A quick story.

In 2001, I found Thomas Leonard online.  Thomas sparked the coaching movement with prolific writing, an online community and conferences.

I spent lots of time on his teleclasses and met him at one of his conferences in Vegas.

During one of his teleclasses, he talked about “vision” and not just your ideal day kinda vision but something so big it was impossible.  His was “Everyone has a coach.”  I came up with “Everyday a Vacation Day” and he liked it.  I want everyone to look forward to each day because they’re doing what they love most of the time.

On Feb 12, 2003, I had a dream while sleeping. In the dream, Thomas came to me and I was gently holding him wrapped in a soft blanket.  He said a few things that I can’t remember and then he was gone.

When I woke that morning, I got my tea and checked email. I was stunned to learn that Thomas had died that night of a massive heart attack at the age of 46.

Another wake up call reminder that we need to do what we love! (Those of you who have been part of our virtual community for a long time know that I’m not a “whoo whoo” kinda gal -this was definitely an unusual experience for me!)

I was walking this morning and suddenly remembered that phrase:”Everyday A Vacation Day” and got excited. I’m thinking of creating a training program around that title this fall.

What do you think about the title? I haven’t come up with a sub-title yet -if you’ve got an idea, I’d love to hear it. Is it something you’d be interested in?  Would love to see your comments on this blog.

Ideas to take from this musing:

1. Life is short -live it YOUR way.
2. When you get a creative thought -listen, let it percolate a bit and then act!

I hope you’re enjoying some of these lazy, hazy days of summer…I know I am!

Many of you ask me how to choose from all your many ideas -which one should I work on NOW?

I also hear from many of you that you’re challenged by the “F” word (and I mean Focus!)

Here’s a powerful, easy 8 step system to choose your ideas, get them into action and completed.

1. Write down all your ideas.  You don’t have to DO all of them but if you don’t write them down, you’ll lose a lot of your truly genius, creative gems.

2. Let is percolate for a few days.  Come back to your list in a couple of days -some of those ideas you wrote down will seem downright wacky while others will take your breath away -I thought THAT? you’ll say to yourself.

3. Then ask yourself, what is the purpose for doing this?  Hint -it’s not always money. It’s probably one of these – list building, lead generation, cash generation, product creation (this can be information products too), or building credibility.

4. Rank your list of ideas from 1-5 on how much this idea will get you to your current purpose (or whatever scale you like) with 1 being this won’t get me to my desired objective at all, to eureka! this is a 5 -I’m going to lock the door, turn off the phone and email and not come out till I’ve got this baby cooking!

5.  Make a 2nd column with an estimate of what you think can happen if you focus on this for 40 days.  Why do I pick 40 days?  I like that there is a great significance to the number 40 in many spiritual traditions. And, I know how tempted I am to lose focus -in many spiritual stories, 40 days signifies temptation or a passage through something.

Next quantify your idea.  How many people could you add to your list if you focused for 40 days?  How many leads could you generate?  How much cash will that information product bring in?

6. Right about now, the buts should be kicking in -small buts and those dreaded big buts. Write down 3 of them.  Now write down 3 benefits of doing this focused project.

7. Now write down solutions to your obstacles or ways to prevent them.  Then write down, very specifically, about what you’ll get from the benefits.  Set dates for when you’ll experience these great things you’ll be, do or have from these benefits.

8. OK.  Now it’s time to get into ACTION! Write down 5 actions you need to take to achieve this objective. For example, I’m working on a book right now -some of my next actions are to write an hour a day, interview some folks for stories for the book, decide on a hot title…see?

Some of your steps will be done by you, others like graphic design of a book cover, transcribing interviews etc. will be done by someone else.

So what idea will you focus on for the next forty days (some of you will complete your project even sooner!) Post a comment at www.authenticlifeinstitute.com/blog and let us know -then you’re making a commitment which will make it much more likely that you’ll keep moving forward -don’t you want to come back in 40 days and post about your great success?  I’d love to hear them!

August is my month for lots of “down time.” And,
by giving myself time to just “be”, I find the
most creative thinking starts bubbling up.

