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About a month ago, I had a post asking if you had a mentor, and shared some of my thoughts about being assigned the roll of a mentor. On the flip side, a mentor can be a super positive thing.

First of all, what role does a mentor actually play? Well, my definition would be someone you trust and/or admire who is available to you for counsel and advice. That could really be worth a lot, huh?

The problem is, it may not be that easy to find such a person! Here, let’s discuss a couple of tips for finding that person who can have your back when you need advice or motivation.

1. Know what your looking for. I think the first step is to know exactly what you are looking for in that person. What kind of advice are you seeking? Business?…….Relationship?……..Spiritual? This is important, because you’ll want to get good advice and counsel, and the mentor will probably get something from the role as well.
2. Actively seek someone. In my opinion, the best mentor relationships will just happen. But you can’t sit around and wait on that. You may just happen to meet the right person who takes an interest in your success, then again, you may not. Don’t hope to find the right person, make it happen.
3. Know where to look. Sometimes the best mentors are not in the most obvious places. Take for instance, the movie the Karate Kid. I’m sure Daniel wasn’t hoping he would find a handy-man at his apartment building to become his mentor. A good mentor could be a successful neighbor, someone on the management team where you work, someone you go to church with, or someone who is just one of your friends who you think could help you. Keep an open mind, but only consider those whom you think know their stuff. Everyone has had a mentor at some point, whether realized or not. What kind of person were they? What was your relationship to them? That may be a good place to start.
4. Ask someone you admire for a referrel. You may know someone you have a lot of respect for, who’s not really available for any number of reasons. They can likely pass you on to someone else, who could be just the right person. You don’t have to say “I’m looking for a mentor”. Tell them your obstacles, and that you need some advice. That’s where the whole relationship begins.

Regardless of how you find a mentor, I think it’s important to have one. Everyone is faced with decisions that are hard to make, and situations that are hard to deal with. Having someone who wants to see you do well, there guiding you along can keep you motivated and confident!

Tags: Business, Career, Goals by Anthony ∗ No Comments »

In my family, I come from a long line of traders. My dad, my brother, others in my extended family, like to buy and sell things. Preferably to turn a profit. This includes almost anything, but mostly cars, boats, etc. I instinctively want to do the same thing. It’s in the blood-line.

A year or two ago, my dad bought a bright red Chevrelet Silverado that I’ve admired since he got it. Well, now he has another vehicle, and this one’s for sale. I really like this pick-up truck. I can afford to buy it, but it would set me back on reaching my other goals.

Ok……..I admit it……..I have pictured myself driving it!

The truth is, my other goals are more important than some vehicle. I think this is a perfect example of keeping your eye on the prize when you have your goals set. Financially speaking, there always are, and there always will be “opportunities” to get you off track. The bottom line is, I never really considered it, because the decision was made at the time I set my financial goals. I’m not upgrading my vehicle, until I reach a certain point. I still like the truck, though.

Do you have a hard time staying on track?

Tags: Goals, Money by Anthony ∗ 2 Comments »

While making my way through the local McDonald’s drive-thru the other day, something in the background caught my attention. This drive-thru is one of those where the first window is where the financial transaction occurs, and the second window is where the customer is rewarded with the food they’ve paid for. In the first window, I noticed two signs on the wall which served to remind employees of the goals. The first sign read:

Obviously, no big deal. It’s good that they have goals to keep things moving. The drive-thru is not a place where the customer wants to sit and wait. I’ve been under the impression that the whole purpose was the speed. The sign that hung just below the first read:

Again, not a big deal to me at all. The faster we can exchange the money, the quicker this whole deal can go down. Let me pay you, you give me the food, and we’re done. At this point, the customer has to drive up to the next window to retrieve the food. I was interested to see what the “Order Fulfillment Goal” would be. Unfortunately, there was no sign hanging on the wall in the second window. At least it wasn’t visible to the customers as the signs in the first window were.

I’m not on an Anti-McDonald’s crusade. My impression was that them taking my money was much more important than delivering hot fresh food in a quick and orderly way. Unfortunately, the first two objectives, order-taking and money-exchanging, were the fastest parts. When I got to the second window, I waited for 3 or 4 minutes until I was asked to pull forward……where my order would be brought out to me as soon as it was ready. I guess they didn’t want me to hold up the line……and no, my order was no complicated order with “special requests”. A simple combo meal as it comes “stock”.

So, is McDonald’s missing the point?

Tags: Best Practices, Business, Goals by Anthony ∗ No Comments »

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to draw bargains like a magnet, while others pay top price for everything they purchase? If there are so many bargains available, why would anyone pay full price for anything? Well, I believe it boils down to several different types of people, and the way they make buying decisions.

