Why do I bring this up? Well, as a coach sometimes I meet someone who asks for help, yet I know there is nothing I could possibly say (do) after listening to pages and pages of the past. I soon realize they are running for the mayor of Drama-land. They say they seek results, yet they do not do…. many times, the do not even try.  It’s the drama (and sympathy) they seek, not the success they say they want. 

We are each responsible for our outcomes… good intentions do not matter if there is no follow through with actions to get our desired outcomes. Don’t get me wrong, good intentions are great—it’s the first step needed to take action. Take my relationship with exercise… I have good intentions to get to the gym every day. I pay a huge membership monthly (you would think that would motivate me.) I have the right clothes and even  home equipment. I could make the time, but I don’t. So, I can’t blame the gym. I can’t blame the clothes or equipment, I can’t blame my schedule – but I do… It’s the actions that count. It’s what we do with each day that determines our future. 

Lights, Camera, Action!

Have a great day whatever your adventure
To Success! To Life!

Sharon

p.s. I have to LOL! My friend Jeff Simpkins, I swear so many times we are on the same wave length… as I was preparing to send this to you I get notice of his latest blog post…you guessed it – on drama in your life… Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/lu73lv
 

I welcomed Mick Quinn to Beyond Lip Service. Listen in to this interesting interview. I think I uttered the phrase, I didn’t know that tell me more a half dozen times…  What a great talk. So many insights into why we do what we do. The "I" in "I am thinking" ego and how so many can become stuck in that separation.  Mick’s new book "The Uncommon Path" offer clarity and challenges us to be bold. Right up Beyond Lip Service’s alley! Be Bold is part of our tagline…

When I wrote "Life’s Short Live Passionately," I explored the self-containing role of the ego. Mick takes the understanding of ego and challenges us to express your full potential, and the awareness to live with authenticity, to get comfortable with the "struggle." Many times we see ourselves apart and stuck in a cycle of conditioning. In the short time we had, Mick offered one suggestion for getting unstuck, the practice of mediation - just sitting still. Get The Uncommon Path to learn more about Awakening to your authentic joy.

Mick was born in Ireland and was the founder and CEO of several multimillion-dollar companies in New York City from 1994-2001. His work is regularly quoted and featured in many publications, including CNN Living, The Washington Times, ADD Magazine, Body & Mind Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. His latest book, The Uncommon Path is a compelling guide to uncovering and growing beyond concealed conditioning on the road to awakening our full potential. Clearly exposing the kaleidoscope of metaphysical distractions orchestrated by the ego that keep us well clear of an authentic path. Learn more about Mick at www.mickquinn.com and the book at www.theuncommonpath.com

"I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to let go of his or her suffering and achieve authentic joy."
~Gary Renard: bestselling author of The Disappearance of the Universe

Bo Beyond Lip Service… Focus on taking Action in your life. Go beyond just giving lip service to what you want to do! Every Tuesday at 10am Pacific join Sharon Sayler as we go beyond lip service.

Beyond Lip Service welcomes “Talk Radio Advocate” Francine Silverman! As a lifelong New Yorker she honed her writing skills as a newspaper reporter and freelance writer. She authored two travel guidebooks, Catskills Alive (2000 and 2003) and Long Island Alive (2003), both published by Hunter Publishing. In 2003, Silverman started Book Promotion Newsletter for authors of all genres.

http://www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com. The ezine spawned Book Marketing from A-Z (Infinity Publishing 2005), containing the best marketing strategies of 325 subscribers. The 400-page paperback is in alphabetical order for ease of use. The book received nearly 40 rave reviews from on-line reviewers. In 2006, Fran started a publicity service and has gotten clients placed in the Boston Herald, Oklahoman and Chicago Tribune as well as on hundreds of Internet and terrestrial radio programs. Fran is also host of The Radio Host Show on Blog Talk Radio, http://www.blogtalkradio.com/francine-silverman This led to Silverman’s next book, Talk Radio Wants You: An Intimate Guide to 700 Shows and How to Get Invited (McFarland & Co. 2009), containing everything a potential guest needs to know before contacting a host, including the theme of the show and guest criteria. http://www.talkradioadvocate.com

Focus on taking action in your life. Join Sharon from www.sharonsayler.com and hosted by www.impressionengineers.com Tuesdays at Ten (Pacific) Commentary and interviews with dynamic communicators and inspiring people. Practical skills for today — influence, inspire, and empower yourself and those in your world.

