“Because I can hear what they’re saying. They’re talking about us.”
“Wow, you must have great hearing,” I said. Then I realized that it wasn’t that I couldn’t hear them talking, but that because they were speaking in another language, my mind had selectively blocked out their voices from the get go.
This is the miraculous power of mental filtration, our minds selectively blocking out what it deems unimportant, excessive, or unrecognizeable. If it’s unrecognizeable, it must not be important to us, the mind reasons, because if it were, we would surely already know it.
It’s a matter of perceptual blindness.
One popularly cited example of this is of Magellan bringing his tall European ships to South America, where the Native Americans could not see the ships that were offshore. These gigantic ships were so “out of this world”, so implausible that they simply did not register in the Native Americans’ minds.
Ever hear yourself say, “What are you looking at? What are we looking for?” as a friend tries to point something out to you? Sometimes it takes a while to comprehend what novel thing they’re pointing to.
According to Magellan’s accounts, it was the shaman alone who was open to the possibilities of strange things from other worlds that allowed him to finally see the ships off shore. The shaman was then able to help others see the ships, one by one.
This is a “funny” story, to think that whole communities of people couldn’t see massive ships coming towards them to take over their land.
There are so many things in our own lives that fall into the realm of “unknown”, “unrecognizeable”, “can’t see it”, “doesn’t exist”, or simply, “That’s impossible” or “I don’t know how to do it!”
How do you achieve your goals when they seem just too crazy, too outlandish and out of reach?
What about that goal you’re after?
The promotion you’ve wanted?
That website you want to launch?
That new business you’ve always dreamed of having?
The team you want to be on?
The invention that would change the world, except, it would never actually be accepted or come to fruition?
That dream to move to a foreign country?
You can have anything you want, and you can have it now.
For every desire you have, the way already exists for you to have it.
You may just not be able to see How it will happen, Where the path is, What to do to get it, Who you need to talk to. But it’s there, it’s just a matter of being able to see it to do something about it.
This is why it’s important to keep learning from those 5 steps ahead of you.
To seek the coaching that is required, to hire the expertise that will get you to your goal.
They can see solutions that you may never think of. They have experience that will enable them to put together solutions that go beyond reading a few tips in a book will offer.
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
Some of the successes I’ve had in the last few months wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the mentors and coaches who inspired me, encouraged me, and helped me to get there:
Score a press pass to the Tour de France
Score a pass to the Formula 1 paddocks
Land a gig teaching the top 6 sales heads of a global technology corporation how to create and share their brands in a way that closes more deals and rallies the support of their team
Meet Sir Richard Branson, and get him to agree to be on my show
Interview entrepreneurial hot shots like Gala Darling (blogging goddess), Daymond John (Shark Tank, creator of FUBU), Peter Shankman (HARO creator), and Mike Michalowicz (Toilet Paper Entrepreneur)
Meet and interview former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan
I am a bold, audacious, and some might call crazy person, all on my own. But you can bet that I lean on the help of trusted mentors and coaches to kick my butt into the fear zone, that place where obstacles magically disappear and your dreams suddenly appear.
Get the help you need – hire a coach, find a mentor. Go get your dream, however you have to do it!
Here’s an exercise I use with my clients to help them get clear on their Personal Brand.
It started with building websites, logos, business cards, and graphically-based business pieces. I noticed that the more I got to know my clients – how they spoke, what they wore, how they interacted with others, and more deeply, what their greatest wishes, dreams and fears were (usually these deep emotions and fears are not shared explicitly, but I see them underlying my clients’ common “everyday†actions or in a flippantly made comment) – the better I was able to convey a unique and highly PERSONALIZED Brand through imagery and design. Over time, I honed this skill to help my clients write taglines and copy, such as Rock Racing’s “Here to Stay†and Rock the Cure Foundation’s “Make a Difference. Lead by Example. Rock the Cure.â€
The exercise below is a great way to get started crafting your Personal Brand – uncovering what you REALLY want, what THEMES and VALUES tie together your Personal Brand, and how you can continue to explore all of your dreams under the umbrella of your Personal Brand.
Keep these themes and values in mind as you grow your business. It’s your Personality and your DNA that sets you apart from everyone else. It’s what makes you unique, and allows you to always be at the creation front, not the competitive front. It’s at the creative front that innovation happens.
STEP 1
Choose your three favorite memories, as related to the topic of your business or website.
STEP 2
Select one of these three memories, and brainstorm WHY it stands out in your mind. What sights were there, what objects? What were the sounds, the smells, the textures, the temperature? How did it FEEL for you?
STEP 3
Next, write down how this memory is key to your business, or like your business. Get creative!
STEP 4
Finally, pull out the key words and themes for branding purposes.
STEP 5
Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for the remaining two memories.
STEP 6
Now that we have a list to draw from, choose imagery to support these themes and ideas. You don’t have to use all of them – use what you feel matches best, for the purpose of your website or business.

