Goal Setting & Achievement Podcast: Business|Productivity

New business owners are especially prone to delay taking action in their business, because the unknown outcome can be pretty intimidating. However, even seasoned entrepreneurs will put off taking action, simply due to the fact they lack the free time to juggle another endeavor. So, what to do when you know that taking action would benefit your business, but you can’t seem to implement much needed change? Ask yourself these questions: 1. Do I want to increase my income (grow my business)? 2. Do I want to grow my client base? 3. Do I want to create more free time? If you answered yes to at least one of these 3 questions, then taking action now is the best thing you can do for you – and your business. Just for a moment, let’s go back to the reason(s) you became an entrepreneur? Although there may be many reasons, they are all probably related to the following benefits: • More free time • Work from home • The freedom to make money doing what you enjoy • Independence, flexibility, and freedom with schedule • Unlimited earning potential • Didn’t want to work for anyone Sound familiar? My husband, Bill Bachrach, has a quote that applies to what we are talking about today. He says, “If comfort is your goal, success in NOT in your future.” Entrepreneurs have many reasons for going into business for themselves, but most reasons are directly related to flexibility, freedom, and income. The key in creating a business that remains flexible, provides freedom, and constantly grows (increasing income) is change. Taking action allows your business to grow with the changing demand and market. Every time you delay taking action, regardless of the reason, you are stalling your business and your success. Let’s take a look at 5 benefits of taking action – now. 1. Increase Revenue This should always be the first priority with your business, because when you increase sales, you increase income – and that creates more leverage. The more leverage you have, the easier it is to create a business that fits your lifestyle. Taking action is vital to increasing sales, so do not delay, do not wait – take action now. Whatever ideas you have to increase revenue, implement that new service or product, and get the word out. 2. Attract New Clients When you create or enhance new products and/or services, you have the opportunity to attract new clients. It’s important to add or enhance at least one product or service each year to keep the business fresh and in view of your clients. Use the launch of a product or service to gain “buzz” by sending an email to existing clients. Offer a “loyalty” discount to existing clients and their friends. You should also post the product or service on your website; link your social networking accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) to that page and offer a “pre-launch” discount. 3. Enhance Company Brand and Reputation What businesses most frequently come to the mind of consumers? The businesses that are consistently in their attention. Clients must be able to see and hear you. Keep the “buzz” going, whether it’s by an email campaign; follow up phone calls; special announcements; mailers; advertising; etc. Being an “expert” is not the most important factor; the key is taking action. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is delivering the results that you say you can deliver. When clients need help, they will come to you, because you are in the forefront of their mind. That in itself conveys the perception of a company with a well-respected brand and reputation. 4. Get Ahead of the Competition Every time you take action, you take a step ahead of the competition. As an entrepreneur, you are well aware that there are other businesses offering the same product or service you do. So how do you stand out in a crowd? Make yourself heard. When you have an idea, take action. It only takes a single idea to catapult your success – just one – but, it takes consistent action to stay ahead of the

New business owners are especially prone to delay taking action in their business, because the unknown outcome can be pretty intimidating. However, even seasoned entrepreneurs will put off taking action, simply due to the fact they lack the free time to juggle another endeavor. So, what to do when you know that taking action would benefit your business, but you can’t seem to implement much needed change? Ask yourself these questions: 1. Do I want to increase my income (grow my business)? 2. Do I want to grow my client base? 3. Do I want to create more free time? If you answered yes to at least one of these 3 questions, then taking action now is the best thing you can do for you – and your business. Just for a moment, let’s go back to the reason(s) you became an entrepreneur? Although there may be many reasons, they are all probably related to the following benefits: • More free time • Work from home • The freedom to make money doing what you enjoy • Independence, flexibility, and freedom with schedule • Unlimited earning potential • Didn’t want to work for anyone Sound familiar? My husband, Bill Bachrach, has a quote that applies to what we are talking about today. He says, “If comfort is your goal, success in NOT in your future.” Entrepreneurs have many reasons for going into business for themselves, but most reasons are directly related to flexibility, freedom, and income. The key in creating a business that remains flexible, provides freedom, and constantly grows (increasing income) is change. Taking action allows your business to grow with the changing demand and market. Every time you delay taking action, regardless of the reason, you are stalling your business and your success. Let’s take a look at 5 benefits of taking action – now. 1. Increase Revenue This should always be the first priority with your business, because when you increase sales, you increase income – and that creates more leverage. The more leverage you have, the easier it is to create a business that fits your lifestyle. Taking action is vital to increasing sales, so do not delay, do not wait – take action now. Whatever ideas you have to increase revenue, implement that new service or product, and get the word out. 2. Attract New Clients When you create or enhance new products and/or services, you have the opportunity to attract new clients. It’s important to add or enhance at least one product or service each year to keep the business fresh and in view of your clients. Use the launch of a product or service to gain “buzz” by sending an email to existing clients. Offer a “loyalty” discount to existing clients and their friends. You should also post the product or service on your website; link your social networking accounts (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) to that page and offer a “pre-launch” discount. 3. Enhance Company Brand and Reputation What businesses most frequently come to the mind of consumers? The businesses that are consistently in their attention. Clients must be able to see and hear you. Keep the “buzz” going, whether it’s by an email campaign; follow up phone calls; special announcements; mailers; advertising; etc. Being an “expert” is not the most important factor; the key is taking action. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is delivering the results that you say you can deliver. When clients need help, they will come to you, because you are in the forefront of their mind. That in itself conveys the perception of a company with a well-respected brand and reputation. 4. Get Ahead of the Competition Every time you take action, you take a step ahead of the competition. As an entrepreneur, you are well aware that there are other businesses offering the same product or service you do. So how do you stand out in a crowd? Make yourself heard. When you have an idea, take action. It only takes a single idea to catapult your success – just one – but, it takes consistent action to stay ahead of the

