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Volume 3,
Issue 2 Focus
Your Genius Fitting well with my intentions, 2009 has launched spectacularly for me. I conducted two 2-session teleclasses with my colleague Victoria Cook, launched my brand-new group coaching program (which you'll find out more about in this issue!), and started up a couple of new clients. As my long-time readers know, my life has had some major shifts over the past year or so. Fortunately, my business is still going strong and growing, and I am thrilled and grateful to be able to wake up and do a job I love every day. I have started receiving business support from my local Small Business Development Center, and I am amazed at how much I've learned already and how I've been able to improve my focus and actions. I highly recommend any small business owner to check out their local SBDC and check out the amazing wealth of resources they have for entreprenuers, at no cost or very affordable rates. For more information, check out http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/sbdc/index.html or, if you live in McHenry County, http://www.shahcenter.mchenry.edu/sbdc.asp. And personally, I have registered to run the Shamrock Shuffle 8 km run in Chicago in March (http://www.shamrockshuffle.com/) and am in training to complete my first triathalon in September! So my year is already full of both business and pleasure, and here it is only February. What else could possibly lie ahead?
Enjoy this month's featured article, which is actually a reprint of my most popular article posted on Ezine Articles.com. And be sure and check out the information abut the brand new group coaching program beginning March 5th I'm conducting with my friend and colleague Victoria Cook!
Ideas Into Action - How to Implement Ideas Instead of Getting Stuck in Information Overload Solopreneurs often love idea generating and starting new projects. However, with input coming in from so many different directions, ideas are often abounding but there's simply not enough time to take ACTION on all of these wonderful ideas (and still keep the business going). So what's a highly creative person to do? Here are some simple tips to begin implementing ideas instead of merely collecting them. * Have an "Idea Collection Area" so that you can collect ALL ideas in one spot. Many times, we lose valuable ideas just because we are inspired when driving, and we write it on an envelope or the back of a napkin, and the scrap gets shuffled around and tossed out three months later. Keep a folder or a notebook, and stick all of those scraps or sticky notes right in there. * Implement ideas one at a time. Focus on just one right now. Two if you really need the mental stimulation, but once you get beyond that, your energy is often so diluted that you lose momentum and stall progress. * Break your great idea down into manageable steps. Sometimes the only thing that gets in your way is overwhelm! So breaking the project down into 3 or 6 or even 10 parts enables you to focus on just a bit at a time, and get back on track. * Act with SPEED. This is one of the hallmarks of highly successful people. They get an idea, they mention it to you, and the next time you meet, they hand you the product they just created. Emulate people you know who commit, act, and follow through. * Team up with a buddy or partner to implement ideas even faster. Make sure the person is trustworthy and motivated! There's a reason the saying "two heads are better than one" has been around for so long. * Set aside specific days for specific projects. Oftentimes, we're so caught up in the frenzy of so much work, so few hands to do it, that we forfeit long-term, high payoff projects for short-term cash flow now. Make sure and put in several hours each week on a project with long-term profit potential, such as product creation. * Get support from a peer, mastermind group, or coach. * Have a waiting list of ideas ready. Review this only once a week, and don't start another idea or project until the first is complete! Really commit to learning how to complete what you start. * Set aside a limited amount of "play" time, when you actively seek out mental stimulation and new ideas. However, many creatives spend more time thinking up new projects, than working on already-started projects. So start to limit your take-in-new-ideas time, maximize your implementation time, and watch how much your inspiration actually increases! By setting up simple
support structures like these listed, solopreneurs can become more productive
while also encouraging and uplifting their muse. The strangest thing
often happens when we start completing projects - more and more ideas
flow to us and they take less and less effort to implement! And our
businesses usually blossom simultaneously.
I am now celebrating the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of releasing my first e-book, Reset Your Mindset in 7 Days! The book is a great tool for helping to shift your worries and negative thinking into much more positive and productive thinking. The ebook is only $10 and you can order your copy at ResetYourMindsetIn7Days.com. In just 7 days, you can begin to transform your life!
This month's cool tool is something that I've taught to many clients, friends, and family members. It's actually a very simple additional way to use GOOGLE to find images. Sometimes I want to see a picture of a specific item. For example, being a quilter, sometimes I know the name of the quilt I want to find. Or sometimes, I want to find some pictures of a particular animal (perhaps a Ba-Shar!). When I am searching for a particular picture, I first go to www.Google.com. Then I click on "images" in the upper left corner of the web page. Then I search on the image I want to find, and usually tons of pictures of the image I wanted show up in the result. Remember to send me any suggestions you may have for a possible "Cool Tool."
One of the biggest challenges in achieving goals is sticking to the necessary action steps with focus and consistency. If that's been a challenge for YOU and you're tired of your plans fizzling out before year end, then you've got to check out my Best Year Ever group coaching program. The purpose of the Best Year Ever Coaching Program? For you to make SIGNIFICANT improvements in your life and business, and to ensure that 2009 is your best, most successful year- - EVER! Each biweekly call includes a brief lesson on a relevant topic and expert coaching to keep you focused on creating your Best Year and give you the specifics to get going with momentum. The calls will also provide accountability, support, and the resources to implement strategies that will keep your business and your life continually getting better and better. I am so sure that you'll get incredible value from this program that I'd love to give you the opportunity to try it out - for F.R.E.E.! When you sign up for the group program, you will receive your first month for free* along with an audio CD including introductory information and detailed notes to get you started before your first call. Join now to access my special FREE month membership trial *$5 for shipping and handling of the CD
Feedback Welcome I'd love to hear what you think about today's issue of Focus Your Genius. Please send comments and feedback to TammyCook@RenaissanceMinds.com. Comments and feedback may be posted in future newsletters or articles, unless you specifically request otherwise. Warmly, |
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Oh,
that's right. As if life wasn't insane enough already, we Renaissance
Minds love to pour it on when we're at our busiest! So I also got a
new PUPPY this weekend! Lucy is inherited from my neice and god-daughter,
Chelsea. Lucy is a 7-month old Basset Hound Shar-Pei, called a Ba-Shar
as my son Max discovered upon doing a bit of research. (I guess that's
better than Shar-Bass, right?) My younger son Phil is acting as Lucy's
primary caregiver, and he's doing a great job so far. Lucy is pretty
hyper and needs a bit of training, but she's so sweet and loveable,
she's a wonderful addition to our family. (Our other dog, Nemo, and
three cats aren't quite so in love with her yet, but give them time!)