Today I was thinking about how any marketing
or public relations we’re doing for our businesses
begins with the foundation of our “message.”

My message is “you’ve gotta do what you love.”
It breaks my heart to see people trudging
through one boring or stress filled day
after another, filled with longing for
something better.

I’m compelled to say -you can have that
better life! Start now!!

What’s your message? What have you always
known and want to share? What do you wish
someone had told you years ago?

I’d love to see your messages -go ahead
and post them on this blog -share your
message with the world today…we need it!

I resisted having a blog for years. I asked my virtual assistant to set one up for me in 2007 and promptly forgot about it. But now I’m a believer. Last month Google launched a new new web indexing system called Caffeine. According to Google,

“Caffeine provides 50 percent fresher results for web searches than our last index, and it’s the largest collection of web content we’ve offered. Whether it’s a news story, a blog or a forum post, you can now find links to relevant content much sooner after it is published than was possible ever before.”

So what does this mean? Well one, your blog is an even more powerful marketing tool than ever. And two, you need to get posting twice a week. That’s ideal for keeping web traffic flowing to your website. Blogging lets you connect with your ideal clients or customers in a very human way.

It’s easy to get started. WordPress is free. The best way to go is to have an integrated blog and website. If you’re a non-techie like me, you can hire someone for a few hundred dollars to create this for you.

So get started. Drop a comment here about your new blog -there are people waiting for your unique message!

Ok. I’m as guilty as anyone of multitasking.  Why?  Because my brain works faster than most people can speak.  Because it feels like I’m accomplishing more.  Wrong.  Research shows that multitasking reduces productivity by as much as 40%, reduces competency AND it’s stressful too.  So how to quit the habit?  If you are alerted with a sound from your computer every time an email comes in, turn it off.  Turn off the ringer on your phone when you’re working on projects.  Don’t check your blackberry or iPhone when your having lunch with someone.  And here’s the best trick I’ve found – make your own self imposed deadlines shorter -cut ‘em in half.  Think you need an hour for that project?  Decide to do it in 30 minutes -you’ll stay focused that way and it will feel great to get it accomplished.  Believe it or not the focused time you spend on your project will be far less stressful than multitasking.

So give it a try.  I’ll bet you’ll feel calmer, more present, and you’ll be giving others a true gift -your attention.  Drop a line here and let us know how it goes for you.

I’ll tell you about a lie I often tell myself.  Now why would I lie to myself?  Well, despite my good intentions, my inner critic often feeds me lies and sometimes I almost buy into them…for just a few minutes…then I tell myself the truth.

Here’s the lie.

I have nothing unique or original to say.  Why should I write a book?   It’s all been written.  Who am I to think I have something original to offer the world?

Here’s the truth and a situation that really brought it home for me.  You are unique.  You see the world through eyes that only you have.  There are people out there who need just what you have to offer.

The situation:  I attended a working retreat with 8 other people and the greatest facilitator,  Barbara Sher.  Everyone of us thought we had the same message to share with the world and we were all pretty much convinced that we had nothing original to say.  Wrong.

Yes, we all wanted to tell people that they must do what they love.  BUT it turns out we are all going to share this message in very different ways.   Our eyes were really opened to amazing differences in the way we see the world and how each of us feel compelled to do our work.

Here’s some examples from this amazing group:  Cristi Daniels is hell bent on helping people who are living by “default”.  Trust me, she’s going to be hitting a lot of “reset” buttons in people.  Kate Duttro is going to rescue academics who can’t get a job in academia and think that life is over.  Kate Gardner is creating the World Ensemble foundation -her pilot project was a grassroots intercontinental soap opera with 150 people in New York City;Kisumu, Kenya; and Lima, Peru.   The 100 videotaped scenes of drama done by people like you knocked the socks off a lot of people (about 20,000; and it might knock yours off too, if you visit www.brookenya.org).

There’s more, but I’ll save those stories for another post.  Are you feeling overwhelmed at reading about the great things my retreat group is doing?  Well don’t.  Each of us at that retreat had doubts, meltdowns, tears and temper tantrums.  Kate G. calls her doubting, inner self talk character, “Stupid Head.”  We all have one of those.

