Tuesday
Winners Work With Coaches
Coaching is, by far, one of the most effective and efficient ways to move ahead to success. Winners choose to hire a coach because they're ready, ready to succeed, ready to make their dreams a reality. They know that professional coaches can help them see their goals become reality more quickly, with a lot less stress and strife, and with results that are even better than they ever imagined.
What do you really want, anyway? Seems like a simple, innocent question, right? Yet lots of coaching clients start with this as their biggest puzzle. How can you work toward a goal you don't really have? Your coach has seen this a million times, and will work with you to discover what you really want, if you don't already know. Chances are that you want more than one thing. Your coach can help you prioritize your goals and create an action plan before you get moving. Coaches also help you see what potential obstacles lie in your path, and help you formulate a strategy to move past them as they arise.
Nothing gets past your coach, and this works in your favor, too. Your coach will hold you accountable to doing what you say you're going to do. This is really important because of how much easier it is to talk the talk than to walk the walk. Talk is cheap, and your coach is there to make sure you take every action you decide to take.
Why doesn't everyone have a coach? Well, most people who don't have a coach don't "get it" and don't understand the value of personal coaching. Some think they can't afford to hire a coach. They look at the price tag and compare it to their bank account; they do the math and say, "Nope." That 's their biggest mistake, basing their decision on where they are right now. Coaching is a profession that 's experienced huge growth over the past few years. Coaches don't stay in business long without having measurable success with their clients. If a coach has been around a while and can show how they've helped others, you can bet they know their stuff.
In fact, if you do some research, you'll find testimonials from clients who've experienced a return on their coaching investment of more than 100%. That 's the report across the board. You'll hear clients say, "It was the best money I ever spent. I wish I did it sooner." It 's a way of putting your money where your mouth is, a way of anchoring yourself to your success plan.
Are you holding off on hiring a coach because you think the timing isn't right yet?. Or are you waiting for the stars to align, and your life to be in perfect order first? Chances are, your life will never be less busy, have less pressure, responsibilities and obligations. Are you going to let your life get in the way of your dreams? Your coach doesn't have the power to stop the clock, but can definitely help you find more time. You'll learn how to wring the most out of every moment, both in your business pursuits and personal life. You'll find yourself more effective, more present, and more efficient.
You might wonder whether hiring a coach is the best possible use of your money. I mean, isn't it the same, just reading a good self-improvement book? You can put that info to use on your own, right? Yes and no. Books are great, they help you open your mind to new, more helpful ideas. They give good information. But, they fall short in one area. No book can magically bring about the results you want. Having information is necessary, but not sufficient to achievement. Only consistent, massive action moves you along the path to success.
You may believe that if you just work harder, you'll succeed, with or without a coach. Good luck with that! You may succeed, of course, but at what cost? You can trade your every waking moment for money, work like a dog, and never take a break, but you'll be left with calloused hands, a drained brain, and a family and friends that don't even recognize you. Your coach specializes in helping you work smarter rather than harder. You'll learn how to eliminate activities that aren't helping you, how to make space in your life for what really matters, and to align your priorities with your calendar. Companies spend millions to hire efficiency experts, you'll get the same benefit for pennies on the dollar.
Andrew Cocks and Terry Zambri are Certified Bob Proctor Life Success Consultants and Network Marketing Coaches. Their new FREE book, The Life Success Factor, combined with their exclusive 3 step marketing system is creating massive success for their team. Visit: http://www.TheNetworkMarketingCoach.com
What do you really want, anyway? Seems like a simple, innocent question, right? Yet lots of coaching clients start with this as their biggest puzzle. How can you work toward a goal you don't really have? Your coach has seen this a million times, and will work with you to discover what you really want, if you don't already know. Chances are that you want more than one thing. Your coach can help you prioritize your goals and create an action plan before you get moving. Coaches also help you see what potential obstacles lie in your path, and help you formulate a strategy to move past them as they arise.
Nothing gets past your coach, and this works in your favor, too. Your coach will hold you accountable to doing what you say you're going to do. This is really important because of how much easier it is to talk the talk than to walk the walk. Talk is cheap, and your coach is there to make sure you take every action you decide to take.
Why doesn't everyone have a coach? Well, most people who don't have a coach don't "get it" and don't understand the value of personal coaching. Some think they can't afford to hire a coach. They look at the price tag and compare it to their bank account; they do the math and say, "Nope." That 's their biggest mistake, basing their decision on where they are right now. Coaching is a profession that 's experienced huge growth over the past few years. Coaches don't stay in business long without having measurable success with their clients. If a coach has been around a while and can show how they've helped others, you can bet they know their stuff.
In fact, if you do some research, you'll find testimonials from clients who've experienced a return on their coaching investment of more than 100%. That 's the report across the board. You'll hear clients say, "It was the best money I ever spent. I wish I did it sooner." It 's a way of putting your money where your mouth is, a way of anchoring yourself to your success plan.
Are you holding off on hiring a coach because you think the timing isn't right yet?. Or are you waiting for the stars to align, and your life to be in perfect order first? Chances are, your life will never be less busy, have less pressure, responsibilities and obligations. Are you going to let your life get in the way of your dreams? Your coach doesn't have the power to stop the clock, but can definitely help you find more time. You'll learn how to wring the most out of every moment, both in your business pursuits and personal life. You'll find yourself more effective, more present, and more efficient.
You might wonder whether hiring a coach is the best possible use of your money. I mean, isn't it the same, just reading a good self-improvement book? You can put that info to use on your own, right? Yes and no. Books are great, they help you open your mind to new, more helpful ideas. They give good information. But, they fall short in one area. No book can magically bring about the results you want. Having information is necessary, but not sufficient to achievement. Only consistent, massive action moves you along the path to success.
You may believe that if you just work harder, you'll succeed, with or without a coach. Good luck with that! You may succeed, of course, but at what cost? You can trade your every waking moment for money, work like a dog, and never take a break, but you'll be left with calloused hands, a drained brain, and a family and friends that don't even recognize you. Your coach specializes in helping you work smarter rather than harder. You'll learn how to eliminate activities that aren't helping you, how to make space in your life for what really matters, and to align your priorities with your calendar. Companies spend millions to hire efficiency experts, you'll get the same benefit for pennies on the dollar.
Andrew Cocks and Terry Zambri are Certified Bob Proctor Life Success Consultants and Network Marketing Coaches. Their new FREE book, The Life Success Factor, combined with their exclusive 3 step marketing system is creating massive success for their team. Visit: http://www.TheNetworkMarketingCoach.com
Writing Your Personal Mission Statement
Companies use mission statements to let people know why they are in existence. Their mission statement could include information about who they are, what they do, and how they do it. Although corporate mission statements vary greatly, each serves as a guide for the company, its employees, and the general public. But how many of us have personal mission statements?
Informal research suggests that few people use detailed written mission statements in their own lives. Sure, most people have some idea where they are going and what they hope to accomplish in life but few have actually written a formal mission statement. What are the benefits of having a written personal mission statement? First, it’s easier to define the actions and goals that will help you achieve your vision. It serves as a roadmap to get you where you want to go. A mission statement allows you to measure your current reality and your progress toward your ideal life. It also allows you to evaluate your values and incorporate them into your daily life.
A mission statement is simply a statement of what guides you, what inspires you, or what you want to accomplish in your life. There are many different ways to approach writing a personal mission statement, but an effective statement can be written in four simple steps. First, list one to three values or principles that you live by and why these are important to you. If you have more than three values on your list, order them by importance to you and select the top three. Next, list the things that bring you happiness, inspire, and satisfy you. This would include the things you do best and most enjoy doing. Then list the things you’ve always wanted to do or the legacy that you would like to leave. These three lists will be combined and used to write your personal mission statement.
An effective mission statement will be simple, clear and brief (between 2-5 sentences). There are many different ways to combine these three lists into a personal mission statement. The first method is to use your own words and combine each of your three lists into a meaningful statement. The second method is to use a template and fill in the blanks with your answers from the above exercises. There are many templates available online that can guide you to crafting a mission statement. Here are a few of my favorite templates:
I value [1-3 values] because [why these are important to you]. I will [what you will do to live by these values].
To live each day with [1-3 values or principles], so that [what living these values will give you]. I will do this by [specific behaviors].
To treasure above all else [most important things to you] by [what you can do to live priorities].
As you write your personal mission statement, remember to keep it simple, clear and brief. Be sure to state everything in the present tense and keep it positive. If there are any negative statements, restate or redirect them to positive statements. Make your personal mission statement part of your everyday life – keep it handy and review it frequently as you schedule your daily or weekly activities. You will find that your mission statement may continue to change and evolve as you do. Revisit it often and make any necessary changes. And finally, keep in mind that you will get what you focus on. The more effort and focus you give to living your mission statement, the more results you will see in your life.
April Mims is a life and career coach specializing in work/life balance issues and life and career transitions. Her coaching practice is Nexus Coaching Partners. She is passionate about empowering clients to balance the demands of a successful career and a strong family life. April invites you to a complimentary 30-minute coaching session to see if coaching could benefit you. To learn more or subscribe to The Nexus Connection newsletter, visit www.nexuscoachingpartners.com.
