How To Trick Your Mind
It has gotten so busy that I am finding myself in dire need to schedule absolutely everything. I’ve been retained as an expert witness in an industry dispute and this project has consumed a lot of my time. The Photosecrets subscriber list has grown to over 1300 (we’ve added 250 people last month alone!) and the monthly Free Call audience grew an additional 50%. In addition to that I am finishing the “How to Make Money With Stock” product and between software training, copywriting, filling orders, interviews, coaching, consulting and being the mom of an aspiring and talented young woman I once again find myself a little busy. Did I mention that my book is being considered for publication of all places in GERMANY! Keep your fingers crossed, I am ready to get this project moving forward.
In order to get it all done I have to figure out the ‘how.’ And that starts usually with focusing on what’s important. But that’s easier said than done so I thought we would do that together. I know I am not the only one who wonders how everything can get done in time.
When determining where your focus should be you need to take a look at what’s going on in your life right now. I call that finding a main focus. What is truly and honestly the most important thing for you? In my case, right now it’s my daughter because she is going to college in a few months. I want to spend every moment with her because this time will never come back. How about you? What is your main focus? Is it work, health, your relationship, your children, family or money?
Once you have your true priority straight you want to take a look at what that means for your daily routine. In my case I will not work when Gina is here – simple enough. What does it mean for you? Do you need to take care of your health? Then perhaps eating right and exercising is your main focus. Or, if it is making money then you need to focus on those tasks that generate income for you the fasted. You may want to move those phone calls, go-see’s, updating the website, sending out promotions and mailers on the top of your list.
I am sure this isn’t exactly breaking news to you and hardly something you are not telling yourself frequently. Maybe it’s on your list already but you are not doing it. But why is it so hard to stick to what we know is important and why can’t we just do it when we know we should? The answer is simple – we don’t want to. It gets’ better, in addition to not wanting to do it or feeling like it, we can explain why! One of mine is that I am already German so do I need to be more disciplined and structured? Isn’t it enough that it runs already in my genes? I would love to just float through my day and dabble a little in this and that. And I suffer from Entrepreneurial ADD (a term I invented to describe why Entrepreneurs are so easily distracted) and rather not focus on one thing. Your answer might be that you hate to make those calls and feel awkward when you do and therefore just don’t make them. Or run so late for that industry-networking event you already RSVP’d to, that it now makes no more sense to go. Although you know you should have, you still didn’t.
Do you suffer from Entrepreneurial ADD?
The truth is we all have our excuses. So let’s simply take note that we tend to not want to do certain tasks and figure out how we can trick our way around this issue. One of the things that I talk about when I give a speech or in my coaching is to pay attention to what you say and how you say it. Everything we do is in essence a choice. As long as you make that choice consciously and recognize it as a CHOICE you are in good shape. But more often than not we use language like ‘have to’, ‘need to’ or ‘should’. If you present that to yourself in that way frankly it’s going to be a tough one. How in the world are you going to enjoy being on the phone if you tell yourself you ‘have to’ do it?
For my next Silver and Charter Membership call I will be interviewing Douglas Kirkland. That’s right, that Douglas Kirkland, the world famous glamour photographer, a legend in his own right. When I went to the event to meet him (which was my focus that night) I was ‘privileged to go’ and when I followed up via email and a call I was ‘thrilled to be able to talk to someone like him.’ Suddenly the task is not a must do but a pleasure and privilege. For you that means as you set your main focus maybe you want to look at this from a new perspective? Maybe you are privileged like I am to be able to do what you love, to live your passion, to talk to people that are interesting and provide the world with your great service and your great attitude!
