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Step #8. Ignore naysayers.

While this may seem the easiest of all the steps to follow, for many it is not. If you look around, I mean really take a close look at the world around you, you’ll come to the same conclusion that years of research have proven… less than ten percent of the world’s population are living their dream. Why would that be?

Those not living their dream are in that situation because they don’t believe they can have it all. Let’s remember here that HAVING IT ALL is whatever having it all means to you, and that’s all that counts. To work to keep up with Smiths is a ridiculous goal because you can never be sure exactly where the Smiths stand in terms of HAVING IT ALL. Moreover what they see as success may not be your idea of success.

To get there you must know with absolute certainty where “there” is. I know I continually say that but it can’t be said too often. Many new clients will tell me in the first meeting that they are working day and night at their goal and don’t seem to be getting where they want to go. Within 15 minutes of our session it becomes clear to me that they have no clear picture of where it is they want to go. Everyone says they want to be successful which is akin saying up or down. Where is up? Where is down? Ask ten people those two questions and you’ll get ten different answers to each.

Guess you’re wondering if I’ve forgotten that Step #8 is about ignoring naysayers, aren’t you? That is exactly what I’ve been talking about; I just chose to begin with NAYSAYER #1 and that is you. There’s an old Indian proverb: If there is no enemy within, the enemy outside you can do you no harm.” Both success and failure are inside jobs.

There’s no doubt that there will be many who will attempt to steal your dream. Often those who live their lives as straws in the wind convince themselves that, that is the life they want. I can’t argue that point for that is obviously what they have chosen. These people, however, seem to have a deeply entrenched need to talk others out of their dreams because misery loves company. Every person who takes control of his or her life and is able to live their dream is a threat to the one who is just drifting through life and contributing little or nothing to his fellow man… or to himself, actually.

“If there is no enemy within, the enemy outside you can do you no harm.”
- An Old Indian Proverb

Get rid of the enemy within, that NAYSAYER who hides inside you, then ignoring all the naysayers you encounter will become instantly automatic… in fact you may reach the point where you can’t hear them at all.

until next time -

Be well, be happy and make today…and every day…a day in which you realize that you must, ignore all naysayers,

J.Sewell Perkins
The SCI Coach

Questions? Contact me at: JSP@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

© Copyright 2008 Success Coaches Institute,LLC -All rights reserved. Contact: info@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

Step #7 Be willing to adjust your plan when necessary.

As with any journey we may encounter road blocks, bridges out, traffic checks, and in some rare cases we learn information about our point of destination that lets us know clearly we don’t want to go there. Such things as severe storms, dangerous road conditions, hotel closings and so on can often necessitate our coming up with a whole new plan.

The journey of life is no different. Most of the time we plan our journey and arrive as planned with no detours or setbacks. That’s what we should expect and plan for. If, however, we do encounter these stumbling blocks we don’t throw up our hands and decide that it doesn’t work so it’s time to give up.

IT IS ALWAYS TOO SOON TO GIVE UP

I know I’ve said this entirely too many times before but the average person spends more time planning a two-week vacation than they spend planning the successful life they say they want more than anything else in the world. Why is this???

The answers are so obvious that they are easy to miss.

1. Most people have the example of having seen mom and dad plan family vacations. They also enjoyed the great benefits of the planning.

2. Having enjoyed these family vacations they know that the planning pays off. They never, or at least rarely, doubt the benefits of the planning.

3. It is not so often that moms and dads sit down and plan their lives or come up with a strategy for success so kids grow up with no example of that sort of planning. It is human nature to do what we know and understand. The natural tendency is to gravitate towards the comfortable, not things yet unexplored. That’s actually why so many continue to do the same thing expecting to get a different result.

You, of course, know that you cannot continue to do the same things in the same ways and get a different result, don’t you?

Even the most accomplished of my clients will occasionally fall back into that mode of –

“I’ve done everything possible to fix this situation and nothing works.”

The fact is that they’ve done everything they know they know how to do to make it work. Want to read that again?

The fact is that they’ve done everything they know they know how to do to make it work.

Remember that old saying “Can’t see the forest for the trees?” These words refer to the fact that sometimes when we are close to or actually in (or worse yet the cause of) the problem we see only the problem and cannot imagine a solution.

We must be willing to adjust not only our plan but our thinking and we must do it on a regular bases. More importantly, we must be aware that we, being in the problem, don’t always recognize that we have a problem. We just know that things aren’t working as we want them to. That’s when most people throw up their hands and resign themselves to what they then believe is all there is for them.

