Entrepreneurs: How Far Do YOU Need to See in the Dark?
Most entrepreneurs will admit that when they got started in their first business, they didn’t spend a whole lot of time on doing their homework! Most entrepreneurs have had multiple business failures too, and it doesn’t bother them one bit.
The entrepreneur is usually focused on action, not research. A great metaphor for an entrepreneur’s thinking looks like this:
Imagine driving down the road at night. The headlights on your car light up the next 200 yards of the highway, and even going 70 mph, you feel confident that you could maneuver around any obstacles, pull off the road, or even stop completely in those 200 yards.
So, as long as you can see 200 yards ahead, you feel confident to drive the speed limit, in the dark, safe in the knowledge that you can handle anything that shows up in your path.
An entrepreneur’s business is the same. He doesn’t need to know what’s going on a mile ahead. In fact, most of the time he cannot possibly know what’s waiting for him a mile down the road. But he has the confidence that he can handle anything that shows up in the foreseeable future.
The Importance of Doing Your Homework
However, most entrepreneurs will also tell you that when they started their first business, they found all kinds of obstacles in their way and spent way too much of their time, money, and energy trying to avoid them.
Some eventually succumbed to those obstacles. Their business spluttered, misfired, and eventually stopped altogether.
With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easy to see why some things don’t work as expected.
- If only they had the opportunity to drive that route in the daylight, when they could see everything.
- If only they could have talked to people who travel that route on a daily basis.
- If only they had done their homework BEFORE they encountered the obstacles!
The business might still have failed, but look at the time, money, and energy that would have been saved.
Consider this:
- Good entrepreneurs learn very well from their own mistakes.
- Seasoned entrepreneurs learn even better from other people’s mistakes!
Seek Out Experience
The very best entrepreneurial minds who have started and owned multiple businesses seek out others who have ‘been there, done that.’
They are always trying to be more efficient, more effective, and quicker in all that they do. For entrepreneurs, speed is always more appealing.
They want to find the guy who made the path and ask him how he did it:
- How long did it take?
- How much did it cost?
- If he had to do it over again, what would he do differently?
They want to find out exactly what worked and what didn’t, so they can take the best tried and tested strategies, improve on them, and create a new track of their own to run on. They always like to create their own path.
Questions Find Solutions
One of the best skills any entrepreneur can develop is the skill of asking great questions. Then, listen to the answers!
Not only will it save you time, money, and energy, but you’ll also learn and grow in direct proportion to the number and quality of the questions you ask.
Learning how to ask effective questions bodes very well for talking to future partners, customers, and people who are likely to endorse you and promote your business.
When you engage with someone for the first time, there is always the temptation to tell, tell, tell. However, if you ask, ask, ask instead, you’ll create a more compelling impression, and they will never forget you.
Which Strategy Is Best?
Doing your homework means finding out exactly what works and what doesn’t. However, it’s important to be aware that not every strategy works for everyone all the time. In fact, you’ll find that there are some strategies in growing a business that don’t fit you at all.
You will always need alternatives that are a good fit for you.
But you do need to have an awareness of everything that works, even if you’re not using that strategy. You might need to collaborate with someone one day who turns out to be a poor fit for all the strategies that you’ve found to work so well for you but are brilliant at using all the strategies that don’t fit you at all!
This happens more often than you might think!
An essential part of building a business is finding techniques that work well for business partners or team members, even if they’re opposite to your own best efforts. This can build an incredibly strong overall business strategy.
You play to your strengths, they play to theirs, and you don’t have to worry about any weaknesses.
Mindset is Everything
Mindset is everything when it comes to starting and growing a business.
The strategies for building your business are usually very straightforward and easy to grasp.
What makes the difference is the mindset and the application of those strategies with consistency, determination, and enthusiasm for long enough to reap long-term rewards.
The more time you spend with fellow entrepreneurs, the more questions you ask, the faster you’ll learn, and the quicker your business will grow… and it is way more fun than working for an employer too!
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
8 Effective Habits for the Successful Entrepreneur
Every career has a set of habits that greatly increase the odds of success. The habits necessary for success will vary from career to career. Fortunately, there are many successful entrepreneurs that we can look to for guidance. It’s not surprising that many of them share the same habits.
There’s no reason why you can’t have the same habits as some of the most successful people in the world!
