The true Gift of the Holiday Season

^{Steven Gonzales  11/28/2007}

The holidays are once again upon us. After Thanksgiving our lives seem to be thrown for a loop. This season could cause a slowdown to your business, or maybe your revenues could increase dramatically. It is an interesting time of year. No matter your situation, there is no doubt increased opportunity for all of us this time of year. What do I mean? Think of all of the social gatherings you will be attending, with all of the new people you will be meeting. Consider all of the local events, the chance to reconnect with others via Christmas cards and the opportunity to show others how much you care. The Holiday season is a great time to network, with the goal of increasing your ‘sphere of influence’. Most people are in a social attitude, you must be as well. Use this wonderful time of the year to your advantage and you will see a payoff in the months or even years ahead. Start developing a plan for action now; target key people and events with the goal of maximizing your opportunity. Do not let this special time of year slip by without making a new contact. Be proactive or you might end up with a lump of coal in your networking.

If you have been stressed out lately, this is also an excellent time to hit the “reset” button and re-analyze yourself, your goals and even your business. Spend time with family members, attend local events and strengthen your message. Now is a perfect time to make sure you will start 2008 off running. Take some time to write down the goals you set for yourself last year. How successful were you at meeting them? What do you know now that will help you better achieve them? What are some of the new directions you would like to explore? These are some key questions you need to ask yourself right now. Don’t worry if you are not where you want to be, admitting your situation is a huge hurdle at self correction. How did you do at managing your finances this past year? I know your life is busy during the holidays, but ask yourself there questions now. You will love yourself later for it! If you are like most people, you might need a little push in the right direction to make sure you are on track. On January 17^{th YPC will be holding a free Financial Education seminar specifically geared for us, Generation Y. Why you ask? We have time on our side and our entire lives ahead of us, is a good answer. I have learned that one must manage their life as a business to meet goals. Businesses have finance departments, you should as well. Like any good company, you must know how to balance cash flow and income generation. Use now until the day of the event (Jan. 17th) to truly analyze your ‘financials’, we will use that as a starting point to increasing your preparedness for the future. Make sure you sign up and attend this event. Check the YPC website for details.Remember this holiday season; take full advantage of your situation to meet new people and prepare for the New Year. Your future begins today; it is not time to increase your opportunity. Happy Holidays!}