Success Quote

“It’s a job that’s never started that takes the longest
to finish.”

John W. Gardner

May 31, 2008 | Filed Under Quotes | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 WHISPER …

… And You Can Change It All!

I suspect you might be a lot like me. There are times when it’s a challenge to keep your attention on the here and now, on the High Payoff activities that will get your goals accomplished.

Usually it’s because some incomplete task is stalled because we haven’t made a decision. And without that decision, we take no action.

So, if you find you’ve been lagging in achieving a goal you thought you’d have completed by now, let’s get to the root of it.

Put the phone and email and interruptions on hold, and ask yourself:

“What single item nags at me the most?”

When you have that item in mind, stand on one side of the room. As you take one long step forward, answer what decision remain un-made.

Take a second step forward as you declare your decision. Then take yet another step as you list the action you’ll take and the deadline for doing so.

Now go do it!

This technique will clear the cobwebs and get you un-stalled in 5 minutes flat.

May 30, 2008 | Filed Under Productivity Tools | Leave a Comment 

BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY BY CLEARING THOSE SHELVES!

© 2008 Linda Feinholz

Just like my solopreneur coaching clients, I know that it’s always a challenge to fit in all the activities you dream of for building your business. With work, family and a home to keep up, let alone trying to stay fit, who has time to ‘give your all’ to growing your ‘company’?

It’s not only our To Do lists that can preoccupy our attention.

At times I’ve notice a distracting whisper like mice chewing in the walls. It diverts my attention to such an extent that I get barely one-half of my goals accomplished for hours, even days… This past week, I uncovered its source!

I’ve been distracted by 15-plus years of books, binders and papers that I treasure.

Much like the nibbling of those mice, these precious things call to me from the shelves in my office: books that exemplify the best thinking on leadership, management, teams, and individual productivity.

And there are the 12 shelves of binders and files drawers of paper. Articles that people have said are ‘must read’ and are not yet read. These are ‘resource’ materials I hold onto ‘in case I ever want to refer to them.’ For years, I’ve added to them, tucked neatly on shelves, or out of site behind closet doors and drawers.

When I use them, I’m profoundly grateful that they’re right there, at my fingertips. They hold techniques that have improved my business owner client’s planning and execution of their business. They offer processes that have improved my financial advisor clients’ work with their partners and clients.

After years of wanting those resources right where I know to find them, I did a calculation. I’ve used less than 8 percent of them. Ever. Read more

May 29, 2008 | Filed Under Productivity Tools | Leave a Comment 

Success Quote

“If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,”
then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”

Vincent Van Gogh

May 28, 2008 | Filed Under Quotes | Leave a Comment 

Success Quote

“You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you’re doing, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.”

George Lucas, Jr.

May 27, 2008 | Filed Under Quotes | Leave a Comment 

More … from Memorial Day

While I have not lost my own family members to the wars this country has fought, this weekend stirs up my own thoughts about legacy.
Over this past month I held several conversations with coaching clients about the vision they hold for themselves in coming years. They voiced their dreams for their professional and personal lives, and the impact they want to have on others.
I also attended the funeral of an amazing woman, a neighbor who had a vision for the life she wished she could live. Darlene greeted everyone with a smile and an act of sweetness and generosity each day of her life, including during the 5-years she battled with colorectal cancer.
So I invite you to pause from the habits and business of the life you are living to think of those who have left a legacy, as your family, colleagues, mentors and yes, warriors - the foundation you build this life upon.
And to think of the one you’d like to shape deliberately in coming years.

May 27, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 CONVERSATION…

… And You Can Change It All!


 Are you having the same old conversations with the same old people? Is your business feeling the ‘same old’ too?

It may be time to stir things up and bring fresh new people and new ideas into your world.

Grab a piece of paper, and ask yourself:

“Who are the 10 most recent people I’ve had unexpected conversations with?”

If you cannot name them, you may be getting stale! Let’s get you reconnected with the world of new people and new idea.

Book a get together with someone who has nothing to do with your business, your profession, your goals, your regular activities… just for the pleasure of having a new conversation!

DO it in the next 2 weeks. And then book another for the following 2 weeks. And then for the 2 weeks after that… and so on.

I look forward to hearing all about your fresh conversations!

