upon entering the bedroom is jump into my onesie. Having nothing between me and my onesie keeps me comfy and free to move in all directions…whether cooking, tasking or even – from time to time – conference calling! There isn’t one particular brand of onesies that I suggest, as I love them all!

3. Vitamins: Often, I’ve declared that ‘discipline is not a dirty word’, and following the example of many smart people, ‘I don’t live to eat…I eat to live’. In addition to smart eating, I believe in supplementing my diet with daily vitamins. Health is true wealth and I am devoted to leading a healthy lifestyle. My body is my temple and I honor it from the inside out. My daily vitamin regime ensures that I am able to perform at an optimal level for my business, clients, and family. I take a personalized blend that my acupuncturist created for me, but you can have excellent vitamins added to your daily diet by asking your doctors what vitamins would be best for you.

4. iPad: I have fully embraced and enjoy technology. If you’ve followed me on social media for any time at all, you know that My iPad is always with me! I engage apps, check my email, listen to music, and receive news updates. Based on the advantages of technology, everyone can run a business from an iPad! (….. or from a smartphone). My iPad not only keeps me connected to my businesses; it also keeps me present to my family. I can FaceTime with my husband, children, and all who I dearly love. Staying proactive with emails and texts while on the move helps me keep pace with the obligations of each day.

5. Headphones: Next to onesies, candles and flowers, one of my favorite things is my Solo Beats 3. No airline-issued headphones for me. My Beats allow me to remove ancillary noises and comfort myself with privacy, while being thoughtful to those around me. True up! Everyone would want to hear what I’m listening to during flights; however, my Beats give me the freedom to please only me! From a technical standpoint, the audio is always very crisp and clear, and beats are so comfortable that you can often find me with them around my neck between flights! One more thing……Beats are awesome to listen or watch ‘me only’ stuff when in hotels with thin walls or next to my resting Hubbie:)

The post The Five Things I Always Travel With appeared first on Janice Bryant Howroyd.

Adapted from The Art of Work: How to Make Work, Work For You!

Let me tell you now, the process of finding a job is a job, itself! The best way to be successful in your job search or career advancement is to have a well-defined Plan and team with someone on it before you go into Process. Your search Plan needs to be designed specifically for you, giving consideration to your goals and timelines, personal circumstances and requirements, and your resources.

My best and natural recommendation is for you to work with a professional who is not only adept at escorting people with your skills through their job searches, but who also has a rich number of employers who depend on and trust their guidance in their hiring needs. A really good recruiter will receive their fee from the employer who has come to trust their ability, often based on a history of success. Career coaches may charge you a fee to work with you. Either way, professionals can help you to navigate opportunities and make sure you are getting first-rate introductions to employers who are likely to hire you.

If you cannot or choose not to work with a professional agency, you still need to be thorough in planning your job search or career advancement. Some of the things you should plan ahead are:

Your Commitment

As I’ve told you, finding a job is a job, itself. You need right now to determine what your commitment to this process is going to be. Consider things like how much time you can dedicate to active searching and interviewing. If you have obligations that require your time during the regular working hours, make sure you factor them into how busy and dedicated you can be. An agency will ask you this question before they ever agree to present you to employers who are depending on them to bring ready and available candidates forward. Get a scheduling book and log your search activities, interview commitments and travel time to and from companies. It is very important that you are clear about just what effort you are making.

The emotional engagement you have to thinking about your situation can easily begin to feel like work, but it doesn’t count as work! Be specific about what you are actually doing to gain your next job.

Your Resume

The picture employers get of you before they meet you is important. One picture they depend on is the resume you present. The picture employers get of you before they meet with you is important. One picture they depend on is the resume you present. Again, Agencies are a great resource for assisting you to create a fresh, honest and detailed resume that best describes who you are and what value you will bring to an employer. There are also websites and books that can help you to create your own resume. Among them are resume.com and their text,

The Resume.Com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes. Some other books that will assist you are Cover Letter Magic: Trade Secrets of Professional Resume Writers. My company AppleOne offers a highly comprehensive guide to resume writing and career search, The Core to Success.

Some good guidelines for creating your own resume are: 

• Know Who You’re Talking To: Your resume should speak clearly and persuasively to each employer you are meeting with. While the substance of your work history will remain the same, highlights of your accomplishments or organizational affiliations can be tailored to the employer you will meet with. It’s always an excellent point of etiquette and interest when I review a resume that is addressed directly to me, rather than to “To Whom it May Concern” or “Hiring Manager”. It shows me that the person I’m investing time to get to know has invested time to know me and my organization, as well.

