Start Right Where You Are

Start Right Where You Are
By Edwin Martinez, PHR

The time comes for everyone to look at where we are and where we would like to be. However, why is it that for most people the path towards success never reaches to the starting point? Do we forget that the little everything we do has the potential to bring us closer to our goals? It may not always seem as though our efforts are making a difference in certain areas of our lives. However, the manifestation of our desires will eventually appear and solidify our deeds, determination, and commitments. Consistency in the little things can produce habitual actions towards the big goals.

When we set our standards too high that we cannot meet them, we make it easier for feelings of discouragement to take over and stump our personal and professional growth. After many attempts that seem to fail, it is easy to stop all together and entertain the thoughts of insecurity, low self-esteem, and even rebellion towards progress. There is no need to set the standards so high, just live life as they you are the creator because you have the option of where to start and finish.

There are times everything seems to be going our way and the feelings of confidence are high. The thought of unfortunate situations or negative circumstances seem so far removed that we feel we can conquer the world. Times of joy, happiness, and success are alive and threading through every fiber of our being. Life is grand and we just do not understand why others are not in the same frequency. We cringe at the thought of others suffering and their misfortune while we have it all.

Then there comes the day where out of nowhere a situation arises that causes us to look deeper into our lives and find the dark spaces that hold all of the emotions tightly squeezed and out of site. The force of bad feelings, thoughts, and embarrassment about our flaws and frailties force us to acknowledge that we are living in a human body with a soul that is not exempt to the realities of life.

Life gives us challenges that cause us to take inventory of our lives and make adjustments in the areas that really matter. Unfortunately, we lose sight down the road and fall right back into the mindset of superheroes where “everyone else is just cramping my space” attitude. Fortunately, the days of adversity, which may “appear” to be negative and disruptive, help enlighten us of the realities of life and guide us to make new commitments of loyalty, faithfulness, and determination. These moments can inspire use to succeed in spite of all opposition including our own inner conflicts.

It is only through our acknowledgement of what we really want in life that we can truly make a difference in where we finish. Life is full of disappointments and major bumps that can derail our intentions towards success. However, life is also full of great people that care enough about extending a helping hand to others and making their dreams come true. Life is full of opportunities for everyone regardless of where we currently stand.

It is time to look around, focus on what is good today, and not what was bad yesterday. Start today and MAKE this the time to live and shine beyond the obstacles of fear and misfortune. Start today to make the small subtle changes that will produce greater rewards later in life. Start today and SEARCH out the new opportunities to “create” your life of success. We have a new opportunity right we are! Have a TREMENDO day!

Please Do Not Scratch My Wood Floors!

Whether a company is evolving from the inception to the growth stage or from the mature to the declining stage, changes and challenges are certain to be a part of the growing process. However sudden and abrupt changes to an established organization can either leave tracks of success or nasty scratches that leave unpleasant memories for a lifetime. Organizational leaders that focus only on what goes out the door without much concern about their internal valuable assets can be likened to the careless individuals who move heavy furniture on beautiful stained wood floor and leave large and unsightly scratches.

Ever increasing changes into today's working world have already created memories that can never be erased from the American working force. Organizational pillars have fallen from grace and past employees have sought revenge from employer wrong doings by returning to the worksite and committing criminal acts of violence. As the world turns is not only a soap opera name for the domestic engineers to watch on TV. Real life is happening as our working class seeks to find the real meaning of life through organizational change. Coping with loss of jobs, lowered salaries, and leadership bad behavior has caused many people to stop and wonder if they too will be part of the statistics.

As a working people, we take pride in our beautiful shiny wood floors that we create during our working days. It feels great to build a career from a dull looking stage with not much luster to a successful top-of-the-ladder birds-eye view. It takes time, effort, diligence, and determination to build upon our jobs and careers. Every successful step taken towards personal development and growth adds another coat of shine to our wood floors. The sacrifices made in personal lives to achieve career success are not to be viewed as mandated chores but as decisions to participate in the system which is part of the American culture and the benefit of living and prospering in the freest country in the world!

Organizational leadership that looks at the entire organization as a valuable asset will take pride in the human efforts that comprise its overall success. Daily decisions made by company leaders should always consider the overall effects their decisions have on those people who are buffing their wood floors. Taking care to watch every move made with proper communication to can pay back some valuable dividends in many different ways.

Regardless of the leadership style, every leader must consider their actions and how they affect others. Changes that produce positive organizational results are ultimately the goal of effective company leaders and every step counts towards positive memories or nasty scratches on the wood floors. Let us all take pride in our roles as leaders or buffers and do the right thing by others so our own floors can maintain the luster and shine we have built so far. Success and prosperity are not worth the nasty scratches on anyone's hard (working) wood floors. Let us be remembered by the people we touch as leaders who care enough to keep from scratching others wood floors. Happy buffing!