Good Plum » Personal Development

Developing Resilience in Your Business

Scott Reynolds — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:51:47 +0000

Why is resilience critical for business? It’s because every company, large or small, goes through struggles at times. It is so easy to get caught up in all the “instant success stories” about people who’ve made a million dollars overnight. When that doesn’t happen for you, it’s tempting to get frustrated and quit.

Here’s a secret: there’s no such thing as an overnight success. Everyone takes time to start making money, despite what you’ve heard. Sometimes “overnight success” really amounts to five years of hard work prior to that “overnight success.”

The real people who succeed in business and life are those who overcome adversity, not avoid it. However, this is much easier said than done. Here are four strategies to develop a resilient attitude:

#1) Know what you want

It’s not that some people are resilient and others aren’t – everyone is. It’s simply that most people don’t have a reason to persevere, since they don’t know exactly what they want out of life.

If you don’t know where you are going, how are you going to get there? Goal setting might be one of the most important strategies for getting through hard times. If you have no idea what you are working towards, you won’t be willing to push through during the hard times.

However, if there is a clear target you are going after, you are going to do anything to get there. So one of the main keys to being resilient is first knowing why you are working, and then staying focused on that.

#2) Tell others about your goals

How many times have you set goals and not achieved them? If you are like most people, probably a lot. However, what if you’ve told twenty other people that you are going to be earning x amount of dollars thirty days from now? You are a lot more likely to push through the hard times and achieve it.

This is simply because of the embarrassment factor if you don’t. You might even want to consider putting your goals on a highly trafficked forum or blog, or sending out an email to people you know.

#3) Take responsibility

If you are constantly blaming others for your lot in life, how likely are you going to be to have resilience? It’s only by accepting responsibility for your results that you are going to push through.

Many people blame parents, their boss, or their spouse for their circumstances. However, it’s not until you realize that your life is up to you that you can develop true resilience.

#4) Get healthy

There is a strong correlation between health and resilience. If you don’t eat healthy and exercise, you aren’t going to have a great mindset, because you are likely going to feel lousy. However, when you feel clear-headed and energized, you will have a lot more stamina to push through the lemons that life throws your way.

Hopefully this advice will help you develop resiliency in business and life.

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2 Tips for Motivating Yourself in Business

Scott Reynolds — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:28:24 +0000

When it comes to business, being motivated is key. Without it, your business will never become successful.

Lack of incentive is one of the biggest reasons that 95% of start-up businesses fail. If you are really willing to go after something, you will stop at nothing to get it. However, most people give up long before they reach their final goal.

So the obvious question is, how do you get motivated? It’s actually not hard. Here are two ways to do it:

#1) Set specific goals

Let’s face it, you really can’t be motivated if you have no direction. You have to have a strong “why” or else your business will probably never become profitable.

You’ve no doubt heard about goal setting before, and maybe you’ve even read books about it. However, until you sit down and write out your specific goals and set a deadline for them, you are going to have a hard time making money.

Plan out exactly what you want to achieve and when you want to do it. You might not want to set too many goals at once. Consider having just one or two main things to work towards.

You could try thinking about what your ideal lifestyle would be like, and then figure out how much money you need to get there. That will become your new goal.

#2) Self-talk

Everyone knows that positive self-talk is important. However, most people aren’t aware of how to do that. Once you know what you want, the self-talk part is easy: just stay focused on your goals.

Most people spend all their lives focusing on things they don’t want. You’ve probably heard of the Law of Attraction, which states that what you focus on the most is what you end up getting.

So instead of focusing on what you don’t want, get clear what you do want. Then focus on that constantly. It might help you to put pictures of things you want to achieve in areas where you view them often, to constantly remind you of your goals. This is what’s really going to give your business life.

Here is another tip: Instead of saying that your goal is to simply make a lot of money, how about changing it to say your goal is to live the life that a lot of money allows. Nobody just wants to make a six-figure income. They desire what that six-figure income can do for them, such as enabling them to help others, improve their own lifestyle, and so on. When you focus on the way you really want to live your life rather than an arbitrary monetary figure, you really zero in on what your needs and wants are.

This is why it is so important to get clear why you want the money before setting monetary goals. It will give you a definite target to shoot for, and will most likely solve any motivational problems you are experiencing.

