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Yes, there is a real face behind the e-mail!
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It's Time
To Get Off The Hamster Wheel!
Just being in motion will never get you to your Big. To do that, you need to be sure you're doing the right things, in the right order, for the right reasons.
This seven-step system clarifies the activities that are mission-critical to your success. It then walks you through a process for creating step-by-step action plans to implement those key activities.
The result? You get off the hamster wheel of motion-without-progress and get on a more direct route to more clients and more money.
Forget about being busy; start getting focused by downloading your no-charge PDF version of the Take Action Now System (tm) today. |
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Want More
Than Just a
Little Nibble?
If you're interested in exploring more ideas on how to step into your particular Big, just sign up for our RSS feed. There are enough blog posts and comments to be of value, but not so many that your head will explode. I promise.
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Greetings!
While many people tend to think that bigger is better, many others believe that good things come in small packages. One small package I'm very fond of is the word "no."
For example, the never-ending adventure of re-painting our new house gives me numerous opportunities to say "no." Is it worth my time to get out the tiny paintbrush again to further straighten out the "seam" where two different colored walls come together? No. Does it make sense to try to squeak by with one quart of paint, assuming I'll get maximum coverage? No. Do I want to try saving time and money (but risk major frustration) by covering up the dark blue paint with just one coat of primer before putting on the light green? No.
As sanity-saving as "no" is in these situations, it's even more powerful when it comes to interpersonal communications. I have a lot of very smart friends, and I'm not sure which one of them first shared the concept that "'No' is a complete sentence" - but I'm really grateful to her.
For me, the power of this concept lies in the way it gives me permission not to rationalize or justify or get defensive about my decisions. That's not to say that I'm harsh or abrasive in declining a request, or that I refuse to explain why I'm declining it. I'm simply not apologetic about it. Saying "no" calmly is a way to set boundaries that are appropriate and respectful - even if the receiver of that message doesn't necessarily want to hear it.
As a small-business professional, you have huge demands on your time and a whole slew of temptations that can draw your focus away from your key priorities. You owe it to yourself and your future business success to use "no" as often as necessary to preserve your time and energy for accomplishing what's really important to you.
If you sometimes find your mouth saying "yes, yes" when your brain is screaming "No! No!", take advantage of the following tools.
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Tip of the Week
Practice saying "no" in low-risk situations so you're more comfortable using it when the stakes are high.
There are a zillion opportunities to practice this new no-saying skill. Have you had enough after-dinner coffee? Say "no" to a refill, even if your dinner companion gets one.
Do this often enough, and when you're faced with a serious business situation - "Will you discount your rate for me?" - you'll be far more comfortable in setting your self-respecting boundary by saying "no."
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A Really Good Resource
The definition of a classic work is one that stands the test of time. One such classic that will be a huge help to you in becoming more comfortable with "no" is Manuel J. Smith's When I Say No, I Feel Guilty.
In this results-oriented book, Smith offers a number of techniques that enable you to effectively stand your ground with integrity and - ultimately - comfort.
Whether you need to say "no" more often to family members, colleagues, or that part of you that suffers from Shiny Object Syndrome, When I Say No, I Feel Guilty definitely deserves a spot on your bookcase.
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How's This for Success?
One of the joys of saying "no" to what's wrong for you and your business is being able to say "yes" to what's right. When you do that, everybody wins. Lisa Hendrickson, of Call That Girl, is a case in point.
Lisa is one of those heroes out of myth. In other words, she's a geek who can fix my technology problems quickly and easily. I called her when I admitted it was time to say "no" to trying to fix my own "0x80042109 Error" in Outlook.
Instead of having replies hang up in my Outbox, wasting time searching through forums for answers, and generally driving myself insane, I arranged to have Lisa come in and fix things by remote. In 20 minutes, I was back in business.
By saying "no" to working in an area where I'm weak, I saved myself stress and aggravation, made time for the real work that I'm good at, and supported another small-business owner. Life is good when you're smart about saying "no."
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Out and About
4/25/13, 8 - 9 a.m., at The Depot in Hopkins, MN. Guest speaker at PetPAC: Stop Being Busy and Start Getting Results,
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Thanks to my friend Flickr.
Here are this week's heroes who graciously allowed me to use their images, posted in the Creative Commons area of Flickr, in this issue of Stepping Into Big:
hamster on her wheel by Heindraus light bulb by aloshbennett
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