Increase your odds for success with these habits:
1. An incredible work ethic.
It takes a lot of time and effort to grow a company. It’s necessary at first to be a jack-of-all-trades. Until you can grow enough to hire others to cover all the required skills your company needs to thrive, you’re going to have to carry a lot of weight.
2. Conscientiousness.
When you own a business, it’s up to you to ensure that things are done properly and on time. The responsibilities are great. You don’t have the luxury of putting out sloppy work. It will always come back to haunt you.
3. Use time wisely.
Time will always be a limited resource. How you use your time dictates how successful your company ultimately becomes. That means having the knowledge and experience to make wise decisions and the mental toughness to avoid distractions.
4. Have a plan each day.
Avoid going to bed without having a detailed idea of what you’re going to do the following day. When your feet hit the bedroom floor, you should already know what needs to be done for the day.
5. Wake up early.
There are very few successful entrepreneurs that don’t get up very early. Some get up even before 4 a.m. How early you get up is up to you, but if you’re not beating the average person out of bed, you’re behind.
6. Set Goals.
It’s not enough to work hard and work smart. You also must know where you’re going. Goals help you make wise decisions. Know what you’re trying to accomplish today, this week, this month, this year, and 10 years from now.
7. Deal with stress effectively.
Entrepreneurs have plenty of stress to deal with on a regular basis, so it’s important to learn how to manage it. Have a process for dealing with stress and anxiety. Learn to recognize what you can control and what you cannot.
8. Look ahead for obstacles.
Avoid being blindsided by obstacles and setbacks. Be aware of your future. Look ahead for the challenges that you’re likely to face and have solutions in mind.
Think of all the major challenges in your life and notice that there were plenty of warning signs for all of them. The same is true with your business. Avoid putting your head in the sand and hoping for the best. Deal with challenges now while they’re still manageable.
What are your current habits?
Can you see why your current habits have either helped you or harmed you on your path to business success? The person with the best habits usually wins. How far will you go with your habits? The person with the best habits usually wins. How far will you go with your habits?
My challenge to you? Think about what you want to accomplish to be successful and build a set of habits that will support those activities.
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
There is Always a Way Forward
2020 has been an especially difficult year for small business. Sadly, many businesses have been forced to shut down permanently, due to the plethora of difficulties encountered. Still, there are others whom have successfully navigated the storm that is COVID, overcoming an uncommon and at times overwhelming mix of hurdles; forced closures, decreased consumer spending, employee shortages, reduced revenue and tapped cash reserves. For those businesses still fighting to keep their entrepreneurial dreams alive, know there is hope.
Hope.
Wikipedia defines hope as:
“Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s life or the world at large”.
I would add that hope is not the denial of, nor ignorance about the challenges one faces, but rather, it is the willingness to look at the bigger picture and actively choose to focus on potential solutions instead of the problems at hand.
These entrepreneurial fighters are the captains of their business vessels. It is their duty to successfully navigate the seas of change and to also bare the burden and pleasure of their success or failure. Of these captains, some have successfully optimized or pivoted their business models, arising from the storm as a stronger, leaner more savvy organization. Others have been less fortunate and are still experiencing the turbulence of the crashing waves while trying to steer their ship to clearer waters. These particular captains still believe for and envision a bright future ahead, but fear they don’t possess the needed capital nor qualify for the business loans needed to ride out the remainder of the storm. This needed capital is required to fund business pivots, marketing efforts or new talent acquisitions. These business owners are living with the constant angst of potential closure and despite their overwhelming hope, cannot see the path to move forward in success. For those whose future is uncertain, I would like to postulate the following:
Seek out alternative means of capital.
Typically, entrepreneurs fund their ventures with bank loans or second mortgages on their homes. Although these are relevant options for those that qualify, they are not the only options. Some alternatives to consider:
- Independent Lenders. With interest rates at an all time low, savvy investors will look for alternative means to improve their interest yield. You would be surprised how many people within your community would potential lend, given the right yield.
- Angel Investors. An angel investor (also known as a private investor, seed investor or angel funder) is a high-net-worth individual who provides financial backing for small startups or entrepreneurs, typically in exchange for ownership equity in the company. Often, angel investors are found among an entrepreneur’s family and friends (Google).
- Take on Investors. An Investor is a person or organization that puts money into financial plans, property, etc. with the expectation of achieving a profit. These investors can function as an independent lender or expect ownership shares of your company (Google).