Informal research suggests that few people use detailed written mission statements in their own lives. Sure, most people have some idea where they are going and what they hope to accomplish in life but few have actually written a formal mission statement. What are the benefits of having a written personal mission statement? First, it’s easier to define the actions and goals that will help you achieve your vision. It serves as a roadmap to get you where you want to go. A mission statement allows you to measure your current reality and your progress toward your ideal life. It also allows you to evaluate your values and incorporate them into your daily life.
A mission statement is simply a statement of what guides you, what inspires you, or what you want to accomplish in your life. There are many different ways to approach writing a personal mission statement, but an effective statement can be written in four simple steps. First, list one to three values or principles that you live by and why these are important to you. If you have more than three values on your list, order them by importance to you and select the top three. Next, list the things that bring you happiness, inspire, and satisfy you. This would include the things you do best and most enjoy doing. Then list the things you’ve always wanted to do or the legacy that you would like to leave. These three lists will be combined and used to write your personal mission statement.
An effective mission statement will be simple, clear and brief (between 2-5 sentences). There are many different ways to combine these three lists into a personal mission statement. The first method is to use your own words and combine each of your three lists into a meaningful statement. The second method is to use a template and fill in the blanks with your answers from the above exercises. There are many templates available online that can guide you to crafting a mission statement. Here are a few of my favorite templates:
I value [1-3 values] because [why these are important to you]. I will [what you will do to live by these values].
To live each day with [1-3 values or principles], so that [what living these values will give you]. I will do this by [specific behaviors].
To treasure above all else [most important things to you] by [what you can do to live priorities].
As you write your personal mission statement, remember to keep it simple, clear and brief. Be sure to state everything in the present tense and keep it positive. If there are any negative statements, restate or redirect them to positive statements. Make your personal mission statement part of your everyday life – keep it handy and review it frequently as you schedule your daily or weekly activities. You will find that your mission statement may continue to change and evolve as you do. Revisit it often and make any necessary changes. And finally, keep in mind that you will get what you focus on. The more effort and focus you give to living your mission statement, the more results you will see in your life.
April Mims is a life and career coach specializing in work/life balance issues and life and career transitions. Her coaching practice is Nexus Coaching Partners. She is passionate about empowering clients to balance the demands of a successful career and a strong family life. April invites you to a complimentary 30-minute coaching session to see if coaching could benefit you. To learn more or subscribe to The Nexus Connection newsletter, visit www.nexuscoachingpartners.com.
Saturday
To Do Or Not To Do
That is the question…whether 'tis nobler to spend eighteen hours a day trying frantically to wipe out your "to do" list, or to throw in the towel and admit that not even an army of ants could get it all done. You're zipping along in the fast lane of life. You've got e-mail, voice mail, a pager, a cell phone, and a lap top computer-- all supposedly designed to bring you convenience and flexibility. Along with all that convenience are 53 unanswered e-mails, a pile of voice mails delivered at midnight, and a page sounding in the middle of your child's soccer game. What's worse is that we have come to accept this high-speed rat race as the norm.
Humor me and answer these questions:
Do you have things on your "to do" list from last week, last month, last year?
Do you go into withdrawal if you forget your cell phone?
Do you routinely work at home in the evenings or on weekends?
Have you considered having your pager implanted on your arm?
Do you fantasize about putting this message on your voice mail:
"Hi, this is Bob in Accounting. I can't take your call right now because I'm busy having a nervous breakdown. I'm sure that the reason you called is very important. I hope to call you back sometime this decade if I don't die of exhaustion. Have a terrific day. Beeeeeeeeep."
It's no surprise if you answered yes to any of those questions. An article in Fast Company magazine entitled, "Don't Manage Time, Manage Yourself" by David Beardsley states that the average businessperson has a chronic backlog of 200 to 300 hours of uncompleted work! That's a month or more! It's impossible to catch up-that's the bad news. People everywhere are routinely a month behind.
That brings us to the $63,000 question. If we can't get it all done, how do we actually live with the pressure of always being behind? The answer just may lie in the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching. This ancient Chinese book reminds us to seek simplicity, to let go. The Tao states, "In letting go, it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go." The good news is that when you surrender to the reality that you can't do it all, your stress level goes way down and your quality of life goes way up.
Am I saying just forget about your responsibilities and walk away? No, ignoring things won't make them go away. I'm saying take some time and look at yourself and your life and figure out what you need to let go of to feel good. Maybe you need to let go of the belief that in order to go home from work you must have your work finished, or have a very good handle on it. Perhaps you need to let go of the idea that you have to be in total control all the time. With change being flung at us constantly, we have a tendency to hold on tighter because of our fears. Yet, if we could only let go and live with uncertainty, we'd actually be a lot happier.
It's tough letting go because we feel out of our comfort zones and even incompetent at times. I know I get nervous when I feel like I'm in completely new territory and nothing seems familiar. I had a Macintosh computer ever since I can remember. Many of my friends and colleagues switched to an IBM platform because the Mac was no longer meeting their needs. I shared some of the same frustrations, yet I didn't want to switch. I had never even turned on a PC before.
Finally, my frustration got so high that I made the switch. At first, the learning curve was painful, but now I look back and I can't believe I waited so long.
Don't we frequently say that after we've made a major switch in our lives? Once we released the fear and took the plunge-whatever it was-we often say, "I wish I had done it sooner." The other great bonus in letting go of fear and making a change is the learning that comes from it. It's revitalizing. It's energizing.
Staying energized is tough if you feel like you are always behind. Living faster and harder does not improve quality of life; living with more focus does. You can't be focused and energetic if you are running nonstop, trying to do everything. Instead of adding every event, project, goal and opportunity to your list that comes your way, you must become discriminating. You need to become a connoisseur of possible "to do's." Reframe the way you think about your "to do" list. Instead of viewing your list as an endless list of obligations, it should be a reflection of your passions and priorities. It should be an honor to get on your list.
The key to creating a Grade A list is to really take some time to affirm your priorities. To be effective, this requires honest soul searching about some difficult choices. A fast track at the office, involved parenting, a serious hobby, volunteering, and season tickets to 81 home baseball games is probably too much to juggle. You can't avoid making these choices. You have to set your priorities.
Once you have decided what's important your world gets a whole lot clearer. When you ask yourself, "Is chairing this committee in alignment with my priorities?" you'll know whether to accept or not.
You will be able to let go of other potential distractions and unwanted commitments. Jeffrey Miller, President and CEO of Documentum said it well when he stated, "There is always too much work to do and not enough time to do it. In order to prevent insanity, frustration and burn out, we need to develop our own pace and then develop laser-like focus on your priorities."
Day in and day out it's still tough to keep track of priorities. I have found something that really helps keep my priorities in focus. Every night, the last thing I do before I end my workday is to make a realistic list for the following day. Don't make your list too long to achieve. Stick to four to six items. Through trial and error, I have discovered that it's best to allow for the unexpected. I leave open some unscheduled time to build in for distractions that invariably crop up. The other element I include is time for important long-term projects. I spend a set amount of time working on one component of a big project. This is true whether it's a work-related project or a personal goal.
The other tools I regularly use are three questions I repeat like a mantra. They are:
What's important? This reminds me what my priorities are because sometimes it's hard to decline appealing invitations that are not reflective of my priorities.
What's important now? What has to be done now, today, and this week? This keeps me from getting distracted and focusing on good things at the wrong time.
What's important, not? I phrase this one with the "not" at the end because so often we think something is important and then belatedly realize it's not.
Once you determine what's important and establish your priorities, it becomes much easier to eliminate the clutter that can cloud your vision.
Once we let go of what isn't important and what we can't control, we can enjoy the wild ride. Maybe you can even let go and ride "no-handed!"
Author Information: Scott Friedman Scott Friedman is a nationally recognized professional speaker speaking over 100 times each year to companies, associations, and youth. His book, "Using Humor for a Change" is chock-full of great ideas to lighten-up the workload. His improvisational comedy training, quick wit, and thought-provoking material make Scott a master at holding the attention of his audience. Scott customizes all programs to meet the specific needs of each group. He is perfect for kick-offs, closings, lunches and midnight snacks.
Humor me and answer these questions:
Do you have things on your "to do" list from last week, last month, last year?
Do you go into withdrawal if you forget your cell phone?
Do you routinely work at home in the evenings or on weekends?
Have you considered having your pager implanted on your arm?
Do you fantasize about putting this message on your voice mail:
"Hi, this is Bob in Accounting. I can't take your call right now because I'm busy having a nervous breakdown. I'm sure that the reason you called is very important. I hope to call you back sometime this decade if I don't die of exhaustion. Have a terrific day. Beeeeeeeeep."
It's no surprise if you answered yes to any of those questions. An article in Fast Company magazine entitled, "Don't Manage Time, Manage Yourself" by David Beardsley states that the average businessperson has a chronic backlog of 200 to 300 hours of uncompleted work! That's a month or more! It's impossible to catch up-that's the bad news. People everywhere are routinely a month behind.
That brings us to the $63,000 question. If we can't get it all done, how do we actually live with the pressure of always being behind? The answer just may lie in the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching. This ancient Chinese book reminds us to seek simplicity, to let go. The Tao states, "In letting go, it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go." The good news is that when you surrender to the reality that you can't do it all, your stress level goes way down and your quality of life goes way up.