Plan your work and then work your plan. When it seems to not be working step back and take a good look at how you’re doing things, and more importantly how you’re thinking about what is gong on. Make the necessary adjustments and keep on going. Get help if necessary but do not give up.

IT IS ALWAYS TOO SOON TO GIVE UP

There’s one last thing, but an important one! At the bottom of my daily blog posts you will see the words - Questions? Contact me at: JSP@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com. Those words are not there to take up space. If you have a question or need a quick fix for a problem that you have just not been able to solve, I’m willing to help. If I could give you the names of the people who have taken advantage of this offer (and I cannot), you’d be surprised. There is no charge and sometimes getting just one little problem solved can change your life or your business… or both forever.

until next time -

Be well, be happy and make today…and every day…a day in which you learn to adjust your plan and your thinking whenever necessary,

J.Sewell Perkins
The SCI Coach

Questions? Contact me at: JSP@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

© Copyright 2008 Success Coaches Institute,LLC -All rights reserved. Contact: info@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

Step # 6 Measure your progress. What you don’t measure, you cannot improve.

In route to any destination, there are many twists and turns. When venturing to someplace you’ve never been before, it’s usually necessary to refer to the map or GPS from time to time to be sure that you’re still on course.

Our personal and businesses lives are no different. We must measure regularly, take inventory or whatever you care to call it. No matter what it’s called, it is an absolute necessity. When we don’t check our position from time to time to know where we are, it’s all too easy to stray far in the wrong direction.

Some of the measurements you may want to take in your personal life are:

1. Your level of personal growth

2. Your relationships with others; family, friends and neighbors

3. Your financial growth and ability to manage money

4. Being the best husband, wife or significant other you can possibly be

5. Being the parent you would like to have had

6. Your thinking…how you think about yourself and your life

Some of the measurements you may want to take in your business life are:

1. Effectiveness of your business plan

2. Cash flow

3. Support system

4. Client or customer base

5. Possibilities for expansion

6. Your thinking…how you think about yourself, and your business

As you move through both your personal and business life you’ll discover many other things specific to you and/or your business that you’ll know it would be wise to measure. When you recognize things that you know should be measured…by all means measure.

Using a mind map is another good way to keep a picture of both your personal and business life in front of you. Keep all your information out where you see it every day. That old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind’ is one that you don’t want to apply to the important details of either your personal or business life.

Just face things head on. When we hide things from ourselves or hide from things, we do ourselves a huge disservice. It’s only when we face things and deal with them that they cease to have any power over us.

Don’t go it alone. Get input from someone who has been down the road you are currently traveling. There are many giving people who are always willing to lend a thought or a hand to help you out. Ask for the help you want or need.

When you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

until next time -

Be well, be happy and make today…and every day…a day in which you start measuring your results daily,

J.Sewell Perkins
The SCI Coach

Questions? Contact me at: JSP@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

© Copyright 2008 Success Coaches Institute,LLC -All rights reserved. Contact: info@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

Step #5. Come up with an effective plan, then work your plan.

Coming up with a plan for your success means beginning with whatever it is you love to do. You don’t want to settle for something you only like or something you don’t mind doing, just because you view it as lucrative. The people you see who appear to HAVE IT ALL may actually have it all, but only those who can include self satisfaction and happiness in their “ALL” are doing what they truly love to do.

I have clients in professions that earn incomes anyone would love to have. Your question should be “JS, what do they need you for, if they are already successful? The answer is “They’re not happy doing what they’re doing.” These people have each established a lifestyle they can’t give up and they fear changing careers would cost them that luxurious life to which they’ve become accustomed. Although these people are in business for themselves, for them it is worse than having a job and answering to a boss. They have begun to see every client, patient or customer as another boss and in a way, that’s true. If they had originally taken the opportunity to choose to make their life’s work something they truly love, they would both prosper and be happy. They would have that sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that EVERYONE wants.

Your calling is what you truly love to do. It’s as simple as that. When you stop worrying about how much money you’ll make and focus on what you love to do, the money will come. Additionally, doing what you love makes it so much easier to come up with a business plan.

There are different ways to devise a business plan. What I find most effective is to build it backwards. What I mean by that is begin with the end result and work your way back to the beginning. In doing it that way, you won’t get lost. You know where you are now and you know where you want to go, but because you are headed to someplace you’re not familiar with, it’s easy to get lost along the way. Starting where you want to end up and working your way back to the familiar place, the place you are right now, eliminates floundering, straying or becoming completely lost.

