PODCAST: 5 Easy Steps To Turn Your Vision Into Your Reality

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I had the most fun I've ever had doing this podcast interview with Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning.

Listen in to Hal's Achieve Your Goals Podcast where we discuss: 

Taking your goals from vision to reality :

1. Start with a vision
2. Chunk it up (100 day chunks, 1% of goal for each day)
3. Write Down The Why Do You Want the What (Your Purpose)
4. Define Your Laser Focus (3 Goals and 6 Daily Actions)
5. Who's On Your Bench (Get Accountability)

Listen HERE.

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Buy here

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5 Strategies for Finding Success in the Face of Failure

Face Your Failures and Find Success Instead

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Just when you think the way has cleared for a smooth ride, challenges come up just to keep life and business interesting. How do you find success in the face of setbacks? How do you keep a great attitude and set yourself up to win?

It's quite simple, actually: you follow a simple set of strategies that make all the difference.

Strategy #1: The minute you decide to stay in the game, you're in the top 10%. About 90% of people simply give up, so by re-committing to your desired outcome, you're already way ahead. Review your vision and goals, make a list of the top 3 next-best actions you can take and either do them right now, or pull out your calendar and schedule a time to do them.

Strategy #2: Surround yourself with winners. Your associates determine your success, so choose wisely who you have around you. Find your PLUs {Your "People Like Us -- more about that in here} and schedule regular conversations, meetings and brainstorming sessions with them.

Strategy #3: Make your self-talk superb. Create a personal mantra, like, "I can do this!" or "I am unstoppable!" and use it to keep your mind right. Learn how to craft powerful affirmations, and do the other 5 daily actions that can re-engineer your circumstances and make you an unstoppable success in this book.

Strategy #4: Mistakes are invaluable, so learn from them. Super-achievers know they will either (a) do well in something they undertake or (b) learn some valuable lessons. Most successful people actually "fail their way to success." If you've failed recently or even semi-recently, capture the lessons in writing you've learned so you don't have to repeat them.

Strategy #5: Don't marinate in your failure. A quick recovery is key to upward mobility. The longer you spend feeling sorry for yourself, wallowing or whining, the longer it will take for you to regain your momentum and seize your success. Just like in prize-fighting, you've got exactly ten seconds to get up and if you don't, you've lost the fight. Decide that no matter what knocks you down, it won't keep you down.

When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade or lemon mousse! You decide to be a winner and let the best you shine through.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ:

Never Be Late Again!

4 Ways to Ensure You'll Be On Time From Now Until Forever

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If you've ever been told, "You'll be late for your own funeral," being late might be a chronic problem standing in the way of your success. Arriving "just in time" or a few minutes late means you're out of breath and unnecessarily stressed. 

Being late says "I value my time and myself more than I value you." Even if that's not what you're trying to say. Even if you're a hot disorganized mess and being late has absolutely nothing to do with the person cooling their heels waiting for you.

Would you love to solve the problem of being late, and turn yourself into a person who is on time? Would you like to stop apologizing for being late, and turn into the person who has a few moments to check email or return a call in your car before heading into that meeting? I can assure you that allowing plenty of time to arrive at meetings, networking lunches, and other important events will reduce your stress to almost zero. You're going to love the feeling you have when you sail into your next meeting with ten minutes to spare!

Are you ready for your time makeover? Okay, fabulous ... let's begin!

Fast Results Start Here!

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There is a whole lot of moving going on! New companies, new cities, new opportunities. I'm hearing about about lots of "newness" and getting questions about how to navigate the changes and opportunities. Even if you're not in a job place, job or company, the actions that yield results remain the same.

• Clarity is power. Develop a clear long-term vision and follow with a short-term vision. Your short term vision is then broken down into 3-5 solid goals. These goals become your daily focus.
• Develop a solid plan based on your goals. Break down your goals into daily action steps.
• Get organized. Be ready to capitalize on opportunities when they show up. This means having your office, or mobile office, ready.
• Get moving! New or not, there are lots of people you don't know who need your product or service. (Hint: They won't come knocking on your office door.) Get out of your office, meet people and ask those people who else you need to know. The more people you meet, the better the chances you have of making those critical early connections that will make all the difference over time.
• Start here: Make a master list of your current connections. The best connections are people who are Centers of Influence. Ask for their help. Every person you know has more than 2,000 relationships. Ask for referrals of great folks, not just people who could hire you or use your products or services. They can be amazing people who you would be pleased to know for any number of reasons.
• Then continue here: 1. Business Journal events, 2. Your local Chamber of Commerce, 3. Networking Clubs (Executives Associations, Business Forums, BNI), 4. Civic Organizations (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lion's Club), 5. Your trade association, 6. Your best client's trade association, 7. Cultural events, 8. Charitable or Community Service organizations and volunteering, 9. Private Clubs, 10. Health Clubs, 11. Sporting Events., 12. Hobbies & their events/associations, 13. "Own" a restaurant (or several).
• Join two organizations: one for community service, the other career enhancement. Use your expertise to contribute to the organization, in other words: get involved. Join at least one committee and be a leader in the organization.
• Stay focused. Review your goals at least daily and make sure you're making measurable progress towards your goals every day. If (when!) you get off track, re-set, re-focus and get moving!

Your results are up to you, and you can create the results you desire.

This might also help:

Vision to Reality: How Short Term Massive Action Equals Long Term Maximum Results {Excerpt}

Click here to read the first 

2 chapters of Vision to Reality.

"Honorée isn't just a great coach, she's a winning coach. Vision to Reality defines her strategy, gives you a game plan, and shows you the yellow brick road to success. All you have to do is follow it." ~Jeffrey Gitomer, author of TheLittle Red Book of Selling 

Buy Vision to Reality  here.

What We All Can Learn from Sara Blakely & Spanx

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I was so excited to see Sara Blakely on the cover of the Forbes Billionaires issue two years ago that I made three trips to Barnes & Noble to buy it.

I've followed Spanx and Sara over the past decade because I'm a business owner and entrepreneur and also because, well, I'm a prime candidate for Spanx. I watched Sara appear on The Donny Deutsch Show, I've noticed her displays expand and expand in Nordstroms. I've helped Spanx grow by purchasing multiple products for myself and my friends. Bottom line, I'm a fan.

Why Aren't You Following Up?

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In my post The Fortune is in the Follow-Up, I shared how long I feel you should follow up with a qualified prospect. The short answer: until. Head over there in a couple of minutes to get a handle on your fortune, but first let's discuss what's getting in your way.

New short answer: you.

Sometimes the question isn't how long to follow up or even how to follow up ... the real question is, "Why aren't you following up?"

There are a few reasons I've discovered in my coaching practice that people fail to follow up. The funny thing is, the reasons aren't all that valid. They are a smoke screen for what's really going on in a person's mind, and one layer deeper than that, their belief system.

Here are the reasons you're not following up and following through, and how to stop what's stopping  you:

