In life, as we go about our daily tasks it is so easy to lose sight of a very fundamental important fact: you are your most important resource. Your ideas, skills, qualities, and characteristics…the essence of you… are what will propel you towards success, or hinder your progress if you allow it to. Which will become your reality?
Do you remember making a “Pluses versus Minuses”/Good Versus Bad “T”? Well, it’s time to dig out the pen and paper, or fire up the computer. Your “T” will have one side marked advantages and the other marked disadvantages. Your advantages column will contain all of the “assets” that you bring to the table. The disadvantages column will contain all of the “liabilities”. Please remember to be realistic, thorough, and above all else…honest. While it may be eye-opening, and perhaps even a little unflattering to see “you” listed on a legal pad or on a computer screen, this may be just the catalyst needed to implement change. The adjustments necessary to shorten your liabilities column and lengthen your assets tally.
Here at Solo-E we often talk about how important it is, as a home based solo entrepreneur, to have support. We need the support of our family and friends; we build a support team for our business; and we actively seek out the collaborative support of colleagues.
Michelle Shaeffer, The Small Business Muse™, makes a great distinction between the support of people who are at about the same level of success as we are — certainly a source of comfort that we aren’t alone! — and working with and around people more successful than ourselves. The latter, scary as it may be, is how we stretch, grow, and leap to the next level.
Are you interested in your perception of what it really takes to make your business succeed?
My good friend and mentor, Faye Hobbs, shared this Entrepreneurial Assessment with me. I took the time to complete it and although I found the final feedback lacking in depth, the explanations of each topic were excellent, high level overviews.
Ever wish that you could have the lifestyle of someone you truly admire? Perhaps it’s the lifestyle of the “rich and famous” like a movie star, or a singer? How do you think people would react if one day you decided to start acting like a “diva extraordinaire,” or a megastar actor? My guess is that your family might want to have you admitted for observation. Would the ramification be any less serious if you instead decided to imitate your next door neighbor or business mentor? Perhaps, your family and friends would not rush you to a facility, but I’ll bet they’ll still be quite puzzled. Unfortunately this type of behavior occurs all the time. Someone realizes that they don’t have what they want, so they look at the people who do and decide to copy their actions expecting to achieve the desired result. Alas, they frequently find themselves disappointed.
I get my best ideas while tandem bicycling (Bicycle built for two). Besides my coaching, my passion for life is tandemming. Been riding together with my husband for 13 years. Going to a rally-about 32 tandems-that’s 64 or so people, we leave Thurs & come back late Sun night.
Off to Henderson, NC.
As the author of, Joyful Business Guide system, I have outlined 17 Guiding Principles of a Joyful Business. These are guidelines, reminders, and validations for creating a successful business based on using your joy energy. Why? Because the world needs a new modern business model - the old one is broken! Use joy as a guide for what you create, for what you give, and for what you receive - being intentional about it all.
Each week I would like to share one of the Guiding Principles. I would love to hear your thoughts, comments and own personal experience of each principle.
I just got my THIRD full of hype canned phone call from a well-known internet marketing guru! I recently spoke on a Team call for this (products class I’m in) of how I really despise recorded phone call messages from the mega stars in my field. I know Internet Marketing isn’t the only way.
But, not being really there and hawking a new program? I don’t feel unique, special or all warm & fuzzy and I’m very likely to not hang on to even listen to the tinny well-crafted marketing hype!
Stopped In Your Tracks! Why Do We Often Feel This Way?
We often feel overwhelmed so we don’t even try to begin. Is it hard to start? Of course it is! I won’t lie to you!
But, not starting, results in feeling “stuck”. I hear this all the time. I know we feel that we’re the only one…but, hey many say they feel stuck! About 90-95% of my new clients tell me that’s why they decided to get coaching.
As many of you read in my blog, I went on a creative break to Seabrook Island off the coast of South Carolina in early April. I had never been here before but it was a treat to myself for a busy and successful year.
I woke early one morning thinking about this week when my boys would be off skiing on spring break in Colorado, and my husband would be travelling, and wondered what I should do. I asked my Inner Savvy & Audaciously Successful Business Woman and she knew right away! She said to go away…find a place to go that was inspiring….use this chunk of free time to get a few projects done and to relax and fill back up. She also said…and treat yourself nice…go somewhere inspiring! For me it has to be a beach! I found Seabrook Island as I was looking at lodging choices, and I also heard her say…and you want to be on the beach - no skimping out on your creative inspiration!
Recently I was watching the movie Back To The Future. That’s the one with Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd where Fox goes back in time and meets his parents when they were in high school. During the course of the movie, his father ends up standing up for himself, which he had never done before, and when Fox returns to the present time, his entire family is in a completely different place.
So it got me thinking. One act completely transforms a life. Now, I realize this is the movies and life isn’t nearly so clear cut, but the truth of the matter is we ARE the results of the choices we make. And our life right now is the end result of the choices we made yesterday. And what our life is tomorrow is the result of what we’re choosing to do today.
