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There are always two ways you can go in your business: the way you planned and the way you didn't plan. That is if you have actually made a plan. Yep - I know there are some of you out there who are just running by the seat of your pants! Either way keep reading. So the saying goes, "The best laid plans... always fail". But I'd like to reframe that. It's more like the results don't reflect the way you planned to go. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. For your business to succeed, staying true to your course is VITAL!   Why?
I know there are hundreds of reasons like it increases focus, you’ll have more clarity, you’ll accomplish more, but for today I want to focus on TWO MAJOR REASONS Stick to your plan because... 1. It helps you know what you will say yes and no to. When you have the plan and know where you are going, you can easily see where you aren't going. That should be obvious, right? Well I'll tell you that it's not. I have faced it and so have A LOT of my clients. No matter what your plan is you will be offered opportunities that could be so enticing that you say yes. But please refer to your plan and ask, ”Does this forward me and my business or just their agenda? It has to be a win-win (at least on some level). Then ask yourself, “Is there time and space for this?” If it's a yes to both and it’s just that good to pass up - adjust your plan and then keep trucking on. 2. You need to know where you are. When you’re sticking to the plan it will be obvious when you hit a milestone. And having measurable milestones are imperative to celebrating. This can be the core of the motivation and momentum for many people. Then it will also be clear how far you still have to go. When you deviate from the plan it can feel like you are taking the scenic route. The worst part is that many people get lost here. They can even end up further away from their goals than when they started. Which can leave you feeling confused, frustrated or make you even give up. DISCLAIMER: Hehe! Yes there needs to be a disclaimer. I feel I should say that these reasons are based on you having a plan in the first place that you have spent a bit of time on. That the plan takes into account all areas of life AND that plan is a GREAT plan for you! Not others. If at any point the previous comments about a plan are not there or the plan isn't working you have permission (and really need) to make changes. Because you then are just swapping out the old plan for a new one. So instead of making it up as you go you are still on YOUR plan. What now you ask? Make a plan and stick to it! You’ll benefit in the long run and day-to-day. Double benefits! Mwah! Diane
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This week I want to keep this blog really simple and ask a powerful coaching question. The point is to be able make this blog and actual experience. So take the question and listen to what your answer is. Then ask again and listen. Then ask one more time and listen. You might ask yourself five times or a lot more. Basically until the answers get you to a place that feels complete and you have landed at the final answer or you get the the point where there are no more answers to give. So go to the mirror and ask yourself this question: Who is the person you see?
Now go to your mirror and ask yourself! Bring a journal and write down what your answers are each time. Mwah! Diane P.S. Then let me know what you finally came up with or anything you got out of this activity.  Part of my goals for 2015 is to be fit and healthy. Coming into the year I had a lot of post pregnancy weight I was carrying around. Mostly justified. The rest created by donuts, late night nachos and ice cream after most meals. I did it to myself and I was getting out of it by myself. Or so I thought. I was an elite athlete for most of my life. Yes! I probably still could be if I put my mind to it. (That's another blog about those excuses.) But since I tore my ACL playing rugby I've found it hard to be motivated to work hard when I exercise. I'm not fuelled by the need to look good. Thankfully I have a husband who loves me no matter what. I was no longer driven to workout so I could perform better on the field because I started playing recreational soccer. Sadly my lack of fitness doesn't set me apart on the field. And the saboteur kept whispering in my ear, ‘why bother when I'm just going to have another baby’. The excuses seemed like a good fit for me. Now they no longer serve me. I decided that enough is enough. Even though before I had lower expectations for my body weight and physical performance I'm ready to step it up and have higher standards for myself. Not just in business or as a mom, but in all areas of life. My health needed the bar raised. Ideally I'd love to do cross-fit.
Instead of doing that (because I just had a baby four weeks before) I joined 30 Minute Hit Capilano after seeing other moms post about how they liked it. Being child friendly, the efficiency, the value and the flexible times were appealing. Haha! This sounds like an advertisement. It's not. These things also honored my priorities. SO I went for a trial. I joined and I committed to a year. (Long-term commitment with a financial tie in is a catalyst for change.) This brings me to the title of this post – How I got my Butt Kicked. I started going and they had a January challenge. Oh do I love challenges! It was to set a goal for yourself on how many times you’d go in January. This was probably set for all of those New Year’s Resolution members. Turns out that it was great for me as well. I then said I’d go twelve times since that was their minimum goal. (That’s a great tip to remember. Make a minimum for any goal or competition.) I thought it was going to be a bit of a “Do your own thing. At your own pace” circuit style, but then I met the trainers. They gently encourage everyone until they learn your style of motivation. I had moments where my arms were just flying about like noodles because they were tired. I was told to hit harder. At times my body didn’t understand what it was supposed to be doing. I was in my head A LOT as I figured out the technique. They pointed out small changes that I could make each time rather than bombarding me with all of the changes so it was perfect. Like I said, I like to be pushed, challenged and cheered on. I got that AND a butt kicking. Sometimes I didn’t want to go because I had both kids and getting them ready and keeping them happy there seemed hard. There were mornings where I’d rather sleep-in then workout. Other times I’d be pushing my dinner back to make it before closing time. You know what got me there? Knowing I told the trainers that I’d see them the next day. I’m a woman of my word. (Oh and the poster where you put up a happy face sticker for every time you go helped too.) These trainers are helping me reach my goals. What’s the proof? I ended up going 16 times in four weeks. I exceeded my goal. I was kept accountable. Just like how I help to keep my clients committed to their goals.
The beauty of the challenge at the beginning of the year is that it has created a routine for me now.
So what happens in February? I continue on hitting and kicking those bags four times a week. It’s my new normal. Actually, you know what I just realized. I’ve come full circle and it’s me connecting to the elite athlete again. I’m saying:
What are you saying yes and no to in February? Mwah! Diane P.S. What have you found motivates you? Do you like getting your butt kicked?  Last week I spoke about how we can get overwhelmed by overwhelm and how there are so many things that are vying for our time. By picking three main goals to work towards for the year you’ll start to get an umbrella to guide your year. BUT STILL we are faced with opportunities, offers and even clients and projects that can pull us away from those three things. Time is precious! It’s something we can’t get back and can’t make up. But we can be wiser in our choices on where we spend it and whom we give it to. By having our focus items, goals and priorities set it will make it easier to say no. NO! No? Yes, saying this word can be so hard. WHY?  1. Obligation: We feel obligated to say yes. You’re supposed to bake for the fundraiser. You’ve been asked to help a friend move. Your mother needs help with her computer and someone who looks up to you wants to get some mentoring. Are you too busy for these people? What do you say? 2. Great opportunity: You have been offered something that is outside of your focus items for the year, but it’s a fabulous opportunity, idea or partnership. If you give it up will you have missed out? How do you respond? 3. It’s an honor: You’re being asked to participate in an event or a position where it’s an honor to be asked. Maybe you’ve always looked up to those board members, envied the president of the networking group, or wanted to make a difference by being on the committee for XYZ. And now’s your chance. You’ve been asked or invited – Do you accept the invitation? And the worst of all… 4. It satisfies an immediate need: You are in need of something right now and saying yes would make life so much easier. You can take a job and put the business aside for a bit so you have benefits. You can agree to a client or project that you really don’t want to just so you have work. You can say yes to a lower rate of pay for the service you provide so you earn some money. What need would make you say yes? These are so hard because sometimes it is beneficial to say yes. How do you know when? Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to know if you should say yes or no:
Mwah! Diane P.S: Is there something in your life that you are not sure whether it deserves a yes or a no? Or do you have regrets about something you already said yes or no to? Let me know. |
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