The Right Perspective is Everything! Glenna Batts-Gonzalez, MBA

No Pain, No Gain! Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly." -Thomas H. Huxley

You Are Close to Success! "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Edison

Profiles of Success Dr. Pamela McCauley-Bell was an insecure African-American teen mother, abused wife, welfare recipient and a struggling engineering student. Yet, she successfully completed her engineering degree and won one of the largest National Science Foundation graduate fellowships in the history of the University of Oklahoma. Her story assures others that they can make their dreams come true!

Profiles of Success Henry Gabriel Cisneros (born June 11, 1947) is a prominent American politician, businessman, and community leader. He was the first person of Hispanic background elected as mayor of a large American city, and later served as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to He received a B.A. and an M.A. in Urban and Regional Planning from Texas A&M University. He earned an additional Masters degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a Ph.D in Public Administration from George Washington University.

Profiles of Success Lorraine A. Cortes-Vazquez A native New Yorker, Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez was born and raised in East Harlem. Since her youth, she has displayed a special interest in the cultural, social and economic development of her community. At the age of eighteen, Ms. Cortés-Vázquez served for three years on East Harlem’s Planning Board 11 as one of its youngest members, obtaining a solid background in community development and public service. She has an MPA from New York University Wagner School of Public Service, and a certificate from the Columbia University School of Non-Profit Management.

When Goals Are Not Set… Your future is hazy and ill-defined, and you only WISH for things to be different. Having no CLEAR destination, you're often all dressed up with nowhere to go. You may have daily successes, but LACK REAL PROGRESS in any one direction. You never live up to your full potential because there's never anything IMPORTANT enough for you to give 100%. You believe that life could be better, but you're just not sure how.

When You Set Goals... Your future is bright and positive because you know precisely WHAT YOU WANT AND WHY. You have CLEAR TARGETS to focus on and to guide each day's actions and commitments. Your days and weeks build upon each other in a straight line, aiming towards new destinations -- even GREATER than the last. You never want for ANYTHING because you put EVERYTHING into what you want. You believe that life is INCREDIBLE because you are setting and achieving INCREDIBLE GOALS.

Develop SMART Goals Specific- Who, What, When, Where, Why Measurable- How Much, How Many Attainable- Plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame Realistic- You are willing and able to work towards the goal Tangible- Can experience it with your senses

Your Personal Goals Can you think of a SMART Goal you would like to achieve?

Don’t Quit!! When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road your trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and its turns, As everyone of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about When they might have won, had they stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow, You may succeed with another blow. Often the struggler has given up When he might have captured the victors cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out The silver tint of the clouds of doubt And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far; So stick to the fight when your hardest hit, It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit!