Change 1 WISH And You Can Change It All!

If you’ve been finding yourself wishing the past few weeks, you’re not alone.The news media has us all so wound up and nearly convinced that only the governing geniuses might be able to save us that we’re all devolving into children - wishing ‘Mom or Dad’ would make it all better.So we forget how quickly we can solve challenges for ourselves.

I find that once I name the anxiety, I can then name at least 3 steps I can take to make progress on the matter.

Notice how often during the day you get frustrated and mentally or physically ‘push away’ from a topic or an issue that needs your attention. Where in your body are you carrying that tension? See if you can put a real name to the anxiety that has you wound up or stepping back.

Ask yourself:

“What issue have I been ‘wishing’ someone would solve?”

Name the issue.

Now, create 4 columns on a piece of paper. In the first column list 10 reasons it’s difficult to solve. Once you’ve done that, write a name of someone you believe might be able to solve it in the second column. In the third column, describe HOW you think they would approach it or solve it.

In the fourth column, list the action YOU could take to make progress on getting it solved. It might be to DO one of the things you’ve listed. OR it could be to hire that person to handle it for you. And so on.

Now pick the first one you’ll take action on and do it - longer stalled, but in motion getting it solved.

Let me know the results you create in the comments box here.

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February 7, 2009 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 FEAR And You Can Change It All!

If you’ve been finding yourself stalled and distracted the past few weeks, you’re not alone.

Mark Richtermeyer, CEO of the Spitfire Group, is acknowledged to be a wildly successful serial entrepreneur. But even he isn’t immue. He spent a full day pouring over his company’s financials and nothing else. Then he interviewed potential sales people who were all so anxious they were offering to work on straight commission.

So he absorbed their anxiety too.

When he took a step back, he realized his entire view had narrowed in and he’d been focused on himself. As a result he’d joined in on the anxiety even further.

I’ve learned over the years that ‘navel gazing’ only breeds more anxiety. It’s time to shift your focus!

Ask yourself:

“What are 3 trends in the marketplace that I can leverage?”

Grab a piece of paper and note them down. Even better, get your mind stimulated by the work others have done for you - go get yourself a copy of 2008 Entrepreneur magazine’s December 2008 issue on trends to spark your imagination.

Create a list of the top 10 ideas that come to mind and spend at least an hour every day focused on what is possible. That will keep you heads up in the daylight and ahead of the pack in locating your opportunities.

February 2, 2009 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 DISTRACTION And You Can Change It All!

I wish I could tell you that there are ‘perfect’ environments and set ups for getting your work done perfectly. There aren’t! YOU need to create them for yourself, whether you’re in a home business, in shared office space or you’ve got the corner office to yourself. So, you need to know what make YOU productive or distracted.

I find myself nostalgic at times for the ‘real’ world - an office where I arrive at a set time, leave at a set time, and was undistracted by other things in my environement. A feeling of relaxation washes over me with the ‘memories.’

The irony is that there were plenty of distractions in those offices too.

Ask yourself:

“What are the trade-offs I’m making by how I use my office set up?”

Grab a piece of paper and note them down. I very specifically asked about ‘trade-offs’ because there definitely are several - things you’re aware of about your current set up, that you’ve forgotten may have actually solve annoyances where you were before.

AND solutions you thought you’d taken that have bred unexpected challenges of their own.

List them so you can weigh them and solve them this week - and get your attention and energy back where you’d rather have it during the times you’ve set designated for ‘work.’

January 14, 2009 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 FEAR And You Can Change It All!

As soon as my client Brian was ready to shift his own position, his own belief that it all needed to be complex to be valuable, we reset his Vision and he’s re-launched his entire team.

First, however, he had to work through the feelings the idea of changing his vision brought up.

Change often stirs up FEAR. The emotional feeling and that we couldn’t handle something if we face it directly.

For Brian, the issue we worked through was that if everything became simple, and he succeeded, several other things in his life would have to change.

Ask yourself:

“If I’m wildly successful with this, what are the 2 to 3 things about me

that would no longer be true?”

Grab a piece of paper and note them down.They may well be the next opportunity in your personal development.

And if you’d like assistance in getting them cleared out permanently so that you can achieve every part of your vision with ease, come join The Business Accelerator Club I’m launching February 1st.

You can join like-minded success oriented professionals who are setting simple, clear visions and taking straight aim on achieving them!

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January 5, 2009 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 DELAY And You Can Change It All!

What’s been clogging up your attention and distracting you from
getting you best work done? Or getting to the leisure activities you
long for?

It’s time to take back control of your time and attention.

Grab several pieces of paper and something to write with. Put your
phone on hold.

Ask yourself:

“What have I been tolerating?”