A Simple Truth

Whether it’s fair or not, the people who get the best deals are people who have money. The guy who never has a dime to his name will always pay full price or more. As a matter of fact, there’s a whole industry that preys on the penny-less. That’s how credit card companies and cash advance establishments make so much money. They catch people when they’re down, and tack on the interest!

Why do people with money get better deals? Someone who always has money in his/her pocket gets the best deals for a variety of reasons. Here are a few of them:

1. They can buy NOW……..while the deal is hot.
2. If they were to borrow money, they are less risk for a lendor.
3. They will be offered bargains because of their ability to buy.
4. They know needs and emergencies are coming, and they are prepared…..which gives them money.
5. They know standard prices and seek discounts.

So it all comes down to having money. Always having money doesn’t necessarily mean that you make a LOT of it. It just means that you don’t spend every penny you get. It’s important to learn how to carry money in your wallet or purse, and not spend it. If you can do that, there will always be opportunities to save money on purchases. You just have to be prepared to take advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves.

Tags: Best Practices, Goals, How To, Money by Anthony ∗ 4 Comments »

Well, since I started my site over from scratch on February 1, 2007, I think it’s done pretty well when considering what type of site it is. The fact that it’s a personal website that tries to provide some informative content, rather than being a site to try and build a business off of, I’m pleased with the numbers so far. Of course, I would love to see my subscriber numbers rise, but after only a month, that doesn’t seem so bad. I installed the shortstat plungin on February 21st, and so far I’m averaging around 100 unique visits per day and I’ve had right at 8000 “hits” since installing the plugin on the 21st. The majority of traffic I’ve gotten has come from Google as a result of a few “How To” posts. Commenting on other blogs has provided some visits as well, as other readers of those blogs take a look at Antbag.com after reading the comments I leave. Hopefully, some of that traffic will stick around, rather than take one look out of curiosity and move on. I guess that’s where having good content comes in.

On a separate note, I always enjoy seeing what kind of RSS buttons other sites have, and I’ve seen some pretty creative ones. I’ve made a couple, and this one is my favorite so far. I have to think about the purpose in the first place so I don’t go over the top with it. To me, the point is for it to be easy to find and hopefully even draw the eyes just a little - without being annoying or distracting. Maybe this one fits the bill.

Tags: Blogging, Goals, Images, Wordpress by Anthony ∗ 2 Comments »

**My original title was “Non-Existence of Job Security”. This post was included in Brian Clark’s Headline Remix Madness on the popular Copyblogger.com. So I’ve changed the headline following his tips and suggestion.

To be honest, I think about this a lot. I’ve read many times that there really is no such thing any more. So why have I stayed at my job? I do feel a certain sense of security whether that be real or imagined. I don’t hate my job. As a matter of fact, I’ve stayed at my present job longer than any other job, and I’ve made far more money on my current job than with any other. Yet, I still don’t feel like I’ve found my “niche” yet. You know, my purpose, or my calling. I often daydream of working for myself in some way, where I have more freedom with my time and am able to be closer to my family.

As far as jobs go, what’s wrong with mine? Here are the cons, as I see it:

• Long days (sometimes 12 hours or more)
• Inside a huge facility rather than out and about
• Can’t have my cell phone with me
• Can’t access the internet and check my email - only company mail
• Work screwy hours
• On my feet all day
• Usually have to work on holidays

Okay, so if that’s what I don’t like about it, then what are the good points….I mean, why would I still be there after 10 years? The pros:

• Good Pay
• Decent Benefits
• Stable Company in a Stable Industry (seemingly)
• I’m good at what I do which brings a sense of pride and accomplishment

So I guess the question would be, do the “pros” or the “cons” weigh more? If I could come to terms with that, I wouldn’t be asking myself the question.

Dislike or Hate?

I’ve read several good articles lately that deal with this very subject. How to Survive (and Thrive!) In a Job You Hate and Finding Your Passion Amid The Hate are two that really stand out! In my case, hate is a really strong word, but the principles still apply. In the latter, Tony D. Clark says that there are positives to any job, and more than likely, your passion lies in one of the positives of your current job. I thought that was an interesting concept. If I were to find my passion in the pros I listed earlier, it would have to be “sense of pride and accomplishment”. I would assume there are many ways to acquire those things, as well as the pay. I suppose the point I’m trying to make is this: There should be something you like about your job. If you’re only in your job for the purpose of job security, you might as well continue searching for a better opportunity.

Tags: Career, Goals by Anthony ∗ 9 Comments »