“Productivity: the quality, state, or fact of being able to generate, create, enhance, or bring forth goods and services.” You’d probably agree with Dictionary.com’s definition of productivity in general terms. But what does productivity look like when applied to … Continue reading
Are you still waiting to get lucky? Knock it off!
A couple of weeks ago we began exploring what makes for “lucky” entrepreneurs. It’s time to finish the job by delving into other characteristics that make people look lucky when what they really are is focused, committed, and courageous. … Continue reading
Do you share these traits with the world’s luckiest entrepreneurs?
According to Dictionary.com, luck is defined as “good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance; a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person”, while lucky is defined … Continue reading
Are you sabotaging your success by chickening out?
“Chicken!!” If you’re like most adults, you can probably remember hearing that taunt sometime during your childhood. It usually was intended to push you into doing something you weren’t comfortable with. Was this typically done from a position of … Continue reading
Looking For Loyalty? Start Here.
Love your clients? I bet you DO. Most business owners adore their clients. They LOVE their colleagues. They are grateful for the relationships they make through their business. So it might surprise you to hear the statistic that 68% … Continue reading
5 things your prospect needs to hear from you before she says “yes”
We’ve all been there at least once. You connect with someone you just know would be a great client. You spend an hour talking to her, establishing what feels like a strong rapport and describing what you can do … Continue reading
Think an entrepreneur can’t learn from a master harpist? Think again.
You’ve heard it time and again: Successful people have a whole spectrum of skills in common. One of those skills is an ability and willingness to learn from anyone who has good ideas – not just experts in their … Continue reading
3 steps to ratcheting your way to success
Even though I’m one of the less handy people on the planet, I do love ratchets. They make that neat clicky noise when you use them, and life is so much easier when you’ve got one handy to tighten or … Continue reading
Have you been suckered by the LOA?
The first month of the new year is already half over. How’s it going for you so far? January is typically a time for planning and setting goals, and a lot of people are probably relying on the Law Of … Continue reading
Quit. I dare you.
“She’s a real quitter.” How many of us would consider that to be a compliment? Not many, I’m guessing, because the concept of quitting typically carries a tremendous amount of negative baggage. And that’s a curious thing. The dictionary … Continue reading
Three strategies for starting a business that’s guaranteed to fail
In the United States, Thanksgiving is a time for acknowledging and celebrating all the good that’s come our way in the last year. Many of us can find a lot to be grateful for, even if we still have … Continue reading
Focus, dammit!
Last week I explored the dangers of getting sucked into the myth of “productive multi-tasking.” Today it’s time for problem-solving so that you (or your clients, family, friends….) are able to resist the siren call of this seemingly plausible … Continue reading
Do you buy into the myth of multi-tasking?
Do you pride yourself on your ability to multi-task? Maybe it’s time to remember the old saying that “pride goeth before a fall.” I found it rather fascinating that, in two different online dictionaries, “multi-tasking” is defined primarily in … Continue reading
Is damage control ruining your business?
There you are, minding your own business, when all of a sudden something blows up in your face: Your hard drive crashes, despite your anti-virus protection; your usually reliable shipping company goes on strike, leaving customers without the products … Continue reading
Three ways to make counting down add up
I recently celebrated a birthday, which means I’m less than a year away from the Big 6-0. While I expect my family and friends to throw me a seriously butt-kicking party to celebrate this major milestone, I also realize that … Continue reading
Do your prospects suffer from sticker shock?
You know the pain of getting excited about a potential new purchase, only to recoil when you read the price tag? It’s called sticker shock, and it’s not pretty. Sticker shock is the clash between the value of the … Continue reading
Does this “four-letter word” slip into your marketing?
In America, referring to something as “a four-letter word” is another way of calling it a swear word or obscenity – something to be avoided in polite and professional company. While the swear words that led to this euphemism … Continue reading
Who’s running your business: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
My husband, Joseph, is a confirmed movie fanatic. While we have a fairly enormous collection of DVD’s, he’s always sampling new ones from the library, and I never know what will show up next. Recently he brought home a … Continue reading
Do you flex or do you just cave in?
Too much of anything is toxic. Sun, self-control, cats, cholesterol…anything, no matter how enjoyable, helpful, or even essential it may be in appropriate quantities, can turn and bite you on the behind if you get too much of it. … Continue reading
Fears, desires, wants, needs – what does your marketing appeal to?
You need only spend a short time listening to radio or television or viewing Internet retail sites to encounter a whole slew of techniques whose goal is to motivate you to take some particular action. As an entrepreneur, you … Continue reading
Caught any trespassers lately?
