The Accountability Coach: Business Acceleration|Productivity

Today we are talking about ideas to apply effective time management principles to help you be even more success. One of the success principles of any successful person is effective time management. In order to create your ideal life and business, you must learn to schedule EVERYTHING (even showers initially, eating, drive time, working out, family time, etc.) and be extremely effective at time management. If you are like me, you think you can get done more than you actually can, so you run out of time to get everything done you put on your list. For me, this isn’t a good feeling, especially if it were to happen day after day. When you begin to calendar your activities, take a look at everything you have to do and how long you think it will take to get each one done and then add “cushion” time to each activity. I haven’t been able to come up with a rule of them for how much extra time should be given to each activity. It is dependent on you and the activity. You may have to explore in the beginning to figure out what works best for you based on how well you estimated the initial time for each activity. If you actually do finish the activity before the time you allotted, you have the gift of time to move on to the next activity. Put everything on your calendar. In time, you will become better at how much time you actually need for each activity. You want to also make sure to include buffer time for something that has a deadline. Say you have to submit a proposal to a prospective client by a certain date. In order to have it done, you determine approximately how much time you think it will take to create the proposal and then add a bit of time to that total. You then give yourself a deadline for completion that is 2 or 3 days before the actual ‘drop dead’ deadline. This means that if you have issues and unforeseen things that occur, you still will complete it by the actual deadline date. This works well when you have to rely on others to help you get something done. If you get it done early, all the better for you and what impression it will make with the prospective client. You may have to go through trial and error on a schedule until you find optimal results. Some people are early birds and will tackle certain tasks first thing, while others will find they are more effective in the afternoon. Just be sure to schedule tasks when they can be achieved with the greatest efficiency and outcome. Calendaring your activities will also allow you to identify similar activities that can be completed together. If you have several activities that are the same type of activity, do them all at the same time. For example, you would do certain types of calls all at the same time, interview potential clients, conduct annual meetings with clients, etc. For lower-payoff activities like administrative duties and email, specify during certain times in the day they will be completed. When you don’t continually have to change ‘hats’ while working on the activities required to achieve your goals, you will save a lot of time and mental energy. What are the highest payoff activities you can do to achieve your goals in the timeframe you have set? You want to make sure you spend more of your time on these activities versus other lower payoff activities. Work on those activities that produce the results you want and not the ones that might be easier to do or more fun or don’t cause you to go outside your comfort zone. You may go so far, while at work, to say that you only take calls from clients during certain times in order to maximize your efficiency. To honor your calendar, ask them if it would be okay to call them back within 24 hours – or ideally schedule a time when you can speak to them so you don’t play phone tag (that is a big waste of time). Color-coding your activities could also help for a “quick-at-a-glance” reminder. The important part of time management is first to put all your activities on the calendar and

As a busy working mom and wife, Tameika Isaac Devine understands the challenges that can come with trying to excel both at home and at work. Tameika’s personal passion is in helping working moms conquer overwhelm in order to perform their best at work and at home. She is an advocate for women in leadership and speaks on work-life balance and integration, leadership and networking, along with politics and community engagement. Additionally, she has authored multiple books including, “Think Like A CEO, Act Like A Mom: The Pursuit of Work Life Integration” where she shares the perfect blend of sage advice and personal anecdotes to explain how working moms can truly have it all. Tameika is an elected official, attorney, and a leading expert and speaker on work-life integration for busy working moms and whose insights have been featured in CNN, MSNBC, Forbes, Jet Magazine, and more. Here are some questions I asked Tameika that you will benefit from by listening to her answers: • Describe your definition of work life integration? • Why is work life balance so important to each one of us? BENEFITS to us in our personal and business life? • Is Work Life balance achievable and if so, how do we achieve it? • How do you balance work and life responsibilities? • Why is it so hard for business owners to achieve that work life integration? • What are some of your favorite tips and strategies for achieving work life integration? • What would you say is the most important concept for people to understand and implement that you wrote about in your book, “Think Like A CEO, Act Like A Mom: The Pursuit of Work Life Integration”? Tameika offered a free consultation with her by going to www.adevinelife.com. Subscribe to my podcast to get notified every time a new episode is available. Define Core Values to Align Successful Behavior and Goals Free Exercise In order to successfully apply the principles and systems to help you experience even greater success, it is vital that you first identify your values, so you can then create behaviors that support your values. When there is conflict or a discrepancy between your values and behavior or goals, success is impossible. Your values are basically the “why” behind your goals. Values, Goals, and Behaviors must all be focused in the same direction for successful goal achievement, and when any one of them is out of alignment with the other, you will find yourself spinning your wheels. Your values will lead you in one direction, while your behavior leads you in a completely different direction, never allowing for your energies to complement each other. Download and complete my Values Clarification exercise to help you align your goals and behavior with your values, so that everything is heading in the same direction. When goals and behavior are aligned with core values, you have the winning formula for success. To download my complimentary 6-page Values Clarification Exercise to help get you started on defining and getting clarity on your core values, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/values-clarification/. This exercise can help you with your “Why”. The Pros vs Cons Free Exercise 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. Many of the choices you make are irreversible. Once you have made them, there is no turning back. The direction of your life could change from that moment on without you even realizing this fact. It usually takes a jolt for you to wake up to the power of choice. After you complete the exercise, consider what

