One thing I’ve learned is that nothing in business or ministry remains the same. We can all think of businesses or ministries that at one time were flourishing that are no longer with us. You must ask yourself if the ideas and concepts you brought to your business or ministry are still as effective as they once were. It is very hard to let go of things that are no longer working. The world around us is always changing which requires being honest with ourselves and being willing to reevaluate and retire programs, processes or procedures that have outlived their usefullness and reinvent methodologies that are culturally relevant to the target audience or market we are endeavoring to reach.

This is not something you do one time. Reevaluating and reinventing must become part of the DNA of your business or ministry.

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Dear Friends,

We are helping organizations see where they are, clarify where they want to go, and decide the building blocks and resources needed to get there. 2012 can be your best year ever. Please call me at 502.713.1039 and let’s talk about how I can help you seize the opportunities and achieve extraordinary results.

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

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So here’s the question – are you busy working in your business? Or are you busy working on your business? As the quote from Stephen Covey suggests many us find that we have slipped into the role of working in our business and not spending an appropriate amount of time working on our business. The unfortunate thing is by the time we figure this out and come to our senses it quite possibly may be too late.

Resolve today to take a step back or maybe several steps back and get to a place where you can gain some perspective. For those of us who are married a good place to begin would be to ask for some feedback…are you sitting down?…from our spouse. That’s right. Ask them some open ended questions and be open to LISTEN.

Tough assignment. But hey, you are tough. You can take it. Just LISTEN. Maybe take some notes. Don’t react, don’t try to justify any of the work or actions you’ve taken, don’t say ‘you don’t understand.” Thank them for their feedback and that you are going to seriously consider the things they said. That’s it.

Your spouse can be your best ally if you’ll be willing to let them. This works equally well for the company executive, small business owner, self-employed or for those in ministry leadership positions. Take the challenge. Give it a try and let me know the results.

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Dear Friends,

The year is well under way but its not too late to stop and look around. Are you busy doing the day-to-day necessities, putting out fires, handling problems and not taking time to see where your business or ministry is right now? Do you have a solid plan in place to help guide you to the next level? Sometimes we are too close to the forest to see the trees. If you find yourself in that place where the future is uncertain give me a call at 502.713.1039 and schedule a complimentary visit by phone or in person.

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

One of my mentors is Jim Rohn. Following is an excerpt from one of his articles where he talks about nine things that are more valuable than capital:

“When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is full-time or part-time, we all know the value of having plenty of capital (money). But I bet we both know or at least have heard of people who started with no capital who went on to make fortunes. How? You may ask.

Well, I believe there are actually some things that are more valuable than capital that can lead to your entrepreneurial success. Let me give you the list.

1. Time. Time is more valuable than capital. The time you set aside not to be wasted, not to be given away. Time you set aside to be invested in an enterprise that brings value to the marketplace with the hope of making a profit. Now we have capital time.

How valuable is time? Time properly invested is worth a fortune. Time wasted can be devastation. Time invested can perform miracles, so you invest your time.”

One thing I know is we are all busy. So many things demand our time. I run a business and have family responsibilities. I volunteer time with several non-profit organizations. I conduct seminars. I do telephone and personal consultations. Busy, busy, busy. Just like you. But you know what? I waste time too. You wouldn’t think I would have much time to waste yet it happens. I can get easily sidetracked where the urgent takes over the time that should be invested in the important. Or I get too fragmented trying to do too many things at once.

The New Year is an opportunity to do a TIME INVENTORY. Take this month and join me in tracking how your time is used. For the next 30 days keep a journal or a log of your time and how you use it. I know I am going to discover some time leaks and some time robbers. As the 30 days go by I am going to discover and patch some of the leaks and I will arrest some of the time robbers. I may not find all the leaks or robbers but those I do discover will elevate my life and my results this year. My time and your time is too valuable to be wasted. In the end all we have is time and the clock is ticking. Make the most of your time starting today.

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Dear Friends:

Best wishes for a Happy New Year. I’ve decided that 2012 is going to be my best year ever. How about you? Is it time for a fresh start? I’m exciting about  opportunities that will come my way.  Give me a call at 502.713.1039 and let’s talk about how you can make 2012 your best year ever too.

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

Galations 4:4a ” But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son…”

It would not harm the meaning to paraphrase it this way; at just the right time, or just in the nick of time. I love that. At just the right time God sent his Son into the world. By way of personal testimony I can tell you that at just the right time or just in the nick of time God’s Son, Jesus Christ came to me at the very moment I needed Him. It’s just how God is. Never early, never late.  He is always on time.

