Wheel of Life Podcast: Business|Productivity|Accountability

We all have those days when we just don’t feel like doing the work associated with achieving our goals, so the question is: How do you get motivated when you’re feeling uninspired? It’s as simple as finding the motivating factor - the thing that will inspire you to take the next step. But what if the thing that normally motivates you isn’t working today – right now when you need it? How do you get motivated and inspired to do what you need to do? Find a new motivator. First, identify your usual motivating factor by clarifying what normally leads you to action: The pleasure of achieving the desired end result or the pain of avoiding an unwanted result. In other words, every decision you make is based on the positive attraction to the pleasure of the benefits (pleasure) or in the negative avoidance of the pain of the penalties (pain). When you find the dominant motivator (pleasure or pain) all you have to do is leverage it to inspire you to take action. For instance, some days you may be motivated by pleasure, other days it might be by pain. Pay attention to the days you feel especially inspired to get motivated. Are those days when you feel most inspired driven predominantly by pleasure of the doing or pain of not doing? (This is your usual motivating factor.) Tip: Log your personal motivators in a journal or notebook to identify your personal motivators and patterns to help you better manage your actions and goal achievement. When you discover your personal motivator factor, you know what to switch up on the days when you feel uninspired. If you’re feeling uninspired, start by asking yourself these questions: What are the Results If I Do The Work? This is the pleasure motivator…when you’re motivated to do the work because of the benefits it brings. If you’re feeling uninspired, this is the first question to ask yourself. You may not feel like going to the gym, but the benefits of doing the work inspires you to take the action you need in order to achieve the end results. Ask yourself: What are the end results when I do the work? Keep going: Are the end results, regardless of the work that has to be done at this moment, enough to motivate me? Is my desire for the end results deep enough to get me to do what I need to do now to achieve a future goal? If you’re inspired to do the work, you’ve found your motivating factor. Take action NOW, before your inspiration wavers! What are the Results If I Don’t Do The Work? If the pleasure of doing the work isn’t enough to get you motivated, perhaps the pain of not doing the work will be enough to get you going? Using the same example of going to the gym, let’s approach it from a different angle: Perhaps, up until this point, you haven’t been able to motivate yourself to do what you need to do by thinking about the benefits of doing the work. In this case, the pleasure motivator isn’t working, so you’ve got to approach it from another angle: the pain motivator. Ask yourself: What are my end results if I don’t do the work? Keep going: Are these the end results I truly desire? Am I willing to sacrifice or undo my previous efforts? Am I willing to delay achieving a goal I deeply desire? If you’re inspired to do the work, you’ve found your motivating factor. Take action NOW, before your inspiration wavers! Still feeling uninspired? Ask yourself this additional question. Am I Willing To Pay The Price? Good, bad, short-term, long-term - there are consequences to every decision you make. (Even a non-decision cannot escape the consequences…) If you’re still not motivated to take action, there are only a few questions left to ask: Am I willing to pay the price for action or non-action? Am I willing to accept the consequences of my decision? Am I making this choice so that I won’t regret my decision, or will I regret it later? Either way, you will come to a decision to take action or not to take action - and either is okay. Whatever you decide - own it. Own the decis

Have you ever thought to yourself: “If only I had more time?” You can do anything you set your mind to—even the things that that you think you don’t have time for! How is this possible? By scheduling time for what’s important as well as what is fun. Of course, along with this schedule, you have to take certain steps to eliminate time wasters. What are time wasters? Time wasters can be anything, from an inanimate object to a full living and breathing person. It is important that you first learn how to identify a time waster and then learn how to stop this person, place, or thing from distracting you. Let’s start by listing some of the most common time wasters. 1. There’s no question that computers and a high-speed Internet connection can provide many valuable services to you. However, these tools are among the worst time wasters in existence. Some companies have actually banned Internet usage during working hours. If banning the Internet is not an option for you, then at least make it a rule that you will not open any computer programs that are not directly related to your work. If you catch your hand slowly approaching your mouse with the intent to surf, catch yourself and get back to work. This fasting from interactive entertainment also includes avoiding blogs, email, and instant messaging services. What can you do about important emails? If you have a problem with time-consuming emails then you might consider creating a separate email account for all your professional contacts. That way, you won’t be distracted by any forwarded messages or alerts from friends. Even better, ask your friends to not include you in the personal emails they like to send to other friends. You may even choose to only check email one or two times during the day, and for a specific period of time – one time not being the first thing in the morning when you arrive at work. 2. Interruptions from phones, team members, or pop-in visitors can be very distracting. Human beings have a natural inclination to sit around and chat. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this pastime, and there is no need to be rude with your peers, associates, friends, and neighbors. However, you do need to set some rules down and inform everyone who adores your company that during certain working hours you are unavailable. This applies to team members also. You create set meeting times when others can meet with you. 3. Unless you work on the phone, you may choose to turn off this device since telephone conversations can easily take up a lot of time. Once again, explain to family and friends that during working hours the phone is not an option. You also might want to tell them that it’s only appropriate to call during a life and death situation, since an “emergency” can be liberally interpreted. 4. The next time waster is to consider is not actually a tangible object, but a lack of time management. When there is no time management or scheduling taking place, then a person tends to be unfocused in his or her approach. A person may not prioritize their tasks, or in the opposite case, try to take on too much responsibility. Along with the threat of procrastination, a lack of time management makes for a potentially devastating time waster. The use of a calendar for time management will lead to more efficient and effective behaviors that produce even better results and increases your overall success. 5. One of the most often reported problems with office employees is the lack of education that newcomers are given. This takes up more time having to explain procedures and demonstrate how to work various systems. You could apply this lesson as well, whether you own your own company or work independently of others. Try to learn new systems or new information on your own time, so that by the time you start working you are not wasting any time reading over instructions or surfing for help resources online. Creating procedures manuals for all p