- Crowd Funding. Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and alternative finance. In 2015, over US$34 billion was raised worldwide by crowdfunding (Wikipedia). Popular platforms are: KickStarter.com, Indiegogo.com, etc.
- Take on a Partner. Before accepting defeat and the closure of your business, consider taking on a business partner. Yes, you will have to give up some ownership shares and a bit of control, but access to needed capital and experience can pay off in dividend overtime.
Hire an Executive Coach
Why would you hire an executive coach when your business is struggling? Hiring the right executive coach can help your business to flourish in many ways, especially in times of difficulty. Here are just a few of the ways the right coach can add value:
They lend an experienced ear. The right executive coach will act as a neutral sounding board for brainstorming sessions and can draw on their vast experience to council on potential strategies. Further, they are not blinded by the passion of starting and raising a business. This allows them clear sight to better assess the current challenge and potential solutions. Their sole focus is serving their clients needs.
Access to Wisdom. The right coach will have the knowledge, wisdom, experience and business acumen necessary to point out and advise to possible options you have not yet considered. These coaches have likely encountered similar situations in their career and can help steer your organization through the mine field allowing you to come out the other side intact and stronger than before.
They Lend Focus. Your coach can help you to sift through the plethora of entrepreneurial ideas and focus on those ideas with the highest probability of success.
Drive Accountability. They help to foster an environment of accountability. The right coach will achieve this through regular communication and scheduled follow up calls at predetermined intervals; daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.
An Affordable Investment. The right service focused coach will offer different finical options to meet most budgets. These investments are typically more affordable than one would think and generally, the return on investment for you can be substantial. In fact, most offer a FREE consultation to determine fit.
What to Look for in a Coach. Selecting the right executive coach is a very personal process. However, there are a few key points to consider:
Have they successfully founded and scaled a prior business outside of consulting?
How large was the business they scaled and thus, can they advise you through the differing stages of growing pains associated with a high growth company?
Are they limited to one specific industry, say manufacturing, or are they experienced in multiple industries?
Have they demonstrated a pattern of success across multiple business verticals?
Have they personally ever successfully navigated a business pivot, added aligned verticals and/or saved a company through strategic planning and action?
Have they won awards for their exceptional abilities in business or sales?
- Have they built and led large teams? If so, how large and were they operationally focused or sales focused?
- Have they built and led remote teams? If so, how large were the teams?
- Have they successfully implemented key technological pushes and/or are they familiar with leveraging technology for better process efficiencies and positive outcomes?
- Are they familiar with a startup environment in addition to large corporate structures ( each requires a different skillset)?
- Have they ever created a USP (Universal Sales Position) and can they give examples of its success?
- Do they appear both competent and easy to work with?
- Do they appear to have a service minded approach with a teaching spirit?
Don't be afraid to create a temporary bridge.
If you sense your business is viable, but are in need of personal earnings to keep going, in addition to your business’s needs, consider:
- Become an Independent Contractor. If you have marketable services that can add value to other business owners, being an independent is a wonderful way to maximize your income, control your time and help your client gain valuable insight and cost savings over time.
- Fractional Leadership. If you have leadership experience and are talented at driving accountability, and fostering alignment, consider offering fractional leadership services. In other words, sell your leadership talent in time blocks. This allows smaller companies to benefit from the experience and talent of someone seasoned, that they may not need full-time or currently cannot afford. It also allows you to only work part-time for someone else while freeing you to pursue your personal business endeavors.
- Accept a Job. Although I am a huge advocate and proponent for entrepreneurship, there is nothing wrong with working for someone else while you regroup and rebuild your business. In order to do this successfully, one should:
- Add Value. Look for an organization they can add value to as an employee, aka, an “intrapreneur”(an entrepreneur who takes ownership of their role within another organization)
- Be Dedicated. Commit to help them for as long as it take to ensure they are positioned well for success, even if your business begins to take off; it is the right thing to do and it ensures you build a stellar reputation.
- Think Differently. Think in terms of adding a second career versus taking a temporary job to bandaid your present situation.
- Become hyper vigilant at remaining organized. You will need to properly portion your time in such a manner that allows you to add value to the company you are working for, while also dedicating time to build your dreams. If Elon Musk can run two large companies simultaneously, then why can’t you?
- Remember. Many an entrepreneur leveraged a day job to fund their dream job. There is no reason one cannot take a step backward to move forward. After all, an arrow cannot be launched without first being pulled back.