Last week we explored two different types of boundaries: those which are so porous they fail to keep out things which ought to be kept out, and those which are so rigid they fail to let in things which … Continue reading
Sand or stone: Where do you draw the line?
A boundary, as defined by Dictionary.com, is “something that indicates bounds or limits.” While some people may choose to view boundaries as something that can restrict their progress, other – perhaps wiser – people view boundaries as something to … Continue reading
Are you a human being or a human doing?
Sometimes it takes a cosmic 2X4 to get my attention. Other times, a Nerf™ bat will do. This has been a bat week, fortunately. I’ve been getting all kinds of nudges that have a similar theme: slow down, be … Continue reading
What’s stopping you now?
If you’re like most talented entrepreneurs, the tendency to procrastinate can be a major obstacle to your success. If you’re like some successful entrepreneurs, you’ve committed to a “do it NOW” approach to the myriad tasks facing you as … Continue reading
Haven’t you started YET?
As I addressed in last week’s post, procrastination is a fabulous way to quickly and efficiently derail your success. If this sounds less than appealing, here are some more ways to fight your put-it-off tendencies and, instead, propel yourself … Continue reading
Waiting for success = speeding toward failure
If I had to choose the most stubborn, ubiquitous, and effective obstacle to entrepreneurial success, my hands-down favorite would be procrastination. According to Etymology Online, this word comes “directly from [the] Latin procrastinationem, ‘a putting off from day to … Continue reading
The seduction of possibilities
So when was the last time you were seduced? No, no, no – not by that stunning neighbor, but by those intriguing business possibilities that you come across? Let’s face it: There’s no shortage of business-building options out there. … Continue reading
Isn’t it time to declare your independence?
Soon, those of us in the United States will be celebrating Independence Day, a holiday we normally associate with a political event back in 1776. However, you don’t have to be creating a whole new nation to declare an … Continue reading
Kicking back? Kicking it up? How ‘bout both?
Folks in the northern hemisphere are basking in the start of summer. If you’re like most such people, you’re looking forward to vacations and road trips and some lazy days off. The question is, Can your business afford to … Continue reading
Are you resolute or just obstinate?
Years ago I was working with a counselor to help me deal with having been widowed at a very young age. Once we did most of the grief work, we started exploring other areas. During one of those later … Continue reading
You can’t make me!
You’ve heard children say to their siblings – and sometimes even their parents – “You can’t make me!” Childish and defiant, right? And yet haven’t you, a mature and self-assured entrepreneur, implicitly said the same thing when someone tried … Continue reading
Resistance is STILL futile. What are you doing about it?
Last week we explored the topic of resistance, but stopped short of addressing how to actually deal with it. Since self-awareness without action is fairly useless, let’s figure out how to address the question that will actually improve your … Continue reading
Resistance is futile. Give it a rest!
Have you ever watched two hard-core arm wrestlers? Both are exerting all their strength to resist the force of the opponent’s hand. This typically involves a lot of sweat and strain, grunting and grimacing. And, sometimes when a wrestler … Continue reading
Are distractions strangling your business?
I’m one of perhaps seven people in the United States who actually likes the ground cover known as Creeping Charlie. The rest of the country views it as a noxious invader that will strangle the grass they’re so proud … Continue reading
Do you have the guts to ask for what you want?
One of my Mastermind partners, Pat Schuler of Kick Butt Sales Training, sometimes asks her clients, “Do you really want to rely on hope as a business development strategy?” Ouch. She’s got a point. Too many entrepreneurs simply cross … Continue reading
Who’s on your island?
You may be familiar with Survivor, a long-running television show. (Since I’ve been television-free for over 10 years, I had to Google it, but that’s beside the point.) Since the idea is for “castaways” to outwit, outlast and outplay … Continue reading
Yes? No? You’d better know what choice is right for you.
Whether you use a clarity-through-contrast exercise or some other method to identify and acknowledge your strengths, presumably you now know just what you have to offer clients. But that’s not enough; you also need to clearly convey that message … Continue reading
Nurture what’s working, weed out what’s not.
Most of us in the northern hemisphere are finally celebrating the arrival of spring. Plants are popping up, trees are budding, grass is greening – and we don’t have to do a thing to make it happen! But that’s … Continue reading
Give ‘em what they need NOW.
So you’ve clearly described the characteristics of your ideal client and identified her major pain points. You’re ready for the third vital step in creating your Ideal Client Profile: letting her know you understand exactly what solutions she needs … Continue reading
If they’re not writhing, they’re not buying.
Perceived value is relative. It all depends on how much pain and urgency you’re experiencing and how readily a potential solution can relieve that pain. If you were having a heart attack, who would you want working on you: … Continue reading
You deserve the best. Are you getting it?
