Gary Barnes is a
premier, global business, money and relationship coach; an author, and
an international speaker. He is the founder of MaxLife International, dedicated to helping people create wealth in all areas of life.
Gary
believes anyone can lead an empowered life, no matter what their
circumstances are. He has built three successful businesses from the
ground up. To do this, he developed principles and tools that helped
him increase his business 2000% over a three-year period.
He
also understands dealing with adversity - he has fought life-
threatening illness and won. He believes that your worst day is the day
you meet the man or woman you could have been. It's a choice. That's
why he's dedicated his life to helping people maximize
their lives and their businesses through workshops, teleconferences and
individual coaching. His mission in life is to make a difference and to
empower everyone he connects with.
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Greetings!
Welcome to our February edition of MaxLife News. With connections to Valentine's Day, this issue deals with connection and relationships. Not the traditional romance and love connections but rather how to connect and build relationships that will help you and those you touch build strong businesses by identifying and fulfilling needs. I would like to say thank you. As a reader of MaxLife News, I appreciate your connection and participation. To your success, Gary Barnes
MaxLife International, LLC
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Do You Know Bubba?
 by Gary Barnes, MaxLife International
You may be asking yourself who is Bubba? When I was growing up I remember stories about Bubba. When I asked who Bubba was I was told Bubba is the person that knows everyone. It's the person you go to in any situation for a solution. What does Bubba have to do with building your business? I believe it's critical, particularly in challenging markets, that we develop connections with Bubba to not only increase our business but increase the businesses of those that we network with.
Networking has developed into not only an art, but a science. I would like to give you some suggestions to maximize your networking opportunities.
The first step in connecting with Bubba is building relationships. I have taught a concept I call triage. When I meet someone my first objective is to find out where they have pain. I know that through my network of Bubba's that if I don't have the solution that I am only one generation away from providing possible solutions in my network. The key here is to connect with the person I'm meeting without worrying about how they can help me and my business.
Second, is to follow through by connecting those in my network with the person in need. I do this actively by calling both parties with contact information. In today's environment, it is not enough to just give someone's business card out. Life is happening at such a fast pace that even though a person would like to connect with your Bubba, life starts up after you leave them and your possible solution may go by the wayside.
Third, is to stay in touch. We have to be careful in a high-tech society that we don't lose the personal touch. Have lunch or go to coffee, pick up the phone for no other reason than just saying hi. When people know that you truly care about them they will naturally want to know more about you.
It is also important not to forget to let your connections know of your needs. This is different from a sales call. A sales call is when your intention is to make a sale of a specific product or service. A needs call is sharing what your product or service does so that your contact can identify possible people they know that would benefit from knowing you. Many times the person you're speaking with identifies themselves as someone that could benefit from your product or service. It is only by helping each other that we can truly maximize our efforts and results.
So, who is Bubba? I believe through our relationship connections we all truly become Bubba. Business and social websites such as Linkedin, MySpace, and Facebook are revolutionizing our ability to connect. I would love to have you as part of my Bubba connection. If you would like to connect with me my linkedin address is www.linkedin.com/in/garybarnesmaxlife and my Facebook address is www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Barnes/1624287011. Standing together we can make a difference. (Look for the debut of Bubba's Corner in our March issue. This resource will provide you with tips for marketing and networking.)
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Are You Wired to Relapse?
 by Nordine Zouareg, www.NordineZ.com
February is the month that most people revert to their pre-New-Year's-Resolution habits. Have you given up on your fitness goals yet?
"If you are looking for an excuse to fall off the wagon, the universe will provide one."
That was the lesson that Oprah shared in her recent confession about her ongoing struggle with weight. Oprah knows how it feels to fall off the fitness wagon; in the January issue of The Oprah Magazine she described her recent 40 pound weight gain.
Her testimony was filled with valuable insights for anyone else prone to relapse. There was a hidden cycle that I found in her story - one that exposes the process of falling off the wagon.