Am I saying just forget about your responsibilities and walk away? No, ignoring things won't make them go away. I'm saying take some time and look at yourself and your life and figure out what you need to let go of to feel good. Maybe you need to let go of the belief that in order to go home from work you must have your work finished, or have a very good handle on it. Perhaps you need to let go of the idea that you have to be in total control all the time. With change being flung at us constantly, we have a tendency to hold on tighter because of our fears. Yet, if we could only let go and live with uncertainty, we'd actually be a lot happier.
It's tough letting go because we feel out of our comfort zones and even incompetent at times. I know I get nervous when I feel like I'm in completely new territory and nothing seems familiar. I had a Macintosh computer ever since I can remember. Many of my friends and colleagues switched to an IBM platform because the Mac was no longer meeting their needs. I shared some of the same frustrations, yet I didn't want to switch. I had never even turned on a PC before.
Finally, my frustration got so high that I made the switch. At first, the learning curve was painful, but now I look back and I can't believe I waited so long.
Don't we frequently say that after we've made a major switch in our lives? Once we released the fear and took the plunge-whatever it was-we often say, "I wish I had done it sooner." The other great bonus in letting go of fear and making a change is the learning that comes from it. It's revitalizing. It's energizing.
Staying energized is tough if you feel like you are always behind. Living faster and harder does not improve quality of life; living with more focus does. You can't be focused and energetic if you are running nonstop, trying to do everything. Instead of adding every event, project, goal and opportunity to your list that comes your way, you must become discriminating. You need to become a connoisseur of possible "to do's." Reframe the way you think about your "to do" list. Instead of viewing your list as an endless list of obligations, it should be a reflection of your passions and priorities. It should be an honor to get on your list.
The key to creating a Grade A list is to really take some time to affirm your priorities. To be effective, this requires honest soul searching about some difficult choices. A fast track at the office, involved parenting, a serious hobby, volunteering, and season tickets to 81 home baseball games is probably too much to juggle. You can't avoid making these choices. You have to set your priorities.
Once you have decided what's important your world gets a whole lot clearer. When you ask yourself, "Is chairing this committee in alignment with my priorities?" you'll know whether to accept or not.
You will be able to let go of other potential distractions and unwanted commitments. Jeffrey Miller, President and CEO of Documentum said it well when he stated, "There is always too much work to do and not enough time to do it. In order to prevent insanity, frustration and burn out, we need to develop our own pace and then develop laser-like focus on your priorities."
Day in and day out it's still tough to keep track of priorities. I have found something that really helps keep my priorities in focus. Every night, the last thing I do before I end my workday is to make a realistic list for the following day. Don't make your list too long to achieve. Stick to four to six items. Through trial and error, I have discovered that it's best to allow for the unexpected. I leave open some unscheduled time to build in for distractions that invariably crop up. The other element I include is time for important long-term projects. I spend a set amount of time working on one component of a big project. This is true whether it's a work-related project or a personal goal.
The other tools I regularly use are three questions I repeat like a mantra. They are:
What's important? This reminds me what my priorities are because sometimes it's hard to decline appealing invitations that are not reflective of my priorities.
What's important now? What has to be done now, today, and this week? This keeps me from getting distracted and focusing on good things at the wrong time.
What's important, not? I phrase this one with the "not" at the end because so often we think something is important and then belatedly realize it's not.
Once you determine what's important and establish your priorities, it becomes much easier to eliminate the clutter that can cloud your vision.
Once we let go of what isn't important and what we can't control, we can enjoy the wild ride. Maybe you can even let go and ride "no-handed!"
Author Information: Scott Friedman Scott Friedman is a nationally recognized professional speaker speaking over 100 times each year to companies, associations, and youth. His book, "Using Humor for a Change" is chock-full of great ideas to lighten-up the workload. His improvisational comedy training, quick wit, and thought-provoking material make Scott a master at holding the attention of his audience. Scott customizes all programs to meet the specific needs of each group. He is perfect for kick-offs, closings, lunches and midnight snacks.
Sunday
Success Strategies
There’s no hard & fast rule when it comes to becoming successful in life. But, there are things you can do and guidelines you can follow to make your dreams more attainable. Here are a few of the most important strategies that you can use to get where you really want to be.
The farm principle:
Farmers do it and Jesus taught this to his disciples. “As we sow, so we shall reap”. The principle is that success is not an overnight thing. It’s got nothing to do with nightly prayers (couldn’t hurt though). And it’s got nothing to do with watching others become successful. It’s all about consistent effort. Farmers tend their crops every day without fail, and when the time comes, they reap the benefits.
Success is a lot like that. Continuous, consistent effort makes all the difference.
Zero shortcuts:
For some, it’s a hard pill to swallow: there are no shortcuts. Your destination is a direct result of the level of commitment and effort that you put into becoming successful. The harder you try, the faster you’ll get there. Shortcuts lead to disappointments. Luck may sneak into the mixture on occasion, but shortcuts will spoil it.
Map it out:
Your mental state has much to do with your becoming successful, but the physical acts you undertake make a difference too. Make a plan, stick with it and measure your results. Keeping track of the things that you do and the success rate of those efforts helps you understand what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. During this journey of yours, fine-tune your plan and map out the route you want to take. The better you adapt and change according to circumstance, the faster you’ll get there.
Handle stress:
We all have to deal with stress whether we like it or not. If you want to be successful, you need to learn how to deal with stress. Firstly, you have to learn how to deal with the “daily stuff” in your life. Secondly, you have to learn how to sublimate or channel that stress energy into something that will work for you. Really, stress can be your ally. Turn stress into motivation. Whenever you encounter stress, push-forward and channel it towards achieving something. Do something positive that helps you forward toward your dream. Do not waver from your goal – focus.
Stay positive:
It’s often easier said than done. Try starting-off by eliminating any negative influences in your life. Get them out of the way, and it’ll be easier for you to become positive. Surround yourself with things that will benefit you, hang out with positive, successful or success-minded people. Embrace the positive and shun the negative.
Mike Nalbone’s “Success University” web site is helping thousands of people achieve their personal and financial goals.
The farm principle:
Farmers do it and Jesus taught this to his disciples. “As we sow, so we shall reap”. The principle is that success is not an overnight thing. It’s got nothing to do with nightly prayers (couldn’t hurt though). And it’s got nothing to do with watching others become successful. It’s all about consistent effort. Farmers tend their crops every day without fail, and when the time comes, they reap the benefits.
Success is a lot like that. Continuous, consistent effort makes all the difference.
Zero shortcuts:
For some, it’s a hard pill to swallow: there are no shortcuts. Your destination is a direct result of the level of commitment and effort that you put into becoming successful. The harder you try, the faster you’ll get there. Shortcuts lead to disappointments. Luck may sneak into the mixture on occasion, but shortcuts will spoil it.
Map it out:
Your mental state has much to do with your becoming successful, but the physical acts you undertake make a difference too. Make a plan, stick with it and measure your results. Keeping track of the things that you do and the success rate of those efforts helps you understand what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. During this journey of yours, fine-tune your plan and map out the route you want to take. The better you adapt and change according to circumstance, the faster you’ll get there.
Handle stress:
We all have to deal with stress whether we like it or not. If you want to be successful, you need to learn how to deal with stress. Firstly, you have to learn how to deal with the “daily stuff” in your life. Secondly, you have to learn how to sublimate or channel that stress energy into something that will work for you. Really, stress can be your ally. Turn stress into motivation. Whenever you encounter stress, push-forward and channel it towards achieving something. Do something positive that helps you forward toward your dream. Do not waver from your goal – focus.
Stay positive:
It’s often easier said than done. Try starting-off by eliminating any negative influences in your life. Get them out of the way, and it’ll be easier for you to become positive. Surround yourself with things that will benefit you, hang out with positive, successful or success-minded people. Embrace the positive and shun the negative.
Mike Nalbone’s “Success University” web site is helping thousands of people achieve their personal and financial goals.
Wednesday
Life Coach: 7 Questions To The Deepest Level Of The Subconscious
What determines human behavior? This is a question that is not only not answered by anyone in the mental health community it is not even asked. In the resolution of any problem it is always about the question and if you cannot answer this question (What determines human behavior?) you are guessing how to help someone with depression which is the primary symptom for almost all behavior disorders. There are 7 questions that will lead you to a basic understanding of how to take control of what controls you.
Question:
1 - Are you running your life?
Question:
2 - Do you know how the subconscious works?
Answer:
If you do not know how your subconscious works you are not running your life your life is running you.
Question:
3 - How can the subconscious possibly be running my life?
Answer:
To give you an idea of the power of the subconscious, you can speak at a rate of about two to three hundred words per minute. The subconscious runs at a rate of approximately one thousand to twelve hundred words per minute which is about four times faster than you can speak. This is why you can talk on the phone and perform other tasks like typing on the computer or driving a car because the subconscious is already programmed to do the other tasks.
You can look at the conscious mind and the subconscious mind like a tug of war with a vat of mud in the middle for whomever loses. The conscious mind is one person on one side against the subconscious, which are four people on the other side. If the conscious mind decides to move in a different direction like losing weight, increasing your fitness program, making more money, quitting smoking or any number of other things, it is usually a losing proposition because you are simply outnumbered with information.
This is why it is so difficult to attain spontaneous change. Evidence of this is with the approximately 98% fail rate for people who do not maintain a desired weight loss. The dilemma is that the subconscious is not only running four times faster you also have no idea what it is doing.
Gaining Access to the Deepest Level of the Subconscious
Question:
4 - Do you ask yourself questions?
