Discipline is the fundamental building block that most people utilize to achieve greater success in life. Once you have acquired the skill of discipline, it doesn’t matter what the economy is doing or what business you are in, your success is within reach at all times. You possess the most important tool to help you through the storms and changes of life.

If we can control and discipline three key areas of our life, we can control and discipline anything.

1. Our Finances
   I meet too many high producing salespeople who can’t control their money. Money just runs right through their hands, and it all runs out. In the end, it’s not what you make - it’s what you keep.

2. The Cleanliness of Our Home
   It takes discipline and hard work to maintain your home. It’s easy to let the laundry pile up, to not make the beds, to not control the kitchen. It’s harder to have the discipline to keep the house in order.

3. Our Weight
   For many of us, controlling what we eat and how much we move daily is a tremendous battle. Through regular exercise and better eating, I was able to shed twenty pounds in a few months. Now the discipline part really kicks in to keep it off.

It takes discipline to plan; to set the necessary time aside to evaluate the conditions; to construct the plan that takes advantage of the current conditions as well as the skills - and weaknesses - that you possess.

It also takes discipline to implement the plan. Most people quit before the plan can take full root and work. We live in a society where we all want instant success without significant effort. If we really knew the grand future that awaits us, if we could really see it, touch it, and feel it, we would be ready to implement disciplined activity to achieve it. In short, we would be willing to pay the price to get there.

An effective strategic plan should inject emotion and passion into you. You should be able to feel that emotion and passion. And that feeling, coupled with discipline, will move you to take action. Taking action is really the goal for a successful person.

Resolve today to decide on one disciplined action you should take, and do it. Don’t wait until tomorrow; do it today. Don’t wait until you feel like it, because you probably never will. Make the decision right now to do it!

Discipline is not magical; it’s merely movement... regularly, consistently, purposefully. Discipline is the link between your thoughts and your accomplishments — connect them today!

Is your garage so cluttered that only a toy car will fit inside? If you are wondering where all that stuff is going to go, maybe it’s time to spend part of the weekend creating some order in all that chaos. Get your parking space back with these easy tips!

1. Give junk a heave-ho!
   “Before anything else, toss stuff that’s beyond repair or hopelessly outdated,” says the president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Be sure to have a ‘donate’ pile and a ‘throw out’ pile. Throw away broken toys, almost empty cans of paint, and rusty garden tools. Donate sports equipment your kids have outgrown or that extra lawn edger.

2. Zone in!
   Divide your garage into zones: one for lawn and garden, one for sports equipment, one for seasonal items. Then only store items in the right zone.

3. Find the secret storage space!
   Install shelves on the often-over-looked space on the wall above where the garage doors roll up.

4. Hook it up!
   Place hooks on the wall to hold everything from ladders to folding chairs to sleds.

   TIP: Hang heavier items near the floor so they don’t hurt someone if they fall.

5. Contain it!
   Keep stored items neat with clearly labeled plastic containers - to prevent needless rummaging around.

6. Create a mini parking lot! Designate “parking spots” with colored tape on the garage floor for kids’ bikes and wagons.

Protect what’s precious!
Most garages experience extreme temperature fluctuations, so store heirlooms or family keepsakes elsewhere.

Always buy what you love, and you will love it forever. Buy pieces with a timeless, not trendy, quality. Trends come and go. You may spend a bit more in the beginning, but if your pieces last they’ll be well worth it in the end. Always buy pieces that are in scale to your home at present. Don’t buy things thinking that you will grow into them in your next home. Create a neutral color palette and dress it up with inexpensive art work and accessories. Area rugs are good, as you can take them with you when you move. If you can’t afford to furnish every room at once, don’t store leftover odds and ends. Get rid of what you don’t want and leave the space empty until you’re ready to proceed. This will result in a much cleaner, more uniform look for your house.

To figure out which size coffee table will work in your room, mark off the area with masking tape where you will place the table, making sure it allows a 30”-wide traffic path from the doorway through the room and 12” to 18” from the sofa to the table.

For a standard-size sofa and love seat placed at right angles, placing a 30” x 50” rectangular or oval table in front of the sofa is recommended. For two standard-size sofas or two standard-size love seats placed at right angles, a 42” x 50” square or round table is a good choice. For a standard-size sofa and love seat or two love seats placed opposite each other, a 30” x 50” rectangular or oval table placed between the two works best. For two standard-size sofas placed opposite each other or two sofas opposite each other with two chairs on one side, select a 48” square •or round table placed in the middle.

Your garage vehicle door may be the largest moving object in your home and could weigh up to 400 pounds. For your safety, make sure it’s in good condition.

Balance Overhead
Garage doors have gravity to deal with. In the absence of some type of balancing mechanism, the door would slam shut as soon as you let go of it and some would be too heavy for you to open. If you open the garage door about half way and let go, it should balance there.

Spring Failure
The springs used to balance the weight of the door are under enormous stress. Modern spring systems incorporate safety features to contain flying metal in the event of a spring failure. Attempting to service the spring system yourself can be very dangerous.

Auto Reverse
An automatic garage door opener should stop and reverse on meeting an obstruction. Many systems manufactured prior to 1982 may stop but not reverse. These older systems should be upgraded to protect people, especially children and even your pets.

Automatic Opener
Automatic door openers are not a replacement for a properly balanced door. The opener is not powerful enough to lift the entire weight of the door. The opener works with the help of the springs or counter balance system.

Emergency Release
Automatic garage door openers have an emergency release to disengage the garage door from the opener. Once disengaged, you can open the door by hand.

Electric Eye
Today, some form of external entrapment protection is required. An electric eye is the most common system used. The electric eye is mounted 5 to 6 inches off the floor and senses objects in its path. If your garage door opener does not have an electric eye system, you may be able to upgrade it without replacing the entire system.

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CONTACT YOUR LOCAL HOME INSPECTOR FOR A FULL VERSION

Summer’s finally here and it’s time for a trip! Where should you go?
You should go somewhere...

Family-friendly! For you, a vacation isn’t complete without your entire clan! But finding a place that makes all the generations happy isn’t always easy. This year, try visiting a big city or taking a cruise that has plenty of activities for everyone. Adventurous! You look at travel as a way to broaden your horizons. Whether you’re shopping in a new city or hiking in the mountains, the world is your oyster! Set your sights on a unique destination that has both the culture and excitement you crave. Relaxing! Your vacations are all about downtime. If the only reason you lift a finger is to book a massage, that’d be fine with you! Consider a seaside resort that has everything you need (from spa treatments to great restaurants) within a few steps.

1. Hang your laundry outside
   in the fall, spring and the summertime.

2. Choose the right water level
   for the size of load and if possible, wash full loads only.

3. Trade in your old washer and dryer
   for new energy efficient models.

4. Dry lighter items separately
   from heavier items like towels, as they typically need less time to dry.

5. Optimize the air circulation in your dryer
   by cleaning out the lint trap after every load and keeping it clear.

6. Did you know?
   90% of the energy we use when doing laundry comes from heating the water? The switch from hot to warm water washing can reduce energy use by 50%.

Keep It In Good Shape: Your garage door may require periodic lubrication and adjustment. Having a garage door expert in to inspect and adjust the system is a good idea. Pinch Hazard: Never put your fingers in the space between the door sections. To close the door, use the provided handles. Security: The remote control for your automatic opener is like a key to your garage. If your automatic opener does not facilitate, change the opener code, or consider upgrading. Educate Children: Never leave bikes and toys in the garage door path while it’s open. Do not play with the remote. PILLAR TO POST® HOME INFORMATION SERIES

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