Be Bold! Life is about taking ACTION.

“Everybody and Anybody” are not target markets.  There are people that energize and inspire us and those that don’t. Why risk your reputation and sanity working for someone that you cannot do your best work with. So how can you tell before you start work?

Ask to see the potential red flags

Develop a screening process. Ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are those that cannot be answered with a yes or no, such as:

–Tell me about a past job(s)?

–What are your expectations/ requirements for this product/ service?

–What process did you go through to determine these requirements or needs?

–How do you see this happening?

–What is it that you’d like to see accomplished?

The key is to listen closely to what they do and don’t say… Are the expectations reasonable? Are they realistic with their time frame, budget and needs?  Is everybody else at fault? It’s harder to do, but try to listen to what they don’t say including their non-verbals, are they rolling their eyes as they talk about someone (a sign of disrespect) or is it said with a sarcastic tone…

It is okay to say thanks but no thanks…

To create a rewarding practice that helps many more people in the long run, you sometimes have to do uncomfortable things. It is not self-centered or egotistical to say no. Keep of list of referral partners or simply say, "Thank you, this isn’t something I do."  Your business (and life) is yours to design. Take time to attract the people you are meant to serve. Part of choosing the “right client” involves gently steering the wrong ones away.

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.—Bill Cosby

Have a great day whatever your adventure.

To Success! To Life!

Sharon

“It’s all about freedom—no excuses!” That’s the tagline of Success in Sweatpants. One of the programs that Trish offers is called “Winning with Elance,” and is for freelancers, or as she likes to call them, “commercial creatives.” Trish has been offering her marketing services on Elance since 2004 and has earned over $100k through the jobs she has won there. Her results have led to her standing as a Premiere Provider and a member of Elance’s Customer Council, which provides input to company management. While Trish is an Elance champion, she has a realistic view of the pros and cons of this revenue channel. She joins us today to talk about both sides of the Elance coin. Listen in to see if Elance might just work for you?

Hi Sharon,

 

I’d like to add that we as listeners have also a huge power over words. I find this often underestimated and undervalued. Usually people tend to think that the meaning is added to the words by the person who utters them.

But is that really true? I believe people do add meaning to the words we utter, but that that meaning isn’t true until it is properly received. A word spoken is a word half meant. Every word we receive is an invitation and a chance to complete its meaning.

It’s not the words that have the power to produce an outcome, it’s always the people who receive them and who decide to act upon what they perceive who have the power to define the outcome of every conversation.

What would happen to the world if we’d approach language like that?
- Truths would be something which only exist in agreement, between two people.
- Convincing and persuading people would be regarded as absurd since it would only mean that we would try to convey something which cannot be conveyed. You cannot completely transfer yourself to another person through words, let alone that this other person can completely receive you through those same words.
- People would be respected as authorities of their own self. Nobody knows you better than you do. Period.
- Statements would be questions.
- Demands would turn into invitations.
- …

Thank you for your thoughts.
Hannes Couvreur
Belgium

We’ve had some great exchanges since he shared the above. He recently added this blog post.

Don’t underestimate the power of listening

As listeners we have a huge power over words.

I often find this underestimated and undervalued.

Usually people tend to think that meaning is simply added to words by the person who utters them.

But is that really true?

I believe people do add meaning to the words we utter, but that that meaning isn’t true until it is properly received.

A word spoken is only a word half meant. Every word we receive is an invitation and a chance to complete its meaning.

