THE POWER OF BEING BROKE

By Vernalee

Being broke is not a good feeling. Raise your hand if you agree! In fact, can I get an Amen? But being broke can be your greatest motivator. Just ask Daymond John who started selling his home-sewn

t-shirts on the streets of Queens on a $40 budget that later became the incubator for the $6 billion dollar global phenomenon FUBU (For us, By us) brand. John had a “stand by your side Mother, a heart full of hope, and a ferocious drive to succeed by any means possible.” So, FUBU’s founder and star of ABC’s Shark Tank demonstrate that being broke may be your “greatest competitive advantage as an entrepreneur. It forces you to think more creatively, use your resources more efficiently, connect with your customers more authentically, market your ideas more imaginatively; and finally, it forces you to be true to yourself, stay focused on your goals, and come up with innovative solutions required to make a meaningful mark.” Yes, that’s right. John shows in his book, “The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage. “When your back is up against the wall, your bank account is empty, and creativity and passion are the only resources you can afford, success is your only option.” Are you motivated yet? Sometimes, we have to use what we have as John did. With no advertising budget, he asked his fellow Queens' neighbor and rapper L.L. Cool J to wear one of his caps in a GAP commercial in the 1990’s. Not too shabby; right? Great advertising, I’ll say. The rest is history! Here’s my take.

It’s a mindset.

Our thoughts plant seeds of reality. It shows that thinking out of the box will land you farther than the idleness of not pursuing your passions.

Don’t be afraid to ask! How can you receive if you don’t ask?

Use your available resources. Eliminate excuses. Don’t give up! Dream big! Think bigger!

Be persistently motivated. Motivation can make your paycheck bigger. Work hard ...and harder... and harder. Work your passion to achieve your greatness! Don’t take NO for an answer. Where there is a will, there is a way!

I will go out on a limb and say, "The power of being broke is not to be!" I take you back to the old folks in Mississippi when they told me, "Child, stop spending every penny that you get on clothes. Save something for a rainy day." Once again, they were right!

So ... let's not stop pursuing our dreams! Daymond didn’t! Neither should we!

Besides jingling coins in our pockets outweigh empty pockets everyday of the week! Photo credit: www.chicagotribune.com

ARE YOU WALKING WITHOUT A TIGHTROPE?

By Vernalee

Are you a risky daredevil or do you take calculated steps? It is better to be safe than sorry! Agreed?

An associate recently recognized that his

recent venture had him freehandedly “walking a tightrope without a net!” Strangely, he did not realize that his journey was net-less as he was so entrenched that he had not taken the time to look down. Fear ...he didn’t have at the time!

Sometimes, what you don’t see or know conceal the negative consequences. However, once the wool is pulled away, the dangers become conspicuously obvious. When that happened, it was then that his after thought led him to say, “How could I have done such a thing? I’m smarter than that! I need to count my blessings that I walked away in one piece.”

Afterwards, the negative realities stared him directly in his face. The realization of not having a safety net was akin to being in the middle of the lake with no paddle! To survive, refocusing was necessary.

Gasping we say, “Whew!”

What was he thinking?

Don't judge!

Many of us have been in similar spots. Think about it.

Was it a position that you were totally unprepared to assume? Was it a risky relationship? Was it a match not made in Heaven and you proceeded anyway? Was it a financial move that you knew that you couldn’t afford but did anyway? Were you trying to keep up with the Joneses when you didn’t have the Joneses’ money?

Sometimes, no matter how thorough, we cannot always calculate the risks. What steps should we take?

We can regroup and reset the buttons. We can closely examine the precautionary warning signals that implied trust or bad judgment convinced us to remove. We can make the necessary changes by becoming equipped with armors of courage, strength, resources, and knowledge to be prepared to walk into greener pastures with keener vision, balance and wisdom. After all, we are “the masters of our fate; the captains of our souls.”

Finally, a safety net may not be a bad idea!

Having something or someone to catch you is better than landing on the ground. It just makes good sense. Right?

Photo credit: freeart.com

I ONLY HAVE TWO HANDS

By Vernalee

Hold on! Wait a minute! Give me some time to catch up. There is only so much that I can do in a day. Admittedly, I am capable of performing several tasks simultaneously, but truly I only have two hands! You may think differently, but it is a biological fact. For most of us, multitasking becomes a necessity of survival at home and at work. Being a Jack or Jill of All Trades who can do – a little bit of this and a little bit of that – helps. Versatility is the name of the game. In our fast paced environment, if you cannot walk and chew bubble gum at the same time, you are in trouble. It is wise however to analyze tasks and determine an approach before you get started. By doing so, you can review the options, techniques, and time savers. Becoming more tech savvy is a critical necessity. Technology and its gadgets have simplified and added speed to many functions. They have enhanced our productivity and made us “Working Wonders.” They add more horsepower which fuels our levels of expertise, efficiency, and organization. Tasks that once took hours now only take minutes. Proficiently is the name of the game. The more time that I can save on tasks; the more time I have for myself. It’s just that – plain and simple. So watch me intelligently and efficiently work; then, watch me comfortably and enjoyably relax! That doesn't mean that you can still send tasks my way. Now, if you do disregard my “no work zone“ status and send work anyway during my rest and relaxation period, one of my hands can ignore it, while the other can pretend that it doesn’t exist. That's why I have two! Photo credit: www.ruthnazrullah.com