By: Jim M. Allen
As a success coach, I have a lot of fun working with energetic, motivated individuals who are eager to turn their dreams into reality. They've made that important step from talking about success to actually creating it.
In helping these "doers" create the necessary strategies to achieve their goals, much of my time is spent talking with them about their expectations of how quickly they can accomplish their goals. In the success coaching process, it's not always the most enjoyable part of what we do together, but it is a very important one. After all, it's important to have big goals to work towards, but it's just as important to have realistic expectations about how and when those dreams can be made real.
Unfortunately, everything today is about speed and getting more done, faster than ever before. Not necessarily a bad goal, but that push for speed spills over into all aspects of our lives. We want fast service and fast results -- no matter what we're doing.
Everywhere we look in our instant-everything environment we see examples of this: fast-food restaurants, one-hour photo stores, 10-minute oil change shops, do-it-yourself express-lane checkout, etc. We continue to move faster and faster� and we grow incredibly impatient, especially when it comes to people enjoying the fruit of our own efforts. Getting all we ever wanted just isn't enough, unless in can happen instantly.... overnight... right away... right now!
Success, however, rarely (if ever) occurs instantaneously. It comes to you on its own schedule as the result of consistent, persistent action. Rather than stressing yourself out, take things easy� take your time� stop expecting instant results. Do what needs doing and let life take its own course. This way, you can focus on working smarter and more efficiently while enjoying the process of what you're doing.
Sure, there will be times when you get immediate results and achieve success quickly. Most of the time you'll need to be patient� Just because you're not getting instant results doesn't mean you won't get any. If you keep working towards your goals, maintaining a sustained, consistent effort, readjusting your plans as necessary along the way, you will create the success you're looking for.
Consider this analogy: You build a large, thousand-mile-long pipeline, from Alaska to California. You drill for oil and start pumping it into the pipeline� Now, do you have oil coming out of the other end immediately? Of course not! You have to be patient and wait a while. Eventually, the oil will start to flow at the other end, but only if you keep on drilling and filling up the pipe.
It's the same way your own efforts. You have to be patient while your work creates the success you desire. By not forcing the timetable and pushing for immediate results, you actually improve your chances of achieving your goals.
How can get a more realistic expectation of your goals? Easy...
First, make a plan before you mark your calendar. That's right, sit down and figure out exactly how you're going to achieve your goal. Figure out all the steps. Determine what resources you already have and which ones you need� Then write it all down, ALONG WITH your estimate of how long it will take to accomplish each individual step! Chances are your time estimates for individual steps will be more accurate than a single estimate for the entire project since you will be looking at smaller action items.
Second, with your firm-but-flexible plan in hand, make a list of potential obstacles, big and small, that could get in your way. Counterintuitive? Too negative? I don't think so� It's really an extension of planning that can actually save you time. Thinking about what may slow you down helps prepare you for overcoming those obstacles, thus speeding you back up. Figure out the average time delay an obstacle presents and factor that into your time estimates.
Third, and finally, look around for examples of people who have accomplished the same (or a similar) goal. Ask them how long it took them to achieve success (versus what they thought it would take)? What obstacles did they face? What surprises did they encounter along the way?
Talking with others who have done what you want to do is a great way to estimate how long it might take you. Plus, you get the added benefit of learning from other people's experience (which, again, could save you a lot of time)!
Three very simple steps, but they can help you focus your mind on the real work necessary to make your dreams a reality.
With a more realistic sense of what can be accomplished, the more you'll enjoy every step in the process of creating success in your life. And when you do reach your goals, you'll see that the success you achieve is more than worth the wait.
Showing posts with label focus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label focus. Show all posts
Monday
5 Ways To Strengthen Your Personal Foundation
Foundations are important when you want to build anything. You know the construction rule which the taller the building, the deeper the foundation. It really is no different when you are building a life!
Let me ask you, do you take better care of your car than yourself? Are you tired? Approaching burnout? And not much fun to be around? If you said yes to some of theses questions, it is time to shore up your own foundation. The bigger your goals, the more energy and focus you need. A strong personal foundation is your support system to achieve success.
