In the ZONE!

There is nothing like being ‘IN THE ZONE!’ It is as if you are accomplishing what you desire at the very moment when the energy of the universe is blessing your efforts.

What does being in the zone mean to you? Have you ever experienced that complete feeling of focus? Focus that you have determined and are in full control of. ‘The zone’ is like a crystal goblet being tapped on a hard surface and the tone that emits the air is full of energy and touches you deeply in your soul.

Saturday is sometimes the worst day for me. Because I want to complete so much on this special day reaching the zone seems as hard as it would be to herd cats. I will start-off doing one thing, then notice something else that needs to be done and before you know it I haven’t accomplished one-half of what I had desired.

I believe men in general have an easier time of being ‘in the moment’ and not being as easily distracted as women. It is a known fact that the wiring in men’s brains is different than the wiring in women’s brains. That being said, let’s discuss being focused and what it takes to experience clarity so the zone can become a more frequent occurrence.

The first task is defining what clarity is for you and your business. Are you running from project to project? Do you have clearly written goals and mission statements? If not, this can be the first step to reaching clarity. As you write your goals and review them often you will begin to develop a clear picture of what your priorities are and what your deepest desires are within you.

Often I find that the more I re-write my goals some goals continue to remain while others fade away or become less important. Continually thinking and writing down those objectives will help keep you centered.

Forcing yourself to focus on the task at hand can be hard at first but the more and more you practice the better you will become. I find that when I try to be in the moment, the moment is more fulfilling and the stress I feel is less. Multi-tasking is sometimes the most efficient way to accomplish tasks but it can also be overrated.

For example, try driving a car while, speaking on the phone and checking your e-mail in the seat next to you. A lot is getting accomplished however, those riding in the car with you perhaps are feeling more stressed because you are not focused on the main objective and that is getting safely to where your destiny will lead you.

Some of the best experiences I have had in obtaining clear and poignant focus have been when I was running. The pounding of the pavement and the will to go a certain distance is often the most centering part of my day. Everything else melts away while running and getting into the rhythm.

Often I find that when I hit this zone I can solve problems or challenges that have me stumped. Inspiration flows into my mind and I am more creative.

In order to have repeated experiences of focus and clarity you need to achieve balance in your life. It is hard to focus on any one thing if you are sick or run down. The same holds true for organizations.

If there is a part of the organization that is in need of “medical” attention then do what you need to do in order to get that part in a more healthy state. That way the whole of the organization can be well thought-out and focused. By doing so you will be able to achieve your goals.

Some of the best lessons in life can be learned from children. Have you ever had a child trying to get your attention when you are watching television and they come up and grab your face? This is a reminder to us that asking for what you need, is the road to achieving what you desire.

Children know the importance of enjoying every moment and not taking everyday-things for granted. So the next time you are feeling frantic or frazzled, stop, take a deep breath and focus on what is most important at that moment and let everything else fade away.

The zone really isn’t that far away. We need to just grab it!

Happily Ever After

When I was a hormonal teenager I must admit to a certain interest in the current-day popular romance novels. Yes, I’m a true romantic at heart! As I would become engrossed in the story and couldn’t put the book down there would be a common theme. That theme was lack of communication. Often I would want to scream at the characters in the story, “just tell them what you’re feeling”! Once they finally communicated with one another they could move on and live happily ever after. I guess the secret to romance novels is they keep you strung along to see when that open communication finally comes.

Happily Ever After

Communication is the cornerstone to any relationship. There are many different types of communication. The two most referred types are verbal and non-verbal. The art of communication comes through practice.

Recently, I have become a texting pro. Years ago I thought I would never go down this path. But recently I caved in and got the family and friends package. It has been fun to connect with my Gen Y and Gen Z children as well as my Baby Boomer husband. In order to keep relationships intact being able to communicate to the person whom we are trying to communicate with in their reference will help us be more successful. I don’t know about you but I find I usually get a response faster from my children if I text rather than call.