How about you dear reader? What is your life like this Christmas season? Are you lonely, stressed out, worried? You needn’t be. God can and will send his Son to you just in the nick of time. It can happen for you the same way it happened for me. All you have to do is call out to God. I called out to God and He answered me. He will do the same for you. Jeremiah 33:3 has been referred to as God’s telephone number. The first part of that verse says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee…”

That’s my prayer for you this holiday season…that you will call on God…and He will answer you and show you great and might things.

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Dear Reader,

As 2011 comes to a close this would be the perfect time to plan your strategy for the coming year. If you are a small business owner we can help you address your toughest challenges.  If you are a church and want to begin or enhance small group ministry that addresses real needs in your church or community I can help.

Give me  a call and let’s start some dialog on how I can provide the resources and helps that may make the difference for your small business, church, organization or your in your personal life now and in the future. Call my office at 502.713.1039. If I’m out of the office don’t hang up, leave a message and I’ll contact you. I’m excited about the future!

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

“Success is the result of well-directed energy.

The first rule of success and one that supercedes all others is to have energy. It is important to know how to concentrate it. Focus all your energy on important matters instead of frittering it away on meaningless things. Nothing will add more power to your life than concentrating all your energies on a limited set of goals.

You must focus the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve if you truly want success. Gather all your resources, rally all your faculties, marshal all your energies, and focus all your capacities upon on obtaining your objectives.

You must be single minded and drive for the things you have decided upon. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”

Today we hear a lot about multitasking but I have to say that no amount of multitasking can take the place of focused energy on a specific task or project. If you are like me it is easy to get involved in too many projects at one time. Unless you have strong players on your team to delegate to it is better to focus on fewer tasks and see them completed than multitasking and having them drag on and on or yield inferior results.

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Dear Reader:

This is the perfect time of year to begin strategizing and planning for the coming year. We can help you address your toughest challenges. Give me  a call and let’s start some dialog on how I can provide the resources and helps that may make the difference for your small business, organization or your personal life now and in the future. Call my office at 502.713.1039. If I’m out of the office don’t hang up, leave a message and I’ll contact you. I’m excited about the future – are you?

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

People are talking a lot about the economy and its impact on business, on family, on nonprofit organizations. At the risk of coming across as overly simplistic let me ask this: Are questions about the economy as it pertains to our lives, businesses and organizations the right questions to be asking? Let me explain.

For many of us when things get tough financially and we wonder where have all the customers gone, or what happened to our donors, or our membership we tend to respond by scaling back in every possible area. I’m not saying that’s wrong. We do need to be good stewards and wise use of the resources we have is certainly important. Whether times are good or not so good being a wise and faithful steward should always be a “standard operating procedure” for home, business, and organization.

What I’m talking about is a question or questions that pulls the covers back on why we do what we do. Perhaps better questions would be those that go deeper. Questions that go past the products or services we provide, past the P & L statement or balance sheet. Questions that go past the attendance numbers and any concerns of trying to “maintain” what we have. Questions that cut to the chase and get us to the “why” will better serve us all the time but especially in those times we find most trying. When there is more month at the end of the money, when the reports and the numbers are heading in the opposite direction of where we want them to go – STOP. Stop for just for a moment and examine the motives for what you’ve been doing.

If your focus is on cutting expenses, elevating sales, trying to maintain what you’ve worked hard to achieve, keep from losing customers, members, donors, and the like you do need to do all those things. However, before you expend more time and effort on those areas first take time to examine your true motives. In other words are the actions and plans that you’ve been implementing value focused or profit focused? Do you have a bottom line mentality or a people mentality?

It’s pretty easy to shift from acting in ways to provide the greatest benefit or value to our clients, customers, constituents, congregations and communities to ways that provide the greatest benefit to our businesses, organizations, or us. The change comes subtly and with good intent. But when fully engaged and without even knowing it we disengage from those we are serving. When that happens our downfall is looming around the corner.  Those we serve will quickly discern when this shift has occurred. And their loyalty to our business or organization does have limits.

See Colossians 3:17; 23-25

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Dear Friends:

Fall is the perfect time to begin talking, strategizing and planning for 2012. We can point you to resources to enable you and your team to have better dialogue and conversations, address your toughest challenges and plan for the future. Please call me at 502.713.1039 to discuss how I can help your team create and nurture innovative ideas and inspire teamwork.