Today we are talking about 4 Benefits of Embracing Change to Increase Business Success. You don’t need anyone to tell you that the world is undergoing many changes right now, that’s pretty obvious. What may not be so obvious is your ability to adapt to the changes that are necessary for your business to survive and thrive in the changing market. How do you set yourself up for success when global changes are affecting the future of your business? You find out where the change is headed and adapt to meet the demand. Hypothetically, you could resist changes in the market and stand stubbornly in your comfort zone. The major drawback to that would be that you would probably be sinking in quicksand – and taking your business with you. Embracing change is important for everyone to embrace. The ability to adapt to change, and even welcome it, is absolutely essential to the success of your business and life. What happens when you fight change? That’s pretty simple; instead of embracing change and adapting to it, you spent hours of energy fighting it – only to have to surrender to it in the end. The fight didn’t make it any easier, nor did it prevent the change from occurring. So why waste all the time and emotional energy to fight something that is inevitable? Let’s take a look at 4 things that can happen when you embrace change. 1. You may uncover a problem you didn’t know existed It’s easy to become complacent when things seem to be going well, and put the blinders on when everything around you is stuck in a rut. When you deal with the same pattern, over and over again, you lose perspective of what is working and what isn’t working. Continually having a healthy perspective and a finger on the pulse of your business is very valuable and important. As an entrepreneur, it is essential that you are running your business with the greatest efficiency and profit. If you don’t know what your big money maker is or if you’re marketing plan doesn’t have a successful ROI, you’ve got a problem. Research what drives other successful businesses and accomplishes the goals you have in sight. Identify what works and then copy that model to your own business. Change and improve what isn’t working and you’ll be setting your business up for success. In addition, take a forward-thinking approach to your industry to anticipate changes that can affect you, and be willing to change or adjust quickly if needed. 2. The easy part is integration and adaptation Many people resist change for the simple fact they are fearful of pain or the outcome. The truth is that once you get past the resistance, integration and adaptation are easy. As humans, we are inherently creative and that allows us to adapt much more easily than we presume upon first perception. Remind yourself that you will have a much tougher go at change if you choose to fight it. Embracing it merely employs your inherent ability to adapt to a changing environment. Apply that creativity to your business, and you’ll find that it is much more flexible than you initially thought. As an entrepreneur, you have an enormous advantage over larger organizations in your industry, simple because it is more difficult for them to change or adapt quickly. While large organizations are struggling to adjust quickly to meet unexpected change, you can use their lag time to your advantage, and make changes quickly, to increase revenue and gain positive exposure. 3. Make room for more success Your success only expands as far as you expand. Change allows you to grow and expand your perceptions, beliefs and performance – and that’s what you want because your success will come in direct proportion. In order to make room for the new, you must do away with the old. Look at embracing change as your opportunity to embrace the success you have always desired. Of course, you could also look at it another way. For every piece of resistance that you put up against change, you are also re

