Goal Setting & Achievement Podcast: Business|productivity

[[:encoded, "Limiting beliefs refers to a belief system that is self-inhibiting. This system discourages exploration of what we understand as a “wider cognitive space.” The beliefs created and perpetuated in this type of system are strongly held, often due to heavy emotional attachment. (For example, a parent’s faith passed onto a new generation.) Interestingly, self-limiting beliefs have been observed in both human beings and animals. Of what importance, though, is the idea of “limited beliefs” to you? \n\nThe first question is where limiting beliefs come from. A person’s upbringing and parental stability is an important factor in determining origins of belief. However, other factors such as a person’s own self-image, and their personal perceptions of the world (based on experience and learning) also contribute. Consider some examples of self-limiting beliefs. As you read over them, you will find that these beliefs are not so scientific at all, but very relatable statements that you might hear

[[:encoded, "We all have those days when we just don’t feel like doing the work associated with achieving our goals, so the question is: How do you get motivated when you’re feeling uninspired?\n\nIt’s as simple as finding the motivating factor - the thing that will inspire you to take the next step.\n\nBut what if the thing that normally motivates you isn’t working today – right now when you need it? How do you get motivated and inspired to do what you need to do?\n\nFind a new motivator.\n\nFirst, identify your usual motivating factor by clarifying what normally leads you to action: The pleasure of achieving the desired end result or the pain of avoiding an unwanted result.\n\nIn other words, every decision you make is based on the positive attraction to the pleasure of the benefits (pleasure) or in the negative avoidance of the pain of the penalties (pain). \n\nWhen you find the dominant motivator (pleasure or pain) all you have to do is leverage it to inspire you to take action.\n\nFor instance, som

[[:encoded, "Have you ever thought to yourself: “If only I had more time?” \n\nYou can do anything you set your mind to—even the things that that you think you don’t have time for! \n\nHow is this possible? By scheduling time for what’s important as well as what is fun. Of course, along with this schedule, you have to take certain steps to eliminate time wasters. What are time wasters? Time wasters can be anything, from an inanimate object to a full living and breathing person. It is important that you first learn how to identify a time waster and then learn how to stop this person, place, or thing from distracting you. Let’s start by listing some of the most common time wasters. \n\n1. There’s no question that computers and a high-speed Internet connection can provide many valuable services to you. However, these tools are among the worst time wasters in existence. Some companies have actually banned Internet usage during working hours. If banning the Internet is not an option for you, then

[[:encoded, "It’s so easy to set goals in life. How many people actually take the time to set specific life goals? Not many of us, is my guess. You want to make more money. You want to enjoy more productive relationships with friends and acquaintances. You want to make a difference in the lives of others. You want more responsibility in your career. Unfortunately, while all these goals are admirable, they are also very broad. Most people fantasize about being rich, famous, and well liked. However, these are not necessarily goals. These are common images of success that the media wants us to believe in. Human beings are programmed by books, television, movies and Internet to believe in someone else’s values. After all, did you ever want to be Bill Gates before you knew he was filthy rich? Better yet, did you ever want to be filthy rich before you knew that money could buy you luxurious accommodations, fun new gadgets, and exclusive world travel?\n\nStep 1: Know the Difference between Dreaming

[[:encoded, "Many simple and effective resources get created when I'm coaching my one-on-one clients. An issue or situation comes up and I create a resource tool to help them get an even better result. In today's example, my business owner coaching client wanted to better hold his support team accountable, so I created a performance assessment tool. This enhances regular communication with each team member about their specific performance of what they are responsible for. It lets the team member feel good about their progress and it helps the business owner feel more confident about what is being done and at what level of performance. You will benefit, just as my clients have, from utilizing this simple and effective performance assessment for every member of your team. Customize it for each person on your team based on their job description. Actually, each team member should customize it for themselves and you approve it. Schedule a meeting every 90 days to review progress in each area yo

