Vision In Purpose Coaching and Training

There are treasures hidden inside every one of us. But often, it’s easier to find the greatness in others than in ourselves.

A big “a-ha” moment for me (early on) was when my coach at that time shared with me that “When you admire someone, the same qualities that attract you to them are also inside of you”. That was a transformational moment for me and a pearl of wisdom I share with my clients.

The greatness and legacy of the ‘Sheroes’ that have inspired me, serve as a mirror to my own power. This has allowed me to unlock the value inside me and use it to help others find the hidden treasure inside of them.

In the spirit of International Women’s History Month, I wanted to take time to highlight some women I admire. Their lessons in strength, perseverance and hard work downloaded into me through their examples, have guided  me throughout my life and business.

1. My mom: I’d have to start my list highlighting my admiration for my mother. She has been through breast Cancer TWICE and has had the best attitude both times. She conquered cancer like a champion. I admire her strength.  What I learned from Mom…

Accept what is and don’t worry. My mother is a strong woman and it takes a lot to get her down. I’m guided by her example to stand strong in the face of adversity and don’t sweat the small stuff, so that when the big stuff happens you have a clear mind to fight it and win!

2. Oprah Winfrey: I have always admired her and I wanted to be on her show before she retired. (so glad she has a show on her own network –OWN-, ahh, there’s still hope).    I admire her for her perseverance, what she has done, where she’s come from and where she is now as the wealthiest and one of the most influential African American women in the world.  What I learned from Oprah…

Don’t put limits on yourself! As a poor colored girl who was abused and grew up in the segregated south, she could have bought into the limits placed on her by her environment.   I’m guided by knowing that in spite of what obstacles are around you, if you have the determination and faith in God, there is nothing you can’t do.

3. My Grandmother: Whew! That woman didn’t play. She worked hard as a maid and nanny for very little money. She also raised ten children of her own, while my grandfather worked at a steel mill.  As you can imagine, a working mother with ten kids would become a master of discipline and an expert delegator.  What I remember most about my grandmother was that she was a woman of God.  I remember her being on her knees for what seemed like hours praying.  In her house church was NOT an option.   What I learned from Grandma…

Faith in God and discipline to work are essential parts of life.  I’m guided by her example as I am a strong believer in God, setting standards in my life and rising to the challenge. Of course, this was a lesson she helped me practice while I was young by taking me to church (and Sunday school) plus putting me to work.  My cousins and I used to call it bootcamp.  It is certainly woven into the fabric of who I am and how I work.

When you examine the things in others that make them your heroes,  look closely you’ll find the ‘shero’ in you.  As one of my favorite singers, Mariah Carey, says in one of her many number one hits, “There’s a hero if you look inside your heart.  You don’t have to be afraid of what you are…. When you feel like hope is gone.  Look inside you and be strong. Then you’ll finally see the truth that a hero lies in you”.  I love that song; I think it says it all.

My request of you:

Use a journal or piece of paper, take some time to look at the women in your life you admire, use this article as a model and write the things you admire in them . Then, examine how those characteristics have guided you in your own life and career. Find the treasure hidden in you.  Please share, I’d love to hear about your ‘shero’.

Until Next Time…

Take Great Care of You

Mary wakes up in the morning with a long list of things to do. She starts breakfast by placing a couple of eggs in a pot to boil, hurries to run her bath water, turns on her computer to read and reply to a couple of emails.   While she’s there she decides that she might as well open another browser and pay a couple of bills. Then, she smells something burning and remembers she started boiling eggs.

She shuts off the stove and hears water… Oh My!  She runs to find the tub has overflowed and spends the next 30 minutes cleaning up the mess.  Now she’s even further behind than she thought.

Can you see yourself in this woman? Add children, getting ready for work or any number of other variables and I am sure it’s like walking through a fun house (which isn’t so fun), and looking in a fun house mirror with all of its distortions.

Sometimes in our quest to squeeze more out of our time, we end up wasting it. Like Mary, we can find ourselves spending precious time fixing the mess we made in our attempt to create unproductive shortcuts.

Here are 3 common misconceptions we have about time and how to fix them to be more effective in how we spend it:

I can control time.  We’re all given the same 24 hours a day. You didn’t create it so you can’t do anything with it. You can’t save it, you can’t invest it, or any of those things. Controlling time is all about controlling yourself.   Think about it, that is really the only thing you CAN control.

Here’s a better way: Even daylight savings can’t help us if we don’t know how to make the most of every moment. Being disciplined in our own efforts can help us be more productive. We can trick time into giving us more, we just have learn how by managing ourselves to accomplish more with the time we are given. Set a schedule for yourself and discipline yourself to stick to it.

If I work harder I’ll get more done.