• You're afraid. There is a possibility, even with qualified potential clients, you're going to get rejected. You are going to hear no, and you're going to hear it a lot. The only time to get upset about a "no" is when the person says "No" ... and ... "You're ugly." Then you can get offended, and tell your prospect their mother would not be very proud of them. But seriously now, you need to not only get used to hearing no, you need to hear no about a million and a half times a day. Or at least a dozen times a day. Let me short-hand it for ya: the more you hear no, the more often you get to hear "YES!" You increase the odds by increasing the number of times you ask. I get it, I really do ... you're afraid of hearing no, think you're probably going to hear no, and have other things to do. But you need to get over it and get on with it ... it being your follow-up.
  Nobody has a better handle on no than the authors of "Go for No" Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz, so hop over to Amazon.com and download it right now. {I'll wait.}
• You're "too busy." Alright, I've had about enough of this excuse, so I'm going to call bullshit right now. About every day one of my clients says to me, "I just didn't have the time to do 'X', because, because because." Here's the truth: you have all of the time you need to do everything you need and want to do. You're just procrastinating, doing tasks and activities that don't get accomplish anything real, and that's not getting you what you want, now is it? Once you know someone {and/or their company} meets your criteria for revenue, you've got to put time on your calendar to call them, email them, send them gifts, presents or bribes. Do whatever it takes, but follow-up and follow-up in a timely fashion.
• You're waiting until the "right time." When would that be, exactly, since you're not reaching out to your prospect? How could you possibly know when they're ready, and, what if when they're ready, they don't even remember you have what they want? That would be tragic! You must stay in regular, positive touch until they are ready. I will say this: their timing is very rarely your timing. You want new clients and revenue like, yesterday, and unfortunately you will have to wait on some folks. Let their right time coincide with a call or email from you and that's when the magic will happen.
• You've hit your success ceiling. This one's a biggie. You will never exceed the internal beliefs you hold about what's possible for you. If you find yourself making about the same year after year, wanting and hoping for more but never quite reaching the next level, this is a strong indicator your self-esteem and psychology could use some work. You have to believe something is possible for you before it could ever happen for you. I suggest you do some regular {daily} self-improvement. If you haven't read the classics, like Think & Grow Rich, or Psycho-Cybernetics, start with those. Then head here for a list of some of my favorites. As your confidence soars, your follow-up avoidance will literally melt away and what what once hard becomes easy ... including follow-up.

You owe it to yourself, and those you can help through your products and services, to be in touch and stay in touch. Follow-up until ...

I promise you'll enjoy the fruits of your labor as much as your clients enjoy them.

You May Also Want to Read:

The Fortune is in the Follow-Up

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Here's a common situation:

You've connected with a potential client, explained your services, and they seem excited to move forward. They even requested a proposal, and promise to review it and get back to you post-haste.

Then, nothing.

Weeks, even months, go by without a word ... no reply to emails, no returned phone calls, total radio silence.

What should you do? I say, stay in the game. The fortune is found in your follow up. Follow up and continue to follow up until one of four outcomes has occurred:

1. They die.
2. They go out of business.
3. They send you a cease-and-desist letter.
4. They hire you.

Look, your prospective client is being ... well, rude. Rather than say, "This isn't a good time." Or, "You're too expensive." Or, "I'm still working to get approval," most prospects say nothing. They are probably thinking, "I need to answer," but instead don't until they have a yes or some kind of definitive answer. It's a bummer, but it's reality.

You may follow up for months, even years. If you know for sure you can help your prospect, you owe it to them and to yourself to continue to develop the relationship until they engage you. Here is an excellent article with stats that will encourage you {thanks Doug Rawady!}.

Best wishes for your continued success!
~Honorée

How to Get Awesome Customer Service

Be an awesome customer.

***After you read this post, be sure to visit me at my new home here.***

My friend and mastermind partner Scott Ingram recently suggested one of the best tips I've gotten in awhile: tip the front desk person at your hotel $20.

An interesting thought. Well, you tip the valet, the bellman, the wait staff, anyone who brings anything to your door, don't you ... but not the person who determines where you spend your stay?

A lightbulb moment for me, for sure.

So today I tried it: I gave a crisp $20 to the lovely lady who checked me in at a five-star hotel in Los Angeles {along with a smile} ... and as I write this, I'm looking out over the city from my room on the top floor -- yup, the penthouse!

It occurred to me that in order to get amazing customer service, it's probably a great idea to be a great customer. If tipping $20 to everyone you meet isn't an option, {and of course it isn't,} then just bring your best self along for the ride, receive your service with a smile, and I guarantee everyone will enjoy you, their time with you, and the transaction.

10 Attitude Boosters Every Professional Can Use

Is Your Attitude Making You More Successful?

If you are experiencing challenges in your personal and work life, you're not alone! Delays, denials, even serious devastation happens to everyone at least once in their life. 

