LIVE LIFE UP HIGH

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Do you realize that your habits determine whether you will fail or succeed? If you practice the habits that the successful practice you will get the results that the successful receive. Adopting the habits of the successful includes understanding the thinking behind the habits. Let’s take a moment and sample some of the best habits.

Habit 1: Visualize the end result at the beginning.

Today I heard a great acronym for visualizing the end result at the beginning. The acronym CCMP stands for Clear Concise Mental Picture. The successful have a Clear Concise Mental Picture of the end result of their desire.  The top athletes do this all the time. They create a clear concise mental picture of winning and they fully experience it in their minds. They do this before way before they actually participate in the event. This is what you must do. Create a Clear Concise Mental Picture of yourself with your goal. See it, feel it and experience it before you get it.

Habit 2: Identify your 20% and work it.

I have written about the 80/20 rule in previous posts. It is important for every goal you create that you figure out the 20% of the activities that will provide 80% of the results. There are a vital few activities that are truly important for you to meet your goal. Focus your efforts here and you will accelerate your rate of success.

Habit 3: Follow a successful model.

Many people fail because they do everything by trial and error. While trial and error has its place finding and following a model of success is a better option. Successful people have gone before you. Find out what they did and do it. Simple.

Habit 4: Treat people right.

Truly successful people know how to treat others.  They follow the golden rule of doing unto others as they would have others do unto them. In fact, truly successful people know how to do unto others as others would have them do unto them. In other words, take time to find out the goals those around you and help them achieve their goals. When you help others achieve their goals you will receive help in completing your goals.

Habit 5: Believe in yourself.

Successful people have the habit of believing in themselves even when no one else believes in them. They know that they have value and that their dreams have merit. This is a must for success. Believe you can achieve your goal.  To paraphrase an old saying: whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t, you’re right.

Incorporate these habits into your life and you will go a long way towards achieving your goals. As always I welcome your comments.

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The Power of Choice
I know we ended our off last time discussing the power of choice but I think this point is so important that we need to delve into it a little deeper. Your power to choose is one of the most powerful God-given forces in the universe. You can choose to be rich or poor, a winner or a loser, a success or a failure, a giver or a robber, a person of accomplishment or a person of excuse. It is really all up to you. So before we start on this journey to your best business and professional life we must begin with the most powerful thing you can do. Choose.

Make Your Choice a Quality Choice
Most of us have experienced making a choice one day and then violating that choice the next day. What I am suggesting today is that you make a quality choice. A quality choice is one that is backed up with the commitment to do whatever it takes (without causing harm to others or yourself) to live up to the choice you have made.

Check out these 5 great quotes about choice

The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.
George Eliot

There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.
Denis Waitley

We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
Kahlil Gibran

What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life.
Leo Buscaglia

You are the person who has to decide. Whether you’ll do it or toss it aside; you are the person who makes up your mind. Whether you’ll lead or will linger behind. Whether you’ll try for the goal that’s afar. Or just be contented to stay where you are.
Edgar A. Guest

Here are 12 powerful choices you can make
1. Choose to be the best version of yourself by God’s grace.
2. Choose to constantly increase.
3. Choose to be the best businessperson you can be.
4. Choose not to limit yourself.
5. Choose to be humble.
6. Choose to be a person of faith.
7. Choose to be a winner.
8. Choose to be prosperous.
9. Choose to be generous and loving to others.
10. Choose to discover and use your best gifts to help others.
11. Choose to discover and fulfill your destiny.
12. Choose to do no harm.

I encourage you to make a quality choice to live your best life today. As always I welcome your comments.

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How are you living?

Many entrepreneurs are living their personal and professional lives in a cloudy haze. They don’t have clear written goals and plans to achieve them.  They really don’t know where they want to end up in life so they live their lives without a clear strategic plan, a winning personal culture and definite concrete actions to take them to this destiny.

You are destined for something great.

Some entrepreneurs are even waiting for their destiny to smack them in the face. They don’t know that they must discover the destiny that is already in them. There is a saying I heard recently,  ”destiny is not a matter of chance it is a choice”. This is very true. You have the right to choose your best personal and professional life. You have the right to move towards a destiny and to live a great life. Obviously there are some things you must do to reach this destiny but you can reach it.  