Do you have what it takes?
Regardless of the sector your business serves, the universal function of an entrepreneur is to solve the problems others cannot, or the problems others are not willing to sit with long enough to see the solution. Remember, for every hurdle and every obstacle that is thrown in your path, there is always a solution; a hidden opportunity if you will. The challenge is that sometimes the opportunities are hidden so well, or the obstacle is so large, that one must act creatively to move forward. In business, as in life, it is ok to stumble, to falter, to fail. It is through trying, failing and challenging oneself that we learn and grow both personally and professionally. But one only truly fails if they quit.
My challenge to you? Seek out alternatives to keep your dream alive; be it alternative lending, taking on partners or investors, hiring an executive coach or even creating a bridge by helping build someone else’s dream. In the game of business, creativity, consistency and an indomitable spirit are the true champions of success. Commit to never, never, never give up and remember, “You cannot beat someone who never quits”...
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
Every Great Tragedy Brings Great Opportunity
COVID-19 has fundamentally changed our world and accelerated business concepts that were already emerging, albeit at a significantly slower rate. These emerging verticals may have been adopted out of necessity, but now that they are here and being adopted successfully, they will become part of the new business as usual. Two such emerging industries are SAAS solutions for remote working and telemedicine platforms. Both have the potential to grow in scale and are ripe for those savvy enough to offer solutions to streamline efficiencies and functionality.
Many hardworking Americans have lost their jobs and a staggering number of small business owners have or will soon be forced to permanently close their doors. As the majority of working Americans are employed by small businesses, many a good American worker will be displaced.
Given the current sate of the economy, it would be easy to focus on the negatives of these unprecedented times and let fear creep into your thoughts; you certainly wouldn’t be alone in this thinking. However, I challenge you to adopt a different perspective. Instead of allowing oneself to be engulfed in the quicksand of fear and uncertainty, why not take this time to refocus your gaze upon the many opportunities that now lie before you.
Business Owners
If you are a business owner, I would challenge you to do the following:
- Look for additional verticals to add to your business. In order to position well for success, these additional offerings should be in alignment with your company’s “WHY”, with a focus on better serving your patrons versus merely creating an additional revenue stream. An example of proper product alignment, would be a pencil manufacturer adding paper products or pencil erasers to their product line up. These additions are a solid fit, since both are aligned with the company’s purpose of providing their customers with tools for the written word.
- Cut out all unnecessary expenses. Invest the time required to properly review and audit all expenses. Cutout any non essentials, source comparable solutions that are lower priced. Also, do not be afraid to contact your landlord to inquire about possible lease abatement or payment deferrals. Essentially, authentically share your struggles with the goal of renegotiating your lease for longterm mutual benefit; reducing financial pressures for you and ensuring a consistent longterm revenue stream for the landlord.
- Evaluate the need for a physical location. Take a look at how you currently perform business and ask yourself if your business can survive or even thrive as a fully remote organization. Given the plethora of existing and emerging tools to optimize remote team collaboration, going remote has great potential for your business and your team. If you determine transitioning to a remote company is doable, contact your landlord, share your fear of the inability to make good on your lease commitment due to the unforeseen economic changes to your industry and ask if you can buy out the remainder of your lease term for an upfront lump some. Many landlords will entertain this option as they would prefer to gain some income form your relationship versus loosing all income due to a tenant defaulting and vacating their unit. The worst thing that could happen is they say no, but if you ask, they just might agree to help.
Individuals
If you are an individual and have been displaced, hopefully any struggles caused by your current situation will only be temporary. Should you find your anxiety level growing and the fear of attaining another job in your industry as a W-2 employee building, I challenge you to consider adapting to the evolving landscape. A few items to consider:
- Look at fractionalizing your talents as an independent. By fractionalizing your talents, you will essentially begin offering your services to many different businesses as an independent contractor versus a w-2 employee. This affords the businesses to gain access to needed talent without making long term commitments they financially cannot commit to. It also allows you to distribute your risk of job loss amongst what will hopefully be many satisfied clients. Further, as an added bonus, becoming an independent will allow you to command more for your talents than a salaried role would provide.
Hope
In times of economic shifts and make no mistake, we are in the throes of a shift currently, money does not disappear, rather it merely changes hands. The key to succeeding in these uncertain times is to develop the foresight required to navigate this sea of change. In order to successfully steer through the turbulence, you must determine which direction the money is flowing and do everything in your power to position yourself within its path. With the right foresight, determination and luck, you just find income from new opportunities beginning flowing into your pockets.
