n Evaluate your habits. Whether it’s lack of sleep, procrastination or negative self-talk, work to rid you of habits that are holding you down and replace them with a more productive, healthier attitude.

n Associate with positive people. Identify go-getters in and outside your company and spend as much time with them as possible.

n Clarify your direction. Drowning in uncertainty dampens spark of motivation. Set and keep in front of you both short and long term goals. Make sure they are challenging and meaningful, while at same time attainable and realistic.

n Reach out. If your slump persists, it may be time to seek professional help to determine what motivational block might be and how to break through it.

The farmer's job is to be ready with lines tapped into sugar maples, enough wood to keep evaporator boiling sap and good company with people who share their passion. In end, farmer's dream of making maple syrup will coming pouring down on our pancakes and waffles.

We can learn a lot from maple sugar farmer about cooking dreams. Like farmer, if we are going to realize our dreams, we must make them a priority. We need to stay focused by keeping our attention on end result; maple syrup. Always share boil time with other passionate dreamers. It makes eventual obstacles and distractions easier to overcome and passion is contagious. Most of all be flexible;the weather isn't always predictable.

Just as farmer has modernized process of collecting and boiling sap to be more efficient, we may need to upgrade and look for additional tools and resources to make our dreams a reality.

Remember some dreams, like maple syrup, come with an expiration date. If we don't do something about them they will eventually evaporate in bucket.