Answer:
Yes. You begin the process of asking yourself questions as soon as you get up every morning. You ask yourself questions like…What do I need to do today, what am I going to wear, what calls or emails do I need to return?
Question:
5 - Does the subconscious work on questions when you are not consciously involved?
Answer:
Yes. If you have ever asked yourself the question…What is that person’s name? It may take an hour, a day or even a week but at a time when you are not even thinking about it the person’s name will come popping into your head. This is because the subconscious was working on the question even when you were not consciously involved. This process happens with every question you ask yourself.
Question:
6 - When I ask you a question where does the answer come from?
Answer:
The subconscious
When I ask you a question about questions that you ask yourself you have now gained access to the very core of the subconscious and the very beginning of what brings about an emotional state and in turn determines your behavior.
If I ask you where you went on your last vacation, you repeat the question to yourself which brings up a picture of where you went on vacation and then you are able to explain to me where you went on vacation. Without going through this process there simply would not be any communication. The bottom line here is how you communicate with yourself.
What you say to yourself is more important than anything anyone will say to you or about you especially the questions you ask yourself. The questions you ask yourself represent the very core of your power or the very core your destruction. This leads us to the most fundamental question of all.
Question:
7 - What determines human behavior?
Answer:
Information
What determines human behavior is simply information and the components of this information are words and pictures. Getting control of this information from the deepest level of the subconscious will allow you to determine your emotional state your behavior and your life's path. When you learn how to get control of this information your life's path becomes intentionally directed by you, instead of a random event.
Kelly Burris has set the standard for Life Coach Training and Life Coach Certification with the only clinically proven process for depression. Kelly's two current books are THE Burris Life Coach for Adults and THE Burris Life Coach Ages 7-17. These two new books are the foundation of this program process. Please visit KellyBurris.com for the clinical study and more information about this powerful program process.
Question:
1 - Are you running your life?
Question:
2 - Do you know how the subconscious works?
Answer:
If you do not know how your subconscious works you are not running your life your life is running you.
Question:
3 - How can the subconscious possibly be running my life?
Answer:
To give you an idea of the power of the subconscious, you can speak at a rate of about two to three hundred words per minute. The subconscious runs at a rate of approximately one thousand to twelve hundred words per minute which is about four times faster than you can speak. This is why you can talk on the phone and perform other tasks like typing on the computer or driving a car because the subconscious is already programmed to do the other tasks.
You can look at the conscious mind and the subconscious mind like a tug of war with a vat of mud in the middle for whomever loses. The conscious mind is one person on one side against the subconscious, which are four people on the other side. If the conscious mind decides to move in a different direction like losing weight, increasing your fitness program, making more money, quitting smoking or any number of other things, it is usually a losing proposition because you are simply outnumbered with information.
This is why it is so difficult to attain spontaneous change. Evidence of this is with the approximately 98% fail rate for people who do not maintain a desired weight loss. The dilemma is that the subconscious is not only running four times faster you also have no idea what it is doing.
Gaining Access to the Deepest Level of the Subconscious
Question:
4 - Do you ask yourself questions?
Answer:
Yes. You begin the process of asking yourself questions as soon as you get up every morning. You ask yourself questions like…What do I need to do today, what am I going to wear, what calls or emails do I need to return?
Question:
5 - Does the subconscious work on questions when you are not consciously involved?
Answer:
Yes. If you have ever asked yourself the question…What is that person’s name? It may take an hour, a day or even a week but at a time when you are not even thinking about it the person’s name will come popping into your head. This is because the subconscious was working on the question even when you were not consciously involved. This process happens with every question you ask yourself.
Question:
6 - When I ask you a question where does the answer come from?
Answer:
The subconscious
When I ask you a question about questions that you ask yourself you have now gained access to the very core of the subconscious and the very beginning of what brings about an emotional state and in turn determines your behavior.
If I ask you where you went on your last vacation, you repeat the question to yourself which brings up a picture of where you went on vacation and then you are able to explain to me where you went on vacation. Without going through this process there simply would not be any communication. The bottom line here is how you communicate with yourself.
What you say to yourself is more important than anything anyone will say to you or about you especially the questions you ask yourself. The questions you ask yourself represent the very core of your power or the very core your destruction. This leads us to the most fundamental question of all.
Question:
7 - What determines human behavior?
Answer:
Information
What determines human behavior is simply information and the components of this information are words and pictures. Getting control of this information from the deepest level of the subconscious will allow you to determine your emotional state your behavior and your life's path. When you learn how to get control of this information your life's path becomes intentionally directed by you, instead of a random event.
Kelly Burris has set the standard for Life Coach Training and Life Coach Certification with the only clinically proven process for depression. Kelly's two current books are THE Burris Life Coach for Adults and THE Burris Life Coach Ages 7-17. These two new books are the foundation of this program process. Please visit KellyBurris.com for the clinical study and more information about this powerful program process.
Business Coach Shows Business Owners How To 'let-go' Of Their Business - And Let Their Employees Run It
Okay, so you want to move out of the day to day running of the business – and you know that you have to ‘let-go’ of certain jobs to let your employees run your business.
I understand that contemplating this is very scary for most business owners.
Rest assured even for the best business owners, going through this phase can be a little challenging at times – yet the rewards of doing it far outweigh not letting go.
I guess you’re wondering how you can possibly rely on your staff to run your business the way you want, and expect, it to be run.
Here’s the key.
Your staff must be up to it.
And for them to be ‘up-to-it’ there are a few things that you need to have in place…
So let’s get into it…
Most business owners start their business doing ‘everything’ yet as the business grows they come to the realization that they can’t do everything anymore.
It just isn’t possible.
Yet it can be pretty scary handing things over to someone else to do.
Because you’ve done it so well, you may be thinking “what if the person stuffs it up”… or what if they don’t do it as well as you do it?
What will your customers think?
After all, you know all the hard work you’ve done to grow your business to this point – so you definitely don’t want anyone to stuff it up now!
This is especially the case if the business isn’t making great money. In fact that’s probably the most difficult time to ‘let-go’.
The thing that bugs most business owners that are in this position is this…
You know that to grow you’ve got to let go, but in letting go you’ve got to pay someone to do it, and if they stuff it up it’ll cost you money…
And you don’t want to lose money. And you don’t want your ‘baby’, your business to suffer.
It’s certainly an emotional time.
And because most business owners tend to be ‘control freaks’ and it can be hard letting go of the ‘control’.
Can you relate to that?
Well here’s the great thing…
… You don’t have to let go of the ‘control’
That’s right – you don’t have to let go of the ‘control’
… You just need to learn new skills that can help you ‘keep control’ when you have people working with you.
In fact I can show you how to have even more control over your business than you have right now… with the new skills and the new systems that I can teach you to put into your business – in just a few weeks, or months time – depending on your situation – you can ‘let go’ and at the same time gain more control
Is that something that would be of benefit to you?
Well let’s talk about it…
You see, when you ‘let go’ to enable someone else to do a job for you – you’re probably wanting to know a few things.
1. That they can do a great job
2. That they will do a great job
3. That the money you’re spending on them will pay off
4. And that they’ll continue to do a great job, without you having to continually check up on them.
So to help achieve these 4 things lets go through them.
Now – it’s going to sound really simple. The truth always is simple.
And that’s how I get a million or more in growth for the clients I work with…
# 1 – You want to know that they can do a great job.
To ease your mind on this, make sure you recruit someone with the right skills and test them on it so that they are up to your standard. If they aren't, train them up, or get someone new. Simple – the key there is that you must have a great recruitment system – I’ll talk more about this in an upcoming business growth article.
#2. - That they will do a great job.
If you’ve followed a top notch recruitment system like the one I teach my clients – rest assured your employee will most definitely have the skill set… and they’ll also exceed another four key criteria that you must take every employee through.
If they you have done that – the employ will do what you require.
If they can’t you either train them up, or trade them out and get someone new that can do it.
#3. - You’ll want to know that the money you’re spending on them will pay off.
How will you know and measure this?
Well, once again, a top notch recruitment system is crucial for your employee to be able to breeze through this step. Let’s assume you’re following my recruitment system.
And you’re also following my recommendations on having key performance indicators so that you know exactly what returns you’re getting from each employee.
Now for any employee, you can put them on for a trial period. So trial them to make sure you’re getting your moneys worth.
If they’re not up to scratch train them up, or trade them for someone new.
#4. - You’ll want to know that they’ll continue to do a great job, without you having to continually check up on them.
Well, if you follow my recruiting system, my behaviour test method, and set up your business with 3 crucial elements to attract the right people … you’ll be home and hosed.
As well as the 3 key things I’ve just mentioned – there’s one key element that brings all 3 together – and if works brilliantly. Yet I reserve that especially for my 1-on-1 clients.
When you combine all 4 you can successfully let go seemingly effortlessly.
Be warned though…
Once you find a good person, they’ll fly through all your old jobs in just a matter of hours… the same jobs that used to take you weeks to do!
If you’ve ever hired someone good, you’ll know what I mean.
At this point you’ll have a new fear… which will be.
‘Can I bring in enough work to keep this person busy?’
Well that’s what I work with my clients on, growing your business to keep them busy!
It’ll force you to grow… and if you don’t you’ll lose money.
So it’s a lot of responsibility.