Change is Never Easy, but Change is Necessary For Growth
Change is never easy and for many, merely the thought of changing careers, pivoting a business or restructuring the manner in which one contracts their talents from employed to independent, is paralyzing. However, fear or not, comfortable or not, the economic landscape has changed and will continue to change fundamentally. Challenge yourself to appreciate the opportunity for growth brought by each tragedy and hardship you face. Acknowledge what is happening around you, but don’t allow your mind to spend too much time on all the happenings of the situation. Instead, fix your gaze on the many opportunities that abound, search within yourself to discover the strength required to take charge of your prosperity, take action towards your goals and learn to appreciate who you become as you traverse this journey we call life.
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
Is Entrepreneurship for You? 5 Insights to Help You Decide.
In light of these interesting times, many are considering their best path forward. Some are anxious to return to their current profession, others are considering alternative careers with new companies and still others are pondering entrepreneurship. For those considering embarking on the journey that is entrepreneurship, this article is for you.
Entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination.
For most, it’s more of a calling that chose them, rather then something one seeks out. It’s the natural path for one that is possessed with a restless and rebellious spirit. It is a journey filled with excitement, apprehension, loss and reward. Alfred Adler said it best when he stated, “I am grateful for the idea that has used me”… an accurate description of entrepreneurship at its finest.
For those considering embarking upon this unusual and often romanticized journey, I’d like to offer a few thoughts:
1. Risk is the job description.
Be it signing personal guarantees for business loans, lease space, capital equipment or product inventory, entrepreneurs risk everything for the opportunity to manifest their vision.
2. Failure is your friend.
Failure is an unfortunate consequence of life. Anytime one attempts something new, failure is a real possibility. This is never more true than it is for those pursuing a direction in which they are the ones burdened and blessed with creating the path. However, with each failure, and there are certain to be many, comes both great understanding and increased opportunity to do better, as one will now gaze upon the forthcoming horizon with clearer eyes. In this way, failure is your friend, albeit it may not feel that way at the time. The most successful entrepreneurs recognize the opportunities for growth failure brings and thus have a very different perspective on the subject than the vast majority.
3. Become comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Should you take the leap, know there will be many moments of uncomfortable times ahead. Be it unexpected occurrences, unforeseen expenses, economic downturns or even exponential growth without the required support staff to manage it, being uncomfortable is something one must learn to be ok with.
4. Know you are now charged with providing for many families.
Entrepreneurship is a privilege and as with all privileges, comes the added weight of responsibility. There is no such thing as a one man army. In order to achieve your directives, you must forge an army of talented individuals, that through their talents and your leadership, will triumph upon the battleground of business. It is your responsibility to ensure their efforts and sacrifices are well rewarded so they may provide for their families well and consistently. This means at times, especially in the beginning, that you will have to take from your family’s needs to provide for theirs. Like it or not, their futures are now your responsibility to ensure.
5. It’s a marathon in perseverance, not a sprint.
Many times along your journey you will face insurmountable odds and absolutely want to quit. This is natural to feel, but you must never, ever, ever succumb. When you feel this feeling of doubt, of mental and physical fatigue set in, remember, success is just on the horizon, as it lies on the other side of fear.
Do you have what it takes?
For those of you brave enough, determined enough and in truth stubborn enough to pursue this path, a wealth of reward awaits. Be it in the form of personal growth, the satisfaction of seeing one’s dreams realized, pride in knowing you have provided a path for others to provide for their loved ones, the pleasure found in being of service to your community, as well as the opportunity to provide a higher standard of living for your family, all will potentially be within your grasp.
With every great opportunity, comes great risk; risk of failure, but also risk of greatness. Are you ready and willing to take the steps required to attain your greatness, or will you let the fear of failure derail your path? You and you alone have the power and ability to manifest your visions, to breathe life into your aspirations and to take the first steps along a new journey. It is my great hope, should the sounds of the entrepreneurial drum stir your soul, that you will find the courage within yourself to throw caution to the wind and passionately pursue your dreams.
My challenge to you? Take a deep breathe and a large leap toward building your best tomorrow!
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
Take Accountability and Take Back Your Power
Take Accountability and Take Back Your Power
A biographer made up the story about George Washington confessing to cutting down the cherry tree. Yet, it’s easy to believe based on his character.