It’s so easy to set goals in life. How many people actually take the time to set specific life goals? Not many of us, is my guess. You want to make more money. You want to enjoy more productive relationships with friends and acquaintances. You want to make a difference in the lives of others. You want more responsibility in your career. Unfortunately, while all these goals are admirable, they are also very broad. Most people fantasize about being rich, famous, and well liked. However, these are not necessarily goals. These are common images of success that the media wants us to believe in. Human beings are programmed by books, television, movies and Internet to believe in someone else’s values. After all, did you ever want to be Bill Gates before you knew he was filthy rich? Better yet, did you ever want to be filthy rich before you knew that money could buy you luxurious accommodations, fun new gadgets, and exclusive world travel? Step 1: Know the Difference between Dreaming and Doing When a person claims that making a lot of money is his or her “goal”, they are not truly seeing the future. A person who is “destined” for success, programs their own mind to achieve something remarkable but feasible. A person that is motivated to achieve a goal does not think in terms of failure and winning. (As in, I failed at becoming a millionaire. So, it’s not meant to be.) Rather, this person follows a set path towards their final destination. To the successful person, succeeding in life is a daily responsibility, one full of setbacks and solutions. The successful person doesn’t merely think in terms of “becoming rich” overnight. They study the path towards financial freedom, as handed down by others, and create a feasible and specific plan to increase their profit through the years. They learn about their chosen industry. They learn about office relationships and business strategies. They learn about investing and wealth building over time. Making money is not just a fleeting thought or a wild idea that must be tried at least once—it is their continuing journey for success. Similarly, a determined person who wants to become an actor or actress will take steps towards this ultimate goal. They will study the craft and attend auditions on a regular basis. Furthermore, they will study the history of show business and model their own career after the careers of successful actors and actresses. They see the entertainment industry as their career and works according to a plan. Do you see how this mindset is different from another person who simply wishes it would be nice to be paid $20 million dollars for three months of camera posing? Step 2: Set ‘Stretch’ Goals Achieving one’s vision of success depends upon the setting and completion of ‘stretch’ goals. A stretch goal is a realistic goal with a little more added to it for it to be a stretch. I think stretch goals are a little more motivating and inspiring than goals that are ‘realistic.’ Stretch goals do not follow someone else’s idea of success, but only your own. After you study the profession that appeals to you, you begin to understand the steps involved and approach your profession from a results-oriented perspective. Set your goals on a long-term and short-term basis and work your way down to weekly goals. It is easier to take smaller steps than trying to focus on one big goal or many big goals. As you reach milestones along the way, your self-confidence increases, and the ultimate objective becomes clear. You are no longer confused about what action you should take. You don’t start projects and stop them; rather you channel your enthusiasm and passion in one specific area, moving closer to the desired result. Along the way, you learn to prioritize your time, as setting specific goals helps you to avoid unproductive actions. When you apply your energy and resources to your goals, you are able to accomplish more in a few short years than most

Even the most motivated of achievers can sometimes feel unmotivated. So, what do you do in those crucial moments of inner negotiation - do I commit to two steps forward or relent to two steps backwards - and how do you justify your decision? What if not being motivated to achieve your goals is a sign of a deeper, unresolved issue? Here are five questions to uncover the possible reasons you’re not motivated to achieve your goals: 1. Do I Really Want This? Before you start discounting yourself as being weak or a failure, ask yourself if you really want this. Do you really want the end result? Do you want it bad enough to do whatever it takes to achieve it? If the answer is no to either question, it’s pretty obvious why you may not be motivated to doing the work the goal requires to actually achieve it. Achieving your goals doesn’t necessarily have to be hard, but it can be challenging for any number of reasons. If you don’t have enough fire, passion, and desire to achieve a goal, the process is likely going to be a lot harder than it has to be. Tip: Stick to goals that you want bad enough that the decision to do what you need to do, in order to achieve it, is easy. 2. If I Don’t Want This, What Do I Want? If you’ve asked yourself, do I really want this? and “no” was the answer - there’s only one remaining question to ask: If I don’t want this, what do I really want? The answer may require some soul searching or big dreaming; just be sure it’s something that has enough desire to pull you through the “work” of achieving the goal. Tip: Committing to goals you don’t really want serves little purpose. Instead, craft goals you desire with your heart, guts, and soul - those goals that inspire you to do the work required. These types of goals will get you excited and motivate you to achieving them. 3. What’s My Big Why? In the middle of doing the “work” of goal achievement, it’s easy to lose sight of why you’re doing it. When you find you’re not motivated to keep going, focus on the emotional reason behind why you made the initial commitment. So ask yourself: • Who/what inspired me to make the initial commitment to this goal? • Is my reasoning behind the commitment (my big why) still a high priority - a high enough priority to continue my commitment to doing whatever it takes – and nothing less? If the answer is yes, connect to your big why. It’s as easy as reminding yourself of the emotion that prompted your initial commitment - the why behind your decision. Connecting to the why allows you to feel emotions and renew your commitment to the goal. If the answer is no, they your why isn’t a big enough why - or it may be time to revise your goals so you can find a big why. 4. What are the Consequences of Not Doing the Work? The goal of this question is to get you thinking about the consequences of not doing the work. There is only ever one reason behind every choice you make: it’s that you believe your choice will bring about greater comfort or happiness and/or reduction of pain or discomfort. Let’s take weight loss as an example. On one hand, you commit to losing 25 lbs because you want to live a long, healthy life, well into your elderly years (goal driven by increasing pleasure and overall good feeling). On the other hand, you commit to losing 25 lbs. because you don’t like the way you look in a bathing suit (goal driven by reducing pain). So, the question is: • Are the consequences of not doing the work undesirable enough to motivate you to do the work needed - right here, right now? If the pleasure of achieving a future goal is not enough to motivate you, then turn the tables. Instead of trying to motivate yourself by pleasure, think about the pain. Is the pain enough to motivate you to do the work? Tip: Pleasure is a more sustainable motivator and is initially the best way to inspire you, but sometimes the realization of pain can provide just the kick-in-the-pants you need to get moving. 5. Do I Want To Stay