Also, it’s not the words that have the power to produce an outcome, it’s always the people who receive them and who deceide to act upon what they perceive who have the power to define the outcome of every conversation.

What would happen to the world if we’d approach language like that?

* Listening would be regarded as an active act, not as something passive
* Listening empowers you, you’re not just a sitting duck wainting to get shot
* Listening is something you are responsible for when engaging in a conversation, since half of the meaning of the words uttered by other people comes from you
* Truths would be something which only exist in agreement, between two people.
* Convincing and persuading people would be regarded as absurd since it would only mean that we would try to convey something which cannot be conveyed. You cannot completely transfer yourself to another person through words, let alone that this other person can completely receive you through those same words.
* People would be respected as authorities of their own self. Nobody knows you better than you do. Period.
* Statements would be questions.
* Demands would turn into invitations.
* …

Thank you Sharon Sayler to inspire me to write this post.

Hannes

Thank you, Hannes, my new friend from far away. The power of a blog amazes me, everything I learn from these conversations enhance my life.

Have a great day in whatever your adventure.

To Success! To Life!

Sharon

Q: Hi Sharon,   How does one encourage and get people to comment on a blog?  Thanks.

A: Good question, I’m sure there are many ways, here are the ways I know, first others need to know you are posting, it takes awhile when blogs are new to get recognized. 

1. Tweet, post on facebook etc a short phrase and a "tinyurl" link to it.
2. Send the post or a summary of the post out via email to your list and invite comments
3. Respond to comments on the blog to keep the conversation going and even send them an email if you think they would add to upcoming posts and discussions.
4. Consider commenting on others blogs with a reference back to a similar post on your site or at least your name and blog url.
5. Ask a question at the end of your post? Ask if they feel the same way, have more suggestions in the area or what’s working for them.
6. Be informative, controversial or transparent. The post I did about my dog’s death was the most commented on in a long time.
7. Have something about it on your email signature line.  I have Check out our blog, you might like the latest entry– http://www.impressionengineers.com/blog.
8. Use the back of your business card to list your blog site and theme of your blog.

In fact, I’m going to post this response on my blog as others on my list might like to know, I will as for their ideas…

So guys, what ways have you found that encourage dialogue?

s

A big part of why I become a trainer is I love to inspire, motivate, and encourage people! Yet as you know, if you have ever had to manage or coach people, sometimes, we need to give feedback and possibly even manage a behavior.

Observing someone’s behavior, coaching them and giving feedback can feel rough, tough or scary (it certainly doesn’t need to be). And contrary to common mythology, giving “constructive criticism” is not constructive. It rarely motivates change, especially long-term change. What motivates people is specific behavioral feedback, and yes, they are craving specific feedback that educates them on how their behaviors effect other people.

Your success as a leader, teacher, manager, team member, coach, etcetera will ultimately be about what you do and how you inspire, motivate, and encourage people. So the question becomes how to do it successfully each and every time?

Michael Grinder’s Group Wizardry June 22-25, 2009
http://tinyurl.com/crs7z5

So, back to finding what you need when you need it…

There is an auto mechanic down the street from me. He has this funky sign he changes whenever the mood strikes him. A few days back here and well into my pity-party, my eye caught—

"I Create My Reality and I am Creating this Emotion Right Now"

His signs are usually not so deep, yet that sign snapped me back into the reality I wanted, not the one I was creating. The reality for me, at that time, was a place of exhaustion, wanting to be left alone and a feeling of not having any more to give anyone…. Those feelings should have been my first clue that what I needed at that time was to take care of myself, recharge myself.
 
Not like that was the first time I’ve ever been to that state of exhaustion, why do some lessons take so many repeats to sink-in?  Gotta learn to listen to the signals my body is giving me earlier. 