The story has also been useful for generations of parents as an example of taking accountability. As a child, you may have learned that it is more honorable to own up to your actions rather than blame others or make excuses about why it isn’t your fault.
On the other hand, holding ourselves responsible can feel risky. Admitting our faults may threaten our self-image and open us up to criticism from others. It may seem safer to focus on external circumstances instead of looking at our own actions.
The truth is that you could be missing out on more happiness and success by trying to evade responsibility.
Learn more about the importance of developing personal accountability.
Benefits of Accountability:
- Build confidence. True self-esteem requires having the courage to take an honest look at yourself. Accept your weaknesses and missteps, as well as your strengths and accomplishments.
- Make positive changes. Taking responsibility puts you in control of your life. You can learn and grow. You’ll show yourself that you’re capable of adapting to change and handling the consequences of your actions. You can take action to resolve negative circumstances.
- Strengthen your relationships. Earn trust by living up to your commitments. You’ll strengthen your connection with family, friends, and coworkers.
- Reduce stress. In the long run, facing the truth usually creates less anxiety than trying to cover it up. Being responsible allows you to enjoy greater peace of mind.
Tips for Taking Accountability:
- Evaluate your performance. Make it a habit to assess your role in any situation. While external events do matter, focusing on what you can control is more productive.
- Monitor yourself. Pay attention to your behavior even when there are no other witnesses around. Assume equal responsibility for successes and setbacks.
- Set realistic goals. Do you sometimes excuse your conduct because you’re trying to juggle too many activities? Respect your limits and shorten your to do list. Creating priorities will help you to accomplish more.
- Listen carefully. It’s difficult to hear what others are saying when you’re being defensive. Listen with an open mind, so you can understand their position even if you disagree.
- Apologize skillfully. Express regret promptly and sincerely when you let someone down. If possible, try to make amends and avoid repeating your slip ups.
- Consider others. If you need another reason to work on accountability, think about your impact on others. Remember how you feel when a business or a loved one harms you and refuses to take responsibility.
Tips for Fostering Accountability:
- Communicate clearly. Encouraging a more accountable culture makes it easier to assume responsibility. Start by clarifying your expectations and the consequences for not meeting them. Ensure that you understand what others expect of you as well.
- Be forgiving. Help others to be truthful. Respond with mercy rather than anger. You’re bound to need a second chance sometime too.
- Exchange constructive feedback. Talk with others about how to make progress moving forward. Share specific observations, praise, and criticism. Be grateful for any insights they give you.
- Provide a role model. By assuming more accountability, you can automatically have a positive impact on others. You’ll be teaching your children an important life lesson and contributing to a healthier workplace and society.
Accountability is a skill that grows stronger with practice. Take charge of your life by assuming responsibility for your actions. You’ll empower yourself to build the future you really want.
5 Motivation Tips
5 Motivation Tips to Help You Wake Up Early and Enjoy Greater Productivity
Many of the successful people of our time wake up very early. Why? This is because most people find that the earlier they wake up (within reason) the more productive they are with their day.
Are you striving to be more productive? If so, these tips can help you to get up early so that you can take advantage of those early morning hours and enjoy greater productivity.
It’s important to remember, though, that getting up earlier won’t benefit you if you’re suffering from sleep deprivation. Ensure that you get 7-8 hours of good quality sleep each night. You may need to retire earlier at night in order to get the rest you need.
Going to bed earlier likely won’t hurt your productivity, because most of us aren’t particularly productive in the late evening hours as we relax after the day’s work is done.
Consider these motivation tips to get your day started off on the right foot:
- Grab a good coffee machine. This is perhaps the most effective way to wake up early – especially when the coffee is good. If you’re a coffee drinker, the point here is to enjoy a warm and refreshing beverage to start your day.
- Eat some fruit. Many people are unsure about which foods to eat in the morning. If you’re looking to get an early start on your day, eating fruit can be one of the better ways to start your metabolism.
- Fruit has very fast-digesting sugars and complex carbohydrates to provide great sources of energy.
- Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier each day. One of the biggest difficulties you may face with getting up earlier is that you may try to wake up at the crack of dawn on the first day, feel exhausted, and then give up quickly.
- Instead of that self-defeating process, try setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier each day or so until you reach the time at which you’d like to get up. This will help your body to become accustomed to your new sleep/wake times without such a shock.