I doubt there’s an entrepreneur alive who hasn’t gone through the stage where she defines “my ideal client” as “anyone who’s able to pay me.” And who could blame her? Money is helpful in so many ways: buying groceries, … Continue reading
Are you taking the lazy way out?
Ask any ten entrepreneurs why they do what they do, and I’ll bet you that at least eight out of the ten will reply, “I love to help people.” Yawn. Understand that I’m not disparaging this reply. (Well, okay, … Continue reading
Are your clients clueless?
I recently explored how developing clarity through contrast is a powerful way to super-charge your confidence, beef up your marketing messages, and stay sane. Have you gotten crystal clear on the real value you provide clients? Then here’s a … Continue reading
How to use confusion as a business-building tool
You probably view confusion pretty negatively. After all, what’s to like about “lack of understanding; uncertainty; the state of being bewildered or unclear in one’s mind about something”? The good news about confusion is that it’s both manageable and … Continue reading
If it feels good, should you do it?
Some would-be successful entrepreneurs may be tempted to look at their peers who are already enjoying success and wonder if those peers are simply lucky. After all, why else would they be getting the results that are currently eluding … Continue reading
The power of sacred selfishness
According to Dictionary.com, to be selfish is to be “devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others; characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself.” Sheesh. … Continue reading
Is your auto-pilot leading you straight to a dead end?
In a perfect world, life can flow a lot more smoothly when you have systems, processes, and productive habits in place. You don’t have to continually re-invent the wheel, and your effectiveness soars. In a perfect world. In the … Continue reading
Does faith or fear drive you?
Of all the things my parents told me as I was growing up, one phrase loomed large: “Be careful!!” I grew up thinking of the world as a scary and dangerous place, with many fearsome people, events, and activities … Continue reading
How well is your emotional GPS working?
I’ve come to the conclusion that the newfangled gadget called a Global Positioning System is actually magic. You tell it your destination and start the car, and it tells you where to go (in very polite terms) so you … Continue reading
Do you allow success into your life?
Say you’re about to go to dinner at your favorite local restaurant. Would you drive with one foot on the accelerator and one on the brake? Not if you wanted to actually enjoy the fabulous meal awaiting you. But … Continue reading
Are you a supporter or a saboteur of your own success?
Many of the world’s great wisdom traditions emphasize the creative power of your beliefs and thoughts. You’re probably enjoying a successful life right now if you believe you can create the outcomes you want in life; if you habitually … Continue reading
Puny or powerful – what’s YOUR default setting?
Back in the old days, some comic book ads were directed toward the skinny “98-pound weakling”. This was a scrawny guy laughed at by girls and bullied by stronger guys until he took the advertiser’s magic product and developed … Continue reading
You can’t have one without the other.
There are just 63 days left in 2014. How did such a thing happen?? Sixty-three days left to evaluate what worked great in 2014 and what went down in flames. Sixty-three days left to envision and lay the groundwork … Continue reading
Do you have faith that it WON’T work out?
William Shakespeare once observed, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” In my opinion, this is only partly accurate, because we are directors of as well as actors in the production called “life.” … Continue reading
Time for a change! 5 ways to squash your stress
Are you normal? For your sake, I hope not. “Normal” entails—at least in America—feeling overwhelmed, under-appreciated, tired, and stressed out. And while that may be the norm, that doesn’t mean it’s natural, and it’s certainly nothing that most of … Continue reading
3 clues there are chickens in your family tree
In U.S. vernacular, “chicken” is synonymous with “coward.” While it’s most often used by and applied to children, even we grown-ups can get scared. The difference is that adults have (one hopes) more effective ways of dealing with the … Continue reading
How do you react to the C word?
There are many potentially scary things in the world: bridges, tarantulas, spandex…the list goes on and on. We all deal with a variety of fears, both large and small, as we go through life. However, one fear that’s common … Continue reading
Are you scared or are you excited?
October is just around the corner, and many people are already looking forward to the end of the month − specifically, October 31st. Whether you’re talking about a kid eagerly anticipating Halloween costumes and candy, or a pagan planning … Continue reading
Emotional business building
One of my favorite sayings is, “Too much of anything is toxic.” In other words, no matter how useful or productive something may be—an attitude, a belief, a work habit, whatever—if you take it to extremes, it will begin … Continue reading
Is your train stuck in the station?
While travel by rail is not as popular as it used to be (like it was before, say, airplanes even existed), you can probably still imagine the thrill of being prepared to go on a fabulous train trip. Bags … Continue reading
Belief-busting for a better business
Beliefs are like bones. You can’t see your bones, but they provide the structural framework for your entire body. Similarly, you can’t see your beliefs, but they provide the structure for the world you experience every single day. Your … Continue reading
Ready for some positive paranoia?
