Success Comes from Small Choices for Positive Action

We make small choices every day that lead to the harvest we experience in our lives on a daily basis.  We often make these choices without thinking.  Should I stay in bed just five minutes more in the morning?  Should I show my family I love and value them as I run out the door to work or to school?  Should I use my time wisely in traffic?  Should I exercise in ways that promote the health of my body?  Should I eat in ways that promote the health of my body?  What is my purpose?  Is the work I do aligned with my purpose?  If not, what should I do about that?

I enjoy water aerobics and, more recently, aqua pilates.  I try to get to the indoor pool every day for some healthy exercise.  I'm also watching what I eat, making more healthy choices--though not yet at 100%.  Recently I had an opportunity to look at some work opportunities that were not fully aligned with my purpose in life and was able to redirect my action away from opportunities that go against my values.

Public or Private? Which Makes Most Sense?

In creating some MP4 videos using TechSmith's Camtasia software, I decided to post some publically on YouTube--with back-ups on TeacherTube in case of firewall problems with YouTube. 

It is a real question--whether or not to give the public access to some of the information we may want to share with others.  How many others?  For what purpose?

One of my videos is of a presentation I made called Using Audio Books to Improve Reading and Academic Performance.  That's the video I was working on yesterday.  It's up today on my website at http://www.joelmonty.net/education/education.htm.  (My computer may have been multitasking while I was making the video, so I'll have to double check to make sure that the audio is well synchronized with the video throughout.)  I may try to put that video on TeacherTube later because I want as many teachers to access the presentation as possible.  The information is important.

That's a major key for me to keep in mind.  Who do I want to have access to material I make available and why?  What do I need to do to preserve my privacy and copyright on the materials I share?  Both of these are decisions to be made on a daily basis.

I have another research paper recently published that I need to turn into a presentation.  It is about working with "reluctant" English language learners (ELLs) and encouraging them to produce higher quality in the classroom.  I'd like for that to be a video on TeacherTube as well.

It's amazing how many hours are required to keep these things going and available for others to make use of.

Reflections--My Life since September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001--The events of the day were a wake-up call for me that has had profound impact on my life.  That morning I went to a water aerobics class at the wellness center associated with my local hospital.  As I came out of the shower I saw the news broadcast of a plane flying into the Twin Towers in New York.  Our first thought was that it must have been an awful accident.  In just a few minutes, the second plane hit and it became clear that it was no accident.  The day progressed in slow motion.  I was due for an annual physical at my doctor's office later in the morning and was there when I heard about the atack on the Pentagon.  While in the doctor's office, I was advised that I needed a biopsy because I had an elevated PSA level in my routine bloodwork.  The biopsy revealed that I had prostate cancer in six of the twelve cores they tested.

Attacks from without and from within--this was truly a wake-up call for me.  A few days later (once the flight ban had been lifted) I flew to New York City for a second opinion about my condition.  I decided to have my prostate completely removed and, once I was cancer free, I also decided that it was time for me to make a difference for K-12 students.  I delayed my surgery only long enough to freeze some sperm at the University of Illinois at Chicago sperm bank, then had my surgery in November.  It was completely successful. 

When I had recovered I went to the local Regional Office of Education in Kane County, Illinois (where I live) and offered my services.  I had a doctorate in education, though it was for teaching adults rather than children.  I was advised that, because I had a doctorate, I must also have a bachelors--the degree required to be a substitute teacher.  I mentioned that I also spoke Spanish and was advised that, if I could pass the Target Language Proficiency exam for Spanish, I could get a provisional bilingual teaching certificate (a T-29 certificate) which would allow me to be a full-time teacher of English language learners (ELLs) for six years--with a possible extension of two more years while I worked on getting my credentials to teach children.

I substitute taught until I could take and pass the Target Language Proficiency exam in Spanish.  My passing scores came back in November, 2002, and in December, 2002, I was invited to be a mid-year replacement bilingual (Spanish) teacher at Larkin High School in Elgin (school district U-46).  I began my teaching there and have since then earned a post-doctoral Master of Arts in Teaching and have earned Illinois certification to teach children from Kindergarden through ninth grade (K-9) (an Elementary Teaching Certificate with endorsements to teach in middle school in the areas of language arts and social studies.  Last summer I completed five three-graduate-hour courses at the University of Phoenix Online to add to some coursework completed with my doctorate degree.  At the conclusion of those courses the state of Illinois gave me approval as a bilingual (Spanish) teacher and as a teacher of English as a second language.  I am now fully certified to teach in Illinois through ninth grade.