As with anything in life we need to ask for what we want. Some individuals are held hostage by that thought. Communicating those needs is typically the only way they are met. Sometimes that is hard especially if you are dealing with a personality that is caustic. For instance, some folks can get away with sarcasm or attempting to be humorous in their interactions and everyone around them attributes the sarcasm as their personality. Whereas if another individual whose persona is serious and professional tries to attempt sarcasm it would come off as a put down.

Understanding your communication strengths and how to capitalize on them will benefit you greatly. Just as understanding how to communicate in the medium or style of the person you are trying to communicate with will further your relationships.

Marketing and advertising organizations understand this clearly. The goal with marketing is to frame your message in such a way that will draw the audience that you desire into your sphere of influence. There are many aspects to creating the message you want. Sometimes we put out the opposite message of what our intent is and the relationship never starts or gets off track. When that happens it is important to address the misunderstanding and try to rectify the situation immediately.

Often confrontation is the last thing I ever want to engage in; however, I learned about the use of the Indian Talking Stick. That tool is a great way to resolve conflict while letting everyone communicate their thoughts and concerns and saving a relationship. The rule is that whoever holds the stick is the only one who talks. They get to talk until they feel like they have been understood. The stick is passed around to each person until resolutions occur. It works. Yes, you can try this at home!

As the chapters unfold in our lives and business, remember that communication will speed that happily ever after along.

Get Over Yourself

Some individuals have a hard time promoting themselves. Perhaps it goes back to being taught that humility is a virtue and bragging is bad. What is that fine line? Marketing gurus love to get their hands on a business that doesn’t understand or know how to promote themselves. In the next few paragraphs let’s review some of the steps to promote yourself and your business:

1. Determine your values, mission and what your personal brand represents

As you think about promotion and how you want to promote, you need to clearly define what your brand represents and what you want the first impression of you and your company to be as you come in contact with new prospects and existing customers.

2. Prepare a Marketing Plan

As with selling a new product if you don’t talk about it or let it be known that it exists how do you expect to have any sales? I have seen this first hand with the products that I have designed. Those products that I had a clear plan for were the products that were successful in reaching their individual sales goal.

3. Gather a list

After spending a long time with marketing organizations one of the highest priorities for a company is to build strategic lists for their company’s offerings. Continually reviewing, updating and gathering leads will determine your bottom line and overall success. One of the questions to ponder is, “am I tapping into the right groups to get the customers I need? “List building is a skill and can be learned.

4. Humanize your marketing

You may be asking what do I mean by this? After spending a lot of years in the financial industry it was painfully apparent that a lot of individuals don’t like their picture being taken and don’t see the value of putting their individual face to their company. Now with the growth of social media people can find so much about you before they even talk to you. The positive side of this is that as a lead they are even more qualified.

People buy from people. Instead of relying on phone, e-mail, texting and a website, the most profitable business is still done by connecting face to face. So as you plan your marketing and promotion create tactics that include being in person, and providing content that is somewhat personal so people can connect with you.

Promotion can provide rich and rewarding experiences. Ask and you shall receive is a fundamental principal. Putting it out there in the universe is the pathway for prosperity. To quote a colleague who recently ran a campaign to promote me and my recent activities, “get over yourself,” and watch the lead generation tool work its magic.

Five A’s to Marketing Yourself

1099 Form

As 1099s and W-2s come in the mail for the previous year’s earnings, I often ask myself how can I earn more this year than I did last? There are many factors that affect that question. The productivity cost of doing business, sales pipeline and the economy are just a few.

One of the key ingredients to having a more profitable year is marketing. Whether you are the business owner or an employee, everyone engages in some type of marketing. Recently, one of my trusted advisors and I were speaking of this topic of marketing oneself.

There are so many factors involved. In fact I believe that often we don’t realize the impact of the little things we do that affects how others respond to us. Let’s take a look at some of those areas.

1. Appearance. This is an important aspect of how people perceive us. Sometimes it doesn’t seem fair that how we dress or look makes a difference. The reality is that those who we do business with react to us based on how we dress, our grooming and our body language.

