Wheel of Life Podcast: Business|Productivity|Accountability

There’s no doubt about it, handling negative client feedback can be downright uncomfortable. No one likes to listen to complaints and no one wants to be criticized or rejected by anyone; even by a client. We’re human; it stings when we fall short of a goal or when we don’t receive the approval we crave. But what if you could get past the discomfort of negative client feedback to discover the benefits that will make your business even better? Okay, let’s get to the 6 Ways Negative Client Feedback Makes Your Business Better… Way #1. It Shows You’re Committed to Your Clients Dealing with less than glowing client feedback, head on and objectively, shows you are committed to ensuring your clients have a positive experience. It’s this commitment to serve them to the best of your ability that attracts more clients. When you’re committed to your clients, they’re committed to your business. Way #2. It’s Not Personal; It’s Perception Instead of getting defensive about what went wrong in the client experience, you learn that it doesn’t have anything to do with you. Negative client feedback isn’t a reflection of how you failed or fell short; rather it’s a reflection on the client’s perception of the experience. Client perception is everything. When you can identify the breakdown in the process that changed the client’s perception from positive to negative, you just identified the kink in the system. Remove the kink, improve the system, change the perception. Way #3. Find Out What They Want When a client offers feedback (negative or positive) it’s a prime opportunity to learn what they really want. When Ideal Clients offer less than favorable feedback, identify what they really want - and deliver it. One word of caution: don’t go changing effective policy to please just one. The goal here is to pay attention to the feedback you receive from Ideal Clients - because they are your target market. Receive all feedback with an open mind, keeping in mind that your goal is to serve Ideal Clients to the best of your ability. Way #4. Brainstorm Creative Solutions Client feedback also allows a “springboard” from which creative solutions can be brainstormed. Don’t be afraid to be innovative and forward-thinking. If an Ideal Client is seeking a service or product that you’re not currently offering (and it will attract more Ideal Clients) - how can you implement it? Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean there isn’t a way to effectively do it. Listening to what your clients want and need is an invitation to get creative and implement innovative products and services that will serve your clients and grow your business. Way #5. Solicit Client Feedback Before Launching New Products & Services It happens every day; businesses all over the world solicit client feedback before expending time and money on new product and service launches. Instead of waiting for negative client feedback, ask them what they think about new products and/or service ideas. Send out a quick survey that takes no more than a few moments to complete - with an incentive for filling it out. Here are a few examples: • free PDF of an upcoming book (either the entire book or free chapter) • free online access to beta-product or program (full or limited access) • free digital download of a beta-product • discounted or early-bird pricing on a beta-product or program Way #6. Make it Easy for Clients to Submit Feedback Clients can spot a reluctant client-feedback business from a mile away - and it instantly reduces the trust factor. As you well know, when you lose the trust of your clients - you lose business. Make it easy for them to submit feedback by providing contact information that’s easily visible on your business cards, website and marketing materials. You’ll likely find when you provide an easily-accessible feedback system the amount of positive feedback increases. Some firms utilize a board of existing ideal clients to regularly provide feedback and ideas.