One more thing that is very important to mention here is that once you’ve refined your resume, go online and see if there is any contradictory information about you. Employers will look into Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the rest to learn what they can about you. You need to be comfortable and honest in addressing any questions that may arise as a result of information existing about you on the internet. You also need to be careful and discerning about allowing pictures of yourself to be posted that may not best express how you want to be represented to any future employers. This is just as important to consider, even if you are already hired and looking for promotion, or just wanting to keep the job you’ve got.

• Keep It Concise: Employers and interviewers are going to be looking at more than just your resume as they make hiring decisions. You want your resume to get you into the door, but you can leave something to talk about once you’re there. Don’t make your resume your life story. Keep to the point of your accomplishments and start all descriptions with action verbs; i.e. developed, managed, created, etc. Be clear and just as concise in expressing the results of any highlights of your work that you mention.

• Keep It Relevant: No matter how good you have been over your career, it’s how good you are now that is important to anyone offering you a chance at new work. This point matters incredibly for new entrants to the job market, so if you are searching for your first job, be certain to include your most recent organizational or temporary work accomplishments. Degrees and honors help to support this area of consideration, and certainly high-quality references will bring pizzazz to your resume. So, while job searchers who have abundant work references and a rich work history may put “References provided upon request” on their resumes, it can be a great plus for you to put “References are available from Name-organization-etc” on yours. It puts you in a better and more legitimate light.

If you are someone who has an illustrious body of work of which you are proud, don’t make your resume the place you shout about this. Keep the employer in mind, and include only what will get them interested enough to want to talk with you and confident enough that you bring expertise and credibility to their need. Any next employer, or position you win, is not going to pay you based solely on what you think you’re worth. They are going to pay you based on what they think your worth is to their organization. So, start to paint the picture of that right up front. Make your resume highlight your best accomplishments as you think each particular employer will find beneficial to their company. Be very clear about your most recent work accomplishments.

In years past, one of the strongest areas of anyone’s resume or interview would be highlighting and identifying their experience, and much of this would lean toward the length of time on the job, or within a particular position. This was a signifier to the hiring executive that the applicant was dependable in several ways. Today, while a strong history of dependability is still desirable, employers are often giving equal weight to freshness and stellar skills when making their hiring decisions. They want people who bring new thoughts and creativity to the job, no matter what the job is! Companies today are more willing than ever, and some are insistent, to look at a new entrant to the job market who comes prepared, listens and answers well, has a great attitude and actually asks for the job!

As I’ve told you, this is a new and global market, and everyone wants to hire someone who shows a potential to assist them in their growth. If you have other value adds, like multilingual skills or killer software proficiencies, list them! Don’t write a book about them, but do make sure they are represented on each resume you create. These are the types of values that might place you above someone else whose resume is not as on point as yours. They might also help the employer to think about how, or where else, you might fit into their organization!

• Make It Professional: Once you know who you’re talking to, and what you want to say about yourself, create a resume that is easy and quick to read, and is spell-checked and in clean print. Fancy covers and pictures of yourself are not going to make you stand out to someone who is interested in getting a critical picture of your talents and accomplishments. Remember that your resume has to do these things:

1. Quickly give a clear and results-oriented picture of your abilities and work history

2. Highlight your education, as appropriate

3. List pertinent certifications, memberships, organizational accomplishments

4. Enumerate value-added skills you may bring such as multilingual abilities and software proficiencies.

Once you’re comfortable that you have demonstrated these things, make sure they are put down on a single sheet of clean paper in a good strong print, and that your contact information is prominent. Make them want to meet you, and give them the ability to do so!

The post What Makes A Great Resume appeared first on Janice Bryant Howroyd.

Adapted from The Art of Work: How to Make Work, Work For You!

Can you remember clearly what you were like as a child? What were your dreams, hopes and ‘favorites’? Are you that person you thought you would become?

Many young people struggle with figuring out what they want to be when they grow up. Truth be told, many not-so-young people struggle with this dilemma, too. When I was young, I did not know precisely what I wanted to be when I grew up. What I did know was that I wanted to impact people’s lives in a socially meaningful way. The world I knew then was redefining itself all around me, just as the world is going through big changes around us, today. 