Life Lesson to me to remember: When the physical and emotional bank accounts are drained, it’s beyond the time to re-fill them. Fill-up early and often… Whenever I’m feeling tired, not myself, short tempered, out-of-balance… it’s time for a little R and R—Refill and Recharge. So, what are you going to do for yourself this weekend?

Take some time for yourself so you can share your dreams and passion with the world. The world needs them.

Have a great day whatever your adventure

To Life! To Success!

Sharon

p.s. Today it reads : “I’d rather age than stop.”

Lowell is an amateur competitor in sporting clay and skeet events, so what better thing to learn then the fine art of sporting clay, skeet and trap. A couple of times, I even hit two in a row. Woo Hoo!  Yet, for every good shot, a bunch went "splat," sometimes business opportunities are like that too.

My #1 learning was: Make sure you understand what’s coming in and what’s going out. The cross-pollination of life experiences were a buzz in my brain — to be successful at sport shooting (business or anything, really) it takes:

–Practice. Learn to anticipate and recognize changes. Don’t over think it.  Practice creates perseverance.

–Patience. Aim just ahead of the target by the time you pull the trigger the target will be there. Patience creates resilience.

–Passion. For goodness sake, enjoy yourself. It’s all just a game. Passion creates perspective.  

A friend once mentioned to me that it takes at least three years to get good at something if you practice, learning sporting clay reminded me it takes patience and passion too.

I want to give a shout-out to Stephen (a frequent contributor of ideas for this newsletter.) He is one of the guys that runs the place (www.salemclays.com.) Thanks Stephen, Linda and Lowell for the great day, it was a lot of fun.
 
Oh, one last thing, I was in Philadelphia a few days ago for the launch of Michael Port’s Think Big Manifesto. Next week it will debut #9 on The New York Times bestseller list. I’ll share some of the that adventure later.

Have a great day in whatever your adventure.

To Success!To Life!

Sharon

1. material
2. physical
3. emotional

She suggests setting non-negotiable appointments with ourselves to get specific tasks accomplished, actually scheduling them in your day planner.

Take the task and break it into 15 to 30 time segments makes it more manageable. One of her suggestions was to put on a 30 minute CD and work on the task until the music stopped. I thought of it as task musical-chairs; with a little discipline  (keeping the appointments with yourself) all the chairs (tasks) will be removed as you go! Clutter can overwhelm us, Sallie mentioned that when we fudge on our appointments with ourselves we are really making the statement "I’m really not that important. I can let it slide…" Would you let your kids or someone else important in your life "slide?"

Speaking of kids, listen into the last 8 minutes of the May 5th Beyond Lip Service where we talk about great things to do with kids artwork… some things I never thought of. Drop me a comment or note share some of your declutter ideas.

LISTEN IN!

More about Sallie:

Sallie Felton, CMC, ACC has been a life coach and transitional specialist for 20 years. Her strength is she uses her client’s individual strengths to create and support his/her successful life goals.

Her expertise is regularly experienced by individuals all over the U.S. and

abroad through her renowned radio show, A Fresh Start with Sallie Felton, which  is broadcast live in Seattle on 106.9 FM HD Channel 3 and is available via the  WorldWide Web, Telstar Satellite Network and UpSnap Mobile Entertainment.

Sallie is co-author of the e-Book Clutter Free & Clear: Take Charge of Your Time and Space,  she is a bi-monthly contributor to Boomer Coffee House, and is a speaker and workshop facilitator, for information, visit www.salliefeltonlifecoach.com

————-
A parting thought is that your environment feeds your soul… start where you stand, set small, specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-oriented tasks. You’ll be where you want to be in no time at all…

Have a great day whatever your adventure.
Sharon

I had given Dave a pre-release copy of Michael Port’s latest book "The Think Big Manifesto" for his recent plane trip… he found the "Manifesto" inspiring and returned the favor with an inspiring book for my trip. I began reading "1001" on the flight to Philly, I love how this book turns a phrase even when it is not an epigram. Elbert defines epigram as "a condensed nugget of wisdom and wit, flavored with a surprise…" How cool is that definition?