[[:encoded, "Even the most motivated of achievers can sometimes feel unmotivated. So, what do you do in those crucial moments of inner negotiation - do I commit to two steps forward or relent to two steps backwards - and how do you justify your decision? \n\nWhat if not being motivated to achieve your goals is a sign of a deeper, unresolved issue? Here are five questions to uncover the possible reasons you’re not motivated to achieve your goals:\n\n1. Do I Really Want This?\nBefore you start discounting yourself as being weak or a failure, ask yourself if you really want this. Do you really want the end result? Do you want it bad enough to do whatever it takes to achieve it? If the answer is no to either question, it’s pretty obvious why you may not be motivated to doing the work the goal requires to actually achieve it.\n\nAchieving your goals doesn’t necessarily have to be hard, but it can be challenging for any number of reasons. If you don’t have enough fire, passion, and desire to achieve a goal, th

[[:encoded, "Multi-tasking can sometimes have a bad rap. It has been said that multi-tasking in any form is something you should never do, but as an entrepreneur, it’s almost a daily necessity. There are simply not enough hours in the day for you to afford “playing it by ear.” Your life and profession are under constant reprioritization, that’s the nature of being an entrepreneur. Don’t be intimidated by the rumors; multi-tasking can be an effective way to handle your workload. We are going to talk about several tips for effective multi-tasking. \n\nTraits of Effective Multi-tasking \n•\tGroup like tasks together\n•\tCreate a to-do list\n•\tDefined goals with the end result \n•\tBudgeted time/schedule \n•\tRemove distractions\n•\tUndivided attention and focus\n\nEffective multi-tasking for entrepreneurs is all about having a system in place to handle tasks with the greatest efficiency. First, you need to create a To-Do List or Master Task List; this will help you to see the big picture of the day’s

[[:encoded, "Feel like something is missing in your career? You’re not alone. It’s not uncommon for professionals to feel like something is missing in their work, even when things appear to be really good. Is it possible to find success and meaning? Use these 7 tips to help you find meaning in your work / career.\n\n1. Choose a New Career Path or Expand Your Firm\nMaybe it’s time to try something new? You may be an adventure-type and find boredom in routine and monotony. Try a new career path that engages your interests to reignite your passions. It may not require a complete life change; perhaps you could choose a new track or specialty within your current industry or expand the products and services of your firm.\n\n2. Turn Your Passions into Profits\nIf finding meaning in your work is high on your priority list, then turning your passions into profits is a sure way to find it. Now more than ever overwhelmed entrepreneurs are scrapping profit for passion and making a business out of doing what they lov

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about What’s Really Behind the Overwhelm? 3 Steps to Discovering Why You May Be Sabotaging Your Success.\n\nBusiness owners are especially prone to overwhelm because it’s not uncommon for them to juggle multiple aspects of their business at any one time. But how much of what you think you need to handle do you actually need to handle? \n\nWhat if overwhelm is actually part of your self-sabotaging behavior being played out?\n\nOverwhelm is not a necessary evil of being an entrepreneur - it’s a symptom of an underlying issue. In three easy steps, you can find out if self-sabotaging behavior is creating unnecessary overwhelm in your business and life.\n\nStep #1: Consider the Why\nWhen you understand why you do anything, you discover why you do everything. From understanding the “why,” it’s possible to see the patterns of self-sabotaging behavior being played out in your everyday life. (Yes, creating overwhelm is one of those self-sabotaging behaviors.)\n\nIf you fre

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about How to Make the Right Choice in 3 Simple Steps.\n\nYou’ve been making choices every day since you were a child, yet sometimes it can feel like you are the most inexperienced decision-maker in the world. You feel uncertain about which choice to make and how your decision will ultimately affect your life. When faced with a decision that could alter the course of your life, how do you make the right choice?\n\nThe first step in any choice is to determine where you want to be. Getting clear on your goals will help you make choices that are in line with your vision. Once you get clear on your goals, it can be much easier to see how the results of your choices will lead you either closer to your goals – or further away.\n\nHere’s how you can learn to make the right choice in three simple steps.\n\nStep 1: Write Your List of Long-Term Goals\n\nYou may have a lot of long-term goals, but for now, just start with the ten most important to you. Once you have had ti