***After you read this post, be sure to visit me at my new home here.***

When you’re on top of the world, it seems as though everything goes right. This can be attributed to “like attracts like.” You may have heard the saying, “The best time to close a deal is when you've just closed a deal.” You've reached a high vibration, or have gotten in a flow state that seemingly makes things happen. The opposite also seems to be true: you lose a client, then another, then another. What you’re focusing on, you’re getting ... positive or negative.

Here is your formula for getting back -- and keeping -- your mojo:

• Focus on what you want. If you're focusing on what's going wrong, know this: what you're focusing on gets bigger. Create a mini-movie in your mind, a "moving visualization" of what you want to create. By all means, turn off the news. You don't need to see that again, do you?
• Give yourself time to learn and heal. You do need to "get over it" {whatever it is} or allow enough time, but not an endless amount of time, to heal your wounds. You can actively participate in your process.
• Ask yourself some better questions. Try these: "What's great about this?" or "What has to happen to make this situation the way that I want it?" For goodness sakes, people, do not ask, "What else can go wrong?" 
• Get moving! Emotion is created from motion, so get moving. Sitting on the couch with a box of Oreos isn't productive {so I've heard} and will not help a bit.
• Have faith. Sometimes the only thing you can do is know that you've survived challenging times before and you'll survive this one. The sun will come out tomorrow, and at any moment you can have the breakthrough you're looking for.
• Remember, “be, do, and have.” You must be positive, and then do the right things to have (get) what you want. To be enthusiastic, you must decide to be enthusiastic and fake it ’til you make it.
• Shift and the world shifts with you. Decide today is going to be an awesome day. Expect it to be awesome. Sit in a field of positive expectation and wonder what great thing is going to happen next.
• When something less-than-fantastic happens, you can respond or react. Choose to respond in whatever way is appropriate, and then press the reset button on your attitude.
• Dedicate yourself daily (hourly, if necessary) to expanding the scope of your positive attitude.
• Think positive. Read positive. Listen positive. Talk positive. Affirm positive. Watch positive. Practice positive. Make yourself positive. Daily.

How do you keep your attitude positive when the chips seem stacked against you?

To Your Success,
Honorée Corder 

Honorée Enterprises, LLC. turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how we can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about Honorée here.

12 Things SUCCESSFUL People Do Differently

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Five Ways to Add Some Fun to Your Workday

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No matter where you work, you probably suffer from time to time through days that seem as if they're never going to end. Since you spend a large majority of your life at work, it's important to enjoy the process! You can lighten your spirits by adding an element of fun to your workday. Here are some ideas:

• Work in a perk. When you plan your day, include one item that you can look forward to: lunch with your best friend, your favorite candy bar at the afternoon break, or a brisk, refreshing walk at noon.
• Breathe. Several times during the day, pause for three slow, deep, relaxing breaths. This helps clear your mind and calm your thoughts. Throw in a few good stretches for good measure.
• Keep stress relievers on hand. During a break, perform a fun activity that will let you rest the serious, logical part of your brain. A computer puzzle, or a quick game of "shooting hoops" in your wastebasket using a wadded-up sheet of scrap paper can rejuvenate your energy level. You might even want to keep your favorite joke book on hand for super-stressful times.
• Celebrate small victories. Throw a five-minute party with a treat from home, or quickly write out a thank you note for a coworker. Both you and your colleague will get a much-needed lift.
• Review your successes at the end of the day. Think about what you did well. Dwelling on your mistakes and failures will magnify their importance unfairly. 

 Remember, the most important thing your job provides is time to have magic moments with your friends and family, and pursue hobbies and other things you love to do. Enjoy your time at work, as much as you can. Then, enjoy your success and the money you make every chance you get!

Tall Order! is a book that gets to the point. It helps you pinpoint what is going to get you the results you want, starting right now. Jeffrey Gitomer says, "Don't let the size fool you -- this book is compact dynamite! Buy this book!"

Honorée Enterprises, LLC. turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how we can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about Honorée here.

Guest Blog: Are You Selling to Succeed? by Andrea Waltz

Chances are you are likely looking for ways to be more effective – in other words, to achieve a greater level of success.  And now I have a rather unique piece of advice for you: start failing more! 

