Election Year Promises

In my home state, our election year will be spread out over 12 whole months due to our recalling the Governor and other state officials.  Combined with the local and national elections we have intense coverage of candidates everyday during this period.  Who is profiting from such coverage?  Also, what are the implications for citizens that may benefit from such elections?  What about employment solutions that are a hot issue for most of the candidates?
In my opinion, those who profit from elections include ad agencies, commercial printers, caterers, transportation companies,  phone companies, radio/tv stations, commercial meeting and office space, etc.  In this list, I wonder how many long term unemployed people profit from this industry.  As I stated before, jobs are a very hot issue on the minds of many people without one, but do these politicians change the statistics?  One thing that I forgot to mention is that for any candidate presently without work, winning his or her seat quickly solves their jobless dilemma.  The rest of us are out of luck without our own campaigns so that we can have a job, too.

Companies Are Hiring

It appears that the economy is improving somewhat due to more companies adding new employees.   While this is good news for those who get these positions, there are too many other people that are  not so fortunate.  Many people have been looking for work for 2-3 years through no fault of their own.  To make matters worse, some companies penalize the long term unemployed.  Action must be taken to solve this situation.  In my opinion, a job should be available for anyone who wants one.  However,  in the real world such a policy does not exist.  There have to be many options for the unemployed that should include a jobs bill, training programs, and training for potential entrepreneurs.  With millions of people needing a job, we cannot afford to just watch peoples' lives disintegrate. 
For individuals, I would say create your own job.  Do not wait for someone to knock on your door with a job offer.  More about this next time.  Companies are hiring, but so are people.

Self-Employment is the Answer

I think that in some cases, self-employment is the only answer.  What happens when people are released from prison and cannot find a job no matter how hard they try?  Do we want them to return to a life of crime?  Who would benefit from that outcome?  The criminal justice system gets their client base constant while providing stable employment for its employees.  I am not saying that a plot is in force, but it just makes no sense to release people back into the community without a plan for their success.  The American way is for a person to work and pay their own way.  However, if you are denied that opportunity, what does that say about the values in this country?  Work accomplishes more than just providing money on which to survive.  It also gives you a reason to get up in the morning, to be on a schedule, to be accountable to something and to keep you too busy to get involved in questionable activities. 
These days many companies do not hire those convicted of crimes.  As a result the outcome for convicted felons is bleak.  I saw a show on TV that documented the problems that a released felon had when trying to find work after being behind bars for 10 years.  With numerous doors slammed in his face, he finally decided to use his passion to start a business.  He happened to be a fitness devotee and got himself certified as a personal trainer.  This step made it possible for him to get clients needing his services and gave him hope for his future.
More ex-felons may have to go the self-employment route, if they cannot find work.  It cannot be an option for them to remain idle because society wants to continue punishing them for their crimes.  Self employment is the answer for ex-felons as well as any other group that cannot be easily employed.

Smarter Holiday Spending

Retailers hope that we do not engage in smart holiday spending because they want to make every cent that they can before the year ends.  While capitalism is our system and can benefit all, we should look harder at our spending in such a bad economy.  Did you ever think that marketers are using mind control to make people spend money that they cannot afford to spend?  To sleep in front of a store for two days to spend money on items that are luxuries seems to be over the top.  How do retailers get people to act so crazy?  Why do shoppers attack each other when a sale price is at stake?  Certainly, these people must have been unduly influenced by something in order to act this way. 
At a time when so many people have lost everything, the rest of us should be thinking of our own futures.  If not, we should at least think of how we can help family or friends in need.  There is nothing wrong with buying things, but we should look at the big picture.  Perhaps, we could participate in a joint venture and embark on a business idea.  If you spend money, consider spending it on something that will make you money instead of some luxury item that you may not have needed in the first place.  Smarter holiday spending is mandatory with all of the tricks that retailers have up their sleeves.

The Road to Success

Why are we not moving along on the road to success?  A certain woman that I know is constantly asking me why some people do not do more to help themselves.  My answer is probably the same every time.  Many people have not been given the proper tools to make a difference in their own lives.  Without those tools, nothing will change.  
Those tools include:  education,  goals, movitation, confidence, self-worth.
Without education you cannot move ahead.  Education starts at birth and should continue infinitum.
Goals have to be set to measure the progress that you make.
Self-confidence tells you that you can do whatever you decide to do.
Self-worth will tell you that harmful acts are beneath you and you  will not allow them to interfere with the goals that you set.
Goals should include a plan of action and a deadline.
I think that that if some of the above tools are not present in a person, how will they proceed to reach their potential?  We can see evidence of such conditions all around us.  You may even see this evidence when you look in your own mirror.  We can all ask ourselves, what is preventing me from accomplishing something great in my life?  Once the question is answered, a process is needed to overcome whatever is holding you back.  A lot of people know exactly what happened in life that caused them to lose their way on the road to success.

A Baby Boomer With An Agenda

I have to admit that I am a Baby Boomer with an agenda, and I will be happy to explain myself.
First, as a Baby boomer I have learned a lot from the mistakes that I made in my life.  Poor life decisions do not go away, but become life lessons.  It is hard to live for 60 plus years and not pick up anything of value.  While looking back, a lot of things seem so clear to me.  This translates to Lesson #1.  Do not leave school without a plan along with the steps needed to implement that plan.  If this advice is ignored, you will be forced to rely on the generosity of others.  ( Good luck with that) 
Secondly, I feel that it is not too late to implement some of my business ideas that I thought of in recent years.  Doing so would serve two purposes.  I can implement my own plan and at the same time be a example to others who may desire to improve their own lives.   I have known many older people who give up their dreams because they felt that they are too old to start something new.  It is never too late to follow a dream if you desire to do it.  Therefore, Lesson #2 is to believe in yourself and do not be discouraged by the past, but look ahead.
So, yes, I am a Baby Boomer with an agenda.  Furthermore, I will not be giving up on my dreams as long as my mind allows me to proceed with the program.

Networking

After attending a class on networking for business purposes, I was pleasantly surprised to learn how important it is to connect to other people.  Even if there is not an immediate benefit to your business, over time it all helps.   Networking should start with you offering to help those that you meet, if and when, you can.  In addition, it does no good to meet people if you call them and they do not respond to your contact.  That means that no real connection was made.  Networking is a valuable tool to help grow your business if it is done correctly.  It should benefit both sides of any encounter. 
You can attend any type of event, even if it is not related to your industry, to meet people.   True networking results in win-win relationships.   Such meetings may also result in referrals.
So do not ignore the opportunities to meet new people which, in turn, can help grow your business network.