Determined to Achieve

When you get a major task done the sense of achievement can be so immense, you just want to tell the world about it. If it is a major project that you have been working on for months, the fulfilment of the project can give you a feeling similar to the enjoyment you get at the birth of a child. Like a child, sometimes the project needs nurturing and tweaking to make it better. I have designed and built a website for the Scottish Stove Centre ( www.scottishstovecentre.co.uk ). It is the biggest site I have built to date and has involved a lot of hours of work in my free time to finish it on time. I was so determined to reach the deadline that I didn't mind. The benefits to me will be profitable in time, as more people see what I can do. Being determined to achieve might mean that as you strive to do so you have to go the extra mile, sometimes for free, in the belief that it will be worth it in the end. The immediate reward is the powerful sense of achievement, you get on completion. Then comes the spin offs. It can take baby steps to achieve your goal but it can be worth the effort just like in this book.

Determination is not a fad, it is like a good recipe.

It is funny how in life we do things in spells sometimes. We pick up a new hobby and go at it hell for leather. Then something else comes a long and we still do our hobby only just not with as much gusto as before. That something can be large or small, like starting a new job or the birth of a child. Determination however is not something that can be dropped like a play thing. It is as important as the blood that runs through your veins. It is instinctive, and natural, but when bashed by circumstance can absorb the good points to make it better. A good Christmas cake absorbs the alcohol, and or juices you put in on Stir-Up Sunday, over time which makes it better and richer. The same can be said of the way that determination absorbs what life throws at it. As the saying goes what goes against, you makes you stronger. The more you can influence circumstance, will make your determination bear better fruit, or to use another analogy make a better cake. Like cooking you need to know what the end product looks like, you need a vision. I love great recipes but they don't need to be complicated as Mary Berry shows you can produce great results with simple recipes. By having a vision and remaining true to it, the recipe will mean your determination gets you there.

What a weekend

My son recently joined Beavers and I am working towards getting my warrant, so I become a leader. The Beaver leader in charge of the Colony organised a weekend away for the Beavers at Auchengillan last weekend, and all the boys signed up to go. The thought of looking after 24 excited 6-8 year olds for a whole weekend, was one that exhausted me just thinking about it. It would be the first time a lot of them had slept in a dorm, and in a sleeping bag; not to mention being away from their parents for 2 nights. The programme that the leader in charge had organised for them was so well structured that they all had a great time. The place was fantastic and all the boys grew in confidence from the experience. Yes it was exhausting for all the leaders; but hugely rewarding too. For those of us who grew up in Scouts and got a lot out of it was a chance to pass on some of what we enjoyed to another generation was rewarding. This couple with being at a place that was opened by Lord Baden Powell, and the good weather we had made it all the more enjoyable. Whilst it wasn't living wild, because you can't with that age group, it was enough to give the kids a taste of what can be done, and make them want to know more. The scouting movement is very lucky to have at its head an inspiring Chief Scout such as Bear Grylls. If anyone can teach Scouts about Field Craft this man can, so this book could prove very useful.

Proof of determination

The last few years have been interesting, but the power of blogging has put us on a great road. The future looks bright and with some hard work my family are going to be in a great place. This shows the power of determination and positive thinking. Even when the silver lining is hard to find, you have to believe it is there. This will help you create the opportunity that will point you in an amazing direction. I have now got a fantastic job in addition to building my blogging business and that has come about from someone seeing the sites I have built. One was for Caldwell Wright (www.caldwellwright.co.uk) and the other was for Eco Door Systems (www.ecodoorsystems.co.uk). My determination to find a way of improving my lot has worked. By keeping going with this blog and the one on my website, I am sure the road will get better and better. If I can help you find the road that is right for you I would be happy to do so. In the meantime this book might help you.

Hugs for growth

According to a recent study 12 hugs a day from someone important in your life is required for personal growth. Hugging someone important to you is a great way to say THANK YOU for all you do for me, to that person. This could be just what they need. They might appear to be stong but when you hug them, the warmth of a supportive hug might break t down the defences and make them feel able to unburden themselves of what is concerning them. This might enable you to discover a new skill you never thought you had. Alternatively you might be able to repay them simply by listening to them. Which ever way it is for you, you will both grow in confidence and personal strength. 2014 is going to be a great year for a lot of people, me included. Having been searching for a way forward in the last year I have found it and with the hugs of my better half and the encouragement of the clients I have picked up recently; 2014 is going to be the year of the blog. The strength a hug can give you is amazing. It can restore your faith in yourself and make you believe you are indestructable, and can do what you want. Happy New Year.

The new year is a new book

It has been a while since I posted on this blog, due to trying to build a business called Arromar and the pace of life in the run up to Christmas. Tomorrow is the first day of a new year and the first page of a new book in the story of your life; with 364 pages to follow. Use gratitude to make the contents of it well worth reading. New year is a great time to reflect on all the things you have to be grateful for, and use these things to spur you onto great things in the New Year. After all Christmas can be a stressful time for families with all the pressure to come together and play happy families. It is possible to use gratitude at this time to show others how to be a pleasant person who attracts people to them. This does not mean lowering your standards or grovelling to others, for some crumb of approval. You can use gratitude to show them that there is a better way to live, and one which means people want to hear what you have to say. If you do this then every chapter of 2014will be a rivetingly powerful read. We would all love to make a fabulous impression in the year a head. If you could do this by using gratitude it would be worth trying, wouldn't it?

Gratitude can help you use your passions to you advantage

When you do a SWOT (Strengths Weakness Opportunity and Threats)analysis, you can find that one or more of your passions can help you turn what you perceive as a threat into a strength. I have a passion for cooking, but don't often get the chance to indulge my passion. Yet that doesn't mean I don't use this passion to my advantage. Telling someone about a dish you have made, and how to do it can be a great ice breaker. It can also be a way to find something in common with a prospect, or a way to be remembered by a gate keeper that doesn't cost you anything. In this later case, you might see your ability to get to see the right person in an organization as a weakness. This means by finding something as simple as good food in common with a receptionist, can be enough to establish a warm relationship that helps you get to the right person. It can also mean that you establish a bond with colleagues that gets them to work with you, and help you. By being grateful for your passions you can be proud of them and use them to prove you have something of interest to offer others. In light of the success of the Great British Bake Off a passion like this can get a great response quickly. Even more so if you bring in the evidence occasionally.