Part 1: Make Your Standards > America's Standards

"Each generation will reap what the former generation has sown." ~Proverb



A few months ago we saw an ugly America.

The election season was almost depressing to watch.

It brought out the worst of this country. It brought out the worst in everyone. But sadly, the 2016 election is simply an epitome of a problem that NO ONE is talking about. And, along with me, you're probably guilty...

We're guilty of lowering our standards. 

But before we dive into that, a Public Service Inquiry:

When did it become our civic duty to do things just a little bit worse than the generation before us? Or maybe there's a bigger question at hand... When did it become socially acceptable to continually lower the bar?

That's the culprit, right?  The decline of standards?  We keep lowering the bar and thus keep paving the path for a moral and social decline for our kids and our kids' kids.

Again, I'm guilty of it, so I'm certainly not pointing fingers if you're guilty, too. Sometimes it may just be a core value we compromised for a split second. But I think it's obvious, those split seconds have accumulated into a societal blunder. Examples?

When did it become not OK to respect our elders? I'm sure you've noticed that respect has flip-flopped so drastically that teenage behavior blatantly disrespects the older population.

Let's read some dating articles in women's magazines: They are begging for chivalry to make a return.  When did it become ok to not date with gentlemanly behavior?

Disobedience or disruptive behavior in a classroom used to mean student discipline- at the very least, a name on the board.  When did it become OK to blame the teacher?

Look at Tinder. Now we're dating and meeting people before knowing the slightest bit about the other person. Oh, did I sugar coat that? I meant sleeping with people before knowing the slightest bit about them. Where did our individual standards go?

Why do we live in a free country where most memes make more sense than our politicians?


There are 300 Million people in our country, and the top two choices for PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES were a liar and an egomaniac. These 2 clowns laid the platform a for a hateful pillow-fight where the only weapons used are 'proof' as to why the other candidate is 'more worser.' Oh, Donald Trump talked badly about women? Yeah, well Bill Clinton got adultery sex in the Oval Office...in an all trailer park battle of who is a just a bit rapier. How sad that our most powerful position has more name calling and back stabbing than an 8th grade class president election?

The sad part is that we don't have answers to any of this. So in lieu of digging for answers, we place blame. And who is up next?  Ah, yes...Step forward, Millennials. Your elders need target practice.

If this country was a giant High Jump competition, we're doing it wrong. IF someone jumps over the bar at 3-foot, 6-inches, then we are supposed to raise the bar to 3'7". A higher bar equals higher standards. Higher standards demand everyone works harder to achieve new heights and strives to meet new challenges.

Instead. When someone jumps over 3'6", society muddles together over $6 coffee and makes a case to lower the bar to 3'5" because people might actually have to work for 3'6".

So where does it stop? How low do we go?

YOU may or may not be able to lead higher bars for the general public, but you can start by setting higher standards for yourself and how people treat you. Higher standards means loftier goals and ultimately a better, more refined you.

Part 1 (the ugly overview) is over & out. Stay tuned for Part 2. Start thinking about the 'Better You.'


~Coach Jake

P.S. Are you ready to start raising the bar for yourself?  Check out www.MaximalMe.com or email TotalLifeCoachJake@gmail.com to find out how.

Budgeting Makes Perfect Cents

"Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a big ship." ~Benjamin Franklin


I know! Maximal Me Coaching took a few months off to revamp training and seminar programs, but now I'm back in 2016 and better than ever.


Let's talk about your money for a minute. Do you have a budget? Do you need a budget? Are you frustrated because the numbers never add up?    If  you answered 'yes' to any of these, I'm here to simplify the process so you have a system that meets your lifestyle in the best way possible.


So take a deep breath, and let's start over.


When I was single and in my 20's, my budget consisted of 7 line-items on a spreadsheet that gave me a decent guess at my surplus at the end of the month.  The truth is that my money wasn't a concern, so my budget wasn't either.


Now...my kids spend all my money, so I'm stuck wondering how toddlers can be so fiscally irresponsible.


I truly don't believe I ever had a grasp on my budget and expenditures until my first daughter turned 1, and I was finding myself puzzled at the end of the month.  That's when I decided to do conduct a BRUTAL-TRUTH-STUDY of my money.


Here's what I did: Everyday for 3 weeks, I wrote down every expenditure I had, whether it was cash, credit, or debit. At Day 21, I was shocked.


It wasn't my car payment, house payment, or electricity bill that was killing me...it was EVERYTHING I hadn't thought of- all of the small stuff. Every mid-morning snack, every bottled water, every pack of gum, every lunch out-to-eat, every happy hour. I was spending $400/month on pure miscellaneous, which, at the end of the day, made my budget worthless.


Food for Thought: There are roughly 240 working days in a year. If you buy an average Starbucks drink on half of those days, that's $480. 


So, now it's time for you to make a list. But you have to include all the normal stuff, and then all of the items you buy to help the day run smoothly...for now, we'll call them 'Reality Check' items.  Let's examine..
NORMAL EXPENSES

• Car
• House/Apt
• Electricity
• Cable/TV
• Cell phone
• Water Bill
• Food from grocery
• Insurance/car
• Insurance/health

REALITY CHECK ITEMS

• Coffee/Starbucks
• Candy, chips, coke bought from vending machine
• Alcohol purchases
• Cigarettes/tobacco products
• Snacks purchased while getting gas
• 'Night-out' expenses, drinks, shots, 'a-round-for the table'

The next step is where the true budgeting comes into play. So first you need the difference (whether it's a positive or a negative number) of your income minus [List 1 + List 2].
Next, if you're budgeting, then you're actually planning, so what are you wanting to plan for?  a rainy day? new clothes?  car maintenance?


All of those are respectable areas that will require your attention at some point. The question remains: how much are you setting aside for all of your future expenses?  Does 5% of your income make sense? Even 10%?     Multiply your monthly income by .1 and include that amount as a line item...does that work?


These are questions only you can answer, but if you want to be a true steward of your finances, planning ahead is technically your third 'list.' Having foresight to make sure you're protected...and planning ahead so you're covered and ready for emergency expenses is a critical skill.


Every budget is different, so you may have to tinker with numbers and scenarios a few times. More importantly, you may have to make some sacrifices, but that's not a bad thing. It's the responsible thing. And if you do find a monthly plan that's feasible (at least on paper), try it for 3 months and then re-evaluate. 


Let's wrap it up with some tips and a summary:

1. Aim for putting 10% of every paycheck into savings. It might take discipline to not touch this money.
2. If you're serious about tackling your budget, then you'll need to be serious about all of your spending. Map, chart, and include all of the small things.
3. Take retirement planning seriously. It takes decades to accumulate the wealth you'll need for a happy retirement. The process should begin in your 20's and 30's.
4. Set goals and hold yourself accountable to your monthly plan.

Good luck- and be sure to save some money to reward yourself for all your accomplishments!


~Coach Jake


www.MaximalMe.com


P.S. Need some help with your budget? Contact me at TotalLifeCoachJake@gmail.com