There’s no doubt about it, handling negative client feedback can be downright uncomfortable. No one likes to listen to complaints and no one wants to be criticized or rejected by anyone; even by a client. We’re human; it stings when we fall short of a goal or when we don’t receive the approval we crave. But what if you could get past the discomfort of negative client feedback to discover the benefits that will make your business even better? Okay, let’s get to the 6 Ways Negative Client Feedback Makes Your Business Better… Way #1. It Shows You’re Committed to Your Clients Dealing with less than glowing client feedback, head on and objectively, shows you are committed to ensuring your clients have a positive experience. It’s this commitment to serve them to the best of your ability that attracts more clients. When you’re committed to your clients, they’re committed to your business. Way #2. It’s Not Personal; It’s Perception Instead of getting defensive about what went wrong in the client experience, you learn that it doesn’t have anything to do with you. Negative client feedback isn’t a reflection of how you failed or fell short; rather it’s a reflection on the client’s perception of the experience. Client perception is everything. When you can identify the breakdown in the process that changed the client’s perception from positive to negative, you just identified the kink in the system. Remove the kink, improve the system, change the perception. Way #3. Find Out What They Want When a client offers feedback (negative or positive) it’s a prime opportunity to learn what they really want. When Ideal Clients offer less than favorable feedback, identify what they really want - and deliver it. One word of caution: don’t go changing effective policy to please just one. The goal here is to pay attention to the feedback you receive from Ideal Clients - because they are your target market. Receive all feedback with an open mind, keeping in mind that your goal is to serve Ideal Clients to the best of your ability. Way #4. Brainstorm Creative Solutions Client feedback also allows a “springboard” from which creative solutions can be brainstormed. Don’t be afraid to be innovative and forward-thinking. If an Ideal Client is seeking a service or product that you’re not currently offering (and it will attract more Ideal Clients) - how can you implement it? Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean there isn’t a way to effectively do it. Listening to what your clients want and need is an invitation to get creative and implement innovative products and services that will serve your clients and grow your business. Way #5. Solicit Client Feedback Before Launching New Products & Services It happens every day; businesses all over the world solicit client feedback before expending time and money on new product and service launches. Instead of waiting for negative client feedback, ask them what they think about new products and/or service ideas. Send out a quick survey that takes no more than a few moments to complete - with an incentive for filling it out. Here are a few examples: • free PDF of an upcoming book (either the entire book or free chapter) • free online access to beta-product or program (full or limited access) • free digital download of a beta-product • discounted or early-bird pricing on a beta-product or program Way #6. Make it Easy for Clients to Submit Feedback Clients can spot a reluctant client-feedback business from a mile away - and it instantly reduces the trust factor. As you well know, when you lose the trust of your clients - you lose business. Make it easy for them to submit feedback by providing contact information that’s easily visible on your business cards, website and marketing materials. You’ll likely find when you provide an easily-accessible feedback system the amount of positive feedback increases. Some firms utilize a board of existing ideal clients to regularly provide feedback and ideas.

What got you to where you are today probably isn’t going to be what takes you to where you ultimately want to go. Those thoughts, actions, activities have to change to move you even closer to your future goals. In working with my clients over the years, I originally found that most of them had no idea who was paying them how much money each year. You want to know this for many reasons. Simply put, make a list of all your clients in order of who pays you the most money to the least on an annual basis. To make it easier for you, feel free to modify my Annual Recurring Revenue Exercise excel spreadsheet sample to help you know who is paying you how much each year and who you want to replicate by asking for referrals/introductions from the top of the list. To download my complimentary Annual Recurring Revenue Exercise, so you know exactly what your recurring revenue is for your clients every year, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/annual-recurring-revenue-exercise/ 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™ 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. 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 Business professionals and entrepreneurs who utilize my proven business-success systems make more money, work less, and enjoy better work life balance. Get your daily Accountability Minute shot of a single, simple, doable idea, so you can start your day off on the "right foot", subscribe to it based on your country. The Accountability Minute on Amazon's Alexa in the USA: https://www.amazon.com/Accountability-Minute-Anne-Bachrach/dp/B07F5H2KGB The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Canada: https://amzn.to/2MpvUmx The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Australia: https://amzn.to/2vQqI4i The Accountability Minute on Alexa in UK: https://amzn.to/2MayU9v If you don't have Alexa, Google Home (on Google Play Music), or Apple HomePod, you can subscribe to The Accountability Minute on iTunes by going to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/accountability-minute-business-acceleration-productivity/id1406492556. Get your daily fix for starting out your day right. Author of Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule, Live Life with No Regrets, No Excuses, and the Work Life Balance Emergency Kit, The Roadmap To Success with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard, and more.

What got you to where you are today probably isn’t going to be what takes you to where you ultimately want to go. Those thoughts, actions, activities have to change to move you even closer to your future goals. In working with my clients over the years, I originally found that most of them had no idea who was paying them how much money each year. You want to know this for many reasons. Simply put, make a list of all your clients in order of who pays you the most money to the least on an annual basis. To make it easier for you, feel free to modify my Annual Recurring Revenue Exercise excel spreadsheet sample to help you know who is paying you how much each year and who you want to replicate by asking for referrals/introductions from the top of the list. To download my complimentary Annual Recurring Revenue Exercise, so you know exactly what your recurring revenue is for your clients every year, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/annual-recurring-revenue-exercise/ 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™ 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. 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 Business professionals and entrepreneurs who utilize my proven business-success systems make more money, work less, and enjoy better work life balance. Get your daily Accountability Minute shot of a single, simple, doable idea, so you can start your day off on the "right foot", subscribe to it based on your country. The Accountability Minute on Amazon's Alexa in the USA: https://www.amazon.com/Accountability-Minute-Anne-Bachrach/dp/B07F5H2KGB The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Canada: https://amzn.to/2MpvUmx The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Australia: https://amzn.to/2vQqI4i The Accountability Minute on Alexa in UK: https://amzn.to/2MayU9v If you don't have Alexa, Google Home (on Google Play Music), or Apple HomePod, you can subscribe to The Accountability Minute on iTunes by going to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/accountability-minute-business-acceleration-productivity/id1406492556. Get your daily fix for starting out your day right. Author of Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule, Live Life with No Regrets, No Excuses, and the Work Life Balance Emergency Kit, The Roadmap To Success with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard, and more.

Today we are going to talk about 9 Tips for Inspiring Referrals. Getting new clients can be one of the biggest challenges in building a business; however, leveraging the power of referrals can dramatically reduce the expense and energy of building your client base. Many businesses focus on the externals of inspiring referrals, so we’re going to focus on the internals. As you know, you are the hub of your business - it can only be successful to the extent you are willing to grow and learn. Before you can inspire referrals, it’s important to get clear on the basics: Tip #1: Get Clear and Focused Ever run into someone at a networking event who seems confused or vague about what they do? They’re either not clear (or can’t convey) on what exactly they do or whom exactly they can help. Before you can inspire referrals, you must get very clear and focused about what you specifically do and for whom. Tip #2: Establish Expertise You don’t have to be the best in the industry; you have to be the best at what you do. Establishing expertise is much easier when you focus on doing what you do best. Find that thing you do that no one else does and leverage it by marketing it when you ask for referrals. Tip #3: Know Who You Love Working With To spark inspiration in others, you must be authentically passionate about whom you love to help. When you love your clients, the passion will show in your dialog and expressions, inspiring others to refer clients. Would you rather refer clients to someone who appears drab and bored with their business - or someone who appears genuine, passionate and capable? Tip #4: Know Your Ideal Clients In order to serve your clients to the best of your ability, you must know them - inside and out. What drives their passion or purpose? What makes them tick? What are their biggest challenges? How do you specifically solve them? How do they spend their leisure time? When you know your ideal clients, and can authentically relate to them, it’s easier to describe them to the network connections that can send you referrals. The idea here is to grasp a broad snapshot of your ideal clients. Tip #5: Describe Your Ideal Clients in 10 Words or Less A unique, genuine and concise client description will inspire referrals. Knowing your clients on the deepest level (as we discussed in tip #4) is only one part of the process; the other is being able to clearly and concisely describe them. Follow this 4-Step Exercise to create a unique and genuine description: 1) List the most noticeable qualities of your ideal clients (qualities that anyone who knows your ideal client will easily recognize). 2) List the qualities you love about your ideal clients. 3) List specific problems of your clients that you solve with your expertise. 4) Finally, bring it all together by circling keywords from each list (1 through 3) and creating an Ideal Client Description in 10 words or less. An online resource and exercise to help you create or update your Ideal Client Profile is available at https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/. This exercise and many other resources are available under the free Silver Membership. Use this online exercise to help you get clarity. Tip #6: Make the Referral Process Easy Make it easy for people to refer clients to you by creating a system that manages and tracks your referrals. It doesn’t have to be technologically advanced; it just has to be a reliable system that is followed every time. Whether the referral process is tracked manually or by software, the important thing to remember is to keep the process easy. Make it easy for people to send you referrals - make it easy to payout their referral fee, if there is one. The key is that the system is easy, consistent and reliable. To download my complimentary referral tracking spreadsheet and help you increase your revenue, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/referral-tracking-workbook/. Tip #7: Consider an Automated Refe

Today we are going to talk about 9 Tips for Inspiring Referrals. Getting new clients can be one of the biggest challenges in building a business; however, leveraging the power of referrals can dramatically reduce the expense and energy of building your client base. Many businesses focus on the externals of inspiring referrals, so we’re going to focus on the internals. As you know, you are the hub of your business - it can only be successful to the extent you are willing to grow and learn. Before you can inspire referrals, it’s important to get clear on the basics: Tip #1: Get Clear and Focused Ever run into someone at a networking event who seems confused or vague about what they do? They’re either not clear (or can’t convey) on what exactly they do or whom exactly they can help. Before you can inspire referrals, you must get very clear and focused about what you specifically do and for whom. Tip #2: Establish Expertise You don’t have to be the best in the industry; you have to be the best at what you do. Establishing expertise is much easier when you focus on doing what you do best. Find that thing you do that no one else does and leverage it by marketing it when you ask for referrals. Tip #3: Know Who You Love Working With To spark inspiration in others, you must be authentically passionate about whom you love to help. When you love your clients, the passion will show in your dialog and expressions, inspiring others to refer clients. Would you rather refer clients to someone who appears drab and bored with their business - or someone who appears genuine, passionate and capable? Tip #4: Know Your Ideal Clients In order to serve your clients to the best of your ability, you must know them - inside and out. What drives their passion or purpose? What makes them tick? What are their biggest challenges? How do you specifically solve them? How do they spend their leisure time? When you know your ideal clients, and can authentically relate to them, it’s easier to describe them to the network connections that can send you referrals. The idea here is to grasp a broad snapshot of your ideal clients. Tip #5: Describe Your Ideal Clients in 10 Words or Less A unique, genuine and concise client description will inspire referrals. Knowing your clients on the deepest level (as we discussed in tip #4) is only one part of the process; the other is being able to clearly and concisely describe them. Follow this 4-Step Exercise to create a unique and genuine description: 1) List the most noticeable qualities of your ideal clients (qualities that anyone who knows your ideal client will easily recognize). 2) List the qualities you love about your ideal clients. 3) List specific problems of your clients that you solve with your expertise. 4) Finally, bring it all together by circling keywords from each list (1 through 3) and creating an Ideal Client Description in 10 words or less. An online resource and exercise to help you create or update your Ideal Client Profile is available at https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/. This exercise and many other resources are available under the free Silver Membership. Use this online exercise to help you get clarity. Tip #6: Make the Referral Process Easy Make it easy for people to refer clients to you by creating a system that manages and tracks your referrals. It doesn’t have to be technologically advanced; it just has to be a reliable system that is followed every time. Whether the referral process is tracked manually or by software, the important thing to remember is to keep the process easy. Make it easy for people to send you referrals - make it easy to payout their referral fee, if there is one. The key is that the system is easy, consistent and reliable. To download my complimentary referral tracking spreadsheet and help you increase your revenue, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/referral-tracking-workbook/. Tip #7: Consider an Automated Refe

Today we are going to talk about The Pros vs Cons Exercise – Free Download Page Have you ever had a time when you needed to make a decision but weren’t exactly sure what to do? Well, when this occurs and you aren’t sure about what decision you should make, you might want to consider the old fashion Pros and Cons list. Using this exercise will help when you are trying to decide whether to do something that can have an impact on your life, personally and professionally. Your ‘gut’ may still have a say in what you choose to do in the end. Do you have a project, decision, or issue to resolve? To download my complimentary Pros versus Cons Exercise, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/pros-vs-cons-exercise/. This document can easily be modified to be of value to you. If you are getting value from any of The Accountability Minute messages, please take a number 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. 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! 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 Get your daily Accountability Minute shot of a single, simple, doable idea, so you can start your day off on the "right foot", subscribe to it based on your country. The Accountability Minute on Amazon's Alexa in the USA: https://www.amazon.com/Accountability-Minute-Anne-Bachrach/dp/B07F5H2KGB The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Canada: https://amzn.to/2MpvUmx The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Australia: https://amzn.to/2vQqI4i The Accountability Minute on Alexa in UK: https://amzn.to/2MayU9v If you don't have Alexa, Google Home (on Google Play Music), or Apple HomePod, you can subscribe to The Accountability Minute on iTunes by going to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/accountability-minute-business-acceleration-productivity/id1406492556. Get your daily fix for starting out your day right. Business professionals and entrepreneurs who utilize my proven business-success systems make more money, work less, and enjoy better work life balance. Author of Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule, Live Life with No Regrets, No Excuses, and the Work Life Balance Emergency Kit, The Roadmap To Success with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard, and more.

Today we are going to talk about The Pros vs Cons Exercise – Free Download Page Have you ever had a time when you needed to make a decision but weren’t exactly sure what to do? Well, when this occurs and you aren’t sure about what decision you should make, you might want to consider the old fashion Pros and Cons list. Using this exercise will help when you are trying to decide whether to do something that can have an impact on your life, personally and professionally. Your ‘gut’ may still have a say in what you choose to do in the end. Do you have a project, decision, or issue to resolve? To download my complimentary Pros versus Cons Exercise, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/pros-vs-cons-exercise/. This document can easily be modified to be of value to you. If you are getting value from any of The Accountability Minute messages, please take a number 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. 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! 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 Get your daily Accountability Minute shot of a single, simple, doable idea, so you can start your day off on the "right foot", subscribe to it based on your country. The Accountability Minute on Amazon's Alexa in the USA: https://www.amazon.com/Accountability-Minute-Anne-Bachrach/dp/B07F5H2KGB The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Canada: https://amzn.to/2MpvUmx The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Australia: https://amzn.to/2vQqI4i The Accountability Minute on Alexa in UK: https://amzn.to/2MayU9v If you don't have Alexa, Google Home (on Google Play Music), or Apple HomePod, you can subscribe to The Accountability Minute on iTunes by going to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/accountability-minute-business-acceleration-productivity/id1406492556. Get your daily fix for starting out your day right. Business professionals and entrepreneurs who utilize my proven business-success systems make more money, work less, and enjoy better work life balance. Author of Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule, Live Life with No Regrets, No Excuses, and the Work Life Balance Emergency Kit, The Roadmap To Success with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard, and more.

Today we are going to talk about 5 Questions to Ask When You’re Not Motivated to Achieve Your Goals. 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? We are going to talk about the 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,

Today we are going to talk about 5 Questions to Ask When You’re Not Motivated to Achieve Your Goals. 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? We are going to talk about the 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,

We’ve all been there before…we find a goal that inspires us, and we commit to doing the work…until life derails us. Whether it was that vacation, your assistant suddenly quits, or death in the family, the truth is life sometimes distracts us from our goals. Dealing with the disruption is one thing, getting back on track can be another. Here we go with the 4 tips for sticking to your goals and getting back on track. Tip #1: Focus on the Reward - Not the Work Wise sages advise us to “be in the moment,” but let’s face it - you don’t always feel like running that last mile. You’re human; sometimes you lose your motivation in the middle of having to “do the work.” If you’re losing your motivation, switch your focus on the reward. Focus on the good feelings of having accomplished your goal and how much easier it will be the next time because you will have broken through another limiting belief. “We only learn our limits by going beyond them.” ~Unknown Tip #2: The Have-To’s Sometimes Turn into the Want-To’s The work involved with achieving goals can feel like a “have-to” in the beginning, but they often turn into a “want-to” by the end of the process. They become a positive habit - a healthy way of being - while the work part eventually melts away. This happens because it’s not always about the end result - it’s about the person you become as a result of the process. When you learn a new way of living - a way of living that better represents and supports your true potential - things that used to be a “have-to” transform into a “want-to.” “Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you.” ~Charles A. Jaffe Tip #3: It’s Who You Become in the Process The person you woke up as today may not be the same person you wake up as tomorrow - or the day after that - or next week - or ten years from now. While it’s impossible to predict exactly who you’ll be in the future, it’s a safe bet that you will not be the exact same person. Life is a process of constant change and transformation. Each day we learn more about ourselves, which results in greater clarity of our true desires. The path between where we are and where we want to be becomes more clear and focused, creating a deep and focused desire to see the process through. Setting goals - and the work involved with achieving them - is not so much about the end result, as much as a deep, and often indefinable, desire to fulfill our greatest potential. To grow - to expand - to become all that we can be. The person you end up becoming by the end of a journey (the process of goal setting and achieving is most definitely a journey!) is not the same person who started the journey. Achieving goals teaches you that you had what it took to achieve something you maybe weren’t sure you could, in the beginning. The process teaches you that you had more than you thought: more guts, more stamina, more determination, more commitment, more skill. The process shifts your perceptions, increases your self-esteem, confidence, and uplevels your mindset - all of which changes how you feel about the ‘work.’ “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." ~Zig Ziglar Tip #4: Do You Want To Start Over Again? When you realize that each decision could carry a consequence, you can begin to make better decisions. If you spend energy and time doing the work, it doesn’t take too much “undoing” or “starting again” before you discover you do not want to do something twice or three times if you only have to do it once. We see this time and time again in people who unconsciously (sometimes consciously) sabotage their hard work. They take two steps forward - then three steps back. They go to the gym only to go home and over-indulge in a bowl of ice cream. They run five miles each day for two weeks only to spend the next six months being sedentary. They quit smoking for one week only to avoid kicking the habit for another year. When you realize th

We’ve all been there before…we find a goal that inspires us, and we commit to doing the work…until life derails us. Whether it was that vacation, your assistant suddenly quits, or death in the family, the truth is life sometimes distracts us from our goals. Dealing with the disruption is one thing, getting back on track can be another. Here we go with the 4 tips for sticking to your goals and getting back on track. Tip #1: Focus on the Reward - Not the Work Wise sages advise us to “be in the moment,” but let’s face it - you don’t always feel like running that last mile. You’re human; sometimes you lose your motivation in the middle of having to “do the work.” If you’re losing your motivation, switch your focus on the reward. Focus on the good feelings of having accomplished your goal and how much easier it will be the next time because you will have broken through another limiting belief. “We only learn our limits by going beyond them.” ~Unknown Tip #2: The Have-To’s Sometimes Turn into the Want-To’s The work involved with achieving goals can feel like a “have-to” in the beginning, but they often turn into a “want-to” by the end of the process. They become a positive habit - a healthy way of being - while the work part eventually melts away. This happens because it’s not always about the end result - it’s about the person you become as a result of the process. When you learn a new way of living - a way of living that better represents and supports your true potential - things that used to be a “have-to” transform into a “want-to.” “Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you.” ~Charles A. Jaffe Tip #3: It’s Who You Become in the Process The person you woke up as today may not be the same person you wake up as tomorrow - or the day after that - or next week - or ten years from now. While it’s impossible to predict exactly who you’ll be in the future, it’s a safe bet that you will not be the exact same person. Life is a process of constant change and transformation. Each day we learn more about ourselves, which results in greater clarity of our true desires. The path between where we are and where we want to be becomes more clear and focused, creating a deep and focused desire to see the process through. Setting goals - and the work involved with achieving them - is not so much about the end result, as much as a deep, and often indefinable, desire to fulfill our greatest potential. To grow - to expand - to become all that we can be. The person you end up becoming by the end of a journey (the process of goal setting and achieving is most definitely a journey!) is not the same person who started the journey. Achieving goals teaches you that you had what it took to achieve something you maybe weren’t sure you could, in the beginning. The process teaches you that you had more than you thought: more guts, more stamina, more determination, more commitment, more skill. The process shifts your perceptions, increases your self-esteem, confidence, and uplevels your mindset - all of which changes how you feel about the ‘work.’ “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." ~Zig Ziglar Tip #4: Do You Want To Start Over Again? When you realize that each decision could carry a consequence, you can begin to make better decisions. If you spend energy and time doing the work, it doesn’t take too much “undoing” or “starting again” before you discover you do not want to do something twice or three times if you only have to do it once. We see this time and time again in people who unconsciously (sometimes consciously) sabotage their hard work. They take two steps forward - then three steps back. They go to the gym only to go home and over-indulge in a bowl of ice cream. They run five miles each day for two weeks only to spend the next six months being sedentary. They quit smoking for one week only to avoid kicking the habit for another year. When you realize th