I will be tweeting many of them soon, but two of my favorites from Elbert are:

—"Do unto others as though you were the other."

—"You are what you think, and not what you think you are."

Elbert was Dave’s great uncle. He was quite an ad man, PR guy and writer in his day until his death on the S.S. Lusitania on May 7, 1915. Thanks, Dave… you do know how I love a gifted wordsmith.

Another favorite is, "An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all."  I might add "or big or bold" after dangerous. "An idea that is not dangerous or big or bold is unworthy of being called an idea at all."

As I was reading that epigram, I thought of why I was headed to Philly… I’m here with Michael Port, because today, he just released his 4th and absolutely best book by far: "The Think Big Manifesto: Think You Can’t Change Your Life (and the World)? Think Again."

Big, bold ideas that create action are needed today.

Since I met Michael several years ago, I have heard about his passion to write this book. With his "Book Yourself Solid" series and now "The Think Big Manifesto" he has challenged me to think bigger about who I am and what I offer the world. His passion is now out in print and it’s inspiring, compelling and challenging!

I encourage you to read the "Manifesto." The sooner the better because, today is the day to get the book and score some seriously neat free stuff.

LINK
www.thinkbigmanifesto.com

Once you read it, let me know what you think? What are the bigger, bolder things you will offer the world?
http://twitter.com/ssayler
http://twitter.com/beyondlipsvc

As many of you know, my Blog talk Radio Show is call Beyond Lip Service and the tagline is "Be bold. Life is about taking action."  Tomorrow, Tuesday the 28th 10 am Pacific is a great, prerecorded show with Gary Phillips (www.artofsafety.ca) on "Bold Communication in the Workplace," so what better way to sign off than with this epigram from Elbert about taking action: "An ounce of performance is worth a pound of preachment."

Have a great day whatever your adventure
To success! To life!
Sharon
http://twitter.com/ssayler
http://twitter.com/beyondlipsvc

At times, things just come out of my mouth… and it’s not until it falls out of my mouth that I’m aware it has an assumption (or two.)  Last week, I was trying to express myself to my friend Sparks; it just wasn’t as clear as it could have been.  In response, instead of frustration, pushing or prodding I hear 3 wonderful words… “Tell me more.”

Respectful Inquiry

It is amazing how things just seem to align… last Tuesday on our Blog Talk Radio show Beyond Lip Service (www.blogtalkradio.com/beyondlipservice), I had the pleasure of interviewing Marian Way (www.apricotisland.com/). Her specialty is Clean Language*, a process for helping others explores their own metaphors, and gain insights into their thinking and behaviors. As the name implies, it is ‘clean / neutral.’ It is also very flexible.

Clean Language started as a therapeutic tool, but can be used with everyday events, including:

• Interviewing
• Modeling different skills and perceptions
• Coaching and feedback
• Meetings and job appraisals
• Team building and decision-making
• Self-discovery and exploration

Clean Language strives to put our assumptions aside to let the other person be heard and understood. That’s when the beauty of “tell me more,” became apparent. Now, “tell me more” is not Clean Language, but it serves a similar purpose…

Consider a statement as simple as  “What are you thinking?” Seems tame enough, yet it assumes that they are thinking something. So it could be changed to, “Are you thinking anything?” Yet, that still assumes they are thinking. Changing the statement to be ‘clean / neutral’ “Is there anything else about that?” could include thinking or feeling or listening or hearing…

Some Clean Language phrases that can be slipped into a conversation are:

•  “What kind of … is that?”
• “Is there anything else about that?”
•  “What would you like?”

The key to using Clean Language and thoughtful communication is not trying to make anything happen. I find again and again, that others have their own answers, and creating an assumption and belief-free zone for someone to discover their own insights is respectful and more effective than any remedy I may come up with.
 