So. You are unique.  You have something to share.  If you do share what’s inside you, you will have more energy, be happy more of the time, and yes you can make money too.

So what do you love?  What’s one step you can take towards that interest?  Is there an obstacle?   Post your wish and obstacle here and let us know about it -you never know who might have a resource for you.

Prefer to LISTEN to this week’s issue?
Turn up your speakers and
Click here to download…

Now please notice I didn’t ask, how intelligent are you? That’s an entirely different question. Our culture puts a great deal of weight on assessments given to you when you’re in school…I.Q. tests, S.A.T.s, A.C.T.s…alphabet soup. This is unfortunate. These tests only measure a portion of the different types of intelligences including linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences.

Years ago, I was delighted to find Howard Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences in the K-12 school systems. He identified 8 different types of intelligences. They include linguistic (good with words), logical-mathematical (good with numbers and reasoning), spatial (picture smart), bodily kinesthetic (body smart), musical (music smart), interpersonal (people smart), intrapersonal (self smart) and naturalistic (nature smart).

Another author, Daniel Goleman, says we can also have emotional intelligence and that this kind of intelligence is an even stronger indicator of success than I.Q. Emotional intelligence can be learned, it’s not fixed at birth. The different emotional intelligences include self-awareness, altruism, personal motivation, empathy, and the ability to love and be loved.

Ok. So what does all this have to do with you being happily self employed, working from home doing work you love and making plenty of money? I find that many of my clients doubt that they are “smart” enough to succeed in their own business. They often don’t recognize the gift of their own unique intelligence and how that gift can solve problems for others.

For example, I’ve met many interior designers who downplay their talent and under charge for their services. Now being someone who has had to return just about every piece of furniture I’ve ever bought on my own, I recognize clearly the gift of spatial intelligence in these designers. And that’s one intelligence I sure wasn’t blessed with! I save my self (and the sales clerks) lots of time and frustration by hiring designers.

Another example, I never knew that I had a natural ability for writing until I got to college. I assumed it was not difficult for anyone to write. Wrong! A college professor had us take an exam to determine if we needed to take a basic writing class. Of the 15 people who gave a writing sample that was judged by 3 teachers, mine was the only one that “passed” so I didn’t have to take that writing course. That’s when I had an aha moment of “oh, so this isn’t easy for everyone.” Prior to that, I just had no awareness of this gift. And now I am able to serve others with and charge well for my services.

So how are you intelligent? Don’t downplay your interpersonal and/or intrapersonal skills. Those are often even more important than some of the others. They allow you to build rapport and relationships, to empathize with others and to be a good listener. These are some of the strongest skills you need in business and sales. Would love to hear about how you are intelligent -post a line or two here on my blog: http://authenticlifeinstitute.com/blog/ and how you are starting to honor your unique intelligence. I can just about guarantee that you have far more capacity than you give yourself credit for!

Well! Last Friday, April 16 was the 2nd Annual World Entrepreneur Day and I somehow missed out on the fun! Inc. Magazine features a great article about it. Here’s my favorite quote from the article and a link. “There is a genetic difference that needs to be recognized early on in entrepreneurs, and that is tenacity. That is the key genome… and it is about taking 10 punches to the stomach and getting up for the eleventh.” Leonard Brody, best-selling author and business visionary

Now I’m a girl and I don’t think I’d use the analogy of getting punched in the stomach…for the most part my enterpreneur journey has been exhilarating -but I do agree that tenacity is a key trait to my success!

Here’s the link to the article http://bit.ly/sixlessons

Igniting Your Entrepreneurial Spirit,
Ann

Prefer to LISTEN to this week’s issue?
Turn up your speakers and
Click here to download…

I see a major mistake in many of my client’s new businesses.  Their website copy and sales materials give a great deal of detail about HOW they deliver their services.

This is not going to bring in the money.  But I know you CAN bring in the money.  Just this week I read in the Small Business Success Index that more than half of home based business owners, from artists to contractors, are 55-plus. AND, roughly 35% bring in more than $125K!  I want you to join me in being one of those 35%.

