Happy New Year … For this year to be better and more fulfilling, you must make new and better decisions. Making the same decisions as last year and previous years will only bring the same results.

Make upward and move forward decisions, beginning today, yes right now!

I am Matt and I am your friend … Call me at (209)732-Matt or email me at matt@onthemoveforward.com

Many entrepreneurs of the for profit, non-profit, and ministry world have a tendency to lose sight of the PFE (Purpose For Existence) and begin to focus on the “HOW” to grow.

The primary focus of all entrepreneurs is to stay focused on their original purpose in beginning the endeavor. Where focus remains, energy and resources flow. All the answers to growth questions are discovered in the PFE.

When growth and maturity stalls, and the endeavor begins to fall, dive back into the original reason you began the endeavor in the first place and you will re-catch inspiration. Once this is caught you will discover all the answers towards a solution.

Once you see the solution, begin immediately with it. Trust your discovery and reignite through refocusing on your PFE.

The truth is it is not our job to make something grow; it is our job to stay focused on the health of our mind-set and purpose. If our mind-set and purpose are honorable and strategic effort is occuring then growth will happen naturally.

What water and sunlight are to plants honorable purposes, value-centered mindset, and strategic effort are to great endeavors.

Enjoy your endeavor and remember I am Matt and I am your friend. When you need anything just reach out to me at matt@onthemoveforward.com .

Many entrepreneurs of the for profit, non-profit, and ministry world have a tendency to lose sight of the PFE (Purpose For Existence) and begin to focus on the “HOW” to grow.

The primary focus of all entrepreneurs is to stay focused on their original purpose in beginning the endeavor. Where focus remains, energy and resources flow. All the answers to growth questions are discovered in the PFE.

When growth and maturity stalls, and the endeavor begins to fall, dive back into the original reason you began the endeavor in the first place and you will re-catch inspiration. Once this is caught you will discover all the answers towards a solution.

Once you see the solution, begin immediately with it. Trust your discovery and reignite through refocusing on your PFE.

The truth is it is not our job to make something grow; it is our job to stay focused on the health of our mind-set and purpose. If our mind-set and purpose are honorable and strategic effort is occuring then growth will happen naturally.

What water and sunlight are to plants honorable purposes, value-centered mindset, and strategic effort are to great endeavors.

Enjoy your endeavor and remember I am Matt and I am your friend. When you need anything just reach out to me at matt@onthemoveforward.com .

The day of gift giving is upon us … Which begs the question “what is the great gift?” that we can give to our friends, acquaintances, and family?

Beyond a computer, IPAD, that special article of clothing, book or anything else, they want you! Yet so many of us are here and not here at the same time. We are stranded somewhere else.

Some of us are stranded in the past because of someone we miss or something that happened. There are some of us that are stuck either in our same made “safety zone” or our “fear zone”. Then there are those of us that are in the valley of worrying about the future and what “might happen?”.

Each place removes us from being in the present with our friends, acquaintances, and loved ones. Come here to the present, the future has a way of taking care of itself. Step out and away from your safety or fear zone, let the past go through honoring it without continuously grieving over it.

You in the present is the greatest present you can give to hose in your life and world. Once you get completely here in the present you can become a portal for those in your life and world to have a glimps into enternity.

I am Matt and I am your friend, when I can do anything for you, just ask.

Matt@onthemoveforward.com

Now just over 35 years ago is when Billy Barr told me “the books you read become the stairs to the next level of your life.”

I have lost contact with Billy, yet if I could speak with him today I would say thank you for his wise advise to me. He is so correct. Since that day there have been very few days hat have past by with reading something from a book. Yes, some were as dry as eating dirt, yet they enfused discipline to finish what I began. Some were like plugging into the source of wisdom.

For a list of good books look under the tab on my web site entitled “help for leaders”.

Enjoy your weekend. Here is a quote I read this morning.

Take some time in a quiet place to contemplate
the balance between being of service -
both to this generation and to generations yet unborn -
and renewing your vitality with play and celebration.
Without play, one becomes old and dry.
Without service, life becomes meaningless.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I am Matt and your friend, when you need anything just ask :~)matt@onthemoveforward.com

As the rising sun burns away tulle fog, so vision and purpose clear the way for wise choices.

K’nect to move forward

There are three ways to move an organization forward. 
1) Point to the destination and instruct them to go there. 
2) Go to the desired location and motion to the team to come here
3) K’nect with the team through vision, purpose, and relationships of integrity

The third is by far the most effective means in moving your organization and team forward.  Vision is what you as a leader already see in such a clear sense, it is as you’ve already been there and back. 

Purpose is the reason why we need to move from here to there. You must have a vital compelling purpose to leave the safety of here and pass through the insecurity of change. 

Integrity is what you have stock piled in the bank of character. Once you have invested over time your yes being yes and your no being no, then other will see you as a person who has integrity. 