Maintaining balance when the demands of work and life are pulling you in different directions can be a bit challenging at times. What’s at the heart of finding balance in your life? Peace, happiness, rest, health? The definition of balance is different for everyone: What may be balance to me may not be balance to you; which is why it’s important to get to the heart of what’s uniquely important in your life. Let’s talk about 14 tips for maintaining work/life balance. 1. Identify Your Core Values (what is truly important to you in life) Above all, honoring your core values is vital to maintaining a sense of balance because it directly affects your quality of life. Identify your core values and make the necessary life/work changes that honor them, so you can enjoy the kind of life you truly want and deserve. To help you identify your core values, you will find an effective exercise in the No Excuses Program (located in the Store at https://www.AccountabilityCoach.com). 2. Know Your Priorities – and Schedule Them If it’s really important, it must be scheduled. As I often say, honor thy calendar. Work and family are not the only important priorities, so be sure to schedule “you” time where you can to refuel, rejuvenate and tend to your own health and well-being. I believe that in order to stay focused on your high payoff activities and achieve your goals you must schedule everything on your calendar. 3. Establish a Home Office If you struggle with traveling to and from an office away from home, save time and get even more done by establishing a home office. Word of caution: it can be easy to get distracted by personal matters and family members when working from home, so set clear “office hours” where you can focus on work and will not be disturbed. Certainly, working virtually is much more common today than it used to be. 4. Work Remotely 1-2 Days per Week If you work best outdoors or in your favorite peaceful environment, schedule “remote” days where you can head to your favorite destination to brainstorm new business ideas or boost production. 5. Reduce Your Expenses It’s easy to get caught up in all the “doing” of life, only to lose track of how much you have to do to keep up with all the “having.” Look around you and ask, “Do I really want or need that _________?” If it’s a financial burden, and provides little or no fulfillment or return, it’s time to dump or downsize. When you don’t have to keep up with all the “having,” you can reduce the “doing” time and be even more profitable. 6. Raise Your Prices As an entrepreneur, raising your prices is one of the easiest and fastest ways to find more life/work balance. It’s pretty simple; when you’re generating more revenue, you have more of an opportunity to work less. Always make sure the value you provide exceeds the price you are charging (perceived value can be different for different people). Increasing value doesn’t mean adding more work time. There are many ways to increase value without adding your time to the equation. 7. Request a Salary Increase As a small business owner, you can always give yourself a raise, assuming there is enough profit in the business. Do the math and make sure the numbers work and give yourself that well-deserved salary increase. 8. Outsource Domestic Chores If domestic chores aren’t your cup of tea – consider delegating them. Unless household chores bring you a sense of pleasure or satisfaction, there is simply no reason to spend your valuable time tending to them. Remember, the name of the game is finding life and work balance. Hiring domestic help is an easy solution to finding more balance. Typically this is a good investment in your life. 9. Hire Personal or Professional Support Success requires assertiveness, and as a successful professional you’re likely to be effective at getting things done. But are you trying to do it all? Are you still doing too much of the low payoff activities yourself? Hiring a personal or professi