Multi-tasking can sometimes have a bad rap. It has been said that multi-tasking in any form is something you should never do, but as an entrepreneur, it’s almost a daily necessity. There are simply not enough hours in the day for you to afford “playing it by ear.” Your life and profession are under constant reprioritization, that’s the nature of being an entrepreneur. Don’t be intimidated by the rumors; multi-tasking can be an effective way to handle your workload. We are going to talk about several tips for effective multi-tasking. Traits of Effective Multi-tasking • Group like tasks together • Create a to-do list • Defined goals with the end result • Budgeted time/schedule • Remove distractions • Undivided attention and focus Effective multi-tasking for entrepreneurs is all about having a system in place to handle tasks with the greatest efficiency. First, you need to create a To-Do List or Master Task List; this will help you to see the big picture of the day’s duties and help keep you on track throughout the day. The goal is for the To-Do List to help you prioritize the “must do” tasks and complete them before the deadline. That brings me to my next point, multi-tasking for professional and personal tasks should be handled in the same manner for entrepreneurs, because time is always of the essence. It is about being the most efficient and productive, 24/7, because your profit, or lack thereof, is always directly affected by your personal time. One of the best tips for effective multi-tasking is to set a deadline for when these tasks need to get done. Being reminded of the goal that you are working toward will help motivate you to work with the greatest efficiency and within your deadline. Whether the motivation comes from money, the excitement of achieving a goal or the benefits of the end results, it makes no difference, as long as it motivates you to work with the greatest focus. Ineffective Multi-tasking behaviors and traits include: • Combining irrelevant tasks together • Undefined goals • Setting an indefinite deadline • Working with distractions • Continually switching gears without accomplishing anything • Lack of focus There’s a huge difference between effective multi-tasking and cramming unrelated tasks together. You’ve already learned what it takes for effective multi-tasking, now let’s take a look at what ineffective multi-tasking looks like. One of the most common mistakes is to combine unrelated tasks together. You may think that it will save time, but more often than not, it ends up taking more time. Other common mistakes when handling multi-tasking is not establishing a deadline. Every goal, regardless of its nature, should have a clear, defined deadline. The reason is because without a deadline, there is no urgency for efficiency or focus. Have you ever been in a rush to get something done and only had 15 minutes to complete it? I’ll bet you were surprised when you had it done in time. How did you do it? You had a clear deadline and focused for the greatest efficiency. The key is to think about the nature of the tasks and organize them appropriately. Don’t help your child with Algebra while performing market research; don’t feed your baby while writing an article, and don’t play with your puppy while talking to a client on the phone. Only group like tasks together; for example: start the laundry then go for your 30-minute run. Put the wash in the dryer, then take a shower. If you work from an office, coordinate with partners or assistants to coordinate like-actions. Schedule meetings for first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid breaking your rhythm. Do the tasks that require you to be at your best, when you feel your best. Some entrepreneurs are on fire in the morning, while other crank out results in the afternoon. The goal is to combine tasks that do not distract your focus away from what you’re currently doing. I’m sure you can see how

Feel like something is missing in your career? You’re not alone. It’s not uncommon for professionals to feel like something is missing in their work, even when things appear to be really good. Is it possible to find success and meaning? Use these 7 tips to help you find meaning in your work / career. 1. Choose a New Career Path or Expand Your Firm Maybe it’s time to try something new? You may be an adventure-type and find boredom in routine and monotony. Try a new career path that engages your interests to reignite your passions. It may not require a complete life change; perhaps you could choose a new track or specialty within your current industry or expand the products and services of your firm. 2. Turn Your Passions into Profits If finding meaning in your work is high on your priority list, then turning your passions into profits is a sure way to find it. Now more than ever overwhelmed entrepreneurs are scrapping profit for passion and making a business out of doing what they love. If you’ve got a passion, there’s typically a way to monetize it. 3. Explore New Hobbies It’s not uncommon to have to wade through a bit of fog and uncertainty before you find a passion strong enough to build a career or business upon. If this is you, explore new hobbies in your personal time, before committing to them long-term. Try the things that peak your curiosity – even try things that you may not have previously considered – until you find something that keeps your interests and passions peaked. 4. Necessity vs. Meaning We’ve all been there….we feel trapped in a career or business because it provides necessity, in some form or another. Whether it’s the paycheck or retirement fund – security is part of what we’re after. The problem comes when insecurity prevents us from finding meaning or fulfillment. Even worse, it could be stopping us from reaching our greatest potential. Don’t let the fear and discomfort of change stop you from going for it! 5. What’s Really Important? If there is some aspect of your work that is causing disharmony or struggle, it’s worth examining what’s really important. At the heart of disharmony is the fact that some aspect of your life or career is not in alignment with who you really are and what you really want (your core values). Ask yourself this question: What are you being forced to give up in order to gain something else (and is it really giving up something that is serving you anyway – probably not)? How important is what you’re giving up to you? Is it worth it? It’s possible that minor tweaks or small changes to your personal and professional life could make it possible for you to find the real meaning and passion in your work again. 6. Begin with The End in Mind At the end of the day, all that matters is whether or not your daily actions are bringing you closer to achieving your goals in a timeframe you desire. There’s just no reason to continue doing anything that detracts you from your ultimate goals. Are you sacrificing your happiness only to be moving further away from your goals? Or is a temporary sacrifice leading you closer to the goal? To find true meaning in your work, it should on some level, and at all times, be supporting the achievement of future goals. The ultimate outcome and result should drive you to doing the activity necessary to achieve your goals and dreams. 7. Discover Your Life Purpose Struggling over a lack of meaning in your life or work is a sure-sign that what you are doing is not one of your core values. Fulfilling your life purpose isn’t as important to everyone as it is to others or they would do the work required to be on the path to what is truly important to them in life. Discovering life purpose is not a sure-fire solution to finding happiness; but if fulfilling your life purpose is one of your core values, it’s vital that you find a way to integrate the things that help you fulfill life purpose into your daily life. Above all, finding meaning in your work comes