My name is Matt and I am your friend. When I can do anything for you, just ask at matt@onthemoveforward.com

This is an article that my daughter Carol Ann wrote, which i thought you would enjoy reading and pondering.

When a person hears someone say ”you’ll come through this with flying colors’, the image of success and accomplishment comes to mind. Unfortunately these things are not in most people’s thoughts; most people cannot picture themselves successful or accomplished. Which causes the metaphor” you will come through this with flying colors”, be something that is foreign to most people. One might say that this metaphor has nothing to do with real life, although authors Lakoff and Johnson would disagree. According to their book ” Metaphors We Live By”, metaphors are something that is used in everyday life and it not just part of language; it is a key ingredient to the thoughts and actions of people.  This being said there has to be reason why most people cannot believe in this metaphor, something has caused this to happen.

If a person were to turn the news on today, it would be very hard to find something positive being talked about. Most things are negative and gloomy. These negative images are all over the place, a person can not go anywhere with out hearing some sort of bad news or discouragement.  As a result of the conditions in the world today it is hard for people to see things in a positive light. Individuals do not envision themselves coming through anything with flying colors; instead they see failure. This fact causes huge discouragement in the world we live in. There are three main reasons that the world we live in has trouble believing that he or she can pass things with flying colors.

The first is our economy, which is getting worse and worse as time goes on. The news reports that it is getting better; yet people are scared and worried about what is to come. Thus the metaphor of coming through something with flying colors is a concept that most people do not even comprehend. The way most people see it is that it’s going to get worse before it ever gets better. Thus finding the positive is very difficult.

The second item that causes the metaphor to not be believable is the huge amount of job loss in the world. In September of 2011 U.S. Department of Labor reported that 14 million people are currently un employed. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). This fact alone can create a huge impact on an individual. It would make it very hard for a person to see himself or herself coming through that impact of a job loss with flying colors. A Job loss does not only affect the individual that loss his or her job; it affects everyone around them. Therefore the idea of coming through the event with flying colors does not only seem far fetched to the individual that lost his or her job, it is to his or her family as well. It becomes a domino affect to everyone close to the situation.

The third and final example that I wish to show is the increase in the cost of living. This combined with the previous mentioned examples are a huge stress for many people. Which again causes our metaphor to be non-existent in his or her life. The things that used to cost one thing have doubled even tripled recently. A good example of this is gas prices, which just keep going up instead of going down. Price increases combined with job loss and lack of raises can cause a lot of stress and discouragement in individuals.

As shown there are reasons why the metaphor ”you’ll come through this with flying colors”, is so hard for people to believe. When looking through the lens of life negativity is much easier to see then the positive things of life. In order to make this metaphor live again and be a part of everyday life like metaphors were designed to be, a person has to change the lens of life they look through. The negative one has to be tossed aside and the positive lens have to be put on. To accomplish this the first thing a person has to do is find the positive in things. Even when the economy is failing, jobs are being lost, and prices are increasing, a person has to find a little positive in everything. This will bring our metaphor to reality, and make it easier to grasp.

Second a person has to take one step at a time, and not become overwhelmed with everything that is going on around them. In essence he or she has to stop and smell the roses. Lastly he or she needs to be thankful for everything they do have. Even if the world is caving down around him or her, being thankful for what is left helps to bring out the positive.

In conclusion “ passing with flying colors” can be a metaphor that is lived out and used in more than just writing and language. The conditions of the world do not have to be a reason people feel discouraged and gloomy. It can be the very reason why people find the positive and begin to come through things with flying colors. All it takes is a little effort and belief. Even with all the bad things that happen in the world on a daily basis, good things still can happen, people just have to look for it.

Thank You , such a simple gesture

People pass us by everyday and never hear a word of thanks for who or what they do. When we say a heart felt “thank you” it changes attitudes and outlooks. 
People pass us by everyday and never hear a word of thanks for who or what they do. When we say a heart felt “thank you” it changes attitudes and outlooks.

There are times a heart felt thank you falls on a broken heart. You may think they have not received your gesture of gratitude. Yet, a seed of “thank you” never fails it’s mission. 

Purpose to be a planter of “thank you” seeds and in due season they will grow into brighter times. 

I am Matt and am your friend. When you need anything, just ask at Matt@onthemovefordward.com

Gratitude changes how you see things. People involved in the same circumstance will replay and review the situation based on thier attitude about it. Those that have a “life is against me attitude”, will see the circumstance in a negative gloomy way. Those that view the same situation through the lens of “life is for me” will tend to see opportunity, blessing, and positive things in it.

Your attitude is yours, you choose it. Decide now to train your heart and mind to view your world as though it is completely for you. Life is better this way.

I am Matt and I am your friend, when you need anything just ask. You can reach me at matt@onthemoveforward.com