Archive for category: Personal

This principle is universal, and yet, as entrepreneurs we miss it almost every time.

Our failures are our University. But, we tend to forget those times and rather choose to remember when things went perfectly.

There is only one problem with that…

All the best lessons in life and in business come because of a fall or failure.

To remedy this, I use a process I learned while an executive at Walmart Stores. This process is called the Correction of Errors, or COE meeting.

Simply, after each major project, you schedule time with yourself to evaluate what went wrong, what went well, and what improvements can be made for the next time around.

We did the COE process worldwide the entire time I was in the stores—even back when we were opening 50 stores per week. Obviously, the company saw a remarkable difference or they would not have spent the time.

Continuous learning from our struggles and mistakes is a treasure chest of wisdom we all should explore daily.

Think about that.

Competition and fear paralyze far too easily. 

In my coaching business, I hear people all the time say that they have such great ideas, but they fear them being knocked off or stolen.

To that, I say, “hogwash.”

Yes, someone may, in fact, try to mimic or knockoff your content.  But the answer to that dilemma is to be better.  Call them out if you have to, but be the original and be better.

Not that long ago, someone was trying to steal Mindset Engine content and share it on their own Instagram account.  At first, I was flattered, and then I remembered how much work it was to build the app and write all this content for you.

So, I sent them a private message and notified IG.  Problem solved for now.

I choose to look at this challenge from the other side.

Specifically – asking, “Is my content so good that people are wanting to steal my work?” If not, maybe I should step it up.

We often will keep things to ourselves, saying, “people will try to steal our work.” I find that is almost always resistance and procrastination hiding behind an excuse.

Your wisdom and work need to be out in the world.  Get it out there.  Be first. Be original. Be better.

Think about that.

A simple, yet profound thought from funny man turned musical play write, Steve Martin.

Often there is little more you can do when working toward a goal.  Especially those that require input or recognition from someone else.

When at those times, you best and only option is to be “so good” that they have no option but to say yes or give you the recognition you deserve.

In a world that is fraught with those who seek to blame everyone for their shortcomings, you can stand out as original, confident, and worthy of attention.

So how do you go about doing that?

It has been said that mastery requires 10,000 hours of effort to master a craft.  I certainly know that before I hire an advisor or businesses/life consultant, that I do my homework and find out what have they done and who do they work with now.

So, my advice to you is to do the work, document the efforts and the results, and then craft the way you talk about what you do using words that you hear from your tribe.

You may be the best at what you do in the world, but if you cannot say it in a way that others will hear, then you are just noise in the market place.

We all know that a better marketer will beat a better talent every time.

You must be the best AND be the best at saying so.

Think about that.

I like to keep things simple and easy to follow.  Today’s mindset is just that.

If we did nothing more than wake up with determination and work to be able to sleep with satisfaction, our lives and businesses would be a great space. 

But if you are like me, we often let that little entrepreneur’s critic voice get into our head and stay far longer than we should.

You know the voice…we all have one.

That is the voice that tells us we are not good enough or that no one will buy our products.  That voice is lying to you.

By learning to be intentional to wake up with determination, we set a tone and pace for our day from the onset.  This drive posture keeps us from reacting and getting sidetracked by distractions and other people’s agendas.

Finishing the day with satisfaction, however, takes a bit more work. 

The truth is, we can easily let the day get away from us if not careful.  This rushed and sense of emergency often takes us off task and keeps us from obtaining our goals day after day.

That is why a focused approach is so crucial.

Certainly, I know that we all live in the real world.  We all have to deal with life and challenges in our business and family.

But the idea is to be aware of what trips you and avoid it before you ever get trapped.

In short, be intentional and stick to your committed time. 

It is a mindset driver for sure.

Think about that.

We have all heard the phrase you are what you eat, right?

But did you know that you also ARE what you THINK?

Now, not always literally.  However, our bodies are funny things. We adapt and respond, even subconsciously, to thoughts and actions from within and from outside of us.

We are social beings that tend to evolve and adapt to our surroundings and environments.

So, what does that mean in relation to how we think?

The short answer is that we will become what we dwell on.

If you think about being a victim, you will remain a victim.

If you think about not having enough money, you will subconsciously find ways to actually repel money.

If you think about being a high-paid coach, you will attract people who need a high-end coach.

Now, we cannot be delusional. We have to do the work AND be authentic in who we are—but our thoughts make a HUGE difference in how we adapt and respond to those around us.

SO where do you start?

I used to fall victim to thoughts about all the things I could not do – not enough time, not enough money, not enough authority…

You know…

the same stuff you hear in your head most days.

So MY coach encouraged me to use my journal and write out every day – 50 Things that I am free to do today.  Things I CAN do, versus things I cannot do.

Funny thing…

All the sudden, I was finding solutions, time, money, and momentum came knocking at my door.

Incredible how simple mindset shifted everything.

Think about that.

PS – BONUS – Download the free ebook – Mastering Mindset — 15 World-Class Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Mindset Principle that Skyrocketed Their Business