To learn more about Clean Language and Marian Way, visit www.apricotisland.com

“The human soul doesn’t want to be fixed, it simply wants to be seen and heard. The soul is like a wild animal - tough, resilient and shy. When we go crashing through the woods shouting for it to come out so we can help it, the soul will stay in hiding. But if we are willing to sit quietly and wait for a while, the soul may show itself. ~ “The Courage to Teach” ~ Parker J. Palmer”
 

Have a great day whatever your adventure

To Success! To Life!

Sharon

*Clean Language was developed by psychotherapist, David Grove, as a way to keep his assumptions at bay, so he could work directly with his clients’ perceptions.

p.s. Tuesday’s guest is going to be great and maybe a bit controversial… Neil Ducoff, author of No Compromise Leadership. Neil states "The truth is, America’s economy was brought down by compromise. And we’re all paying the price for it.  With millions out of work, and no tangible let-up yet in sight, what can business leaders and owners – whether large corporations or mom-and-pop enterprises – do to save their companies and survive? He contends we will require a game- changing paradigm shift….  

Join me this Tuesday April 14th at 1:00PM Eastern/10AM Pacific for Beyond Lip Service at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beyondlipservice

It is our choice, isn’t it? Yet, life doesn’t always feel as simple as those two words make it seem.

Sometimes, you have to make hard choices and sometimes the right choice isn’t very clear. Thinking about making a tough choice, first try to reflect on the law of unintended consequences… each time a choice is made other things will change. If possible, allow time to explore the benefits and risks involved in changing or not.

When faced with a hard decision, here are CHOICE keys to consider:

Choose one decision at a time. Revisit your goals and values and examine alternatives. This is a good time to check in with both your heart and head. What do you feel and think about the decision?

Honor those affected by your choice. Be proactive and inform them first. Do not play games or beat around the bush. Be transparent.

Open your communication and say what you mean. Use whole messages. A whole message has 4 parts; a description of the need for the decision, your thoughts around the decision (beliefs, values, goals,) your feelings about the decisions (your opinion or interpretation,) and your desired outcomes for the decision.

Independent balanced with interdependent. Respect there will be differences. One can still care about someone who has different ideas, interests, and opinions to your own. If you expect them to respect your choices one must respect someone else’s choices and opinions as well.

Courage to know your boundaries and maintain a commitment to the decision. This is not to imply that sometimes decisions cannot change, but be alert to pressures that go against your decision.

Endorse your decision, endure your choice, enjoy your outcome… I came up with so many “E”s it was hard to choose…
 

Have a great day whatever your adventure

Sharon

Here’s an easy-to-use formula for a successful sale, I still hold it true however, I am adding an additional insight that some of you may go duh…

+ Decide what you need / want
+_ Determine what your customer needs/wants + one
(The + one being the theory of under-promise and over-deliver.)
 
Results: Win/Win Sales Situation (right?)

 It may appear simple on the surface but…

The Under-promise and Over-deliver Dilemma

I used to be a strong proponent of under-promise and over-deliver, however looking back on experiences; I need to qualify that old sales adage.
 
Let’s think this through…You make a sale (service or product, it doesn’t really matter) and you do a great job of under-promised and over-delivered, say, you gave them a bonus or got it to them early or under-budget… But what actually happened?
 
You’ve raised your bar. Yes, you got a job well done, a happy customer and maybe even an “Atta-boy/girl.”  But, your customer now expects the new level of service. So, to under-promise and over-deliver again, you must work ABOVE the new expected level of quality, price, service, time-line and professionalism. This may be sustainable for a few sales, but at some point, it is impossible to continue to over-deliver.  Your customer is no longer easily impressed – it is now just your “norm” and it becomes your client’s expectation.

You’ve taught your client that you can do continue to do it faster, cheaper, better or with bonuses. Let’s just to the very best we can, at the very best (yet fair to us) price we can, when we say we can… the successful sales cycle is about making and honoring commitments, not faster, cheaper etc.…until we’ve given away the store.  The purpose of a customer is not to get a sale, the purpose is a sale is to get a customer to build a fair and balanced relationship for both you and your customer.