- When you do this incrementally, your body might not even notice the change. If 15 minutes is too large a change for you, try 10 or even 5 minutes earlier each day.
- Instead of that self-defeating process, try setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier each day or so until you reach the time at which you’d like to get up. This will help your body to become accustomed to your new sleep/wake times without such a shock.
- Turn off the alarm. Once your body becomes accustomed to your new time for waking up, you can turn off the alarm. This will help to teach your body (especially if you don’t have morning appointments) to wake up at the same time without the annoying, loud sound of an alarm.
- Set morning goals. Once you’re up early, it’s time for you to start getting some extra work done. For your best results, create a to-do list each evening. That way you already have your tasks set out for you each morning when you wake up, so you can get started right away.
Waking up early is one aspect of our lives that we can all work on, but it can be difficult to get started. Take your time to work on a new schedule and allow yourself to feel comfortable with an early start. Chances are, your body will love it.
To Change or Not to Change – That Is the Question
To Change or Not to Change? That Is the Question
Back in the day it was commonplace to have a job for life or at least stay with the same company for an entire working lifetime. As time has passed, it’s become less and less likely that any of us will stay at the same job, company, or even career for very long.
Most people choose a job because it satisfied their needs at that moment.
For most everyone, there will come a time when their needs or circumstances change and it’s time to leave. Sometimes for a progression in the same career, sometimes to do something entirely different. But how do you know when it’s the right time to change?
How long should we stay doing something before it’s time to move on?
Many people stay because the position ‘pays the bills’ or because ‘it’s easy enough.’ Most stay because they don’t know what else to do, so they resign themselves to a lifetime of mediocrity, in the same position simply because they are devoid of any new ideas.
Is that really any way to spend your life? Waiting for the time to pass until you can retire and do what? Nothing? If that’s where you’re at, it might be an idea to pray for a layoff so that you are forced to come up with something new to do.
No doubt when you started in your current position there was something about the job that you were drawn to. Maybe the challenge? Maybe it was something completely new for you? There was something there that in that moment that you wanted. Has that something gone? If so, now is the time to change.
You Are Not the Same Person You Used to Be
Why should we find a career and stick with it for life? There are so many things we could do, so many new things we could learn. Think about it: just showing up in life causes personal growth. If you apply yourself to any job or career you will also grow from that.
You are not the same person you were 10 years ago. You are not even the same person you were 10 weeks ago, or 10 days ago. Growth comes from experiencing life.
The more you engage with life itself, the faster and more dramatic your growth.
With growth comes awareness and right behind awareness is clarity. You can learn most about your direction for the future by understanding your thinking and decision making in the past.
Making smart decisions and taking effective actions on those decisions can be improved with the benefit of hindsight.
Try these techniques to develop greater clarity:
- Make a list of all the things you have done in the past. Include your hobbies and things you did just for fun.
- Figure out what it was you got out of it. Maybe it was the challenge, maybe it was building or creating something, maybe it was in your service to others, or setting something up completely from scratch.
- Then make a note of what caused you to stop or change direction in each scenario. The past is no indication of our future, but it can be useful to understand our thinking around the circumstances we were in at that time. It can help us make wiser choices for the future.
Are You a Contrarian Thinker?
Do you light up when you get involved in anything new? Do you love helping others? Do you thrive on variety and change? Could it be that you are smarter than you thought and you’re multi-talented? Could you be a contrarian thinker? Is that nearer the truth for you?
It’s important to do what fulfills you, fascinates you, or makes your heart sing.
If you’re not doing that now, then now’s the time to change!
Social Media is Ruining Your Life
8 Reasons the News and Social Media Might be Ruining Your Life
The news and social media are very popular. We love to hear about all the drama of life on the news. Unfortunately, the news isn’t designed to be helpful, it’s designed to get as many people watching it as possible.
We also like to know what our friends, family, coworkers, enemies, and exes are up to on social media. Social media is designed to be addictive. Social media companies want you to stay engaged as long as possible. It’s the best thing for their revenue.
See how the news and social media could be harming you:
- Your brain focuses on negative news and situations. Your brain is largely preoccupied with keeping you alive. This means it pays extra close attention to negative situations and news. The positive stuff isn’t going to hurt you and is quickly ignored.
- When your brain is focused on negative information, you’re not going to feel your best.
