Sweet Recipe for Success

Ever wonder why some people are successful and others aren’t? I do.

I’m not talking about lottery winners. I’m talking about people who work for it and make it, or even make it big.

The approach to the big 4 - 0 and beyond has me thinking about a lot of things, including areas that people look to me for guidance and support.

So, why do some people achieve what others only dream of?

First, let’s recognize that success means something very different to each one of us. Not everyone is looking to be a CEO or the next Oprah Winfrey.

Second, I think we can agree that those who achieve great things have a keen vision of what they’re trying to accomplish and where they’re going.

Next, regardless of the goal, the path to success is paved with a well thought out plan, which considers the best routes, bumps in the road, and alternatives. It also explores how to address weaknesses and challenges.

Finally, a real victory can only be achieved through dedication and hard work. Even though you may have some lucky breaks in life, you’re going to have to earn your success.

Sweet Recipe for Success

• 1 part Your Definition of Success
  
• 1 part Vision and Focus
  
• 1 part Strategic Plan
  
• 1 part Hard Work and Dedication
  

Whatever you’re trying to achieve, I wish you all the best.

I’ve received a lot of requests to share more recipes, so here’s another one to enjoy with my Sweet Recipe for Success.

It’s So Easy Cranberry Cobbler

• 1 can Whole Cranberries
  
• 1 can Crushed Pineapple, Drained
  
• 6 McIntosh Apples, Shredded
  
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  
• 2 cups Oatmeal
  
• 1 1/2 cups Unbleached Flour
  
• 1 1/3 cups Brown Sugar
  
• 1 cup Butter or Margarine, Softened

Preheat the over to 350º F. Mix the fruits with the cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients with the butter or margarine. Grease a 13” x 9” pan. Place half the oatmeal mixture on the bottom of the pan. Spread the fruit mixture evenly in the pan. Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture on top. Bake for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

If boys will be boys . . .

Men should be men.

No?

At what age do we stop excusing a man’s behavior under the guise of boys will be boys? 25? 30? 35? 40? 45? 50?

Stop me when I reach the magic number.

I always find it amusing when a friend of mine justifies a man’s poor behavior based on the excuse that boys will be boys.

Now, all of you men who are reading this don’t take immediate offense. If this doesn’t apply to you, then move on graciously . . . like a man would.

As I prepare for the big 4 – 0 and beyond, I’m taking a look at many things, including what I find acceptable — and unacceptable — in the way I’m treated by a man.

No, I don’t believe there’s only one way to behave. If that was the case, then life would be incredibly predictable and boring. I merely have expectations for how all people should treat one another, along with what I think are reasonable suggestions for those starting or involved in any relationship.

• Show me respect, and show me that you want it, too.
  
• Be honest.
  
• Have an opinion — and share it.
  
• Stand up for what you believe.
  
• Mind your manners.
  
• Listen, and be heard.
  
• Be kind to those around you.
  
• Don’t be afraid of me.
  
• Take charge (when appropriate).
  
• Keep your inner child without being childish.
  

Once someone has mastered those 10 steps, we can talk about more advanced lessons. 

I’m a lucky lady. I’ve always been surrounded by good people and inspired by great role models — men and women alike. I know we’re all capable of treating each other well, if we’re so inclined.

So, no more excuses for either sex.

I’ll continue to allow boys to be boys . . . but expect men to be men.

Who are you calling lazy?

Have I reached the peak of laziness? No! I'm just striving to live a balanced life.

As I get ready for the big 4 - 0 and beyond, I’m doing more to simplify many areas of my life, making some things easier and freeing up time.

This year, my mom and I are sharing the preparations and cooking for the Jewish holidays. She knows I love to cook and bake, and I’m usually very happy to go it alone. She must have been surprised when I accepted her offer to help out. Remembering my mom’s great cooking, I also was secretly waiting with great anticipation for these meals.

After we finalized the menu and split the dishes to prepare, I found myself — for the first time — thinking about shortcuts in the kitchen. I knew they existed, but I haven’t been a fan.

In recent years, I’ve been amazed at the amount of shortcuts used on cooking shows. It seems like most of our celebrity chefs are teaching us how to open up a can, just add water, and mix in a few extras. Staunch food snobs like myself have turned up our noses and declared these ways not on par.

But, I’ve reconsidered and am admitting I’m wrong. There are ways to save time in the kitchen and still produce healthy, tasty, and economical meals.

I’ve been helping people live balanced lives for more than 10 years. We focus on time management, commitments, lifestyles, levels of importance for activities, positive and negative implications, and realistic expectations.

As my own responsibilities and commitments grow over the years, I regularly evaluate my life’s balance and make adjustments. When I do this well, I feel good and thrive in all areas of my life.

Finding acceptable shortcuts to prepare my favorite dishes is a great alternative to losing my coveted time in the kitchen. It’s win-win all around.

Many of you have asked me to share some of my recipes on Countdown to 40, so I’ve chosen this opportunity to introduce the first one.

Lisa-Michelle’s No-Time-To-Spare Potato Kugel (Potato Pudding)

• 1 Bag (30 oz.) Ore-Ida Country Style Hash Browns Shredded Potatoes, Defrosted
  
• 6 oz. (1/2 12 oz. Bag) Frozen Diced White Onions
  
• 2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
  
• 6 Eggs, Beaten
  
• 1/2 Cup Unseasoned Matza Meal
  
• 1 Teaspoon White Pepper
  
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  

Defrost the shredded potatoes overnight in the refrigerator. If they’re not fully defrosted, spread them on a cookie sheet while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Brown the onions and garlic in a nonstick pan with cooking spray or a drop of olive oil. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients well. Grease a 13” x 9” pan, and add the potato kugel mixture. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes till golden brown.