2. Actions. It is true that actions speak louder than words. If what we say contradicts how we act then integrity becomes questioned and trust impaired.

3. Attitude. Now you may be wondering what in the world does our attitude have to do with how we market ourselves. The secret here is being positive. Humans draw on light and positivity. If you exude a positive outlook and demeanor then others will want to associate with you. We all like winners or at least the perception of associating with winners.

4. Associates. Who you associate yourself with will determine your income level. As mentioned in the attitude section, if you associate with winners you will win. If you want to lose weight or improve your health you need to spend time with people that are reaching their health and fitness goals. We all need positive reinforcement. To increase your income associate with those individuals who have proven positive work habits. This will help you improve your daily habits.

5. Accountability. Being accountable for your actions or lack of actions will put you on the fast track to economic growth. People have a habit of blaming others for their circumstances while not looking at themselves in the mirror. Be sure to ask yourself: ”What could I have done different and what was my part in the outcomes of my actions or inactions?”

There is so much to explore with each of these five topics in marketing yourself. One of the biggest questions you need to ask yourself is, “Would I buy from me?” If not, why and what do you need to change within yourself so that the answer is yes?

It is not enough just to believe you can be successful. You must come to know it. You need to know this fact with every fiber of your being. If you know something you can’t help but exude positive energy, others will want to associate with you.

By following these five steps, your business and income will flourish and next year’s tax forms will be the proof in the pudding!

Change the Service Paradigm

When was the last time you experienced great service, first hand? How did you feel after the exchange? Did that experience effect the rest of your day?

Keep those feelings and thoughts in one of the corners of your mind. Now, let’s take you back to a negative service experience. When did that occur? Was it this morning or last night? Perhaps, you have been lucky and you cannot remember the last bad service experience you had. Hopefully that is the case and that you haven’t had so many negative experiences that you have forgotten what a positive service experience looks, feels or walks like!

Let me share with you an experience that a friend of mine named Joe had a while ago. Joe was born and raised in Brazil. He moved to the United States about fourteen years ago. His first job was to rent cars and buses for individuals and groups that would come in from out of town. His English was fair at best and one day he had a woman call in to check rates for renting a bus. Now this woman was an elderly woman from Pascagoula, Mississippi who was a transplant as well. These two individuals spoke for several minutes trying to understand what the other was saying and were becoming very frustrated with one another. Joe kept his cool and suggested that she come down to the rental company so that they could speak in person and she could see if their product would be the right fit for her needs. After a little prodding, she agreed and came down and they were better able to communicate in person. This business transaction turned out to be very profitable for Joe as the woman ended up renting five twenty-passenger vans for an upcoming family reunion. The woman and Joe ended up having a great experience because of a couple of principles that they consciously or subconsciously covered. Let’s dissect this story.

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Being Proactive Energizes

As January comes upon us every year, you probably hear a lot about goal setting and resolutions. A new beginning is always a great way to jump-start your motivation in every aspect of your life. If you write down your goals the propensity of them getting conquered actually goes up over 50%. If you take 30 minutes out of your life to think and meditate about what it is you want to achieve and accomplish in every aspect of your life, then write it down, you will be amazed at what goals you will be able to complete.

Being proactive energizes and being reactive sucks energy away!

I would like to encourage you to set service goals. Why should you set these types of goals? By setting goals in this area your business will be more profitable and your life will be enriched. You can start in small ways.  There is a wonderful story about Johnny the bagger.  This is a story about a bagger in a grocery store who took to heart the encouragement that management gave to help increase profitability for the store. Johnny struggled with Down Syndrome all of his life, and as he contemplated about what he could do to help, the idea came that he could share a small, type-written, “Thought of the Day” and leave it in the grocery bags he would pack. Shortly after he started doing this, management noticed a line forming at the register where Johnny was the bagger.  The store would open up additional lines to get customers through but the customers stated that they were fine waiting and then it finally came out that they wanted Johnny’s “Thought of the Day.”