1. Focus on your strengths. Life is too short to perfect your weaknesses. Stop trying to do it all! Do the things you have a passion and brilliance for and delegate or dump the rest. Is it time to hire a Virtual Assistant? I know....I know..... you are a perfectionist and no one can do it like you. Some things are not worth doing perfectly. Other things will be done faster and better by someone who has different skills than you. Let go of the things that you can delegate and focus on the activities that bring you money and that you love to do.
2. Set boundaries. Life is too short to work with jerks! Luckily most clients don't fall into that category, but maybe need a little coaching on how to treat you. If you don’t respect yourself, others won't treat you with respect either. You train people how you want to be treated by what you will accept. Once you’ve communicated and set boundaries with others, they will usually honor them. Most people want it to be a win/win. For those that don't...you've got 2 words for them...bye-bye!
3. Plan your time off and vacations first. Life is too short to postpone the fun! You have a business and you have a life that the business supports. Enjoy the benefits of your hard work. Otherwise, you rob yourself of pleasure and probably do a poorer job for clients when you are feeling overworked or burned out. Time for rejuvenation should be a weekly block of time. The studies show that people who overwork, lose efficiency. So, plan to fill up your personal gas tank EVERY week!
4. Get rid of tolerations. Life is too short to get bogged down in the muck. The energy draining vampires are subtle but powerful. They distract you and impact your effectiveness. Use this exercise to minimize these energy suckers: Make a long list of everything you are tolerating. Start to attack 5 each week. You'll be amazed at the difference this makes in just a few weeks.
5. Enjoy Yourself. Life is too short to live someone else’s expectations. One of my favorite quotes is by my husband, Bub, who says,"If you aren't enjoying yourself you are doing it wrong." I misquoted him once by saying "If you aren't having fun, you are doing it wrong" and he corrected me by explaining it was about enjoying SELF. In other words, liking the person you are and the things you are doing. Being true to your values and expressing your unique flavor is integral to this.
There you go....some personal foundation building blocks. Working on which of these would enhance your joy and your life? Go for it!
To book Joeann for your next event, please call 1-877-211-6472 or visit www.BrokerAgentSpeakers.com.
Copyright
Copyright© 2007, Joann Fossland. All right reserved. Joeann Fossland, Certified e-PRO Trainer, GRI, PMN, is a Master Certified Coach and Founder of the Web Women Giving Circle, national speaker, trainer, who works with highly motivated people that want to excel in business while having a life they love. Joeann created The Real Estate Game ™, a daily motivational accountability call that is played in a game format for 4 weeks. She also writes a monthly newsletter and hosts free teleconference calls. For information contact
contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com
Let me ask you, do you take better care of your car than yourself? Are you tired? Approaching burnout? And not much fun to be around? If you said yes to some of theses questions, it is time to shore up your own foundation. The bigger your goals, the more energy and focus you need. A strong personal foundation is your support system to achieve success.
1. Focus on your strengths. Life is too short to perfect your weaknesses. Stop trying to do it all! Do the things you have a passion and brilliance for and delegate or dump the rest. Is it time to hire a Virtual Assistant? I know....I know..... you are a perfectionist and no one can do it like you. Some things are not worth doing perfectly. Other things will be done faster and better by someone who has different skills than you. Let go of the things that you can delegate and focus on the activities that bring you money and that you love to do.
2. Set boundaries. Life is too short to work with jerks! Luckily most clients don't fall into that category, but maybe need a little coaching on how to treat you. If you don’t respect yourself, others won't treat you with respect either. You train people how you want to be treated by what you will accept. Once you’ve communicated and set boundaries with others, they will usually honor them. Most people want it to be a win/win. For those that don't...you've got 2 words for them...bye-bye!
3. Plan your time off and vacations first. Life is too short to postpone the fun! You have a business and you have a life that the business supports. Enjoy the benefits of your hard work. Otherwise, you rob yourself of pleasure and probably do a poorer job for clients when you are feeling overworked or burned out. Time for rejuvenation should be a weekly block of time. The studies show that people who overwork, lose efficiency. So, plan to fill up your personal gas tank EVERY week!
