Category: Motivation

I’m Not Calling Them Resolutions.

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I get all fired up this time of year, but I just read a statistic that 44% of adult Americans make New Years Resolutions (original publication date 2011!) Hmmm.  Less than half.   So, odds are, if I write about resolutions, the information will resonate with less than half of you, and may actually irritate the others. In an informal poll of my household (ok, I asked my husband), my own research supports the 44% statistic, or close to half, as I set  them and my hubby does not.

So my challenge to you is not to Create Resolutions.  This will be the last time today I mention New Year and Resolutions.  Let’s just talk about Goals, Objectives and Outcomes. 

Objectives are small specific steps to reach a Goal.  Goals are larger, broader specific steps to achieve a desired Outcome.  Outcomes are the behavioral changes we want our goals to cause in us and in others.  In my time writing for a non-profit organization, I learned Outcomes are a more important and useful measurement of success than goals.  Outcomes get at the “Why” we should do something or work towards a certain goal. 

I am always a willing guinea pig, so let’s use my desired Outcome to “Stay Well and Get Strong” (it is).  My “Why” is to feel better, fit my clothes better, stay strong to live a long good life with my family, and others I don’t need to share.   

As examples, Specific Goals (broad statements) on the path to “Stay Well and Get Strong” are:

  1. Take my Nutritional Supplement Every Day
  2. Decrease my Caloric Intake
  3. Increase my activity level
  4. Add Strength Training to my exercise schedule
  5. Get Sleep

Objectives, or smaller and more specific steps, to help me achieve these goals include:

  1. Set up my nutritional supplement and vitamins for the week to make them more convenient to take (add a pill sorter to my grocery list).
  2. Fill and refrigerate reusable water bottles to make it more convenient, and therefore more likely, that I will drink more water and decrease my caloric intake (done).
  3. Rid fridge and cabinets of high calorie holiday food, and replace with healthier options (done).
  4. Add one more fresh fruit or vegetable option to every meal, to increase nutrition and decrease calories.
  5. Sign up for tennis lessons (done).
  6. Set up a viewing screen in front of the treadmill, to encourage use on these cold January days (I despise walking inside, but I can’t not work out until Spring comes to Chicago!).
  7. Add a weight lifting area, print information on proper form and exercises, and a grid for tracking time spent and number of reps.
  8. Get back to my 10 pm bed time / 10:30 lights out habit, now that the holidays are over.

So, Imagine your Outcomes, Set your Goals and Determine your Objectives.  Ways to make them work:

  1. Get all members involved in the planning if the goals and outcomes are for more than just you.
  2. Write them down and hang them up!  Writing them down makes our Goals real, and hanging them up keeps them right in front of us as we make decisions throughout the day.
  3. Be Realistic.  Unrealistic goals for me would be singing in a band (regrettably), playing for a woman’s basketball team, or quitting my real life and moving to Tibet.  As would losing 50 pounds or earning a million dollars this month.  Be realistic when imagining Outcomes and Goals.
  4. Be specific in your Objectives. “Work Better”:  not specific.  “Get through all new email by 10 am”, “write a book chapter every week” or “make one cold sales call every day”, much more specific. 
  5. Positive:  Make a positive statement with your Outcomes and Goal.  State what you will gain from making this behavioral change, not what you will lose.
  6. Imagine Outcomes and Set Goals that are meaningful to you, that you are passionate about.  You will be more likely to commit to them.  Make sure they are For You, and not for someone else’s dream of how you need to change and what you need to do.

     These are ideas for any time of year, not just these first few days.  Imagine your Outcomes, Set your Goals and get cracking on those Objectives!  Happy New Year!

1978’s Blue Velour Running Suit

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     I will admit to you, I still have Christmas Shopping to do.  I will finish later today, from the comfort of this very desk chair, after everyone is snug in their beds, settled down for a long winter’s nap, with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, etc.

    I boycotted all malls back in October, and have not (and will not) darkened the doors of one this holiday season.  So Amazon.com and the internet are my mall of choice, and I may invite Jim the UPS delivery guy to Christmas dinner, he’s been so important to my holiday happiness this year. 