Beginning at Larkin High School, I have now taught in two high schools, an elementary school, and two middle schools.  I am still cancer-free and, in the six years I have been teaching, it has become a high priority to be available to spend quality time each day with my now 94-year-old mother who lives nearby.

Visit the profile page on my website to access a multimedia version of my digital portfolio for education.  For a copy of the digital portfolio without narration, visit http://joelmonty.wikispaces.com/ and scroll down to the digital portfolio for education link.

On September 11, 2009, I am still cancer free.  I have learned much from my years of teaching English language learners (ELLs) and have built what I have learned into the framework I offer to schools and businesses.  Visit my business-related digital portfolio on the same pages listed above for the education version of the profile.

Network Marketing--Hype, Hope . . . Sometimes a little of both

For me, the terms "Network Marketing" bring lots of reflection on my experience.  While this type of business can most certainly be a legitimate enterprise offering value to customers/consumers and to the people who participate in the business, it can also be a scamming technique intending to overcharge, provide something of little value for high costs, and "rip-off" the last group of people investing in the scheme.

Another word for network marketing is "multilevel marketing."  In general, it means that you recruit people into one or more "legs" or "downlines" and receive commissions on what your downlines produce to whatever limit is set by the business model.  Some business models are legitimate and some are not.  Often the Attorneys General of states get involved to decide which models are legitimate.  Some (like Amway/QuickStar) have passed these tests over time.  Others fall by the wayside.

One "test" for legitimacy is that there has to be a product or service being sold--the "membership" in the business cannot be the only thing someone pays for.

I have been involved with perhaps 20 network marketing programs over the years.  One of my first was Amway--a legitimate business which has evolved into QuickStar and which has been around for years.  Since then I have explored businesses with a focus on training, health care, insurance and investments, and many more.

Robert Allen will be releasing a new book (sure to be a best seller) in about two months, telling how to use Network Marketing to build a solid source of passive, residual income.  (I received an e-mail today from Robert advising me about a webinar he will hold on the subject on Friday, 9/11.)  Check Robert Allen out on Amazon.com to see when his next book will be available.)

Years ago the information was published that more people become millionaires through direct marketing (of which most Network Marketing programs form a part) than through any other source of revenue generation.

I am interested in the concept, providing that the business is legitimate, the products or services have value and are offered at a value to the public, whether or not the public chooses to participate in the business part of the program.  Better programs do not require a heavy initial investment, nor do they require someone to purchase a lot of inventory or to make a certain amount (dollar or quantity) of "sales."

I remember that it is important to keep asking questions and not to make any logical "jumps" (into the fire).  The saying about "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't" is good advice when considering a network marketing opportunity.

I heard about a network marketing opportunity today that sounds very interesting.  I certainly need to check it out fully before I decide if it's "right" for me.  Many are excellent and just not something I have the time and passion to be involved in.

Gradual income based on growth and sales will probably be one indicator of a company not set on scamming the consumer.  A most significant requirement is the value of the product or service being provided--and its cost.  This is certainly a time when people would like to bring in more income and a time when "money-making" scams abound.

Robert's book, like his others, will have lots of great tips about Network Marketing.  I look forward to reading it.  While I'm waiting, I just purchased a book by Ray H. Duncan from Amazon.com called the MLM Binary PlanThe MLM Binary PlanThe MLM Binary Plan. 

I had a birthday yesterday and building steady streams of legal, residual income is certainly a priority for me at this stage in my life.  I'm looking forward to learning more about the state of network marketing today.

Freedom, Choice, Priorities, and Streams of Income

As we age, we have opportunities for multiple experiences.  My birthday is coming up this month, in fact, it's one week from today.  This has been a great time for reflection.  Part of my reflection has been about "freedom."  The freedom I am referring to is more than the freedom we enjoy as citizens of the USA.  That's wonderful in itself.  This freedom is about the possibility of making choices and priorities regarding quality of life now and in the future.

