"Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there." -Will Rogers

Over the past couple of years I became very curious about why some folks seem to keep their momentum going while some allow it to slow down. Sometimes they even slow down to a complete stop. So I started to ask my coaching clients, people in my audiences, my friends, and colleagues, "What gets you going and what keeps you going?"

After listening to many responses I realized two major themes were coming up: a desired future outcome and contribution to others. Most of the time those two themes came together.

Yeah, there have been people who talked about being fired up to take action because they were so dissatisfied with the way things were. But when I asked the question, "How would you like things to be?" those same people would start to get fired up as they tapped into their fading dreams and desires and saw a vision of what really got them going.

Getting clear on the reason for the goal and on the emotion behind it is the best way to add fuel to your fire. It’s about finding out what makes you feel most alive and then using that desire to strengthen your intention.



ACTION IDEA:

What adds fuel to YOUR fire? Think about a time in your life when you just couldn’t wait to get going on something. What was it? Why was it important to you? Give that some thought for a moment.

Now, think about a time in your life when you felt like nothing could stop you. You were so fired up that you were moving along with focus, effectiveness, and joy. What were you doing? What motivated you to take the steps you needed to take?

Okay, let’s look at where you are right now…

What do you really want (your desired future outcome)?

Why does it fire you up?

Answering those two questions may help add courage, energy and momentum to get you going and keep you moving towards what really matters.
 

"Yard by yard, life is hard. Inch by inch, life’s a cinch."

-Anonymous

Well, we are almost half way through the year.  Are you making progress with your dreams and goals? What I’ve noticed with many of my clients (and myself) is that we come up with some great ideas and plans, we begin to take action, and then life "gets in the way."

Creating and using Success Habits is one of the best ways I’ve found to move in the direction of your most important goals, without getting caught in the Struggle Syndrome. Try this. Think of one action that would add to your success if you did it on a daily basis.

After pondering that question for a little while, my client Lisa told me that she had lots of friends who were willing to refer business to her, but she had been slacking off when it came to calling them. Lisa wanted to build her financial planning practice, but she was overwhelmed with all the other "stuff" she had to do. She told me, "If I were to follow up with a couple of my friends each day, I’m sure it would stir up new business for me."

Lisa asked me to hold her accountable each week to following her new Success Habit. She contacted one friend a day and the results were outstanding! Lisa’s client base began to grow almost every week through referrals. She saw, first hand, the benefit of using Success Habits. Since then, Lisa has added four more success habits to her life, ranging from walking three times per week to sending a card to a friend or family member once a week saying what she appreciates about them. Her business is more profitable and her life is more balanced and fulfilling. Lisa learned that yard by yard life is hard…inch by inch, it’s a cinch.

ACTION IDEA:

What is ONE action that would add to your success (at work or in life) if you did it on a daily basis? Make a commitment to yourself to take action this week. If you really to want improve the results of this strategy, come up with a way to track your Success Habit and ask someone to be your partner and to hold you accountable. Tell your partner that at the end of the week you will let him or her know how many times you followed through on your habit. Use the power of partnership and public declaration to increase your chance of success. Enjoy the process!

What Will This Next Year Be For You?

Below are a few more questions that I ask my clients (and myself) each year. They help clarify how you want to learn, grow and succeed over the next twelve months. Give yourself permission to take some time over the next week to reflect and record your thoughts. Here we go…

Looking forward at the year 2011, what do you want the overall theme to be for you? (Here’s another way to look at this: One year from today, if they were to make a movie about your life in the year 2011, what would you want the title to be?)

What are your top three personal goals for the year 2011?

1.

2.

3.

What are your top three professional goals for the year 2011?

1.

2.

3.

What one personal quality do you most want to develop in the year 2011? (For example: patience, boldness, courage, calmness, integrity, humor,etc.)

What daily rituals can you practice to improve your health, wealth and wisdom in 2011?

I recommend that you keep your answers in a place you can read them on a daily basis. That will help you stay aware of the opportunities that can help you move toward your intentions. I wish you the best as you move into 2011 with clarity, action and focus.

"There is only one success — to be able to spend your life in your own way."  -Chistopher Darlington Morley, American Novelist

A "homework" assignment I often give to my coaching clients is to create a list of their helpful daily rituals. So often we just go along without really stopping to think what actions we can take on a daily basis that will add better health, success, joy and peace of mind to our lives.

It’s a pretty simple exercise, really.  Make a list of those actions that you know — or you believe — would benefit you (and/or others) if you followed through with them on a daily basis.  Below is a list of several different "daily rituals" that I have learned from a variety of clients over the years.  Many of these I strive to follow myself and I can personally attest to the value of reading (and living) my "daily ritual" list on a regular basis.