Today we are going to talk about What’s Really Behind the Overwhelm? 3 Steps to Discovering Why You May Be Sabotaging Your Success. Business owners are especially prone to overwhelm because it’s not uncommon for them to juggle multiple aspects of their business at any one time. But how much of what you think you need to handle do you actually need to handle? What if overwhelm is actually part of your self-sabotaging behavior being played out? Overwhelm is not a necessary evil of being an entrepreneur - it’s a symptom of an underlying issue. In three easy steps, you can find out if self-sabotaging behavior is creating unnecessary overwhelm in your business and life. Step #1: Consider the Why When you understand why you do anything, you discover why you do everything. From understanding the “why,” it’s possible to see the patterns of self-sabotaging behavior being played out in your everyday life. (Yes, creating overwhelm is one of those self-sabotaging behaviors.) If you frequently or consistently struggle with overwhelm, there may be a self-sabotaging behavior behind it. The trick is to identify the “why” behind the self-sabotage. Common reasons for overwhelm may include: - Behavior based in limiting beliefs - Fear of failure/success - Lack of focus/discipline - Avoidance/procrastination - Lack of interest/inspiration/motivation - Refusal to give up total control/delegate There is a “why” behind everything you do - or don’t do. The question is are you engaging in behavior being driven by limiting beliefs that lead to self-sabotage or empowering beliefs that lead to success? It’s pretty simple: if you’re not producing results you want, you can bet there are self-sabotaging behaviors being played out in your personal or professional life. First, let’s establish that everyone has self-sabotaging behaviors - even peak performers like professional athletes and Olympic competitors (which is why they hire professional coaches!). These specialized coaches help them identify (and shift) the behaviors that keep them from achieving optimal performance. When you know the self-sabotaging behaviors that are keeping you from achieving the best results, you know which behaviors must change in order to create even better results. It’s fairly easy to know what you should be doing…it’s not always so easy to discipline yourself to do those things. However, if you can identify self-sabotaging behaviors and discipline yourself to change them, success will come easier and faster. Step #2. There Is Another Way Overwhelm is not a necessary evil of being an entrepreneur, it’s a symptom of an underlying issue. Most people are stuck in self-sabotaging behaviors because they can’t see that there is another way. It’s the definition of insanity: doing the same thing and expecting different results. The distance between where you are and where you want to be can be a short and straight path when you know the right actions to take - at the right time, and on a consistent basis. It’s when you’re not taking the right steps that the path to success feels like a constant zig-zag path of push-and-pull, struggle and frustration. This is when taking different actions (or non-actions) next time around and observing how your results change is invaluable. Are the results better or worse? Log your progress in a simple tracking sheet to determine what’s working and what isn’t working. Keep doing what works well, while continuing to tweak what doesn’t. Eventually, you’ll learn the right things you need to do at the right time to produce the shortest, straightest path between where you are and where you want to be. Step #3. Focus on the NEXT Step Another common reason for overwhelm is focusing on everything. In other words, you may be focused on the massive undertaking of the big picture - and everything that must be accomplished to reach your goal. Of course you’re going to feel overwhelm when you think about the responsibility, work, risk, and commitme