When you’re done brainstorming, use a resource such as iStockPhoto (http://www.istockphoto.com) to find imagery for your site. Type your key words into this imagery search engine, and see what comes up!
Here’s an example: STEP 1
Memory: Closing my first contract as a freelancer.
STEP 2
Describe: I remember the formal corporate offices, and a fresh-faced and eager me. It was cold in the office, but I felt like I was on fire. Excitement and electricity were shooting through me.
STEP 3
How This Is Like My Business: I create fresh new ways for entrepreneurs to see their businesses. Even in a cold market, you will feel alive, vibrant, and unstoppable after working with me! I’m like the electricity that helps to fuel your results!
STEP 4
Key Words and Themes: Fresh, Vibrant, Electricity/Energy.

With these key words and themes, I can search for photos that are green, have bright colors, feel fresh and energetic.
Have fun with this process! Let your mind wander to what makes you happy, and what you love to do.
NOTE: If you are an innovative and creative entrepreneur wanting to blend the best of your talents with your passions to create the kind of rockin’ business and lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of, I recommend checking to see if a Vision Day or Coaching and Training Program is right for you. Click here for more info.
1. You keep trying and trying and trying and working HARD and with determination…..yet, your goals never quite seem to materialize.
Ever see those people who seem to just “wish” things into their lives, and it happens?
They lay back, they chill, maybe they surf the net and watch TV way more than you. Why are they always just “hanging out”, but they have all the opportunities and luxuries flowing towards them??
“Dammit!” you may say. “Why not me??”
It’s not fair, eh?
Well, for folks like this, their underlying beliefs systems are founded on faith and the calmness, allowing them to slip easily into that flow state, where awesome things just happen. Easily. Naturally. With an air of, “Of course life is this fun!”
“But how can I have the same beliefs, so results come easily?“ you ask.
Ah, grasshopper: by finding the limiting beliefs, and reprogramming them to the kinds of empowering beliefs you want!
Read on…
2. You’re doing everything “rightâ€, but the results you’re after are not happening.
Maybe it’s a training program:
You’re doing everything you’re supposed to, and you’re seeing improvement, but, DAMMIT! why aren’t you kicking butt and winning races yet??
Maybe it’s your online business:
Squeeze page, check.
Pimpin’ free report that people LOVE and that you get great feedback on, check.
Products and Services that totally rock and have a proven track record of results, check.
Killer launch, check.
But, you’re just not selling like you should be!
But why, everything’s working and in place, right?
Could be an anchor in your subconscious holding you back…..
3. You’re cool, calm, confident, and a rockstar in one environment. But in a different environment, you become an insecure sissy with no self-esteem.
What gives??
Why can you be confident, bold, and happy with your family, but not with your friends?
Or, maybe you’re confident, bold, and happy with friends, but not family.
Here’s an even better example:
You’re a cool, interesting person, yes? But why is it that when you go talk to that guy or girl you’re interested in, you turn into a puddle and only the depths of your awkwardness show?
Could be more than simply being or feeling shy, awkward, or uncomfortable. This could be the result of a hidden limiting belief that causes the voices in your head to say mean things to you. These voices then make you insecure in a split second, way before you can tell what hit ya.
Good news! Limiting beliefs can be quickly and easily re-programmed using the right technology and techniques!
Here are two ways to begin reprogramming your subconscious mind to HELP you achieve your goals, rather than HOLD YOU BACK from them
1. Create a Vision Board
The mind works in images. Instead of replaying that time you got made fun of way back when and letting those negative images get in the way, consciously choosing a set of images in line with your goals will help to jet-propel your results.
Make a list of what you want in your life. Include everything: career and financial goals, personal goals, health and fitness goals, the kinds of friends you want to have, the vacations you want to take, anything and everything.
Then cut out photos from magazines, or print images from your computer, and glue them onto a piece of posterboard. Spend time every day looking at your Vision Board, and imaging that all those as being already in your life.
Pretty pictures + daily daydreaming about your ideal life = reprogrammed subconscious mind!
2. Use PSYCH-K to reprogram your beliefs quickly and easily.
PSYCH-K integrates principles of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) with new techniques and practices that create quick and lasting results. PSYCH-K is like NLP on steroids!
Another way to describe PSYCH-K is like therapy on steroids.
With both therapy and NLP, you bring your dirty laundry to your therapist’s office and examining each piece of dirty laundry before throwing it into the washer to get “clean” or “fixed”.
With PSYCH-K the dirty laundry just moves from hamper straight to washer, and you’re left with clean clothes. PSYCH-K facilitators don’t need to hear the stories of the dirty laundry! Instead, we can work quickly, silently, and remotely to release subconscious blocks and reprogram limiting beliefs.
If you’re ready to reprogram your limiting subconscious beliefs to ones that serve you, click here to book a session now.
“Well-behaved women rarely make history.†– Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
When I think back to the times in my life where I’ve grown, turned in a new direction, or met a few amazing people who changed my life, I notice it’s when I find myself where I “shouldn’t†be. Woops!