Maintaining balance when the demands of work and life are pulling you in different directions can be a bit challenging at times. What’s at the heart of finding balance in your life? Peace, happiness, rest, health? The definition of balance is different for everyone: What may be balance to me may not be balance to you; which is why it’s important to get to the heart of what’s uniquely important in your life. Let’s talk about 14 tips for maintaining work/life balance. 1. Identify Your Core Values (what is truly important to you in life) Above all, honoring your core values is vital to maintaining a sense of balance because it directly affects your quality of life. Identify your core values and make the necessary life/work changes that honor them, so you can enjoy the kind of life you truly want and deserve. To help you identify your core values, you will find an effective exercise in the No Excuses Program (located in the Store at https://www.AccountabilityCoach.com). 2. Know Your Priorities – and Schedule Them If it’s really important, it must be scheduled. As I often say, honor thy calendar. Work and family are not the only important priorities, so be sure to schedule “you” time where you can to refuel, rejuvenate and tend to your own health and well-being. I believe that in order to stay focused on your high payoff activities and achieve your goals you must schedule everything on your calendar. 3. Establish a Home Office If you struggle with traveling to and from an office away from home, save time and get even more done by establishing a home office. Word of caution: it can be easy to get distracted by personal matters and family members when working from home, so set clear “office hours” where you can focus on work and will not be disturbed. Certainly, working virtually is much more common today than it used to be. 4. Work Remotely 1-2 Days per Week If you work best outdoors or in your favorite peaceful environment, schedule “remote” days where you can head to your favorite destination to brainstorm new business ideas or boost production. 5. Reduce Your Expenses It’s easy to get caught up in all the “doing” of life, only to lose track of how much you have to do to keep up with all the “having.” Look around you and ask, “Do I really want or need that _________?” If it’s a financial burden, and provides little or no fulfillment or return, it’s time to dump or downsize. When you don’t have to keep up with all the “having,” you can reduce the “doing” time and be even more profitable. 6. Raise Your Prices As an entrepreneur, raising your prices is one of the easiest and fastest ways to find more life/work balance. It’s pretty simple; when you’re generating more revenue, you have more of an opportunity to work less. Always make sure the value you provide exceeds the price you are charging (perceived value can be different for different people). Increasing value doesn’t mean adding more work time. There are many ways to increase value without adding your time to the equation. 7. Request a Salary Increase As a small business owner, you can always give yourself a raise, assuming there is enough profit in the business. Do the math and make sure the numbers work and give yourself that well-deserved salary increase. 8. Outsource Domestic Chores If domestic chores aren’t your cup of tea – consider delegating them. Unless household chores bring you a sense of pleasure or satisfaction, there is simply no reason to spend your valuable time tending to them. Remember, the name of the game is finding life and work balance. Hiring domestic help is an easy solution to finding more balance. Typically this is a good investment in your life. 9. Hire Personal or Professional Support Success requires assertiveness, and as a successful professional you’re likely to be effective at getting things done. But are you trying to do it all? Are you still doing too much of the low payoff activities yourself? Hiring a personal or professi

The time to implement a strategy is now! The Leaders role in strategy making: We all have a voice in strategy-making, as well as greater latitude to respond opportunistically to developing conditions. In the past, strategic thinking was generally reserved to closed-door meetings with upper management. This method employs feedback with lower-level management, who has direct contact with employees and clients. Strategy making: Sees strategy and change as inescapably linked and assumes that finding new strategic options and implementing them successfully is harder and more important than evaluating them. This rule puts ideas into action and places the importance of the application rather than extensive and time-consuming evaluation before action. Change is happening all the time, so the time to implement the strategy is now – not later – so you can capitalize on the benefits. Applying Strategic Thinking practices to your business will accelerate your success by allowing a crystal clear focus to drive daily tasks - for you and your team. To download a complimentary copy of a strategic thinking model, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/strategic-thinking-model/. This document can easily be modified to be of value to you and everyone on your team. If you do get value from these Podcasts, please take a minute to leave me a short review. It is very much appreciated. To obtain high-content business success webinars, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/free-articles/free-webinars/ and hover over the Free Articles tab at the top of the page and you can see FREE WEBINARS. Review the options and pick the ones that will best help you be even more successful and download and implement those concepts. Remember to Join the Silver Inner Circle if you haven’t done so yet. IT’S FREE! You will 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! 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/) or Subscribe to my blog on Kindle and receive business success tips https://www.amazon.com/The-Accountability-Coach/dp/B003JBHR4Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1315931264&sr=1-1 - Anne’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheAccountabilityCoach) - Anne’s Linked-in page https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebachrach Business professionals and entrepreneurs who utilize Anne Bachrach’s proven business-success systems make more money, work less, and enjoy better work life balance. Author of Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule, Live Life with No Regrets, No Excuses, and the Work Life Balance Emergency Kit. Get your audio copy today.