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about the Referral/Prospect Tracking Spreadsheet – SAMPLE – Free Download.\n\nIn my work with business professionals over the many years I have been coaching, I find that they often say to me that they have prospects that they haven’t followed up with (for whatever reason), or they lost track of some of the referrals people gave them. First of all, it’s hard to believe that someone wouldn’t have a process for tracking their referrals/prospects because that is potential revenue – but apparently this happens and probably more than it should. So, I came up with a simple tracking spreadsheet to help my clients better know who they have in their pool of prospects, in order for them to know where their prospective clients are at in their pipeline, and they don’t lose anyone (or drown them) on the way.\n\nDid you know that according to the National Sales Executive Associates, they say that: \n•\t48% of Sales People Never follow up with a Prospect\n•\t25% of Sales People

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about 8 Ideas to Help You Work Smarter and Not Harder.\n\nDo you think working harder will get you farther? Not necessarily. In this fast-paced society, many professionals are already running at full tilt, so going faster may lead to burn-out, or worse, complete physical and emotional shutdown. So how do you get more done without working harder? This is key to work life balance success. Let’s take a look at these 8 ideas for working smarter, not harder.\n\n1. Leverage Your Strengths, Delegate the Rest\nFor optimal results, focus on the tasks that leverage your strengths. The goal with any successful business or project is to assign the team member that can deliver the best results with the least effort and greatest effectiveness. If you want to make an easier go at it, know your strengths and focus on performing only the tasks that leverage those strengths.\n\nTIP: To download a Free Delegation List Sample to help you identify more activities to delegate, go to htt

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about 5 Tips for Exploring Your Life Purpose.\n\nIf you’ve ever wondered if there was more to life than what you’re currently experiencing, you’ll find this discussion helpful. First, let’s clarify that identifying your life purpose isn’t the end all - you still have find a way to integrate it into a life, that for most of us, has been built on necessity or security. Yes, we all have bills to pay; but selling your soul (so to speak) in the name of security isn’t necessarily the way it has to be.\n\nI’m all for fueling your passions, but I’m also a firm believer in smart and strategic business decisions. My advice is to take this process slowly. If you love what you do, find a way to work your life purpose into your career or business. If you don’t love what you do, then explore other avenues that support a solid business foundation and purpose.\n\nThese 5 tips will help you explore your life purpose and find more meaning in your life as well as your profession.\n\n

[[:encoded, "As a business owner, it’s important to recognize how valuable your time is - and how you choose to spend it.\n\nYes, the bookkeeping is important, and so is voice-mail and email, but those tasks are not directly responsible for generating revenue, and are better left to be managed by someone else.\n\nAre you guilty of focusing on the less important (low-payoff) tasks when you should be actively engaged with the most important (high-payoff) tasks? If you have ever been guilty of this, continue listening to discover four common self-sabotaging habits that keep business owners from the revenue and success they want and deserve.\n\n1. Wasting Time on Low-Payoff Tasks\nAs the business owner, you are a valuable piece of the revenue-generating and business development puzzle. If you are sitting at a desk spending the majority of your time on low-payoff tasks, you don’t have the time to focus upon the most important part of your business: generating revenue.\n\nWould you hire a $100-an-hour team mem

[[:encoded, "There’s no doubt about it, handling negative client feedback can be downright uncomfortable. No one likes to listen to complaints and no one wants to be criticized or rejected by anyone; even by a client. We’re human; it stings when we fall short of a goal or when we don’t receive the approval we crave.\n\nBut what if you could get past the discomfort of negative client feedback to discover the benefits that will make your business even better? \n\nOkay, let’s get to the 6 Ways Negative Client Feedback Makes Your Business Better…\n\nWay #1. It Shows You’re Committed to Your Clients\nDealing with less than glowing client feedback, head on and objectively, shows you are committed to ensuring your clients have a positive experience. It’s this commitment to serve them to the best of your ability that attracts more clients. When you’re committed to your clients, they’re committed to your business.\n\nWay #2. It’s Not Personal; It’s Perception\nInstead of getting defensive about what went wrong in