In the last few weeks I’ve found myself in many places I shouldn’t be.
I was on the team bus of professional cycling team Barloworld, being flashed by a group of riders who had just finished a long stage, wanting to embarass me and have a good laugh at my expense. I will never forget their spritely expressions, nor the guys I met.
I was at a sacred group dinner, where I heard tales and got to meet personalities I would not have heard or met otherwise.
I stood in the middle of a Roman street snapping photos and twirling with my arms outstretched as the PolizÃa yelled at me in Italian. I pretended I didn’t understand the Italian they spoke as they tried to shoo me away, though it was very clear by their tone that I was not supposed to be there.
As I shirked back into being a “good girl†and following instructions, I knew my mind had expanded beyond the small box I kept it in and I couldn’t go back. As Oliver Wendell Holmes says, ““The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size.â€
“WELL, WE’LL DECIDE IF WE WILL ALLOW THAT…â€
As children, we are taught to ladder-climb and slowly inch our ways up to the top, ladder rung by ladder rung, bit by bit. In corporate America, we found good jobs out of college, and hopefully we got promoted and promoted to the high positions we’d dreamed of. But really, how many of us dream to be middle managers of large corporations?
Even in the apprentice/master craftsman sense, do we really need to ladder climb? Yes, and no.
When I graduated college, I had a vision of being top-dog creative director at a large and respectable ad agency. I worked my tail off, learning and growing from the mentors around me. I spent 36, even 48 hours at a time working, creating, building, brainstorming, drawing to get a project done on time and as beautifully as possible.
Those early years were worth every minute I spent there, and I learned a lot. At the time it was perfect. It was what I knew how to do, and I was getting better and better by following my ambition and my drive, step by step, following “the planâ€.
Towards the end of my employment I hit a ceiling. I wanted to do more, I wanted to be more, I wanted to interact with clients, I KNEW I could contribute more than I was. But at each step I had to ask permission, I had to ask if it was “okay†to tag along a meeting, if it was “okay†to do this or that. The internal rebellion started.
It started quietly at first, with an explanation, an understanding. “Of course,†I reasoned. “It’s okay, I have to learn those ropes.†Then it became a dare. “What do you mean I can’t handle that?? WATCH ME.â€
I’ve come to learn that one of the deadliest words in an entrepreneur’s career is not “noâ€, but rather the complacent, “okayâ€, as in, “It’s okay, I will tolerate that which I know not to tolerate.â€
I was not “supposed†to interact with clients, oh no. I was not supposed to take creative control of projects. I was not supposed to generate ideas outside of the norm. No.
I was fired from that job. It was the best thing that ever happened to me.
LEAPS IN GROWTH ARE NEVER BORN OUT OF ‘COMFORT’ OR ‘CERTAINTY’
I debated whether or not to share this bit about my working life to the general public. What would people think, to know that I was FIRED from my last job? This shatters the illusion that I am a great person! A hard worker! Maybe people won’t like me!
Funny enough, that’s exactly why I share it – because now, at the “wise†age of 31, I am finally realizing that you know what, I am a great person because I say so, not because I didn’t fit a job description.
Have you ever had a time where you wanted to make a change in your life, but were afraid to? That you knew you were meant for something better, or maybe just something different, but the excuses and fear held you back?
“Oh, after this gig finishes, then I’ll go for it.â€
“Well, I have this new mortgage to pay…..I •couldn’t• just jump ship now!â€
“I have responsibilities! I’m not [30, 25, 20, a teenager, from a trust fund family, etc]! I couldn’t just jump! I am responsible!â€
When I got fired – during a vacation, nonetheless, they didn’t have the guts to tell it to me to my face – I cried. I spent days in beautiful New Zealand stunned, contemplating the impact of it all, what it meant, what I made it mean about my professionalism, etc. I was a good person, I was a solid worker, I wasn’t SUPPOSED to be fired!!
By the time I returned from vacation, I had a fire lit under me. I experienced first hand the saying, “Leap, and the net will appear.†See, there’s this thing that happens when we “burn the shipsâ€, “throw our hat over†– the Universe gets to bring to us what It’s been trying to bring us all along.
This was my first taste of leapfrogging. I learned so quickly, trial by fire. It was the circumstances that enabled me to grow into my potential.
A few of the people I worked with at the job came to work with me after they learned I was fired. They are my clients still to this day. New clients came out of the woodwork. People I’d worked with in the past found out I was on my own, and contacted me, some of them years after we’d last spoken to each other.
I was not supposed to be fired. I was supposed to be a successful career woman!
In this time of discomfort and uncertainty, I started to find myself.
LEAPFROG? TO SUCCESS? REALLY?