When I became a teenager, one very different thing happened for me that broadened my options for the future. I participated in a program called Project Upward Bound, which was created by the US Congress as part of the 1965 Higher Education Act. Project Upward Bound was designed to assist with the academic and life opportunities for students from first-generation American and low-income families. This program uses both university professors and university students to teach the participants in on-campus classes, where everyone resides over the summer. Project Upward Bound really provided me with my first view of what college life was all about. It also gave me my first view of who I could become, away from home. During the summers that I participated in this program, I learned to think strategically and creatively about what I wanted my future to be. Today, I’m very happy that I’ve achieved many of the dreams that I had for myself at that time … and the process of fulfilling them is not over yet!

Education is one of the best investments you can make in yourself. It doesn’t matter how much you already know, nor how many degrees you may or may not have; continuous learning is critical to ensure you enjoy a secure and fulfilling future. Technology demands that we keep learning if we are to stay relevant, and the aging process in and of itself requires that we know what’s going on around us in order to survive and enjoy our futures.

While success can come with jobs for which the main draw isn’t the salary, financial stability is very important to your future. When many people take a new job, they care about the benefits that come with that job, but do not always get retirement packages as part of that. That is something they are forced to think about much later in life. Most people’s financial standing is personal to them, and I’m sure that yours is to you. There is no way for me to know what percentage of your income you can afford to put aside, preferably in a savings account, for your future. However, I am sure that if you are currently employed, you should try to find some amount that you can pay to yourself, for your future. If you are not working for pay right now, make this the first financial commitment you make once you are employed. You already know what it’s like to want a savings!

It is vital that you get into the habit of managing what resources you do have and bring in. It is also vital that you understand that the best investment you can make is the one you make in yourself. Financial markets may go up or continue to plunge, but the investment you make in yourself can only continue to reap you benefits and profit. 

The principle of investing in yourself applies to you, whether we are talking about money, your education or your relationships. After all, learning to its fullest the job you are paid to do today, and fully applying yourself to it, creates insurance for your employability tomorrow. Many companies, especially larger corporations, are hiring workers very differently than they did in the past. Jobs are being done from all across the world that once were contained to large corporate campuses. Smaller firms are utilizing technology and the remote service that it makes possible to maximize their potential and lessen their financial burdens. This sometimes means the loss of job opportunities in some local communities.

Being highly skilled and enthusiastic in your work puts you in a much better position to be hired, which is important regardless of how secure you may think your current employment is. And, if you are not currently employed, the energy and attention you give to your continual education and to refining your skills is even more critical to the value you will be perceived as able to bring to a hiring company.

Then, there’s also the investment you make in your relationships, as well as your educational, financial and work stability. My husband puts it very clearly with respect to relationship security when he says, “The best time to tell your wife that you love her is before someone else does!” The surest method of keeping the relationships that you value strong and growing is by understanding and appreciating the people you care about right now.

Don’t wait to say ‘I love you’ or ‘Thank you’ because you think you’ll have tomorrow to do it. Don’t take it for granted that your significant other, parent, or child will always be there, and that you can put them on hold. Life is precious, and life on earth is not eternal. Make them the most important people you have to show appreciation to, because after all, they are the most important people in your life. 

Likewise, the people you work with are the most important people you can impress with your skills and productive value so that you can move ahead in your job or career. How you provide follow up, and respect and show appreciation for them, represent your desire to continue your relationships throughout your career. When you understand this, you begin to master the art of work.

You will wake up one day to realize that your future has come. When that day comes for you, will the thing you are now promising yourself be real? Will you be doing, getting or giving it, just as you are promising yourself today that you will? What often happens is that many people get caught by trying to have the quick life. They want it ALL right now … the money, the houses, the cars, the stuff. 

We do need to enjoy every day of our lives; learning to appreciate the small things that you can afford right now, instead of trying to live a dream life that you can’t yet support is just not smart. Step back regularly and measure your happiness along the way to your future. Learn the difference between obsession and passion for yourself. Check to make sure that it is your dream you’re working toward, rather than someone else’s for you.

Be sure that as you are dreaming of, and planning for your future, you are honest about what you really want. Money and career won’t make it happen alone. You’ve got to make the full investment. That requires being clear with the people who matter to you, because they matter to your ability to enjoy life as well. No matter where you are in your work life, step back right now to think about how everything else in your life fits for you.