You need to look at the impact ‘letting go’ can have on your business.
All of a sudden, if you do it right – your business can lunge forward. Or if you do it wrong – it can drive you down.
Look at things like the impact of the extra wages you’ll be paying and work out your weekly, monthly and annual financial's to calculate your new break evens and how much more you need to bring in so that the business will make a profit on employees working for you.
As well, figure out your marketing to bring in the additional business to coincide with their employment so that the business can be profitable and cash flow positive every step of the way.
Sound daunting?
Well that’s fine, that’s where I help my clients in my 1-on-1 business coaching program. And that’s how they can grow and keep profitable, and cash flow positive.
I have successfully stepped dozens and dozens of business owners through this phase so that they can grow their business.
I go through all the situations that may occur when you ‘let go’ and we plan and prepare you for it – so that if any of the situations arise, are prepared for it, and you deal with it effectively and efficiently.
Thus saving inordinate amounts of time, money and of course any emotional heart ache, and or stress. You’ll thank me for this!
You can let go when you have reliable employees.
We look at the impact of it.
The business owners were excited because they now had someone that could reliably do the tasks (and in most cases the new person could do it better)… now that they had let go they had more free time… so they had to go and grow the business.
When you do let go – you have no more excuses- it’s now up to you to grow the business – which is what you always wanted and that can be daunting… because everyone does it in a fraction of the time – now you have to create work to keep them busy – and that is scary.
Business Coach, Mentor And Growth Specialist - http://www.caseygollan.com.au - Casey Gollan, Business Coach, Mentor And Growth Specialist. Grows $1 Million p.a. Small Businesses Into $2 to $5 Million p.a. Businesses Over a 2 to 3 Year Period.
I understand that contemplating this is very scary for most business owners.
Rest assured even for the best business owners, going through this phase can be a little challenging at times – yet the rewards of doing it far outweigh not letting go.
I guess you’re wondering how you can possibly rely on your staff to run your business the way you want, and expect, it to be run.
Here’s the key.
Your staff must be up to it.
And for them to be ‘up-to-it’ there are a few things that you need to have in place…
So let’s get into it…
Most business owners start their business doing ‘everything’ yet as the business grows they come to the realization that they can’t do everything anymore.
It just isn’t possible.
Yet it can be pretty scary handing things over to someone else to do.
Because you’ve done it so well, you may be thinking “what if the person stuffs it up”… or what if they don’t do it as well as you do it?
What will your customers think?
After all, you know all the hard work you’ve done to grow your business to this point – so you definitely don’t want anyone to stuff it up now!
This is especially the case if the business isn’t making great money. In fact that’s probably the most difficult time to ‘let-go’.
The thing that bugs most business owners that are in this position is this…
You know that to grow you’ve got to let go, but in letting go you’ve got to pay someone to do it, and if they stuff it up it’ll cost you money…
And you don’t want to lose money. And you don’t want your ‘baby’, your business to suffer.
It’s certainly an emotional time.
And because most business owners tend to be ‘control freaks’ and it can be hard letting go of the ‘control’.
Can you relate to that?
Well here’s the great thing…
… You don’t have to let go of the ‘control’
That’s right – you don’t have to let go of the ‘control’
… You just need to learn new skills that can help you ‘keep control’ when you have people working with you.
In fact I can show you how to have even more control over your business than you have right now… with the new skills and the new systems that I can teach you to put into your business – in just a few weeks, or months time – depending on your situation – you can ‘let go’ and at the same time gain more control
Is that something that would be of benefit to you?
Well let’s talk about it…
You see, when you ‘let go’ to enable someone else to do a job for you – you’re probably wanting to know a few things.
1. That they can do a great job
2. That they will do a great job
3. That the money you’re spending on them will pay off
4. And that they’ll continue to do a great job, without you having to continually check up on them.
So to help achieve these 4 things lets go through them.
Now – it’s going to sound really simple. The truth always is simple.
And that’s how I get a million or more in growth for the clients I work with…
# 1 – You want to know that they can do a great job.
To ease your mind on this, make sure you recruit someone with the right skills and test them on it so that they are up to your standard. If they aren't, train them up, or get someone new. Simple – the key there is that you must have a great recruitment system – I’ll talk more about this in an upcoming business growth article.
#2. - That they will do a great job.
If you’ve followed a top notch recruitment system like the one I teach my clients – rest assured your employee will most definitely have the skill set… and they’ll also exceed another four key criteria that you must take every employee through.
If they you have done that – the employ will do what you require.
If they can’t you either train them up, or trade them out and get someone new that can do it.
#3. - You’ll want to know that the money you’re spending on them will pay off.
How will you know and measure this?
Well, once again, a top notch recruitment system is crucial for your employee to be able to breeze through this step. Let’s assume you’re following my recruitment system.
And you’re also following my recommendations on having key performance indicators so that you know exactly what returns you’re getting from each employee.
Now for any employee, you can put them on for a trial period. So trial them to make sure you’re getting your moneys worth.
If they’re not up to scratch train them up, or trade them for someone new.
#4. - You’ll want to know that they’ll continue to do a great job, without you having to continually check up on them.
Well, if you follow my recruiting system, my behaviour test method, and set up your business with 3 crucial elements to attract the right people … you’ll be home and hosed.
As well as the 3 key things I’ve just mentioned – there’s one key element that brings all 3 together – and if works brilliantly. Yet I reserve that especially for my 1-on-1 clients.
When you combine all 4 you can successfully let go seemingly effortlessly.
Be warned though…
Once you find a good person, they’ll fly through all your old jobs in just a matter of hours… the same jobs that used to take you weeks to do!
If you’ve ever hired someone good, you’ll know what I mean.
At this point you’ll have a new fear… which will be.
‘Can I bring in enough work to keep this person busy?’
Well that’s what I work with my clients on, growing your business to keep them busy!
It’ll force you to grow… and if you don’t you’ll lose money.
So it’s a lot of responsibility.
You need to look at the impact ‘letting go’ can have on your business.
All of a sudden, if you do it right – your business can lunge forward. Or if you do it wrong – it can drive you down.
Look at things like the impact of the extra wages you’ll be paying and work out your weekly, monthly and annual financial's to calculate your new break evens and how much more you need to bring in so that the business will make a profit on employees working for you.
As well, figure out your marketing to bring in the additional business to coincide with their employment so that the business can be profitable and cash flow positive every step of the way.
Sound daunting?
Well that’s fine, that’s where I help my clients in my 1-on-1 business coaching program. And that’s how they can grow and keep profitable, and cash flow positive.
I have successfully stepped dozens and dozens of business owners through this phase so that they can grow their business.
I go through all the situations that may occur when you ‘let go’ and we plan and prepare you for it – so that if any of the situations arise, are prepared for it, and you deal with it effectively and efficiently.
Thus saving inordinate amounts of time, money and of course any emotional heart ache, and or stress. You’ll thank me for this!
You can let go when you have reliable employees.
We look at the impact of it.
The business owners were excited because they now had someone that could reliably do the tasks (and in most cases the new person could do it better)… now that they had let go they had more free time… so they had to go and grow the business.
When you do let go – you have no more excuses- it’s now up to you to grow the business – which is what you always wanted and that can be daunting… because everyone does it in a fraction of the time – now you have to create work to keep them busy – and that is scary.
Business Coach, Mentor And Growth Specialist - http://www.caseygollan.com.au - Casey Gollan, Business Coach, Mentor And Growth Specialist. Grows $1 Million p.a. Small Businesses Into $2 to $5 Million p.a. Businesses Over a 2 to 3 Year Period.
How To Make An Extra $1,000.000 Using A Business Coach
An extra million dollars sounds nice, right? Or does it sound like a bit of a gimmick? Well, it's very nice to feel the sense of accomplishment when you achieve that goal, and this is no gimmick! Many business leaders reach that goal, and even surpass it. It's easy in theory, but the reality of achieving that $1 million goal is a different game all together. Let’s look at how the truly successful got there, so you can model your business on their success and do the same thing for yourself. After all, if they did it, you can, too there's no need to reinvent the wheel, right?
To make an extra million, all you have to do is find a way to offer that much more value to your customers. Business visionaries are great at seeking out opportunities that lots of people are willing to pay for. Donald Trump, for instance, figured out how to sell high priced real estate to the super-wealthy. There are other builders as smart and as talented as the Donald, but he's able to charge top dollar because the wealthy know what they're getting when they buy a Trump property. Oprah Winfrey figured out how to add value when she started her magazine, "O." People love watching Oprah on television, but her show's only on for one hour a day now, by buying her magazine, viewers can read up on the same topics that Oprah discusses on her show; the magazine offers value to people who want the read about the show’s topics in even more detail. Do you think that Oprah found that there was more than a million dollars in value in starting her magazine?
So you're not Trump or an Oprah, but you can still apply these same principles to your own business. If you're a cosmetic dentist, maybe you can add a line of new products in your practice. A cosmetic dentist might consider even starting a joint venture with a personal trainer to give total body makeovers! A small hotel could offer free wireless Internet service to all of its guests, thus attracting more business travelers. Top-performing real estate agents know how important it is to offer value to their clients imagine in a real estate agent worked with local private schools, helping their clients make the connections they need to enroll their own children. By developing a reputation as an agent who goes the extra mile for upscale, family-oriented clients, that agent will attract more rich families moving to the same area.
