by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Apr 3, 2014 | Entrepreneur, Life Thoughts, Small Business
Most people equate success with financial wealth and independence but is there something more intrinsic beyond the mighty dollar? In my post “Measure of Success | Is it Dollars or Sense?” I shared what success means to me and the different levels for my personal evaluation. Every person, every entrepreneur has their own vision and measures of success.
One of my clients has recently been honored with an opportunity of great magnitude and prestige to help impact the lives of others, without financial remuneration. In discussing this extraordinary honor he said:
It’s very humbling and makes you appreciate the importance of focusing on being ‘significant vs. being successful.
I don’t think there is much of a differentiation unless you are only bound by money. When you truly think of all of the things money can’t buy, you are wealthier than you realize.
When you are able to give without expecting a return, you are rich.
When you give deeply from the heart, you are rich.
It is this wealth that teaches.
This wealth that is more significant than a coin.
After our discussion, my client shared the video Significance vs Success by Coach Tony Dungy, prior head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the Indianapolis Colts.
I believe Coach Dungy’s significance clearly represented success. What an empowering feeling to realize that you influenced someone else’s life with a positive direction. It is not only gratifying but hopefully an inspiration for others to pay it forward. Touching the lives of others holds greater power than any bank roll. It keeps on giving, far exceeding any dollar value. It is real. It is human.
Significant versus Success
Make change.
Share value.
Do the unexpected.
Random Acts of Kindness #RAOK
A Personal Story:
For many months after my mom passed away from breast cancer, we continued to receive notes and letters from the organizations that she belonged to or volunteered for over the years. Many we didn’t even know about. My dad would call me to read yet another note expressing their condolences mixed with the deep appreciation they had for my mom and her altruistic participation with their organization. She was a true giver of heart and spirit. Like no other. My mom was the director for the International Center at a local college and they built a lounge for the international students, naming it after her. A true testament to her devotion and care for others.
This is being:
1. Significant
2. A success
3. Wealthy
In response to my amazing client: being significant is being a success.
A lot of people who believe they are successful because they have everything they want. They have added value to themselves. But I believe significance comes when you add value to others and you can’t have true success without significance. John C. Maxwell
What about YOU? What are your thoughts on significance versus success?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Nov 28, 2013 | Life Thoughts
As we enter the holiday season, it is important to remember the family traditions and give thanks for the bounties we have. So often we overlook all of the treasures that we experience on a daily basis and are remiss from expressing our gratitude every day, not just during the holidays.
Each day is a gift to be held close to the heart, shared with your loved ones and openly communicated. Don’t wait for a special occasion or a tragedy. It is in this moment that you have the opportunity to tell someone you love and appreciate them. You value and respect them.
Hugs are free – give them often.
Be the last one to let go.
Look the other person in the eye, hold that gaze and let them know you truly care.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
May you have peace and joy EVERY DAY.
“Best of all is it to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving, and for every breath a song.” Konrad von Gesner
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 29, 2013 | Leadership, Life Thoughts
Many times in life things goes awry, causing you to lose something of value or assumed potential opportunity. You may at first experience sadness, anger, want to retaliate, feel resentment and want to otherwise lash out or bash the person or situation.
Take a step back.
Breathe.
Review the circumstances. Reflect on the situation as a whole.
- Did it always resonate and serve you?
- Did it bring you contentment and joy?
- What daily thoughts ran through your mind during general interactions?
- Were you satisfied or did you have lingering questions?
- What were your contributions to the scenario?
- Was it all that you had hoped it would be?
Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful. Margaret J. Wheatley
If much of the discourse surrounding the events did not support your thinking, values, mission or ideals, then let it go.
The lessons may seem hidden at first, but there is always an opportunity for internal growth and a time for you to spread your own wings.
Take flight!!
Is it really a lost opportunity or just a motivator for change?
If you can, ask for feedback. It is another tool to help you grow and better perform the next time. What can you revise? Is there something in your thought processes and actions that require a little more fine-tuning?
Find your wrench and start tweaking.
Instigating change is an adventure as you are able to discover more about yourself, your company and how you relate to others. Don’t take the fall as something completely personal, especially if there were signs or signals that you just weren’t sure about. It may have nothing to really do with you at all. It could be their misconceptions or misinterpretations or lack of communication that was the impetus for the dissolution. There are always three sides to a story, yours, theirs and what is found in the middle, holding more facts than miscommunications or unheard words. Some things just aren’t meant to be and you are given signs to interpret and set in motion.
When you lose a contract, a client or even a friend, it seems like a kick in the pants, but what can you learn from it? Each and every “failure” is about improvement. Empower yourself to step up and mull over the whole situation, the entire experience. The past time invested doesn’t matter – it is the journey to enlightenment and change that creates the force within you to better yourself.
Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging. Joseph Campbell
The more you are able to truly understand the internal workings of what transpired, you will appreciate the opportunity to flourish from this mishap. Even more so if you were apprehensive about the success in the first place. Follow your intuition as your gut seems to speak more loudly than your heart or your brain matter.
Celebrate the change.
The dynamics are just beginning.
It isn’t a missed opportunity at all!
It is an open door to greater abundance when you are able to let go of what no longer serves you.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It’s OK to fail. If you’re not failing, you’re not growing. H. Stanley Judd
Author: Brian Tracy
What changes will YOU make?
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Oct 23, 2013 | Goals, Life Thoughts
Success and innovation require a proactive approach with goals and action steps to clear your path toward accomplishment. On the road of life, you are bound to encounter obstacles and roadblocks, but these aren’t meant to stop you. They are presented as challenges to overcome.