     We employ the Amazon.com wish lists for all of us, and I installed the very useful Universal Wish List button on my browser a few weeks ago, for those items not found at Amazon.com but still centrally located on the amazon wish list.  I have items to purchase off-list and off-line, but I will be Keeping the Green in Evergreen (my village’s slogan) and shopping small local stores for these off-line items.  For shopping specifics, check out my November Blog about Shopping, Deals and Receipts.  I have been very happy to find that most on-line retailers I have been using are offering great promotions and / or free shipping. 

     Sometimes, it is the WHAT TO BUY Question that gets in the way this time of year.  I clearly remember receiving a dark blue velour (it was the 70’s) jogging suit from my Uncle John, and loving it.  He would buy everyone the same thing for Christmas, so 10 jogging suits in different colors and sizes, and he was done.  As a kid, I thought it was sort of funny, but today I recognize what a great idea that was!  So, if you are scratching your head for gift ideas, try a theme:

  • Charitable donations in a loved one’s name or to their favorite charity
  • One big Family gift, like a DVD player, Wii, ice cream maker, etc.
  • Family fun:  Board games, popcorn maker and bucket, hot cocoa ingredients
  • Events or Non-material gifts, such as Museum memberships, Theater or movie tickets, restaurant gift certificates, etc.
  • Sleep: Everyone gets new PJs, robe and slippers, books, blankets, alarm clocks or herbal tea
  • Reading:  Books or How-To Kits, book lights, Magazine subscriptions  
  • Photography:  Frames for some, cameras for others, digital picture key chains, digital picture frames, scrapbook kits, photography classes, you name it!
  • Vacation destination souvenirs
  • Electronics:  everyone really likes toys – no matter their age
  • Automotive:  Car Wash, driving gloves, car organizers, thermal coffee go-mugs, sunglasses
  • Movies:  DVD players (big or portable), movie tickets, DVDs, trivia games

     Tomorrow night, after everyone is in bed, I’ll put on my I-Pod with my Christmas mix,  set up the gift wrapping table and pull out my supplies; gift wrap or bags, tissue paper, tape, ribbons, scissors, tags and a pen.  I’ll open up the shipping boxes that have arrived and start wrapping their contents, then sort the wrapped gifts into large boxes per destination (Christmas eve at Grandma’s, Christmas Morning with my kids, Christmas Day with my in-laws, Day After Christmas with my family) and grab the box I need as the event nears.  Wrapping things now saves me in a number of ways:

  1. Everything will be done and ready by the end of the week, giving me more time to relax next week!
  2. If I need supplies for wrapping, I’ll find out now instead of 11 pm Christmas Eve, and I’ll add the supplies to my grocery list for this week.
  3. If I have any more gifts to purchase, batteries to add, etc., I’ll find that out now, too, while I still have time solve any problems. 

Have fun with your gift giving and wrapping, and Uncle John:  Merry Christmas and Thanks!

GPS for the Christmas Season

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I was introduced to a car GPS system this past week.  My hubby got one, and I also traveled around the Chicago area with some out-of-town guests who used one in their car, and Wow, what a handy gadget!  A smooth voice tells you exactly what turns to make and when, and what the steps are to successfully reach your destination.   This little tool does all this while simultaneously alerting you to traffic trouble or the next gas station / rest room / eatery.   

 That smooth voice is never without a suggestion.  She does not judge your driving, nor get angry when you ignore her instructions and go your own way for a while.  My favorite part of the GPS?  “Re-calculating”.    The smooth voice does not throw up her GPS hands or shake a finger at you in exasperation when things don’t go as planned, she just… Re-Calculates.

We have fun in the car, pretending what the voice would say if she was real: “LEFT!  I said take a LEFT!”, but instead she is always calm and soothing, and simply offers the next logical suggestion to help you reach your destination. 

At all times, I let my motto of “Service to God, Family and Community, in that Order” guide my decisions.  But this Christmas season, my internal Colleen-voice will also whisper “Re-calculating….”.  Often. 

Take a breath, clean up the mess, sing the Christmas carol, welcome the friend, care for the stranger, order the gift, and get it all done.  And when things don’t go as planned, and assuredly, sometimes they won’t, I’ll try not to get distracted or frustrated.  I will just… Re-Calculate.

Inspiration on the Indiana Toll Road

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A loved one asked me over the weekend if I had a trick for getting people over their procrastination.  I replied “If I did, I’d be rich!”  I wish it were as simple as a trick, but for most of us, conquering procrastination is any thing but simple. 