Have a great day whatever your adventure.

To Success! To Life!

Sharon

ps. Just a couple of cool things happening at Impression Engineers.

Desk Rage: Courage Under Fire with Sharon Sayler deals with conflict in the workplace and teaches you what to do (and not do) non-verbally, when to do it and how to save yourself when handling volatile people and information. The key strategies provided in Courage Under Fire are how to advocate your point of view without harming your relationships and how to listen and really understand others’ point of view March 25, 9 am Pacific. Learn more at www.mybyscoach.com

Sharon’s Radio Show Beyond Lip Service focuses on taking action in your life. Practical skills for today - influence, inspire, and empower yourself and those in your world. Be Bold! Life is about taking ACTION.  Tuesday’s guest is BYS Coach Debbie O’Grady on Kill the Elevator Speech, How to have a Simple Sales Conversation.  Tuesdays, 1:00 PM Eastern/10AM Pacific Find Beyond Lip Service at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beyondlipservice

Free WordPress Success Plugins including Easy Google Optimizer Plugin for WordPress http://www.impressionengineers.com/wordpress/
 

Well, the second reason is my story and I’m sticking to it!

I found the statistic that 95 percent of Americans procrastinate regularly, while 15 percent to 20 percent procrastinate to the point of making it an art form (I know it adds up to over 100% - don’t ask me, I don’t do statistics….) There are three basic types of procrastinators according to Dr. Joseph R. Ferrari from DePaul University:

• Arousal or thrill-seekers wait to the last minute for the euphoric rush.
• Avoiders, for fear of failure or fear of success, this type is very concerned with what others think of them; they would rather have others think they lack effort than ability.
• Decisional procrastinators cannot make a decision. Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events; little do they realize no decision is still a decision.

I have to admit I’ve been guilty of all three, at one time or another. Even though, Best Impression’s “lateness” could be procrastination — it is also about unscheduled stuff taking up my weeks before my trip to Philadelphia. Since I had nothing but time on my flight, I decided to schedule the unscheduled stuff… I had no idea as I started to write out details of each day, how much unscheduled stuff fills the hours.

Schedule the unscheduled

I think most of us have a way of ignoring how much time unscheduled stuff really takes. See for yourself. Write down un-commitments each day as you do them. These are the ways time disappears that are not commitments; e.g., cleaning the bathroom, emails or calls to friends and family, meals, walking your dog and such. 

As you add your unscheduled stuff to your calendar, remember, this is not a list of what you should do. It is adding the things that you don’t normally think about taking time during the day.  All this unscheduled stuff is/can be important. Adding these to your calendar is not about not making time for relaxation. It’s about getting a more realistic view of how much time you have to work on your commitments.

You may be surprised as I was, there are not too many blank spaces left on the calendar after the unscheduled stuff is scheduled.

Have a great day whatever your adventure

To Success! To Life!

Sharon

We sang “Born To Be Wild” into our hairbrush or played air guitar

We poured a big glass of milk and dunked a chocolate cookie

We bought a comic book and read it cover to cover

We jumped over the cracks to save our mother’s backs

We made a fort with our blankets and invited a friend over

We rode the Merry-Go-Round or kissed at the top of the ferris wheel

What would happen in the next moment if…

We had M&Ms for breakfast and waffles for dinner

We went barefoot in the creek and caught frogs with our hands

We discovered life really was a bowl of cherries (without the pits)

We climbed to the top, enjoyed the view then slid down backwards

We shouted at the top of our lungs “Olly-Olly-Oxen-Free”

We said “Hello” to the spider in the corner

We exhaled with a big, loud sigh

We wrote our name in the sand and waited for a wave

What would happen in the next moment if…

We had a healthy disregard for the impossible…

Have a great day whatever your adventure.