Here are 3 of my secrets to making money.  Take some time to really go deep with these -getting clarity here will make the difference between having a financially flourishing business that fills your mission/purpose while beautifully serving others or a business that doesn’t attract enough customers or clients and leaves you drained and discouraged.

1.  Know clearly what problems you solve for others. Think about what happens when you make a purchase.  The very first step is that you realize you want or need something.  Sometimes you don’t even know you need or want it until you read a sales letter or see an item in a catalog.

What problems do you solve for others?  Make a list of at least 5 problems you can help people with this. Examples from my list include -they don’t know what kind of business to start, they are not clear on their vision, mission or values which is creating confusion and wasted money and energy.  They have no niche and it is killing their business.  They have no marketing plan so are wasting time and energy with no integration in their marketing efforts.  Boring copywriting (I’ve been guilty of this one!) is leaving their great products collecting dust on the shelf or their powerful service offerings not reaching anyone.

2.  Write out what happens when you solve those problems for them. Take your five problems and identify the benefits your clients will receive when those problems are nipped in the bud and taken care of.  Brainstorm lots of them.  One example from my list -once they learn some simple copywriting secrets from me, their words are compelling, they bring in sales and their confidence soars.  Once you’ve identified this, you can now write great copy for your website, sales letters or brochures and bring in the money -keep your focus on the benefits!

3.  Ask for their business. It’s amazing how many people make great presentations or write great web copy but never have a “call to action” included.  You need to make it very easy for people to say yes and buy.  Take a look at your website, sales letters or brochures and see if you are clearly telling readers what you want them to do next.   Offer a bonus or a payment plan or make time bound offers to get them into action.

What will you do differently to get the money coming into your business?  Let us know on my blog.

Prefer to LISTEN to this week’s issue?
Turn up your speakers and
Click here to download…

One of my coaches gave the term “mind junk” to that negative, very active voice in your head. It’s chattering away constantly telling you why you can’t reach your goal, live your dreams or even something as simple as writing an article!

I watch people let this mind junk waste tremendous amounts of their energy. Instead, I’d like to invite you to accept that this voice will always be with you AND you can relax and accept it rather than wasting energy trying to change it. You can wallow around in your mind junk or you can shift your attention from it to your goals.

Let’s identify what your mind junk looks like so you can quickly figure out when it’s happening and you can stop paying attention to it. One other interesting thing…the way you handle mind junk in one area of life -say money -you’ll find that the same mind junk runs your relationships, your creativity, your physical vitality, your time and how much you enjoy life. Here are some ways mind junk shows up:

Keeping it vague. I’ll create that blog soon. Right now I don’t have the time. Falling into the either/or trap. Either I can write a book or I can keep making money in my job -I don’t have the energy for both. Comparing yourself to others. Why does it seem that no one struggles with public speaking as much as I do? Making excuses. I was late in meeting my deadline because I had too many interruptions.

Monkey mind has a lot of tenacity. It loves to keep us in the same behaviors even when it’s not working for us. Here’s what you might find yourself saying: It will work if I just try harder, I don’t have time to do it another way. This is just how I am and there’s nothing I can do about it.

So what to do with this craziness? Know that you are not your mind junk. You have amazing ability to observe it. It is only one part of your mind and who you really are is much more magnificent than any curve ball your mind junk throws at you. When you become aware of it and see how it works, you minimize the odds of getting off track as you move towards your goals.

Here’s an action for you. Over the next 2 days, write down at least 3 times your mind junk was shouting load and clear. Did you say it aloud -like “I can’t afford that and never will” or was it an internal dialogue? Note what kind of form it took -was it being vague, comparing yourself to others or some other form?

See if you can catch the mind junk and not get into a full blown attack of it. Observing your mind junk, you may be amazed to discover that 90% or more of the thoughts that your mind junk pops into your head are irrelevant to anything that’s of real value to you!

Would love to hear any tips you have for living in peace with your mind junk. Post yours here.