Today we are talking about 8 Tips to Help you Maintain Persistence and Increase Business Success. Persistence is the ability to continue to get up no matter how many times you’ve been knocked down. It requires will power, flexibility, strength of character, determination, and a desire to succeed at all costs. Most people believe Richard Wagner became a great composer because he was gifted. Not so. From a young age, Wagner liked the theater and music, but he disliked being on stage and was a slow learner at the piano. But his lack of talent was overcome by great persistence. At the age of 15, Richard Wagner decided he wanted to be a composer, so he checked a book out of the library on the subject and memorized it. To train his ear, he asked a violinist from the Leipzig Orchestra to teach him about keys and chords and learnt the technique of every orchestral instrument except the harp. As well, he studied the works of Beethoven to understand how to capture sounds and interpret them as sheet music. But Wagner’s early works were so bad he was jeered offstage. After one of his first performances, he was forced to escape by the rear doors to avoid an enraged audience. In his persistence to hone his musicianship, he studied the works of Mozart and Bach line by line until he could construct a lyrical phrase. Over the next 5 years, Wagner continued to re-learn the basics, appearing as often as he could to showcase the music he’d written. Following literally hundreds of performances where he was jeered and heckled off stage, he gradually began to appreciate what sounds his audiences liked to hear and write his music accordingly. If Wagner had not been determined to create music his audiences could appreciate, we would never have known some of the great masterpieces, such as “Flight of the Valkyries”. If there was one common denominator that could be applied to successful people, it would be persistence. The brilliant minds, the great achievers, the magnetic leaders of our generation and throughout history did not achieve their success at the start of their journey – they achieved it when their vision became reality. Persistence is about having a vision and working towards that goal. However, if you study the path most visionaries have taken to achieve their goals, you’ll discover that persistence lies in holding on to the vision, not on the path they chose to achieve their vision. Persistence without purpose is useless. Dogged determination to adhere to a plan that is not getting you to where you want to go IS NOT persistence. Being persistent means having the strength and flexibility to stop and take stock when you become aware your efforts are not getting results. The value of persistence lies in maintaining your goal while re-positioning yourself to get there without continually hitting your head against a brick wall. So, what can you do to maintain persistence? Here are 8 tips to help you persist, so you can have a higher probability to achieve all of your goals: 1. Maintain your Vision Decide what you want out of life, and then work with a vision for the future. Keep your goal firmly planted in the front of your mind, so that every action step you take will lead you closer to achieving what you want. 2. View Setbacks as Life Lessons Nobody achieves their goals with one straight shot at the target. Understand there will be setbacks, failures and mistakes but don’t let a negative or sideways step move you off the path. Mistakes are merely “life lessons” so view each backward or sideways step as an opportunity to learn. 3. Act with Courage Don’t allow fear of failure to stop you. As human beings, we all fail from time to time. It’s the winners who get back up and start again. Act with courage and determination to achieve the things you want in life. 4. No doesn’t mean always “No” (in a business situation) There will always be those who will try to discourage and dishearten you. There will also be those w

Today we are talking about 8 Tips to Help you Maintain Persistence and Increase Business Success. Persistence is the ability to continue to get up no matter how many times you’ve been knocked down. It requires will power, flexibility, strength of character, determination, and a desire to succeed at all costs. Most people believe Richard Wagner became a great composer because he was gifted. Not so. From a young age, Wagner liked the theater and music, but he disliked being on stage and was a slow learner at the piano. But his lack of talent was overcome by great persistence. At the age of 15, Richard Wagner decided he wanted to be a composer, so he checked a book out of the library on the subject and memorized it. To train his ear, he asked a violinist from the Leipzig Orchestra to teach him about keys and chords and learnt the technique of every orchestral instrument except the harp. As well, he studied the works of Beethoven to understand how to capture sounds and interpret them as sheet music. But Wagner’s early works were so bad he was jeered offstage. After one of his first performances, he was forced to escape by the rear doors to avoid an enraged audience. In his persistence to hone his musicianship, he studied the works of Mozart and Bach line by line until he could construct a lyrical phrase. Over the next 5 years, Wagner continued to re-learn the basics, appearing as often as he could to showcase the music he’d written. Following literally hundreds of performances where he was jeered and heckled off stage, he gradually began to appreciate what sounds his audiences liked to hear and write his music accordingly. If Wagner had not been determined to create music his audiences could appreciate, we would never have known some of the great masterpieces, such as “Flight of the Valkyries”. If there was one common denominator that could be applied to successful people, it would be persistence. The brilliant minds, the great achievers, the magnetic leaders of our generation and throughout history did not achieve their success at the start of their journey – they achieved it when their vision became reality. Persistence is about having a vision and working towards that goal. However, if you study the path most visionaries have taken to achieve their goals, you’ll discover that persistence lies in holding on to the vision, not on the path they chose to achieve their vision. Persistence without purpose is useless. Dogged determination to adhere to a plan that is not getting you to where you want to go IS NOT persistence. Being persistent means having the strength and flexibility to stop and take stock when you become aware your efforts are not getting results. The value of persistence lies in maintaining your goal while re-positioning yourself to get there without continually hitting your head against a brick wall. So, what can you do to maintain persistence? Here are 8 tips to help you persist, so you can have a higher probability to achieve all of your goals: 1. Maintain your Vision Decide what you want out of life, and then work with a vision for the future. Keep your goal firmly planted in the front of your mind, so that every action step you take will lead you closer to achieving what you want. 2. View Setbacks as Life Lessons Nobody achieves their goals with one straight shot at the target. Understand there will be setbacks, failures and mistakes but don’t let a negative or sideways step move you off the path. Mistakes are merely “life lessons” so view each backward or sideways step as an opportunity to learn. 3. Act with Courage Don’t allow fear of failure to stop you. As human beings, we all fail from time to time. It’s the winners who get back up and start again. Act with courage and determination to achieve the things you want in life. 4. No doesn’t mean always “No” (in a business situation) There will always be those who will try to discourage and dishearten you. There will also be those w

