Life Lessons

There are many ways to interpret the Rhythm and Momentum. You'll find these words used in the context of music, physics, sports, investing, and hundreds of games, tasks, skills and disciplines. For this lesson, we'll attempt to establish their importance in building knowledge and skills and how they affect peak performance.

Consistency is perhaps the most important quality that we humans look for in all types of personal and business relationships. Consistency nurtures security and trust, and is a quality that determines value in the marketplace. Every responsible business entity and organization strives to be consistent in the areas of reliability and performance, regarding their products and services.

Using the words THANK YOU every day can get you further in life than you could ever imagine. These two simple words can serve as the equivalent of jet fuel, to help propel your career and lifestyle to new heights. These words can help build lasting relationships with clients, friends, neighbors, and family members quicker and more consistent than any other words in the vocabularies of any language in the world. And as a bonus, frequent users happily reap the side benefit of really feeling good about saying THANK YOU often.

Most of our major problems in life grow like plants. Small problems usually are like seedlings without any roots. They can usually be solved quickly and inexpensively. Instead, too often our small problems are neglected, and like the roots of a plant, they take hold and begin to grow without much notice. Then one day, when fully matured, these small problems turn into an expensive nuisance. If all problems were fixed at the earliest stages, one could circumvent lots of stress, huge expenses and distasteful or even life threatening consequences.

Labor Day is a very unique national holiday. To most people in the Northern states it signifies the official end of the summer with a three day National Holiday. Also in the Northern states, all the kids in elementary and high school enjoy this weekend, as they realize that school opens a day or two after Labor Day. At seashore towns up and down the coasts, it's the last weekend for family barbecues and last time to swim at beaches protected by lifeguards. Unfortunately, it's also a big shopping weekend with sales running at major retailers.

Scarcity and its relationship to value is a topic that can be discussed endlessly. It's a relationship that we all know exists in our subconscious, yet it sometimes takes a catastrophic event like Hurricane Katrina to fully realize this critical relationship in our consciousness. For example, we all know that clean drinking water is essential to living, however under normal circumstances we might place a low value on this precious resource as long as we have ready access to as much as we want in our kitchens and refrigerators.

There are lessons to be learned from most activities and experiences in life. And since we just completed the first critical three weeks of the college football season, (no preseason like the pros), I thought it might be a good time to reflect on some lessons I have learned from this most passionate Saturday Fall Sport from nearly four decades as a fan.

Every business has a finite amount of manpower, energy and resources to spread around, in order to maintain the profitability and growth of their enterprise. How these resources are budgeted, will normally tell you a great deal about how happy their customers are.

Throughout my life, I have always been fascinated by lists and rankings of top performance. As a long time subscriber of Forbes, Fortune, Business Week and Inc Magazines, I have studied my share of lists over the years and have always tried to learn whatever lessons possible from top performers in all industries. In this week's lesson, we will discuss why it makes sense for anyone with aspirations for career and personal improvement, to develop a "Solutions Mindset."

During the past couple of centuries, the formal learning process was mainly reserved for the youth of most cultures. Prior to World War II, the majority of the kids never graduated from high school. And prior to the 1960's, the luxury of attending college or graduate school was usually limited to the wealthiest of citizens in most countries. However, graduating from high school is an absolute must today to even be employed in the least skilled jobs. And a four year college degree is equivalent to a mere entry ticket into a more professional career.

After searching the internet for a while, I could not find the origin of the phrase "Monday Morning Quarterback." Thus I can only imagine that it was coined by an influential individual like the late and great sportscaster Howard Cosell, who loved to analyze and debate the mistakes made after Sunday's NFL games. "Monday Morning Quarterbacking," is a sport of its own. Millions of them tune in for hours of call-in talk radio shows after the completion of all sporting events.

As we mature in life, I believe we tend to have more respect for the rules and laws that effect the actions we take each and every day. Perhaps it's because we have more to lose as we mature. Or perhaps it's because we realize that for a society to function in an orderly fashion, there must be rules and laws in place to insure proper behavior by its members.