Here’s the good news. Temporary sacrifices and discomforts do not add up to an unhappy or unfulfilled life. once those moments are over, you most often find that they have aided in your own development. Once, I saw an Army shirt with this statement printed on it: “Pain is just weakness leaving the body.” That may seem extreme to you, but I’m sure you can grasp the real meaning of “Tough times build character.” Going through tough times doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy. Most of us will. But, none of us needs to stay in them!

You may be overwhelmed by many of the day-to-day concerns that we all have at some point in our lives. Bills, education, and relationship challenges are all very real matters that require and deserve serious attention. You may delude yourself into thinking that you have too much to do right now to deal with your future. This is exactly the time that you should evaluate and assess your life. You may decide to get the help or perspective of someone who knows you and cares about you, if you don’t want to do this alone. However, willful blindness is not going to help you to own your future. Looking clearly and honestly at your work and your life are very important, if you are to begin to own your future. If enjoying and loving your work is an art, then owning your future is the signature you put to it.

The post Own Your Future appeared first on Janice Bryant Howroyd.

Adapted from The Art of Work: How to Make Work, Work For You!

Communication is a sharing process that enables all of us to work and live harmoniously and productively with one another. Speaking is one of the most powerful means you have of communicating, and how well you speak can work for you or against you. A poorly expressed message can ill serve even the best intention. So, it’s very important to your success in work, and in life, that you are artful in the process of your communication. It is very important that you understand this: What you say gives people a good idea of what you may do.

When you speak, whether you know it or not, you are doing so in one of two ways. You are either speaking in a direct way or an indirect way. Once you understand the difference between the two, and how each can be effective or ineffective to your success, you become more empowered to achieve your goals. In your work environment, this is one of the most important lessons you can learn. Direct speech happens when you are clear about what you mean and leave no hidden or contradictory messages in it.

Indirect speech happens when you are not clear, or try to manipulate by leaving ambiguity in your message.

If you are not clear about your message when you communicate, it doesn’t matter whether you have a direct or manipulative intent. You leave the message that is heard up to chance. With so many methods of communicating in today’s work environment, it’s good to be at your best wherever you can.

Think before you speak!

This is still one of the soundest pieces of advice you will ever receive. It allows you to be about your message in more than your words. Knowing where you want to go with your communication, and who you want to receive it, allows you to consider which words you use, and how you use the power of intonation. Thinking ahead ensures that you cover all your points, and that you get to evaluate your own message, before you deliver it.

Considering the culture of the person or persons you are speaking with is extremely important. Communicating in a manner that signals you have no initiative other than to complete your point is one of the fastest ways to create shutdown. Many people at all levels of business fall short here. Sometimes it may be because you are just so excited or rushed about what you want to say, and sometimes it may be because you are trying to impress someone with your knowledge or how well you’ve got a situation handled. The reason you’re bent on finishing it doesn’t matter; if you do so without engaging the other person and allowing them to interact, you will lose them. Body language will signal to you if they’re with you, and if they want to interact. Being sensitive to this can oftentimes help you more than simply doing all the talking, yourself. Another danger in talking too much is that you risk causing information overload.

You dull the recipient’s ability to take it all in, and if this is happening between two different personal or business cultures, you can create panic or cause the other person to simply give up on the conversation. Have you ever witnessed this? It’s not pretty.

Be very aware of the business culture you are working in. It’s never a bad idea to use basic and clear language, especially if you are working across cultures. It’s also a good idea to slow down your natural pace of speech. This will help to ensure that everyone you speak with has the opportunity to digest what you’re saying. This doesn’t mean that you should talk really slow, or that you should yell ... It means that you should listen for the tone with which others are communicating and pace yourself to that.

There is also, at work, the need sometimes to have your message delivered by someone other than you. Your entire message can get lost as more and more people participate in relaying it. Be very careful when you are a part of message relay, and when you are requesting someone pass a message on for you. If your message is critical, where possible and appropriate, use your own voicemail system or email.

Another good tip regarding direct messaging is to encourage the recipient of your message to reply immediately. This will help you to know how they’ve interpreted your message, or if they have selectively picked parts of it to respond to or act on.

The whole conversation around speak as though the whole world hears is complex. Obviously, the whole world is unlikely to hear anything you say. The point is that whoever in the world does hear you should hear something that is beyond reproach ... something that can stand up to any scrutiny.

