Tag Archives: 2014

2014 a Year in Review

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I’m not going to talk about missing airplanes, radical insurgents or riots that are a throw-back to the 60’s. Nope this is just going to be a nice easy summary of my year. Simple and mundane.

The theme for my 2014 should have been “Be Careful What you Wish For”. I spent almost half the year being bored and restless. Then around April several co-workers and friends started wooing me to a new position. I admit I was resistant. I had my eye on a non-existent position on the “buy” side. I was being teased and pushed toward the “listing” side of the business, sometimes referred to as the “dark side” by the “buy side” folks.

dark side

Taking a shaking breathe and questioning my sanity I accepted the new challenge on May 18.

I’d just come back from my vacation in Tennessee and my mind was clear and relaxed. Good thing too because I found myself thrown in at the deep end of the pool. It was time to Swim like mad or sink. I am happy to say that I did not sink, maybe floundered a few times but eventually I helped my team close over 50 deals between May 18 and December 31! Several were over $1,000,000.00!

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I expect to do even more in 2015 because I’ll have the whole year and we have added another team member.

I like the fast pace and the bonuses I can earn. I love feeling like a part of a team rather than being spread over many agents and areas.  Here’s to a rocking 2015.

Because of the activity in the job that pays the bills, my blog and my photography definitely took a back seat last year. My “photo a day” goal died a rapid death once I was thrown into my new job and regular blog posts followed closely behind.   I don’t like to write about work. It either sounds like complaining or bragging and there’s always a chance of giving away something that I shouldn’t so with long hours during the busy season my topics really were limited. I don’t see that changing this year either but I’ll do the best I can. Better to post less often and be interesting than just to post drivel in order to have a post…at least that’s my feeling.

nikon

I am finally feeling better. 2014 was a really rough year for health issues.

injured

I’m not 100% but certainly much , much better than I was for most of 2014. Maybe I’ll be able to make a dent on the 2014 goal of losing some weight. Start small. Lets see if I can lose 25 lbs and then go from there.

And that about sums it up. I hope you reach all of your goals for 2015!

 

Out with the Old

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What changes do you plan to make in 2014?

calvin-and-hobbes-New-Years-Resolution

I have to be careful when it comes to the “Out with the Old” adage as I could be included in the “Old” category and I have no intention of going out yet!

But I’ve been giving 2014 quite  a lot of thought. 2013 turned out to be a year of changes and in some ways I haven’t fully adapted to all of them so I think 2014 will be a year in which to get my routines established again. That would include everything from work to finances to personal challenges.

self-deception-new-years-resolutions

Have you noticed …I haven’t said the dreaded “R” word yet? That’s because it is my humble opinion that calling challenges set on New Years  “RESOLUTIONS” is asking for failure. A resolution is a pledge of sort..I resolve to do this and this. So what happens when you screw it up, like we all seem to do. Most of the time that’s it. Done! Made a resolution and broke it , end of story.

But what if I/we think of them as goals or challenges. A goal is something that you work toward until it’s achieved. You expect there might be a few set backs but that’s where the challenge comes in.

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Sports examples come to mind. The New England Patriots start the season with the ultimate goal to win the Superbowl but each week the goal is to just win that game. Sometimes they fall short but the next week they are right out there again trying to “kick butt” for that Superbowl spot…one game at a time.

They didn’t “resolve” to win the Superbowl and then give up as soon as they lost a game. That’s why whatever I/we want to accomplish in 2014 should be a goal and a challenge not a resolution. And if I don’t meet that goal, well I’ll be a better person for trying.

fat-vs-thin

An example….weight loss (ugh). Lets say I resolve to lose 50 lbs in 2014. The first time I “pig out” at the local Pizza Joint I’ll just give up. I blew it. Look at that, resolution broken. But if I say I have a goal to lose 50 lbs, that’s only 1 lb. per week. That’s like the 1 game a week for the Pats. Suddenly it’s not so overwhelming. And if I only lose 30 lbs? Well, I may not have hit the goal but I’m still 30 lbs thinner than when I started.

new years resolutions copia

So that’s my approach to resolutions. Goals and Challenges. Tomorrow I’ll share some specifics. Maybe we can encourage one another to meet the goals we set for a fresh new year.