Jane Wurwand, founder of Dermalogica and The International Dermal Institution, says with a laugh, “I went to beauty school! That’s it! Those are my qualifications! I went to beauty school, and here I am, teaching Harvard MBAs about business!â€
When I first embarked on my journey as a web designer, I had no experience and no formal training. But I had the audacity to declare myself a web designer, and I worked my tail off behind-the-scenes (asking for help, reading books, scouring the internet for answers, finding mentors, etc.) so that my results matched my word. I just started telling people, “I’m a web designer,†and that was that.
I do want to point out that although the idea of leap-frogging to success means skipping the traditional rules and norms, it does not mean “without work†or “easy rideâ€. It can, definitely, but leapfrogging usually comes along with the idea of working with devoted intention. I say “devoted intention†because, while the hours may be long, they are usually done with such love and passion that there is nothing else that I’d rather be doing.
How Do I Apply This To My Life?
Dare to be embarrassed. Dare to be scared. Dare to feel guilty, as if you’ve done something wrong. You probably have, but it’s nothing personal. Dare to feel like the outcast, to take a different path than your friends, than the people you hear about, of how things “should†be done or are “traditionally†done, and learn to follow your instincts.
SIX STRATEGIES TO LEAPFROG TO SUCCESS IN YOUR LIFE
GET CLEAR. You don’t know what to say “yes†to and what to ignore if you’re not clear. Plus, the clearer you get, the faster you will magnetize people and opportunities to you.
One incredible tool I use for this purpose engages all levels of the subconscious, and comes from NLP – the VAK. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Describe your goal in one sentence. For instance, “I am a successful entrepreneurâ€
Step 2–V: Describe what it LOOKS like, VISUALLY, when you’ve achieved this.
Example: “I see a beautiful ranch home in Malibu.†“I see myself having lunch with Richard Branson, Oprah, and Donald Trump.â€
Step 3–A: What does it SOUND like to achieve this? This section is two-part: 1) What do you hear others saying to you? 2) What do you hear yourself say to yourself?
Example: Other people: “Thank you for the opportunity to live out my own dreams!â€
Yourself: “I knew I could do it!â€
Step 4–K: What does it FEEL like in your body to have this goal be true?
If you’ve felt this before, what does it feel like?
Where in your body is the feeling located?
What temperature and texture is this feeling?
If this feeling had a texture, what would it feel like?
Step 5: Refine your goal from Step 1, if necessary. Often the process of describing your goal through all the senses helps to refine the original goal.
2. ASK. Ask for opportunities, ask for help, ask to help others. Get used to hearing “no†– just like in bike racing where you have more losses than wins, you will hear more “no’s†than “yes’sâ€. It’s nothing personal. Just keep being attentive, keep refining what you want, practice explaining yourself, and don’t give up.
GET INTO MOTION. Sometimes when I think I’m crystal clear what I want, I experience something that has me realize, “ooh, no, that’s not what I want at all…..†Thing is, clarity and refinement are part of the process. Don’t try to over think things or plan the “perfect†scenario after which you’ll execute a “perfect†plan. Start where you are, and get moving. Do something, anything. For instance, I thought I wanted to be a journalist. After some experience as a journalist, I realize I much prefer being my definition of a “reporterâ€, or simply, “a writerâ€. You only know what you want by getting out and experiencing it in the world.
CREATE A SAFE “HOME BASE”. Because of all the uneasiness and uncertainty you’ll inevitably experience as a result of stretching yourself to grow, it’s good to have some kind of home base or sanctuary. In fact, it doesn’t have to be at your home at all! It can be a familiar park, your favorite coffee shop, a notebook of gratitude, a pressed flower kept in your wallet, a card from your parents saying they love you and believe in you. Choose an anchor, and use it to ground yourself no matter where you are or what you’re going through.
TRUST YOUR GUT. I’ve just recently embraced this, as I always thought “intuition†was what the weak believed in because they weren’t smart enough to figure it out. True story. But the more I trust my gut, the easier my life becomes and the more I step into a fast flow, ease and grace in achieving my goals. THESE are inspired and leapfrogged results, as opposed to trying to effort and ladder-step my way to results. I want to point out too that when I thought I could “effort†my way to success, I was in the throes of obsessive-compulsive behavior that culminated in anorexia. No bueno, people, that is a bad bad place to be, a place where you will only realize a small fraction of what you are truly capable of. Learn to ease up and be calm enough to trust your gut.
KEEP A GRATTITUDE AND GROWTH JOURNAL. Sometimes when we go full-charge at our goals, we forget how much we’ve already grown. So much happens to us (and by us) in a week or a day that we simply forget what we’ve accomplished, looking only at what there is left to do. I keep a journal where I document three ways I’ve grown, and three things I’m grateful for. Look, uncertainty can suck. Wondering and worrying if you’re going to make it to your end goal can suck. But, if you’re always looking ahead of you at where you WANT to be and comparing that image to where you are, it’s a recipe for misery. Instead, look behind you and see how much you’ve already grown.