Speaking as though the whole world can hear, when you truly understand it, involves how you brand yourself at work and life. It helps to decide how you get along in your job. If you are going to succeed at your work, regardless of whether or not you’ve identified your ideal career, or are doing the job that keeps you in bread and butter, you must learn to speak–communicate–as though the whole world can hear you. This means that you must pay thoughtful and professional attention not just to what you say, but how and when you say it. Part of this means understanding to whom you are saying it, because that will also impact what it is they hear.

Knowing that the whole world hears you, means working to stay on point all of the time --- being totally committed to the goal(s) you’ve set for yourself, and then living completely inside of it.

Communicating with clarity and purpose will enable you to communicate with others in a more profound way. It will also allow you to be about your message in more than just your speech. Knowing where you’re going and how you’re getting there ensures that you send the message in everything you do; your communication to your support system, family, friends, and all others.

Communication is not merely talking ... It’s listening, seeing, and being invested, too.

Total communication ensures your clarity and supports your intuition as a thoughtful listener. It’s encompassed in your follow-through to the commitments you make and it requires you to deliver results on your intention.

We should all present ourselves in a manner that facilitates expressing ourselves properly. Others receive us not solely based on the words we use, but on how we come across when and how we say those words. When you communicate fully, you are able to speak pointedly! Remember that when you do, the whole world can hear you!

Last week, my family and I celebrated three nephews who are all entering NCA&TSU as freshmen. Two are entering the School of Engineering and one will enter the School of Business. As a matter of fact, one is an honor student and so excited that he’s already on campus and taking classes! These are fine young men who, in addition to being stellar students, are outstanding athletes. One is a golfer, one a quarterback (American football), and one a marching band member. Quite a year they each will have!

My family teaches that, in a world with constantly changing politics and economies, education is freedom. We’ve been taught that for generations. Get that: Education is Freedom. Often, this translates into: Go to college. Yet, even more often these days, I’m asked if a college degree is really needed, or relevant, for success. This question is sometimes accompanied by stories of people we know who have enjoyed incredible successes or engaged in outstanding careers.

When I’m asked if college degrees are relevant today, I never generalize. Because I have not deliberately gathered the statistics/data on this, I do not offer generalizations. What I do answer is, “Relevant to what?” If your aspiration is to be a legally practicing physician, then you’d better get that degree AND internship. If you’re a tinkerer and inspired to invent, study what supports your curiosity and process. Community colleges remain strongholds for entrepreneurs and semi-professionals who become well paid trades-people. Imagine life without an electrician or a plumber! How about the many healthcare workers who support the ‘professionals’? Are they not professionals, as well…and would life be as good without them?

Growing up in the South during the 1950s, I was taught that being African American AND being female, I would have to work oftentimes harder than the professional men I would meet to get half as far as they did. Hence, I rushed to college, as did each of my siblings. While all of us did not graduate university, each of us took the road of education to ensure our freedom. Most as college degreed professionals, and others as skilled tradespeople and business owners. Each using education to assure freedom. Freedom from poverty, freedom of expression, and freedom to personal and family security.

Arriving in Los Angeles in the late 1970s I quickly realized that, depending on which industry one chooses, it is often as important who you know (contacts) as what you know (educational degrees). Mind you, everyone in La La Land is not in the ‘industry’ (entertainment). Still, no matter in what industry or which geography you explore your career options, who you know is vital. That is one reason employment agencies exist: to ensure you are represented in your best, truthful light to companies who you wish to be introduced to. The agencies, if you will, vet you, your background, education and experience…and….in the end, all of them matter!!!

Here are a couple of things to consider when deciding if a college degree is still relevant to, or for, you:

• Many important networks are established for those who do attend college, join the professional organizations associated with their chosen professions, and share each other’s contacts and experiences.

• Look at the profiles of key people who are enjoying career successes in the area or thing you wish to succeed in. Evaluate their known network, education and personal strengths and talents. Match those against your own best measure of yourself, and decide where the gaps are AND where the need for your growth exists most.

Sometimes, it’s true, that it’s the completion of a degree, to whatever level you endeavor, that is measured more for your ability to stick with a decision as much as to complete the course of study; especially if you are a generalist. Regardless, the sense of personal accomplishment is sure to accompany the path that is eased by your determination to study, learn and grow in your chosen career.

In ‘The Sound of Music‘, the shero, Julie Andrews’ character Maria, sings about ...”raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with string” - as a few of her favorite things. Well, Julie was much better at much more than I am… especially when naming a few of her favorite things. Still, I do have my own list of favorites.

Candles and flowers and onesies of all kind, Chanel #5 and a tight firm behind, manicures and pedicures and weaves sown in tight - these are a few things that make me feel so right!

