1. Do one thing at a time, no matter the task, and see it through to completion. Consciously work at this, and you'll see your productivity rise dramatically.

2. In these turbulent and uncertain times, be sure to filter the information you get on a daily basis. If you listen to any news radio station, or any cable news network, you're bound to hear about how terrible the economy is, and how you are a couple of bad days away from losing your house. Hogwash. Keep your perspective. Tough times in the stock market present hidden buying opportunities (if you do your research). Tough times in the job market offer opportunities to get better at what you do, or to expand your circle of competence professionally, or to start the career you've been dreaming about. Get the idea?

3. If you haven't failed in some obvious way each week, you aren't working hard enough. Stop playing it safe all the time, and push past your usual comfort zones.

4. You have 168 hours in your week. Start using them more effectively. You can easily eliminate one wasted hour of time daily and start using that hour to work on one of your life priorities. Over the course of a year, that adds up to almost fifty extra days of working towards priorities! Imagine what you can do if you get really serious about how you utilize your time!

5. Holidays are stressful, and we tend to make them much more stressful than they need to be. Organize your schedule so that you are able to enjoy the season. Allow for extra sleep in your schedule, minimize time doing things you really don't enjoy doing (eating fruitcake, shopping for presents for a second cousin-in-law twice removed that lives in Bolivia, standing in long lines behind people with coupons, etc), and maximize down time. You might actually enjoy the holidays more.

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5 new words that I've added to my lexicon, and that you can now add to yours:

• Fecund-fertile, productive
• Invidious-unpleasant, unfair; awkward
• Demagogue-agitator, rabble-rouser, soapbox orator
• Cognate-related or connected; associated
• Peruse-To review carefully (note: most people believe this word means just the opposite)

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I love the work I do. Part of the reason is because of how privileged I feel to be a part of so many lives, so many heroic stories that never make front pages or prime time television. This humbles me, and pushes me to do the best I can for each person or organization that I come into contact with.

In this line of work, I've noticed that the highest achieving individuals share a common trait: everyday enthusiasm. I define this is as the conspicuous joy with which they pursue their goals. People with everyday enthusiasm are hard to miss. They are the ones that are happy even though they are exhausted. They ask lots of questions, because they always want to learn more, even when they are at the top of their game. They love talking about their work or pursuits, and are always looking for ways to improve. They also have a hard time sitting still for extended periods-most likely because they'd rather be competing somewhere, somehow. Their joy is seemingly boundless. It doesn't wax or wane. It's always there.

If you can't get enthusiastic about your work, or family, or love life, you need to reevaluate how you spend your time. Life is about competing-chasing down your goals with the relentless energy of an NFL defensive end. It's about taking the time to drink in life's simple moments-a cup of coffee and a hug from a friend, a small victory at work, a developmental milestone with your child, or a quiet moment with family. It's about playing to win and enjoying the game along the way. The outcomes cannot be guaranteed, though the attitude and effort can.

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