SOMETIMES, IT'S JUST TIME

SPORTS HEADLINE-MATT MILLEN OUT AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL REIGN AS LIONS GM/PRESIDENT
After posting a 31-84 record as the General Manager/Team President of the Detroit Lions, former NFL star and analyst Matt Millen was relieved of his duties today by team owner William Clay Ford.

Millen has long been a target of ridicule by the fans, local and national sports media. The inability to field a winning team was magnified by Millen's curious personnel decisions, such as drafting WR in the first round in 4 consecutive years. The Lions, under Millen's leadership since 2001 are off to an 0-3 start this season.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT-
We all enter certain things in life-relationships, career paths, business deals, personal business ventures-with passion, confidence, vision and hope that it will all work out for the best. Some of these same feelings are why other people can see from the outside what it sometimes takes us too long to recognize for ourselves. Sometimes it just doesn't work and no matter what you do, it's not going to. Part of being a smart and effective decision maker is realizing that there is no shame in failure, only shame in failing to recognize when to let go. In the long run, you are better off for having the experience and moving on than lingering and 'hoping for the best'

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT-
It's always tough to let someone go. You hire or partner with someone with all of the best intentions. You are sure that this is the perfect person for the role you envision them fulfilling. For one reason or another, it's just not happening. Do you think it's a mystery to that person that you are not achieving the results that you both dersire? It may not be all of their fault, sometimes it's a matter of circumstance. But business is business. Doing the right thing by being fair and letting the person know that it's not working and you both need to move on is the right, professional thing to do.

PERSONAL FINANCES-
Do you have a DeLorean parked in the garage? How about a stack of Enron stock certificates? Are you still feeling good about that HD-DVD purchase of a couple of years ago? A few bad investments can put you in a world of financial hurt for a long time. While you don't want to be hasty in making financial decisions, when the writing is on the wall, bail out and save what you can.

GAME PLAN-
Let's face it, losing is part of the game of life. Nobody is ever going to win all the time or lose all the time. One of the differences though between perennial winners and perennial losers is the self awareness to acknowledge when something isn't working and it's time to make a change. Einstien famously said, 'The definition of insanity is doing the same action over and over and expecting a different result.' I'm not advocating making change for change sake, however if there is a constant among other changes and your results remain the same, it's time for a change in overall direction.