TRADING PLACES

SPORTS HEADLINE-ALLEN IVERSON SET TO DEBUT FOR PISTONS
Veteran guard Allen Iverson returns to the Eastern Conference Friday night when he takes the court for his new team, the Detroit Pistons after being traded there earlier in the week. Iverson, the 2000-01 MVP and four time NBA scoring champion, was traded to the Pistons in an attempt by team president Joe Dumars to shake up the core of a team that has faltered in the Eastern Conference Finals the past 3 seasons.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT-
Ever been in a rut? You just feel like you are going through the motions, not really making any headway in any area of your life. You do the routine, see the same things, hear the same songs, eat the same foods and just feel blah. You need to create change for change's sake. Doing simple things like taking a different route to a familiar destination. Commit to trying one new place to eat or type of food each week or month. Take a class for a hobby you wouldn't ordinarily consider. Making these sublte changes will give you a boost of energy that will carry over into other aspects of your days.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT-
Some businesses think they have it all figured out. They have created the best process, the best product or the best service and they are going to corner the market. Most of those businesses fall well shy of the success they beleive they can acheive. It's been said that the best idea is a borrowed one. There are endless opportunities in business to develop partnerships or strategic alliances and trade concepts, information, strategies or experiences in order to create wins on multiple fronts. What you consider to be common knowledge and of little value can be of great value to someone who has yet to come to the same realization as you and vice versa. Keep an open mind to sharing and experience victory on many levels.

PERSONAL FINANCES-
There are few things that are more exciting than seeing your money make money. In the 1990's, individuals got rich, then poor, then rich again by day trading stocks. Day traders would spend their days buying and selling stocks, researching opportunities to make a quick strike and hoping to avoid a catastrophic loss. The era faded a bit with tougher economic times but the core concept is solid. Merely investing in a stock and letting it sit there is one strategy to employ, but in order to maximize your money work closely with your broker and/or fiancial advisor to deftly buy low and sell high and come out on the winning end of your trades.

GAME PLAN-
Life is full of chances to change things around. There are times that just making a change for the sake of change is appropriate but as a rule you always want to make a change for positive results. Look at where you are, where you want to be and what's it going to take to get you there. Implementing the right changes may be what it takes to lead you to victory!

YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN

SPORTS HEADLINE-LEFTWICH RALLIES STEELERS TO VICTORY OVER CHILDHOOD FAVORITE TEAM
Late in the 2nd quarter of Monday's NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins, Steelers starting QB Ben Roethlisberger injured his right shoulder and hand after hitting a defender's helmet while throwing a pass. After halftime, backup QB and DC native Byron Leftwich entered the game and proceeded to throw for 129 yards, a TD and led his team to a 23-6 victory.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT-
Close your eyes for a minute. Think of what defines your childhood, your old friends, your old neighborhood, your memories-good and bad. This is what shaped you to become the person you are today. As we go on to our adult lives, our childhood memories always stay with us, but tend to slowly fade. Take some time to reflect on those days. Try to reach a childhood friend you hadn't spoken to in years. By virtue of today's social media outlets like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc. it is easier than ever to reconnect.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT-
Most businesses start with lofty goals, big plans and high expectations. Establishing your business as an industry leader in your local market gives you a blueprint of how to replicate it on a larger scale. It also allows you to make mistakes and learn your way on a more forgiving plane. If you are a locally owned business, you will often find a little more support and latitude than if you are a national player that comes in with heightened expectations. Start by owning your backyard and watch your territory grow from there.

PERSONAL FINANCES-
We've heard a lot in the last few months about "Wall Street" and "Main Street" but what's happening on your street? Your financial victory starts at home with basic core concept of establishing your personal budget. Sitting down and looking at what comes in and what goes out of your household is the foundation of establishing a solid plan of savings, spending responsibly and building towards your financial victory.

GAME PLAN-
The cliche says home is where the heart is. Home is not a physical structure, it's a feeling of security, serenity, comfort, ownership, pride and respect. Sometimes it takes us a while to find our sense of 'home' as we seek it in material possessions, seek it out in groups or organizations, trying to find out where we belong. I'm a big believe in 'going back to basics'. Re-establish those things in your life that enrich your soul and spirit, things that bring you joy and incorporate those as part of your daily lives.