September 15, 2021

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BG’s Positively Speaking

Setting Goals… The SMART Way

I have often discussed the subject of goal-setting. Setting your short, medium and long-term goals is the only sure way to eventual success. This time I want to outline the SMART way to set your goals. Some of you have guessed that SMART is an acronym. Here is the breakdown.

Specified: Your goals must be stated and specific. No “maybe’s,” “If I could,” “I’d be happy with.” They must be well defined, clear and concise. If you know what you want you will have a target to aim for. You must know where to aim your bow if you want the arrow to hit it’s target.

Measurability: Your goals need some distance between them. They should challenge you to excel. Goals that don’t move you forward are not goals, they are just a continuation of what you are already doing and that’s called standing still.

Achievable: Your first short-term goals should be attainable with effort on your part, not out of reach. Your long-term goals however should be one that causes you to grow, to change, to stretch and to move ahead.

Relevant: The goals you set must be relevant to you. They must be what you desire and want. Goals that mean nothing to you are just an excuse to fail. You know at the outset that you will not really try.

Trackable: You must have devised a way to track your progress toward the goals you seek. If you can’t look back and see your achievements you will get discouraged. This is why you set your goals in small steps. You can then see and feel the excitement of achieving something. This will then encourage you to go on. Also, you need to know that the path you are taking will get you to your destination. If you don’t track your journey,

You Will End Up Getting Lost.

All In A Days Work

A business owner tells her friend that she is desperately searching for an accountant. Her friend asks, “Didn’t your company hire an accountant a short while ago?” The business owner replies, “That’s the accountant I’ve been searching for.

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Waiter, I’d like a cup of coffee, please, with no cream. I’m sorry, sir, but we’re out of cream. How about with no milk?

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 A Truly Canadian Sign

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Editors Quote Book

“My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying.”

Rodney Dangerfield

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Trivia Quiz

(Click Question For Answer)

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Your Horoscope

For Amusement Only

ARIES Mar. 21-Apr. 19: Your personal affairs are of no concern to others. Just keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself.

TAURUS Apr. 20-May 20: Need a loan? Now’s the time to go shopping. Most bankers will look forward to seeing you.

GEMINI May 21-June 20: Your luck has finally run out. Swallow your pride and head for home. They’ll all be happy to see you.

CANCER June 21-July 22: Your perception of duty is admirable; but don’t let it stand in the way of your personal happiness.

LEO July 23-Aug 22: New skills will help your confidence to grow. Look for more ways to increase your knowledge.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22: A social function lends hand to romance. What may seem like antagonistic behaviour is merely stress.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22:  Keep your head out of the clouds or you will not be able to finish essential chores. Life’s looking good!

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21: Don’t believe everything you hear. Idle gossip is the devil’s own workshop. Don’t be sucked in by it.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21: You can’t afford not to purchase some of those big bargains. Shopping excursion will net big returns.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19: Procrastinating now may actually help you at a later date. Use your extra time wisely and be patient.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18: Everyone makes mistakes, but be careful yours is not a costly one. Examine your motives and your capabilities.

PISCES Feb. 19-Mar. 20: Financial security is still elusive. Build your empire one brick at a time. It will be stronger and stand longer.

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A Letter From Home

 

Dear Son,

I’m writing this slow ’cause I know you can’t read fast. We don’t live where we did when you left.  Your dad read in the paper that most accidents happen within twenty miles of home, so we moved. Won’t be able to send you the address as the last family that lived here took the numbers with them for their house, so they wouldn’t have to change their address.

This place has a washing machine. The first day I put four shirts in it, pulled the chain and haven’t seen ’em since. It only rained twice this week, three days the first time and four days the second time. The coat you wanted me to send to you, Aunt Sue said it would be a little too heavy to send in the mail with them heavy buttons, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets. We got a bill from the funeral home, and it said if we didn’t make the final payment on Grandma’s funeral bill, up she comes.

About your sister, she had a baby this morning. I haven’t found out whether if it is a boy or a girl so don’t know if you are an Aunt or Uncle. Your Uncle John fell in the whiskey vat. Some men tried to get him out, but he fought them off playfully, so he drowned. We cremated him and he burned for three days.  Three of your friends went off the bridge in a pickup. One was driving and the other two were in the back. The driver got out. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. The other two drowned. They couldn’t get the tail gate down. Not much more news this time. Nothing much happened. If you don’t get this letter, please let me know and I will send another one.

Love, Ma

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The Doctors Dilemma

A doctor is to give a speech at the local CMA dinner. He jots down notes for his speech. Unfortunately when he stands in front of his colleagues later that night, he finds that he can’t read them and asks the crowd “Is there a pharmacist in the house?”

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A Cool Idea

The fleet of police vehicles in Delray Beach, Florida, has a new addition: an ice cream truck. WPBF-TV reported that the Police Chief, Javaro Sims, said that he had been thinking about getting an ice cream truck for some time. “We must continue to find ways to break down those invisible barriers we continue to deal with on a daily basis within our communities,” Sims said. He hopes the public will grab a free ice cream and stay for some conversation, getting to know the officers and building relationships.

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The Last Word

A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and
help another up!

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