Do you ever get stuck?

July 28, 2010 By
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Getting Unstuck

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a whirlwind? What about finding yourself in the middle of a long dry spell where nothing seems to be happening?

I think it is two sides of the same coin.

Recently I was feeling a little stuck in my own business. I have this great plan, and can see it all mapped out. And yet, I wasn’t taking some of the action that was there to take, and in other areas I didn’t even know what actions to take.

We have all heard the quote about the definition of insanity: doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result. Well, that’s where I was.

Here’s just one example: I have been told to send out press releases about different things in my business and I haven’t done any of that. As a child I was told that I shouldn’t brag.

What do they have to do with each other? Well, if you have grown up believing that bragging isn’t good, then sending out press releases becomes impossible.

Have to send out press releases – that’s good for business. But the 5 year old thinks it is bragging – and that’s bad.

Such a trap! There is no way out of that one. Until…

Until I can recognize that I am not the 5 year old, and I am not bragging. The context is decisive! Once I saw that, really saw that, I was freed up to take the actions on my plan. Not only that, but there is a flood of new actions that weren’t there before.

Where are you being stopped by your 5 year old self?

Shameless plug: I am re-running my Productivity Basics teleclasses in August. There will be two session on developing a schedule that works, one session on planning, and one session on taking control of your email. Details are available at www.timetriage.com/events.asp.

In the meantime, have a great summer – but remember – you are calling the shots – not the 5 year old!

(c) 2010, Terry Monaghan

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Consultant, coach, speaker, trainer and entrepreneur, Terry Monaghan, publishes Now What, a free weekly ezine for entrepreneurs and professionals who want to double their productivity, improve their performance, and have a life! If you’re ready to jump start your performance and your results, then get your free tips now at www.TimeTriage.com.

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Filed Under: performance, productivity Tagged With: , , ,

Signs of Spring… are you ready?

March 12, 2010 By
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Have you ever noticed how each season brings its own unique set of actions and activities? And the change of the seasons often means we pack up or put away what we needed in the previous season and take out what we will need for the next? It doesn’t happen all at once, but it does happen. And many of us have transitional actions that allow us to shift rather smoothly from one to the other.

I don’t think work is any different! There is one set of actions and activities that are appropriate at the beginning of a project, and another way of working once it has gained some momentum.

Getting something started usually takes a massive amount of action – relative to the results produced. Once it gains some momentum, it will take less action to produce more results, faster. However, if you don’t modify the actions to be more appropriate to the stage of the project – you run the risk of inadvertently sabotaging all your progress!

Personally, the getting it started phase is the toughest for me. But only because it makes me crazy to take action after action after action and see little or no results in return. That is really hard work, in my book. Understanding the nature of that phase has kept me from giving up two calls shy of the goal!

I have heard it said that it can take ‘100 No’s to get to the Yes’.

So, I get through that phase by making it a game to count the No’s – and having absolute confidence that the tide will turn, eventually. Interestingly, I haven’t made it to 100 No’s yet, and have produced great results. And every single time I tackle bringing something new into existence I still think it should happen faster!

And then, once it does start to pay off, it brings work in a flood – which has its own set of challenges.

More about handling that flood stage next week…

Because, really, without a life, what’s the point?

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Filed Under: productivity, work-life balance Tagged With: , ,

How may I help you?

July 26, 2008 By
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These are Sandra Yancey’s five favorite words, and one of the philosophies behind the eWomenNetwork.

In a world where most people are tuned in to WIIFM (what’s in it for me), opening with ‘how may I help you’ stands out. Personally I have found it to be a very effective business strategy. When I meet with a colleague, potential partner or client, and genuinely ask and listen for how I might be able to help them – I hear things I wouldn’t have heard on radio WIIFM.

I have been able to provide many colleagues with introductions to potential clients or referral partners. And because everything you send out comes back, I have received introductions in return that I would have never expected.

Look for what you can give, and the getting will always take care of itself.

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