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What is in Your Way? The Less Obvious Distractions

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Road_Closed_Laura_LeavellDistractions are more than that phone call from a salesperson or the latest YouTube video.  Distractions can be those everyday tasks you feel you must do but that don’t get you to where you want to be.  While it may be obvious that playing a game on your phone is a distraction, it’s less obvious that your weekly routine may be what’s preventing you from having what you want.

For instance, let’s say you want to leave your full-time job but you don’t know what’s next.  Many of my clients have come to me for that exact reason – they want to not only figure out but also move toward (and then enjoy) the next chapter of their careers.  Or maybe it’s that you want to finish your book or start your own business.

In the case of wanting to leaving your full-time job and not knowing what is next, the distractions may simply be many of the actions you’re automatically taking. Is working overtime valuable to you or is it a deterrent?  Is happy hour with your colleagues an obligation or a distraction?  Is sleeping in on Saturday important enough that it trumps making time for what’s next?  Is refusing to delegate responsibilities at work helping you?

Take a close look at how you’ve been doing things and the (good and bad) habits you’ve created.  What is serving your desire for what’s next?  And what needs to be altered so that you have the time and energy to go after what you truly want?

Cutting out some activities and habits may be easy; others will require focus on your compelling reason to make the change.  Often the seemingly difficult choices fall into the areas of social, philanthropic and health.  It can be hard to tell your family you’re busy on Saturday afternoon because you set aside that block of time to research career opportunities.  It may be challenging to spend your lunch break working toward your goals with your career coach rather than catching up with your coworkers.  It may feel like a big sacrifice to cut back on the hours you volunteer and/or your time at the gym in order to prepare job applications.

It comes down to what’s most important to you – what do you value the most – and taking action to prioritize it.

Try this experiment:

1)    Take inventory of your last two weeks.

2)    Assess what is necessary and what may be negotiable in your schedule.

3)    Change only one aspect this next week to create a pocket of time and energy for which you can use to go after what you want.

Filed Under: Blocks, Clients, Goals, Time Tagged With: , , , , ,

When “Just Do It” Doesn’t Work

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That big project is weighing heavy on your shoulders. That little task is nagging at the back of your mind.

“I’ve just got to make myself do it,” you tell yourself.

Days later, weeks later, a lifetime later, you continue to tell yourself, “Just do it,” and it remains undone.

The majority of experience proves that people can’t push through obstacles, blocks, limitations, fears and beliefs with willpower alone. 

Maybe you have before or maybe you’ve seen someone else accomplish something against all odds based on what you assume is their desire alone; those are the exceptions to the rule.  If you have pushed through an obstacle before to achieve what you truly wanted, have you been able to consistently do this throughout your life?  It’s hard especially when you find yourself trying to recreate how you mustered up the extraordinary willpower before.

One way to overcome obstacles, blocks, limitations, fears and beliefs is to first acknowledge that “just do it” isn’t cutting it.  Acknowledge there is something in your way and choose to understand it at a deeper level.  Dr. Donald Moine, author and financial advisor, teaches, “Recognition is 80% of the solution.”

Why can’t you “just do it” and be done with it?  Because:

  1. An experience has taught you a behavior or habit.
  2. You’re using an issue as a protective mechanism.
  3. The issue has a payoff or benefit that you value.

When “just do it” doesn’t work, acknowledge what is in your way, understand it and have compassion for it.  Mastering this process may create a breakthrough for you, take that weight off your shoulders, and silence that nagging in your mind.

Speak Your Mind and Comment

Share the one thing that you’ve been telling yourself to “just do” in the comments (by clicking here). Is it starting your novel, finishing that painting, reading that book, visiting a family member, organizing your office, scheduling your vacation, sending your portfolio to your dream company, revamping your resume, requesting that favor, recording that song you wrote, asking for that raise…?  I’ll start with the first comment. 

Filed Under: Blocks, Business, Clients, Creativity, Goals Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Urgent Motivation – How Bad Do You Want To Be Successful?

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How bad do you want to be successful?

Whether it’s a 6- or 7-figure money amount or that Creative Director title or another level of success, how bad do you want it?  Just as we all define success differently, we all have different motivators and varying levels of motivation.

Let’s talk about that motivation.

In the current 4-minute Spartan Race promotional video, Rap Preacher Eric Thomas reveals what may be a modern day fable with one of the strongest examples of what urgent motivation is.

(The Spartan Race is an Obstacle Racing Challenge that originated in 431B.C.  The Spartan Race website shows races in 2013 scheduled in America, Canada and Great Britain.)

Imagine if your motivation was as imperative as getting enough oxygen.  What if your drive to achieve success was as powerful as your desperation to get air during an asthma attack?

