Posts Tagged ‘mindset’

While there are some very specific things which each of us must learn in order to succeed in business, the truth is that being really successful has very little to do with gaining business specific skills. Heck, if this were not the case, the number of people who were successful would be rather tiny. So, what is it that sets the winners apart?

I’ve learned over the years that it has more to do with one’s mindset than almost anything else.  Mindset in combination with using keen intuition and facing fears are the foundation for the success of most accomplished entrepreneurs.

Now, just to be clear, mindset is more than just reading some affirmations every day.  Your mindset is those deep rooted beliefs that you hold near and dear to you and would take an atomic bomb for you to let go of.  These beliefs help you through all of your challenges both business and personal.  Ultimately, your mindset helps you to make the decisions that change your life.

So here’s a list of mindset secrets to help you succeed in business and become that accomplished entrepreneur!

• Face your fears; never let fear influence your decision making ability
• Use challenges to spark your creativity and solve problems
• Never tolerate excuses from others or yourself
• Believe “Where there’s a will there’s a way”
• Understand there’s real power in asking for help
• Know that obstacles are a reason to strengthen your commitment to your bigger why
• Graciously welcome new learning opportunities from teachers, mentors and coaches
• Know you can do, be and have anything you want
• Never, ever play the victim
• Hold firm to boundaries and stand solid in your personal power
• Know that “NOW” is the right time
• Understand that fear and doubt are not truth
• Let’s go to grow
• Appreciate the growing and learning process and see the results in the transformation of your business
• Practice the attitude of gratitude
• Invest in the best mentoring and coaching

Without a doubt you’re going to face challenges, obstacles and make a ton of mistakes.  Learning from your mistakes is crucial to overcoming the problems you will encounter, inevitably leading to the success you desire.

But by understanding and implementing the mindset secrets you will take years off the process because you will have the “mind tools” you need to be at the top of your game.

I am always simply amazed…really I am.  By what you ask?  By watching how my clients, friends and associates give up.  You heard it, when they give up.

It usually looks something like this:

Temporary Obstacle    +   Self Defeating Mindset   =   I Quit

Does this sound familiar to you?  Do you let a tiny obstacle and your negative outlook on the situation create the “I Quit” attitude that stops you from reaching your goals?

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will you business.  Growing a successful business takes an investment in time, money and resources.  No one said it would be easy, but the rewards will be great if you stick with it and see it to the end.

Want to know the secret?  If you want to succeed and make more money…Keep going! Ignore the naysayers, the bad outcomes, the minor setbacks, and no shows and just keep going!

That’s my secret!  People ask me all the time how I did it but the real secret is this is how I continue to do it!  This is why my business is successful…because I don’t quit!  Ever!

• I keep going in every situation
• I stay focused on my dream and vision of my company
• Every day I examine my mindset and set out to achieve the greatest I can achieve.  I refuse to be mediocre
• I get the right help, from the right people.  I don’t do it alone
• I DARE To Be Phenomenal….every day

I want you to think about this and decide today that the next time you are faced with an obstacle that you will NOT go into that negative space that will sabotage your success.  Instead, look at the problem and figure out who can best help you and what you  must do to turn this situation around.  Hire a coach or mentor to help you along your path.  But whatever you do…don’t quit!  Just keep going!

What’s your story?  You know your money story; what is it?  We all have one.  Some of our stories are simple and some far more complicated.  These stories are all rooted in our past, deep inside of us and where formed when we were very young.

How many of us heard the following statements from our parents growing up:  “Money doesn’t grow on trees”, “Do you think I’m made of money?”, “We can’t afford it”, or, “Do you think there is a money tree growing in the backyard?”  There are countless phrases that our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles said to use as kids.  We know them all and those statements are part of what has created our money mindset.  Sad I know, but true.

Unfortunately, most of us have negative feelings about money.  We have gathered all of the information that our family, peers, television and the media have told us about money and it has come together into what is now our negative money mindset.  Some of our feelings may be conscious and others subconscious.  It doesn’t matter if they are conscious or subconscious, they are there and they need to be tackled head on if you are going to make the money you desire!

1.  Stop Ignoring Money and Start Paying Attention To It

Money needs to flow and it needs to be paid attention to. If you don’t pay attention to money it will find a way to get your attention.  This will show up in ways you don’t want it to because you are not giving it the respect it deserves.  So stop putting your head in the sand and take a good look at your current money situation and develop a strategy to deal with it head on.

