Certified Professional & Executive Life-Coach

One of my clients posed such an insightful question during her session that I decided to make it the content of my December Newsletter. We were talking about the idea of becoming the bigger version of ourselves, and how all the personal development websites, blogs, articles and newsletters talk about this as if it’s something we’re all supposed to do. I loved the inquiry she was raising – is bigger really better?

The conversation also had to do with the topic of money. So although she does want to make more money, as we all do, our conversation also entailed the inquiry of “Is making more money really better?”  With more money comes more responsibility, along with the desire to spend more and then possibly to take on more expenses because now we can do more with it.

She wasn’t sure how much she resonated with some of the ideas that were being encouraged and acknowledged the inner conflict she was having that may have been getting in her way of actually making more. She was clear about her reasons for wanting to make more money and it wasn’t that she was resisting the actual generating of more income. It was more about the question of “where is our need and desire to earn more money coming from?”

Getting clear about the “why” we do things is what reveals most about what we value and what’s really important to us. So, is the desire to make more money coming from our ego and our need to “look good?”  Or will having more money truly serve her and the world around her, allowing her to have more things in turn enhancing her surrounding environment.

Most of us don’t think about money in this way. Most of the conversations or ideas we have about money are those such as:

-how can I make more?

-where does it all go?

-how will I be able to save more money?

-how come they have more than I do?

-why is it so much easier for other people to make a lot of money and it isn’t for me?

And then there are those really unproductive thoughts about money such as:

-money doesn’t grow on trees

-money is the root of all evil

And then there is this one… a client shared how the joke was on her when she realized that she used to say “I’m going for broke” and how that impacted her financial life.  You can imagine how it did. Needless to say she is “rebuilding” her finances once again.

Money aside…what does a bigger version of you look like? Bigger meaning you are truly utilizing all of your talents; you aren’t letting your fear hold you back and instead are just going for it regardless of how it turns out; you tap into all of your internal resources and see how you can take advantage of your external ones. To continue on this rant…bigger meaning how can I challenge myself more?  What does taking myself to the next level mean? What are those qualities I want to work on and in what way can I improve that can be a benefit to me and be a benefit to others as well?

What have you said no to this year because you talked yourself out of it and found reasons not to do it?  Let’s imagine for a moment that 2012 was the Year of Yes. I got so inspired by this that I bought a beautiful painting that has a “YES” tree on it. It was at a time that I was really practicing just saying yes, even in the face of fear.

By saying yes to accompanying a friend to Guatemala, apart from having an amazing vacation, it then lead me to saying yes to volunteering to develop content and facilitate at a University in China. By saying yes to joining a networking group this past April, that lead me to growing my business by 33%; I have increased my own professional capacities (such as networking, how to quickly and effectively represent what I do, and increase my exposure so more people know who I am), and who knew that one of the group members who became a client would set me up on a blind date with the fun result being – we hit it off.

Believe it or not when I was thinking about joining my Le Tip group, I saw it as “a risk” and wasn’t sure what my return on investment would be.  Apart from growing my business of course to make more money, I was clear about what I wanted to learn and thought, “heck, I haven’t tried it yet so why not?” So what risk are you willing to take so that you can become a bigger version of yourself?  And is it really a risk when your life isn’t on the line? Okay so sometimes it can be perceived as a financial one, but what might you learn as a result of the experience?

If you’re clear about your intentions and you know what you value, well then honoring yourself can never be a risk. Make 2012 your Year of Yes and see what happens.  If in the end, you end up “looking good”, well then so be it.

When it comes to improving ourselves, we usually seek out external sources, such as self-help programs, books, podcasts, seminars, and yes coaches too. It’s almost as if a lot of people have lost sight of the many rich experiences they’ve had through life and what they were all for.  So oftentimes we neglect what could potentially be our greatest teacher: ourselves.

Strange concept? Not quite. After all, we can read all the books in the world and have hours upon hours of coaching sessions, but at the end of the day, the only one who is willing to initiate the change is you. As a business owner or a professional of any kind, developing leadership skills or improving upon the foundations you currently have, are the first few steps towards higher profitability and more productivity in the workplace. I know you have all heard this before but do you really know what that means? Or another question to ask is “Are you fully aware of yourself?” What I’m referring to more specifically are your strengths, goals, skills, and attitudes. If not, this is where the first step is taken toward the path of higher success as well as personal growth.

This concept of “self coaching” takes practice and if practiced frequently can allow you to take the steps necessary to improving yourself, which will later allow you to determine exactly where you want to be at in your life and business. Only perseverance will get you to this point, because you have to truly want to change something about yourself.  That awareness and desire are two primary challenges, then next comes the willingness to put in the effort required to internalize those demands for change so the world can see a visible change in character and leadership abilities on the outset.

Leadership qualities also include interpersonal relations, which can be further enhanced once you have taken the first step of improving yourself. Leadership happens all the time, whether you’re talking on the phone, or sitting at a bar or restaurant. How you react to and engage in a conversation determines who you are as a leader and how you effectively manage yourself in social situations.