BUT

For as long as I can remember being ‘me’, I have most LOVED books! When a child, my favorite task was dusting books on Saturday morning in my Aunt Sarah’s living room. She had Compton and Brittanica and World Book - full sets! They felt great, smelled wonderful, looked beautiful and were a treasure to anyone who could read. Many of those Saturdays, I forfeited the extra 50 cents per room in my aunt’s big house to delaying my day by sitting on her age-old polished floor in front of her book cases. More time was given to wiping my hands out of respect for the best paper I had ever touched, than to wiping those shelves and tables and chair legs!

Even in today’s world of brilliant technology that allows me to carry hundreds of books immediately available via Kindle, and even more accessible by the tap of my keyboard, I miss the wonder of strolling through my childhood. Each Thursday was my visit to our town library in the ‘white section’ of our hometown. We had no public library on my side of Panola Street (Panola divided the black homes from the white homes in Tarboro back then). Still, the thrill, calm, joy and peace those shelves and shelves of books offered me, organized by a carefully attended card catalogue, were worth the long walk from my side of town (the colored section, later Negro, and finally Black before I graduated high school) into what seemed like heaven to me - the side of town with the Library!

Of all the public places where blacks and whites frequented, the town library was the one place where a now-lost etiquette supported kindness. Kindness in tone, in behavior and information sharing existed in our library. As long as you kept your hands clean, your voice low and your books returned timely, you were welcome! Black and white, alike.

We were a two-color town in my youth: Black folks and White folks. But it was books that gave color to my existence in my small hometown! Books not only shared the dreams of authors from the world over; they encouraged my own. Many nights, our Daddy would walk through our bedrooms after lights-out to find me reading under the bedcovers by flashlight. Often, he would threaten punishment if I didn’t turn the light out; but just as often, he simply patted the cover over my head and whispered for me not to read too late.

The day our Mommie and Daddy bought our first books of Brittanica was a highlight in my life! They couldn’t afford to buy the full set all at once, so they bought them as they could afford them - as many families did back then. And, just like many families, our Encyclopedia set held prime position on the bookshelf in our living room. I recall each time I had the honor of putting the next newly paid for one in its place on our shelves.

Mommie and Daddy taught us that Education is Freedom, but it was somehow innate to me that books were the pathway to my soul, my future and all that ever was-is-and can be good in life. Before our Encyclopedia came into our home, my older brother John, paid me to write his homework assignments. Once we got the set, John knew from the gleam in my eyes at the privilege of using them he could have gotten me to research in those books and complete his papers for free. Often, he did!

Books, too heavy to carry more than three or four at a time, transported me to places far away and far back in time. Books shared the poets’ best and Tom Sawyer’s worst. Books told me from where countries were born and how limitless I could grow. Books were amazing!

Julie Andrews sings “Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels, doorbells and sleighbells and schnitzel with noodles, wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings” as a few more of her favorite things.

My song might well continue - Makers and partakers of ideals and innovations, people of all creeds and well earned vacations, family enjoying each meal that I cook, nothing surpasses the thrill of each brand new book!

And so, today, whenever I truly love a book I’ve read on my Kindle, in homage to authors and days of my childhood, I forfeit the tree and buy the book.

Recently, I asked my husband of near 40 years to share with me the five most important things he has learned about living. In bullet point, here’s what he shared:

‘Understand the basis for my approach to life was influenced by the idea that I did not want to work in an English factory, then after a prescribed number of years of service, go fishing. That would have been a very good life for me, a boy growing up in a World War II England...but I saw soldiers from around the world - particularly the United States - and I wanted to visit where they came from and to adventure the places I saw in movies. I’ve done that, and more. So, I have to say the five most important things I’ve learned about living are:

1. My future and present will always depend on me.

2. To improve my opportunities, I must get more understanding of how my circumstances are reflected from my learning - and my learning is not just academic.

3. Knowing, and respecting, that attitude which I grow and use is one of the most important criteria for my achievement and enjoyment of it.

4. Life is an experience with a beginning and an end, and I write the script for what happens in between.

5. The realization that when you cease to live, the ones left behind hurt the most; therefore, live to enjoy every day with them and for yourself.

Bernie added a bonus for me by sharing what he would like to have known sooner that would have gotten him farther, faster:)

1. “Failures are learning opportunities” - and -

2. “Sixth sense is a most powerful thing, and once you understand how and that it works, it makes life very exciting - as you have the support of your conscience.”