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sure, many entrepreneurs say they are committed to their success, but are they really? When it comes to commitment to your success, there has to be a “no excuses - no exception” rule to back it up. This rule is especially true for entrepreneurs, simply because there is no one to point the finger at should things not work out as planned. As an entrepreneur, you are the one holding the key to your success and no one, but you, can be held accountable. Once you make a commitment to something, there absolutely has to be a “no excuses - no exception” rule, because that is the only rule that separates the failures from the successes. Imagine what would happen if you were to commit to your success only 99% of the time: - 1% percent of your clients would be unhappy with your product or service and proceed to tell 10 of their friends. Those people would proceed to tell their friends they had a friend that had a bad experience. This could translate into dozens of lost clients and thousands in lost revenue. - 1% of your printed marketing materials (or online marketing material) were published with spelling and grammar errors. This has a devastating effect on any business with a poor perception from the public and potential clients. - 1% of the time you don’t answer your email from a prospective client within 24 hours. You respond a few days later, but learn they have taken their business to someone who responded promptly. See how much of a difference there is between 99% and 100% commitment? Although 1% doesn’t sound like much, reaching 100% commitment at every opportunity is not always easy. The only way to truly hold a reputation for commitment is by consistently demonstrating 100% to each and every task. Once genuine commitment is displayed, your success is inevitable. There are two rules when it comes to your success, and a sure-fire way to catapult your success, but they only work when you are 100% committed! Rule #1: 100% Commitment to Achieving your Goals There may be many opportunities for excuses and exceptions, but under no circumstance do you waver from what you truly desire. Ever. What do you do if your life doesn’t support your goal achievement? In all honesty, there’s no easy way around it - some changes will have to be made. Sometimes those changes are easy, and other times they’re not, especially when there are others to consider. This is no more true when you have a spouse/significant other and/or children. After all, every action you take has the potential to affect them. You may have to do some soul searching and find out if you can make changes that will allow you to commit to your goals, while doing the least amount of discomfort to those that will be directly affected. If you choose to commit to achieving your goals, do not settle for anything less. Rule #2: 100% Commitment to Never Ending Improvement The second key to your success, is committing to never ending improvement. You may be better than you were yesterday, but in no way are you better today than you will be tomorrow. Taking a humble approach to learning is one of the best ways to set yourself up for success. Use every action and reaction as an opportunity to learn how to do things better next time. In addition, surround yourself with as many positive role models as you can. Watch, listen and learn from successful entrepreneurs that have gone before you; what you learn can result in huge shifts in your perception and life. When you are facing obstacles or challenges, do not allow self-doubt, fear or frustration to sway your commitment. In fact, during these times, it is more important than ever to remind yourself why your goals are important to you. Reconnect with the emotions that are the driving force behind your goals and you’ll remember why you are taking the steps in the first place to make changes. Remember, your commitment to your success not only benefits you, but those around you, and the world as well.

If you’re working too hard and still not generating the revenue you desire, you may not be honoring your core values. These core values, when sacrificed, create disharmony, frustration, and struggle in your life and business. Honor your core values and you create flow, ease and success. Know your core values and adjust your business model accordingly. The key here is to learn from other successful business people, but put your own spin on it. When you honor your core values you’ll find a magic formula that allows you to work the way it works for you. In turn, your clients will be even better served. Go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/values-clarification/ and download a complimentary values clarification exercise to help you get clear on exactly what your values really are. Example: Let’s say freedom is one of your core values, yet you’re tied to a desk. Perhaps one of your core values is family, yet you need to work long hours to generate the revenue you need to support your family. It’s easy to see how ignoring the values most important to you can be the source of frustration or struggle. If you are getting value from any of Podcasts, please take a minute to leave me a short rating and review. I would really appreciate it, and love to hear from you and requests for topics you would find of value. Aim for what you want each and every day! Anne Bachrach The Accountability Coach™ The Results Accelerator™ To help you stay focused and on track to achieving your goals, check out these other high-value resources. - Subscribe to my YouTube channel with business success principles (https://www.youtube.com/annebachrach) - Subscribe to my high-value Blog (https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/blog/) - Anne’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheAccountabilityCoach) - Anne’s Linked-in page https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebachrach - Connect with me on Pinterest (https://pinterest.com/resultsrule/) - Connect with me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/annebachrach/) Take advantage of all the complimentary business tips and tools by joining the Free Silver Membership on https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/. Check out all the great free high-content training web classes, by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/free-articles/free-webinars/. Go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com to check out for yourself how I, as your Accountability Coach™, can help you get and stay focused on you highest payoff activities that put you in the highest probability position to achieve your professional and personal goals, so you can enjoy the kind of business and life you truly want and deserve. As an experienced accountability coach and author of 5 books, I help business professionals make more money, work less, and enjoy even better work life balance. Check out my proven business accelerator resources by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/. 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 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.