Enjoy this dish and having more time for whatever you want or need.

Best wishes to you all for a healthy, happy, good, balanced, tasty, sweet, and successful year.

You want it all . . . and you should have it!

We want it all, or so we say. But, success is defined by actions and achievements, not by our thoughts of what could or may be. 

There are so many things I want to achieve in life. As I approach the big 4 - 0, I'm thinking more and more about everything I want to have, give, share, enjoy, develop, and leave behind.

It's not easy staying on top of our hectic 21st-century lives. Let's face it. It's not easy just staying on top of our inboxes. But, you don't have to go it alone.

One of the greatest developments in recent times is the emergence of the professional coach. I'm not just saying this, because I'm a certified coach. Partnering with a coach is a powerful resource that can help you move forward and overcome obstacles.

Most of us have dreams, aspirations, and ambition. Everyone -- at every stage of life -- has goals on some level or another.

You've probably heard of life, executive, or career coaches. You may have even heard of business, weight-loss, workplace, creativity, relationship, transition, spirituality, work-life balance, adolescent, or retirement coaching.

But, you may not know what a coach does or how coaching exactly works. So . . . it's time to shed a little light on this tremendous resource.

You can partner with a professional coach to achieve remarkable results whether you're looking for your next promotion, figuring out your ideal career, want to simplify your life, trying to find a new job, improving your company's bottom line, seeking a more healthy lifestyle, writing a book, working through relationship challenges, starting your own business, approaching retirement, coming out of the closet, or anything else you want to accomplish.

During my coaching certification course, I benefited greatly from partnering with a coach to focus on my needs and goals. Today, we continue to coach one another on new objectives, often achieving better results than we would on our own. 

I'm not knocking either one of us. Maybe we eventually would have reached the same levels of success, but we've been able to accomplish much more in a shorter period of time. 

Coaching makes sense. Partnering with someone who is a nonjudgmental sounding board and helps you explore opportunities to move forward and achieve your goals is a great asset.

Many people think coaching is out of their reach financially, but there are affordable options, including group coaching; teleclasses; and workshops offered by community centers, libraries, colleges, and high school adult education programs. 

Along with three peers -- fellow Long Island Coaching Alliance Executive Board members -- I'm chairing an event to introduce the world of coaching to Long Island and greater New York.

How To Thrive In Today's World -- An Afternoon With New York's Top Coaches will be held at Farmingdale State College on Sunday, November 1, 2009, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The program includes:

• Keynote Speaker and Inspiration of the Year Award Recipient, Judy Martin, News 12 Long Island and Founder of WorkLifeNation.com
  
• Your Success Is Our Business! Panel Discussion
  
• Exhibition of New York's Top Coaches
  
• Networking Opportunities
  

If you would like to learn more about coaching, join us on November 1st. The event is being subsidized by the Long Island Coaching Alliance and costs only $20.00 per person. It's a great opportunity to meet some remarkable coaches in a wide variety of fields.

Working together with a coach helped me maintain my focus, clarify objectives, and achieve goals in a timely manner. It also helped me explore areas of myself I wouldn't have tapped into. 

I hope to see many of you on November 1st. Feel free to ask me any questions about coaching if you can't make it . . . or if you can't wait.

Can you see the green?

Recently, I saw one of my colleagues heading to the garbage with a plant. Most of its leaves were wilted, brown, and curled. Its soil was dry and cracked.

I’m sure it’ll come to you as no surprise that I was unable to control myself and asked her where she was going with the plant.

She told me the plant was left by a former employee a few months ago and, even though someone else in the office tried to occasionally care for it, the plant died.

You can imagine the look on my colleague’s face when I told her the plant wasn’t dead and shouldn’t be thrown out.

She pointed out all the dead leaves and cracked soil. She mentioned how sickly and sad it looked.

I pointed to the few traces of green and began asking questions. Where was the plant kept? In direct sunlight? In an area without light? How often was it watered?

She told me she found it on the windowsill. She wasn’t sure about the water, but we were both pretty sure that it wasn’t getting enough.

I told her I’d be willing to care for it, once I found out what was best. She said she’d be happy to care for it, if I could help her find out what it needs.

By now, we were joined by another colleague and getting advice from several passersby.

I looked between the dead leaves and pulled out the plastic instruction tab that comes with most plants. It read something along the lines of: Peace Lily — Keep away from direct sunlight. Keep soil moist.

We began removing the dead leaves and noticed more green than before. The dead ones were blocking our view. We even noticed a bud waiting to bloom.

Two months later, this is the most beautiful plant in its row. Its stems and leaves are bright green and erect. It has more flowers than I imagined possible.

Fascinated by its complete recovery, I read about this beautiful plant online. I found out in a study conducted by NASA that it’s one of the top 10 plants for fighting Sick Building Syndrome by effectively removing formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air.

When I saw the plant being taken to the trash, I had no idea how taking care of it in turn would provide a benefit to everyone in the office. I only thought of saving the plant.

I walk by it so many times each day, I couldn’t even guess how many. I still notice its beauty each and every time.

Our lives may not be as simple as those of plants, but we owe it to ourselves to shake off our brown leaves; recognize our potential; seek nourishment — of the mind, body, and soul; reach out to those around us; and thrive.

This Peace Lily is no longer just a plant to me.

It’s a reminder of how each one of us is different and, when properly nurtured, we all have the potential to grow strong, thrive, and make the world a better place.