By
JAY BLOCK

"Every defeat, every disappointment, and every adversity carries with it the seed of a greater benefit." - Napoleon Hill

We are entering the holiday season once again, which means another year has concluded. Those of you who read The Jay Block Companies newsletters know that our messages are always motivational, inspiring, and positive. But negativity must NOT be ignored. If we face a health issue, we must acknowledge it and prepare to do battle or our health will deteriorate. If there are weeds in the garden, we must acknowledge them and prepare to do battle, or they'll destroy the garden. And if you have a job that is not paying you what you are worth, a boss who does not respect your contributions, or a company that seems to be going nowhere fast, you must acknowledge this and prepare to do battle. The message here is that positive thinking must be balanced with working through negative situations, events, and issues - in a positive and constructive manner. We can't ignore the negative, because whatever we ignore tends to get worse in time and comes back to bite us in the 'you- know-what !'

The State of the Union:

Unfortunately, as 2007 winds down and 2008 is about to begin, the state of the Union is NOT good. Gas prices are rising to unprecedented levels as are healthcare and insurance costs. The national debt is approaching $10 trillion, and personal debt is reaching an all time high. The housing marketing is in a freefall and is expected to remain flat for another year - probably two. And in the land of seemingly unlimited opportunity, technological comforts, and unprecedented freedoms, the #1 prescribed medication in the US is anti-depressants.

A great majority of Americans are unhappy, stressed out, unhealthy, financially strapped, and working at jobs where they are underpaid, overworked, and under appreciated. Most Americans work in a complex, chaotic job market where job / financial security may be gone forever. Companies continue to downsize, rightsize, and capsize employees from their payrolls, and those left standing are expected to pick up the pieces and work harder and longer than ever before. No doubt, 2008 will be a challenging year for most of us.

NOW THE GOOD NEWS

Wherever there is adversity - there is an abundance of opportunity. And the best way to take advantage of all the opportunities available to you and to deal with negativity, stress, frustration, disappointment, and adversity is NOT to hope for things to change; rather to demand that you change. You must prepare NOW in order to make 2008 a rewarding, successful, and fulfilling year. You must take action NOW (and throughout the year) to do battle and assure you and your family achieve all that you want and deserve. Regardless of what 'external' factors might influence your life in 2008, you must remember that if you direct your thoughts, control your emotions, and take massive action - you can ordain your destiny.

In other words, if you are prepared to work hard to change how you think, feel, and act - you can change everything about your life, so you and your loved ones can experience the best year of your life. The following, is a list of 8 ways to improve your career and 8 ways to improve your life. Embrace these concepts, and 2008 will surely be the best year of your life - regardless of what you are facing !

8 Ways to Improve Your Career / Job

1. Identify what job you'd enjoy doing and begin exploring how to achieve it. Do not give up on your dreams, cave in on your values, or settle for less. Know what you want - and go after it !
2. Plan for the best and prepare for the worst. A plan without a back-up plan is no plan at all. So identify what you want to accomplish in 2008, career / job-wise, and develop a written plan!
3. Always have a current resume prepared. A resume is like your employment life insurance policy in the event you are a victim of downsizing or if your job becomes so intolerable that you must consider leaving. Don't begin 2008 without a powerful, up-to- date resume that markets you!
4. If you are not happy in your job, plan an "exit strategy" that meets your timetable - not your employers. Use your current job as a stepping stone to a new one - and do so on YOUR terms!
5. Learn new skills every week. Don't ever leave a week with having learned a new skill, a new process, a new system, or a new program. Remember, the only security you have in the job market today is the security you provide yourself - by improving your worth to the marketplace and becoming more valuable to prospective employers.
6. Don't major in minor things. Spend a significant amount of time on those things that matter most, and avoid those things that don't matter. Watch TV after you've worked on your resume; after you've read a book; and after you've worked on your business plan / exit strategy.
7. Expand your sphere of influence. Meet new people, establish new relations, and enhance the quality of those you spend the most time with. Today, more than ever, the best jobs go to those who know the right people.
8. Invest in your future. Read the books, listen to the audio CD's, hire qualified coaches, and go the extra mile in all that you do - because going the extra mile IS the best investment you can make in your future.