Let’s begin moving towards our destiny.

My fellow entrepreneurs, over the next few posts let’s take the time to explore some of the best information on effective goal setting, effective planning and goal achievement.  I will pull from some of the best thinkers and writers on the subject and synthesize this information for you in a way that you can take action on it right away. Step by step we will move towards your best life.

The power of choice.

If you want this life your first step is to make a choice. Decide today to be the best you can be and to live the best life you can live. Decide today to do whatever it takes to be your best, give your best, and have the best business and professional life you can have. Choose to have a great destiny and to leave a great legacy. I challenge you to choose greatness today.

Please join me over the next few posts as we move closer to our destiny and live our best lives.

photo credit: Publicly Sc(∀)lped

Entrepreneurs, in this post I share with you an eye-opening article that I read in graduate school. This article helped me to be more aware of the reward systems that I was using in every area of my business life. I changed the way I interacted with my employees, peers and clients.  I hope this classic article (updated version) is as helpful for you as it has been for me and many other business people. Read, learn and enjoy.

Kerr, S. (1975). “On the Folly of Rewarding A, While Hoping for B.” Academy of Management Journal, 18(4): 769-783.

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In part one of this post we discussed the fact that many entrepreneurs allow their past failures to hold them back. We discussed 3 bite-sized nuggets that entrepreneurs should consider to help them move past these failures on to success. 
In this post, we will introduce and discuss the four remaining nuggets.

Seek the advice of others who have gone before you – This is probably a step that many entrepreneurs skip. I think for many of us it is a pride thing.  However, it is imperative that we take this step my entrepreneurial friend. Seeking competent advice is very wise. You should seek advice on three levels:

1.Seek advice about whether you have properly defined the failure . Knowing how to properly describe and define the failure is key in determining the causes. It is also a key factor in ensuring you don’t have a repeat performance.

2. Seek advice about whether you have correctly identified the 1 or 2 key factors that led to the failure. It may be hard to be objective about what caused the failure. Discussing your list of possible key factors with a competent advisor can help you clearly identify the key contributing factors.

3. Seek advice about possible approaches to circumvent the failure in the future. This is very important if it turns out that your failure was due to an error in judgement. We all have blindspots in our lives that others see clearly. By seeking advice about solutions you will multiply the odds of succeeding this time around.

Create an action plan – After you have sought competent advice and combined it with the information you gleaned from your own analysis, it is time to create a plan for moving forward. Take your time and consider all the steps you need to take to move forward. A great action plan should include steps to take, deadlines for completion of each step, resources needed to complete each step, possible obstacles to completion and steps to circumvent any known obstacles.

Implement the action plan – There is no need to create an action plan if you are not going to put it into action. At this point, you need to commit to the action plan and get started. After each step, review your plan and see if you need to make any adjustments. Remember things change and we need to be flexible.

Review - After you have accomplished your goal it is important to review. You want to see what went right and what you can improve. The key is to understand the process so you can improve it and repeat it. 

When you face failure this way you will no longer fear it. You will eat failure for lunch. As always, I look forward to your comments.

photo credit: Betsssssy

Do you want to grow your business quickly and have a ready base of customers? My fellow entrepreneurs and business owners, take the time to ask your customers these two questions and you may be surprised at the positive results that accrue to your business.

Is there something you want that we don’t carry?

No matter what kind of business you are in there are probably products and services that your customer wants that you don’t carry. Most customers won’t volunteer this information they will just go somewhere else to get it. Many times, the only way you will secure this information is to ask the customer directly.

Keep an open mind.
You may be surprised at what your customers say. They may suggest a simple extension of your current product or service, or they may suggest an entirely new product or service. Whatever is suggested,  keep an open mind. Take the ideas and do some research to determine if you can profitably supply this product or service.

Is there something that your friends or family would want that we don’t carry?

This is an extension of the first question, but it may give you additional information.  Sometimes the products and services you offer are just right for your customers but you may be missing products and services that their friends and families desire. Imagine being able to easily gain additional customers by having a whole family or group of friends shop together for your products and services.  This could make buying  your products and services a social experience.

