So taxing!

It's tax time. And while most people agree that having good roads, health care, and social programs are important for the well-being of our society, it doesn't make the bottom line of income tax reports any more cheerful.

So while accountants put in countless hours to make sure you get the most out of your income, what hours are you putting in to make sure you get the most out of your income?

A friend of mine was recently brought to the realization that his current standard of living was completely self-imposed. In spite of earning an above-average living and maintaining a below-average debt ratio (meaning, he makes good money and doesn't have any house or car payments), he was still ending each month with nothing left in his bank account. And complaining loudly about it. And mourning the fact that his lifestyle was not more like mine (ha!). So we talked about it. And he realized he made more money than I did. Yet, I own a home and a couple of vehicles and have twice the number of children he does. We manage to eat and have clothes and enjoy some entertainment and manage all of our household and business expenses. So what is the real difference between us? CHOICE. That is all.

You can afford what you want to afford. You can live the way you want to live. You can make your income work for you to achieve the lifestyle you desire. So put in some time to decide what you really want to do, lay out a plan to achieve it, and exercise a little self-discipline. Make your money work for you.

And don't worry about the tax man - it can be a win-win if everyone is doing their part to responsibly manage money.

Ownership

We all know it: "If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting." We firmly believe this to be true at ActionCOACH. Whether your behavior and attitudes are positive or negative, productive or unproductive, you'll get consistent results for your consistent actions. And while consistency is important, let's shift the focus away from that part of this principle and focus instead on "you."
Let's examine another one of the ActionCOACH 14 Points of Culture:

Ownership

I am truly responsible for my actions and outcomes and own everything that takes place in my work and my life. I am accountable for my results and I know that for things to change, first I must change.

The key to positive action and growth in your life and your work is YOU. Nothing will change for the better until you do. There are several tools that ActionCOACH uses to help business owners establish where they are at and how that relates to where they want to be. Today, make your bucket list - write down 100 things you want to do before you die. Establish what you want.

Brad Sugars says, "In order to have, one must do, ... but in order to do ... one must be!" The next step is to establish a system of learning and growth for yourself. Just like we said before, nothing will change until you do. You won't get what you want until you are willing to become what it takes to achieve your goals. For business owners, this often means a period of accelerated growth and learning that will effectively change them and their corporation. At ActionCOACH we use forms to track processes like these - for example, check out the Personal Learning and Achievement Log. If you don't know what it is that you don't know yet, start by checking out the business books referenced in my library (on the right side of this blog). Check out the Business Tools offered by ActionCOACH, as well as the Business Library. Put yourself on the road to your dreams by expanding your wealth of knowledge and skills, and by setting milestones to map your progress. In time you will be able to look back and see where you have been. And look forward to where you are going to end up. Those dreams are within your reach - begin today by taking ownership and establishing your system of growth to achieve them!