8 Ways to Improve Your Life

1. Set goals for 2008. If you could achieve just 2 or 3 goals that would dramatically change the quality of your life for the better, and that you would commit to in 2008, what would they be? Write them down and pursue them with a reckless abandon.
2. Commit to good health. Drop the weight; give up the cigarettes; reduce the alcohol consumption; develop an exercise plan. Care about how you look and how you feel. Care about you!
3. Focus on your relationships with yourself, your spouse / significant other, your family, your friends, your coworkers, and your community. Be kinder, more tolerant, more forgiving, and less judgmental. Expand and improve all of your relationships.
4. Demand more of yourself than anyone would demand of you. Don't wish things were easier - wish you were better. A coach, years ago, challenged me NOT to wish for an easier wind; rather to learn how to set a better sail - learn to set a better sail for you and your family, and achieve all you are worthy of achieving.
5. Appreciate all that you have in pursuit of all that you want. If you want 2008 to be the best year of your life, begin the process with a deep appreciation for all that you have today - right now ! The best - selling book, The Secret,sends this message: Energy attracts like energy - so make sure you produce an abundance of positive energy to attract an abundance of positive results.
6. Create a family budget - and live within that budget. Be disciplined and frugal. Read the book, The Richest Man in Babylon (George Clason), and know that the less debt you have - the less stress and conflict you'll need to endure. Work hard on your finances and reducing debt.
7. Be resourceful. Our lack of achievement is, in most cases, NOT due to a lack of resources; rather a lack of resourcefulness. Challenge yourself to be open to new thoughts and new ways of doing things. You must be more resourceful today if you want extraordinary results in 2008.
8. Ask for help. Seek out friends, family members, coaches, trainers, and those who are willing to help you create the life you envision for yourself and your family. No one makes it alone. Invest your time, money, and energy in those people who will make the biggest difference. Attract high quality people in your life and let go of those who bring you down or stand in the way of being who you really are and what you want to accomplish.

Lee Iacocca said in his recent book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone, "You don't have to be a genius to see that a nation full of overeaters, pill popping, TV watching, iPod-wired, shopaholic, attention deficit disordered people is not going to make it. We could be headed for extinction if we don't watch out." The message here is clear. If you want 2008 to be the best year ever - you must prepare to battle and employ discipline, so you can live life on your terms. Charles Handy wrote in his book, The Elephant and the Flea, that if you don't give life your best shot, you'll die, go to heaven, and meet the person you could have been."

This holiday message is NOT negative; on the contrary. This is a positive look at our real world. Know that with every adversity and negative event, there lies a seed of greater opportunities and greater achievements. I challenge you to sow better seeds today, and throughout 2008, so you live your life, and work at jobs, that will make you happy and provide the success you deserve.

WORDS OF WISDOM

"If you don't plant in the fall, you'll have to beg in the spring."
- Jim Rohn

"The price of greatness is responsibility. And responsibility is the responsibility of everyone"
- Winston Churchill

"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."
- Teddy Roosevelt

"We must use time creatively - and forever realize that time is our best hope to do great things."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

" I will prepare; and someday my chance will come. There is no substitute for preparation."
- Abraham Lincoln

"The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools."
- Confucius

"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them."
- Walt Disney

"Do not fear failure or despair in 2008. Rather, feel all the possibilities that are derived from a fearless constitution, an unwavering commitment to success, and the discipline to stay focused."
- Jay Block

COMING SOON !
COURAGEOUS HEALTH:
How to Think Positive - Manage Fear in Difficult Times - Be an Active Participant in the Healing Process

A multiple CD set , presented by Jay Block, for patients, caregivers, loved ones, friends and all healthcare professionals.

COACHES CORNER:

Meet John Rohn

I would like to conclude this newsletter and this year by introducing you to one of the best coaches I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Instead of writing his words here in the Coach's Corner, I invite you to see him yourself on MySpaceTV Videos. Enjoy his extraordinary message by clicking on the link below.

Happy Holidays and - make 2008 the best year ever !

Warmest regards,
Jay and Ellen Block

email: ellen@jayblock.com

phone: 561 687-0888

web: http://www.jayblock.com