One of my favorite topics of discussion has always been about the Concept of Systems and how they affect our daily life and existence on our wonderful planet. The concept of systems is surely a topic that we are all familiar with in one way or another. It's quite easy to precede the word system with an unlimited number of descriptive titles.

How much better would everyone's life be, if we all accentuated or stressed what is good about a person, situation or relationship rather than what's bad about each one? This is an equivalent discussion to the metaphor of whether to view a glass as half empty or half full. It's seems more common to view the faults or weaknesses of others rather than their strengths and attributes.

Over the past three and a half decades I developed thousands of relationships with small business owners. Very little has changed during that time frame, when it comes to hiring and keeping competent employees. Over the last 35 years there have been so many changes in the business environment from high to low unemployment rates; high to low interest rates; war or peace; Democrats or Republicans in office; booms or busts in stocks or housing; or just let your mind wander further about the changing business conditions.

Who can ever complain about the virtue of LOYALTY? This word can send chills down one's spine. Everyone enjoys having a loyal spouse or loved one to live with. We enjoy serving loyal clients with our best products and services. We strive to create loyal employees who will help our business enterprises thrive. And of course we can't forget to mention our loyal and loving dogs. The fact is, we can all feel warm and fuzzy anytime of the day, explaining and bragging about our loyal relationships with whomever and whatever pops into our minds.

I sincerely believe that the simple art of following-up can determine your future success in any field or career. Following-up can also play a large role in developing high self esteem and determine your overall happiness in life. If that sounds like an overstatement, then listen on.

Many individuals unfortunately SPEND a significant portion of their life in a state of worry. Constant worry is equivalent to approaching life's challenges with handcuffs on. Too often, these shackles drain your enthusiasm and energy, and cause negative fears and anxieties that can be avoided. In this week's lesson, we are going to discuss some ways to enable us to WORRY Less and Enjoy More.

Balance is KING in life. This applies to just about any aspect regarding life on Planet Earth. It applies to work; family; government; education; entertainment; sports; spirituality or you name it! When you achieve a sense of balance in the above aspects of life, you HAVE ARRIVED!

It's not often, that I read a book and feel moved by it enough to write a review or suggest it to others. I read a great deal and rarely share an opinion about what I read. However, I just completed reading a book by Brian Tracy titled "Something For Nothing" and felt it deserved a prime spot in one of my Lessons.

Advice is something there is no shortage of. Everyone wants to tell you what's good and bad for you. We are bombarded with advice on medicine, investments, exercise, foods to consume, vitamins to take and legal issues on every topic imaginable. Which advice is good, which is bad, which should we act on and which should we ignore? Sometimes advice is critical to our well being. Other times advice can harm us terribly. Choosing can sometimes present a conundrum at times.

Today is January 1, 2006 and lots of New Year resolutions abound us. Newspapers, magazines, TV and radio waves are full of interviews with individuals who want more out of life this year than last. Most resolutions revolve around goals and accomplishments that individuals want to attain. Thus, I thought I would give my own perspective on two goals that I believe are MOST worthy for all of us to improve on, each and every January 1st. They are first and foremost to maintain good daily health habits. And secondly, to strive for more peace and harmony in life. Sounds easy enough right?

How many shades should honesty have? Now there's a question to ponder. I'm sure very little has changed throughout the ages, however the steady blasts of news we are bombarded with today, will leave you believing that there are about twenty shades of grey between black and white facts regarding honesty.

There are few things that are more satisfying in life than getting up each morning with a purpose for your day. This week's lesson was inspired by an ABC World News broadcast last Friday, when Michael Pascuma was chosen as the "Person of the Week" by the newscast. Michael appeared on a segment by ABC as a cheerful 96 year old gentleman who has worked at the New York Stock Exchange for 80 straight years, where he started as a 16 year old clerk in 1926. He's seen the stock market at its best and worse.

During my short lifetime, I have watched many changes take place regarding the work ethic for American children. As a small child growing up in the 1950's, I used to hear stories from my family and relatives about the Depression Years and how tough it was to find a job and just survive in America. During the Depressions Years, American families, especially first and second generation immigrant families were much larger back in those days and it wasn't unusual to have four to seven children in a family.