Communication is everything in business and in all of our relationships. Honestly, how else would people communicate? In order to enjoy an agreeable business and personal discussion, the communication level has to be excellent. How does one communicate effectively? Simply put, say what you mean, say it clearly, and say it with respect. Let’s explore 7 steps to effective communication that produces results. Step 1: Establish Trust Some people naturally distrust other people, because they do not know what the other one is thinking. Therefore, the sooner that you come out and say what you want, the sooner you can begin establishing trust. If you sense that someone is especially apprehensive, then you could go try and reassure him or her that you are not a threat. As you can guess, this doesn’t always work, so don’t waste time trying to change someone’s mind. Instead, continue being cordial and ethical and hope that your professionalism and consistency eventually wins them over – assuming you want to win them over. There are some people you may not want as clients or even associates. Trust is the single most important thing that has to happen for two people to do business together. The only proven trust building system for building high-trust client relationships on purpose that I know of was created by my husband, Bill Bachrach, and is for Financial Advisors (Values-Based Financial Planning and Values-Based Selling). Step 2: Speak Clearly and Concisely Speaking clearly can sometimes be a problem since not everyone actually takes the time to improve in diction or word usage. For the best results, try practicing speaking in front of a mirror and recording yourself for playback. The last prerequisite is respect. Never disrespect someone that you just met. First impressions never really go away, so make an effort to present yourself as a confident and respectful business associate. If all you have to say is, “Blah,” don’t say “Blah, Blah.” Step 3: Recognize Problems in Communication What are some of the most common barriers in effective communication? For starters, there is language, or word usage. One cannot always assume that what sounds benevolent to you would strike others the same way. People can easily misinterpret or even distort a statement’s original meaning. It is wise to avoid saying anything questionable that might confuse a listener, or inadvertently provoke a negative reaction. Sarcasm and humor can also be difficult to get across. Humor should be fairly obvious and nothing too droll, or else one could easily take offense to a flippant statement. Step 4: Learn How to Use Tone and Body Language Together In trying to improve your own communication, beware of a defensive posture or negative voice inflection. Once a person goes on the defensive, the conversation tends to spiral into oblivion. Make sure that you use a friendly and welcoming posture, with open arms and a smile. If you sense yourself taking on defensive gestures or even resorting to a defensive tone (perhaps provoked by the other person) then eliminate those telling signs. Don’t let emotion overpower good judgment. In fact, the misreading of body language and tone of voice is one of the most common problems in the break down of communication. Even if you are saying something agreeable, if you show physical signs to the contrary, your message and your honesty will come under suspicion. Remember that negative and positive body language comes across in any language and in any circumstances. Step 5: Never Assume Anything Assumptions are another common problem, whether they are self-fulfilled assumptions or merely assuming that others see things in the exact same way that you do. Never assume—the fact of the matter is that most people do not see things they way that you do, nor do they have the same feelings as you do. The less you assume, the better. This falls under the category of making sure that your communication is al

Communication is everything in business and in all of our relationships. Honestly, how else would people communicate? In order to enjoy an agreeable business and personal discussion, the communication level has to be excellent. How does one communicate effectively? Simply put, say what you mean, say it clearly, and say it with respect. Let’s explore 7 steps to effective communication that produces results. Step 1: Establish Trust Some people naturally distrust other people, because they do not know what the other one is thinking. Therefore, the sooner that you come out and say what you want, the sooner you can begin establishing trust. If you sense that someone is especially apprehensive, then you could go try and reassure him or her that you are not a threat. As you can guess, this doesn’t always work, so don’t waste time trying to change someone’s mind. Instead, continue being cordial and ethical and hope that your professionalism and consistency eventually wins them over – assuming you want to win them over. There are some people you may not want as clients or even associates. Trust is the single most important thing that has to happen for two people to do business together. The only proven trust building system for building high-trust client relationships on purpose that I know of was created by my husband, Bill Bachrach, and is for Financial Advisors (Values-Based Financial Planning and Values-Based Selling). Step 2: Speak Clearly and Concisely Speaking clearly can sometimes be a problem since not everyone actually takes the time to improve in diction or word usage. For the best results, try practicing speaking in front of a mirror and recording yourself for playback. The last prerequisite is respect. Never disrespect someone that you just met. First impressions never really go away, so make an effort to present yourself as a confident and respectful business associate. If all you have to say is, “Blah,” don’t say “Blah, Blah.” Step 3: Recognize Problems in Communication What are some of the most common barriers in effective communication? For starters, there is language, or word usage. One cannot always assume that what sounds benevolent to you would strike others the same way. People can easily misinterpret or even distort a statement’s original meaning. It is wise to avoid saying anything questionable that might confuse a listener, or inadvertently provoke a negative reaction. Sarcasm and humor can also be difficult to get across. Humor should be fairly obvious and nothing too droll, or else one could easily take offense to a flippant statement. Step 4: Learn How to Use Tone and Body Language Together In trying to improve your own communication, beware of a defensive posture or negative voice inflection. Once a person goes on the defensive, the conversation tends to spiral into oblivion. Make sure that you use a friendly and welcoming posture, with open arms and a smile. If you sense yourself taking on defensive gestures or even resorting to a defensive tone (perhaps provoked by the other person) then eliminate those telling signs. Don’t let emotion overpower good judgment. In fact, the misreading of body language and tone of voice is one of the most common problems in the break down of communication. Even if you are saying something agreeable, if you show physical signs to the contrary, your message and your honesty will come under suspicion. Remember that negative and positive body language comes across in any language and in any circumstances. Step 5: Never Assume Anything Assumptions are another common problem, whether they are self-fulfilled assumptions or merely assuming that others see things in the exact same way that you do. Never assume—the fact of the matter is that most people do not see things they way that you do, nor do they have the same feelings as you do. The less you assume, the better. This falls under the category of making sure that your communication is al