     In my role as an organizer, I can tell you what to do, how to do it, and why you should.  I can even stand next to you, and do it with you.  You know what you should do to Get Things Done, what you Need to do.  But YOU have to ACT.   There are resources available to help, but you have to act. 

     Pondering the question again later, I was reminded of two words, from high school physics and college Psych courses, Inertia and Insanity:

  • Inertia is “the name for the tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion, or an object at rest to remain at rest, unless acted upon by a force. This concept was quantified in Newton’s First Law of Motion” (from About.com). 
  • And a common definition of Insanity “is doing the same things over and over again, and expecting a different outcome.”
  • Hmmm… maybe they are both In- words because I was on the In-diana toll road?

     These two words were rolling around in my head as I rolled down the highway.  Inertia keeps us moving if we are moving, but also keeps us stopped if we are stopped.  And insanity keeps us trying (or avoiding) the same things over and over, expecting different results. 

       I think two parts of procrastination are

  1. Lack of Action, because that is our habit and we are used to it; and
  2. Not learning from our experience, doing things the same way all the time even with poor results. 

Find Your Motivator:
When starting a project or looking at a life change, look inside, and find your motivator – improving your health?  Saving or making Money?  An upcoming event or life change?  Desire for respect or admiration?  Your Self motivation?  Image?  These are all great motivators – find yours and use it (there can be more than one, of course)!

Acknowledge your Hurdles:
When the inertia of procrastination sets in, be ready to ask yourself “What is holding me back?”  Are you tired, hungry, bored, depressed, distracted, overwhelmed?  Then ask yourself, “Will I let any of these trivial and passing annoyances de-rail my plans or my progress?”  No way!  So, get cracking! 

Make Your Mantra:
Changing your internal soundtrack can go a long way to conquering procrastination.  Once you know your motivator, be ready to remind yourself –  a lot! – of what is motivating you, what you will gain from finishing your project, and how great you will feel when your project is complete.   Remind yourself, too, that reaching your goal in lots of little steps is still progress.  And often, little pieces are less overwhelming and more manageable than big chunks.  

Finally, remember, there are two parts of the definition of Inertia.  True, when we are stopped we tend to stay stopped, but once in motion, we tend to stay in motion.  I found Inspiration on the Indiana tollroad, to overcome the inertia and insanity of procrastination.

168 Hours A Week, 1440 Minutes a Day

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     If you and your calendar are feeling stretched thin or maxed out, maybe it is time to take a look at your Time Management practices.  There are three Questions to ask yourself:  What tasks can only I do?  and what can someone do for me?   Finally, what is the most important thing right now? 

If you need to make some breathing room in your schedule…

1.  Outsource whenever possible.

  • I love providing for my family, but I hate shopping.  Lately, the physical act of acquiring more stuff in a store drives me crazy.     
  • So I resolved to put the joy back in my holiday planning, and shop on-line as much as possible.  I am willing to pay a little more in shipping, just to save my sanity while finding the great gifts.
  • What Can Only You Do:
    • Be the family member to your kids, spouse, parents, siblings; 
    • Your professional life;
    • Mail / To Do List / Bill Paying
    • Decision Making / Big Picture (leaving implementation to outsourced person)
  • What Can someone else do?  There are always things that you can pay someone else to do.  Clean your yard or your house, shop for or wrap your gifts, cater your parties.  All of these things require an exchange of $$ for convenience and expertise, but that exchange may be worth it, if it helps you out.  You do not have to solve every problem yourself.  There are trained professionals and technological wonders that can solve problems for you!  
  • I am not a crafty person (at all).  My creative friend dropped off my lovely new hand crafted gift certificates to me today, just in time for the holidays.  The exchange of money for services is totally worth it!
  • Be ready to relinquish some control, in the interest of getting help / getting things done.

2.   This may sound crazy coming from a professional organizer, but don’t do a task just because it needs done. 

  • I just went out to check the mail, and I notice my yard needs raked.  The street department will come soon to clear the curb side, it looks messy to me, it just needs raked.  And I like to rake (don’t tell anyone).
  • But I, Colleen, also have a really important meeting in 2 hours that I need to prepare for, and I need to get dinner on the table before I leave.
  • So I tack “Rake” on to my kids’ to-do list for after school, and I get ready for my meeting.   I have more than one thing that needs done right now, so one task has to take priority.
  • Take care of tomorrow and this week before you worry about something in 2011!