Today we are going to talk about How to Make the Right Choice in 3 Simple Steps. You’ve been making choices every day since you were a child, yet sometimes it can feel like you are the most inexperienced decision-maker in the world. You feel uncertain about which choice to make and how your decision will ultimately affect your life. When faced with a decision that could alter the course of your life, how do you make the right choice? The first step in any choice is to determine where you want to be. Getting clear on your goals will help you make choices that are in line with your vision. Once you get clear on your goals, it can be much easier to see how the results of your choices will lead you either closer to your goals – or further away. Here’s how you can learn to make the right choice in three simple steps. Step 1: Write Your List of Long-Term Goals You may have a lot of long-term goals, but for now, just start with the ten most important to you. Once you have had time to focus on this short list, feel free to expand it to include ALL of your long-term goals. Here’s an example: My Long-Term Goals 1. Have $7,500 saved to take two vacations per year (starting 2014) to exotic places by 6/1/14. 2. Buy new house with 15% down payment $90,000 by 10/1/2015 3. Pay off mortgage ($_______) by 12/31/2030 4. $5.2 million saved for retirement/financial future by 12/31/2021 5. Retire by age 54: 2/23/2022 6. Sell house by 9/30/2015 7. Donate 5% of net income each year to charitable organizations that have personal meaning (Susan G. Komen Foundation and Habitat for Humanity) starting 1/1/2015 8. Complete a full Ironman Triathlon in under 17 hours - 10/31/2016 9. Play golf 2 times per month starting 4/1/2013 10. Improve health and fitness-lose 25 pounds, and be at180 lbs by 7/1/2014 11. Read fun books 1 per quarter starting 1/1/2013 12. Get 1 massage per month starting 1/1/2014 13. Continue to have date night with my significant other 2 times per month starting 1/15/13 My Long-Term Goals 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Now that you have identified your long-term goals, you can identify your short-term goals. Don’t over-analyze or critique your answers, just go with what you really want now, today, tomorrow, this week, within one month, or in the near future. Step 2: Write Your List of Short-Term Goals Here’s an example: My Short-Term Goals (Must be measurable, specific and include specific dates) 1. Add 15 new Ideal Clients by 12/31/13 2. Earn $450,000 net by 12/31/13 3. Reduce monthly expenses by 10% - now! 1/10/13 4. Take that 10% and open an interest bearing account for annual travel fund – within 2 days: 1/12/13 5. Research mortgage refinance every 6 months – can I save $$? 3/31/13 6. Find a local art gallery that will sell my paintings - 6/12/13 7. Establish passive income (sell digital images of my artwork at the local gallery, do consulting, etc.) to increase my retirement fund contribution to $25,000 per year - 4/12/13 8. Do cardio exercise 3 times per week for 1 hour each time beginning today 9. Lift weights 2 times per week for 45 minutes each time beginning today 10. Play golf 1 time per month starting 5/1/2013 11. Improve health and fitness-lose 12 pounds, and be at193 lbs by 8/1/2013 12. Get 1 massage per quarter starting 6/1/2013 13. Have date night with significant other 2 times per month starting 1/15/13 My Short-Term Goals 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. How did you do? Did your goals come to you easily or did it take more time than you thought? If your goals rolled off the end of your pen like flowing ink, that’s good – you’re pretty clear about what you want in life. If it was a little difficult coming up with goals, spend some time exploring what you really want – what you want, not what someone else wants for you. If friends or family criticizing you for any of your goal choices, reply politely with “I appreciate your feedback. This

Today we are going to talk about the Referral/Prospect Tracking Spreadsheet – SAMPLE – Free Download. In my work with business professionals over the many years I have been coaching, I find that they often say to me that they have prospects that they haven’t followed up with (for whatever reason), or they lost track of some of the referrals people gave them. First of all, it’s hard to believe that someone wouldn’t have a process for tracking their referrals/prospects because that is potential revenue – but apparently this happens and probably more than it should. So, I came up with a simple tracking spreadsheet to help my clients better know who they have in their pool of prospects, in order for them to know where their prospective clients are at in their pipeline, and they don’t lose anyone (or drown them) on the way. Did you know that according to the National Sales Executive Associates, they say that: • 48% of Sales People Never follow up with a Prospect • 25% of Sales People Make a Second Contact and Stop • 12% of Sales People Only Make Three Contacts and Stop • Only 10% of Sales People Make More Than Three Contacts • 2% of Sales are made on the First Contact • 3% of Sales are made on the Second Contact • 5% of Sales are made on the Third Contact • 10% of Sales are made on the Fourth Contact • 80% of Sales are made on the fifth to the Twelfth Contact What does that say to me? Being professionally persistent, brings in REVENUE. To download my complimentary referral tracking spreadsheet to help you increase your revenue, so you can accelerate your results, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/referral-tracking-workbook/. This excel spreadsheet can easily be modified to be of the most value to you. My hope for our time together is that you got value and an idea or two that will help you be even more successful – personally and professionally. Go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/Achieve.Your.Goals.Free.Gifts.Now/ and get 3 FREE gifts including a special report on 10 Power Tips for Getting Focused, Organized, and Achieving Your Goals Now. Join the Silver Inner Circle (IT’S FREE) and receive 10% off on all products and services in addition to having access to many assessments and complimentary resources so you can begin achieving your goals in the timeframe you want, so you can have the life you desire. Get started today by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/ and Join the FREE Silver Inner Circle. Aim for what you want each and every day! Until next time, make it a great day, today and every day. Thanks for listening. 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 (https://www.youtube.com/annebachrach) - Subscribe to my 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 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 w

