What do you do when you make a mistake?

Are you like many people who beat themselves up when they make an error or a foolish decision?

Does your inner enemy punish you, pointing out other mistakes that you may have committed?

Despite being a positive forward thinking person … this inner enemy punishing me was something that I had an issue with for many years.

With some of the negative things going on in life and in the world, it makes some days hard to be motivated.

I know, I know. Motivation is what links us to our successes and we must stay on top of them … I was thinking the other day, “what really is motivation and how is it really defined? What really makes me want to do the things I do?”

Well, motivation is suggested to be an important link to learning and achievement.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not perfect.

No one is perfect.

This is just a fact of life.

One of the reasons I know I’m not perfect is the amount of times which life teaches me a lesson.

The worst part about these life lessons is they usually end up “okay”. However, the actions leading to the resolution usually make it a lot more complicated, awkward and guilt-ridden than they should have been.

I tend to talk, a lot.

But only about information that I know, information that I’ve listened to, asked questions about so that I can be knowledgeable when I talk about it.

Which leads me into one of my favorite quotes from an unknown source …

“You were born with two ears and one mouth for a reason.

Over the years, I’ve taught thousands of Insurance Agency Owners plus other small business owners the systems and ideas I’ve learned … and … more importantly, IMPLEMENTED from the best of these owners to run a very successful business.

I would be remiss not to credit my business coaches the great marketing legends Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer that guided me in the early years of BGI Systems to teach our successful processes and systems on a national scale.

Here’s a classic tasty recipe for Ham & Potato soup that is very easy to make. Not only is it yummy, but it will also keep you warm during the cool winter months! Plus, you can add your own twist to it by adding some of your favorite ingredients.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups peeled & diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Directions

Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water in a stockpot.

Have you ever considered how your energy affects everyone around you? This is something I've noticed in my years as a boss, that my attitude affects my team and their interactions with each other and with me. When it comes down to attitude and motivation in the workplace, I can't be just a coach - I have to suit up and play on the team too.

If the hustle and bustle of the holidays has you feeling more frantic than festive, consider starting a new family tradition this year. My family loves having holiday traditions and looks forward to them each year. Having something to look forward to can help you feel more grounded during this busy time of year--plus, the whole family can get involved.

To be successful, you don’t necessarily have to be the most intelligent or talented person in the room.

It’s your habits that will take you in the direction of either learning more or becoming stagnant, better skilled or lacking in skills, and more prepared or unprepared.

You know that fear, not money, is the root of all evil, right? Yes, fear, that evil and corroding thread that infiltrates your mind into thinking