Don’t be afraid of the wind and resistance. If you watch the Tour de France, you’ll see whole teams working together to keep their General Classification guy/race leader out of the wind. So, yes, it’s best to stay protected and out of the wind to conserve for the end. But sometimes, it’s takes the guts and strength to attack and ride away from the pack, alone and uncovered, that will ultimately bring in a victory. You don’t know unless you try – in fact, UCI Pro Sergio Hernandez contends that it’s his ‘guts’ to breakaway that had teams notice his performance and open the doors to his success. Not only is he stronger for being out on a solo effort, but he gathers more attention for himself and the team.
It’s easy to let the illusion of “safety†and “conservation†keep you from taking the steps required to break through to new levels. In business, are you trying to keep yourself safe? Are you shrinking back in this economy, fearful of creating new programs and services, or attached to the comfort of your current product and service offerings, and trying to figure out how to force sales in the new economy? Dare to step out into that arena where you are uncomfortable, maybe even where you “shouldn’t†be, but know you need to be in order to grow. Dare to try something new, even if you don’t know if it’s going to work. Is there a coaching program who’s monetary investment scares you? Are you realizing you are outgrowing some of your friends and colleagues, and it’s time to move on? These can be scary choices to make, but they are also the ones that set you free and allow you to step towards the life you REALLY want.
Taking shortcuts leaves you empty, and maybe even without learning the lessons you were meant to learn. I admit – I am still a Category 4 racer. Ouch! That stings!….breathe…..okay. In cycling, women start at the Category 4 level, and work their way up by earning points to upgrade to Cat 3, then Cat 2, and Cat 1. Many women I started racing with have bounded up the ranks quickly, and yet, through many tears and long training hours, here I am still a Cat 4. But I am finally calm in my Cat 4-ness, and realize that I still have some lessons to learn, much as I want to be a Cat 3, and Cat 2. I feel that once I learn what I need to learn to achieve my first upgrade, my second upgrade will come quickly. Each level will bring new lessons. If I had short-cutted the process, I would miss valuable lessons that make me a more solid rider. In business, I see people trying to take short cuts all the time. Yes, they can work. No, I’m not saying it all has to be long and arduous. The key is to enjoy the process. Relax and have fun, each person and business has their own lessons to learn and own journey to take.
Sometimes you just have to throw your EVERYTHING in, beyond what you think you can do, to make that winning break. In business, are you selling yourself short by not giving it all? Not only does your business suffer, but the people whom your business serves don’t have the privilege of enjoying the support, services, or products you offer. I recently met Adam Stone (http://www.AdamStone.com), a brilliant artist, who shared that it was simply his gift and calling to be creative and be an artist. As a professional artist, it’s not always smooth sailing, but what a disservice to the world if he didn’t share his artwork and give people the opportunity to enjoy it? Similarly, how many people do I keep from being their best when I don’t share about the kinds of online and social media marketing I do? How many businesses could I partner with to grow in this economy if I simply opened my mouth more to share about my consulting programs? Well, I’m starting here.
Set goals, be motivated, but don’t forget to enjoy the scenery. It’s a process after all. Enjoy the people you meet, the successes you have along the way, however small or large. Remember that on the other side of a perceived hardship can come your greatest opportunity.
Recovery periods are NECESSARY to grow. I’ve seen many a cyclist burn out from over training. It’s easy to do, because the endorphins can seem addictive, and the thought is, “If this works well, more will work better!†Many of the pro cyclists I know enjoy simple coffee shop rides when they return from tough stage races, much to the surprise of the amateurs who like to throw down the hammer at every group ride, every day. Running a business requires the mental space to be creative, to make clear decisions for the company. If we’re too tired, an insidious mental fog can cloud your productivity and effectiveness, slowly pulling us down. Take at least one full day off a week. Schedule vacations, and take them! (I’m still working on this one ) Build in recovery periods throughout the day if you can. A fantastic program for increasing your personal productivity by as much as 10x is Eben Pagan’s Wake Up Productive.
Find a good coach. Or at least throw yourself into the ring with people better than you. You are the average of the closest 5 people around you. Your income is the average of the closest 5 people around you. Throw yourself into the ring with people who’s lifestyles and income are what you are seeking. This is not to say get rid of all of your friends, but just be aware that, as in cycling, you keep riding with slow people you are going to stay slow. Additionally, a good coach and mentor can pull you above the low roar and constant bombardment of ideas, and perfect and fine tune the idea that best works for you. If you are seeking a business coach who can pull the money-making business out of you, contact me at ‘ cynthia at cynthialou.com’.