Okay, let me explain.  

When starting out in sales, most of us are conditioned to go for “yes” not “no.”  However, the greatest success strategy is not to avoid ‘no’ it is to do something called, ‘Go for No!’

***After you read this post, be sure to visit me at my new home here.***

To a large degree, success in sales is a "numbers game."  So, the strategy is to increase your ‘failure rate’ – in other words, how many times people tell you ‘no’ for whatever product, service, or idea that you are selling.  Increasing your failure rate is to literally improve your "chances at success."  For any salesperson, the mere act of increasing the amount of product you show and services you offer increases both the yesses and no’s you will hear.

The perfect example is girl scouts selling cookies. The best, top producing scouts are the ones that talk to and ask the most people to buy cookies! Now in process of getting all those sales, they also ‘fail’ the most as well.

Now, you may be thinking, “okay that seems to make sense.”  However… getting all those "no’s" might have you feeling depressed and bad. But how do you start feeling good about hearing no more often?  The truth is that when you hear “no” you are taking action in your business and that is a very good thing! 

Most salespeople make 'yes' this incredible high with the 'no' at a depressing low. If the straightest distance between where you are now to where you want to be is a straight line then equalize out the emotional reaction to both yes and no. When you get a yes, you should say to yourself, "great" avoiding the fanfare. And when you get a "no" you should say, "Great - the next one may be a yes. But I know that the no's bring me the yeses, so I'll keep going."

That's the great thing about this strategy, because ultimately for this to work, you've got to get into action. You have to step outside your comfort zone and start hearing no's! When you start hearing no's and start thinking differently about no, realizing that you are on the right path, you'll feel more empowered than ever before.

Andrea's awesome book:

Andrea Waltz is the co-author of “Go for No!", a short powerful story written specifically for sales professionals in every industry who must learn to harness the power of no to be successful.   To learn more, visit http://www.goforno.com

You might also like these, also by Andrea:

I Call Bullshit Series: Excusa Numero Tres

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In this three-part series, I listen patiently to the reasons you think you can't achieve your BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). Then I call bullshit, and give you the reasons you can achieve them. 

Excusa Numero Tres: "My current situation (job, marriage, status) makes it too hard."

Excusa Numero Uno: "I don't have enough time."

Excusa Number Dos: "I'm too old, young, smart, stupid, orange, under-educated, over-educated, married, or single."

1. Your current situation means nothing. If you decide it means nothing, that is. If you keep selling yourself on why you can't do "it" (whatever "it" is), then you're absolutely right. No-one committed to their outcome can be stopped by someone or something less committed. Period.
2. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It matters what you think. If someone dares to rain on your parade, get a cute umbrella and some wellies. Seriously, a spouse, friend or relative that doesn't support you needs to be replaced. Or at least proven wrong. Do what you want to do, in spite of what anyone else is telling you.
3. You're too young? Not a chance. The days, weeks, and years will pass, so get started today and by the time you're "old enough" you'll have a ton of experience. Too old? That means you've got tons of experience and can use that to your advantage. Married? Single? Unemployed? Too-employed? Give it up, none of these hold real water. Turn your excuse into your secret weapon.

I've countered all of your "reasons" for not going after your BHAGs, so the only thing you can do now is get started. Right? Start by repeating after me: 

Related Articles:

Forbes Up-and-Comers {Forbes}
Watching is not Doing {Seth Godin}
Your Current Economy is Up to You {Honorée}

Shift and the World Shifts With You {Honorée}

No More Excuses: How to Make an Extra $100,000 in the Next 6 Months {Tim Ferriss}

A Dangerous Activity Trap {Paul Castain}

Tall Order! is a book that gets to the point. It helps you pinpoint what is going to get you the results you want, starting right now. Jeffrey Gitomer says, "Don't let the size fool you -- this book is compact dynamite! Buy this book!"

Honorée Enterprises, LLC. turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how we can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about Honorée here.