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Failure is Success – If We Learn from It

Scott Reynolds — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:36:32 +0000

Failure is one of those things we all have in common – like putting our pants on one leg at a time. It’s a human experience. Some people handle the experience well, others not so well. What’s the trick? How do some people bounce back so successfully after failure?

#1 They don’t take the failure personally. Failure isn’t a personal attack or a sign of any type of character flaw. There is a cliché that says something along the lines of “failure means you tried.” People that are actively pursuing goals and dreams fail often and they perceive it as part of the process. Instead of feeling unworthy or like a failure, they reevaluate their strategy and try again.

The next time you experience failure instead of feeling badly about yourself, feel good about the fact that you tried, and try again.

#2 They use the experience as a learning tool. Failure happens, right? Why not learn from the experience. Analyze what went wrong and why? What can you change or do differently next time? How can you use your failure to succeed?

#3 Sometimes we fail for a reason. Maybe our heart really wasn’t into the effort. Maybe a limiting belief prevented us from achieving success. And sometimes it wasn’t the right opportunity. Generally when we fail there is a reason. Look around and evaluate why. Look for new opportunities and experiences that may bring success.

#4 Be grateful for the experience. Gratitude is a powerful emotion. Feeling gratitude for the failure and the experience will help you move forward with resolve and enthusiasm. Sometimes writing or journaling your thoughts in a positive manner helps you embrace failure as a positive experience rather than a negative one.

#5 Realize it happens to everyone and don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice. One of the great things about failure is it is an equalizer. Know that the most powerful people in the world, the most famous people have all failed thousands of times. When you fail instead of internalizing it and struggling again and again, ask for help and advice.

#6 Embrace your inner child. Remember being a kid and running with your friend? Sometimes you’d fall right? What would you do? You’d jump back up, not even really think about the fall and return to running, right? Children have a knack for focusing on the fun and not letting the failures or falls stop them. Do as the song says, “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” If you love what you’re doing, you won’t even give a failure a second thought.

#7 Laugh. We all make mistakes and those who can laugh at themselves and their mistakes get over them much faster than those who cannot.

Failure is a part of life. Embrace it as openly as you do success. Enjoy it, learn from it, and welcome it as a lesson and an opportunity to reach greater success.

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How to Get Rid of Work Stress

Erin McKellar — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:04:21 +0000

If you have too much stress at work, there are a number of things you can do. Here are six of the most effective tips to rid yourself of it:

#1) Workout

This one is rather obvious, but it bears mentioning away. If you go all day without exercising, you are going to be stressed out. Doing non-stop mental work without ever mixing in physical is not an effective strategy for getting things done.

Also try to work out outdoors. The health benefits of fresh air and sunshine are well documented, so combining this with working out will have a multiple effect on reducing your stress.

#2) Manage your time better

Spreading yourself thin is a sure method for stress. If you take the time to analyze what you are doing, most of your activities really aren’t necessary.

Many entrepreneurs have a difficult time letting go of the less important tasks because they don’t think anyone else could do them as well as they can. However, the reality is that you need to focus on the critical few tasks that you are the best at and offload the rest.

For instance, if you are a great marketer (and this is important), then focus on doing that while outsourcing your web design. This will help you spend less time working, and become more effective when you are.

Also reduce on your email and phone calls consumption. Try doing them all at one time of the day to increase effectiveness and reduce stress.

#3) Get to work before everyone else

If you own a business with employees, there are no doubt distractions when they arrive. The key, therefore, is to get there before everyone else so you get the most important tasks done prior to the distractions beginning.

#4) Break up your work

Don’t work for more that two hours without taking a break. Get up and stretch every now and then. It’s generally recommended to get at least twelve minutes of physical activity for every hour of work.

You can further break it down by stretching for about five minutes to every twenty minutes of work. If you try working for an hour straight without taking rest, your effectiveness will go down considerably.

#5) Eat more frequently

The healthier you are, the less stressed out you will be. Eating small but frequent meals throughout the day maintains an even blood sugar level. This is important because low blood sugar can make you feel anxious and irritable, which is often the case with irregular meals.

Just avoid overeating. While it is good to be eating more frequently, you want to be consuming smaller amounts for each meal.