• Develop a Budget and Stick To It

We all understand the importance of developing a budget buy many don’t follow through by sticking to the plan. me ask you:  How do you expect to pay down your debt if you don’t have a plan?  Your budget is part of that plan and a crucial part of your overall success strategy.  So take pencil to paper and develop your budget NOW!

• Pay Your Bills On Time, Every Time

Paying your bills on time is an important step in your money recovery plan.  When you fail to pay your bills on time you are creating the energy of lack and scarcity and that leaves you feeling powerless over money.  Many of my bills are paid automatically some manually but I pay them at the same time each month.  Find a system that works for you and your money flow and stop ignoring your bills.

• Track Your Money Daily

You don’t need a fancy system just paper and pen.  Put down the date and money that was received each day.  You may start out with some zeros on some days but eventually you will see money coming in everyday!  This simple system really works…try it and see for yourself.

2.  Find The Money Leaks In Your Business

Every business has money leaks.  It may be that you are paying for a membership that you don’t use.  Maybe you are paying someone by the hour and they take far too long to complete a task costing you hundreds of dollars in lost cash.  There are countless ways that money leaks right out of our hands and back account.  Find your money leaks and plug them so that you can have more money in your business and life.

3.  Stop Using Negative Money Language

Spending money is always a choice about what you are prioritizing and what you value.  But when you say things like, “I can’t afford it” or “I don’t have the money” it tells the universe that you are not open to receive the money that it is trying to give you.  These statements are constricting, limiting and are based in scarcity and lack.

Instead say things like:  “I am worth it” or “I choose to invest in myself and my business”.  Not only is the language really important but what’s behind the language, the mindset is really important too.  Start focusing on what you say and stop using language that sends the wrong message to the universe.

When you start to pay attention to money, it will begin to flow to you into your business and into your life.  So pick one of these tips today and change your money story.

I attend a lot of networking events each month and I often have the opportunity to watch the interactions between the participants.  There is something very different that happens when you put men and women in the same room together, unleash them and have them network versus when I watch what occurs at women only events like the DARE To Be Phenomenal’s Networking Events.

Typically at a Chamber event I see something strange happen to the women.  They suddenly forget how to connect.  They aimlessly go around shaking hands and exchanging business cards without “connecting” to the people they are meeting.  Fast forward to one of the women only events I attend and you see something almost magical transpire – true connections being made.

So how to you stay true to you when networking?  Follow these simple tips to make your next networking event more authentic for you.

Remember  Your Heart

In a nut shell, be yourself! Real connections come from the heart.  They are heart-felt, honest interactions between two or more people.  No one is phony, inauthentic, or out solely for their own benefit.  The difference is dropping that phony business persona you have created and instead interacting with people as if they were your friends.  Now this doesn’t mean being unprofessional, but it does mean allowing people to see the real you.  Others want to connect with like-minded quality people and will be more apt to introduce you to friends and associates if they like you.

What are the keys to business success?  Honesty, curiosity and vulnerability coupled with intimate connections are the foundation of a successful and satisfied business and life.  So stop thinking you have to be something you are not and start being yourself!

Have the Right Mindset

If you come from a place of service first and not from a mindset of what’s in it for me you will be more likely to make the kinds of true connections that you are looking for.  Use your intuition to help you discern who would be a good connection for you and who would not and let this be your guide as you navigate your way.  Not every person you meet will be someone you want to do business with.  Always trust your gut, it will never steer you wrong.

Have Clarity

Be clear on what you want to accomplish at each event.  Taking the time to meet with two or three people at an event where you can share some quality time learning about them and their business is better than running around collecting business cards of people you will never remember and who probably won’t remember you.

Networking is a great tool to build your business but it’s in the relationship building and follow up where true business connections are made.  Be yourself, have the right mindset and be clear on your goals and networking success will be yours.

I hear it all the time…”I want to charge more for my services. ” When I ask them what is stopping them, I usually get a look of panic and hear words that are filled with fear and doubt. Hearing their “money words” is an important first step when I work with a client.  Why?  Because, it tells me a great deal about their money habits and beliefs.