Chances are you’ve heard the rather bleak joke that observes, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.” Ouch. You may have come to realize you’re one of the many, many people who find it easy … Continue reading
Mind-reading made easy
You’ve gotta give a lot of parents “A” for “effort”, because they do their very best to keep their kids safe and free from emotional or physical harm. Unfortunately, some of us, as a result of our well-intentioned parents, … Continue reading
Do you encourage others but ignore yourself?
How many times have you read a fellow entrepreneur’s story and thought, “Now there’s someone who’s really successful”? How often do you downplay your own accomplishments? When was the last time you turned away a compliment? If you answered … Continue reading
Should your nickname be Pollyanna or Eeyore?
Even if you’ve never read Eleanor Porter’s most famous book, Pollyanna, you probably know that the main character’s name has become synonymous with a sunny, almost relentlessly cheerful outlook on life. Similarly, if you’ve ever seen any books or … Continue reading
Is it an epic fail or just a mistake?
There are just two groups of people in the world: those who have experienced the fateful moment when you realize your great idea turned out to be not so great after all, and those who will experience the fateful … Continue reading
Bad breath is the LEAST of your problems.
You wouldn’t think of leaving the house for your first appointment of the day without brushing your teeth, would you? No way; such basic physical hygiene is a habitual part of your morning routine. Skipping it would definitely lead to … Continue reading
Don’t let them kid you: Knowledge is NOT power!
Okay, so you’ve taken purposeful steps to identify what you and others see as your key strengths. So what? Remember: Knowledge is not power. Applied knowledge is power. That means your next step is to figure out a compelling … Continue reading
What makes YOU powerful?
I hope that, if you’ve been in the habit of thinking that power comes in only one form or is a Bad Thing, you’ve started to re-consider. That will enable you to think about just how you can use … Continue reading
Is “power” a four-letter word for you?
What do you picture when someone says the word “power”? Do you think of it in terms of physical strength? Great intelligence? Lots of money? Does “power” have very positive connotations for you, or do you … Continue reading
“So what?” as a growth strategy
At some point, every one of us has heard (or said) that challenging, often-snarky question: While many teenagers may view its primary goal as parental aggravation, savvy entrepreneurs know that this simple question represents a powerful strategy for … Continue reading
Is your glass bigger than it needs to be?
George Carlin once made the following observation: “Some people see the glass half full. Others see it half empty. I see a glass that’s twice as big as it needs to be.” There are an infinite number ways to view … Continue reading
5 steps to saying “no” without guilt
For far too many entrepreneurs, especially women, “no” is a four-letter word: rude, crude, and socially unacceptable. What’s with that? Helping others and making a difference are two of the reasons many entrepreneurs start their businesses to begin with. That … Continue reading
Are you in there?
A premature burial is a great way to sabotage your success. While an actual in-the-ground burial will certainly slow things down, there’s a more subtle but almost equally effective way to bring your forward motion to a grinding halt. You … Continue reading
How to ditch time-wasting “coffee dates” once and for all
We’ve all felt the lure of that seductive question that seems to indicate a burning desire to know more about our fascinating business: Why don’t we get together over coffee? Such an unassuming little question. Such a seemingly great networking … Continue reading
How to launch that major project in 10 minutes or less
We’ve all had that deer-in-the-headlights feeling when faced with a huge project. When there’s so damn much to get done to create the product or service, it’s easy to feel paralyzed with indecision: Where in the world do you start?? … Continue reading
5 fool-proof ways to sound like a snake-oil salesman
One of the quickest ways to sabotage your success is to come across as a snake-oil salesman. You know just what I’m talking about: the person who has an oily, slimy manner to go with their oily, slimy product. Some … Continue reading
3 quick and easy ways to run your tank dry
Most of us would agree that running a business requires a fair amount of energy. You can probably identify activities that charge you up—as well as activities that suck all the life out of you. But if you’re concerned about … Continue reading
How to move from chaos to calm: 5 steps to making easier choices
One of the most common self-sabotaging habits out there is indecisiveness. For a business owner, the number of choices to be made each day is truly staggering. What are my top three priorities for today? Is this prospect likely to … Continue reading
5 steps to protect your business from YOU
Each year, people in the United States celebrate Independence Day on July 4th. But if you’re a solopreneur, you can choose any day to declare your independence from self-sabotaging habits. That’s what we’ll be exploring this month. ****************************************************** Of … Continue reading
The top 5 lies about accountability
Accountability. It’s often mentioned but rarely practiced. When you’re held accountable for your actions, you are, according to Dictionary.com, “subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable.” Knowing you’re expected to report on your progress or … Continue reading
Are you driving the bus or getting dragged behind it?