Robert Allen has written a series of books dealing with the importance of streams of income.  He talks about "money mountains" and that streams of money flow from these mountains.  If everyone has three or four of these mountains, then, if the stream slows or drys up from any one, enough money is still coming in from the other mountains.  The economy in the USA in 2009 shows the importance of many of these ideas. 

Some of these mountains include our employment (jobs, businesses, farms, what we do to earn income).  There are several investment mountains (stocks and bonds, residential and commercial real estate to name two).  The Internet is another mountain which can add a variety of income generating opportunities.  Another area of need is the concept of residual income.  Robert Allen suggests that network marketing may be one way to begin to generate residual income, though it is not always easy to find legitimate network marketing opportunities that someone wants to engage in.

Freedom comes when we can make the choices and priorities we want in our lives and have sufficient income to support them. 

Birthdays are good times to think about retirement.  I know I won't stop working.  I love what I do too much.  What I want to have the opportunity to do is to choose whom I will work with and to be able to make my fees reasonable and affordable so that I can work with more people and organizations.

An axiom in investment is that high rewards come from high risks.  In employment, high salaries usually are associated with high demands and expectations--and less freedom.  Often people choose to invest time and energy in high paying jobs today for a better quality of life tomorrow.

As I grow older, my tomorrows are today.  I want more freedom in my life and am willing to work for that.  The resididual income I have in place from work and experience done "yesterday" and my lifestyle choices today help me balance my freedom to choose what I'll be doing with my life in terms of income.

I need to keep working the "multiple streams of income" ideas to keep my future quality of life as good as it can be.  Health care insurance is important to creating this sense of freedom.  No matter how much reserve we accumulate, health care needs in our future can consume everything we have.  With a good balance of health care insurance as part of our daily quality of life choices, we can preserve our freedom and quality of life in our futures for a much longer time.

Weighing Choices--Making Decisions--Assessing Results

We take these actions from earliest memory. Even babies are weighing choices--"do I do this or do that?"--making decisions--"I'll cry now because ..."--and assessing results--"I cried when I was uncomfortable (wet or hungry) and now I'm dry and full."

As we get older the weighing process becomes more complex as do the decisions and our assessment of results. Sometimes there are delays between our actions and the results we see. Have you ever decided to order something, then been disappointed in it when it arrived?

When we get much older, many of our choices and decisions and results have to do with health. My 94-year-old mother went to the eye doctor today who told her that a shot in her left eye would control the accumulation of blood caused by age-related wet macular degeneration. Mom loves to read and to use her eyes. While she knew the shot is painful (this was the sixth shot she's had over several years) she has already decided that, if something will help her preserve her sight, she'll go through the pain. She had the shot. Age-related macular degeneration doesn't get better. Treatments can at least slow down the vision loss and that was the choice she made today.

How do we weigh our daily choices. There are 168 hours in a week (24 x 7) and we get to choose how we'll use them. Most of us want to sleep some of them away. Some of us know the value of exercise in our lives and devote some of the hours to exercise. All of us want to eat some of the time, so we take time for that as well. Many of us work several hours a day. We want time for recreation--perhaps with our families. Whatever the choices, those are the hours we have to work with in any given week.

We make decisions, then assess the results--are we getting what we want? In some of my eating choices, I have chosen to eat (what or when or how much I eat) that caused me to gain three pounds this week. If I want to get that off, I have to change my eating and exercise choices this week and can check on the results a week from now.

Yesterday I read a newsletter article that talked about looking for work AGR ("after the great recession in 2007"). The author (at http://www.higheredjobs.com) said that we have to have a different approach to looking for work AGR. What we used to do no longer produces the same results that it did before AGR. (See the post about Spenser Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese.)

If you go to http://joelmonty.wikispaces.com/file/view/Meta-Learning-Affect+Models.PDF and go to slide 2, Shame-Affect-Decisions Model. It will give you a picture of some of what I am talking about here.

Social networking sites abound with the hope that people will connect with the right jobs (or dates or spouses or . . .) through their social networks. Some do and some don't.

All of us need to rethink our choices and decisions, the results I am assessing tell me that times have, indeed, changed and I (along with millions of others) need to change to keep up with the change.