Today we are talking about How the Choices We Make Impact Our Life and Business Success. You may have heard it said that it is the little things in life that are worth living for. Similarly, the little things in life are what change our lives for the better or worse. The choices we make in life define who we are and what we will eventually become. Certainly, making some rash decisions when we are young can have very ill consequences when we grow older. It is important that people maintain their health with a view to tomorrow, while balancing their desires for the present day. However, this advice also applies to a person’s heart and mind. When we take chances because of our passions or we take action because of our mind’s ambition, we have to live with the result of our actions—good and bad. Knowing this should impress upon us the importance of making somewhat informed decisions. Strong emotion should always be taken into account when making choices, but it cannot totally overpower logic and reason. There is something to be said about going with your “gut.” Sometimes we just don’t know enough to make a totally informed decision so going with your “gut” might play a role in your choice. If going with your “gut” never seems to get you the results you want, you may have to reconsider this strategy. Having a fine balance of both qualities is the best way to make careful decisions in life that you can live with now and tomorrow. That said no one is expected to make perfect decisions. They say hindsight is always 20/20 because sometimes we see things in retrospect that we were never capable of seeing years ago. Perhaps we have grown in our perspectives and our understandings of other people. More importantly, we have come to know ourselves. In order to be happy in life people must learn to act wisely and to forgive the past. You should educate yourself to make prosperous decisions and to minimize unnecessary grief. Furthermore, learn to put the past behind you, forgiving yourself for mistakes, indiscretions and even for the conduct of others. This sounds simple enough but can be a real challenge for some people who have high standards or who have been hurt by others. Some people never let go of the past and choose to be bitter for the rest of their life. They may wonder “Why me?” or have a self-pitying attitude that says they could have been happy or successful “if…” The truth of the matter is that a happy life is all about choices and progress. We make choices to the best of our abilities and then progress forward. The most successful people in life believe that they have a purpose and that they will achieve that purpose, goal by goal. Some of these people have severe limitations, but they are determined to live life to its fullest and to serve other human beings to the best of their abilities. Never feel that you are limited by any imperfections you may have! In learning more about self-improvement, we learn that we can’t change others, nor can we single-handedly change the world. People do have the power to change their own lives and this is the single most important message in self-improvement. You do not have to settle for what you think is life’s “role” for you. You are not doomed to live a life you are unhappy living. You are not enslaved to other people. Any and all of these self-limiting beliefs are changeable. You make your own choices. You choose to live where and how you live. If you don’t like any part of your life, choose to change it – start today. You have the power to look for another job and make a positive change in your career. You have the power to seek out higher education to follow a different career path. You have the capacity to define success and to reach that pinnacle of success through working smart and having perseverance. The choices you make may help or hinder your mission in life, depending on how much thought goes into the decision-making process. However,

Today we are talking about How the Choices We Make Impact Our Life and Business Success. You may have heard it said that it is the little things in life that are worth living for. Similarly, the little things in life are what change our lives for the better or worse. The choices we make in life define who we are and what we will eventually become. Certainly, making some rash decisions when we are young can have very ill consequences when we grow older. It is important that people maintain their health with a view to tomorrow, while balancing their desires for the present day. However, this advice also applies to a person’s heart and mind. When we take chances because of our passions or we take action because of our mind’s ambition, we have to live with the result of our actions—good and bad. Knowing this should impress upon us the importance of making somewhat informed decisions. Strong emotion should always be taken into account when making choices, but it cannot totally overpower logic and reason. There is something to be said about going with your “gut.” Sometimes we just don’t know enough to make a totally informed decision so going with your “gut” might play a role in your choice. If going with your “gut” never seems to get you the results you want, you may have to reconsider this strategy. Having a fine balance of both qualities is the best way to make careful decisions in life that you can live with now and tomorrow. That said no one is expected to make perfect decisions. They say hindsight is always 20/20 because sometimes we see things in retrospect that we were never capable of seeing years ago. Perhaps we have grown in our perspectives and our understandings of other people. More importantly, we have come to know ourselves. In order to be happy in life people must learn to act wisely and to forgive the past. You should educate yourself to make prosperous decisions and to minimize unnecessary grief. Furthermore, learn to put the past behind you, forgiving yourself for mistakes, indiscretions and even for the conduct of others. This sounds simple enough but can be a real challenge for some people who have high standards or who have been hurt by others. Some people never let go of the past and choose to be bitter for the rest of their life. They may wonder “Why me?” or have a self-pitying attitude that says they could have been happy or successful “if…” The truth of the matter is that a happy life is all about choices and progress. We make choices to the best of our abilities and then progress forward. The most successful people in life believe that they have a purpose and that they will achieve that purpose, goal by goal. Some of these people have severe limitations, but they are determined to live life to its fullest and to serve other human beings to the best of their abilities. Never feel that you are limited by any imperfections you may have! In learning more about self-improvement, we learn that we can’t change others, nor can we single-handedly change the world. People do have the power to change their own lives and this is the single most important message in self-improvement. You do not have to settle for what you think is life’s “role” for you. You are not doomed to live a life you are unhappy living. You are not enslaved to other people. Any and all of these self-limiting beliefs are changeable. You make your own choices. You choose to live where and how you live. If you don’t like any part of your life, choose to change it – start today. You have the power to look for another job and make a positive change in your career. You have the power to seek out higher education to follow a different career path. You have the capacity to define success and to reach that pinnacle of success through working smart and having perseverance. The choices you make may help or hinder your mission in life, depending on how much thought goes into the decision-making process. However,