Today we are going to talk about 8 Ideas to Help You Work Smarter and Not Harder. Do you think working harder will get you farther? Not necessarily. In this fast-paced society, many professionals are already running at full tilt, so going faster may lead to burn-out, or worse, complete physical and emotional shutdown. So how do you get more done without working harder? This is key to work life balance success. Let’s take a look at these 8 ideas for working smarter, not harder. 1. Leverage Your Strengths, Delegate the Rest For optimal results, focus on the tasks that leverage your strengths. The goal with any successful business or project is to assign the team member that can deliver the best results with the least effort and greatest effectiveness. If you want to make an easier go at it, know your strengths and focus on performing only the tasks that leverage those strengths. TIP: To download a Free Delegation List Sample to help you identify more activities to delegate, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/delegation-list-sample/. 2. Filter Your Info Intake On any given day, you are bombarded with mass amounts of information that can significantly drag down your productivity and cause confusion, overwhelm, and procrastination. Data is essential for making informed decisions, but beware of information overload. Only take in the information that is vital to achieving your goals and the goals of your firm – everything else is superfluous. TIP: Delegate the biggest information sources (email, research, data collection, data entry, etc.) to a team member or a consulting firm. Limit your information exposure to only the pertinent sources, while the team takes on the responsibility of flagging important information for your select review and firm growth. 3. Streamline Your Daily Duties Do not try to do it all yourself. The ability to focus your energy on the most important tasks of the day has a direct effect on the quality of the results. Therefore, it’s vital that you streamline your daily duties to only the most important tasks that require your focused attention, and those things that only you can do and can’t be done by someone else. TIP: Create a daily schedule of the most important and highest payoff tasks of the day – and stick to it (not always easy but critical to your success). Reduce and eliminate the non-essential duties (the tasks that are either not in alignment with your core values and/or are not income-generating) from your daily schedule. Take advantage of the high-content Free Webinars to help you be even more effective at time management and more by going to: https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/free-articles/free-webinars/. 4. Recognize Stress Signals The mind and body require rest and nutrition for peak performance. While many of us convince ourselves that working harder is the only way to get ahead, it may not produce the desired results. Take breaks, enjoy personal time, and tend to your well-being is important to overall life success. Sometimes a little rest can significantly increase productivity. TIP: Listen to your body. Pay attention to your energy level. Pushing harder to make things happen may only make the process more frustrating and even exhausting. If working harder doesn’t feel right, give yourself permission to take a break. Be it 15 minutes or 1 hour, recognizing your stress signals can help you know when your body and mind need rest. You will perform better and more effectively when you have all your positive energy flowing. 5. Create Just Enough Pressure How many times have you procrastinated on getting something done only to cram the day or night before it was due? Creating just enough pressure may be the “tipping point” that you believe creates the focus you need to reach peak-productivity. TIP: Pay attention to what drives you to complete a task. Does it require a non-pressured, open-space environment with lots of time? Or some-what of a high-pressured environment to

Today we are going to talk about 5 Tips for Exploring Your Life Purpose. If you’ve ever wondered if there was more to life than what you’re currently experiencing, you’ll find this discussion helpful. First, let’s clarify that identifying your life purpose isn’t the end all - you still have find a way to integrate it into a life, that for most of us, has been built on necessity or security. Yes, we all have bills to pay; but selling your soul (so to speak) in the name of security isn’t necessarily the way it has to be. I’m all for fueling your passions, but I’m also a firm believer in smart and strategic business decisions. My advice is to take this process slowly. If you love what you do, find a way to work your life purpose into your career or business. If you don’t love what you do, then explore other avenues that support a solid business foundation and purpose. These 5 tips will help you explore your life purpose and find more meaning in your life as well as your profession. 1. What Fuels You? What in your life gives you energy? Most of us know what it feels like to be drained (by personal dramas, professional conflicts, too many obligations, financial stress, etc.), but do you know what fuels you? Perhaps you already know you just don’t have time for it. Pay attention to the things that give you life as they are clues to what you really love to do (and you may be able to monetize them). 2. Play the What-If Game The “What-if” Game is where you ask a series of questions starting with “What if?” What-if I didn’t have to work - how would I choose to spend my time? What-if I could make money any way I wanted - what would that look like? What-if I didn’t have to ________________ - what would I want to do? What-if I could live anywhere in the world - where would I live? What-if I followed my dreams…what would that look like? What-if I went back to school - what would I like to study? What-if I created a new program and/or service, what would it look like? What-if I had a board of Ideal Clients for my firm, what impact would they have on my business and life? You get the idea…. What is really important to you in life? What are your core values? To explore what your core values are, download my complimentary exercise by going to http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/values-clarification/. 3. Prophesying a Legend At the end of your life, if you could leave a legend - a contribution to the human race - what would it be? In this exercise, imagine what you would like people to say about you, say in a eulogy? What would be the biggest gift you could pass on? What do you want to leave this world? Your response is very likely part of your life purpose. 4. Observe Your Challenges Life is filled with many challenges, but each of us has a unique set of challenges which are often tied to our life purpose. Going back through your life, identify three challenges that seem to recur in your life. Perhaps you don’t face them any longer because you finally discovered the hidden lessons, but everyone has challenges they are either dealing with or have resolved. Whether those challenges were related to intimate relationships, self-worth, financial, physical, emotional, etc. you will find great lessons directly tied to your life purpose. Take what you’ve learned by facing and overcoming your challenges to teach others how they can do the same. 5. Take Note of What Comes Easily Not everyone is cut out to be an accountant for the same reason that not everyone is cut out to be a doctor, a teacher, an actor, a dentist, or a professional athlete: each of us is born with a unique set of gifts that can be utilized for personal fulfillment as well as contribution. When exploring your life purpose, pay special attention to the skills that come easily to you. Whether it’s calculating numbers, counseling a troubled soul or mending a broken bone - those gifts are special clues to your life purpose. The kicker here is that what comes easily to you i