To Success! To Life!

Do you frequently accept a client you THOUGHT was going to be right for you…only to discover down the road that they’re costing you time, frustration and maybe even money?

Just like in dating, there has to be compatibility in your client relationships.

This is why it’s CRUCIAL for you to figure out early on, whether your potential client is someone who you can do your best work with—someone who energizes and inspires you.

What’s going on here?

To answer, I want to point out, first and foremost, we are all human beings… just know that the less-than-ideal client for us will be ideal for someone else.

The key is to RECOGNIZE an ideal client when you meet one, so you don’t waste time (theirs or your) forming a client relationship that will be a struggle.

Why is this important?

If you can tell early on that a potential lead is RIGHT for you, you won’t waste weeks, months or years trying to "change" them or you into something neither of you are.

There are 3 profound truths about client relationships:

1. The client you CHOOSE is the one you GET.
2. YOU are ultimately responsible for your desperation or inspiration — because you selected the client.
3. You can’t change a client or "make" them ideal. The client has their own way, based on their own internal and external needs, desires, motivations and goals.

Take a moment right now and ask yourself: “What qualities would “my ideal client” absolutely need to possess in order for me to do my best work with them?”

Be honest and don’t worry about excluding people, yet remember that qualities are not circumstances… Circumstances change, qualities rarely do.

Have a great day whatever your adventure

To Success! To Life!

Sharon

p.s. If you would like some help gaining clarity, consider the The Book Yourself Solid System. It is a great way to gain momentum, direction and clarity for your business. The Book Yourself Solid System is organized in 3 modules. The first module is Establishing a Firm Foundation which includes personal branding, target market and positioning. Learn more at www.mybyscoach.com

The February 4th teleseminar topic is on Using Influence and Power through Non-Verbal Communication: “Becoming Comfortable with the Discomfort of Power.”

He is also offering another interesting teleseminar on February 25th “Knowing What You See – 3 ways to refine your perception.”

Special Bonus: Michael Grinder will be on be on BlogTalkRadio.com on Tuesday February 24th at 10am Pacific talking about both these topics. It’s a live call-in show. So listen in at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beyondlipservice at 10am Pacific, then call-in at 646) 929-0980 and ask me a challenging question.

To register for the two F*R*E*E calls and learn more about these programs visit his web site visit:

http://tinyurl.com/8aotvz

PLUS

I produce an interview series called "Michael and Friends" only for Members of The Booked Solid Referral Network with Michael Port on the Booked Solid Network. This site is a new, rapidly growing networking site with 100s of results-oriented business growth strategies and profit generating tactics. It is already generating a “buzz” among the self-employed professionals of the world.

This Wednesday, February 4th at noon Pacific / 3pm eastern is special guest interview Tim Ferris, author of "The Four-Hour Work Week." Called the "“Indiana Jones for the digital age," Tim Ferriss, was nominated as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People of 2007.”  He is author of the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek, which has been sold into 33 languages.

Tim has been featured by more than 100 media outlets, including The New York Times, The Economist, TIME, Forbes, Fortune, CNN, and CBS. He speaks six languages, runs a multinational firm from wireless locations worldwide, and has been a popular guest lecturer at Princeton University since 2003, where he presents entrepreneurship as a tool for ideal lifestyle design and world change, (and this guy is in his early 30s too.)

Won’t you join me, Michael and Tim for this “killer” interview. Learn why building powerful networks is critical to your success, both personally and professionally.

Where? At the Booked Solid Network. Check it out:

http://tinyurl.com/at2g74

It’s so great to see business, success and fun intertwined on the Network. It is a subscription site, but the first month in the Network is free. (If you don’t like it, you can leave before any charges, but at least you got to hear Tim…next month is Lorrie Morgan-Ferreo, April is David Meerman Scott, May is Seth Godin… It’s gonna be great!

Have a great day whatever your adventure
To Success! To Life!
Sharon