“When you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.”

In the video, Thomas continues, “You don’t care about no basketball game.  You don’t care about what’s on TV.  You don’t care about nobody calling you.  You don’t care about a party.  The only thing you care about when you’re trying to breathe is to get some fresh air.  That’s it.  And when you get to the point where all you want to do is be successful as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.”

Now, take out the parts about breathing from that quote.  The last line becomes, “And when you get to the point where all you want to do is be successful, then you’ll be successful.”

So, what are you willing to give up?

  • Money?
  • Time?
  • Your Comfort Zone?
  • Limitations you’re putting on yourself?
  • Being Shy?
  • Your Pride?
  • Sleep?
  • Happy Hour?
  • Video Games?
  • Facebook?
  • Softball League?
  • Getting the newest iPad?
  • Shopping?
  • Certain People?

What are you willing and ready to give up in order to own your success?

Did you notice some of the people in the race video were missing arms and legs?  They gave up the limitations either they put on themselves or others tried to contain them with.  How bad must they have wanted the success of crossing that finish line?

When you get to the point where all you want to do is be successful, then you’ll be successful.

 

In the comments, share what you know you need to give up in order to reach your next level of success.  I’ll start. 

Please share this blog post with others: http://www.definingsuccesscoaching.com/?p=763

 

Filed Under: Clients, Fulfillment, Goals, Happiness, Money, Time Tagged With: , , , ,

It’s All In How You Look At It

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Past group coaching client, Ian, describing one of his commissioned paintings.

A Client’s Presentation

This last weekend I drove up to wine country to support one of my past group coaching clients, Ian, a professional illustrator.  Ian was speaking on “The Power of Story in Art.”

As he spoke on symbolism, perspective and sharing a story through art, he showed examples from Leonardo da Vinci, Norman Rockwell, Ernest Hemingway (yes, the writer) as well as examples of his own personal pieces.  The audience enjoyed his presentation so much they asked for an encore.  Ian was flexible and able to pull together a second presentation in a matter of minutes.

It’s an incredible feeling to watch a client succeed.  To soar.

Perspective

Reflecting on Ian’s presentation (the prepared one), I can close my eyes and see the lines he drew on a da Vinci painting to explain perspective.  The perspective draws viewers in and directs their focus.

Let’s take that thought – that perspective directs focus – and apply it to our own lives.

Work Feedback

I am an advocate of the 360-degree employee review.  As an advertising creative, your growth may depend on what not only your Creative Directors think of your work but also how the Account Directors like working with you, how receptive you are to the Planners’ recommendations, how much other creatives like partnering up with you, whether or not clients like you and so on.  Without the different perspectives, you don’t know where to improve, where to focus.

Life Feedback

Outside of work, others’ perspectives can help you see blind spots too.  How does your family perceive you?  What do your friends think are your strengths?  What is your reputation in the community?  What do others constantly wish you would do but you are clueless about?

Why not ask?

Ask your network – your brother, best friend, neighbor, the waitor you see weekly, your kids’ babysitter – what they think about you.

    • What are your best skills?
    • What are your talents?
    • How would they describe your personality?
    • What do they admire about you?
    • How would they like to see you change and grow?
    • What do they think you would really love to try doing?
    • What would they like to say to you but haven’t before?

You can come up with scales for different qualities that are important to you.

For instance, on a scale from 1 to 10 how ______ are you?  Where the blank can be filled with:

    •  Confident
    • Patient
    • Open
    • Fair
    • Accepting
    • Creative
    • Fun
    • Loving
    • Thoughtful
    • Giving
    • Dedicated

But can you really ask for perspective?

Yes.  But asking people you know to tell you how they view you can seem scary.  So the question becomes: Which is stronger – your desire to grow and be better OR your fear?  You can always ask via e-mail or ask them to submit their thoughts in a sealed envelope to a third party (e.g., your significant other, a friend, your mailbox, your doorstep).

People who are willing to give you honest feedback, will; those who aren’t, won’t.  There’s no harm in asking.  And you’ll never know unless you ask.

Imagine if you found out something that could save you time, energy, money, etc.  Maybe your friends would rather connect over Skype than at fancy dinners.  Maybe you find out that your nephew really wants to spend one afternoon a month with you.  Maybe it’s revealed that the many hours you work are causing your relationships to suffer.  Maybe whatever you’re doing isn’t working and you don’t even know it.  Maybe whatever you’re doing is working but you’re too close to it to see the effects.

Maybe this exercise is exactly what you need to create a more satisfying life.

Use perspective to guide your focus.