• Jump out of bed with a smile at 6 am
• Go for a morning walk
• Do Yoga or a stretching routine
• Pray, meditate and/or visualize
• Work on most important project before reading email in the morning
• Plan the day and clarify the three most important items to focus on during the day
• Read or listen to something inspirational/educational every day
• Go for a walk at lunchtime
• Take a risk a day to build my business
• Connect with at least one friend each day
• Connect with at least one business contact each day
• Review my calendar and mail out any birthday or congratulations cards
• Exercise
• Sit in my car for a few minutes after work and give thought to how I want to be when I get home
• Read or tell stories to my kids
• Kids to bed by 8:45 pm
• Set up coffee maker the night before
• Layout clothes for morning walk the night before
• Visualize my top 3 intentions/goals/dreams before bed
• Be in bed by 11 pm

Choose your favorites from the list above and also add your own to create your own list of Daily Rituals that will add better health, success, joy and peace of mind to your life. Once complete, read your Daily Rituals at the beginning and/or end of each day. Over time, notice how these small actions make a big difference.

"Affirmation without action leads to delusion." -Dr. Robert Anthony

There is positive momentum and negative momentum. Are you moving toward what you want…or away from it? Here are ten ideas (or reminders) that can help you create and maintain momentum towards what really matters.

1. Take some time to clarify your desired future outcome. Success is seeing what you want and moving toward what you see. What is important to you? Who are you becoming? How will your intention contribute to others?

2. Use visual reminders of your intention. Get some magazines and cut out pictures and words related to your goal. Put them where you’ll see them on a regular basis, like on your bathroom mirror, in your wallet, next to your computer screen, or on a poster board.

3. Set clear goals with clear timelines. Write down what the goal is, how you will know when you have achieved it, and a date when you will have achieved it.

4. Be action-oriented. When an opportunity presents itself that fits with your vision, respond to it immediately.

5. Ask yourself, "How much and what kind of fun will I have with this project?" This will help raise your energy. If you’re dreading the process there’s a good chance your momentum is going to get stifled.

6. Fill your mind with inspiration. Read books, listen to audio programs, and watch videos that educate, uplift and inspire you. Go to seminars and attend conventions related to your goal. Read about and learn about people who have done what you want to do.

7. Take a Risk a Day. So often to move towards what we really want requires us to get out of our comfort zone. By getting into the habit of taking a risk a day you will strengthen your courage as you take those important actions that can lead to your greatest opportunities.

8. Create a support team. Ask a few of your friends to form a group to support each other on your goals. Hire a personal coach or a business coach. Find a mentor. Hire a financial planner, an accountant, a fitness trainer, a counselor – whoever you think would add input, support, advice, feedback, and/or accountability to help you keep your attention on your intention.

9. Consistently review your top three intentions. Write down your top three intentions and read them every day so they’re fresh in your mind. This will add fuel to your fire and will help you focus your attention on what matters during your day. It will also help you recognize the opportunities that might help you move toward your desired future outcome.

10. Clarify how your intention also helps others. The fuel that can come from helping others can inspire you to take action and stay focused on your goals. When you see your intention as a cause and you find the passion and nobleness in your actions, you will likely have more energy to get the momentum going – and keep it going – as you move forward toward your intention.

When you take action and stay focused on what really matters, you create momentum…and momentum creates momentum.

"The smallest of actions is always better than the noblest of intentions." -Robin S. Sharma, Author of Who Will Cry When You Die

What is something that you’ve wanted to do but you keep putting it off?

You can use the 30-60-90 strategy to help you get started on what really matters. Choose that one task that would feel great to get handled. Then, set a time when you will devote either 30, 60 or 90 minutes towards its completion. You don’t have to complete the task in the time you have allotted — you simply make a commitment to give it your total focus for that amount of time and then you can stop once the time frame has ended.

When you make a commitment and then take action on that commitment, you prove to yourself that you can be counted on. The more often you hear that message the more you will strengthen your self-belief and self-esteem.

Another benefit to this strategy is that when you take action on something that really matters you will get a charge of energy and motivation. Your brain will release endorphins that make you feel great and you will have created momentum that will carry over to other areas of your life. You don’t have to wait until you feel motivated to get going. Sometimes when you get going your motivation will follow and will grow.

ACTION IDEA:

Identify that one project or action that would benefit your career or your life if it were handled. Make a commitment to yourself to take action today. Decide if you will commit to this action for 30, 60, or 90 minutes. Then choose a time to begin and get to it. If you really want to improve the results of this strategy, ask your coach or success partner to hold you accountable. Make a promise to call or email before you begin and then immediately after you complete your task.

"The professional athlete’s love of an adrenaline spike should almost never be linked to compulsive behavior. Quite the opposite is true. It’s more appropriate to say that taking a risk and succeeding because of their wits and skill feels orgasmic." -Maryann Karinch, Lessons from the Edge

When you are afraid, your body responds with its own form of rocket fuel: adrenaline.

Adrenaline is one of the natural drugs your body releases when you push limits or you are confronted with a challenge. Adrenaline flows through your body, giving you extra awareness, mental clarity and the ability to respond quickly to different situations. Colors are sharper, sounds are clearer. You are more conscious of odors and your body feels energized.