Great communication skills can be a key to living a better life. However, misinterpretations can lead to many horrible misunderstandings and lots of stress caused by ruined relationships.

It's Saturday night before Super Bowl XL. The big game tomorrow in Detroit Michigan features the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks in the extravaganza sporting event of the year. There not much one can discuss about this annual event that hasn't already been discussed in complete detail. However, I'm always up for trying to extract some knowledge or wisdom from this and every life experience we encounter.

Four years or 208 weeks ago, I set out on a mission to learn a new word each weekday and share it with the visitors of eHappyLife.com. Like all disciplines that don't seem very exciting, this was not easy to get started on. However all processes tend to grow on you as you begin to realize the results from sticking to a discipline over time. During this 208 week period I reviewed 5 words a week and tested myself repeatedly with a weekend word test that I post on the website – to make sure that I won't forget what I learned.

There really aren't rules about when Silence is Golden. However there are some common sense opinions worth discussing, to perhaps make life and relationships on Planet Earth easier to navigate through. Honing great communication skills is a worthy goal to strive for. However these skills are meaningless if two or more individuals choose not to communicate at all with each other. This week I would like to share some ideas on Silence Is Golden Rules.

Years of stressful investment experiences have taught me a simple investment rule that I eventually learned to follow. That rule being "invest in what YOU know." In fact when it comes to investing in stocks or businesses outside your fields of expertise, I would caution anyone to be careful. Investing in a business that you are unfamiliar with can cause lots of pain. Keep in mind that when you purchase a public company's stock, you are purchasing a small share of that company and you are now a proud owner for better or for worse.

The skill of setting priorities can prove to be one of the most valuable talents you can ever develop and hone throughout your lifetime. Those individuals that set priorities for their activities each day will direct their time, energy and resources toward the areas they deem are most important in their life. We all eventually realize that there's never enough time in a day, week or month to satisfy all our responsibilities in all of our roles. We are always faced with making decisions on what we should be doing at every moment.

If we ever invested some quality time to think and analyze all the pain and suffering that could be avoided throughout our lives, by taking preventive measures in advance, we would be astonished. Prevention truly is an enormous power that often is overlooked and squandered in life.

During their first sixty some years of life, most Americans lead extremely busy lives. The careers, families and organizations they are involved in make their lives seem extremely busy. Being accomplished consumers of products and services, most have worked long hours in order to fulfill the needs and wants for themselves and their loved ones. They were probably accustomed to rigid schedules and lots of responsibilities. In many cases they may have been in leadership positions with the lives of many associates who depended on them daily.

Today was a special day for me. We moved our clocks up one hour and can now enjoy an extra hour of daylight. For decades, this has always been a special day for me. It's truly a sign that the spring season has arrived and if you live up North, that is always a welcomed season, especially after cold winters. Our beautiful trees and flowers begin to bloom and people seem to be in a better mood.

As we get older, we continue to see the world through a more mature pair of eyes. We can watch younger individuals act and think the way we used to at their age and try to lend some guidance in order to help them avoid some of the same mistakes we made. Of course younger folks have a difficult time listening to older folks just like we did when we were their age. However that never stops us from trying to help them – because we care about their well being! And if young people develop good values early, their lives will be enriched for years to come.

Every day individuals are faced with making choices. The decision making process has a tendency to create lots of stress in everyone's lives. Individuals always want to make the right choices when several options are available. They often seek the advice of others to help reinforce their choices. Last week I watched a game show on TV titled "Deal or No Deal" hosted by Howie Mandel. After watching this show for fifteen minutes, it becomes quickly apparent how much influence the contestant's family and the audience members have on the choices they have to make throughout the game.

Powerful computers have been instrumental in shaping the way we think and act for the last few decades. We just can't get enough statistical data fed to us, to justify all that goes on around us daily. While I enjoy studying the facts in many lists and reports gathered by good investigative research, I have difficulty regarding the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as a true measure of my INFLATIONARY pressures.