If there is one thing that holds the most power over your success, you can bet that it comes down to your beliefs. Before you even have the opportunity to consciously process the reason behind your actions, and the results those actions put in play, your beliefs are at work determining whether you are headed toward success or disaster. There are literally tens of thousands of actions you take daily (some consciously, most unconsciously), but do you know how those actions are affecting your success? You can probably think of at least one action that you have taken in the past that didn’t necessarily deliver the results you desired. With conscious awareness, you have the ability to examine and identify what went wrong, and what you could change to bring about a different result next time. This is an example of conscious awareness. But what about all those times you make unconscious decisions that bring about undesired results. How do you stop them from occurring? Let’s explore 6 tips for helping you master your beliefs and head for success. Tip #1 You are only as successful as your beliefs Are your beliefs supporting your success? The most definitive way to know whether your beliefs are leading to success or disaster is to examine what you say to yourself. Do you typically think to yourself that you will be successful or that there’s no use in trying, because it will never work. The nature of your belief system – positive or negative – will be the single greatest determining factor in your success, so you had better start thinking success. When the negative talk starts swirling in your head, just cancel it out – sweep it out – delete it. Focus on the positive (and what you really want) and remember that your success is completely dependent upon you and you alone. Although you can allow talk from those around you to negatively affect your progress, no one can prevent you from achieving your goals. The determining factor is always and only your ability to hold true to your belief in yourself. There is always a way, so take a “no-excuses” approach to achieving your goals and you will achieve them. The way isn’t necessarily apparent, and if you feel like you’ve hit a roadblock - get creative. You’d be surprised how you can come up with some creative and effective solutions when you think outside the box. The idea is to maintain an element of creativity when coming up with solutions, so you are constantly expanding your belief system. Tip #2 Take ownership of your life Are you the driver or passenger in your life? Don’t think for a second that sitting in the passenger seat is going to get you where you want to be. If you want to be successful, you have to make plans, take action and commit to achieving your goals. Surrendering the wheel to the “luck of life” will not give you peace of mind, but it will mean you’re in for a rough ride. When you give up control, you are at the mercy of whatever life throws at you, and you will most likely get everything you do not want. Success only comes from those who drive their own life. Don’t just take things for granted. Create a game plan and focus on what you can control. YOU and your actions! Tip #3 Are you a victim or a master? There is one solid rule you can count on: successful entrepreneurs never think of themselves as victims. This is the major factor that separates the wealthy from the poor. The wealthy understand they are 100% responsible for their reality, making them masters of accountability. When there is no one to blame, there is no finger to point, and therefore, no crime. With no crime, there cannot be a victim. Period. There is something magical that happens when you take 100% responsibility for your own success – and that is a feeling of freedom. You are your own entity and you control your own destiny; it all starts with your beliefs. Tip #4 Consider the results if you do or don’t take action Becoming a conscious action taker takes

Becoming an entrepreneur can be one of the most unnerving ventures in your entire life. Just when you thought you knew it all, you find out you’re just a student trying to make the grade. So, what do you do when your confidence takes a hit? Follow these 6 tips we will be exploring for gaining even more confidence. 1. Start with what you know If you’re a new business owner, start with what you know. If you know your stuff, in and out, you’re bound to make a lasting impression with your clients and prospects. Create a specific outline to the benefits of your services or products, and then be sure to deliver what you’ve promised. Don’t worry about being the expert, just start with what you know because that’s where your greatest confidence lies. 2. Have an insatiable thirst for knowledge Your business will not survive unless you continually learn, nor will your confidence grow. When you don’t learn new things, you cannot offer expanded products or service, and that is a death sentence to your business. The market and demand are constantly changing and if you don’t change with it, you’ll be left behind. The more you know the more benefits you can deliver to your clients. Keep learning and you’ll keep gaining confidence. 3. Know your target audience Most entrepreneurs think they know what their clients need and want, but rarely do they truly understand how to market and deliver the right products and services to the right people. Invest in research so you have a full snapshot of your market. Without it, you can only hope for successful sales and business growth. Survey your clients and prospects to learn more about them. The more you know about them, the easier it will be to create products and services that deliver exactly what they’re looking for. Some resources for web surveys are surveymonkey.com, zoomerang.com, zohosurvey.com, surveygizmo.com, etc. Check out all the options and use the best one for your survey. 4. Try something new every day We all get used to routines, because we like to stay within our comfort zone. However, it’s staying within that comfort zone that keeps us from gaining confidence. Knowing what you know now will only get you so far – and I regret to point out, that is not very far. As an entrepreneur, you must constantly push yourself outside your comfort zone to learn and do more. This not only benefits you, but it also benefits your clients, which will only grow your business. “If comfort is your goal, success is NOT in your future.” --Bill Bachrach, CSP, CPAE 5. Have unwavering optimism There are only two outlooks you can have on life and in business. Either the world is your oyster or it’s out to get you. It is only the latter that will not support your success and confidence. If you are an entrepreneur and you think the world is out to get you, chances are it will deliver. Your perception is everything! Having an unwavering optimism will constantly be fed creative ideas to increase your success. Obstacles will melt, challenges will be seen as opportunity, and you will have peace of mind that you can conquer anything. 6. Success breeds confidence When you are facing a situation that takes you outside your comfort zone, keep taking steps forward. Even if you have to take baby steps, at least they are steps in the right direction. Trying something new isn’t always easy, but take action before the nerves have time to settle in. The longer you wait, the more your confidence wavers, and the likelihood you will talk yourself out of taking action increases. Remember, success breeds confidence, so if you have to take baby steps to make it to the finish line – that’s okay – just keep moving forward. Being an entrepreneur is not about being the expert, although you may one day reach that status. For the time being, focus on what you know and become the best at it that you can. Commit to learning more, so you can deliver more to your clients; and your business is bound t