For example, I recently spoke with a woman who was interested in joining my mastermind program. She was letting fear and cost stand in the way of her stepping up to the plate.  Instead of investing in the program, she decided it was better to play it safe and small.  She said things like, “I can’t afford it” and “I don’t have the money” and even “I don’t know if it will be of benefit to me.”  These are words that are rooted in fear and lack and will have a direct impact on your ability to raise your own fees and up your prices.

So what kinds of words will let you stand in your power around money?  Talking about money in ways that are rooted in abundance and power like, “I value myself enough to spend money on this program that will greatly benefit my business” or “I would love to spend that kind of money on (fill in the blank)” or even “Things that cost more have a higher value”.   Do you feel the difference in these statements?

When you use words that are powerful you automatically shift your belief about YOU and what’s possible in your business and life. You’re creating a shift deep within yourself that values quality, which recognizes that good things DO cost more and that they are worth it.

Next time you hear yourself using language that is rooted in lack I want you to immediately shift to those powerful words that can help you make the shift from lack to abundance.

Do you like this tip?  You can learn more money secrets in my upcoming coaching program “The Money and Mindset Program:  How To Bust Through Your Money Roadblocks and Solve Your Biggest Pricing Challenges Easily! To find out more, contact me at maureen@daretobephenomenal.com

I was sitting and thinking the other day about the presentation that I did at the last DARE To Be Phenomenal Networking Event.  So many of the women came up to me after and told me how they have struggled with many limiting beliefs that were instilled in them by their parents.  It got me thinking about some serious questions one should ponder about money.  I am going to focus on a few here today and will be back later in the week with some more questions to think about.

Write down your answers and see what comes up for you.

1. What stories did your family tell you about money?  Was there a story that was repeated over and over again in your family?  Were these stories positive or negative?
2. How did your mother portray her attitude about money? What messages did she send about money?
3. How did your father portray his attitude about money?  What messages did he send about money?
4. Did you worry about money as a child?  What stories or words would you use to describe your worry about money?
5. What did you learn about money as a child?  How did these lessons make you feel about money?
6. When given the opportunity to learn about money do you resist learning this information?
7. Does money flow in and out of your life smoothly or do you have difficulty getting and giving money?
8. Do you feel in control or out of control with regard to your financial situation?
9. Do you know what your financial goals are?  Do you have a plan to get there or are you using the hope and pray method?
10. When you think about money do you feel dread or excitement? Why?
11. What are you willing to do about the beliefs about money that are having a negative impact on your ability to attract abundance into your life?

For some of you when you read these questions it is going to stir up all sorts of feelings about money.  It’s ok and it’s totally normal.  It is all part of the process of busting through those negative beliefs so you can embrace new, positive beliefs about money.  Let me know how you do and best of luck through this journey.

I bet right now you have a ton of things on your to-do-list.  Am I right?  As women business owners it is so important to get a handle on your list and to focus your time and attention on what matters most.

But often I hear my clients complain that they just can’t get focused.  Well, I used to have this same problem until I learned some easy steps that I could take to help me hone in on what needs my attention and time and what doesn’t.  Follow these 3 simple and easy tips to get a handle on your to-do list!

1. Choose Your Priorities Wisely

The reality is successful business owners never get their entire to-do lists done; and neither will you.  As an entrepreneur it is crucial to focus your time and attention on the few activities that will move your business forward the fastest and easiest way possible.  This means only focusing your time and attention on what matters most.  If you are wondering what those activities should be I can tell you it doesn’t include sending invoices or posting your newsletter.  It does include:  marketing your business according to the marketing activities that you have committed to doing; growing your list; and creating new and innovative service offerings to your growing client base.  Anything else on your to-do list is just a pesky distraction that will take you off track!

2. Ask Positive Questions

One of the first things that I learned when I implemented this system was to NEVER ask myself  “How will I get everything done?”  This is such a draining and exhausting question filled with anxiety and dread. Instead try asking yourself innovative and fresh questions that will spark ideas and keep you upbeat and positive.  Remember you are only focusing on tasks that have to do with marketing, list building and product/service development so focus your questions on those topics.  You might try asking yourself “Who could I partner with to grow my list faster?”  This question helps you to start thinking about who you could create a joint venture or alliance with.  By asking the right questions you move from dread to excitement.