4. Get rid of tolerations. Life is too short to get bogged down in the muck. The energy draining vampires are subtle but powerful. They distract you and impact your effectiveness. Use this exercise to minimize these energy suckers: Make a long list of everything you are tolerating. Start to attack 5 each week. You'll be amazed at the difference this makes in just a few weeks.
5. Enjoy Yourself. Life is too short to live someone else’s expectations. One of my favorite quotes is by my husband, Bub, who says,"If you aren't enjoying yourself you are doing it wrong." I misquoted him once by saying "If you aren't having fun, you are doing it wrong" and he corrected me by explaining it was about enjoying SELF. In other words, liking the person you are and the things you are doing. Being true to your values and expressing your unique flavor is integral to this.
There you go....some personal foundation building blocks. Working on which of these would enhance your joy and your life? Go for it!
To book Joeann for your next event, please call 1-877-211-6472 or visit www.BrokerAgentSpeakers.com.
Copyright
Copyright© 2007, Joann Fossland. All right reserved. Joeann Fossland, Certified e-PRO Trainer, GRI, PMN, is a Master Certified Coach and Founder of the Web Women Giving Circle, national speaker, trainer, who works with highly motivated people that want to excel in business while having a life they love. Joeann created The Real Estate Game ™, a daily motivational accountability call that is played in a game format for 4 weeks. She also writes a monthly newsletter and hosts free teleconference calls. For information contact
contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com
Friday
Your Thoughts Create Futures—How Does Yours Look
As a man thinketh in his heart so is he Proverbs 23:7
One of the most important things we can do if not the most important is to spend sometime thinking about what we are thinking about. Yes, thoughts are powerful things. They make us who we are. Do you remember when you were young and your mom or somebody use to say to you, who do you think you are. Then you started to doubt yourself.
Or even now people will try to talk you out of stepping out of the box because they are so used to stinkin’ thinking. I suggest listening to positive self help CDs on tapes in the car. This will help you stay focused on being positive. Not only does thoughts have power but what we speak with our mouth multiplies and brings that very thing into existence.
Here are some tips to help control your thinking and keep them going in the right direction:
•Pay attention to what you take in. If you’re listening to someone who is always negative, gossip, negative music, then chances are you will be to. Garbage in Garbage out.
•Make time for reflection. What good things are happening today? Write them down in a journal. What areas of your life could use some improving?
•Let things go quickly. If you make a mistake, Apologize and let it go. Move on.
•Leave the past in the past. Stop rehashing old things that happened in the past.
•Forgive people who have hurt you in the past. We are all human and we make mistakes including you.
•What you focus on grows. So focus on loving people, and encouraging people. Get out and help someone else. “Our life is what our thoughts make it.”
•Find a new circle of friends. It is said that the 6 people closest to you determines your future. Start to notice if everyone around you is negative. Find some new people to be around. If it is you who are negative, make an effort every second of everyday to stay focused on things that are positive.
Constantly cast down those negative thoughts and replace them with positive.
•Spend time daily visualizing the results you want. Start acting like you have already achieved them.
Article by:
Shonda Miles is a business consultant and business coach. Gotta Take Action provides informative articles and advice to women-owned businesses who are ready to skyrocket their profits. Learn more about how to catapult your business success by visiting www.gottatakeaction.com for more information. If you enjoyed this article, join our newsletter Hot Marketing Tips today.
One of the most important things we can do if not the most important is to spend sometime thinking about what we are thinking about. Yes, thoughts are powerful things. They make us who we are. Do you remember when you were young and your mom or somebody use to say to you, who do you think you are. Then you started to doubt yourself.
Or even now people will try to talk you out of stepping out of the box because they are so used to stinkin’ thinking. I suggest listening to positive self help CDs on tapes in the car. This will help you stay focused on being positive. Not only does thoughts have power but what we speak with our mouth multiplies and brings that very thing into existence.