To give you some insight about what this special guidebook, Are Your Limiting Beliefs Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals?, is about and why you want to read it.…I believe that, inherently speaking, there is nothing that you are not capable of accomplishing. The truth is there is no such thing as can't - you only think you can't. Success is not a special privilege handed out to a selected few; success comes to applying success-oriented beliefs. Transform limiting beliefs into success beliefs and you can achieve anything. Sometimes people don't realize their limiting beliefs have created an obstacle that is stopping them from achieving their goals. For example, let me tell you a quick story. During one of my coaching sessions with a client, I asked him about his success with obtaining referrals (which is a key to any business). He told me that he typically will receive two referrals per client. When I asked him why he thought he didn't receive more, he replied, I just can’t imagine obtaining more than two referrals per client because that is what I typically receive. Then I asked him if he expected and believed he would receive more than two referrals (something like 5, 8, 12 or 25), did he think he might actually receive more referrals? He hesitated for a minute and in an "a-ha" moment, said yes. He realized at that moment his limiting belief was holding him back from something more. As soon as he changed his limiting belief, he began experiencing a higher number of referrals from his clients. How are limiting beliefs affecting your success? When you let go of limiting beliefs, you gain the power to not only get around obstacles, but prevent your mind from creating them in the future. In this complimentary Special Guidebook, we explore 7 Success-Oriented Beliefs that will help you realize that you can do anything and any obstacles you face are only imaginary blocks created by your limiting beliefs. Apply these 7 success-oriented beliefs to create a success driven business and life. Download this complimentary guidebook, Are Limiting Beliefs Stopping You from Achieving Your Goals today and crush any limiting beliefs you have or don’t know you have. Get your copy of this Guidebook by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/request-guidebook-limiting-beliefs/ or http://bit.ly/2ItXDSJ. If you are getting value from any of Podcasts, please take a minute to leave me a short rating and review. I would really appreciate it, and love to hear from you and requests for topics you would find of value. Aim for what you want each and every day! Anne Bachrach The Accountability Coach™ The Results Accelerator™ To help you stay focused and on track to achieving your goals, check out these other high-value resources. - Subscribe to my YouTube channel with business success principles (https://www.youtube.com/annebachrach) - Subscribe to my high-value Blog (https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/blog/) - Anne’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheAccountabilityCoach) - Anne’s Linked-in page https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebachrach - Connect with me on Pinterest (https://pinterest.com/resultsrule/) - Connect with me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/annebachrach/) Take advantage of all the complimentary business tips and tools by joining the Free Silver Membership on https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/. Check out all the great free high-content training web classes, by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/free-articles/free-webinars/. Go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com to check out for yourself how I, as your Accountability Coach™, can help you get and stay focused on you highest payoff activities that put you in the highest probability position to achieve your professional and personal goals, so you can enjoy the kind of business and life you truly want and deserve. As an experienced accountability coach and author of 5 books, I help business profes

