Winning Spirit Magazine January - February 2013 January - February 2013 | Page 2

BY GAIL MILLER
A new year has become reality
and with it comes a variety of
messages. Some people will
rejoice at the opportunity
for new beginnings, while
others will have regret about
closing the door on the old
year. Some feel excitement
at the prospect of moving
on with new plans and new
resolutions that give way to
new adventures. Others will look back at the past year and
wish they could keep what they had, not wanting to change
a thing about their lives, while others will wish they could
change many things about the past.
Which category do you fit into? Whether you fit into the
contented group, the adventurous group or the
complacent group, be aware that now is the
time to make plans for your future. One
principle is forever true: “There is nothing
as constant as change.” Moving forward is
always better than staying status quo or
being stuck in the past. Even if you stand
still, you are going backward because
those around you are always moving,
which puts distance between where you
are and where you could be.
May I suggest one concept that might
help with your plans for the future? It is
“Continuous Improvement.”
Continuous improvement is seeing not just what is—but
what can be. During this last year we have admonished
those who work in our organization to be continuously
“learning, teaching and leading.” This is a very deliberate
concept adopted to encourage continuous improvement.
Learning means to observe or actively participate in
the process that makes you better at what you do and
more valuable to the organization. Learning doesn’t
always take place in a formal setting. There is no limit
to what you can learn if you consider that the world is
your classroom. Watch, listen and participate in every
setting you encounter to gather knowledge. This applies
not only to your job but also to everything that touches
your life. An informed person is a joyful person and a
more productive employee.
Once we are educated, it becomes our responsibility to
teach. This is the hierarchy of life. We learn, and then we