3.  If there is a task on your To-Do list that is a gate to other things, get it done.

  • Putting my son’s Christmas Lists on Amazon.com will help my family members get started on their To-Do lists, so at some point today, that task will take top priority and it will get done.  
  • I have to send out an email query about an event coming up, so I can get final numbers and start preparing for it.  The numbers influence the final outcome, so I had better write that email!

4.  Why can’t we just get started?  

  • I am a perfectionist.  Honestly, you probably are, too.  I often struggle with not having the time I need to finish a task exactly the way I want it to be finished.  So, then it gets put aside again and again, waiting for that perfect opportunity. 
  • Let me be the first to tell you, Perfect is an illusion for we humans.  It is reserved for God, not us.  So perfect opportunities may never come.  And our tasks may never get done, if we keep waiting.
  • A very smart person at a meeting last week asked “Why can’t we get started on this great idea now, instead of waiting 4 weeks until our next meeting?”  Turns out, there was no reason why we could not get started.  So we did!
  • Just Do It.  Don’t wait for perfect, don’t wait at all.  Value “getting it done”! 

5.  Make things simpler.

  • Helped loved ones move out of their home over the weekend.  At one point, one of them walked back into the now empty, cleared-out house and asked if he could stay.  His garage had never been that spacious, his kitchen never that uncluttered!  Simple seemed very appealing.
  • It is never too late to clear clutter, either from your house, your schedule or your mind.  It is always a good idea!
  • Eliminate clutter, and don’t replace it (see last week’s Pantry Shopping blog article!).

I challenge you to look at your next 168 hours a little differently!  Have a great week.

Create Money, Space and Peace of Mind in The Pantry This Week!

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(Original publication, 2010!!)

I gave my kitchen some attention this past week.   I cleaned out and assessed one cabinet a night every night, after dinner.  I spent less than 20 minutes on each cabinet, and now I am done.

Cabinet by cabinet, I made sure that what I have in each place is what I need there.  For example, all baking supplies are together, as are the serving dishes for parties. I put my soup pot in a more user-friendly spot for winter.  I purged anything un-used and un-necessary.

One of my favorite kitchen organizing strategies this time of year is Pantry Shopping. Here’s the definition: “figure out what you have and use it”. Pretty low tech, I know, but it is oh-so-useful this time of year!  Pantry shopping benefits you and your kitchen in a number of ways:

  • Take this opportunity to assess what you have on hand, and put it in a useful spot.
  • Open up some space and clear some clutter before holiday cooking and baking takes over.
  • Save money at the grocery by using up what you have instead of buying more.
  • Share with people less fortunate that you, if you can, and be a responsible steward of what you have.
  • Use items before their expiration date.


So, take some time this week to go through your cabinets, refrigerator, freezer and pantry.  Determine what you have on hand and if there is an excess in any area.  For example, I know my freezer space is always at a premium once I start my holiday baking, so I will use up the big bulky and boxed items this month, making room for other things.  I also keep a stock pile of canned and non-perishable goods during the winter months, but I can still see that 12 cans of green beans is excessive (though I do love Costco!), so we’ll add green beans to a couple of meals this week.

We will enjoy the cheaper grocery bills that come with pantry shopping, knowing that the expensive holiday cooking is just around the corner. We will limit the shopping to produce, dairy and bread as long as we can.  There may be some odd food combinations as we use things up, but that is literally a small price to pay!

We will also take this opportunity for a teachable moment and have the kids help me bag up extra food we have on hand and drop them off at our local Food Pantry.  We also talk about what is necessary to make a healthy meal (protein, veggie, complex carb), so a double teaching bonus!

I usually attribute this concept to Mary Hunt, in either Cheapskate in the Kitchen or Debt-Proof Your Holidays, but checking those books yesterday, awesome reads by the way, did not yield proof.  It could be from her newsletters over the year.  Mostly, I just want to give the idea person his or her props, so I hope I did.

Spend a little time this week in your kitchen, and reap the benefits for months to come!