When you’re a business owner, you want to be in the driver’s seat. After all, a big reason many people start a business is so they can be their own bosses. The problem is that, if you’re not strategic, intentional, … Continue reading
5 networking mistakes that make you look dumb
I wish I could tell you that my knowledge of these mistakes comes from observation rather than personal experience. However, that would be such a huge lie that my tongue would probably fall right out of my head if I … Continue reading
Are you looking at the world through flies’ eyes?
It’s often challenging to be an entrepreneur, but it could always be worse. You could go through life as a fly. Not only are flies short-lived, annoying, disgusting disease carriers (let’s not even mention what they eat), but their view … Continue reading
Warning! Only you can prevent business fires.
Which would you rather manage—a crisis or an opportunity? Most entrepreneurs have more experience with the former. Whether due to procrastination, or trying to do too much, or not focusing on the important activities, or whatever, it’s all too common … Continue reading
Are you into weeds or flowers?
Business development is a lot like gardening: If you don’t take consistent, intentional steps to create the results you want, you’ll have to settle for what you get. Whether you’re growing a business or growing a garden, you have two … Continue reading
The X-Men Guide to business development
The X-Men: Days of Future Past tells the story of how Wolverine, one of the Good Guys, is sent back in time in an effort to prevent an event that would result in the destruction of both mutants and humans. … Continue reading
And I care…why?
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, summer is finally, almost, maybe, probably here. While it’s wonderful to venture outside without winter garments, there’s a real danger that comes when entrepreneurs are faced with “those lazy, hazy, crazy days … Continue reading
How to work on YOUR goals, not theirs
In last Thursday’s post I posed some questions intended to challenge you, all revolving around one crucial success factor: Are you working on your goals, or someone else’s? If you’ve read this far, chances are you have at least some … Continue reading
Do you really want that, or do you just think you SHOULD want it?
Choice is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, knowing you have options to choose from creates a sense of personal power and calm. On the other, the sheer number of options and opportunities facing you can easily lead to … Continue reading
Here there be dragons…
Centuries ago, when map-makers reached the end of the world as they knew it, they would label the yet-to-be-explored areas with an ominous phrase: Here there be dragons. The word seems to be code for many seemingly negative things: danger, … Continue reading
Better a potty mouth than a potty mind
Few clients or strategic allies would find use of obscenities an acceptable business practice, so most of us make sure to avoid inflicting a “potty mouth” on our important stakeholders. However, as awkward and unprofessional as it would be to … Continue reading
How do you prefer your discomfort?
Only the masochists among us are truly into discomfort, but all of us experience it sooner or later. When it comes to doing those important-but-uncomfortable activities that lurk in Quadrant II, here’s a question worth asking: Do you prefer your … Continue reading
How to use your failures to make your prospects trust and adore you
We’ve all heard speakers talk about their successes: the multiple businesses they started and sold for millions of dollars; the everyday mansion and the one they use on vacation; the lovely, loving family. Good stuff. But the experts we can … Continue reading
Are you dooming yourself by playing the comparison game?
The noun “compare” derives from the Latin roots com, meaning “with,” and pare, meaning “equal.” This would lead you to believe that comparing two people (or activities or achievements) involves looking at equals. Yeah, right. The reality of comparisons is … Continue reading
Curiosity may kill the cat, but it can save YOUR butt.
Curiosity is a great business-development tool, despite how folk wisdom blames it for a lot of feline deaths. Why is this? Because curiosity will: create a can-do mindset that enables you to assume there is a solution to any obstacle, … Continue reading
Are you playing to win or playing not to lose?
Successful entrepreneurs know there’s a big difference between playing to win and playing not to lose. I reluctantly admit that in years past I became quite familiar with what playing not to lose looks like. Fortunately, those experiences now serve … Continue reading
Just how big a liar are you?
Mindset. It’s a term that may be tossed around all over the place, but that doesn’t mean it’s not crucial to your success—or failure. How you think and talk to yourself can propel you forward or keep you mired … Continue reading
A rite to help you write right
Getting prospects to trust you and respect your abilities is one of your more crucial business-development activities. A business truism that has stood the test of time is this: Unless a prospect knows, likes, and trusts you, she’s not going … Continue reading
The advanced class: Speaking for six-year-olds, Part II
If you read last Thursday’s post, you know that I encouraged you to take the time and effort to craft such a powerful, easy-to-understand marketing message that even a six-year-old would have a good idea of the work you do. … Continue reading