We all have fears that stop us from stepping into our potential. It’s what we’ve come to call the comfort zone - the place where fear is minimized to allow for daily life functioning. But we don’t always realize just how much we give up for the sake of comfort. In an effort to minimize our greatest fears we can be sacrificing our heart’s deepest desires. In the name of comfort we sacrifice potential. It reminds me of a quote by Tony Robbins that says (paraphrasing), the dance of life happens between our greatest fears and our greatest potential, which translates into life happens outside your comfort zone. Sounds good in theory, but how do we move through our terrifying fears to break free of limitations and embrace our true potential? Here are a few of my thoughts around 3 tips to master life outside your comfort zone. Tip #1: Every Person Experiences the Same Human Struggle With every person born there is a basic human struggle between ego and potential. The ego operates much like a computer operating system - it has a set of rules and programs that is the basis of its function. That’s great if it’s operating from an effective set of rules and programs - but it doesn’t always do so. It’s no secret we are a product of our environment: the beliefs we are exposed to as children often set the tone of a lifetime of experiences. In other words, the operating system most of us are functioning from was created long before we had conscious choice to reject the limiting beliefs that came from other people. (That’s the kicker - Most people don’t even realize their limiting beliefs aren’t theirs!) The struggle comes in when we’re operating on limiting beliefs that tell us one thing, when we crave another. We crave individual expression and expansion, yet our operating system tells us it’s dangerous - or we’ll fail - or we’ll face rejection or criticism. We crave something better, but the fears that make up the boundaries of our comfort zone stop us from going for it. I believe this is the struggle that every single human faces to some degree or another. We all have fears. Yet, only the ones who have achieved great things have decided that their potential (life outside the comfort zone) was more important than listening to the fears (life inside the comfort zone). Tip #2: To Change the Results You Must Change the Actions If you’re not operating from possibilities, you’re operating from limitations - there is no in between. If the results you’re currently seeing are not pleasing or satisfying then you must change the actions to bring about different results. This often means you must begin making choices from outside your comfort zone. Think of it this way - everything you have already experienced (and may not like) is the result of making decisions from inside your comfort zone. You’ve been there, done that and the results may be disappointing. To create different results, you must do something different. Remember, the comfort zone is based on limited beliefs. To create a different experience, you must take action from different beliefs…the beliefs that exist outside your comfort zone. Tip #3: It’s About Learning to Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable Let’s go back to expanding on the struggle that every human being experiences: it’s the struggle between ego and potential. The ego only wants to have experiences that it knows how to deal with because its main concern is to keep you safe, healthy and whole. Your true potential, which is limitless, is the contrast of the ego. Anyone who has ever accomplished anything great has done so with great risk. Not necessarily physical or emotional danger, but at great risk as far as the ego is concerned. See, the ego doesn’t know how to deal with new situations based on new beliefs - it only knows how to handle situations it’s experienced. The process of doing something you haven’t done before is the great risk because you are stepping out of your comfort zone and stepping into you

We all have fears that stop us from stepping into our potential. It’s what we’ve come to call the comfort zone - the place where fear is minimized to allow for daily life functioning. But we don’t always realize just how much we give up for the sake of comfort. In an effort to minimize our greatest fears we can be sacrificing our heart’s deepest desires. In the name of comfort we sacrifice potential. It reminds me of a quote by Tony Robbins that says (paraphrasing), the dance of life happens between our greatest fears and our greatest potential, which translates into life happens outside your comfort zone. Sounds good in theory, but how do we move through our terrifying fears to break free of limitations and embrace our true potential? Here are a few of my thoughts around 3 tips to master life outside your comfort zone. Tip #1: Every Person Experiences the Same Human Struggle With every person born there is a basic human struggle between ego and potential. The ego operates much like a computer operating system - it has a set of rules and programs that is the basis of its function. That’s great if it’s operating from an effective set of rules and programs - but it doesn’t always do so. It’s no secret we are a product of our environment: the beliefs we are exposed to as children often set the tone of a lifetime of experiences. In other words, the operating system most of us are functioning from was created long before we had conscious choice to reject the limiting beliefs that came from other people. (That’s the kicker - Most people don’t even realize their limiting beliefs aren’t theirs!) The struggle comes in when we’re operating on limiting beliefs that tell us one thing, when we crave another. We crave individual expression and expansion, yet our operating system tells us it’s dangerous - or we’ll fail - or we’ll face rejection or criticism. We crave something better, but the fears that make up the boundaries of our comfort zone stop us from going for it. I believe this is the struggle that every single human faces to some degree or another. We all have fears. Yet, only the ones who have achieved great things have decided that their potential (life outside the comfort zone) was more important than listening to the fears (life inside the comfort zone). Tip #2: To Change the Results You Must Change the Actions If you’re not operating from possibilities, you’re operating from limitations - there is no in between. If the results you’re currently seeing are not pleasing or satisfying then you must change the actions to bring about different results. This often means you must begin making choices from outside your comfort zone. Think of it this way - everything you have already experienced (and may not like) is the result of making decisions from inside your comfort zone. You’ve been there, done that and the results may be disappointing. To create different results, you must do something different. Remember, the comfort zone is based on limited beliefs. To create a different experience, you must take action from different beliefs…the beliefs that exist outside your comfort zone. Tip #3: It’s About Learning to Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable Let’s go back to expanding on the struggle that every human being experiences: it’s the struggle between ego and potential. The ego only wants to have experiences that it knows how to deal with because its main concern is to keep you safe, healthy and whole. Your true potential, which is limitless, is the contrast of the ego. Anyone who has ever accomplished anything great has done so with great risk. Not necessarily physical or emotional danger, but at great risk as far as the ego is concerned. See, the ego doesn’t know how to deal with new situations based on new beliefs - it only knows how to handle situations it’s experienced. The process of doing something you haven’t done before is the great risk because you are stepping out of your comfort zone and stepping into you