- Social media leads to comparisons. Your best friend from high school just bought a brand-new car. Your coworker just bought a brand-new house with a swimming pool. Your neighbor is on vacation in Tahiti. Social media is there to make sure you know all about it.
- It’s hard not to compare your life to everyone else’s on social media. When it seems like your life pales by comparison, you’re bound to feel negatively about your life.
- Social media and the news are distracting. Social media and the News are designed to capture your attention. The longer that they are able to keep you and everyone else looking, the more money they make through advertising. Both have the intention of being addicting.
- It’s not easy to accomplish anything when you’re distracted on a regular basis.
- Social media and the news are misleading. Most of the people on social media are not being honest about their lives. They’re attempting to present the best possible version of their lives to you.
- The news isn’t much better. For example, Fox News presents the news in a way that appeals to a conservative audience. MSNBC presents the news in a way that appeals to a liberal audience. Neither does a good job of telling the whole story.
- They both have the potential to be great time wasters. It’s easy to spend a lot of time scrolling through social media feeds and watching the news on TV. All these activities can be entertaining, but they are rarely productive.
- Both can be depressing. Social media and the news can lead to depressive feelings. The news is negative because it’s more interesting to watch. Social media leads you to compare your life to those that seem to be doing better than you are.
- Social media can lead to bullying. Social media provides an easy way to bully others. Don’t believe that this only happens to teenagers. Adults that would normally behave in a responsible manner find it easy to mistreat others while online.
- Social media has been linked to depression, anxiety, and body image issues. Several studies have shown that social media use can be damaging to mental health.
Consider limiting your news consumption to print or online news where you can pick and choose the stories that are meaningful to you. You’ll save time and your sanity.
Limit social media to your family and closest friends. If you believe that even this level of social media is having negative effects, avoid these websites and apps altogether. You survived just fine without social media for years.
How Do You Know If You Need A Coach
How Do You Know If You Need A Coach?
You will never know just how energized working with a Coach can make you, how sharp and productive you can be, and how much fun you can have in the process, until you have experienced it.
Think about it, has there ever been anything in your life you have made a sensible assessment of while standing on the outside, poking it with a stick?
It’s not possible to make a rational assessment of anything unless you engage with it, explore it, or try it on for size.
Even so, if you haven’t ever worked with a Coach, you may have some important questions about the process.
Here are some of the more common questions:
- How do I know Coaching will work for me? You don’t. No two coaches are the same, no two clients are the same, and no two issues that can be resolved with Coaching expertise will be the same.
- Even if your 10 best friends rave about Coaching, you will never know for sure if it will work for you until you try it.
- Can I afford a Coach? In order to answer this question, it’s important to look at the difference a Coach can make in your life or your business.
- For example, if your Coach was instrumental in boosting your income by $1000, $2000, or $3000 a month, would cost be an issue? What if your Coach was able to help you add $10,000 a month to your income?
- This example is not a rarity in Coaching. It happens every day all over the world. It happens to people in all walks of life, in all kinds of different circumstances. It can happen to you too, but you have to make a decision and take action to make it happen.
- How can I find the right Coach for me? Exactly the same way you found the right house, the right car, and even the right spouse! You went looking! Nobody knocked on your door with the perfect car, house or wife, did they? Nobody is going to come knocking with the perfect Coach either.
- To get started, determine your criteria for a Coach. Use your contacts to find some referrals.
- You’ll know the right Coach by how you feel about them AFTER you’ve had some interaction with them, not before.
- Will a Coach be able to help me? To help you answer this question, find a Coach and talk with them. Find out what the Coach is like, ask them how they like to work, find out if they are familiar with people in your kind of circumstances, and ask them what they could do to help you.
- Maybe the first Coach you talk to would be ideal for you. Maybe it’s Coach number 5.
- One thing you can be absolutely sure of, is that there are Coaches who can help you and there are Coaches who have dealt with similar circumstances to yours many times. You just need to find them!
The Bottom Line
Those who hire Coaches are strong-minded characters. They’re going places and getting things done. They might not always know exactly where they are going or exactly what it is they plan to do, but they have a sense of purpose and a commitment to themselves that can be amplified considerably by working with a Coach.
That is why they hire a Coach, to get more out of themselves than they ever thought possible by working on their own.
Ask anyone who has had a great Coach for any length of time if they could have done it on their own, without the help of a personal Coach, and watch their face light up as they tell you it was the very best decision they ever made. Do your research and you can find one like this too!