This Year Has 11 Months, From Alf Orpen

Many years ago a friend of mine Miyaki-san said to me there are 11 months to each year, and that the so-called 12th month is really a time to plan for the next year! I took that advice straight to heart and as it was December I began outlining my objectives for the next year.

The results for that following year were so close to what I had designed, that I have continued this practice ever since with results that always reflect a striking resemblance between the years outcome and my formative plans – what is also so remarkable is that the more I place a reality-check on my plan, without being limiting, the more precise it has been. I am not suggesting that I have perfected this process by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, I am still learning. What is clear to me however is that there is a process to creating an outcome and one important aspect is planning, or as I like to call it “designing”.

One of my loves is the etymology of words, that is; the root word as well as its original intended meaning. The word design is taken from the Latin root prefix “de” meaning form, from or about, and “sign” from signare meaning a mark or sign (as in signature). That is: a true design must have ones form or signature on it. After all a design does require a designer. The point here is that for any plan (design) to work, it must have your signature (your nature) on it. That is, it must come from you, if it is to work for you.

The design dictum states: “One does not plan and then try to make the circumstances fit those plans, one makes plans to fit the circumstances.In other words, don’t force anything – check the lay of the land and plan accordingly. One of the most important aspects of planning is the budget. In today’s society the most important things for us to budget are our time & money. It is clear from my personal experience that this is the stumbling point for many people, in most cases over-stretching both in the usage of time & money end up causing suffering of one kind or another. So what’s a budget? Simply put (and that’s always the best place to start: simplicity)it is the “reality check” aspect I mentioned above and from one dictionary definition it is “an itemised allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period”.

What are your circumstances? How much time will reality allow you to grow your enterprise? How much money will reality allow you to grow your enterprise? Once you have ascertained the answers to those fundamental questions, the rest is quite simple (no one is saying “easy”). Just go for it. One step at a time, persistently, resting when necessary and applying yourself when necessary. As one person once wisely put it, business is a long-distance run and not a sprint. The balance of non-self-limiting planning and reality-check budgeting are indeed to borrow a principle; two sails of the same ship. Wishing you all a splendid 2008, full of enjoyment in your relationships and success in your business!

With Warm Regards,
Alf Orpen
ONE Group Founding Director
(This article is from the Dec. 2007 Representative Newsletter)

How to Achieve Your Dreams ~ by Alf Orpen

Highlights from Alf Orpen's Introduction
(compiled by Ronit Rosen)

Summary of Alf Orpen's Introduction, from the North American Conference.

First, we must acknowledge on a deep level the whole picture. We need to see who we are and what we are about. We start from where we are -- it's not about someone else... It's about YOU!
Environment:
50-100 species are going extinct daily. One year of gas used by humans took 1 million years to create. 77,000 acres of forest are being torn down every year...

The POWER to change this situation comes from business. The definition of enterprise is 'life force'. There are infinite possibilities -- it's not about 'sustainability' but having organic and natural balance in abundance and prosperity; anything is possible and it is. The future begins today, now and every day it begins today.

5 Fundamentals for Growing Your Business:

1. begin with clarity; WHY? What do you want to do with it? How much is enough -- what do you want your life to look like? What do you want the world to look like?Clarifying what you want eliminates stress in one's life. Being deligent and working with your goals in mind and with a plan of how to get there is the best way to proceed.

2. intend it to be - we create the path and our future; INTENSION has an infinite organizing power and creates momentum. We are here to give and receiving is part of it too, just as important. Intention becomes evident in reality ~ it always materializes.

3. strategy and budget -- design it for yourself since this is not a cookie cutter; plan with what you can and only what you can afford. We have both Time and Money, so the key is to use what you have CONSISTENTLY EVERY MONTH.

4. be patient. takes 3-5 years to have lemons from the tree. Don't get caught up with challenges, move around them -- be pro-active. You have the power to achieve something positive with effort and patience.

5. abandon the 'human calculator' ~ 1+1 not necessarily equaling 2; in nature, 1+1 can equal much more!! multiplies. let go of what you expect and you will benefit.

Other suggestions from the session:

-- assign top priority to relationships -- "this is what I'm doing, do you want to come along?"
-- cultivate transparency - be clear, don't hide, share!!
-- develop your own FAQ sheets, because everyone asks similar questions
-- be a problem solver ~ ways to decrease synthetic chemical exposure; beautiful personal care tips, etc.
-- "few people realize how much how little will do" ~ for example, the smallest particle creates the biggest "bang" in reality -- the atom. Focus on smallest things to get the biggest results. Repeat what you focus on - your niche - and you can get a big result.
-- to be happy ~ health, wealth and good relationships.