[[:encoded, "What got you to where you are today probably isn’t going to be what takes you to where you ultimately want to go. Those thoughts, actions, activities have to change to move you even closer to your future goals. In working with my clients over the years, I originally found that most of them had no idea who was paying them how much money each year. You want to know this for many reasons. Simply put, make a list of all your clients in order of who pays you the most money to the least on an annual basis. \n\nTo make it easier for you, feel free to modify my Annual Recurring Revenue Exercise excel spreadsheet sample to help you know who is paying you how much each year and who you want to replicate by asking for referrals/introductions from the top of the list.\n \nTo download my complimentary Annual Recurring Revenue Exercise, so you know exactly what your recurring revenue is for your clients every year, go to \nhttps://www.accountabilitycoach.com/annual-recurring-revenue-exercise/\n\nIf you a

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about 9 Tips for Inspiring Referrals.\n\nGetting new clients can be one of the biggest challenges in building a business; however, leveraging the power of referrals can dramatically reduce the expense and energy of building your client base. Many businesses focus on the externals of inspiring referrals, so we’re going to focus on the internals. As you know, you are the hub of your business - it can only be successful to the extent you are willing to grow and learn. Before you can inspire referrals, it’s important to get clear on the basics: \n\nTip #1: Get Clear and Focused\nEver run into someone at a networking event who seems confused or vague about what they do? They’re either not clear (or can’t convey) on what exactly they do or whom exactly they can help. Before you can inspire referrals, you must get very clear and focused about what you specifically do and for whom. \n\nTip #2: Establish Expertise\nYou don’t have to be the best in the industry; you have to

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about The Pros vs Cons Exercise – Free Download Page\n\nHave you ever had a time when you needed to make a decision but weren’t exactly sure what to do? Well, when this occurs and you aren’t sure about what decision you should make, you might want to consider the old fashion Pros and Cons list. Using this exercise will help when you are trying to decide whether to do something that can have an impact on your life, personally and professionally. Your ‘gut’ may still have a say in what you choose to do in the end. \n\nDo you have a project, decision, or issue to resolve? To download my complimentary Pros versus Cons Exercise, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/pros-vs-cons-exercise/.\n\nThis document can easily be modified to be of value to you. \n\nIf you are getting value from any of The Accountability Minute messages, please take a number to leave me a short rating and review. I would really appreciate it, and love to hear from you and requests for topic

[[:encoded, "Today we are going to talk about 5 Questions to Ask When You’re Not Motivated to Achieve Your Goals.\n\nEven the most motivated of achievers can sometimes feel unmotivated. So, what do you do in those crucial moments of inner negotiation - do I commit to two steps forward or relent to two steps backwards - and how do you justify your decision? \n\nWhat if not being motivated to achieve your goals is a sign of a deeper, unresolved issue? We are going to talk about the five questions to uncover the possible reasons you’re not motivated to achieve your goals:\n\n1. Do I Really Want This?\nBefore you start discounting yourself as being weak or a failure, ask yourself if you really want this. Do you really want the end result? Do you want it bad enough to do whatever it takes to achieve it? If the answer is no to either question, it’s pretty obvious why you may not be motivated to doing the work the goal requires to actually achieve it.\n\nAchieving your goals doesn’t necessarily have to be hard,

[[:encoded, "We’ve all been there before…we find a goal that inspires us, and we commit to doing the work…until life derails us. Whether it was that vacation, your assistant suddenly quits, or death in the family, the truth is life sometimes distracts us from our goals. Dealing with the disruption is one thing, getting back on track can be another.\n\nHere we go with the 4 tips for sticking to your goals and getting back on track. \n\nTip #1: Focus on the Reward - Not the Work\nWise sages advise us to “be in the moment,” but let’s face it - you don’t always feel like running that last mile. You’re human; sometimes you lose your motivation in the middle of having to “do the work.”\n\nIf you’re losing your motivation, switch your focus on the reward. Focus on the good feelings of having accomplished your goal and how much easier it will be the next time because you will have broken through another limiting belief.\n\n“We only learn our limits by going beyond them.” ~Unknown\n\nTip #2: The Have-To’s Somet