Use
“Ten Lists of Ten” – writing down the first ten things that come to
mind, then the next ten, and so on. If nothing comes to mind, get up
from your chair and walk around your office and home looking at the
objects you have sitting around.

Ask everyone else what you’ve been commenting on but not taking action on.

You’ll find yourself naming and eliminating lingering to do’s in mere minutes.

Let’s get your time and attention on the things you love doing and
celebrate the success you create.

December 24, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 GRUMBLE And You Can Change It All!

Sometimes the very thing we’re most annoyed by can provide new opportunities.
For my client Daniel, his entire management team has been annoyed at the new aerospace regulations that demand increasing documentation of their production process.

Ironically, all the time and effort they’ve had to put in to establish a reliable system can serve a new business purpose. His sales team can deliberately go after new clients who need that documentation too.

A funny thing happens when you see an obstruction to getting your work done as a new revenue opportunity instead!

So take a moment to see where there may be a hidden opportunity in your business.

Whether on your own, or as a team, ask
yourself:

“What activity have we been grumbling about in this business?”

Make a long list and then read through it and ask yourself who else might value that annoying activity.

December 9, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 THANK YOU And You Can Change It All!

Some questions are as valuable in personal life as they are in business.

The Thanksgiving holiday provides the perfect opportunity to pause and recognize what we have, and have accomplished during the past year.

Recognizing those successes, those results, those aspects of our life is the first step to refreshing our vision for ourselves and the time we spend in our profession or avocation.

For myself, I’m grateful for the companionship of colleagues, friends and family who are passionate about their profession and avocations. I’m deeply appreciative for my home, my travels, my hilariously unique cat, and ongoing opportunities for learning.

Ask yourself:

“What are the top 10 people, results and ideas I’m grateful for?”

Let your thoughts review your weekdays, your weekends, your evenings, holidays and vacations. You’ll be amazed at the range of things that come to mind.

Once you have your list, share it – take that recognition with you into conversations during the coming week. As you speak of it to others you’ll find you can build on it – use the items on your list to reset the goals you’d like to accomplish in coming days and weeks.

December 7, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 FOCUS And You Can Change It All!

Your time, attention and energy are your most valuable assets. By that I mean for you personally, and for your clients. The more time you spend wavering among different potential target industries or ideal clients, the more energy you’ve frittered away with little to show for it.

It’s time to set your focus!

Ask yourself:

“Who are the specific clients I’d prefer to serve, and how many per year?”

Get that description written down, specifically and clearly.

NOW go take a look at what items you’ve been spending your time on and set aside every single one that isn’t directly aligned with getting you in front of those clients, every day for the next 60 business days.

Share it – tell everyone around you that you’re focusing in the near term on that specific group and watch what occurs. People you’ve known for ages may even be stepping forward saying “That’s me! I’ve been waiting for someone like you to help me!”

November 10, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 FEAR And You Can Change It All!

The conversation at every table, whether at home or in restaurants is all dire. The world has ‘never’ seen a disaster like the one we’re facing now. There is ‘no way out’ unless we’re rescued. Half the world is ‘for’ us and half is ‘against’ us.

Most of what we read, see and hear is made-up, by others, because it serves their interests, not yours.

You may not be able to reign in all the fear mongering around you but you can take control over your own attention and energy. Right here. Right now. As soon as you do, you’ll both bring your own anxieties under control, you’ll model that calm for others and create a heightened productivity for yourself and everyone on your team.

Ask yourself:

“What are TEN successes my team and I have created in the past two weeks?”

Got that list written down?

NOW go share it – flood people with the information about the good that has been achieved very recently. Add to this creating a daily list and telling at least 3 people the next day.

You have the power to change the view people hold to one of hope and possibility. Be that Spark of light to your world and those around you.

November 1, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 Deadlock And You Can Change It All!

How do YOU solve deadlocks? You know – those situations that become immovable because each party is sure they’re right and the other side is wrong.

‘Deadlock unlocking’ is a critical skill for managers. Without it, work just simply gets stalled.

While I’m happy to help my clients solve what is going on, my goal is to transfer repeatable skills and processes to them so they become more adept at solving the situations themselves.

The starting point of unlocking a deadlock is to get clear about the starting point of the conflict – the exact difference of opinion that is being held by each party.

The second step is to jointly list the criteria each person had in mind when it all started.

Once those two lists have been spelled out – a new list is created by both parties together so that the joint expectations can be met collaboratively.

So, instead of waiting for ‘them’ to see it ‘your way’… ask yourself:

“What is ONE issue I’ve been in a deadlock on with another person?”

Got that name in mind? And the topic as well I expect.

Now pick up the phone and set up an hour to get this unlocked and solved.

October 29, 2008 | Filed Under Catalyst Action Tip | Leave a Comment 

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