All Presidential candidates (before and after) make all kinds of promises about YOUR 'social security' when running for the top job. Regardless of the promises, YOU are the one who has to live or die by the future plans made on your behalf.

Future plans that YOU make and control. It's your actions that count. No one else is going to make sure that you are cared for in your old age. At street intersections in every city there's the guys and gals with a sign (hungry, homeless, work for food, etc.). The 'Government' will not meet your needs when you are down and out or feeble and too old to work.

BELIEVE the truth --

NO one is concerned about YOUR welfare more than you should be. Statistical data indicates that most of us (85%) will be broke at 65, the retirement age (for most). Does that sound very inviting to you and your family? Probably not! It certainly is not very exciting for any of us.

Your FUTURE is the result of what YOU do today and tomorrow and the next day. Every single day has some impact on how comfortably you will retire. How much money you will have to live on. Travel. Fish. Go hunting. All those fun things you have always wanted to do.

DON'T PUT IT OFF

Good advice coming from one who did. I put it off. Not my retirement, but failing to have more FUN along the way. No real vacations. Business was always demanding my attention. Nose to the grindstone. Work - work - Work!

No rest for the weary was the norm. I could not believe that my business could get along without me. Could it have? Absolutely. Most of the time. YES! The Janitor and cleaning crews are missed far more than the CEO or the boss.

I had a great staff who ran the daily business without a problem. Few situations required my constant presence on the job. I can think of NONE right now since I sold my business several years ago.

What did I believe? WHY?

History! GUILT! My Dad never took a vacation that I can remember. He worked (it seemed) all the time. He worked 8 to 5 in his warehousing business and then he brought home a "set of books" from another company each night. His second "job" was "bookkeeping" at the dining room table from 7 to 12 midnight. At least he was at home in body but little else.

On Sunday he was the church treasurer. Another "job" to do on Sunday afternoon or in the evening. At least we went to the farm most Sunday afternoons to visit family. It was great but not the same as a vacation. Just a quick trip and then back home to more work.

My first trip to the coast of South Carolina, Windy Hill (near Myrtle Beach) was with a younger neighbor (I had worked with him in the summer) who took me along with his family. I was 14 at the time and had never before seen the ocean.

Our kids can't believe that! NO vacation. No play time. All work and little play time. Was it really work or was it dealing with a guilt complex?

How do YOU fit into this equasion? Are you taking your vacation time? Spending time with your spouse and children? Working 80 hour weeks? 100 hours? Something for you to think about. What is really important in your life?

WHO IS IN CONTROL

Your own mind should be. However, many of our decisions in life are often influenced by our childhood experiences. GUILT can be a tremendous factor. Not so much a top level conscious decision but a subtle feeling of wasting time. No one said, don't take a vacation. "Kinda" just felt "bad" doing it. Leaving work behind and unfinished.

Work is always UN-finished. There is always something more to be done. Something to begin. Fires to put out. Employees to guide to the next level. You face a never- ending challenge to make your business bigger and better. You can't slow down or the competition will "eat your lunch" and you'll be left behind.

What is the TRUTH?

Vacation time is very valuable and a good business investment. You and your family need time to grow together; to appreciate each other; get to know your spouse and the children. Listen to them. Love them. Everyone needs to get away from the daily "grind" and renew his/her batteries.

"Recharge" your "internal" energies and new insights will appear. Your value to the company will grow. You'll have more to give when you return from vacation. It is NOT a waste of your time.

Taking time off with your family is good "modeling" that you can do for your employees. Set the pace. Show the value of "time off" by your example. Encourage EVERY one of your employees to take their vacation. It's extremely important for the health of the employee as well as the benefit to the company.

Yes, I know! Not everyone has a "guilt" complex. Vacation is NOT lacking and more would be taken if offered. It just goes without saying that all of us are influenced by different role models in our lives. You have to make the judgment call at your company. Give your employees time to "forget" about work for short periods of vacation time.

SIMPLY GOOD BUSINESS --

Insist on vacation time being taken by everyone. Make NO exceptions. In most cases, you will not have any problem. However, there are some rare "birds" (employees) that love their job and don't want to take a vacation. You must set the policy. EVERYONE has to take a minimum of one-week (7 days) at one time.

When employees are on vacation is a GOOD time for you to handle incoming MAIL and phone calls. Be aware of EVERYTHING going on in your business. If you have the time and "know how" then take over the daily activity of your vacationing employee. You'll interact with others in the department and learn a bunch.

NOW IS YOUR BEST TIME

There is NO best time for anything. You simply have to move when the iron is HOT. A good time is always NOW. There is no better time than the present. Why wait? You'll only delay the desired result and putting off never works in your favor.

Put it off another day and soon you have put it off "forever". Next time it does not seem as pressing or as important. No big deal. It will wait. There is No rush. I'll get "around" to it next week or month or the year 2010!

TODAY Vs TOMORROW

TODAY is YESTERDAYS tomorrow! That's FUTURE! Our point is that you cannot keep putting off until tomorrow the things that should be done today. If we do, there is a heavy price to pay. Before long we will have put everything beyond reach and never arrive at our GOAL.

ACTION TIP: Plan for YOUR financial security. Do everything you can TODAY. Live your life in the NOW. Don't let guilt control your decisions. Take family vacations and spend quality time together. Set vacation policy and model it. Change comes quickly. Proper planning is the KEY to a pleasant "landing" into retirement or old age.

Don Monteith spent 32 years in the Staffing Business. His firm placed thousands of job candidates in their dream job. Today, he continues to share his expertise. Learn more by visiting his website at: http://www.HowToGetYourDreamJob.com