3. You Are In Charge

I have written before about the importance of taking care of you first.  So if you find yourself constantly taking care of other peoples’ needs and request then you’re putting yourself last when you should be first.  Many women entrepreneurs fall into the mistaken belief that once you take care of others you can then focus your attention back to yourself.  The problem with that type of thinking is it never happens.  You end up feeling drained and overwhelmed and then never find the time or energy to take care of your business.  So remember, you are in charge of what your day will be like. If you are distracted by others it is because you have put their needs above your own and you are the only one to blame for that.  The more you honor your time and the vision of your business the more you are living your phenomenal dream.  Stay focused on YOUR priorities!

The most successful entrepreneurs became successful by focusing their time on what matters most, not on just what got their attention!  Follow these three simple tips and you will be amazed at how much you can get done with less effort than you’ve ever spent.

Everybody wants to be rich. But few know how to make it happen. So unless you win the Mega millions drawing tomorrow night you are probably going to need another strategy to be successful.

Here are some of the top strategies of successful entrepreneurs….

Do It Daily – The one thing that successful entrepreneurs understand is that in order to move their business forward they must engage in marketing activities each and everyday.  Daily? YES… DAILY!

Time Is A Precious Commodity – How do you spend your time? Do you watch TV during the day? Chat with your girlfriends instead of working? Do you allow others to interfere with your time and schedule? If you answered yes to any of these you do not understand how valuable your time really is. Successful entrepreneurs understand that how they spend their time NOW will determine their future. Spend your time wisely.

Stop Procrastinating – Successful entrepreneurs don’t’ put off what they know they can do today…in others words they don’t procrastinate.  This sense of urgency is borne not only from their understanding of how valuable their time is, but also from wanting to keep their clients happy. By acting immediately, they are ensuring client satisfaction.  And happy clients are clients that will return to buy your products and services over and over again.

One Thing At A Time – I love the phrase “one day at a time”. Well this is the same concept except instead of one day a time; it’s one thing at a time. If you find yourself in a constant state of overwhelm and confusion because you think your to do list is out of control, remember that all that’s important is that you do something…anything each day.  Worry won’t decrease that pile. But taking action and doing one thing and then the next and the next will.

Always Have A “Plan B” -  Although I don’t worry about the big stuff, I always have a backup plan if something goes wrong. What do I mean by this? Well if I am planning a retreat I don’t worry about filling the retreat, but I do worry about if the retreat center is not ready for us when we arrive. I focus my attention on the details and have a backup plan for if something needs to be “tweaked”. This insures that I have thought out all of the potential problems that could arise and already have a solution ready at hand.  I always have my “plan b”!

Don’t Do It All – Successful entrepreneurs understand how important a team is to the ultimate running of their business.  Doing it all is a recipe for burnout and disaster. Smart and savvy businesswomen create teams and delegate effectively. Hiring a virtual assistant, bookkeeper, personal assistant, housekeeper, etc., help to keep your mind of the small stuff and instead keep you focused on the big picture.

Have The Right Mindset – Successful entrepreneurs are focused on three things:  security, comfort, and money. The focus on security allows the successful business women to develop systems and programs that reinforce that need for security with an overall focus  on the big picture as opposed to doing tasks and activities that have only short term results. So remember to invest in yourself and your business for long term success.

No matter where you are in your business I encourage you to implement these strategies.  If you are new in business, start with one idea and build on from there. Take the first steps toward building that successful business.

You can be your own best friend or your own worst enemy.  It is the beliefs you have about yourself, others or situations that moves you forward or holds you back. Your belief system creates how you see the world and the possibilities or barriers within it.   When self-limiting beliefs create roadblocks to your success, the result can stop you from living your best life.

A couple of months ago I attended the W.I.S.E. Women’s Annual Breakfast hosted by the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce. The guest speaker was Hank Phillippi Ryan successful author and award-winning investigative reporter for WHDH TV Boston.

Hank told the story of when she was writing her first book, Prime Time. She was speaking with her mother telling her that she was unsure if she could finish the book; she questioned if she had what it took to complete the project. Very simply her mom replied, “You will if you want to.”

How many times have you started a new project or was in the process of announcing a new product or service when you stopped and began to have doubts whether or not you could pull it off? I know that I have had those doubts creep into my mind on more than one occasion. But I also know that Hank’s mom was 100% correct when she passed on those words of wisdom to her daughter.