May 27, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

TIME TO BOOST BUSINESS WITH A FRESH CONVERSATION

© 2008  Linda Feinholz, “Your High Payoff Catalyst”

Have you ever noticed how often your conversations are … “reruns?” And have you given any thought to how that pattern is helping or stifling your business growth?

Let me explain what I mean.

We each tend to spend time with the same people in the same environments, read the same type of books, watch the same genre of movies or television programs, follow the same sporting events… Year after year. Meeting after meeting. Conversation after conversation. There’s nothing wrong with that … unless you never create the space for ‘new’ conversations.

Many of my clients (financial advisors and business owners) comment that they’re overworked and overwhelmed and don’t have time to think about their business from a new perspective. And they believe they’d uncover new perspective if they could just carve out time on their workday calendar to think.

But they seldom create that time. AND when they do, they discover that thinking time is not a guaranteed source of new ideas.

What about leisure time? Well most of us repeat the same behaviors and same conversations each evening, each weekend, each vacation. We gather with friends and family for repeat events and catch up on the same topics we spoke of the last time we were together.

If you want new ideas, you need new information, new experiences, and new conversations that change your thoughts.

I learned this first hand when I moved to New York to work for Avon Products and needed to find a place to live. My new ‘landlord’ was a guy who’d been living in the apartment the longest – a law school student who had turned down Harvard in order to join the first law class of Queens College. The new program emphasized public service law.

One of my other roommates was an opera student, working evenings as an usher at the Metropolitan Opera House, while being taught by one of the luminaries of the opera world. And the third was an independent filmmaker.

And who was I in this mix? An MBA graduate doing strategic planning for Avon’s eight Pacific Rim markets.

We had very little in common in terms of background or work experiences. So 80 percent of our conversations over many evenings and weekends were new, fresh, and unexpected. That time together shaped each of our lives, our choices and the opportunities we uncovered.

Now I DON’T want you to think that the goal is to have new conversations 80 percent of your time. It would be wonderful if  it could happen even 20 percent of your day, but that’s probably unrealistic too.

So let me share 3 DO’s that create ‘moments’ when 80 percent of the conversation is ‘new.’

DO Mix up the people you’re spending time with.

This past week, for example, I shared wine and fine food with an eclectic group of people – a bankruptcy attorney, a music producer, a landscape architect, a technology expert, a CEO of a symphony orchestra. Over the past years, a small group of us has been the catalysts for these gatherings.

Each of us in is different professions and have completely different groups of colleagues and friends. We started with four or five people and invite others who enjoy wine and conversation and set dates to get together.

Bringing changing mixes of people together has ensured we’ve had unexpected conversations. Our discussion this time lasted for nearly six hours. And less than 20 percent of our talk was on topics we usually spend time on.

DO Change the locations where you gather.

We’ve invited people to join us anywhere wine and food could easily and comfortably be enjoyed. So sometimes we meet at restaurants, with the clatter of people coming and going. Other times we meet in conference rooms of office buildings, using their long table to spread out more than 20 bottles of wine in paper wrappers for an evening of wine tasting. We’ve even gathered in homes, standing around the kitchen and chatting while making the meal.

DO Hold on to your curiosity.

It’s all about attitude. Everyone who sat around the table this week enjoyed the mystery of being with new people and the possibilities that creates. Wine tasting is our excuse for coming together and less than 20 percent of our conversation.

Whether you meet over wine, or at a non-profit activity, or hiking, or playing golf, use these DO’s to meet people you don’t yet know, to rejoice in the fresh conversations and stir up new possibilities in your business and life.

May 10, 2008 | Filed Under Ideas | Leave a Comment 

Success Quotes

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan

May 7, 2008 | Filed Under Quotes | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 Pause… And You Can Change It All!

Have you noticed a tendency to put things off? What things in particular?

Is it dealing with paper? I have piles of them everywhere, thinking to myself, “If I don’t see them I won’t remember that I need to deal with them.”

Or is it a decision that needs to be made? Maybe even about an issue on those papers…

Let’s get you shifted and back in action. Grab a blank piece of paper and list the top 10 things you’ve been putting off. Actually, list everything you’ve been putting off!

When that list feels complete, ask yourself:

“Which of these tasks is stalled because I’m missing information?”

Put a star next to each of those items and list the information you need in order to move it forward.

Now calendar the actions you’ll take to get that information in the next 36 hours. If you need to delegate it, send the email today to the person who will get you that information and give them the same 36-hour deadline.

May 5, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

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