A great article published by National Post yesterday.  www.NationalPost.com, “Being Up-beat is Good for Business”. 

A jolt to remember the basics.  Like “people enjoy doing business with people who enjoy doing business” (Robin Sharma, “Greatness Guide”).  

Chances are that whatever is going on in your inside is showing up on your outside. In your smile (or not), disposition and bottom line.   

“We reap what we sow”.  Fill your thinking with powerful, affirming, loving thoughts and you will light your world.  And au contraire thoughts will extinguish the flame.  The choice is ours.

First let me say that everyone does need some kind of target to aim form.  Something that energizes and uplifts them.  The only problem is that up to 99% of the way people set goals actually stand in the way of them getting the results they want.

Let me explain.

Goals are future oriented.  So every time your brain focuses on a goal, it’s actually reinforcing the fact that you haven’t reached it.  Brain-psychology.

When I was first introduced to goal-setting (many years ago now), I was taught to set SMART goals.  Make them specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and timely.  And then finally last year I clued in that this is all wrong!  While I’m setting these finely articulated goals, I’m always thinking about wanting something for the future.  In fact my brain keeps letting me know, “You’re not living your goal.  You don’t have it.”

So what’s the solution? 

Focus on your beliefs, rather than your goals.  Create a new condition by building a vivid picture in your imagination of how things are when you experience the condition.  It’s paramount that you create the future condition (what you want) inside you (in your mind and in your heart) before you are in a position to manifest it.

Once you create the future condition like it’s already happening in the present (granted, it takes practice - then again, most great things do) you will find that you are finally able to free yourself from old belief patterns and develop new ones - beliefs that are aligned with what you want.  

Sounds confusing?  Try this exercise.

1.  Imagine WHAT it is you really truly want.  For example, more cash flow, more clients, more freedom .. a boat, car ..  Close your eyes and SEE it.  What it looks like, how it feels, how it makes you feel.  Fill in every detail imaginable.  You might notice a warm feeling in your body as you get excited by knowing that what you want is just in arms reach.    

2.  Ask yourself, “Why do I want it?”  John Assaraf says, “When the WHAT and WHY are BIG enough, the HOW will appear”.  Don’t focus on HOW you will get it.  Just focus on what you want and why you want it.  Period.

3.  Ask yourself, “What new beliefs do I need to make it happen?”  Many times its our own beliefs that stand in our way of having what we desire.  It often comes disguised in the form of the “IF ONLY”  game.  That is, “If only there wasn’t a recession …”; “If only I had finished my degree …”; “If only I had a better car …”; “If only I had more money …”; “If only I had a partner …”  …

4. Take responsibility.  Write down the new beliefs you need inside to get what you want on the outside. 

5. Be patient.  Now that you’ve planted the seeds of new beliefs, you need to nurture them EVERY day.  Give yourself time to let them become part of your skin.    But don’t get caught in the “No Rush” syndrome.  Think of your belief seeds being planted in the Spring.  You need to harvest the fruit in the Fall.  That’s about 3 months.  

As you practice this new method, you will find it much quicker to get what you want.  Whether higher sales or a new Mercedes - it happens with the right belief systems in place. 

Give it a whirl.  Stop spinning with goal setting.  Focus on beliefs and your world will be changed forever.

Today I kicked off the first of my hot Sizzling Summer Radio Series with Change Expert and Author, ARIANE DE BONVOISIN.

Over the next 3 weeks, I am interviewing three of the finest strategists who will show you how to walk the line - with grace, confidence and know-how.

Today’s show was about tuning us into how to embrace and leverage change, vs fear or avoid it. There is no point to fighting change.  Kicking and screaming does NOT help.

In her book, “The First 30 Days, Your Guide to Making Any Change Easier”, Ariane teaches us the 9 foundational principals that make someone good at change, in comparison to resisting it. Think of how you can embrace and apply change to your business to get it to where you want it to be.

Principle 1: People who successfully navigate change have positive beliefs.

Principle 2: People who successfully navigate change know that change always brings something positive into their lives.

Principle 3: People who successfully navigate change know they are resilient, strong, and capable of getting through anything.

Principle 4: People who succesfully navigate change know that every challenging emotion they feel is not going to stop them and will GUIDE them to positive emotions that help them feel better.