One thing to keep in mind is whether your business is large enough to offer that much value. Business coaches are a great resource for advice on value-added growth, but they usually only work with established executives. Can you figure out how to offer your customers more value? Sure, you can with the help of your business coach. Good luck with offering your customers more value!
Visit http://www.businesscoach.com for more information, free articles and be sure to sign up for our newsletter. http://BusinessCoach.com is a full service Business Coaching firm, founded in 1989 and based on the philosophy of Gary B. Henson, an entrepreneur and business owner for over 25 years. Chari Darneal is Vice President and Senior Business Coach
To make an extra million, all you have to do is find a way to offer that much more value to your customers. Business visionaries are great at seeking out opportunities that lots of people are willing to pay for. Donald Trump, for instance, figured out how to sell high priced real estate to the super-wealthy. There are other builders as smart and as talented as the Donald, but he's able to charge top dollar because the wealthy know what they're getting when they buy a Trump property. Oprah Winfrey figured out how to add value when she started her magazine, "O." People love watching Oprah on television, but her show's only on for one hour a day now, by buying her magazine, viewers can read up on the same topics that Oprah discusses on her show; the magazine offers value to people who want the read about the show’s topics in even more detail. Do you think that Oprah found that there was more than a million dollars in value in starting her magazine?
So you're not Trump or an Oprah, but you can still apply these same principles to your own business. If you're a cosmetic dentist, maybe you can add a line of new products in your practice. A cosmetic dentist might consider even starting a joint venture with a personal trainer to give total body makeovers! A small hotel could offer free wireless Internet service to all of its guests, thus attracting more business travelers. Top-performing real estate agents know how important it is to offer value to their clients imagine in a real estate agent worked with local private schools, helping their clients make the connections they need to enroll their own children. By developing a reputation as an agent who goes the extra mile for upscale, family-oriented clients, that agent will attract more rich families moving to the same area.
One thing to keep in mind is whether your business is large enough to offer that much value. Business coaches are a great resource for advice on value-added growth, but they usually only work with established executives. Can you figure out how to offer your customers more value? Sure, you can with the help of your business coach. Good luck with offering your customers more value!
Visit http://www.businesscoach.com for more information, free articles and be sure to sign up for our newsletter. http://BusinessCoach.com is a full service Business Coaching firm, founded in 1989 and based on the philosophy of Gary B. Henson, an entrepreneur and business owner for over 25 years. Chari Darneal is Vice President and Senior Business Coach
Friday
3 Warning Signs That Procrastination Is Stealing Your Life Away
According to the dictionary, procrastination is defined as “to put off intentionally and habitually, or to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done.”
If we break that definition down, we see that there is personal and deliberate knowingness in our delaying the doing of something that should get done and that delaying can become a pattern, or habit, over time. For purposes of this forum, the “should” get done is presumed to be something you want, could, need or should get done, and is not the “should” of false obligation (as in, don’t should on yourself!).
In other words, we intentionally negate action on something we should get done that would ostensibly improve the quality of our lives in some way. When we are not enjoying an optimal quality of life, our life force energy is not being fed. Even more, when we internalize the delay as being a negative reflection of who we are, our life energy is literally being taken from us (or, more clearly, we are just giving it away indiscriminately!).
One key warning signal that procrastination is stealing your life force energy is that your “to do” list never gets done. There is a difference between healthy stress and something that is hanging over your head waiting for attention. It takes your mental energy to not look at it, and the thing itself will grow in proportion until it gets handled. It’s like never-ending homework. And avoidance strategies may include staying really busy, being in overwhelm, focusing on everybody else, creating drama and handling distractions vs. being productive – all of which are sabotage in the most insidious ways. (Insidious because they are disguised as being really productive, or kind, or engaged with lots of activities – they are socially acceptable but not truly productive for you.)
Another warning signal that indicates procrastination is stealing your energy is that the sense that you canot get ahead. Procrastination keeps you stuck in the past by keeping the “it” you are delaying front and foremost in your mind as something that you should get done. After all, who would you be if you were moving forward easily and measurably instead of living from your past?
The most damaging warning signal is when your self-esteem drops as a result of not handling “it”. There is a sense that you never measure up because you are not handling “it”. There are a number of reasons why you might not be handling “it” that are completely unrelated to your self-esteem, but your self-esteem doesn’t know that. All your inner being knows is that you are not getting it done and, if your programming runs like most people’s, it must be because you are not good enough somehow to get it done.
When procrastination is a big enough factor in your life to be robbing you of your quality of life, it is time to do something – NOW.
Lynn Scheurell Lynn Scheurell facilitates positive transformation for her clients using both intuitive and linear thinking. Her company, Creative Catalyst, is a leader in initiating dramatic change for independent professionals and decision-makers. Download your own free report right now to learn Your 6 Power Points for Personal Success – and How What You Don’t Know Can Cost You Years of Hard Work! http://www.mycreativecatalyst.com/.
If we break that definition down, we see that there is personal and deliberate knowingness in our delaying the doing of something that should get done and that delaying can become a pattern, or habit, over time. For purposes of this forum, the “should” get done is presumed to be something you want, could, need or should get done, and is not the “should” of false obligation (as in, don’t should on yourself!).
In other words, we intentionally negate action on something we should get done that would ostensibly improve the quality of our lives in some way. When we are not enjoying an optimal quality of life, our life force energy is not being fed. Even more, when we internalize the delay as being a negative reflection of who we are, our life energy is literally being taken from us (or, more clearly, we are just giving it away indiscriminately!).
One key warning signal that procrastination is stealing your life force energy is that your “to do” list never gets done. There is a difference between healthy stress and something that is hanging over your head waiting for attention. It takes your mental energy to not look at it, and the thing itself will grow in proportion until it gets handled. It’s like never-ending homework. And avoidance strategies may include staying really busy, being in overwhelm, focusing on everybody else, creating drama and handling distractions vs. being productive – all of which are sabotage in the most insidious ways. (Insidious because they are disguised as being really productive, or kind, or engaged with lots of activities – they are socially acceptable but not truly productive for you.)
Another warning signal that indicates procrastination is stealing your energy is that the sense that you canot get ahead. Procrastination keeps you stuck in the past by keeping the “it” you are delaying front and foremost in your mind as something that you should get done. After all, who would you be if you were moving forward easily and measurably instead of living from your past?
The most damaging warning signal is when your self-esteem drops as a result of not handling “it”. There is a sense that you never measure up because you are not handling “it”. There are a number of reasons why you might not be handling “it” that are completely unrelated to your self-esteem, but your self-esteem doesn’t know that. All your inner being knows is that you are not getting it done and, if your programming runs like most people’s, it must be because you are not good enough somehow to get it done.
When procrastination is a big enough factor in your life to be robbing you of your quality of life, it is time to do something – NOW.
Lynn Scheurell Lynn Scheurell facilitates positive transformation for her clients using both intuitive and linear thinking. Her company, Creative Catalyst, is a leader in initiating dramatic change for independent professionals and decision-makers. Download your own free report right now to learn Your 6 Power Points for Personal Success – and How What You Don’t Know Can Cost You Years of Hard Work! http://www.mycreativecatalyst.com/.
Tuesday
Your 2008 Perky Plan
Step 1
GET CLEAR AND IN CONTROL
I'm willing to bet you probably spend more time planning your weekends than you do planning to be happy! You need to put clear goals in place otherwise it's easy to stumble through life, getting lost in the daily grind. Get creative today - design the life you want to lead, organise how you're going to do it, and enjoy being in control of your own future. Aside from having clarity and direction, you'll find life's a lot more fun when you know where you're going!
Step 2
GET HEALTHY
Now this isn't rocket science but given the obesity levels in Australia and general lack of well-being I think the obvious needs to be said. If you're run-down, sick, tired and sluggish you're going to find it hard to be perky. Time and time again scientific evidence proves that healthy living can increase your levels of happiness. Stop putting time and effort into excuses and instead choose to invest in your well-being today. Go for a walk, drink more water - whatever you do, make it an investment in your wellbeing!
Step 3
GET A BRIGHT OUTLOOK
Optimistic and positive people live longer, get sick less, are more successful, have better relationships, and are more likely to succeed in their careers. Those are all proven facts. Do you really need any more reasons to start being positive? Decide how you want to see the world, stop looking for the negative, and practice having a perky perspective today. There are millions of people in the world worse-off than you - write a list today of 5 things you have to be positive about and put a smile on your face. Being upbeat won't kill you!
Step 4
GET TOGETHER
Good quality relationships, both personally and professionally, help reduce stress and depression, and increase your sense of well-being. Make a concerted effort to seek out positive, perky people and surround yourself with them everyday. Call your most fun friend now and make arrangements to see them this week, or join a new networking group to expand your social and professional circles.
Step 5
GET PERKY NOW
Stop saying 'When' and start living 'Now'. Are there any reasons why you would postpone being happy until tomorrow? Stop making excuses and start living your life today - no-one else can do if for you! Put your Perky Plan into place today, start living in the moment, and put mediocre behind you for good. Take responsibility for your happiness. After all, being upbeat can't kill you; but being glum just might!
