“Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom.” Jim Rohn

In this newsletter I announced that my new book, Believe You Can Be…Seven Simple Steps to Excellence, was available online at Amazon.com. Now it is also available on this website. Just click on the book link above to order! This is a book about transformation. It’s a book about opening up to the beauty inside yourself and living with the joy you deserve. You will learn steps to take to make 2004 your best year ever!

Recipes for Success

As a newlywed I was a fairly hopeless cook. There was almost no recipe I couldn’t burn, botch or boggle. In the years before marriage I’d never cared about cooking. I lived on peanut butter and jelly and my idea of cooking was the arduous task of warming a can of soup. But, now I was a wife. Someone else’s digestive track was depending on me. I made up my mind to learn to cook. I wheeled a giant cart up and down the grocery store isles looking for the perfect food that would go straight to my new husband’s heart by way of his stomach. I wanted to make a meal that would cause my new husband to brag to his unmarried buddies how wonderful it was to come home to his beautiful multitalented wife. I chose beef, a big hunk of beef. After arriving home with that large roast I realized that I had no idea what to do with it. That was when I did something smart. I called a woman who I knew was a good cook and I asked questions. She was happy to be asked. She very patiently and kindly explained to me how to cook a roast that would make my husband drool. She explained to me how to pick the right spices by smelling them and decide from their smell whether they would taste good on beef. She encouraged me t o be adventurous with my spices. Then she explained about searing in the juices so the beef would be tender and juicy.

I’ve got to admit that first roast probably wasn’t as much of a masterpiece as I thought it was at the time but it got the rave reviews I was hoping for. The meal was a success!

Whether we’re looking to make a success out of a meal, a job, or a life, a few simple techniques will help to make it happen and to make it fun.

Know what you want. Set clear concise goals for yourself. To get anywhere you must first know where you’re going. Start with the end in mind. Whether you’re thinking of changing jobs, purchasing a new home or simply trying to decide what color to paint your bedroom you must first know what you are trying to create to be able to make it happen.

“The highways of life are full of flat squirrels who couldn’t make up their minds.” Unknown

Embrace mentors. There are people all around you that have the answers to your questions. ASK. Most people enjoy sharing their knowledge. Asking for and accepting help will cut your learning curve way down and help you to quickly gain your own expertise.

“I claim to be no more than an average man with below average capabilities. I have not the shadow of a doubt that any man or woman can achieve what I have if he or she would put forth the same effort and cultivate the same hope and faith.” Mahatma Gandhi

Be adventurous. Don’t be afraid to step out of your box and try something new. We never grow until we’re willing to stretch. If your new mentor suggests trying something a little out of the ordinary for you or a little scary, try it! The only way to find what works best is to try something new. It also makes life a lot more fun.

“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.” Christopher Morley

This week, think of something you desire and put it through these steps. Get a clear picture of what you want. Find a mentor with the knowledge to guide you. Be adventurous!

Have a fantastic week filled with laughter, love and living.

To Your Continued Success,

Janice Madariaga