As a business owner, it’s important to recognize how valuable your time is - and how you choose to spend it. Yes, the bookkeeping is important, and so is voice-mail and email, but those tasks are not directly responsible for generating revenue, and are better left to be managed by someone else. Are you guilty of focusing on the less important (low-payoff) tasks when you should be actively engaged with the most important (high-payoff) tasks? If you have ever been guilty of this, continue listening to discover four common self-sabotaging habits that keep business owners from the revenue and success they want and deserve. 1. Wasting Time on Low-Payoff Tasks As the business owner, you are a valuable piece of the revenue-generating and business development puzzle. If you are sitting at a desk spending the majority of your time on low-payoff tasks, you don’t have the time to focus upon the most important part of your business: generating revenue. Would you hire a $100-an-hour team member to do a $20-an-hour task? Not likely. This is the same reasoning behind why you shouldn’t be the company bookkeeper or receptionist. (This is not to say that these tasks are not important, but they are not directly related to driving immediate revenue; hence, they are low-payoff tasks). Your sole focus should be upon the high-payoff tasks, aka. the revenue-generating tasks. All low-payoff tasks should be completely removed from your schedule and delegated to a virtual assistant or team member so you can focus your energy on the high-payoff tasks. TIP: Doing low payoff activities are what I call revenue generating avoidance activities. You may not like doing some revenue generation and business development activities, but you may be the best and maybe the only person to do it and get it done. 2. Ignoring High-Payoff Tasks Do you know what you need to be doing to boost revenue - but you’re not doing it or doing it on a consistent basis? Perhaps the fear of doing tasks outside your comfort zone is stopping you from doing the very thing that will make all the difference in your business revenue and ultimate success? Let’s be clear: if you own your own business, you must become very astute at recognizing, and completing, the high-payoff tasks or you will soon be out of business. Let’s say you’re the creative genius type; the sales part of your business isn’t your thing. You could hire a sales team to help drive in some sales, but at some point you’re going to have to tackle the very thing that scares you. It takes courage to step out of your comfort zone and conquer the things that scare you, but you can do it. To help conquer the fear, focus on the process of learning how to master your craft. Just as you mastered the creative genius, you can master the business development and revenue generation, too. TIP: Mastering your high-payoff tasks is more important than you think because once you master the high-payoff tasks; you are in a much higher probability position to achieve your goals in the time frame you have set. 3. Lacking Intimate Knowledge of Your Business In this case, ignorance is not bliss. In order to create a successful, profitable business, you must have intimate knowledge of your business (including where the majority of your revenue originates or could originate). If you don’t - you’re going to continue to struggle with generating the level of revenue you want and deserve. Get to know your business as intimately as you would a partner, learning its quirks, perks, strengths and weaknesses. Accentuate the strengths, while committing to work on the weaknesses. Commit to continual learning so you are on top of potential opportunities. Technology advancements move fast and you need to keep up to stay in the game. TIP: Think of your business as a valuable partner: the more you know about it, the better you can maintain a healthy relationship. Explore what makes it tick, where it could use some extra help or counseling, and com

As a business owner, it’s important to recognize how valuable your time is - and how you choose to spend it. Yes, the bookkeeping is important, and so is voice-mail and email, but those tasks are not directly responsible for generating revenue, and are better left to be managed by someone else. Are you guilty of focusing on the less important (low-payoff) tasks when you should be actively engaged with the most important (high-payoff) tasks? If you have ever been guilty of this, continue listening to discover four common self-sabotaging habits that keep business owners from the revenue and success they want and deserve. 1. Wasting Time on Low-Payoff Tasks As the business owner, you are a valuable piece of the revenue-generating and business development puzzle. If you are sitting at a desk spending the majority of your time on low-payoff tasks, you don’t have the time to focus upon the most important part of your business: generating revenue. Would you hire a $100-an-hour team member to do a $20-an-hour task? Not likely. This is the same reasoning behind why you shouldn’t be the company bookkeeper or receptionist. (This is not to say that these tasks are not important, but they are not directly related to driving immediate revenue; hence, they are low-payoff tasks). Your sole focus should be upon the high-payoff tasks, aka. the revenue-generating tasks. All low-payoff tasks should be completely removed from your schedule and delegated to a virtual assistant or team member so you can focus your energy on the high-payoff tasks. TIP: Doing low payoff activities are what I call revenue generating avoidance activities. You may not like doing some revenue generation and business development activities, but you may be the best and maybe the only person to do it and get it done. 2. Ignoring High-Payoff Tasks Do you know what you need to be doing to boost revenue - but you’re not doing it or doing it on a consistent basis? Perhaps the fear of doing tasks outside your comfort zone is stopping you from doing the very thing that will make all the difference in your business revenue and ultimate success? Let’s be clear: if you own your own business, you must become very astute at recognizing, and completing, the high-payoff tasks or you will soon be out of business. Let’s say you’re the creative genius type; the sales part of your business isn’t your thing. You could hire a sales team to help drive in some sales, but at some point you’re going to have to tackle the very thing that scares you. It takes courage to step out of your comfort zone and conquer the things that scare you, but you can do it. To help conquer the fear, focus on the process of learning how to master your craft. Just as you mastered the creative genius, you can master the business development and revenue generation, too. TIP: Mastering your high-payoff tasks is more important than you think because once you master the high-payoff tasks; you are in a much higher probability position to achieve your goals in the time frame you have set. 3. Lacking Intimate Knowledge of Your Business In this case, ignorance is not bliss. In order to create a successful, profitable business, you must have intimate knowledge of your business (including where the majority of your revenue originates or could originate). If you don’t - you’re going to continue to struggle with generating the level of revenue you want and deserve. Get to know your business as intimately as you would a partner, learning its quirks, perks, strengths and weaknesses. Accentuate the strengths, while committing to work on the weaknesses. Commit to continual learning so you are on top of potential opportunities. Technology advancements move fast and you need to keep up to stay in the game. TIP: Think of your business as a valuable partner: the more you know about it, the better you can maintain a healthy relationship. Explore what makes it tick, where it could use some extra help or counseling, and com