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

Living Free and Pressing On

At the time of this writing there is a popular TV series called “Who Do You Think You Are?” Each week the show takes its viewers on a journey through the past ancestry of a celebrity guest. The celebrity starts with what they know about their family history and working with librarians and other genealogical experts they follow one or more legs of their family tree which takes them to places around the world. I enjoy the show and it makes me want to dig dipper into my ancestry.

But here’s the rub. In business, in faith, in life  our past can be an anchor or a stepping-stone. Certainly a thought provoking statement. One doesn’t need to look very hard to find a host of businesses that used to dot the American landscape that no longer exist. They based their future on the systems and strategies of their past success. As a result – they are gone and mostly forgotten. There is a good chance if you are under 50 years old you may not remember retail giants F. W. Woolworth and W.T. Grant. There were the automakers Studebaker, Hudson, Pierce-Arrow or Packard. All gone.

What about your business, your life; is the past a schoolmaster where you continue to learn and make necessary changes to further your growth and development enabling you to  reach new heights? Or do you languish in the past stewing over its failures and regrets or continuing to bask is the successes of yesteryear?

Our past can be an anchor that holds us down and keeps us back that prevents us from fulfilling God’s call on our life. Our past may also be a stepping stone to a brighter future if we embrace life’s lessons, forgive ourselves and others and take another step forward toward the prize of the high calling we have in Christ.

Here is what I know. We cannot drive forward on the highway of life if we spend the lion’s share of our time looking in the rearview mirror.  Whether the past is littered with failure or given us great success is of little consequence if that part of our life captures our focus. Constantly looking in the rearview mirror is a certain formula for causing a wreck. Occasionally glancing in the rear view mirror is a good thing, making it our main focus is not.

Is your past an anchor or a stepping stone? I hope it is the latter. Here’s the good news. If your past has been an anchor it can become a stepping-stone any time you choose. It’s up to you.

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Dear Friends:

If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired and ready for a change maybe I can help with some outside coaching. Adding an outside perspective can open your eyes to new possibilities and help you to realize unprecedented results. Please call me at 502-713-1039 for a free consultation to explore the ways I can help.

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

Living Free & Pressing On!

Leave a comment with your thoughts about this.

Dennis

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SERENITY NOW!

I’m sure you remember the old Seinfeld episodes…

Well… it’s hard to find ‘serenity now’.

Cell phones.  Facebook. Twitter.  Email.  Meetings.  Conflicts. You name it.  There are a lot of ‘serenity stealers’ out there.

Believe it or not, there are people who study serenity and solitude and things like that.  And here’s what they’ve learned:  when it comes to solitude, there is a bit of a paradox.  You see… many people don’t feel happy when they are alone, but having periods of getting away from the crowd makes one’s mood better from day to day.

Why?

Well, when we’re alone (when we reach a point of serenity), it’s when we hone our thinking, and form our opinions.  It’s when our personality is shaped.  (This is true especially during the teenage years).

How do you unplug?  get away?  be alone?  Does it come naturally for you, or do you have to be intentional about it?

Do you LIKE to be alone?  Why or why not?

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Dear Friends,

We all want to reach our full potential in life. Often we are beset with problems or circumstances that seemingly take control of our lives, our businesses, our ministries. If you are within driving distance of Louisville, Kentucky I’ll be conducting a Living Free Seminar on Saturday, April 9th. If you would like to know more about this or learn how to register call my office at 502.713.1039. If I’m not in leave a message with how and when to reach you and I’ll be sure to get the message to the seminar organizers or call you back personally.

Blessings,

Dennis

Ps: If you need a quality low cost printing resource I recommend clicking on the picture on the top left under “Sponsors” Scott County Lifeline Connection recently placed an order for brochures.  They received a proof in less than an hour, their order was done and shipped in 4 days and the results were great. 1000 brochures for under $200 and that included the shipping! We suggest you try them.

We live in a transient and technological culture unlike any other time in history. Most of you reading this probably don’t remember the times when people were born, grew up, got a job and remained in the same town or community throughout their lives.

It is not my intent to minimize the word-of-mouth process of people connecting with your organization, church or business. However due to the nature of a transient and tech savvy society more and more people search the Internet and review your organization, church or business from a virtual distance prior to making a choice to connect with or visit your establishment. What this could mean is a “first-impression” problem.