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3,000 Different Theories

“If at first you don’t succeed try, try, try again.” This quote from William E. Hickson has been around a long time, 1857 in fact. Many times we let the fear of failure hold us back. Persistence pays off. As we take a look at some of the most famous individuals such as Thomas Edison or Abraham Lincoln, these gentlemen had several failures before they were ever able to have a win or success. As I learn about the different setbacks and disappointments that Abraham Lincoln encountered it provides me hope and humility that it doesn’t matter if we fail but if we pick ourselves back up and keep trying.

Thomas Edison constructed 3,000 different theories in connection with the electric light. If he had given up at failure 100 what would have happened? Failure can be a gift and the perspective gained that something needs to be changed or tweaked.

Sometimes the fear of failure is our greatest stumbling block. We have to look at the word fear and change its meaning to an acronym: False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR). Faith and fear cannot reside together at the same time. So having faith and a strong belief that whatever the outcome will be the journey and process of trying is where the opportunities lie.

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5 Tips to a Family Business

Being raised in several generations of family owned businesses, I have seen first-hand the opportunities and the pitfalls. In fact, in my immediate family the business generates income for seven of the family members.

One would think that with the growth of global economies and technology that big corporation would erase the family business. However, statistically 50% of the gross domestic product is generated by family business. In fact 35% of Fortune 500 companies are family companies.

With the economy changing at a rapid pace individuals may be considering additional revenue and the launch of the family business could be the answer to both the individual and family unit. Here are some things to consider when having a family business:

  1. Who does what: As you determine the role for the family member be sure to draw on their strengths and your own. That is what builds complementary teams.
  2. Strategic Planning: It is important to define what your business plan is and the intended path to achieve your goals. That way you know what you are working towards and how to measure your success or progress.
  3. Problem Solving: When problems arise the more you can put personal egos aside the better you will be able to determine solutions. By addressing the problem or what I like to call “growth opportunities,” immediately differences of opinions can be fleshed out and you can get back to your goals.
  4. Creating boundaries: It may become easy to eat, live, and breathe the family business 24/7, 365 days a year. Keeping a balance will help the overall health of all of the stakeholders. The opportunity can be a rich and rewarding experience keeping a long-time perspective.
  5. Communication: This is the building block to being successful. By constantly communicating you limit misunderstandings, disagreements and negative emotion.

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I got braces!

What was I thinking?

All my life I have hated the dentist with great PASSION! Growing up my teeth were a little bit crowded. My upper front teeth were a little crossed – not bad – but it always bothered me.

I have always had individuals tell me I had a beautiful smile. But again those front teeth always bothered me. Many years ago, my sister-in-law Kathy got braces she was in her late thirties or early forties. I really admired her for doing that. At the time I asked her if they hurt – she said yes.

As I have aged through the years my teeth have also been moving. My bottom teeth were actually at two different levels. On a whim I decided to see an orthodontist and get an evaluation. I met with this very hi-tech practitioner and left very discouraged. What I thought might be a simple process I learned would not be and would be very expensive.

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Add 40 years to your life!

It has been said that networking will increase your life by forty years! That is pretty incredible. Let’s look at why. Human beings are social in their very nature. We long to be respected, admired and valued by those who we find are the most important people in our life. The other day we were discussing how the world of technology is changing how individuals interact. The fear that as time goes on, the art of human face-to-face communication may be sorely impacted.

There are so many different ways to network now; more than at any time in the history of the world. Today you can network without walking out the door. The phenomenon of Facebook, My Space, LinkedIn and Twitter are making it easier to expand our individual networks. With face-to-face networking you need to have a strategy for your networking efforts, otherwise you can easily spend a lot of time and your efforts will be fruitless in moving you forward with your professional and organizational goals. “A plan, like a tree, must have branches – if it is to bear fruit. A plan with a single aim is apt to prove a barren pole.”  This is a quote from B.H. Liddell Hart that I came across years ago.

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