#6) Deep breathing exercises

Every now and then you might want to do some deep breathing to relieve the tension. Just sit upright in your chair, breathe in for a count of four, hold it for the same amount of time, and breathe out for two seconds.

The bottom line is that there are all kinds of things you can do to minimize your stress levels. Don’t try to implement these tips all at once. Instead, do one at a time and you will be amazed at how much more relaxed and effective you become.

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Develop Your Own Strategies: Be Your Own Guru

Erin McKellar — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:47:14 +0000

Often times new internet marketers get lost in a sea of information when starting online. They buy hundreds of eBooks on how to make money, go to seminars, get private coaching, etc. And often, after all this effort, they still don’t make money.

Obviously it’s great to learn from others. However, everyone has their own unique methods and strategies for accomplishing things.

“There are many ways to skin a cat.”

Remember, no two e-books you read are going to be the same. Why? This is because every internet marketer has developed their own strategies and methods along the way.

No two marketers do their keyword research the exact same way, or use identical strategies for writing headlines. And yet there are thousands and thousands of people making full-time incomes online, even though they all do it a little differently. This means that you don’t have to follow a certain formula to make money, because there are many paths to success online.

And as you take action, you will also develop your own individual style. So the important thing is that you just take action and learn from your mistakes. If you try to follow someone else’s guidelines to the letter, you could get held back.

Remember that you are responsible for your success. There are a lot of people waiting for someone to come along and rescue them from their financial struggles and help them start making money. Then they blame that mentor when they still don’t succeed.

Don’t be that person. Instead, take control of your own entrepreneurial actions. Do not expect someone else to do it for you.

Does that mean you shouldn’t listen to anyone? No, because everyone needs guidelines when first starting anything. Otherwise they will have to go through a large amount of trial and error until they finally succeed.

However, it does mean that the person you are looking up to is human as well, and they don’t have all the answers. Many of them learned what they know entirely by trial and error, and they didn’t have access to any secret information you are being kept hidden from.

In other words, try out what others say, keep what works, and discard the rest. For instance, if you take a course on copywriting, and it has ten tips on how to write great sales letters, you might test all ten and find that only five of them work. That’s okay. Just use the five that do and discard the rest. Don’t get caught up in thinking the gurus have all the answers, and that if you don’t follow their strategies to the letter, you will not make money.

A lot of your success will be trial and error, despite what everyone tells you. While you can speed that process up a bit by learning from others, you are still going to make plenty of mistakes. Many of your marketing campaigns are still going to fail.

So the key to making money online is to test out what others are telling you, keep what works and get rid of the rest. Hopefully this info will help you become another online success story.

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How to Declutter Your Mind for More Clarity

Erin McKellar — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:14:30 +0000

Clarity is something that a mind needs in order to function. Too often, we walk around in a fog thinking of errands that need to be done, chores that need tending to, and family obligations. Obtaining a clear mind is not an easy task, especially if you tend to be a worrier or an anxious person. However, there are tips that are designed to help you to achieve a clear, focused mind.

* Keep an agenda for the day. At the end of the day, make a list of errands and chores that need to be accomplished on the next day. List these items in order by priority, most important to least important. The most important items should be the ones that absolutely need to be taken care of such as doctor appointments and important paperwork.

The least important items are those that, if need be, can be pushed off to the following day. Keeping a list will help to avoid that “I feel like I am forgetting something” feeling that can nag at us until we go insane. This works in professional life as well as home life.

* Stay focused on you. Do not allow others to push their chores or errands off on you, especially if you have a full schedule already. While it is okay to help others on a sporadic basis, taking on more, unexpected work will only add to your stress level. Stress is not a good factor for anyone and it does not lead to any level of clarity.

* Organization is crucial. This is a true statement for both professional and family lives. Keep a schedule that shows who is responsible for which household duties and also which children have activities on which days. This will help to avoid the last-minute rush when you realize you forgot your daughter’s pageant.

At work, keep your files organized in a manner such that co-workers can find their way around your desk if you happen to be out. Organization at work will ensure that if you are home sick, you will not be receiving a call from a frantic co-worker who cannot find that check for $10,000 that needs to be overnighted to an important client.