To begin with you must have a professional website that conveys the image of your organization or business. Ask some people you know who will tell you the truth to look at your website and ask them if it adequately conveys who and what you are.  Don’t have a web site you say? By today’s standards then you don’ have a real business and you are already behind the eight ball.

But it isn’t enough to have a site that conveys the proper image. You must also consider the domain name of the site. This could be your organization, church, or business name or it could be something that reflects the primary aspect, product, or service you provide. If the domain you have does not reflect the business or service you provide you will not have a good first-impression.

Let’s assume you have a great domain name. It is easy to remember, reflects who and what you are and everybody is happy. That leads us to another first impression problem – that of the email addresses used by you as the owner or leader of the company or organization and the people at your business.

Somebody visits your website and they have been impressed and click on the Contact Us link and want to email you for additional information. Or they call and ask for the email address. What is their impression when you provide them yourname @aol.com, hotmail.com, gmail.com, or worse, YardSaleQueen@freeemail.com or ThePrez@yahoo.com.

Any favorable impression they had is eradicated in a few seconds. You just destroyed your first impression. You may never know how many people didn’t take your business church or organization seriously because of your email address. If you don’t take it seriously why should they?

A good domain name coupled with a great website can all be undone if you fail to implement the a professional email address.

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Dear Friends

If you don’t have a company website, don’t have the knowledge  or don’t feel you can afford a custom site I can help.

Contact me for help with all of this and more whether yours is a faith-based organization, a church, or a small business. Give me a call and let’s talk. Perhaps I can  connect you with very affordable resources so you can have  a favorable first-impression.

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald

Living Free & Pressing On

Office: 502.713.1039

-          Consumer Reports’ State of the Net 2010

According to Cloudmark 40% of all new facebook profiles are fake, created by malware and spammers. Be sure to check your security settings on facebook and if you don’t know how find someone who can help you.

In addition to all the ways online your identity can be compromised consider these areas of risks associated with identity theft.

There is financial identity theft; drivers license; social security; medical records/insurance; educational records; criminal just to name a few.

There is another very important area of identity theft that doesn’t make the lists the world is reporting on. It’s one that either is overlooked or maybe never even considered in the first place by journalists and television reporters. It is this: Spiritual Identity Theft.

Followers of Jesus Christ can be at risk for Spiritual Identity Theft. The Apostle Paul wrote the church at Corinth these words.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Once having accepted the gift of salvation through faith in the completed work of Christ the believer has a new identity. The old person, meaning the person you were prior to salvation, is dead; you are now alive in Christ and your identity is in Him. You have been born again.

Never the less there is a spiritual identity thief at work. The message of the gospel is one that sets free and the believer is warned in the Bible not to be entangled again. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. This message of hope and change can be replaced with negative thoughts that are counter to the gospel if we are not careful. Thoughts like:

• I’m not sure Jesus really forgives me
• I don’t think I can ever change
• I will always mess up

It is important to recognize the fallacy of such statements no matter their source. In other words whether they are your own thoughts, or they come to you through others or the influence of evil spirits they are false. If you are in a spiritual identity crisis or sense you have had your spiritual identity stolen there is a way to fix the problem. Change the influences that are coming into your life.

• Read the right books starting with the Bible
• Watch uplifting and edifying television and movies
• Listen to uplifting and edifying radio
• Hang around with the right people such as fellow believers
• Hang around at the right places starting with church

Protect your identity in Christ with even more fervor than you protect your financial identity. Remind yourself daily who you are. That you are a new person. A saint. Righteous because of Christ. A new life has begun. Live it joyfully and without condemnation.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.     Romans 8:1

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Dear Friends:

A recent Harvard University study showed that only 45% of workers they surveyed were happy with their jobs. That’s the lowest percentage in 22 years.

If you are reading this and are part of the 55% that are unhappy in their jobs and are seriously considering a career change or you are in the 45% that are happy in what you are doing but could use an income boost I’d love to talk with you. I might have something that could help no matter which group you are in.

I am partnering with people in the USA and Canada to teach, motivate and inspire them to get what they want and make their lives more fulfilling. My goal is to simply expose you to some options that might put you in a better position to have the life you’ve dreamed about.

Contact me at 502.713.1039 to schedule a free consultation. It only takes about fifteen minutes and you may or may not be interested.

Sincerely,

Dennis McDonald
Living Free, Pressing On!