Whether you are jumping out of a plane or setting up a sales presentation with your hottest prospect, if the activity scares you, adrenaline will provide you with the strength you need to succeed. By recognizing how you feel when adrenaline is coursing though your veins, you will become much more skilled at using this ally to your advantage because you are employing it to accomplish a goal.

At the same time you should be aware that adrenaline also kicks in when you are under all kinds of stress, everything from getting caught in traffic to dealing with difficult people. In these types of everyday situations, adrenaline can burn you out because your body doesn’t get a chance to rest and recuperate.

I used to get tense from adrenaline in all kinds of circumstances and now, because I’ve gotten used to the feeling through extreme sports, I can say, "Ah, I know this feeling. It’s adrenaline. I need to be aware of why I’m feeling it. Am I facing a real risk or do I just need to reduce the number of stressful events that I tolerate in my life? Maybe I need to leave a little earlier to avoid traffic or perhaps I should discuss what’s bothering me with a friend."

By learning what adrenaline feels like, you can use it instead of it using you.

ACTION IDEA:

UNDERSTAND HOW FEAR WORKS

Answer the following questions to get a better understanding of how you handle fear.

1. What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
2. Why did you do it?
3. What was your fear telling you?
4. What were you focusing on?
5. What could you have focused on to reduce your fear?
6. What did you learn about yourself and your fears?

 "You are free to choose, but the choices you make today will determine what you will have, be, and do in the tomorrow of your life."
— Zig  Ziglar

When I first meet with a client to begin our coaching, I always ask them for the three main areas they would like to focus on during the first three months of our partnership. You can do the same thing with your most important goals. For each focus area write a simple heading, and underneath, a description of how to achieve it. Here is a sample of how this might look:

1. Be Financially Responsible
Have a system to track my spending and my income.  Reconcile my bank accounts each month. Create and follow a spending plan.



2. Improve My Fitness
Design and follow a workout program that will help me lower my body fat and improve my stamina. Eat nutritious, healthy meals on a regular schedule.

3. Have a More Romantic Relationship with My Husband
Plan a "date night" each week. Surprise him with loving things to let him know how much I care. Acknowledge him for all that he does and all that he is.



This simple, yet important, exercise can help you take action and stay focused on what is most important to you. Keep your list to no more than three major outcomes or goals. Trying to remember more than three can put the mind into overload. This is a proven way to help you stay clear on what you are currently working towards.



ACTION IDEA:
 Write out your three primary focus areas and put the note (or several of them) somewhere where you will see it throughout the day.  Then notice the difference in your focus and effectiveness. To get the most out of this strategy, ask a friend or a coach to support you by holding you accountable to your plan.

 

“You can either take action or you can hang back and hope for a miracle.”
-Peter Drucker
 

Professional speaker Rosita Perez has a great rhyme that goes, “One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, three to get ready, three to get ready…” Can you relate? It’s such an easy trap to get stuck thinking, “Should I do it now? Maybe. Maybe not.”

The gray area between “yes” and “no,” which clouds your mind with indecision and frustration, is easy to get stuck in. This twilight zone is known as procrastination, an approach that can stifle your progress toward your dreams and goals. When you are stuck in the procrastination pit your energy can get zapped out of you faster than electricity from a California power plant.

The best way to overcome procrastination is to make a simple choice, either yes or no. Proactive as opposed to reactive, choice implies responsibility. You’re either going to discover what is holding you back and act on it or move ahead right now. It’s as straightforward as that.

What task or next step have you been getting ready for? Where have you been procrastinating?

My request for you is to make a choice.

You have three options:

1. Choose "no" and let it go. Simply embrace the fact that you’re never going to do it.

2. Another choice is to decide when you will take action (a specific date) and determine what that action will be. I’d suggest sharing that commitment with someone to help hold you accountable.

3. Choose one step you could take today — even a small step — toward your goal. Then follow through as soon as possible.

Making a choice is powerful. It will stop the procrastination energy drain and provide you with new freedom and motivation to focus on what really matters. What is your choice?

Welcome to this place
A place of work and rest
There is no roof and the walls expand
To welcome in the best

Everyone’s invited
Come in to meet your dreams
This is where your future starts
And thoughts turn into things

This place is always open
It is you who holds the key
There are several ways to enter
Just close your eyes and see

Bring with you some questions
And step inside to learn
There are never-ending answers
To all of your concerns

Discover all your greatness
At this place we call the mind
A gift that’s born within us
In all of humankind

ACTION IDEA:

A curious mind creates possibilities. If you are seeking an answer to a challenge you are facing or a goal you would like to achieve, then take some time and use your mind. Right now, write down a question for the answer you are seeking on the back of a business card. It may be something like, "What do I need to accomplish my goal of ____________?" or maybe something like, "What is the answer to ______________?" Fill in the blanks with the outcome you desire and then carry this card with you and refer to it throughout the day.

Create a ritual to read your card on a regular basis — maybe before or after each meal or every morning and every evening — whatever you think would be the most consistent for you. Trust that you will discover an answer (or several answers!) and you will notice how powerful your mind can be.