"Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success”
Napoleon Hill
Now check out this combo! Amethyst Heart and Rose Quartz and Amethyst Earrings.
I actually made the earrings to match my Rose Quartz and Amethyst Necklace, but I like this match as well. Maybe even better!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
6 Life Lessons from a Bike Race
It's called The Challenger. A mammoth mountain with a 7% upgrade.
Now, if you don't bike, you would think the name derives from the statue of the rocket ship "Challenger", memorializing the launch. But, anyone who's tried to scale this mountain on their bike has found the name quite fitting! Every year there's a race and every year I have an excellent reason to blow it off - I'm older than most riders, I'm a woman, best of all - I don't race! I do often scale that mountain on my bike, casually chatting with friends the whole way up, but why would I race it?! But, as those who climb Everest say - why'd I race? Because it was there. And pushing my way up the mountain, I heard some life and business lessons loud and clear:
1. Use your tools - I have an unbelievable bike, whose light weight alone has cut my time tremendously, and if I would efficiently switch gears at the proper times, I would probably cut a good four minutes off my time. Somehow, though, in the intensity of the race any thought of wisely switching gears went out the window. I ended up losing my chain twice as a result of switching badly! And THAT certainly did not help my time!
2. Always race against yourself but know where your competitors are - the key to success in any business is to have a clear plan. One of the things I love most about biking is 'it's you against the mountain'. At the same time, though, it is also a competitive sport for those who want to excell. And although it's good to excell according to your own parameters, often a true measure of success is only against the top in any field. You need to know what's going on in your industry.
3. Have enough water - this is all about treating yourself well. No matter what you're doing, you have to do everything you can to keep your fighting conditions optimal. If you work out of a home office it's easy to stint and save on furnishings. Is your chair comfortable? Is your workroom set up for serious business activity or is there a basket of family laundry in the corner waiting to be folded? View your business as worthy of your investment and it will prove to be!!
4. Stand when it's time- on our last practice ride before the big race, my friend and I noticed some words of encouragement painted on the road. About sixty feet before the end, on a steep upgrade, we saw a Hebrew word, written twice : "la'amod, la'amod!" We couldn't figure out why we were being told to stand. It was only on the ride itself, when those same words were shouted by the cheering section, that I realized what it meant. Coming into the last stretch, there's actually a physical urge to stand for the rest of the race, and use every last bit of leverage to get you the best time possible. It's do or die.
5. Surround yourself with a cheering section On a very difficult stretch, I found myself ready to give up. The sun was beating down on me, I was sweating bullets, I thought - why bother?! Suddenly I heard the support van coming up behind me, and the driver was speaking words of encouragement into the mike! "Pump harder! You're wiggling, ride straight! Play with your gears!' With every comment I was so grateful for the push, I gave a little wave of thanks. Suddenly the van pulled up beside me and I turned to give the driver a great big grin, when I saw a rider beside the van - they weren't speaking to me after all! But the words of encouragement, though meant for someone else, sure helped me out!
6.Always give your best smile to the camera - it makes for great PR!
And that one is a no brainer - when you feel successful, you will look successful, and all we be lining up to purchase your wares!
Now, if you don't bike, you would think the name derives from the statue of the rocket ship "Challenger", memorializing the launch. But, anyone who's tried to scale this mountain on their bike has found the name quite fitting! Every year there's a race and every year I have an excellent reason to blow it off - I'm older than most riders, I'm a woman, best of all - I don't race! I do often scale that mountain on my bike, casually chatting with friends the whole way up, but why would I race it?! But, as those who climb Everest say - why'd I race? Because it was there. And pushing my way up the mountain, I heard some life and business lessons loud and clear:
1. Use your tools - I have an unbelievable bike, whose light weight alone has cut my time tremendously, and if I would efficiently switch gears at the proper times, I would probably cut a good four minutes off my time. Somehow, though, in the intensity of the race any thought of wisely switching gears went out the window. I ended up losing my chain twice as a result of switching badly! And THAT certainly did not help my time!
2. Always race against yourself but know where your competitors are - the key to success in any business is to have a clear plan. One of the things I love most about biking is 'it's you against the mountain'. At the same time, though, it is also a competitive sport for those who want to excell. And although it's good to excell according to your own parameters, often a true measure of success is only against the top in any field. You need to know what's going on in your industry.
3. Have enough water - this is all about treating yourself well. No matter what you're doing, you have to do everything you can to keep your fighting conditions optimal. If you work out of a home office it's easy to stint and save on furnishings. Is your chair comfortable? Is your workroom set up for serious business activity or is there a basket of family laundry in the corner waiting to be folded? View your business as worthy of your investment and it will prove to be!!
4. Stand when it's time- on our last practice ride before the big race, my friend and I noticed some words of encouragement painted on the road. About sixty feet before the end, on a steep upgrade, we saw a Hebrew word, written twice : "la'amod, la'amod!" We couldn't figure out why we were being told to stand. It was only on the ride itself, when those same words were shouted by the cheering section, that I realized what it meant. Coming into the last stretch, there's actually a physical urge to stand for the rest of the race, and use every last bit of leverage to get you the best time possible. It's do or die.
5. Surround yourself with a cheering section On a very difficult stretch, I found myself ready to give up. The sun was beating down on me, I was sweating bullets, I thought - why bother?! Suddenly I heard the support van coming up behind me, and the driver was speaking words of encouragement into the mike! "Pump harder! You're wiggling, ride straight! Play with your gears!' With every comment I was so grateful for the push, I gave a little wave of thanks. Suddenly the van pulled up beside me and I turned to give the driver a great big grin, when I saw a rider beside the van - they weren't speaking to me after all! But the words of encouragement, though meant for someone else, sure helped me out!
6.Always give your best smile to the camera - it makes for great PR!
And that one is a no brainer - when you feel successful, you will look successful, and all we be lining up to purchase your wares!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Are you a winner?
Yesterday I got smashed on the tennis courts. Not just beat; slaughtered. Mincemeat.
Was my opponent good? Yeah. Was she better than me? Maybe, but on a good day I could take her, or at least put up a decent fight.
So what happened?
Well...let's go back to an hour before the match. I'm dissed by someone close to me. I feel like the wind is knocked out of me and the hour traveling to the match and the fifteen minute warm-up do nothing to dissipate my feelings of unworthiness.
Now I know I was the same person then that I was an hour earlier. Before the 'diss', I had a good chance of winning and continuing on through the tournament. After the 'diss', there was no chance. Mentally, I had confidence in my abilities, but emotionally I could not convince myself that I am a decent player and had an excellent chance of winning the match.
I swore then and there that I would do what makes me happy at all times and never would I let someone else's perception of me affect a sporting event that I love.
But how?!
I've been working on this for quite a while, for the short version check out my next blog, four ways to feel what you know to be true.
Was my opponent good? Yeah. Was she better than me? Maybe, but on a good day I could take her, or at least put up a decent fight.
So what happened?
Well...let's go back to an hour before the match. I'm dissed by someone close to me. I feel like the wind is knocked out of me and the hour traveling to the match and the fifteen minute warm-up do nothing to dissipate my feelings of unworthiness.
Now I know I was the same person then that I was an hour earlier. Before the 'diss', I had a good chance of winning and continuing on through the tournament. After the 'diss', there was no chance. Mentally, I had confidence in my abilities, but emotionally I could not convince myself that I am a decent player and had an excellent chance of winning the match.
I swore then and there that I would do what makes me happy at all times and never would I let someone else's perception of me affect a sporting event that I love.
But how?!
I've been working on this for quite a while, for the short version check out my next blog, four ways to feel what you know to be true.
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