* Learn to relax. Drink a cup of tea or a glass of wine; take a nice, hot bath. Most importantly, take time for you because nobody else will. Nothing helps to ease a frazzled mind as much as taking some personal time for yourself when you feel a capillary about to burst. Without a time-out, stress will only increase and that is not good for any aspect of your life.

The key to clarity is to take control of your life. Keeping an agenda, organizing both home and work life, and relaxing, are all key components that help to ensure a clear, focused mind. And having a clear, focused mind ensures that you are the best person at any given moment, which in itself is a reward.

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Techniques to Turn Criticism into Something Positive

Erin McKellar — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:48:09 +0000

Criticism can be a tough pill to swallow, especially when coming from someone who is close to you. It is very easy for a person to feel insulted or even depressed as a result of receiving a bit of criticism. Respoinding non-defensively to criticism is also a very tough task.

Rather than wallow in self-pity, take that criticism and turn it into a weapon – one that will help improve rather than destroy your self-esteem.

Here are a few techniques to help turn that criticism into something positive:

* Professionally, we receive criticism on a regular basis. The criticism usually comes from our bosses, but it can come from co-workers too. Generally, the criticism is meant to be constructive, to help us to become better workers, even if it may not feel that way.

Make a note of the complaint and take steps to fix your errors. If you are not sure how to go about bettering yourself at work, ask a superior. Our bosses are there to help us succeed and should be willing to help us attain the next level.

* We also receive criticism from blunt but well-meaning family members. In this case, decipher the criticism that is being given. Is it ill-mannered and meant to hurt you in a fit of spite or jealousy? Or is it casually pointed out as a piece of advice given to help you? We as people are quick to take offense to comments that are not meant in such a manner.

If the comment is meant to hurt you, shake it off. If it is designed as a piece of advice on how to improve, take it to heart and then take a good look in the mirror. Is the criticism true? If so, work on it, learn from it and then forget about it.

* The worst kind of criticism to bear can be the kind that is given by people who do not know you. If someone does not know you, it should not be possible to dish out criticism, right? Wrong – who better than a stranger to offer you a completely objective point of view that is not clouded by emotion. While this kind of criticism can be harder to handle, it can also offer the most insight.

Criticism may be hard to hear but if taken in the right context, it can be a powerful learning tool for business and life. We all have areas that we could use improvement. What better time to succeed than to take criticism and better yourself?

Using criticism to change yourself for the better will only result in a more confident person who is willing to gear up and face the challenges ahead. So next time you receive a bit of criticism, consider the source, and then turn it into a weapon aimed at improving your self-worth.

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How To: Build Confidence to Boost Your Business

Erin McKellar — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:12:16 +0000

Selling anything, even something you believe in with all your heart, requires three things. It requires a positive mindset. It requires a belief in the product you’re selling. And it requires confidence.

Here are seven confidence-building tips to help boost your business.

#1 Celebrate the successes. While every person isn’t going to say yes to you when you present them with a buying opportunity, when you celebrate your successes the “no’s” don’t feel as powerful. Celebrating your successes helps you stay positive and focused on success rather than dwelling on the sales that don’t go as well as you’d like.

#2 Spend your time in gratitude. It’s easy to think about all the things you don’t have. However, remembering all that you do have and being grateful for it, gives you the confidence and grace to handle anything.

#3 Approach your selling opportunities with enthusiasm. If you’re enthusiastic about selling, about attending parties, and about building your business, then the enthusiasm will carry through in your actions and interactions. Your customers and prospects will feel it. You’ll spread it around to those you meet.

#4 Know your products. If you know your products inside and out, you can approach any selling opportunity with confidence in your knowledge. Understand not only how the product works and what it costs, but also how your customers benefit from it. How does your product solve their problems?

#5 Know your audience. What do they want? Why do they buy from you? What do you have to offer? Knowing your audience and understanding their needs will help you communicate more effectively with them and it’ll help you sell with confidence.

#6 Remember that every no really does bring you one step closer to a yes. This is a common saying amongst sales people for two reasons. One, it’s true. Two, it helps you get through those “no’s” with a positive mindset.

#7 Have fun with your direct sales business and you’ll attract customers. It’s practically guaranteed. If you enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll attract success to you. Don’t believe it? Pay attention to the people you like doing business with. Do they seem to enjoy themselves? Do they radiate enthusiasm?