If you’re looking to be somewhere other than where you are right now, then it is time to start making the necessary changes to making those goals happen. Coaching can be a wonderful tool, but if you do not apply your new knowledge, which again just takes practice, then all the coaching you have had becomes useless. An unwillingness to internalize changes that will then produce new effects on the external figure of yourself only delays your process of evolvement.

You may also be one of those “hands off” leaders who choose not to micromanage, and that once your employees get it, you leave them alone. Allowing others to run with their responsibilities can be empowering for them, yet how are you being an example of leadership if you aren’t involved to some extent?  Being a leader is not just about telling people what to do or making decisions; you must also have the leadership qualities in place in order to be the most efficient leader possible.

You can be your own worst enemy and your own best friend. So when I say “through persistence and a determination you can become a better and bigger version of you”, what does this specifically look like or mean for you? A few ways you can engage in this self-exploration is by talking to a friend, a colleague or maybe someone you manage about what kind of leader you appear to be. I’ve heard that the fear around this is that it will make you appear weak or insecure, but if done in a powerful forthright way, you might also appear strong and assured since you’re willing to ask a typically perceived uncomfortable question.  In fact it’s the courageous leader who is willing to ask uncomfortable questions of situations, themselves and others. The results you’ll get and the enhancement of your interpersonal skills is what will support you in you being the leader your business deserves.

When it comes to established business owners, sometimes they can experience a little complacency. It’s not that they have stopped working hard, it’s just that they have learned a thing or two and don’t want to change what they’re doing if it’s been working well so far. Unfortunately this spells D O O M for a plethora of business owners and operators, so, to avoid these mistakes, don’t find yourselves falling into any of the following excuses commonly proclaimed by the biz “greats:”

“If it works, then leave it be.”

Or in other words if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. This is a common misconception in the realm of business, where we are lead to believe that just because business seems to be going pretty good right now, we should just let it continue without exerting ourselves by looking for further avenues for improvement. This is incredibly misguided, as business is exactly the opposite: it’s important to always look for new ideas, ways of improving yourself and ways to increase profitability and productivity. Of all the research I’ve done, there are a lot of great books, articles and blogs about the reasons as to why businesses fail. The one that relates to leaving things be is that most businesses look to build short term profits rather than long term value.

“Make something better than the other guys and you’ll be flooded with customers.”

This may well be true for a small minority, but in a world of instant copycats and discounted fakes, you as the great inventor must be cautious when believing this statement. Just because you make something that you personally find amazing doesn’t mean it actually is, nor does it mean that it will automatically overwhelm you with new customers. I may think that I’m a really great coach, but there are a lot of great coaches out there beside myself. What is unique about me is my life experiences, who I am as a person and how I coach my clients is personal to me. But it doesn’t serve me to think that I am the best coach out there and that I could be the best coach for everyone. Like the product or service you are offering, it may indeed be better than what’s available on the marketplace today, but if it’s more expensive or not well advertised (amongst dozens of other potential problems), then it may be time to rethink your business approach or the types of customers you are trying to attract. There is definitely a time/value trade off, as well as a risk factor involved, so make your decisions wisely.

“Do whatever you can to get the business.”

When you’re first starting out in business, it may be tempting to take every job offer that comes your way, no matter how little it may pay you. Why? Because work is work and making money is all that matters. Well, not exactly. The sign of a true business-savvy individual is that he or she is able to turn down assignments or projects they find not worth their time when comparing time spent and income earned.

I made this mistake for many months when I first started out as a coach. I undercharged for the value I was providing, and even though I kept raising my prices, I still kept hearing from mentors and other successful coaches that I wasn’t charging enough. I wasn’t new to coaching as I’ve been doing this technically since I was in seventh grade. But I was new as a coach who was trying to make a living at it. So over time as potential clients would negotiate me down in price, regardless of how much or little I was charging, it felt good to just start saying something in the realm of “when you’re ready I’ll be here to support you.” I didn’t know I could do that.What I finally got was that it wasn’t always about price, sometimes they are just not ready. So just because the ball may be in your court doesn’t mean you have to swing every time. It’s okay to let it pass you if it’s not worth the effort.

“Details, details, details!”

As a business owner, you’re going to drive yourself insane if you’re so focused on the minute details that you barely have enough time for the day-to-day operations. That’s the beauty of owning a business or being an entrepreneur; you can outsource some things and focus on the overall picture: keeping your company in business. Details are certainly important, but it’s too easy to get caught up in them and fail to see the big picture (which is what the owner should be focusing on in order to pursue success in the most productive, least time-consuming way).

As the visionary and the creator of a product or service, it’s important to keep site on the long term vision so you always see where you’re going. And believe me, now that I have an incredible team that includes a VA (virtual assistant), a graphic designer, a website developer, a ghost writer to help me with Marketing, a bookkeeper, and a coach to hold me accountable to what I say I’m going to do, then the fun part for me is I get to do what I do best – Coach, be an idea machine, write, and of course talk about how much I love to do what I do.