To give you some insight about what this special guidebook, Are Your Limiting Beliefs Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals?, is about and why you want to read it.…I believe that, inherently speaking, there is nothing that you are not capable of accomplishing. The truth is there is no such thing as can't - you only think you can't. Success is not a special privilege handed out to a selected few; success comes to applying success-oriented beliefs. Transform limiting beliefs into success beliefs and you can achieve anything. Sometimes people don't realize their limiting beliefs have created an obstacle that is stopping them from achieving their goals. For example, let me tell you a quick story. During one of my coaching sessions with a client, I asked him about his success with obtaining referrals (which is a key to any business). He told me that he typically will receive two referrals per client. When I asked him why he thought he didn't receive more, he replied, I just can’t imagine obtaining more than two referrals per client because that is what I typically receive. Then I asked him if he expected and believed he would receive more than two referrals (something like 5, 8, 12 or 25), did he think he might actually receive more referrals? He hesitated for a minute and in an "a-ha" moment, said yes. He realized at that moment his limiting belief was holding him back from something more. As soon as he changed his limiting belief, he began experiencing a higher number of referrals from his clients. How are limiting beliefs affecting your success? When you let go of limiting beliefs, you gain the power to not only get around obstacles, but prevent your mind from creating them in the future. In this complimentary Special Guidebook, we explore 7 Success-Oriented Beliefs that will help you realize that you can do anything and any obstacles you face are only imaginary blocks created by your limiting beliefs. Apply these 7 success-oriented beliefs to create a success driven business and life. Download this complimentary guidebook, Are Limiting Beliefs Stopping You from Achieving Your Goals today and crush any limiting beliefs you have or don’t know you have. Get your copy of this Guidebook by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/request-guidebook-limiting-beliefs/ or http://bit.ly/2ItXDSJ. If you are getting value from any of Podcasts, please take a minute to leave me a short rating and review. I would really appreciate it, and love to hear from you and requests for topics you would find of value. Aim for what you want each and every day! Anne Bachrach The Accountability Coach™ The Results Accelerator™ To help you stay focused and on track to achieving your goals, check out these other high-value resources. - Subscribe to my YouTube channel with business success principles (https://www.youtube.com/annebachrach) - Subscribe to my high-value Blog (https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/blog/) - Anne’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheAccountabilityCoach) - Anne’s Linked-in page https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebachrach - Connect with me on Pinterest (https://pinterest.com/resultsrule/) - Connect with me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/annebachrach/) Take advantage of all the complimentary business tips and tools by joining the Free Silver Membership on https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/. Check out all the great free high-content training web classes, by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/free-articles/free-webinars/. Go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com to check out for yourself how I, as your Accountability Coach™, can help you get and stay focused on you highest payoff activities that put you in the highest probability position to achieve your professional and personal goals, so you can enjoy the kind of business and life you truly want and deserve. As an experienced accountability coach and author of 5 books, I help business profes

William James says, “Nothing is as fatiguing as the continued hanging on of an uncompleted task.” Poor follow through – consciously deciding to do something, but then not doing it for whatever reason – is a fact of life for many of us. Most people find that the gap between their intentions and their actions is too vast, and fall short of doing what is required to achieve their goals. Think about the promises you’ve made to yourself in the past. Of all the promises and commitments you have made to yourself, how many have you kept? Poor follow through is a fixture of modern life. Incredibly, most of us continue to believe that we will follow through “next time” rather than taking action to make our current goal a reality. This phenomenon takes a toll on virtually every aspect of our life. Our lack of ability to commit to taking action prevents us from achieving personal, financial, relationship, and career goals that would otherwise be well within our reach. Have you ever considered the cost of poor follow through in your life? Think about a goal that you have failed to meet in the past. Was your failure to follow through a by-product of the fact that you were really okay with the way things were to begin with? Or does the poor follow through bother you? Does the knowledge that you didn’t follow through with your goals eat you up inside because you know you aren’t doing what you need to do to get the result you say you want? As long as we continue to expect our “good” intentions to work the way they should instead of facing reality about the probability of following through, we’ll just keep repeating the same mistakes. When we rationalize with ourselves to avoid completing necessary tasks we are only holding ourselves back from getting what we desire. This is why the best performers and athletes have coaches. We are human. It’s okay. Get help! Let me share a story with you…. In November 1997, my husband, Bill, began training for the 1998 Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. The one-day event was scheduled for October 1998, leaving him with only 10 months to prepare for a 2.4 mile ocean swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile marathon run. The only possible way to prepare for an event of this caliber in such a short time frame was to create a plan and stick with it, which Bill did. Well, at least for the most part. Swimming has never been his strong suit. Bill began training for the land events as planned. He began running and biking and even started lifting weights to build his strength and stamina, per the plan created by his friend and coach, the six-time Hawaii Ironman champion, Mark Allen. By the time February arrived, Bill knew he was behind on his swimming schedule. Someone told him that 70% of swimming is technique, so he bought a book. Then he bought the video. He even enrolled in a swim clinic for the last weekend in March. But he had still managed to keep his training on land. I guess in his mind, there was no sense in getting into the water until he learned the proper technique. I was starting to get nervous. During the first week of March, Bill began working with Mark Allen. Bill was helping Mark work on his presentation skills for his motivational speaking career when Mark asked about Bill’s training. Bill gave him the run down. He described his running routine, his cycling development, and weight training regimen. Bill rambled on and on, hoping Mark wouldn’t notice he was avoiding his water routine. Mark wasn’t falling for his scheme though. He asked Bill pointblank how the swimming was going. Bill smiled weakly and said, “Uh, well … I’ve been reading this book and, uh, watching this video about proper technique. And I’m signed up for a swim clinic.” “Great,” Mark said. “So, how’s it going in the pool?” Bill knew he was trapped. “I haven’t actually been in the pool yet,” he said. “You know, Bill,” Mark said slowly, “you really do have to get in the pool.” Truth has a remarkable power over people. Bill