Jumping the hurdles isn’t always easy and may seem like huge setbacks, but use each as an opportunity, as a learning tool for growth and changes for the next round. Don’t sit back and stagnate or simply wish things were different.
- MAKE an effort to evolve
- Brainstorm changes
- Visualize your goals
- Design a vision board
Mastering or overcoming these challenges is what creates a great sense of accomplishment and joy in your life. Sure, it may be easier just to give up or retreat at times, but what will you have to show for it? What opportunities or people will you have discounted?
You will have to begin once again. This time with a new plan. There is no need to continually start over. Refine your path. Your tools. Your knowledge, but don’t quit. Every time you walk away from a situation or a goal, you will be left with unfinished business and who knows how close you were to succeeding. Get to the finish line no matter how difficult you think it is.
Challenges can make life much more interesting and meaningful. Remember the road less traveled?
If you recoil at any small change or difficulty that does not fit into your scheme of things, take a step back and ask yourself why? What are you afraid of? What don’t you want to face? How will it affect you five years from now? Does it really matter?
If you are dealing with another individual or a group, seek to listen, understand and communicate WITH, not AT them. Don’t make assumptions based upon your perception of the situation as that can only exacerbate the issues.
Assess the concerns and disputes after everyone has had a fair and open opportunity to speak.
Keep an open mind.
Accept responsibility for your part in creating any problems or discrepancies.
Seek to make changes as well as plans to offset any future worries.
Life doesn’t have to be so difficult. It is what you make it. It is what you want it to be. It will be as you perceive it, but ensure accuracy.
Face your hurdles head on! Don’t retract – you are meant to achieve and master your life – your business.
“Don’t take the casual approach to life. Casualness leads to casualties.” — Jim Rohn
What a powerful quotation. Whether in your business or personal life, a blasé sense of indifference gets you nowhere. If you want something, you must go after it.
Benchwarmers do not get to score.
Now let’s get ready to cheer on the Red Sox in Game 1 of the World Series!! #fearthebeard
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Sep 14, 2013 | Life Thoughts
This blog post stems far from the norm of my usual banter of social media, inbound marketing,virtual assistance, time management or productivity and I trust that is acceptable. A few of other my other posts discuss branding, people buy from people, be real, be authentic and transparent. Well this is one of those posts. Sharing a little bit of me, further adding to the human touch. I am not just a virtual robot managing your online business. I think sometimes we forget that there is a human behind the content.
Today I am writing about family and the strong bonds that tie us together. Are you interested? I am not really sure but I will share anyway because sometimes we all just need a voice.
I began this company after both my mother and sister passed away from breast cancer. I knew that I needed more and wanted to be able to share my passion for giving back and helping others. I spent 6 months researching businesses and initially discovered the personal assistant/errand and concierge industry. My role expanded into 100% virtual when I joined Twitter and it has only grown from there.
So that is part of my story. Today I am traveling to Miami Fl to say my last goodbyes to my 34 year old niece; my sister’s daughter. I don’t know how much time she has left but all I know is I must get to Florida. I certainly let US Air know this too, with lots of very big words and 3 hours of trying to book matching connecting flights with my daughter. I didn’t want her to make this flight alone.
We now have three generations of women in my family battle this dreaded disease and lose their fight.
My point here?
There is nothing more sacred than family. Cherish them while they are here. Tell them every day how much you love them and never take them for granted. Life is too short to miss these opportunities.
Your job will always be there or another will. Make sure you have a very healthy work life balance enabling you to MAKE time for the important parts of life.
How many hours do you spend at the office, behind a computer or on your mobile phone? Is it all that vital? Do you ever shortchange the people in your life because of work? We all need financial stability, but at what price.
Rethink your day today. Your time with friends and family and please do me this one favor: make more time for them. Put down the phone. Close the computer and truly be present and engage!! Give them a hug. Share the love because you never know when a life could end.
If this post resonates with you, please share it with your community, your network. I appreciate it very much. “Pay it Forward!”
by Ace Concierge | Virtual Assistant | Jul 29, 2013 | Entrepreneur, Life Thoughts, Small Business
How often do you step away from your office and take a break? Just shut down for a bit to refresh your brain matter and gain clarity? We all need a respite or as Jennifer V. Miller of the People Equation says, a “staycation.” It is a short mental holiday from the hustle and bustle of our information overloaded lives. We are constantly on overdrive, meeting extensive demands and teetering on a tightrope.
Whether at your home or office take a break and slow down a bit. Life won’t stop if you do, but it may if you don’t.
Say YES to you.
Learn to give back to yourself; rewards, small pleasures, time to do nothing, time for YOU. A few simple steps toward SELF will reduce your stress, give renewed focus and refresh your whole soul to keep pushing forward.
ME time can be anything you want or need it to be, but just do it.
You may be thinking that ME time is being selfish. On the contrary!! Please don’t believe that you are a superhero and can only give to others. While that is a commendable quality, you can’t continue to empty your tank. You must make deposits to refuel. Aren’t you worth it?
If you are a solo-preneur, you are fortunate to be able to create your own stress breaks, but if you are an employee, you may need to implement some of the suggestions in Jennifer’s blog post above.
In either case, you still have other hours to choose from, so schedule ME time.
- You are entitled to it.
- You earned it.
- You deserve it.
Get More Out of Life: 5 Tips to Focus on You
My ME TIME is my mornings to lift at the gym. My phone does NOT go out on the floor with me. It is locked up. I put my earbuds in and tune out everything else around me.
This afternoon’s brain break is the image above: homemade watermelon sorbet with my Champion Juicer. I needed to step away from the computer for a bit. It didn’t take long to make. I could still check my Smartphone if needed, but the world didn’t stop while I cleared my head.
How will you gift yourself today?