Try to ride with people better than you. Listen to and learn from the conversations. I can’t tell you how much my world changed after hanging out with pro cyclists. At the amateur level, I heard a lot of complaining and blaming. There was a lot of “his faultâ€, “their faultâ€, “my bike fit’s offâ€, “if only I had one more GUâ€, the list is endless. I’ve seen pros kick butt with stomach aches, after puking up their last meals from a stomach bug, with the wrong bike fit. They just don’t complain about the petty things. They know they can believe in themselves to create results with their team. Similarly, don’t blame your lack of skills or knowledge for holding you back. You probably have everything you need to succeed, you’re just not allowing yourself to on some level. For me, PSYCH-K released all sorts of subconscious limiting beliefs that kept me scaredy and not winning. Email me at ‘cynthia at cynthialou.com’ for more information about PSYCH-K and how it might help you.
Nutrition is vital. But be sure to have some fun with it too. Good nutrition leads to good mental health. Good mental health makes for clearer decisions and ability to handle stress and the rigors of running a business. Obsessive, anal retentive tracking and monitoring of food makes for crazy. Obsessive, anal retentive, driven work habits also make for crazy. Trying to “force†everything in a business doesn’t allow for the Universe and your intuition to whisper tips to you. Trust me, the Universe is smarter than you.
Vary your training. In cycling, we work on sprinting, tempo/time-trialing, climbing. Each kind plays an important role in racing. In business, remember to engage the entrepreneur, manager, and technician. A concept I learned in Michael Gerber’s book The E-Myth, the entrepreneur is the big ideas part. The manager organizes and gets things moving smoothly. The technician does the “workâ€, such as a web designer doing the design, the cake baker making cakes. Imbalances in any of these areas can cause chaos, and detract from overall business effectiveness. As your business grows, you can grow staff and partners to specialize in each of the areas, i.e. hire project managers, hire designers & bakers, etc. Just like you’ll see members of a cycling team specialize in certain specialties.
Look good in spandex. Yes, the process of training and riding a bike has me more fit and has grown me some great muscles, but it’s also forced me to have integrity throughout my life, to live in a way that strengthens me and has me always looking to shine light on the inner demons that want to hold me back. if you’re trying to hide poor financial management, poor team management, or even a messy desk, ask yourself where your integrity is out. You can only hide it for so long, then it all starts to hang out.
Here’s a quick update on my physical and mental state post-metabolic typing from Ms Erin Huggins (http://www.ErinHuggins.com)
To recap, as a fast burner metabolic type I’ve taken to eating more animal protein and healthy fats (think, beef, dark meat chicken, and coconut oil, flax seed oil, raw whole milk). The idea of fat and meat freaked me out at first, but now that it’s been about 3 weeks I can honestly say I am very happy with the results I’m seeing.
My thinking is clearer. Hunger no longer distracts me constantly as it once did (I thought this was a good thing!). I hadn’t realized how much I used “hunger†as a distraction before. “Tough article to write? Sales calls to make? Well, let me satiate this hunger first so I can work undistracted!…“ That’s how I used to think. Now, I can concentrate easily and with greater focus, getting more done.
Distraction-free, highly concentrated working? That in itself is worth its….weight?….in gold. Golden, my friends, it’s golden.
My speed-on-bike has improved, in spite of my not riding as much.
I attribute this to three things:
One, since I eat foods that work well with my system I don’t *bonk* as quickly as I used to and can ride longer, with more sustained efforts. In fact, before, I would come home ravenously hungry after a 3.5 hour ride. Now, I come home and am just slightly hungry, with good appetite, not hungry like a crazy person.
Two, I started taking a colostrum supplement. Colostrum is taken from the first two milkings of a momma cow after she’s given birth. It’s nutrient rich, and meant to build up the baby cow’s immune system and strength quickly. Check out Real Milk (http://www.realmilk.com) and Organic Pastures (http://www.organicpastures.com) for more info.
Three, I have been doing a lot of subconscious belief alignment, the process of clearing out hidden, limiting subconscious beliefs (i.e. “I’m not an athlete, blah blah blah”, “I have to make small, incremental gains in fitness”, and other beliefs that hide outside of my awareness) and replacing them with strengthening, positive beliefs that are in alignment with my conscious goals (to kick ass as a cyclist and be a super-fit entrepreneur!). Insidious, those hidden subconscious beliefs. They’ll throw a stick in the spokes of the wheel of your life without you knowing it.
Good eats and a sound mental game make for peak athletics.
I felt like a Rock Star this weekend when I changed the water heater’s thermocouple. Gettin’ down and dirty learning things hands on made me think of Eben Pagan’s “Get Altitude” program where he touches on the importance of getting to know your business’ vital stats.
Measuring key stats of your business may seem boring and tedious, but it offers a tremendous freedom and confidence.
Plus you get to say things like, “I checked my Vital Stats Dash today. Things are lookin’ great, yeeeeep.”
Frank Shamrock was interviewed on KROQ this morning, and he spoke briefly and with-hearty-laugh about the other fighters who do steroids. He said, and I paraphrase, “Yeah, I love the guys who do steroids. They come out all angry and crazy and I love fighting them. Because here’s the thing – they took a shortcut. They know they took a shortcut, they know they’re not training as hard because they recover overnight. They’re not connected to Spirit because there’s just that missing. There’s something missing at the core.” One thing I did not paraphrase from above is that he said, “spirit”. I love that he is connected to and aware of an inner strength, and a universal strength.
