What does Groundhog Day mean to you?

a)  Nothing
b)  Another silly holiday
c)  Prediction of a short or long winter
d)  The valuable lesson from the movie, Groundhog Day

My answer is D. I love the movie, Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray aka Phil Connors.

If you have not seen that movie, I highly recommend it. Not just for the comedic value but more importantly, for the valuable lesson that can alter the course of your life forever.

If you have not seen the movie, the central theme is that every day is exactly the same as the next. For example, Phil wakes up to his alarm each day at 6:00 am, playing the Sonny and Cher song, I Got You Babe. Phil sees the same insurance salesman, Ned Ryerson at the same time on the same corner. Every day Phil steps off the same curb into the same puddle. And it goes on. The plot of the movie may sound silly but it unfortunately is an accurate depiction of most people’s lives. Do you feel like your life is a bit mundane and has a little too much sameness? I will not answer the question on your behalf, but will ask you to consider this statement:

If you change, everything will change for you.

In the movie, Groundhog Day, Phil started to become aware of the sameness of each day and because he knew exactly what was going to happen next, he started to manipulate the outcomes by changing his actions.

For example, he learned to speak French and play the piano which allowed him to impress his love interest in the movie. Instead of stepping in the puddle every day, Phil stepped over the puddle, which saved him for walking around all day in wet socks, shoes and pants. Phil took advantage of knowing what was going to happen next by changing his actions. Changing his actions changed the results to his benefit. If it worked for Phil in the movie, why can’t it work for you?

Take the Groundhog Day Challenge!

This Groundhog Day challenge yourself to pick one thing you want to change. What one thing could you change in your life that would create a life that you really want? Most people create bad habits and routines because they don’t have a goal.

So, first things first. What would you like your life to look like in 15 years? What do you want to achieve in your life? How much money do you want to save in the next 15 years? What country would you like to visit? Have you always dreamed of writing a book or starting your own company? The only thing holding you back is your daily disciplines. What could you change in your life that would create the life you really want?

Okay, now that you have a goal, lets look at your daily routine. Have you not written your book because you didn’t have the time? Is it that you didn’t have the time or that you valued your time doing something else, like watching television? Have you not invested in an IRA because you didn’t have the money? Is it because you didn’t have the money or is it because you were spending your money on trinkets. Its time to stop making excuses and time to start creating the life you want. If you gave up one hour of television every day, you would have the time to write one page a day. If you wrote one page a day you could have a 150 page book written in less than 6 months. Don’t think you have any money to invest in an IRA? What if instead of spending your whole paycheck, you disciplined yourself to save 10% of your check before you spent any of it? A person only making $25,000 year could afford to invest in a 3,000 IRA. If you are like most people, you are saying. I can’t afford to save $250 month. I would respond by saying, you don’t think you can afford it because up until now you have had no reason to save $250 month. Since you now have a goal to invest in an IRA, you might start asking yourself, “What could I change?”. Here, I’ll help you. Do you go to Starbucks every day? How often do you eat out every week? What could you cut back on or cut out of your daily routines. If you are still not with me, let me suggest you start with canceling your cable.

Not only will you save $100 month but you will also have more time to write your book which means you could finish it in 3 months versus 6 months. Now if you sold 7 or 8 copies of your book a month you could make another $150 dollars a month and you would now have your $250 to invest per month in an IRA. So, take a lesson from the movie Groundhog Day, if you change…..everything will change for you.

Most people make New Year’s Resolutions Jan 1st and give up on them by February 17th. A lot of people get caught up in the excitement of being able to start over, just to fall back to the sameness they were trying to avoid. Why? Because they aren’t using the lesson from the movie Groundhog Day, “in order for things to change, you must change”. For things to be different, you must do something different.

After reading this article, I hope the answer to the question,“What does Groundhog Day mean to you?” changed from a,b, or c to d.

For the best results, continue to ask yourself, “What can I change?” over and over and over.

Happy Groundhog Day,

David Behr

Here’s an easy way to make Thanksgiving work for you

Eating lots of turkey, watching football and getting together with family are all part of Thanksgiving. But don’t forget about the real purpose of Thanksgiving: being thankful.

It can pay off in more ways than you might imagine.

If you’re going to send a holiday card to your client anyway here’s a tip to be better positioned and remembered in the marketplace. This year, consider a timely thanks and combine it with the holidays. Let me explain.

How many Christmas and or New Years cards did you receive last year? The average person received 12. How many Thanksgiving cards did you receive last year? The average person received one — maybe. If you are in business and want to stand out, you might consider writing Thanksgiving cards this year.

Here are some words to consider for your card: “During the season of Thanksgiving, I wanted to thank you for being a valued client. I appreciate your business and I look forward to serving you for many years to come. Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, and a Prosperous New Year!” (notice you have combined all the holidays into one).

You might also consider sending a Thanksgiving card campaign to people who have not bought from you yet. Think about it: If the person you were calling on chose another vendor or supplier and are dissatisfied with the product or service, you are positioned to be thought of first.

If the company you are calling on hasn’t chosen a supplier yet, and you were the only one to send them a note thanking them for the opportunity to earn their business, you are again positioned to be thought of first.

Here are some words to consider: “During the season of Thanksgiving, I wanted to thank you for taking your time to consider letting me serve you. I will keep you posted on new developments and changes that may benefit you. Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, and a Prosperous New Year!”

Check back soon for ideas and action steps for getting the edge over your competition!

D. Behr