 

Filed Under: Advertising Creatives/Graphic Designers, Artists, Clients, Events, Goals, Happiness Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Creative Deadlines – Jack White Uses Them

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The Music

It was mid-March 2011 and Austin, Texas, was already sticky hot.  My then boyfriend (now husband) and I travelled from San Diego to enjoy the music of South by Southwest.  Many of my advertising creative friends attended the interactive week of SXSW and left merely hours before we arrived.

I wasn’t there for advertising though; I was there to get lost in the music.

SXSW attracts musicians from all over the world.  Every stage, every parking lot, every possible space becomes a venue.  (I first listened to one of my favorite bands Onward, Soldiers in the parking lot of an ice cream shop.)  The talent is unbelievable.  The creativity astounding.

Surprise shows pop up at a moment’s notice.  Jack White of The White Stripes performed an acoustic set during one of these moments.  With no possible way of knowing about his improv performance other than being in the right place at the right time, we weren’t – we missed it.

Jack White uses Creative Deadlines

Much like creating this surprise show, Jack White creates his own deadlines to enhance his creativity.  He uses tension to fuel his creativity.

During the filming of the documentary “Under Great White Northern Lights,” Jack White said, “Book only four or five days in the studio and force yourself to record an album in that time.  Deadlines and things make you creative.”

Advertising is a deadline-driven industry.  I’m sure you don’t need more deadlines there.  Notice though, when deadlines and schedules are set, you get things done.  How can you take that into your personal life?  How can you use that model to reach your goals outside of work?

How to Schedule to Reach Your Goals

One success strategy that helps my clients and me personally is to designate blocks of time to work toward a specific goal. Those blocks of time serve as deadlines which force your creativity to come out to play.  Maybe that’s four or five days every month.  Maybe that’s 15 minutes every weekday morning.  Maybe it’s 90 minutes every Wednesday.

Whatever you decide, put that time on your calendar and treat it like the very important meeting that it is.  That block of time – or “meeting” if you will – will get you closer to what you really want.

If you block out that time from say 7p.m. to 8:30p.m. for the next four Wednesdays, and you find yourself this Wednesday at 6:48p.m. waiting for the clock to change to 7p.m., just start.  Write down what time you started and go for the 90 minutes you committed to.  You know how good it feels to get something done early.

Your success will come from putting the blocks of time on your schedule, protecting those times and moving into action during those times.  If Jack White can set aside a block of time to record an album and make it happen, then you can set aside blocks of time for your goals too.

If you like this blog post, please share it with others via Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, however you like to be social.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Advertising Creatives/Graphic Designers, Clients, Creativity, Goals, Time Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Invest in Yourself

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“School is never out for the pros.”

This last weekend I was at a conference south of LA.  This weekend it was in the low 80’s with an ideal slight breeze.  The conference was minutes away from Huntington Beach; I could have happily lounged the day away on the sand, hypnotized by the lull of the waves.  Instead, I was in a grand ballroom of an upscale hotel sitting in smack dab in the middle of 250+ people.

It was a training conference with my sales mentor Eric Lofholm, his mentor Dr. Donald Moine (who I’m pictured with above during the conference), and Eric’s coach, Jay Abraham.  You may not recognize these names but in the areas of sales and marketing for small businesses and even some Fortune 500 companies, these men are the millionaire (and multi-millionaire) examples of how to be an industry leader through serving others.

Results from my Sales Certification

The weekend conference was a self-imposed deadline to wrap up my certification requirements (including a written and verbal exam) as one of Eric Lofholm’s Proteges.  Since late November I’ve soaked up the materials on a weekly basis.  The last five weeks I studied on a much deeper level and before my test date arrived, I noticed a change with my one-on-one coaching clients.

Not only was I implementing the “Sales = Service” in my own business model, but also I was starting to teach my clients with advertising freelance businesses sales systems.  I was coaching and consulting on a level I hadn’t before and my clients reaped outstanding results.

Then on the Monday before the conference, I passed the final requirements – both the written and verbal exams – to earn my certification.  The feeling of accomplishment for earning the certification pales in comparison to the joy I get when my clients share their sales victories because of what I’m now able to confidently teach them.

You invest in you.  I’ll invest in me.  Then, we’ll invest in each other.

At the conference, one multi-millionaire stated “School is never out for the pros.”  It was Dr. Donald Moine, and he was right.

While I encourage others to invest in themselves, it’s equally as important that I invest in myself in order to continually give my clients and those around me more value.  As Ben Franklin put it, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

What are you doing this summer to invest in yourself?  Maybe it’s a class, maybe it’s reading a book filled with business concepts, maybe it’s jumping on one of the free teleseminars I’m offering this summer (wink. wink.  You can request all the information about my teleseminars for advertising creatives here.)

The Challenge

I challenge you to add one thing to your summer schedule that’s sole purpose is education.