Put your plan on paper by using a mind map. Just written words won’t give you the picture you need to see… and you certainly don’t want to carry it only in your mind. If you Google “mind maps” you’ll find a huge variety of such maps and many of them are free and include instructions. There’s no need to spend money on mind mapping software at this time. If you prefer to mind map by hand, you can do that as well. When I put together a new course for Success Coaches Institute, I mind map on a whiteboard so I can change my components as I come up with more thoughts and ideas. If you don’t have a white board, use a sheet of paper and a pencil so you can erase as you develop your thoughts and your plan.

Once you’ve developed the plan, be prepared to work it. Without action nothing happens.If you run into roadblocks, do just what you’d do in your car under the same circumstances… back up and use another route until you can get a straight road to where you want to go. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for directions if you become temporarily lost.Just be sure you ask directions from someone who actually knows the way and not someone who is also lost.

You’ve got to know where you’re going to get there and you’ve got to know that you belong there once you arrive. That means that you must know you are worthy, not entitled, but worthy, of having all you aspire to be, do and have.

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN
AND
WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE WORTHY!!

until next time -

Be well, be happy and make today…and every day…a day in which you work on your plan to have it all,

J.Sewell Perkins
The SCI Coach

Questions? Contact me at: JSP@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com
© Copyright 2008 Success Coaches Institute,LLC -All rights reserved. Contact: info@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

Step #4. Get a coach, find a mentor and seek the help of other professionals.

Let’s begin by answering a few questions you may have. If you’ve never used a life and/or business development coach, mentor or other professionals you may be wondering what these people are all about and just what they can do for you.

1. A coach whether a life coach and/or business development coach does just what the word coach describes. To bring this to something with which almost everyone is familiar, let’s look at the sports world. When the score is tied in the last inning, quarter or whatever… depending on your favorite sport, the player on whose shoulders the win may rest is not analyzing what he did or didn’t do right in the last game. Nor does he have the luxury of seeing all that is going on around him. That player’s focus must be on that moment and what it’s going to take to bring it home for the team. That’s were a coach comes in. The coach is standing on the sidelines and because he’s not physically in the game he has a vantage point that the player doesn’t have. He signals the player to indicate the next step and the player takes action.

In both personal and business life the “players” becomes so enveloped in the minutia of the “game” that they over look much of what is going on around them. That renders them all but helpless to come up with solutions. A coach who is outside the client’s life and/or business has the ability to suggest possibilities that the client would never have come up with. A coach also has the objectivity to guide the client to focus on solutions and not the problems. Focusing on a problem only serves to worsen that problem.

2. A mentor is someone who has perhaps had some of the same life experiences you have had or are having. Assuming that, that person came through it and stands now firmly on the other side of the problem he or she can be of great value to you. What you must avoid at all costs is connecting with someone who still wallows in his own misery. The last thing you need is to participate in mutual pity parties. It will bring you down fast and hard.

If it’s a business situation, find someone who has a similar business and is a giver, someone who is generous with information and help. Ask that person to be your mentor. Remember, when you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you can find the “right” mastermind group, that also can be helpful. My mastermind group uses The Six Thinking Hats method of masterminding and it works really great for everyone involved.

3. Professionals should be sought in the form of the right accountant, legal adviser, and a good financial planner. You may also want a public relations person and a variety of other support people.

A word of caution: Not everyone who calls him or her self a coach, mentor, accountant, attorney, financial planner or PR person is qualified to meet your needs. My suggestion would be that you not take the advice of friends, family or associates (they sometimes recommend their friends), but instead contact these people and ask for a free consultation. In this situation you should be able to describe you particular requirements and or situation and get answers that enable you to determine if that professional can meet your needs. I have clients who have wound up in really hot water with the government because of the inadequacies of an attorney, accountant, financial planner, etc.

Wherever you are in this moment, begin to think about the people who may be able to help and guide you along your path to success. Whether personal or business if you could do it alone you would have done it by now. Reach out for help…just make sure you reach out to the right help. Bad help can be worse than no help at all.

This is your future we’re talking about here. Take it seriously. Life is not a dress rehearsal for some future time. You are in the here and now and taking action (the right action) will move you to the success of which you’ve always dreamed.

until next time -
Be well, be happy and make today…and every day…a day in which you get the help you need to realize your goals,

J.Sewell Perkins
The SCI Coach

Questions? Contact me at: JSP@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com

© Copyright 2008 Success Coaches Institute,LLC -All rights reserved. Contact: info@SuccessCoachesInstitute.com