William James says, “Nothing is as fatiguing as the continued hanging on of an uncompleted task.” Poor follow through – consciously deciding to do something, but then not doing it for whatever reason – is a fact of life for many of us. Most people find that the gap between their intentions and their actions is too vast, and fall short of doing what is required to achieve their goals. Think about the promises you’ve made to yourself in the past. Of all the promises and commitments you have made to yourself, how many have you kept? Poor follow through is a fixture of modern life. Incredibly, most of us continue to believe that we will follow through “next time” rather than taking action to make our current goal a reality. This phenomenon takes a toll on virtually every aspect of our life. Our lack of ability to commit to taking action prevents us from achieving personal, financial, relationship, and career goals that would otherwise be well within our reach. Have you ever considered the cost of poor follow through in your life? Think about a goal that you have failed to meet in the past. Was your failure to follow through a by-product of the fact that you were really okay with the way things were to begin with? Or does the poor follow through bother you? Does the knowledge that you didn’t follow through with your goals eat you up inside because you know you aren’t doing what you need to do to get the result you say you want? As long as we continue to expect our “good” intentions to work the way they should instead of facing reality about the probability of following through, we’ll just keep repeating the same mistakes. When we rationalize with ourselves to avoid completing necessary tasks we are only holding ourselves back from getting what we desire. This is why the best performers and athletes have coaches. We are human. It’s okay. Get help! Let me share a story with you…. In November 1997, my husband, Bill, began training for the 1998 Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. The one-day event was scheduled for October 1998, leaving him with only 10 months to prepare for a 2.4 mile ocean swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile marathon run. The only possible way to prepare for an event of this caliber in such a short time frame was to create a plan and stick with it, which Bill did. Well, at least for the most part. Swimming has never been his strong suit. Bill began training for the land events as planned. He began running and biking and even started lifting weights to build his strength and stamina, per the plan created by his friend and coach, the six-time Hawaii Ironman champion, Mark Allen. By the time February arrived, Bill knew he was behind on his swimming schedule. Someone told him that 70% of swimming is technique, so he bought a book. Then he bought the video. He even enrolled in a swim clinic for the last weekend in March. But he had still managed to keep his training on land. I guess in his mind, there was no sense in getting into the water until he learned the proper technique. I was starting to get nervous. During the first week of March, Bill began working with Mark Allen. Bill was helping Mark work on his presentation skills for his motivational speaking career when Mark asked about Bill’s training. Bill gave him the run down. He described his running routine, his cycling development, and weight training regimen. Bill rambled on and on, hoping Mark wouldn’t notice he was avoiding his water routine. Mark wasn’t falling for his scheme though. He asked Bill pointblank how the swimming was going. Bill smiled weakly and said, “Uh, well … I’ve been reading this book and, uh, watching this video about proper technique. And I’m signed up for a swim clinic.” “Great,” Mark said. “So, how’s it going in the pool?” Bill knew he was trapped. “I haven’t actually been in the pool yet,” he said. “You know, Bill,” Mark said slowly, “you really do have to get in the pool.” Truth has a remarkable power over people. Bill

4 Practical Steps to Conquer Fears and Increase Business We’ve all been afraid to try something new at one time or another. Why is that? And it seems as we age, our fear controls more and more of our willingness to try something new. We prefer to forego a new experience because we want to avoid whatever bad thing we think could happen. Or maybe the anxiety is just too stressful for us to even contemplate facing our fears. Whatever the reason, we justify that trying something new is not worth the risk. Most of us learn to live within our comfort zone by default because we base our daily decisions on whether or not they cause feelings of anxiety. Every action we decide to take is based on whether it lands inside or outside our comfort zone. As humans, most of us have the tendency to remain within the boundaries of our comfort zone, to avoid situations that cause feelings of anxiety and fear. And although it may feel like we are in control, we are actually out of control. When we live our life inside our comfort zone, we allow our fears to control our daily life. When we remain inside the boundaries of our comfort zone, we essentially stop growing and stop learning. Sure, you can choose to live the rest of your life in your comfort zone, but if you are unhappy with any aspect of your life, know that it will not change until you step outside your comfort zone. Your comfort zone is nothing more than an imaginary “safe zone.” This “safe zone” is nothing more than an imaginary area in which the mind has predetermined strategies to deal with circumstances that occur within those boundaries. In other words, your mind craves a controlled environment where it has a pre-determined set of actions to deal with a certain set of situations. When it has past experiences to refer to, it can recall the details of a past success and apply the success strategies to a present experience. This set of past successes is what creates a “safe zone.” The mind knows exactly what to do when faced with those situations without anxiety or fear. However, step outside your comfort zone and the mind suddenly has no past experience to calculate a strategy from - this is what causes feelings of anxiety and fear. Feelings of anxiety are often assumed as a “bad” sign, but that is not necessarily true. Obviously if you are faced with a life-threatening situation, then feelings of anxiety would be rational; but when faced with a non-life-threatening situation - exaggerated anxiety is not a rational response. This is not to say that the mind is not serving a very valuable reaction, but left uncontrolled, the mind will create irrational anxiety. Your mind craves a controlled environment where it knows exactly what to do. When faced with a new situation, the mind doesn’t have past experience to refer to and will create imaginary and often exaggerated outcomes. This exaggeration can cause such anxiety that we never want to try something new because of the stress. We choose to remain in our comfort zones, because our fear outweighs our desire for new experiences. While it’s natural to feel some anxiety or nervousness before trying something new, it is not natural to let fear control your life experiences. Life is meant to be lived - not passed by. So how do you overcome the anxiety of trying something new? You simply ask yourself if the feelings of anxiety are rational. This isn’t to say that you won’t face situations which present real dangers, but what if some or all of your anxiety was based on false assumptions imagined by your mind - would you be more inclined to try something new? What if you could have new experiences without getting hurt or experiencing pain - would you do it? Now ask yourself how you don’t know it wouldn’t happen exactly that way? Think of a baby learning to walk. When they fall down, they instinctively get back up and try again. And they keep trying until they succeed. In fact, there is nothin