I want you to think for a moment about the conversations you have had with yourself today. Did you tell yourself you were phenomenal, successful and talented or did you tell yourself you were unorganized, forgetful, and lazy?

Most of the time we don’t even realize that the negative thoughts are playing like a tape over and over again in our head.  They have found a place in our mind so comfortable that we accept them as true rather than what they really are, an unproven self-limiting thought.

Your mind is an incredible tool that believes what you tell it, so why not challenge the self-limiting beliefs you currently hold as true.  What if you discovered that they were not true and could finally discard them and create true direction instead of a misguided story line?

When you banish self-limiting thoughts, you can make significant changes and begin to live life with joy, power and clarity. That clarity will allow you to see things differently.  It is a wonderful experience to be free of those negative beliefs and to make room for positive thoughts that move your forward!

As a business coach, I hear these negative beliefs from my clients all the time. We work through them by having them challenge their thinking and replace them with a new belief that is true or truer than the original.

Author Byron Katie, has done a phenomenal job in addressing limiting beliefs in her book titled The Work. I suggest you read the book to get the full understanding on the methodology. In part Katie suggests that we challenge each limiting belief by asking four questions:

1. Is it true? The answer is a “yes” or a “no” only.  If your answer is “no”, continue to question three.
2. Can you absolutely know that it is true? What proof do you have that it is true?  It most cases you will find it is not true.
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without the thought? Close your eyes and drop your story just for a moment and notice, who would you be without that thought? Who would you be without your story? How about if you were not capable of believing that thought.  Turn the thought around. Reverse the thought as many ways as you can and ask yourself if these reverse versions seem as true as or truer than your original thought.  http://www.thework.com

By challenging those negative thoughts you are now free to replace it with thoughts that empower you and move you forward into the business and life that you want.

Picture this…

You’ve just had a great meeting with a potential client and you’re ready to reveal your fee.  You smile and tell them your rate; you go cold waiting for their response.

While you are anxiously awaiting their response crazy thoughts are running through your head like a steam roller.

Will she hire me?

Will she think I priced my service too high?

You hear “Your hired!” and a wave of  other thoughts begin to flood your mind…now you begin to second guess your pricing!

Did I low ball it in order to get the job?

Should I have gone higher?

You know what I am talking about; you’ve been there and you know what’s coming next.  The project always takes more time than you realize and you end up feeling overworked, undervalued and underpaid.

So what is a phenomenal woman to do who knows that she is worth so much more but is not sure about setting her fees?  Follow these tips for better fee setting.

1.  Know What You Are Worth

When you are setting fees how do you go about landing on a price?  Do you throw darts and see where it lands?  Pick a price out of a hat?  Or worse yet do you look to your competition to see what they’re charging?

None of those methods are going to give a price point that addresses YOUR worth.

If you bill hourly remember that many factors go into determining your price point.  So many entrepreneurs fail to consider all the factors so remember the following:

• First figure out how much you want to be making a year
• What are your subcontractor expenses (if you have any)
• What are your other expenses
• How much profit do you want to make
• All these factors make up  your “required revenue”
• Divide your “required revenue” by number of billable hours and you have your rate.  Don’t forget that your total number of billable hours is never 40 hours a week.

Is this rate acceptable?  If not raise your fees.

2.  Give Them Results

Clients are paying you for results.  Technically they’re paying for a service but in reality they are buying a solution.   It’s your job to make sure that you communicate those results clearly so that people know what to expect.

Will she get more clients?  Streamline her processes?  Be more confident when having a selling conversation?  Know the benefits and communicate them effectively!

3. Create A Haggle Free Mindset

Don’t haggle with clients about money.  You’re not selling junk at a yard sale  you’re selling yourself and you have allot of value!  When you engage in haggling it immediately lowers your perceived worth and once that happens you are sunk!  When you haggle you set yourself up for a continuous relationship by which your clients will nit pick you to death over everything…and NO ONE wants that kind of client interaction.

4.  Not Everyone Is Your Client

There will be times when you will have to walk away; when a potential client will not be willing to pay your fee.  That’s OK; they were meant to be your client.  The right client who IS willing to pay your rate is just around the corner.

Pricing your services is one of the most difficult  tasks a business owner will ever undertake.  Be a smart and savvy businesswoman and be prepared by reviewing the project and price.  It will save you a ton of heartache in the long run.