I Climbed A Wall

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I Climbed A Wall.   This may not seem noteworthy, but for me, it is.  I am not a very athletic person.  I walked my first 5K last week, and got timed for 3.2 miles, all of which was a great experience.  But if I am looking for motivation in life, my mind goes to when I Climbed a Wall.

     My oldest son opted for an indoor rock-climbing place for his birthday party this past Spring.  I am The Mom, in charge of all things Birthday Party, and did not plan on climbing, but one of our climbers opted out, and we had the space.

     Here is what I learned, and what you can learn from facing your own challenges: 

  • We are stronger than we think.  
  • Sometimes we need cheerleaders, even if they are a group of pre-teens (my son and his friends) or total strangers.
  • Traveling light is easier.  My slender but strong pre-teen scaled the wall in no time flat.  Proof that traveling light but strong is easier than traveling weighed down by stuff.
  • Sometimes Help Is Necessary.  For safety and inspiration and perspective. 
  • Good tools can amplify your strength.  My Belayer (definition:  He or she who holds the rope for the climber) was a tiny, slender 20-something, and I was convinced that if I fell, I would crush us both.  She assured me that the pulley, hooks, ropes, etc., that were hooked to the wall above me, would provide more than enough assistance.  And she was right.
  • Sometimes what is most important is at your fingertips, sometimes it’s over your head, and sometimes it is at your feet.
  • Sometimes others see things more clearly than I do.  A change in perspective can make all the difference.  I could not see my next toe or hand hold, but someone standing back and looking at my situation could see things better than me.
  • Sometimes we have to Just DO IT.  I had not planned to climb that day, but we had paid for one more climber than we had, so I decided to give it a try.  And I am glad that I did.   

     My Belayer would not let me quit.  Even though I really wanted to, because climbing is really hard work.  From her vantage point, she could see I only had a few more feet to climb to reach the top.  She told me to LOOK UP and SEE, and that made all the difference.

     For the first few days, I felt the muscle ache, but took it as a sign of accomplishment.  Five months later, the ache is long gone, and I get a swell of pride and confidence and inspiration when I think back to that day.  So if I face a challenge, I’ll say Bring It.  You can’t scare me.  I Climbed a Wall.  And You Can, Too.

The Last Ten Minutes

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I’m not talking about the past ten minutes, any 10 minutes, or your last 10 minutes on earth.  Nothing as deep as that.  How you spend the last 10 minutes of a work activity can greatly impact your entire day tomorrow or week this week.

We are taught from a young age to put our toys away when we are done with them.  We do this because the teacher or mom told us to, and so that the play room looks nice, and our toys won’t be stepped on and we’ll be able to find the toys again the next time we want to play with them. 

Now, let’s translate this into big-people terms, in the home or office.  The next time you spend an hour at your desk or the table paying bills, spend the last 10 minutes actually filing the paid bill stubs in the right month or category, so the space looks tidy, the papers are protected and you can find them if you need them again.  If you pay your bills on-line, spend those last 10 minutes printing your receipts to paper or PDF, and filing those and / or your email notices of payment in the appropriate sub folder on your computer (you can do categories or months on there, too!).     

If I am working with a client, the last 10 minutes of our session is spent:

  1. hauling trash and recycling out the door;
  2. loading up donations of clothes or electronics to leave the house or office, and delivering the “Going elsewhere in my home” pile;
  3. reviewing what we learned during this session;
  4. determining and discussing client homework; and
  5. scheduling our next appointment and what we want to do at that session.

We wrap up today, clean up our mess and look at our new organized space, then set up the plan for next time.  I am looking at my desk right now, and if I were my own client, my last 10 minutes would be spent:

  1. shredding the small shred pile accumulated today;
  2. filing stuff that needs to be filed for future retrieval (that is the only reason to keep anything, by the way); and
  3. Tossing the recyclable stuff in the bin in the kitchen.
  4. Then there is the “Going Somewhere” pile.  Today it all goes in my purse, and it includes both personal and professional items:
    • the note to go to the principal tomorrow about the Recycling Drive;
    • the campus map I need to find an office at a nearby university;
    • a check received against an invoice, which will be deposited;
    • a handwritten Get Well card to a friend; and
    • mail to be mailed.
    • Other example of “Going Somewhere” could be items I need to keep, but put elsewhere in my home, like bills to pay, calendar items, receipts, etc. 
  5. Now for my plan for tomorrow.  Tomorrow’s pile is actually in a Day of the Week folder, Tuesday to be specific.  It includes things I did not get finished today that I am moving ahead to tomorrow, and it also has things in it for Tuesday that I have added since last week.  Clients to call, work to do, classes to schedule, bills to pay, etc.   I can leave myself a note on urgent items, or even email it to myself as a reminder.  If I scout out these things today, it helps me to plan my day tomorrow and foresee any challenges to resolve.