4 Practical Steps to Conquer Fears and Increase Business We’ve all been afraid to try something new at one time or another. Why is that? And it seems as we age, our fear controls more and more of our willingness to try something new. We prefer to forego a new experience because we want to avoid whatever bad thing we think could happen. Or maybe the anxiety is just too stressful for us to even contemplate facing our fears. Whatever the reason, we justify that trying something new is not worth the risk. Most of us learn to live within our comfort zone by default because we base our daily decisions on whether or not they cause feelings of anxiety. Every action we decide to take is based on whether it lands inside or outside our comfort zone. As humans, most of us have the tendency to remain within the boundaries of our comfort zone, to avoid situations that cause feelings of anxiety and fear. And although it may feel like we are in control, we are actually out of control. When we live our life inside our comfort zone, we allow our fears to control our daily life. When we remain inside the boundaries of our comfort zone, we essentially stop growing and stop learning. Sure, you can choose to live the rest of your life in your comfort zone, but if you are unhappy with any aspect of your life, know that it will not change until you step outside your comfort zone. Your comfort zone is nothing more than an imaginary “safe zone.” This “safe zone” is nothing more than an imaginary area in which the mind has predetermined strategies to deal with circumstances that occur within those boundaries. In other words, your mind craves a controlled environment where it has a pre-determined set of actions to deal with a certain set of situations. When it has past experiences to refer to, it can recall the details of a past success and apply the success strategies to a present experience. This set of past successes is what creates a “safe zone.” The mind knows exactly what to do when faced with those situations without anxiety or fear. However, step outside your comfort zone and the mind suddenly has no past experience to calculate a strategy from - this is what causes feelings of anxiety and fear. Feelings of anxiety are often assumed as a “bad” sign, but that is not necessarily true. Obviously if you are faced with a life-threatening situation, then feelings of anxiety would be rational; but when faced with a non-life-threatening situation - exaggerated anxiety is not a rational response. This is not to say that the mind is not serving a very valuable reaction, but left uncontrolled, the mind will create irrational anxiety. Your mind craves a controlled environment where it knows exactly what to do. When faced with a new situation, the mind doesn’t have past experience to refer to and will create imaginary and often exaggerated outcomes. This exaggeration can cause such anxiety that we never want to try something new because of the stress. We choose to remain in our comfort zones, because our fear outweighs our desire for new experiences. While it’s natural to feel some anxiety or nervousness before trying something new, it is not natural to let fear control your life experiences. Life is meant to be lived - not passed by. So how do you overcome the anxiety of trying something new? You simply ask yourself if the feelings of anxiety are rational. This isn’t to say that you won’t face situations which present real dangers, but what if some or all of your anxiety was based on false assumptions imagined by your mind - would you be more inclined to try something new? What if you could have new experiences without getting hurt or experiencing pain - would you do it? Now ask yourself how you don’t know it wouldn’t happen exactly that way? Think of a baby learning to walk. When they fall down, they instinctively get back up and try again. And they keep trying until they succeed. In fact, there is nothin

Ask any successful business owner and they will tell you one of the number one rules to optimizing the success of a business starts with producing effective results with the greatest efficiency. This may not seem like a concern if you don’t own your own business, but even as an employee, or business professional, your success is riding on your ability to perform with the greatest effectiveness and efficiency. Whether you are an employee or business owner, it is your goal to be as effective as you can with the greatest efficiency. If you are an employee, the more effective and efficient you are, the greater asset you present to your employer. As a business owner, the more you can optimize these two factors, the greater return on investment you will realize in your business. So, how do you improve your career or business by improving effectiveness and efficiency? Let's begin by reviewing the difference between the two terms: Effective - Producing a decided, decisive or desired effect. Effective emphasizes the actual production of or the power to produce an effect or result. Efficient - Acting or a potential for action or use in such a way as to avoid loss or waste of energy in effecting, producing or functioning. Effectiveness is the building block, while efficiency is the process of refinement. The better you become at effecting positive results with the greatest efficiency of effort, the bigger asset you become - and so does your business. Optimizing effectiveness and efficiency doesn’t have any relation to IQ or intelligence levels, it‘s really an awareness of your habits. It’s a delicate balance between effecting positive results with the least amount of energy expenditure. This essentially means that you expend the least amount of energy with the largest return - while effectively creating the desired result. Take Henry Ford for example, here is a man that was not well educated, but knew that in order to build a successful business he needed to be effective and efficient. Granted, Ford had other skills that contributed to his success, but he was obsessed with optimizing the effectiveness and efficiency of his assembly line in the interest of the success of his company. This obsession led to constant production procedure refinements that were unheard of at the time. Ford understood that quality effectiveness and high efficiency were vital to building the best car with the least amount of wasted energy. Over a century later, Ford built one of the largest and most successful car manufacturers in the world. While many of his peers at the time thought his ideas were impossible, his innovations still remain a standard in modern day car manufacturing today. Optimizing your effectiveness and efficiency is vital to your success even if you are not a Bill Gates, Donald Trump, or Henry Ford. Your personal life depends on it and so does your professional life. Let’s start by discussing improving effectiveness. What does this actually mean? In the most basic terms, you must first learn how to create positive effects, change or results; though by definition you could be effective at producing negative effects. However, our focus is on becoming proficient at producing positive effects. The better you become at effectively creating desired results, the better your personal and professional life becomes. So how do you know if you are being effective? The first step is to ask yourself what kind of actions you are taking. If the goal is to produce a desired result, every step between the initial action and completed action needs to be in support of the desired result. Recall a situation or project that produced a less than optimal result. If you go back through the series of actions that led to the result, can you pinpoint what might have triggered the shift from the direction of positive results to non-effective results? When the “trigger” can be identified, you can learn from that experience and be m