Principle 5: People who successfully navigate change know that the quicker they accept the change, the less pain and hardship they will feel.

Principle 6: People who successfully navigate change know that the quicker they accept the change, use empowering questions and words, think better thoughts, and express their feelings.

Principle 7: People who successfully navigate change know they are connected to something bigger than themselves.

Principle 8: People who succesfully navigate change are not alone; they surround themselves with people who can help, who have the RIGHT beliefs and skills. They create an environment that supports their change.

Principle 9: People who succesfully navigate change take ACTION. They have a plan. They know to to take care of themselves.

There are 6 negative emotions or CHANGE DEMONS that stall us. Beware of: Fear, doubt, impatience, blame, guilt and shame.

What’s your Change GPS telling you? Be honest with you. Where are you now? Where do you want to get to? What kind of business are you experiencing now? And What do you really want to experience?

Get honest about where you are, who your with - and then become focused and determined to get what you want and need - No Matter What! Create boundaries and stick to them!

CHANGE IS ABOUT TRUTH! The sooner you embrace the truth, the sooner you and those around you - can move forward with change that in the end will serve you and others around you. We always benefit from the outcomes that change brings.

For more detail and practical tips on how to manage and leverage change, check out Ariane’s book here: The First 30 Days: Your Guide To Making Any Change Easier

Have you been looking in the mirror and practicing your 30-second commercial? 

You know what I’m talking about.  Someone asks you, “so what do you do?” and you generate their interest by telling them what you do in an enticing way, hopefully garnishing their interest long enough that they want to know more.  It goes like this:

“So what do you do?”

“You know how people struggle with money?  (and they nod yes)  Well I help them find money they don’t know they have”.

They never mention that they are an accountant.

Or … people are taught to rhyme off their value proposition.  It’s usually a paragraph that requires time to memorize so it has some ping to it.  The only problem is, the person they say it to has to decipher what they say.  You almost want to ask say, “Ok.  Now tell me what you really do for a living”.  

A few weeks ago I was at an event where the speaker was leading a workshop on “How to Network”.  When they started to teach people the importance of an “Elevator Speech”, they said:  “Let me give you an example.  Here’s mine”.  And he proceeded to read us his paragraph.   Need I say more?  If it worked, why couldn’t he just “say it”.  Why the piece of paper?  

The “30-Second Commercial” concept was rooted in the corporate environment, directed at people who had ambitions to climb the ladder.  In event they should run into an executive, like the President, in the elevator - they were groomed to know what to say to grab the executive’s attention in 30 seconds.  Generally speaking that’s how long they would have in the elevator with the person of interest.

With the advent of the Entrepreneurial Renaissance, business people were taught to do the same thing but in the networking arena.  

I don’t know about you, but I can sniff these speeches out a mile a way.  They don’t entice.  They only intrigue me in terms of how creative people can be, telling me what they do without actually naming or claiming what they do.  Elevator pitches sound contrived, fake and don’t help build genuine authentic relationships.  Well, not usually.  

Here’s my suggestion.  Do yourself a favor.  Ditch the 30-second elevator pitch.  Reinvest the time it would take you to write it, memorize it, practice it, botch it, re-write it, memorize it, practice it … and still feel uncomfortable with it … and replace it:  

When someone asks you, “so what do you do?”  Tell them.  “I’m an Accountant”.  “I’m a Lawyer”.  “I’m a Car Salesman”.  “I’m a Career Consultant”.  “I’m a Software Developer”.  “I’m a Construction Contractor”.  “I’m an Internet Marketer”.  “I’m a Web Designer”.  etc.

Likely the person your speaking with will say something like, “Really?  How long have you been doing that? ” or something similar. 

This is what you can practice:  Be yourself and how to engage others in real conversation.  That means sharing something about what you do and who you are - and then reciprocating by being genuinely interested in what they do and who they are.

That’s it.  Nothing complicated.  Let the best of who you are shine.  And show interest in the other person.   

Meeting people is not about selling yourself to anybody.  Give people a chance to know you first.  Build relationship.  Believe me, if they are interested in what you have to offer, or know someone who possibly is, the conversation will direct itself accordingly.

Trust in yourself.  The 30-Second Elevator Pitch is an outdated antiquated form of communication in today’s Entrepreneurial Renaissance.