It got me thinking about the shortcuts we take and want to take in our lives.
The amateur cyclists who think that one extra bike fit is going to make them Lance Armstrong.
The new internet marketers who think they can buy the next new super program that will instantly turn on the faucet to money.
The thousands, hundreds of thousands of people who audition for American Idol.
Yes, some people make it through the shortcut and find success. But this is the exception and not the rule.
There is something very real about going through the process of development.
In my own business building career, all of the mistakes I’ve made may not have been comfortable, but they make me a stronger business woman now. When I first started my design career, I was terrible! It took me a solid 5 years of consistent, steady practice to be a decent designer, but from that foundation I was able to launch my growth exponentially.
Hope you enjoy this video!
What do you think about taking shortcuts?
When has it worked for you, and when has it NOT worked for you?
One of the benefits of growing more “mature†(ahem), is that I find that I can make decisions more quickly and with greater certainty.
Yes, it’s the experience.
Yes, it’s the maturity.
Yes, it’s all the personal development exploration I do.
But when I step back and observe my decision making process from above, I see there are a series of tests and questions I ask myself when making a decision.
Seeing that I feel more on-purpose, and am making money doing what I love, I think I’m on to something.
Here is the 7 Step Process I run through when making decisions.
1. Am I Clear About What I Want?
The clearer I am about what I want, the easier it is to say NO when “opportunities” come my way. Clarity has me stop and realize, Nope, this isn’t an opportunity for me, but it could be an opportunity for someone else. Knowing what I want and where I’m going, I see things for what they are and know if they are in line with what I’m up to.
This erases the guilt sometimes associated with saying “no”.
2. Am I Choosing Between the Lesser of Two Evils, Or Am I Choosing What I Want In An Absolute Sense?
Given the option of “Crappy Job A†or “OK Job With Horrible Boss Bâ€, which one should I choose? Neither!
Sometimes the situations decisions color our judgement. Asking myself this question reminds me to step back and take a look from a different perspective.
3. Which of These Options DON’T I Want?
Like sifting through a huge box of old photos, removing the ones that are “Not It†help ease the feeling of overwhelm and focus on what IS available, and even see the gaps in which something can be created.
But you’ll never reach that clarity until you clear some space.
4. I’ve Painted My Ideal Picture. Does The Picture of Life After Decision “X†Get Me Closer to My Ideal Picture?
This question is similar to Tip #1, Clarity, except it has me zoom in to the habit level.
If “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit,†(Aristotle) are the actions associated with the picture Life After Decision “X†consistent with the habits of My Ideal Picture?
For example, if my Dream is to be a national, elite-level bike racer, and Decision “X†puts me in a position of traveling for work and locked in seminar rooms for over 50% of my time, something has to give.
While I’m all for creating new possibilities of living and being, sometimes it’s what we Don’t do that has us grow, rather than what we DO do.
5. Am I Going To Do What I Say I’m Going To Do?
Let’s say your dream is to be a professional writer, to make a living just writing. If an opportunity comes your way that seems lucrative but not in line with The Dream(see tip #1, Clarity), should you pass it up?
There are times that an opportunity can seem like it’s taking you away from The Dream, but what if the opportunity provides working capital to fulfill on The Dream? You reason, you can still work on the video blogging on the side. Right?
If you’re like 90% of people out there, The Dream gets pushed aside in lieu of thing like, well, sleep. Or the casual dinner here, and the coffee with friends there.
Asking myself the question, “Am I going to do what I say I’m going to do?†puts me in the frame of mind to look at my schedule and plan PLAN NON-NEGOTIABLE TIMES to continue my dream. Do I really have a plan in place that will allow me to have my cake and eat it too? It is possible, but it takes something to make it happen.
Since finding the amazing productvity program Wake Up Productive, I have been able to put into motion habits, ways of thinking, and an ease around planning, executing, and implementing steps towards fulfilling my dreams in a way that I feel alive and invigorated, not burnt out, guilty, or lacking.
6. What is My Gut Telling Me About This?
On the surface, I think there is no scientific, analytically based way to prove How or That the Gut Check works.
Except that I know it works for me, and I have heard stories of successful entrepreneurs who trust their gut.
Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin companies (Air, Music, etc), has dyslexia and doesn’t necessarily read all of the lengthy contracts put before him. Instead, it is reported that he trusts his gut to tell him which to sign and which not to sign.
What is your gut telling you?
7. What Does My Mentor Say About This?
One of the best ways to learn is to latch yourself on to a mentor.
A mentor is someone who has done what you want to do, has gone through the steps you are going to have to go through to achieve your dream, and can give advice on a situation.
