Do you recognise this?

you enter a venue: an attraction park, resort, conference area or tradeshow.
You look around and…
OOPS: you got lost!

One thing almost everyone does is: look for a map.

It is a pitty, but there will always be people that even with a map manage to loose their way.

But, what is even worse is that there is a group of people who do not have access to regular maps. They are blind or severely partially sighted; just like me. And they, just like you, want to get around by themselves, not hanging on a stranger’s elbow all the time.

Creating tactile maps is not so difficult.

Creating tactile maps does not cost too much.
What it gives is priceless: freedom.

Landal Greenparks – renting holiday bungalows – now rent the Visionvilla; a bungalow decorated with care to meet the needs of people with a visual impairment. And what Landal realized is:

It is great to have the Visionvilla available, but you’ll need a map to get around the venue, find the facilities and get back to your holiday home.

Share your tactile map experiences with others. Leave your comment below.

Have you spotted a tactile map somewhere? Post it here and let others benefit for it.

Do you want to know how to create a tactile map or how to read a tactile map? Please look at our servicess, sign up for our RSS feed or free newsletter or come back next week.

Do you want to be successful today? Start setting your goals effectively.

Five tips for being succesful

Here are five tips to reach your goals and be successful.

1. Don’t set to many goals at the time.
You are a human being. No matter whether you are a man or a woman… you are not made for multitasking performance.

Jim is watching a football match on television, critisizing the referee, drinking beer, eating chips and ignoring his wife.

It seems that Jim is doing five things at the same time: watching football, citisizing the referee, eating, drinking and ignoring his wife. But, he can’t eat and drink simultaneously and he critisizes only after he saw the referee doing something.

Jim is not as multitasking as it seems.

2. Define no more than 3 long term goals.
A long term goal is something you want to reach in a longer time span. You want to finish your bachelor studies within two years, finish your language course within 6 months or save enough money to buy a new car in 1 year. If you set to many long term goals there is to many things to work on simultaneously. And: You are not made to multitask.

3. Write down your goals and look at them at least once a week.
written commitment is more powerful than a thought. If you write down your goal and store it in a save and visible place (the door of the fridge, on a notice board), it does not get lost and you won’t forget about it so easily as when it remains somewhere in your head. Seeing the written statement reminds you of your goal and helps you to stay focused.

Reviewing your goal at least once a week assures you of keeping it on top of all your thoughts.

4. Break down the long term goals into easy to achieve goals.
Finishing your language course or saving €15.000,- for most of us is not a goal that can be reached within a short period of time (a day, a week).

To make being successful easier, you need to break down long term goals into smaller, easy to reach goals. Finish one lesson of your language course each week or save €50,- each month. Step by step you’ll get there.

From childhood on i’ve always had two (future) dreams: contribute to make this world a better world and living an independent life.

As a teenager my goal for independence was to run my own household, whereas my goal to contribute to a better world was to make the internet accessible for people with a disability. I have ran my own household for years, and now am doing this together with my husband. And: through several activities (writing articles and lobbying) I manage to raise awareness about accessibility problems amongst organisations for disabled people and politicians years ago. Reaching those goals gave me that great feeling of success. Have you had that feeling? And do you want more of it? I do!

As a student mobility became a more important issue to me regarding independence. And my contribution to create a better world was to participate in the boards of several organisations that work on behalf of blind and partially sighted people.

Now I am an entrepeneur my goals have changed again. Concerning my independence one of my goals is to be in control of all processes in the company and to earn enough money to pay my desired lifestyle. My goals to help create a better world are now set to support those who want to become independent and those who like to have that great feeling of success. I do this by coaching and training people with a disability toward independence, having a job, reading tactile graphics, give meaning to their life, and to speak to the public about the impact of living with a disability.

You are the driver

No one can reach my goals for me and no one can reach your goals for you. Whatever your goals are. You are the one who has to define them and to follow upon. That does not mean you should not ask for help. I am an independent entrepeneur, but I do have a team of wonderful people that do lots of things for me. The bookkeeper (Michiel) takes care of the financial administration and tax related issues, graphic designer Renée designs whatever is needed, Viviënne has build the web environment of the View Free website and blog, Marina assists me lay-outing documents, Karlijn and Petra are doing a great job in text writing and translation, Michiel (industrial desginer) helps me design new products, Otto (graphic designer) helps me draw pictures for the blind, John (drukker) verzorgt al het drukwerk… And then there is all those fellow entrepeneurs that boost me when I need it and the customers that (with their questions and demands) inspire and make me moving forward. But, in the end, it is Suzanne who is in control and responsible of all that happens in the company. It is only I that sets the goals and follows upon them.?

Get on the highway to success

It is quite simple: You have to go to the doctor in order to get treatment for your sickness; the doctor can prescribe you medication; but You have to take the pills yourself.

100% Responsible

When you take 100% responsibility for the goals you set You are no longer on a trail; you are on the highway to success.

What do you need to do to turn on highway Suc6? Why aren’t you there yet? Share your thoughts and let others help you getting there.