When you work harder you end up doing less because now you have totally drained yourself physically, mentally, emotionally.

A lot of times, we push ourselves thinking “Yeah, if I just push myself a little bit more, I’ll get more done”. But, in the long run you find that you get less done because your energy is just not there. Your focus is just not there. When you don’t have focus and you don’t have the mental clarity, physical energy, emotional or mental energy, you end up not doing much of anything. What’s even scarier is that your body can crash and you’ll experience “burnout”. When that happens then you end up spending more time recovering and it takes you longer to get back to work.

Here’s a better way: Don’t try to be superwoman. Keep a steady pace and don’t try to cram everything in at once. Learn how to turn work off and find time to relax and do things you enjoy. Once you restore and replenish your energy, you can jump back in. You will be amazed at how much better you’ll feel and how much more you can accomplish.

And, now the biggie…

I can multi-task to get more done.

Women are for this one, and, with all the things we have on our plate, we do it without thought (or at least try). When you think, “Wow, If I just do a lot of different things at the same time, I’ll get more done”, that’s definitely a misconception. Multi-tasking scatters your energy and you actually end up doing just the opposite. It’s like being the jack of trades and the master of absolutely none. And, you don’t really move yourself forward because your energy is too scattered. Remember, Mary, in the example above?  That’s an example of multi-tasking at its worst!!

Here’s a better way: Commit to focus on completing one task at a time. Give yourself deadlines for completing certain tasks before moving on to the next. That way, instead of having a bunch of half completed items, you can feel good knowing a good portion of them are 100% done. Your mind, energy and sanity will thank you for it.

These misconceptions actually cost you more time in the end. So, work smart by incorporating these healthy fixes to managing yourself and spending your time.

Do you have a Funny Story about a Time Shortcut Gone Bad, Like the One at the Beginning of This Article?

Share them here on our Facebook Page!

It’s not enough to just have a vision for your life and business. You have to put it into action by setting goals and prioritizing to meet them.

Setting priorities is good business. When you know what matters most for your business, you can focus your attention on those tasks and responsibilities. Each day can be a productive day that helps you achieve your goals and grow the business you desire. You likely have lists of things you need to accomplish in order to achieve your goals. Take a look at each item and evaluate it based on the following five questions.

#1 Production

What will the task produce? Consider the outcome of the task. Does it produce direct income? If so, then it’s likely a high priority task. Does it bring you closer to achieving a goal? If so, then it
should probably go to the top of the priority list. If a task doesn’t result in producing a big result in terms of achievement or money, it may be something that is better left to the bottom of your task list, outsourced to an assistant, or perhaps tabled for a later time, if at all.

#2 Growth

Will the task help your business grow? For example, talking with a potential new partner is probably a high priority activity because it’s moving your business forward. One activity that doesn’t generally result in direct income or help you achieve a big goal is planning and brainstorming your business.

Yet it should be considered a high priority. Why? Because planning and brainstorming helps you create new goals and directions to take your business to the next level. Neglect this task and your business will likely stay exactly where it is.

#3 Joy

How enjoyable is the task or responsibility? For example, perhaps you dislike bookkeeping and invoicing clients. If you don’t enjoy the task it is likely that you’ll procrastinate doing it. In this case that could result in lost income. However, another consequence is that when you’re performing the task you’re unfocused and it takes twice as long as it should.

If you don’t find joy in the task, consider hiring a specialist to manage it – someone who enjoys it and can get the job done effectively and efficiently. If this isn’t an option, move the task down on your list and focus on performing it after you’ve managed high priority tasks.

When you love a task, you do it well and you do it efficiently. That is good business and these tasks should always be high on your priority list.

#4 Skill Set

Are you skilled at managing the task? While you’re undoubtedly skilled at many things, there are going to be many tasks that you need to accomplish that you just aren’t skilled at. For example, perhaps you need sales copy written or you need graphics done for your new e-book. You could manage this task yourself and spend time learning and mastering the skill. If you enjoy it, then it’s a good idea. However, when tasks don’t match your skill set it may make more sense to hire an expert.

#5 Time

How much time do you have to accomplish the task? In some cases you simply may not have enough time. Consider breaking the task into smaller bits and then get help accomplishing the smaller projects. Then you also want to be clear on the amount of time it takes to accomplish the task. If you think it only takes 30 minutes, then it ends up taking 2 hours, guess what just happened? Everything gets thrown off and that becomes stressful quickly. I’ll dress more tips about time next month during, you guessed it….”Time Management” Month.

My Request to You:

Use these five keys to help you create daily, weekly and monthly priorities, as well as to assess what needs to be done and when. If you can get help with the non-priority tasks, then by all means get help. If not, schedule time to accomplish them after you’ve cleared your high priority tasks from your list.