To quote Albert Einstein, “We cannot solve problems at the level at which we created them.†What may seem to us like a huge grey mass of a problem will seem clear and straightforward to a mentor. A mentor has the experience, the “altitude†with which to say, “Oh yeah, all you need to do is X, Y, Z, and you’re good to go.â€
Experience is a great teacher. If you don’t have it, find someone who does and pick their brain.
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I hope these Seven Questions help to streamline and add ease to your decision making process.
If this article was useful, not-useful, or otherwise, please add your comment below!
In the first part of this two-part article, we explore how to set yourself up to succeed when finding your ideal web solution, from defining your ideal outcomes and results to doing some competitive research and analysis.
Now in Part 2, we use the research gathered to compare what we have and where we want to go with the tools and services now available.
I’ve found in my experience that most solo-preneurs and entrepreneurs tend to fall into one of the following categories, or “typesâ€:
This article is going to focus on how you, the entrepreneur, solopreneur, home-based business, and small to medium sized business can leverage tools and services online.
——- Type 1: Give Me The Tools
If you hear yourself saying, “I just want to do it all myself, leave me alone but give me some great tools!†this may be your group.
Sign up online, and you can have a website running by day’s end.
Blog Building Tools:
wordpress.com
blogger.com
typepad.com
The tools above are the three most popular blog-building tools. Again, sign up online and you can be running and writing your first blog post in minutes.
E-Commerce Tools:
PayPal.com
Combined with a free website from Weebly, or a free blog from the above services, you can simply embed Paypal’s “Buy Now†buttons onto your page and start collecting money online right away.
E-Mail Marketing and Relationship Building Tools:
ConstantContact.com
E-mail marketing is an ideal way to build a relationship with your clients, to share with them your tools and techniques, and also to open a dialogue to see what they are interested in.
ConstantContact.com is a popular way to begin your e-mail marketing journey.
Social Network Creation Tools:
Ning.com
Social networks used to be a very labor instensive, very specific, and very time intensive process. Now, sites like Ning.com allow you to get started right away – add your favorite modules, and start making friends on your very own social network.
Type 2: Give Me The Tools, and Show Me What To Do With Them
The above tools are great, but sometimes it’s nice to have a bit of assurance when setting them up or installing them.
You may find yourself in this group if you hear yourself saying, “I want some hand-holding – I have an idea of what I want, but would enjoy a bit of guidanceâ€
“I want to be coached through this process so I can learn what to do, then do it on my own laterâ€
For instance, which check box allows me to accept purchases with Paypal, rather than setting up a more costly merchant account?
Or, Is Paypal the better option for MY business, or a merchant account?
Does this design add to, or distract from, what I am trying to communicate through my site?
Sometimes, selecting your tools and finding a coach or mentor’s guidance can look like 1) finding a template, then 2) enlisting the help of your web coach to set that template up for you.
Here are a few resources for templates. Both sites below have the option of purchasing the design rights, such that no-one else can use that design again (thus, making that design unique to you!).
www.flashmint.com
www.templatemonster.com
Type 3: Website Concierge, Just Take Care Of This For Me! If the thought of selecting the best tool from the list above seems overwhelming,
Or if you simply don’t have the time to sort through the pros and cons of each option,
Finding a Website Concierge to handle your online and marketing needs may be the best solution.
You may hear yourself saying, “I want guidance on how to best present what I do in a way that is going to make me money. Take care of all the technical stuff for me!â€
A good Website Concierge will present the pros and cons to you, and allow you to make an educated decision based on facts and knowing where you want to go and what you want to achieve online. Similar to a butler, concierge, or fashion stylist selecting the best watch (Rolex, Tag Heuer, AP?) for the Black Tie event, or choosing the best shoes (Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo?) for the Awards Ceremony.
Type 4: I Am Serious, I Am Ready, I Want This Done Right, and I Want The Best Design, Marketing, and Technology Partner To Support The Building Of My Business!
If you hear yourself saying, “I’m just starting to build business (online and offline), finding clients, and building lists. I want to know what’s out there, I am serious, and I am ready to go!â€
or, “I have a direction, I have products, I want a PARTNER to work with through this.â€
A one-on-one business building program can walk you through each step of the website process, from identifying your target, to defining end goals, to weeding out the plethora of options out there in order to focus on the handful that will make a difference to your business and your success.
This program is for serious entrepreneurs and CEOs who want to be sure not only the tools they are using, but their business directions are headed the right way.
This level of partnership is common among most medium sized and large sized corporations opt for – a partnership between their own companies and an interactive agency who can deliver on the most specific, unique, or complex of online launches.
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For all of your coaching needs, you can search online at:
Elance.com
RentACoder.com
Each of the above have many website builders who can assist with your website needs.
Additionally, we offer coaching, consulting, programming, and design at all levels, so feel free to contact me at website@cynthialou.com for more information!
Are you a multi-faceted entrepreneur? Why just stick to one thing - after all, this is why we are entrepreneurs in the first place, right? To follow our passions! JOIN ME, and I'll show you how to craft a life that allows you to be paid to include all of your passions.