So, when you hear all of these sayings from fellow business owners, don’t forget to take a step back and truly examine them for what they’re worth. Just because it’s a common saying doesn’t make it mean it’s true for you, or for the next entrepreneur you talk to. So be flexible and have an open-minded approach to business. Only this will bring success and your success is really up to you.

Did you know that your level of optimism at work can completely your determine both job satisfaction and productivity? It’s true! Studies have proven that people who have generally positive outlooks- both on life and at work- tend to be much happier in their jobs, whether they’re lawyers, plumbers, teachers, or journalists.

So what does this mean? There are three types of workers: those that are in jobs they hate but do it in order to get by financially, those that don’t love it but maintain a positive mental attitude to make the day less sufferable, and those that absolutely love their jobs and can’t wait to wake up in the morning to go to work. Take a look at those three categories and ask yourself: which one do I fall under?

Now take a look at your motivational drive. Are you working in your current job solely to make a lot of money and get great benefits such as medical, dental, and a 401K? Are you doing it because it is something you enjoy so much that you’d almost be willing to do it for free? Or are you doing it so that you may see improvement, not only in yourself and your workplace, but even on a global scale? By examining these possible motivations, or what I like to call inspirations, it will be easier to target where your problem areas are, as well as where your strengths lie. Once you understand these things, you will be able to better contribute to your company as an employee (or become more inspired as an employer), which leads to a higher quality system of organization and more inspiration to achieve for all.

The final factor in regards to positivity in the workplace is that of happiness itself. If you hate your job, it’s not likely that you’re too happy in or out of the workplace. By going in with a positive attitude each day and focusing on aspects that make your position worth staying in, you will gradually notice a change in your feelings for your job. It’s true that not all optimists are much happier than their pessimistic counterparts, but the perception of being happy in their shoes more than makes up for the lack of actual happiness. As the saying goes, “perception is everything.” Also: “you get out of it what you put into it.” If you treat your job like a daily chore, then that’s how it’s going to feel, day in and day out. But if you approach it with an attitude of excitement and continuously seek out new opportunities, then you are more likely to attract exactly that.

What would it be like for you to look for reasons as to why you like what you do, or why you love your job vs. why you don’t?  If you’re new at this, or just out of practice, start small and pick something that might be obvious. Then work your way to those things that may require a little more thought. Before you know, while positivity may not be the answer for everything in life, it can definitely improve your outlook on both life and your career.

Creating a business from scratch can be difficult, but maintaining it doesn’t need to be as difficult as new entrepreneurs would believe. Trust me I know. The desperate months of little to no cash flow, hours upon hours of overtime with little to show for it, and headache-inducing obstacles can all be avoided if you simply start and continue with the right mindset. When looking to create a business that not only provides a decent income but is able to effectively “run itself” as well, there are many things to keep in mind as you go along:

First, you must build the business to be self-sustaining from the very beginning. All too often, people decided they’ll do all the work for a wile, at least until the business can “afford” to be outsourced to other helpers. With this mentality, it’s possible that that day will never come and you will be a slave to your company for as long as you own and operate it. But if you go into it with the solid goal of automation, then you’re already light years ahead of other entrepreneurs around you.

Next, know (and be willing to admit) your weaknesses, as well as your strengths. Entrepreneurs just getting started often fall into the trap of wanting to have complete control over everything. Okay, but at what cost? Working eighteen-hour days on a part-time salary for the first few years is enough to drive anyone to quit the business. Good entrepreneurs work smart by focusing on their strengths and delegating things they’re not so good at to others who can achieve the caliber of results they desire.

Also, don’t forget to experiment with new technologies or programs. This can be the fastest track to business automation, as adding more of these programs offer you more and more free time while still retaining the same quality and quantity of results as before (when you were doing everything yourself). Plus, everything you spend your money on that’s related to your business is a potential tax write-off, so what do you honestly have to lose?

Bringing in amazing people is also crucial. Few highly successful companies are 100% automated, which means you’ll need some living, breathing help to get you through the rocky beginning phases as well as the continued development and improvement stages after you’ve cemented your place in your given industry. If you don’t find people with a good work ethic or the same vision for the business that you have, then automation will not be easy, if even possible. So again, right from the get go, set some intentions about surrounding yourself with hard workers who also share a passion for quality production from your business.

So, if you’re trying to “succeed in business without really trying” per se, the key is self-sufficiency and have your business be in essence self sustainable. You’re not going to want to be overseeing every tiny little detail over the life of the business, so the best way to give yourself more breathing space and free up more time is to learn to spread out your work through means of outsourcing to other qualified people, and using the latest technologies to take the tough stuff off of your plate. If you can imagine that happening, then just imagine what you would do with your time as you choose? I bet you have.