Copyright (c) 2008 Outshine Consulting Pty Ltd
Faye Hollands is a Certified Life Coach, Executive Coach and professional trainer with 15 years experience in financial and professional services. Faye's direct and to-the-point style of coaching, combined with NLP and Time Line Therapy techniques, provide her clients with fast, long lasting results in all areas of their life, career and business. Start realising your potential today! www.outshineconsulting.com.au
GET CLEAR AND IN CONTROL
I'm willing to bet you probably spend more time planning your weekends than you do planning to be happy! You need to put clear goals in place otherwise it's easy to stumble through life, getting lost in the daily grind. Get creative today - design the life you want to lead, organise how you're going to do it, and enjoy being in control of your own future. Aside from having clarity and direction, you'll find life's a lot more fun when you know where you're going!
Step 2
GET HEALTHY
Now this isn't rocket science but given the obesity levels in Australia and general lack of well-being I think the obvious needs to be said. If you're run-down, sick, tired and sluggish you're going to find it hard to be perky. Time and time again scientific evidence proves that healthy living can increase your levels of happiness. Stop putting time and effort into excuses and instead choose to invest in your well-being today. Go for a walk, drink more water - whatever you do, make it an investment in your wellbeing!
Step 3
GET A BRIGHT OUTLOOK
Optimistic and positive people live longer, get sick less, are more successful, have better relationships, and are more likely to succeed in their careers. Those are all proven facts. Do you really need any more reasons to start being positive? Decide how you want to see the world, stop looking for the negative, and practice having a perky perspective today. There are millions of people in the world worse-off than you - write a list today of 5 things you have to be positive about and put a smile on your face. Being upbeat won't kill you!
Step 4
GET TOGETHER
Good quality relationships, both personally and professionally, help reduce stress and depression, and increase your sense of well-being. Make a concerted effort to seek out positive, perky people and surround yourself with them everyday. Call your most fun friend now and make arrangements to see them this week, or join a new networking group to expand your social and professional circles.
Step 5
GET PERKY NOW
Stop saying 'When' and start living 'Now'. Are there any reasons why you would postpone being happy until tomorrow? Stop making excuses and start living your life today - no-one else can do if for you! Put your Perky Plan into place today, start living in the moment, and put mediocre behind you for good. Take responsibility for your happiness. After all, being upbeat can't kill you; but being glum just might!
Copyright (c) 2008 Outshine Consulting Pty Ltd
Faye Hollands is a Certified Life Coach, Executive Coach and professional trainer with 15 years experience in financial and professional services. Faye's direct and to-the-point style of coaching, combined with NLP and Time Line Therapy techniques, provide her clients with fast, long lasting results in all areas of their life, career and business. Start realising your potential today! www.outshineconsulting.com.au
Friday
Plan Your Day and Stick to Your Plan
How many times have you remarked to someone that there are not enough hours in the day? The sad truth is, not matter how much you wish it, it is unlikely that you can get more than 24 hours in each day. So, the trick to time management is really how you get the most out of the hours you have. One way to do that is to become an exceptional planner of your day. It is not very difficult – just takes some basic knowledge and a lot of discipline. As a coach, I can help you with both, but the knowledge is what I’ll cover right now.
Set aside time to plan
This is really the first step. You have to make planning a habit, and do the task religiously. I set aside an hour on Sunday mornings to plan my week. In order for me to make sure that the week goes according to plan, I have to have “a plan” to start with. In the beginning, it may take you longer than an hour, but once you’ve done the planning for a while, you’ll get more efficient at it. You will also feel much more focused when you have identified what you want to accomplish for the week.
Schedule at least one week at a time
Some people only plan one day at a time, but I think that you need to be more forward looking than that. So, I suggest you focus on at least one week at a time, but also review what may be coming up in the next month while you are considering what to prioritize for the next week. The more proactive you are about your life, the less often you will find yourself having to react to unforeseen situations.
Identify your “big rocks” for your week
If you don’t know what I mean, you have to read Stephen Covey. He made a masterful illustration using a bucket, some sand, and several rocks of various sizes. He explained that the sand represents all the busy work that we have to do, like answering the phone, reading email, filing away papers, etc. The rocks represent all the important things that we have to do, such as setting goals for the year, launching a new project, creating a vision for your team, etc. The bucket represents all the time we have for all the demands of our lives.
What happens with most of us is that we fill up our buckets with the sand first, and then we can only put a few rocks on top, and there’s no more room for the rest. What he suggested is that we put all our rocks into the bucket first, and then fill in all the available spaces with the sand. And miraculously, everything fits in our container!
This is the philosophy you need to employ when you schedule your week. Identify all your big rocks, and block out the time to handle these first. Then worry about the sand afterwards. We have to make sure that we handle the important stuff first, and not let the busy work consume our days.
Think 24/7
I am not suggesting that you plan to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But I am suggesting that you account for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in your schedule. If you neglect to consider Saturdays and Sundays because those are your “days off”, you may find on Sunday night that you have not handled any of the household chores that you needed to get done. Or if you are planning on having a dinner party on Saturday night next week, you had better block off some time Friday or Saturday to straighten out the house, or go to the market.
Plan personal and play time
Don’t think that a schedule is only for work, this is a plan for your life. So, make sure that you block off time for exercise, or “date night” with your spouse, or cheerleader time for your kids’ games in your schedule. Remember that the goal is to have time to handle everything that’s important to us, not just things that are important concerning work. If you want Friday to be a mental health day, block that off. You don’t need to put in any more details than that. But you know that if you don’t plan for it, it won’t happen.
Leave some contingency time in your schedule
You know better than to expect that your days all go exactly as planned. Just when you are about to really focus on that important analysis you needed to do, your boss calls you into a meeting where your expertise is desperately needed, and your schedule is shot. So, don’t cram every hour of your day with activities. Leave some contingency time for you to catch up when the unexpected happens.
Discipline, discipline, discipline
Once you have your days scheduled, you need to exercise discipline and stick to what you planned. Do everything you can to eliminate distractions and really focus on what you have to do. You will be amazed how much more productive you can be. So, close that email program, turn the phone ringer off and let voicemail handle the calls, close your office door for an hour of so. Then when it is time for you to handle email, and phone calls, and drop-in visitors, give all your focus to those activities then.
About the Author:
Leadership coach Inez Ng helps busy professional and entrepreneurs get better results quickly. Learn more about coaching with her at http://www.RealizationsUnltd.com Check out her ebook packed with tips and strategies on saving time on email at http://www.easyemailstrategies.com
Set aside time to plan
This is really the first step. You have to make planning a habit, and do the task religiously. I set aside an hour on Sunday mornings to plan my week. In order for me to make sure that the week goes according to plan, I have to have “a plan” to start with. In the beginning, it may take you longer than an hour, but once you’ve done the planning for a while, you’ll get more efficient at it. You will also feel much more focused when you have identified what you want to accomplish for the week.
Schedule at least one week at a time
Some people only plan one day at a time, but I think that you need to be more forward looking than that. So, I suggest you focus on at least one week at a time, but also review what may be coming up in the next month while you are considering what to prioritize for the next week. The more proactive you are about your life, the less often you will find yourself having to react to unforeseen situations.
Identify your “big rocks” for your week
If you don’t know what I mean, you have to read Stephen Covey. He made a masterful illustration using a bucket, some sand, and several rocks of various sizes. He explained that the sand represents all the busy work that we have to do, like answering the phone, reading email, filing away papers, etc. The rocks represent all the important things that we have to do, such as setting goals for the year, launching a new project, creating a vision for your team, etc. The bucket represents all the time we have for all the demands of our lives.
What happens with most of us is that we fill up our buckets with the sand first, and then we can only put a few rocks on top, and there’s no more room for the rest. What he suggested is that we put all our rocks into the bucket first, and then fill in all the available spaces with the sand. And miraculously, everything fits in our container!
This is the philosophy you need to employ when you schedule your week. Identify all your big rocks, and block out the time to handle these first. Then worry about the sand afterwards. We have to make sure that we handle the important stuff first, and not let the busy work consume our days.
Think 24/7
I am not suggesting that you plan to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But I am suggesting that you account for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in your schedule. If you neglect to consider Saturdays and Sundays because those are your “days off”, you may find on Sunday night that you have not handled any of the household chores that you needed to get done. Or if you are planning on having a dinner party on Saturday night next week, you had better block off some time Friday or Saturday to straighten out the house, or go to the market.
Plan personal and play time
Don’t think that a schedule is only for work, this is a plan for your life. So, make sure that you block off time for exercise, or “date night” with your spouse, or cheerleader time for your kids’ games in your schedule. Remember that the goal is to have time to handle everything that’s important to us, not just things that are important concerning work. If you want Friday to be a mental health day, block that off. You don’t need to put in any more details than that. But you know that if you don’t plan for it, it won’t happen.
Leave some contingency time in your schedule
You know better than to expect that your days all go exactly as planned. Just when you are about to really focus on that important analysis you needed to do, your boss calls you into a meeting where your expertise is desperately needed, and your schedule is shot. So, don’t cram every hour of your day with activities. Leave some contingency time for you to catch up when the unexpected happens.
Discipline, discipline, discipline
Once you have your days scheduled, you need to exercise discipline and stick to what you planned. Do everything you can to eliminate distractions and really focus on what you have to do. You will be amazed how much more productive you can be. So, close that email program, turn the phone ringer off and let voicemail handle the calls, close your office door for an hour of so. Then when it is time for you to handle email, and phone calls, and drop-in visitors, give all your focus to those activities then.