1) You Fall
Your fall off the wagon could take place in a single moment, or it could be the result of a drawn out process. Oprah described her fall as one that happened slowly as a result of health problems. These health problems became her reason for not exercising.
Illness, vacation, holidays, changes at work or any other change in your schedule are all things that'll get you off the wagon. Once you're off the real damage begins.
2) You Surrender
There comes a point after you fall off the wagon that you simply throw your hands up in the air and give in. For Oprah this was a dramatic moment. "I started eating whatever I wanted - and that's never good. My drug of choice is food. I use food for the same reasons an addict uses drugs: to comfort, to soothe, to ease stress."
This is the most destructive part of the cycle. You remove all expectations from yourself and as a result you plummet into an unhealthy realm. The progress that you've made toward your goals is lost and even more weight is gained.
3) You Hit Bottom
Inevitably there comes the moment when you hit bottom. Your body shows the new weight gain and you feel awful about it. For Oprah it was a sobering moment. "I felt completely defeated. I thought, I give up. I give up. Fat wins." She went so far as to say, "I felt like a fat cow. I wanted to disappear."
While hitting bottom is never a fun experience, it is a necessary one. The pain must become great enough for you to turn it around and take the control back.
4) You Take Control
Now comes the good part. When you hit bottom you were out of control, now you're ready to once again grab the reigns. Oprah says that "These days I've put myself back on my own priority list."
She plans to get an hour of exercise five or six days a week, as well as eating healthfully and reordering her life to include time to replenish her energy. Her new goal is to be strong and healthy and fit.
Have you fallen off your priority list, like Oprah fell off hers?
The time has come to put yourself back on that priority list. The time has come to decide that you are worth it.
I'm here to help you do just that. Call or email today to get started on an exercise program that will change your body and your life ... just like Oprah.
Email: nordine@nordinez.com
Phone: (520) 744-5108
Web: http://www.nordinez.com/
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Job Journeys and Beyond: A Baby Boomers Dream or Nightmare
by Kim Kirmmse Toth, Positive Aging Inc
So, you are tired of the same old job and are ready to make some changes. That seems like a pretty fair request! You've probably been doing the same job for at least a decade by now. Or maybe you've been moving around a lot just searching for that perfect one.
Either way, you know it in your heart, its time to do something different, make some changes. Maybe you could even find something you love and can be passionate about. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? What a novel idea!
You have heard so many times this is your time, your bonus years, and your chance to work at a job or career that is designed just for you.
So, where do you begin? Start by asking yourself some basic questions. Get yourself and pencil and paper and let's get going.
- Know yourself: What are your values? Let these guide you when you choose your new work. You must be able to identify these at the beginning of your job search process.
- Do I want to do something totally different, or do I want to do something that stands on the shoulders of my current career?
- Do I want to work for myself or work for someone else? There advantages and disadvantages to both, so search deeply into what you believe is best for you.
- Is there a hobby or something I love doing that could generate an income?
- Do I need a large, medium or small pay check?
- Do I know someone who is doing what I think I would like to do? Can I talk with them and ask them questions?
- Will my family support me in my new endeavors? This may be more important than you think.
- Do I want steady consistent hours or do I want a great deal of flexibility?
- Is there a dream job that I have always had in the back of my mind, which I have always dismissed for various reasons that may now not be valid?
- What are my skills? What are my strengths? What job or career will utilize what I already have within me?
You might be surprised that even this short list may provide you with some ideas and generate thoughts of new opportunities. The world may be more open to you now than ever before. Your children may be grown (or they are on their way) and your life is more your own.
You may be burnt out by your current job situation or you may be facing a lay off through your company. Choose to look at the opportunities available to you rather than the "ain't it awful" stance. You know, making lemonade out of what appears to be lemons.
Maybe you really want to make a difference in the world, and making money is not the first priority. You probably have many productive years ahead of you - so how can you put them to good use? What are you passionate about that might be helpful to others? What can you do to make a difference in your community, your state or nation or even the world? (hint: small things can make a huge difference!)