Share the one thing you will do this summer to invest in your own education.  You can leave a comment here; I’ll start. 

Filed Under: Business, Clients, Events, Goals, Money, Resources, Time Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Ask For What You Want

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Time and time again I’ve heard clients, colleagues, friends and even strangers wish for the most achievable of things.

“I wish I had more money.”

“If only I had a steady stream of income from my freelance business…”

“I wish I had an extra week vacation.”

“Working this much would be tolerable if I sat near a window.”

“I don’t know what to do next because I don’t know where that company is in the hiring process.”

“I wish I knew how So-and-So did it, because then I could be successful like that.”

“I wish I knew what So-and-So had to get that promotion over me.”

“Why hasn’t that person given me what he or she should know I really want?”

Can you relate to any of these?  What do you wish for?

How can you get what you want?

As creatives we often think so far outside the box that we forget the box itself.  What if it doesn’t take the next big idea or an elaborate plan, sweat and hard work to get what you want?  What if all you need to do is ask?  Ask for what you want.

If you want more money, ask for it.  Ask your boss for a bonus or a raise.  Ask your freelance clients for more money, more projects and more referrals.

Ask to sit by the window all day or even part of the day.

Call the company you applied to two weeks ago and ask where they are in the hiring process.  Then ask that company for any next steps you can take.

Ask So-and-So what they did to get where they are.  Ask your boss what So-and-So had to get promoted over you and what you can do to be the promoted person next time.

And please ask – that person that hasn’t given you what he or she should know you want – for what you want!

What if others should know what you want?

Many times other people simply don’t know what we want, what we’re wishing for, what will make us happy.  To put it bluntly – they are too busy wishing for themselves and doing everything else that they have going on in their lives to stop and consider what you may be wishing for.  Or, worse yet, they may assume you are wishing for the same thing that they want.

For instance, I’ve seen it happen all-too-often, advertising creatives reach a certain point in their career where they don’t care as much about the money as they do their vacation time.  Yet, employee review after employee review they end up unsatisfied because more money was thrown at them instead of that time off that they so desperately desire.  And why?  Because they haven’t made it clear to the decision-makers that they value vacation time the most.  They don’t get what they want because they never asked for it.

What happens when you ask for what you want?

When working with my clients one-on-one, we create a clear plan on how to best ask for what they want so not only do they have the confidence to ask but also 9 times out of 10 they get what they want.  (There are best practices when asking and things you can do to improve your odds of getting what you want.)

Can you guess what the #1 response is when my clients ask for something from someone?  What do you think that someone says?

“Oh, you could have had that sooner if you’d only asked.”

Imagine you had what you are wishing for.   Now, go ask for it.

If you’d like to share, please post a comment.  

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Advertising Creatives/Graphic Designers, Blocks, Business, Clients, Fulfillment, Goals, Happiness, Law of Attraction, Money, Time Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Group Coaching

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This year’s ACT & YOU SHALL ACHIEVE Group Coaching Call Series has reached its half-way point and is steadily crescendoing. The members’ goals range from those involving art to real estate, time management to finances. It’s incredible to work with a diverse group of people – from the west coast to the east coast – and to facilitate them helping themselves and helping each other achieve their goals. There’s a certain synergy when a group like this one comes together, and it’s wonderful. Whether it’s career coaching or life coaching, planning or prioritizing, acknowledgement or tough love that they need during our group coaching calls, I’m with them every step of the way.

Filed Under: Blocks, Clients, Goals, Money, Resources, Time Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Progress not Perfection

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A white page.  A blinking cursor.  A blank stare.

Where to start?

I know I want it to be incredible.  I know I want to give you value.  I know I want to post content regularly.  And yet, as with most beginnings, I don’t know how to start this blog for the new year.

So I jump.

I type about this struggle in the most transparent of ways, because we are all human beings.  We all – at one time or another, with one project or several, and for whatever reasons we may have – we all have had a hard time starting.  With this blog post as an example, I challenge you to start with the concept of “progress not perfection” in mind.

This is the start.

 

Filed Under: Blocks, Clients, Goals, New Website Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Achieving Your Goals Despite the Issues of Time and Money

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What has kept you from already achieving your goals?  What is in the way of making the changes you desire?  If the answer is either time or money, I challenge you to dig deeper.

How much is your time really worth?  Would it be worth it to you to rid yourself of the guilt or disappointment of not achieving your goals?  And how much time do you spend dwelling on the fact that you have these unresolved goals?

If the goal’s outcome is truly worth it, then neither time nor money are the issue. The cliffhanger is…what is the issue?

Filed Under: Blocks, Clients, Goals, Happiness, Money, Time Tagged With: , , , ,
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