About the Author:
Leadership coach Inez Ng helps busy professional and entrepreneurs get better results quickly. Learn more about coaching with her at http://www.RealizationsUnltd.com Check out her ebook packed with tips and strategies on saving time on email at http://www.easyemailstrategies.com
Make Your Goals Stick
The amazing thing about the future is that if you wait, it will always come to you. No doubt you sat down and created your share of New Year's resolutions to conquer this year. The unfortunate truth, however, is that most people's resolutions fizzle and die before the first quarter is even over. It doesn't have to be this way – with a few key steps, you can be well on your way to goal-getting instead of just goal-setting and turn your resolutions into real solutions.
Goals aren't enough – know your reasons
It's great to have goals, but by itself, a goal is not much. Have you ever shared with someone else that you would “try” to accomplish a goal? Try is a very weak word. When do you think you'll be ready to commit to actually doing it, instead of just talking about it?
The main reason most goals don't stick is because there is not a big enough reason to follow through with them. For example, losing weight is a great goal. However, why do you want to lose weight? See, if the goal is just “lose weight” then when that surprise birthday party happens, it's easy to talk yourself into letting loose and stuffing your face because that goal can be pushed aside, delayed, or even forgotten.
On the other hand, if your reason for losing fat is to avoid health problems or gain confidence, now you have a reason. That reason is your passion, your fire, your spark and your fuel to keep going. When you identify the true reason behind wanting to change, write it down. Keep it with you. Read it when you wake up, and before you go to sleep. Let your mind know what the reward will be, because most people focus on the process when it is the reward that keeps you going.
A real goal is about a vision. You must have a vision bigger than the obstacles you may face. Goals are stepping stones towards turning the vision from a dream into reality. Remember, goals are simply dreams with deadlines. So commit to your goal, know the reason, visualize the change, and it will stick with you despite the challenges you may face.
Hold Yourself Accountable
A goal is not much if you don't share it with others or create accountability. Without accountability, it's easy to make the goal simply disappear when things turn sour. Then you are simply a great goal-setter, but have nothing to show for the goal-getting department.
Accountability can take many different forms. If you're not ready to share it with the world, then simply write it down in a journal. Each day, spend five or ten minutes to reflect upon the steps you took that day that are taking you closer to your goal, and what choices you may have made that have you headed in the wrong direction. This will allow you to decide what changes you must make to keep moving closer to your goal.
For example, if your goal is to run your first triathlon, one of the daily actions you can take towards that goal is to eat healthy. This will fuel your body, improve recovery, and provide the nutrients necessary to have the energy to succeed. If you decided to blow your nutrition program, then this is a habit that is taking you farther from your goal. Identify it and decide what is more important – the short-term satisfaction of eating a treat, or the reward of finishing your first triathlon event. Stay in focus, and you'll go far.
Join the Right Team
Have you ever heard the phrase that your success is determined by the company you keep? Can you imagine how your life would be different if your circle of influence included those people who have already accomplished many of the goals you are setting for yourself?
Sometimes it can be difficult to lose your friends, but if your friends are not supporting your growth, they are holding you back. Trade them in for someone more positive who will keep you headed in the right direction. Author Napoleon Hill describes a group of like-minded people as a “mastermind group” where a true synergy is created – the results of the mastermind group become greater than the sum of the individual contributions. BeginnerTriathlete.com is a great place to connect with others who have similar goals to your own. Plug into your mastermind group!
Follow the Right Coach
Last but not least, it is important to have a good coach.
Have you ever stopped to really think about successful people? People who are top athletes, or business executives, or great piano players, for example. What most of these people have in common is that they did not learn everything on their own – they had teachers and coaches. In fact, I don't know any successful business people, athletes, or simply those who are in great shape who don't have coaches. I have coaches for fitness, coaches for business, and coaches for my personal life (“life coaches”).
A good coach will empower you to achieve your goals. They do this by helping you avoid the mistakes they've already made, or already witnessed their other clients make. You also benefit from their knowledge and experience without having to go through the entire process yourself. A quality coach will have a background in the area you are trying to improve, solid references, and will offer time to connect with you before you make a coaching commitment. This will allow you to decide if there is a fit to move forward and conquer your dreams together in the coming year.
Conclusion
It's great to make New Year's resolutions, but do yourself a favor. Self-esteem is related to self-promises. When you break a promise to yourself, you lose a bit of your confidence and self-esteem. When you keep a promise, you gain confidence. Don't commit to a resolution you are not ready to achieve. Don't let your goals simply remain words on paper. Create a plan for success, tackle the areas we discussed and your New Year's resolutions will truly stick in the coming year.
Jeremy Likness is an International Health Coach and motivational speaker. After losing 65 pounds of fat, he discovered his true vision to coach thousands around the world to better health. A Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Jeremy is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, Lose Fat, Not Faith and the companion 5-CD set. Jeremy has been published in major online publications including Tom Venuto's Fitness Renaissance and Bodybuilding.com. Jeremy's approach is unique because he focuses on fitness from the inside out. Visit Jeremy online at Natural Physiques.
Goals aren't enough – know your reasons
It's great to have goals, but by itself, a goal is not much. Have you ever shared with someone else that you would “try” to accomplish a goal? Try is a very weak word. When do you think you'll be ready to commit to actually doing it, instead of just talking about it?
The main reason most goals don't stick is because there is not a big enough reason to follow through with them. For example, losing weight is a great goal. However, why do you want to lose weight? See, if the goal is just “lose weight” then when that surprise birthday party happens, it's easy to talk yourself into letting loose and stuffing your face because that goal can be pushed aside, delayed, or even forgotten.
On the other hand, if your reason for losing fat is to avoid health problems or gain confidence, now you have a reason. That reason is your passion, your fire, your spark and your fuel to keep going. When you identify the true reason behind wanting to change, write it down. Keep it with you. Read it when you wake up, and before you go to sleep. Let your mind know what the reward will be, because most people focus on the process when it is the reward that keeps you going.
A real goal is about a vision. You must have a vision bigger than the obstacles you may face. Goals are stepping stones towards turning the vision from a dream into reality. Remember, goals are simply dreams with deadlines. So commit to your goal, know the reason, visualize the change, and it will stick with you despite the challenges you may face.
Hold Yourself Accountable
A goal is not much if you don't share it with others or create accountability. Without accountability, it's easy to make the goal simply disappear when things turn sour. Then you are simply a great goal-setter, but have nothing to show for the goal-getting department.
Accountability can take many different forms. If you're not ready to share it with the world, then simply write it down in a journal. Each day, spend five or ten minutes to reflect upon the steps you took that day that are taking you closer to your goal, and what choices you may have made that have you headed in the wrong direction. This will allow you to decide what changes you must make to keep moving closer to your goal.
For example, if your goal is to run your first triathlon, one of the daily actions you can take towards that goal is to eat healthy. This will fuel your body, improve recovery, and provide the nutrients necessary to have the energy to succeed. If you decided to blow your nutrition program, then this is a habit that is taking you farther from your goal. Identify it and decide what is more important – the short-term satisfaction of eating a treat, or the reward of finishing your first triathlon event. Stay in focus, and you'll go far.
Join the Right Team
Have you ever heard the phrase that your success is determined by the company you keep? Can you imagine how your life would be different if your circle of influence included those people who have already accomplished many of the goals you are setting for yourself?
Sometimes it can be difficult to lose your friends, but if your friends are not supporting your growth, they are holding you back. Trade them in for someone more positive who will keep you headed in the right direction. Author Napoleon Hill describes a group of like-minded people as a “mastermind group” where a true synergy is created – the results of the mastermind group become greater than the sum of the individual contributions. BeginnerTriathlete.com is a great place to connect with others who have similar goals to your own. Plug into your mastermind group!
Follow the Right Coach
Last but not least, it is important to have a good coach.
Have you ever stopped to really think about successful people? People who are top athletes, or business executives, or great piano players, for example. What most of these people have in common is that they did not learn everything on their own – they had teachers and coaches. In fact, I don't know any successful business people, athletes, or simply those who are in great shape who don't have coaches. I have coaches for fitness, coaches for business, and coaches for my personal life (“life coaches”).
A good coach will empower you to achieve your goals. They do this by helping you avoid the mistakes they've already made, or already witnessed their other clients make. You also benefit from their knowledge and experience without having to go through the entire process yourself. A quality coach will have a background in the area you are trying to improve, solid references, and will offer time to connect with you before you make a coaching commitment. This will allow you to decide if there is a fit to move forward and conquer your dreams together in the coming year.
Conclusion
It's great to make New Year's resolutions, but do yourself a favor. Self-esteem is related to self-promises. When you break a promise to yourself, you lose a bit of your confidence and self-esteem. When you keep a promise, you gain confidence. Don't commit to a resolution you are not ready to achieve. Don't let your goals simply remain words on paper. Create a plan for success, tackle the areas we discussed and your New Year's resolutions will truly stick in the coming year.
Jeremy Likness is an International Health Coach and motivational speaker. After losing 65 pounds of fat, he discovered his true vision to coach thousands around the world to better health. A Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Jeremy is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, Lose Fat, Not Faith and the companion 5-CD set. Jeremy has been published in major online publications including Tom Venuto's Fitness Renaissance and Bodybuilding.com. Jeremy's approach is unique because he focuses on fitness from the inside out. Visit Jeremy online at Natural Physiques.
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