So I shut the door on an office that is cleaned up and ready for tomorrow.  Imagine how much more productive my day will be tomorrow, spending those Last 10 Minutes in a useful way today!

Quick – Where are your Keys? Your Cell Phone?

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I attended a National Preparedness Month tele-seminar a few weeks ago.  We talked about big, life-changing events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, and insurance, preparation and recovery.  The class reminded me that even little events have the capacity for rocking our world if we are unprepared.

     We need to be prepared for big events and big-to-us events. 

     I remember late night ER visits for croup with my babies.  Not big events for other people, but big and critical and terrifying to us at 2 am.  The same strategies work for all emergencies, big or small. 

     Let’s bring National Preparedness month down to a convenient pocket size.  Know, at all times, where a few vital items are.  They may be:

  1. Cell Phone (with contacts and calendar up to date);
  2. Car and house keys (clipped to my purse at the door at all times);
  3. Wallet and Insurance card (we each carry one in our wallets);
  4. Emergency medications (Diabetics can carry insulin and a snack, asthmatics carry inhalers, people with allergies carry epi-pens);
  5. Bag or purse:  When my boys were babies, we re-stocked the diaper bag the moment we got home.  You never know when you have to run out the door, for your own emergency or someone else’s.  And
  6. Family members and pets?  This sounds odd, but you need to know where all of your family members are sleeping each night.  We insist the kids sleep in their own beds every night for lots of reasons, but also because we need to be able to find them in the dark if there was a fire or an emergency.

     So, What are your vital items?  

     Make it a point to choose a home for these items and commit to putting them in their home every day, and know that you are ready to conquer your own emergencies.

Taking Care Of Business Tuesdays

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Last week, I mentioned my Monday Charger Morning.  It is Monday morning, I just got back from my 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, and put my house back together after a busy and fun weekend.  My stuff is charging and I am mostly caught up.  So I consider my Charger morning a success.  So on to Taking Care of Business!

I had a wonderful client (actually, all my clients are wonderful) who kept a “Take Care of Me Tuesday”.  Our 2 hour paper management session was part of that day, as was a thorough housecleaning and an appointment for something relaxing like a pedicure or massage. 

I use that idea still, in my business, as Taking Care of Business Tuesday. 

I love being a professional organizer.  It’s a great way to spend my days, helping people make their worlds work better.  I am also blessed because the same skills – excellent time, paper and clutter management – are necessary to run a business.  The drawback?  I feel compelled to be the organized person in every relationship.  It is up to me to follow-up, check in, and generally be on the ball all the time.  That is not really a problem, I am just always aware of it. 

 So, I carved out a morning to Take Care of Business.  On a typical Tuesday I could some or all of the following:

  • I look back at the past week and
    • Account for time spent with clients
    • Write up my banking deposit
    • Pay bills and create invoices for services rendered
    • Balance my check book and put info into Quicken
    • Check client appointment notes and follow-up on any Tasks I have (e.g., “forward article on closet organizing to K.”, “find place to recycle used TVs”)
  • Then I look at this week and
    • Post my blog and send my newsletter
    • Make sure my class bag is ready to go to class with handouts and visuals
    • Check in with my coaching clients
    • Confirm client appointments for this week
    • Follow up on any lingering emails from the weekend
  • Then I look ahead and
    • Back up my computer
    • Generate and post advertising flyers
    • Post upcoming classes on my Face Book page
    • Send out letters and emails to generate new classes at new sites

I like doing these things on Tuesday.  I read an article that said that Tuesday is the most productive day of the week, and from experience, I concur  (Accountemps, February, 2008).  Monday is for catching up, Tuesday is for action.  It also provides flexibility, if someone needs me on a Tuesday, I can move my TCB activities later in the week and still get it all done.  The day is not the point, though.

 The Point is that We need to set aside time for regular maintenance and progress in the pursuit of success.