In my last issue I spoke about listening; who to listen to, what to listen to.  Today, I want to speak about ACTION!  Action is taking positive steps and acting in a way that moves you towards your goals. If you consistently take small steps toward your goals you MUST attain them.  Imagine a large cargo ship leaving port and allowing the weather to guide its course, will it ever reach its destination?  You need to be the captain at the helm of your ship guiding it slowly to its destination despite the vagaries of the economic weather.

 

Sure, the economic weather is pretty bad right now.  I have allowed the "experts" to throw me off course. My EBook was supposed to be outlined by the end of January of 09!  This newsletter is late.  Sure, this happened, that happened, yada yada yada... bottom line. I plain did not do it!  Why? It is hard, that is why! Having faith in yourself, your mission and your goals in the midst of all this negativity is flat out difficult!-- DO IT ANYWAY! 

 

The fourth quarter of last year was difficult by all accounts.  But I am seeing a shift in activity or ACTION since the second week of January.  Winners, leaders and some struggling businesses have started to shift their attitude. "OK, I may not like the weather, but it is going to be here for awhile, so I must go on." seems to be the prevailing attitude. Displays are being ordered, showrooms are back to being renovated and designers and business owners alike are beginning to look in the mirror and make changes. Is it a coincidence that the businesses that are "relatively busy" are making changes to either their systems or attitudes about their business? I don't think so.

 

The great motivator Anthony Robbins once said, "If your resources are down, your RESOURCEFULNESS needs to be stronger! (I am paraphrasing). As a coach, sales trainer and entrepreneur I recognize how the negativity can take you out.  I smile when a prospect, that was ready yesterday to start a new training program, e-mails or calls me to rationalize how this and that are preventing him or her from training their staff, or implementing a new program.  The reason I know this is that I recognize it in myself.  Whenever my progress is slowed or stopped, I have to first LISTEN, then LOOK at my ACTIONS to determine why. 100% of the time it is ME! Yes, me that is stopping my own progress towards my own goals and dreams!!!!! WHAT is UP with THAT?

 

When I come to your business to work with you I am there to help you be more successful. No, I will not pull all of your sales staff off of the floor for 8 hours to train them.  No, I will not interfere or stop you from making a sale!  When I do a showroom design evaluation  I will not recommend that you INSTANTLY spend a lot of money making changes!  There are a thousand and one reasons that will keep you from making changes in the way you do things now.  Your "ego" loves to keep you in familiar territory and change can be a scary thing.  That is why I recognize it in myself and I have my own coach to help me filter out the noise and remind me when I have drifted off course.  He holds me accountable, in a subtle, positive way which is why I nicknamed him YODA.  My ACTIONS, INACTIONs and  EXCUSES are my own-Are yours?

 

A.  Look beyond the obvious and think outside of your comfort zone. 

When business is down spending lots of money on an ad in the latest and greatest new publication or flyer is probably not going to jump start new sales! Think of ways to increase the value and marketing to your existing customer base, you will spend less and put more into your pocket. But, you may have to spend some time outside your comfort zone.

 

B.  Act in a way that is contrary to the negativity! 

When at a party or any event while in contact with other people  don't reinforce their complaints or spend hours dwelling on the bad news.  Reinforce what you are grateful for, look for something positive to comment on.  Talk about ideas instead of other people.

 

C. Open your mind to new information! 

There is an old adage that says "when the student is ready the teacher will appear".  Be open to new ideas that seem to appear from nowhere.  To coincidences that are not really coincidences.  I was recently listening to a book on tape I have heard many times and I heard some new things I did not get the first, or even the second time around.  The information you need is close at hand...are you paying attention?

 

I get comments all the time like , "Wow, that is fantastic, I never looked at it that way" or "At first, I thought you were full of it, but now I see you really are real"-HUH?  Of course I am real, and like everyone else I struggle with reality-it is called LIFE!  I put my webinars on my website so that people can hear me. My successes, my idiocynracies, etc.  The "advice" I give freely and from the heart, just like you do with your cabinet clients.