Final note

These questions seem simple and the fact that a business owner should ask them is obvious right? I agree that the questions are simple but you would be surprised at the nubmer of business owners that don’t ask these questions. Just think back to your own experience in a small retail shop. How often are you asked these questions by a salesperson or by the owner? Almost never.  I believe a lot of potential business is missed because these questions aren’t asked.

Try asking your customers these questions and let me know the results. As always I look forward to your comments.

photo credit: *PaysImaginaire*

Why do it today if you can do it tomorrow?  Thinking like that is the beginning of the end when it comes to getting anything done — work or home chores.  The key to being more productive at work is to stop procrastinating before it gets a foothold in your thinking process.

Why do you procrastinate?  There are several reasons and some might surprise you.  Fear of failure is one reason.  No one wants to be make mistakes but they are a part of life and they do happen to everyone. 

Fear of success is also a reason why you might procrastinate.  Here is the rationale:  If you succeed you will be expected to do so all the time.  The pressure alone can stop your work.

Stress causes procrastination, too.  It is easier to deal with a problem by hiding and pretending it will go away than meeting it head on.  The problem is that the day you are ready to deal with it never comes.

Use the following tips to stop procrastination from hindering your work.

1.  Make a list.  Use dashes instead of numbers so the items on the list aren’t ranked in any particular order.  Add deadlines so that you can prioritize the list.  As you finish a task on the list, cross it off with a colorful pen.  Every time you look at the list you will get a sense of accomplishment.

2.  Set aside time for other tasks.  All work and no play, as they say.  Sometimes when you work, you’ll notice your mind thinking about taking a break and doing something else.  We’ve all done it.  Avoid those breaks in productivity by scheduling time to get away and take a break.  Knowing that you will get a break makes you want to stay focused on your work until that time.

3.  Don’t overload your schedule.  If you have too much to do in a small span of time, procrastination will surely creep in.  No one wants to slack off at work, but biting off only as much as you can chew is not the same thing.  You are more productive when you can manage your tasks instead of drowning in them and missing all of your deadlines.

4.  Find coping mechanisms.  Stress can lead to procrastination.  Deal with the stress before it affects your work.  Learn breathing techniques; take an exercise class; chant a mantra.  Whatever will relax you can also keep you working. 

5.  Stay organized.  A desk piled with papers, folders, and sticky notes is not what you want to see every morning you walk into the office.  Keep your desk neat and everything where you can find it when you need it.  Organization stops you from abandoning the task at hand because of a misplaced file.
Procrastination is hard to beat because it comes from within us.  Use the above tips to regain your level of productivity in the workplace.

photo credit: BAIA

Networking is a fantastic way to build your business, not only by expanding awareness and your customer base but also by giving you professional resources to enhance and strengthen your skills and knowledge. 

Not only should you network with other professionals in your field but you should network with your customers, your suppliers and people who can provide administative support.

Networking actually takes many forms including offline networking with local associations and organizations like the Chamber of Commerce.  You can also network online in forums, chat rooms and social networking sites.  Here’s how:

Step One – Understand what your networking goals are.

For many, their social networking strategy evolves around building relationships – and there are many different relationships networking can create and build including:

* Joint venture partnerships
* Vendor relationships
* Mentor relationships 
* Friends and resources
* Customers
Whether you’re creating a social networking strategy to find new customers or you’re seeking partnerships or mentors, or a combination of the above it’s important to have your strategy mapped out before you begin networking.

Step Two – Create Your Networking Plan

Answer the following questions:

* Who is your target audience?
* What relationships are you looking to find and build?
* What do you have to offer them?
* What networking sites or organizations will you participate in?
* How are you going to represent yourself online?
* How often are you going to post/participate? 
* Will you create specific promotions and offers for your networking audience?

Step Three – Choosing your networking mediums – websites and organizations

Whether you’re looking to join a local networking organization or an online website, the most important thing to keep in mind are your goals.  Determine if the organization is going to be able to help you reach your goals before taking steps to join.
For example, if you’re looking to create joint venture partnerships then a professional networking site, forum, or chat room devoted to your industry may be exactly where you need to be.  However if you’re looking to build your customer base and expand awareness then a popular social networking site would fit the bill. 
Often, networking sites are valued by the number of members they have however it’s also important to make sure the audience matches your audience.  For example, if you’re marketing to seniors or baby boomers then MySpace is probably not the right social networking site for you since it caters to younger people.