Your assignment is to really think out of the box. Look at this as another adolescent stage of life again and the world is yours for the taking. So, what is your first step? Your second?
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Kim Kirmmse Toth is a strengths based coach who works with boomers on transition. These may include re-crafting or re-careering so the work is a joy and not a dread. Go to www.redhotretirement.com and sign up for her free Top Ten Retirement Secrets!
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Relating and Creating a Great Partnership with Your Virtual Assistant
by Karen Schatz, Virtually With You
February ... the month that is associated with love and relationships. In our personal lives, it's a time to reflect on the love of family and friends we have been blessed with. In our professional lives, it's a time to reflect on the wonderful relationships we have created with our colleagues, our clients and the people who support us in our business growth. As a virtual assistant, it seems appropriate this month for me to write about the importance of having a great relationship with your virtual assistant.
If you're familiar with the world of virtual assistance, you might have heard the phrase 'partnering with a virtual assistant to help you grow your business'. But are you confused about what it means to 'partner' with another person without giving them full access to your business from a legal standpoint? In the world of virtual assistance, 'partnering' means to collaborate (join forces) on a professional level so that together you both complement each other. Great business partnerships are founded on the symbiotic quality that occurs as a result of the perfect union of two people who fit together in work style, personality and skill sets.
I was recently reminded last month how important it is that my clients and I relate well together in order to create a great relationship. I've been blessed with clients that I get along with fabulously. We share stories about life, love and business and we find moments to laugh and enjoy each other. We genuinely care about each other - personally and professionally - and, as a result, we have built strong, trusting relationships with each other in a very short time. This kind of working relationship is what feeds my passion for what I love to do and my clients benefit because they feel my passion for their business and helping them become more successful.
If you want to know how to find the perfect VA for you, it's important to look for the complementary fit in the following areas:
What is your work style? Do you prefer to collaborate with others in your business decisions or are you a lone ranger and prefer to make all decisions on your own? How do you make decisions? Are you logical and linear - moving through each step of a process without skipping over one step to get to another? Or are you feeling and circular - jumping around from one step to another based on what makes the most sense at the moment? The perfect VA for you may be the one who possesses the same work style because this VA will become an extension of you. On the other hand, the VA who possesses the opposite work style can provide balance to your world because she picks up where you leave off.
What is your personality style? Are you an introvert or extrovert in the way you draw on energy to take action? Do you make decisions based on facts or feelings? Do you like details or are you the visionary/big picture person? Do you like to integrate fun into your daily activities or are you serious, driven and focused? When it comes to creating a great relationship, I believe that this is the area that deserves the most attention from the beginning. My belief is that if you have found the person who complements you well in this area first, the rest will come naturally and easily.
What are your skill sets? Obviously, you are not looking for someone who can provide the same services as you do - that would create competition. What I'm referring to here are your strengths and weaknesses regarding administration. There are two ends to any spectrum that determine your level of administrative strengths or weaknesses and you may fall anywhere on the continuum. For instance, when it comes to managing the administrative side of your business, you may be a power user with the computer and online technologies but you just don't have the time to devote to administrative tasks any longer or you may be technology-challenged and you dread managing this area of your business. Either way, working with a VA who loves supporting you in the administrative arena can propel your business to new levels. You'll find that you have more time to focus on servicing your clients, creating products and marketing your business in order to generate more revenue.
The key to being able to hand-off this side of your business to a complete stranger is trust. So how do you trust someone you don't know yet? Well, the first place to begin is in a personal conversation with each other. By having a personal conversation (either over the phone or in person), you begin to share information about each other that allows you to discern the fit between the two of you. By using the areas I've described above as a guide, you will get a sense of this person and their ability to complement you and your business. Of course, this is just the first layer of discovering your ideal VA. The other layers come into subsequent discussions based on the goals, the values and the talents that you each bring to the partnership. But that's the great thing about conversations, they take you into deeper and deeper levels of communicating as you both discern the fit and, before you know it, you're relating and creating relationship!
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