Work hard, do your very best, remember to be grateful for what you have and your direct sales business will succeed. You know you have what it takes to build a successful career as a direct sales consultant. Keep your confidence high with these seven tips.

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How To: Beat Your Fear of Success Phobia

Erin McKellar — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:55:12 +0000

It may sound contradictory to think of someone having a fear of success and having a phobia about that, but it happens more often than you might think. For whatever reasons, many of us are wired to fear our own success. The phobia may be that achieving that success brings us out of our comfort zone or simply puts us into a situation we’re unfamiliar with. Whatever the reason, letting fear sabotage your plans can be detrimental to you personally as well as your business success.

Here are a few tips to help you overcome the fear of success phobia once and for all:

#1 – Be a “big picture” person. Many entrepreneurs feel paralyzed with fear once they look at all the minute details of a business venture. Some of the most successful business owners of our time have done the exact opposite to avoid this feeling. Instead of concentrating on minute details, they concentrate on the big picture. They know that the small details can be taken care off later.

No one expects you to be familiar with every aspect of business, and there are many tasks that can be outsourced. You can also ask for help and advice when the time comes to complete each task.

To avoid not acting on your ideas, ignore the small details and become a “big picture” person instead.

#2 – Give yourself a break. We all have times when we’re scared or feel a little vulnerable. It’s important not to let these emotions get the better of you. Simply see them for what they are – a temporary feeling. Like most things, this too will pass. Tell yourself that you may be a little fearful of a certain task or phase in your business but that it can be overcome.

Being kind to yourself. Concentrating on your successes and good points is the starting point to getting rid of fear.

#3 – Ask yourself – what’s the worst thing that can happen? This simple question can help you overcome the fear of many scenarios. In the big scheme of things, what is actually the worst thing that could happen if you ventured into the unknown?

Often times we realize that things aren’t that bad and our minds have a way of dramatizing certain events. Stop yourself from falling into this trap by facing your worst-case scenario head on.

The fear of success is a real issue for many entrepreneurs, and sometimes those thoughts and feelings are etched deep into our belief system. But with a little time, perseverance and action you can learn to enjoy your success and relish all those moments when something good comes out of your hard work and dedication.

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7 Characteristics of Successful Leaders and Entrepreneurs

Scott Reynolds — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:45:38 +0000

Successful leaders and entrepreneurs can be born or made, but they tend to share some common characteristics that are crucial to their success. In general, an effective leader is:

1) Exemplary – A good leader is a role model for his (or her) team. With his character, he sets a standard, and he inspires others to follow his lead. He must demonstrate that he is trustworthy and pays more than just lip service to his professed ideals.

2) Enthusiastic – An excellent leader is passionate about his work and instills the same in others. His enthusiasm motivates his team toward their common goals, even if his role is different from theirs. At the same time, an enthusiastic leader is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty.

3) Confident – To lead and set direction effectively, a leader must have confidence in himself and his role. He will thus inspire confidence in others and elicit his team’s trust and best efforts.

4) Steadfast – In times of uncertainty, a good leader remains steady and purposeful. He continues to function in an orderly way and reassures his team by exuding a positive attitude. He stays calm, composed, and focused in a crisis. Crises are inevitable in business; a great leader stays the course through it all.

5) Analytical – An excellent leader not only keeps his eyes on the prize, but also breaks down the process for reaching that goal into manageable steps. He then establishes benchmarks for measuring progress.

6) Creative – A great leader can always see ways to improve and knows that every idea can be broadened, expanded upon, or enhanced. He “thinks outside the box” and is not afraid to try new things. At the same time, he recognizes when an idea, strategy, or process is not working and puts a stop to it.

7) Committed to excellence – A commitment to excellence means never compromising values or standards. Second-best does not achieve success. The best leaders hew to high standards and do not shy away from “raising the bar” to achieve excellence in all areas.

These fundamental characteristics may be God-given or developed with time and experience. In either case, the successful leader works continually to refine and strengthen these traits, which will stand the test of time and help him weather the inevitable storms of business life. Ultimately, the best leaders never give up. They keep their eyes on the prize and lead their team toward reaching it.