Step Four:  Participate

Networking is only effective if you participate.  Here are a few rules of interaction when it comes to online and offline networking.

Get involved. Networking is about connecting with others. This means communicating with your audience in a manner which they will respond to. This is accomplished by using their language, addressing issues which they will be interested in or concerned about and providing them with information and resources which they will benefit from.

Update frequently. Online, in order to develop a following and to stay connected to your audience, it’s important to update regularly. Because many people have made a habit of networking online at least once a day (some people maintain access to their social networking site of choice all day long), it’s important to stop in and say hello. If your time permits, update at least once a day. If you don’t have time to commit to updating daily, consider outsourcing your social networking.

Be professional. Networking is about giving and receiving – not selling.  Keep the sales pitches to a minimum.  Networking is more about offering benefit to others than making sales. 

Networking, whether online or off, is a valuable way to grow your business.  Create a strategy and goals and remember you get what you give – become active in the right group and you’ll reap the rewards.

I look forward to hearing your comments.

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In our final installment of this series I mention 3 more modes of thoughts for successful entrepreneurs. I am sure you know that this list is not exhaustive. There are more modes of thought that are important for the entrepreneur that I may address in future posts. Ok, now for the “final” three modes…

Think “Extra Mile or Ten” – It’s about service. Extraordinary service. Find out what your customers really desire  (which you have learned from our previous post because you are thinking like your customer) and find ways to deliver this desire packed with unexpected value. Discard the thinking of the limited entrepreneur that delivers ordinary service. Train yourself to think about each interaction with your customer and how you can make their experience exceptional. Do this and you will create fans that will spread the word about your business and your service. Your business will prosper.

Think Leverage – You can’t do it all yourself. Thinking you can is a limited and foolish way to proceed. Many entrepreneur limit their success, ruin their health and destroy their families simply because they attempt to do it all. Banish this mode of thought. Adopt the leverage mindset. There are many types of leverage but 2 good ones to start with are technology leverage and people leverage.  

Learn how to use technology to get things done more effectively and efficiently. Look at your business model and think about the processes that can be enabled by technology.  Here are two good questions to get you started. How can you use the Internet to reach your clients better or deliver better service to your clients? How can you use you mobile device to be more productive?

How about people leverage? What tasks are you handling that would be better performed by an employee or a freelancer? As I mentioned in a previous post, you should be focusing on the 20% of the business that gives you 80% of your results. The rest should be outsourced to others. One caveat is that you should only outsource to talented people. Talent may be expensive but the quality they produce is worth it.

Think Creatively- This is a very important mode of thought for the entrepreneur. You must learn how to think creatively about opportunities and about problems. Think laterally. Think options. When you are dealing with a problem think about 3 ways you can solve the problem. Simply doing this will help get your creative juices flowing. 

Here is another great way to get those creative juices flowing. Look at another industry and pick a process that is common in that industry. Now think about your business. How can you apply this concept to your business? This is a great way to generate new ideas for your business.

Please let me know how you use these modes of thought.

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In my last post I shared 3 modes of thought that help you succeed as an entrepreneur. In this short post I share 1 more important mode of thought for entrepreneurs.

Think Like a Customer- So many entrepreneurs have great product and service ideas for their customers but they don’t really know their customers. They don’t spend time really interacting with their customers so they don’t know how their customers think. This is tragic. This is why many of the product and service ideas they have for their customers fail to deliver real value to the client and real profit for the entrepreneur. 

Successful entrepreneurs know how their customers think and so they know how their customers will react to new products and services. Indeed they can think like their customers. How did they develop this skill? They developed this skill by spending lots of time interacting with their customers. Asking not only what their customers want and need but finding out why their customers have this need. Then they spend time thinking deeply about the implications of what they have heard from their clients. 

Which clients should you focus on? This is a good place to think about the 80/20 rule. Since 20% of your customers create 80% of your profits, thinking like these customers will give you your greatest return on investment.

Take time today to spend time with your customers. Learn from them and learn to think like them.

As always, I solicit your feedback and your thoughts. This site is for you and I want to know what you think. Thank you.