Throughout our lives we should always be "Pursuing a Brighter Future." With the passing of one third of this year already behind us, now is as good a time as ever to think about and plan on how to make tomorrow and the future months and years ahead better than the past. The word PLAN seems to be a key part of many lessons I write about – because I firmly believe that thinking and planning are the first steps towards moving into action.

There aren't many people on this earth that wouldn't mind being wealthier. On the surface it always appears that life would be better if only we had more money to spend. Yet those who have plenty of money are not exactly clicking their heels every single day from joy. Take Patrick Kennedy for example, the son of Edward Kennedy. At 38 years old he has plenty of money and enormous political power. Throughout his life he never had to work at a tough job for wages, yet he could probably afford to buy anything he ever wanted in life.

There are many talented individuals in this world who have developed incredible skills. Some of them utilize their skills for fun and entertainment while others depend on their skills to earn a living or make a profit. On the surface that seems to divide them into two distinct categories - the hobbyist or amateur and the professional. There are several meanings in a dictionary to describe a professional.

I believe it's always in one's best interest to constantly grow and improve their self-esteem. The dictionary describes self-esteem as "confidence and satisfaction in oneself." These attributes always seem to be critical in deciding one's lifestyle and prosperity. In this lesson, we will discuss how I believe individuals can constantly improve their self-esteem, by always attempting to do their BEST, in all they attempt to do.

There are many definitions of the word friend. They can range from: "A person with whom you choose to share your precious time with," to "A person whom you would drop everything for immediately, and fly to a foreign country in order to bail them out of trouble." These are truly different meanings for the same exact word. The second definition is reserved for a very special person who has earned your respect and trust. This special type of friend is not the topic of this week's lesson.

This lesson was inspired by a four minute film segment on the Class of 2006, prepared and presented by NBC News with Brian Williams. The segment consisted of quick interviews of college grads from around the country as well as some words of wisdom given by many guest speakers, ranging from Billy Joel to President Bush at several graduation ceremonies. While watching this segment, I couldn't help but have some nostalgic flashbacks from my own college graduation ceremony which occurred exactly 35 years ago.

When we watch any event performed by highly skilled individuals, we can sit back and thoroughly enjoy the mastery of their craft. We may sit in awe enjoying the excellence of live performers in Cirque Du Soleil; a top Broadway production; a gold metal Olympian; a David Copperfield extravaganza; or the finals of the 2006 Scripts National Spelling Bee. All of these performers have one thing in common: they traveled down a long, tough road of committed practice - to bring you the Showtime that you are enjoy immensely.

Inspired by Tim Russert's book titled "Big Russ and Me," I thought it would be fitting today, Father's Day 2006, to share some excerpts from the proud eulogy I gave in memory of my Dad James Rossini, at his funeral in 1998. It went like this: "I wanted to take a few moments today to express my feelings about my dad.

It's not always easy to practice the methods of a contrarian. The dictionary describes a contrarian as a person who takes a contrary position or attitude; specifically an investor who buys investments when most others are selling and sells when others are buying. This type of thinking just seems to go against the security we all seek in making the RIGHT decisions. However that secure feeling we gain because everyone is doing the same thing, is often dangerous and very costly.

Even though large multi-national companies have been around for decades manufacturing and distributing their products and services in key nations around the world, I believe that the Internet has connected the world in a way that has changed American and International economies forever. At stake is the health of individual jobs and companies as well as the financial success of all citizens. In today's "networked world, any product or service that reaches a critical mass of demand can probably be produced or performed somewhere else in the country or the world much cheaper.

Energy conservation is on everyone's mind these days. Rising electric, natural gas and heating oil bills are taking its toll on the budgets of homeowners and businesses. But even more so, we are all feeling the financial pinch of the highest fuel prices ever, needed to power tens of millions of cars, trucks, buses, trains, boats and planes that move just about everything around our nation......including us.

If you have visited eHappyLife.com and read my Lessons, Polls, Insights or Words of the Day posted during the last four and a half years, you probably realize by now that I'm a score keeper at heart. Thus, since this is the 100th consecutive Sunday that I have posted an edition of Learning Life's Lessons, I thought I would discuss the significance that watching numbers and keeping score has had in my life.