Thank you, Darling Bernie! It’s been wonderful to grow with you these forty years, and I look excitedly forward to many, many more together!

M is for the million things she gave me.

O means only that she’s growing old.

T is for the tears she shed to save me.

H is for her heart of purest gold.

E is for her eyes with love-light shining.

R is right, and right she’ll always be.

Put them altogether, they spell MOTHER, the word that means the world to me!

Very early in life, I learned this song...and I continue to sing it to this day.

Now, you may think that I should be writing this in May, when Americans celebrate Mother’s Day. However, every early January, my siblings and I celebrate one of the most important days of our lives - the day our Mother was born. Giving respect to her special day, I delayed publishing this. Giving honor to her, here is the first writing in a series on “Women Shaping Lives”.

Often, I’ve spoken privately and publicly about the influence of my Mother on everything good in my life. One five foot tall, 105 pound woman has taught me more about everything I know than any one person I know. And mostly, she has taught it by example.

My home, children and life are filled with my Mother’s sayings, which include but are certainly! not limited to:

Pretty is as pretty does. Let your dreams build your purpose; let your hands build your house. Education is Freedom. Exercise your brain; it’s a muscle, too! Association brings on Assimilation. One man’s trash is another one’s treasure. Evolution is creation. Haste makes waste. Be the example you want others to follow. Waste not, want not. Listen more than you talk and think before you walk. God made it, so there’s perfection in it. Bring a mirror to your accusations and a gift to your protagonists. Speak softly and listen out loud....and....Before you ask for a blessing, be one.

Sometimes, I think ‘They don’t make Mothers like they used to’. Then, I think about all the ways my Mother has stayed the same and all the ways she has changed. My Mother remains soft of voice and strong in purpose. She is still always the smartest person in the room and the quietest, AND the last to ask for anything. She never criticizes, nor says “I told you so”. Mommie welcomes us all home, no matter the time, day nor reason, and she can play a spiritual on her piano and sing a song of praise that will make you cry soft hallelujahs.

Mommie has also learned the words to some Common songs (though she refuses to learn to twerk or NaeNae), she’s hip to what’s on social media without joining Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or LinkedIn. She remembers all her grandchildren’s names and birthdays BEFORE their parents do, and goes where she wants to, when she wants to, better dressed than either of her daughters.

Mother watches the news, and can tell you which segments are ‘stories’ and which are really ‘breaking news’. Mother doesn’t swear, drink nor over eat; still, she can laugh and make every gathering a party. Mommie’s house, absent the family crowd, is the neatest, cleanest house you can ever enter...and Mommie’s house, with the family crowd, is the most welcoming place you could ever call home.

Now, I will call home - to Mommie, with a very grateful Happy Birthday wish!

Growing up, often our Mommie made comments to the effect of, ‘If you want something done, leave it to a woman!” How often have you heard women referred to as the wind beneath someone’s wings, or seen an athlete shout to a camera, in the midst of victory, “Hi, Mom!” Or ‘Thank you, Mom!” or the phrase, “All that I am, and all that I hope to be, I owe to my mother”.

Women, through the ages, have born the weights of the world, sustained families through the wages of war, fought alongside men, living the truest sense of “only women bleed”.

Now, The MillionWomanMarch is unifying women into action across the globe standing - and marching - in support of women’s rights. Marches are occurring in 50 states in the USA, and some men are attending in support of women and liberties they love. Why the outcry? Civil marches express an abiding belief that our systems of government can work, even when they are felt not to.

Marches have been present to much of what has mattered in my life. The March on Washington and many local marches for civil rights, women’s marches in England and the USA supporting women’s rights to vote, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr led marches seeking civil freedoms. The Million Man March, Black Lives Matter, and now the #MillionWomanMarch all exercise legal rights as measures to seek full justice. As a child, I saw pictures of Jesus Christ marching with the burden of a cross on his back, soldiers marching to Vietnam and televised occurrences of dogs and hoses unleashed onto civil rights marchers of unified races, gender, economic standing and faiths, throughout the south. Yes, there were nuns.

Marches express, always, civilized outcry when our voices aren’t felt to be enough. They may be military in purpose, but civil and worker’s rights marches are our citizen efforts to anchor or argue our votes. The timing of marches can be critical, if they are to create change; yet, they often follow the reality of group pain. The truth about marches is that they are not always anti; rather, they are pro cause. Tones and issues may differ but the causes are collective in unity. This truth was often blurred when recent Black Lives Matter marches occurred in the USA. And, as the #MillionWomanMarch does cry out against mistreatment of women, it is fundamentally voices supporting women manifesting civil and constitutional rights.