Here are some tips to help control your thinking and keep them going in the right direction:
•Pay attention to what you take in. If you’re listening to someone who is always negative, gossip, negative music, then chances are you will be to. Garbage in Garbage out.
•Make time for reflection. What good things are happening today? Write them down in a journal. What areas of your life could use some improving?
•Let things go quickly. If you make a mistake, Apologize and let it go. Move on.
•Leave the past in the past. Stop rehashing old things that happened in the past.
•Forgive people who have hurt you in the past. We are all human and we make mistakes including you.
•What you focus on grows. So focus on loving people, and encouraging people. Get out and help someone else. “Our life is what our thoughts make it.”
•Find a new circle of friends. It is said that the 6 people closest to you determines your future. Start to notice if everyone around you is negative. Find some new people to be around. If it is you who are negative, make an effort every second of everyday to stay focused on things that are positive.
Constantly cast down those negative thoughts and replace them with positive.
•Spend time daily visualizing the results you want. Start acting like you have already achieved them.
Article by:
Shonda Miles is a business consultant and business coach. Gotta Take Action provides informative articles and advice to women-owned businesses who are ready to skyrocket their profits. Learn more about how to catapult your business success by visiting www.gottatakeaction.com for more information. If you enjoyed this article, join our newsletter Hot Marketing Tips today.
Where You Focus Your Attention Is What You Get!
By: Laura Howard West
Cheryl Richardson, a favorite author and fellow coach, has written a new
book called "Stand Up for Your Life". In this book she talks about how our
society tends to "bond over stress instead of success". I see this in
action every day in my own life and in the lives of my clients.
We tend to give each other permission to complain freely- it's actually
become the way we interact with others. It's OK to compare stresses or say
something negative to a total stranger for the sake of opening a
conversation and relating to each other. For example, you get in the
elevator on a rainy day, "Some storm! Traffic was terrible!". We feel free
to talk about what's wrong with everything from traffic, weather, the kids,
the husband/wife, work, the messy house to crowded/late flights.
So what's wrong with this you might ask? Well, it creates constant whining
and complaining if you're not careful!! While each of these little snippets
of conversation seem meaningless, when you look at an entire day it can
really add up to a negative outlook on life. With this negative way of
thinking it can be hard to believe in our dreams, be truly happy and feel
gratitude for our life.
We tend to look for evidence of life being hard/bad/difficult so we can
share it with someone or to prove our point. I know I've been a creator of
my own "negative spiral". I have gone through a day looking for evidence to
support how tough my life is. I awaken with a sinus headache and immediately
think it's going to be a "bad day" and then I find all the proof I
need...there's traffic, I'm out of gas, I forgot the baby bottles, I'm late,
etc... When we keep our focus on looking for this evidence it's no surprise
that we do in fact have a bad day.
What if you started a conversation with a success? Something like..."Hey,
the greatest thing happened today.....I got a new client, how about those
beautiful flowers out front, or I made the best dinner last night!" What if
you started looking for evidence of "Having a Great Day".
Recently Psychology Today reported how a positive attitude can help you live
longer because you feel like you have more control over your life. Your
energy will amp up because you are choosing to not focus on your life using
the media mentality of "the sky is always falling". And in the simplest
of terms...the smile on your face is more likely to put a smile on someone
else's face!
When was the last time you actually encouraged someone to talk about what's
going well in their life? We naturally do this with our kids. We listen
while they tell us how they made a slam dunk or read a new word. I often
ask my son, Nicholas," What's the most awesome thing that happened to you
today?" I get the best answers! It's usually funny which makes me laugh and
it definitely makes me feel like we shared something real about his day.
A friend of mine, Sherean, has that positive outlook on life and for the
people who are in her life. She fully believes that I am creative,
resourceful and fully capable of doing anything I want to do. She values my
opinions, encourages my ideas, and I can talk about my success (yes, even
brag - oh my!). She lets me "shine my light" when we're together. Just
planning a lunch with her gets me in such a good mood. My creative juices
go into overdrive and my energy sparks just knowing that it's such a
supportive alliance. In fact, by letting me shine it gives her permission
to do the same and the value is multiplied! It always results in an
incredibly uplifting and motivating conversation that carries into the rest
of our day.
We certainly need to have the support of close friends and family who we can
let it all hang out with - it's helpful to be able to ponder and process the
difficulties in life and share solutions. But we can also choose our
focus.
So where are you focusing your attention in your life? How does this
support your vision for how you want your life to be?
Article by:
Get your free special report "5 Myths About Being A Successful Entrepreneur and How to Let Them Go and Get On With Your Success" by clicking here now: joyfulbusiness.com/subscribe.html Marketing Sage and Business Coach, Laura West, provides you with tools, products, and coaching programs to help you discover how to create more passion, purpose and prosperity.
Cheryl Richardson, a favorite author and fellow coach, has written a new
book called "Stand Up for Your Life". In this book she talks about how our
society tends to "bond over stress instead of success". I see this in
action every day in my own life and in the lives of my clients.
We tend to give each other permission to complain freely- it's actually
become the way we interact with others. It's OK to compare stresses or say
something negative to a total stranger for the sake of opening a
conversation and relating to each other. For example, you get in the
elevator on a rainy day, "Some storm! Traffic was terrible!". We feel free
to talk about what's wrong with everything from traffic, weather, the kids,
the husband/wife, work, the messy house to crowded/late flights.
So what's wrong with this you might ask? Well, it creates constant whining
and complaining if you're not careful!! While each of these little snippets
of conversation seem meaningless, when you look at an entire day it can
really add up to a negative outlook on life. With this negative way of
thinking it can be hard to believe in our dreams, be truly happy and feel
gratitude for our life.
We tend to look for evidence of life being hard/bad/difficult so we can
share it with someone or to prove our point. I know I've been a creator of
my own "negative spiral". I have gone through a day looking for evidence to
support how tough my life is. I awaken with a sinus headache and immediately
think it's going to be a "bad day" and then I find all the proof I
need...there's traffic, I'm out of gas, I forgot the baby bottles, I'm late,
etc... When we keep our focus on looking for this evidence it's no surprise
that we do in fact have a bad day.
What if you started a conversation with a success? Something like..."Hey,
the greatest thing happened today.....I got a new client, how about those
beautiful flowers out front, or I made the best dinner last night!" What if
you started looking for evidence of "Having a Great Day".
Recently Psychology Today reported how a positive attitude can help you live
longer because you feel like you have more control over your life. Your
energy will amp up because you are choosing to not focus on your life using
the media mentality of "the sky is always falling". And in the simplest
of terms...the smile on your face is more likely to put a smile on someone
else's face!
When was the last time you actually encouraged someone to talk about what's
going well in their life? We naturally do this with our kids. We listen
while they tell us how they made a slam dunk or read a new word. I often
ask my son, Nicholas," What's the most awesome thing that happened to you
today?" I get the best answers! It's usually funny which makes me laugh and
it definitely makes me feel like we shared something real about his day.
A friend of mine, Sherean, has that positive outlook on life and for the
people who are in her life. She fully believes that I am creative,
resourceful and fully capable of doing anything I want to do. She values my
opinions, encourages my ideas, and I can talk about my success (yes, even
brag - oh my!). She lets me "shine my light" when we're together. Just
planning a lunch with her gets me in such a good mood. My creative juices
go into overdrive and my energy sparks just knowing that it's such a
supportive alliance. In fact, by letting me shine it gives her permission
to do the same and the value is multiplied! It always results in an
incredibly uplifting and motivating conversation that carries into the rest
of our day.
We certainly need to have the support of close friends and family who we can
let it all hang out with - it's helpful to be able to ponder and process the
difficulties in life and share solutions. But we can also choose our
focus.
So where are you focusing your attention in your life? How does this
support your vision for how you want your life to be?
Article by:
Get your free special report "5 Myths About Being A Successful Entrepreneur and How to Let Them Go and Get On With Your Success" by clicking here now: joyfulbusiness.com/subscribe.html Marketing Sage and Business Coach, Laura West, provides you with tools, products, and coaching programs to help you discover how to create more passion, purpose and prosperity.
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