The issues of gender, and gender fairness, intersect all modern populations, political parties and ages. Twenty years ago, local black women held a Million Woman March in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Today, more than ever, until the least of us know freedom, none of us may rest in it.

When considering the subject of Universal Basic Income, many questions arise that dig far beyond our ‘practical’, and reach into our ‘emotional’, stakes. Often, as with other topics, we battle between the academic and the humane, rather than collaborating the two into a common proposition. The questions surrounding Universal Basic Income, or UBI, are not just whether it’s a good or bad idea, nor whether it’s more about social welfare or an issue of work ethic. There are also the questions of how to pay for it, and whether innovation and personal/personalized incentives become lost in the shuffle.

Within a year of its birth, the USA’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) is being questioned for revamping, while universal healthcare has existed for some time in a list of European countries, the United Arab Emirates and neighboring Canada. In the USA, questions have not only surfaced about affordability, but also regarding basic elements of coverage and WHO pays WHAT. There is ripe USA debate on whether those countries touting success actually have successful working programs. Opening the discussion on Universal Basic Income cuts deeper into a USA population who are already adrift in a sea of social and political re-identification. Lines blur and edges cut on the whole area of ideals, what it means to be an American - Is it more about what you Get as an American, or more about what you Give? Are these opposing lines?

Finland has begun a pilot program for UBI, as a two year commitment of 560 euros monthly to a randomly selected population of 2000 Fins, and has a stated goal of increasing their employment statistics, as well as reducing the work required to apply for subsidies. On January 1, 2017, Finland announced this two-year UBI initiative as a ‘no strings’ monthly income to all citizens, regardless of income status. This payment initiative is being questioned by Europeans and Americans alike for its rationale and sustainability. Still, the UK - with a much larger population ( UK 65million+ vs Finland 6million-) and more ethnically diverse citizenship, is considering joining the Finns in offering trial UBI. In May of 2016, in the USA, California was cited as the pilot state for a privately funded program by Y Combinator, a company known for working with founders of startups to grow their businesses into viable, sustainable entities. It was scheduled to be conducted in Oakland, a multi-ethnic city with a full mix of opportunity to test the concept against a cross current of the population within this modern, technology centered civilization. The idea? To pay 100 families from across Oakland’s economic and ethnic population, $1500 US per month. The goal? To study if/how change occurs for people when basic income is not a challenge. I encourage you to visit both programs’ outcomes by end of 2018 to learn what these two efforts have to teach us.

In the meantime, let’s consider some baselines so that we are thoughtful not to measure program against program vs program against non-program. Finland is a country, and its population is under six million. Finland is not as diverse ethnically as the USA, nor even as diverse as Oakland. And - Finland already has universal health care. Oakland, shortly, may not have universal health care as identified today. Lastly, Finland’s plan is to launch a country supported UBI, while Oakland is a local site for Sam Altman’s Y Combinator funded pilot. Any guesses as to what we’ll fundamentally, programmatically and measurably learn - as outcomes - by December 2017?

The world’s political map will continue to change as history continues to happen quicker and quicker (aided by technology) and sophisticated trade deals will not be the sole answer to basic local needs. Near the end of 2016, I worked with a group in Washington, DC, to study the impact of technology on jobs and work. It’s coming - Work without people. It’s existed for some time, but now has immediate and dramatic impact potential as, more and more, things make the things we want and need. So, how ‘universal’ will Universal Basic Income become? Countries that lead in innovation and/or growth do not always lead in social programs. Is there a connection between these two that supposes solutions, or needs?

This question of public supported income has been asked for some time within democratic societies. Thomas Paine, in 1797, questioned for basic capital grant for citizens, and Canada tried this UBI idea in the village of Dauphin during the 1970’s, where between 1977 and 1979, an attempt was made to elevate the incomes some of Manitoba’ s residents to living wages. They called it Mincome, and once it subsided, Dauphin’s residents went back to doing much of what had been done before.

Did the Dauphin program last long enough to prove an outcome, or did it prove that outcomes don’t change? Or...if as with beauty, the answer lies in the eye of the beholder, are we going to sleep on this while dreaming of a charming universal solution that does not disrupt our slumber?