Martin Crous, Ph.D. - SUCCESS COACH

You Are Great!

2012-01-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

One of the most well-known confidence building exercises is to list your own strengths and natural abilities.

By looking at the list it can make you say “Wow, I really am good!”

Another great way of building your confidence and getting in touch with how great you really are is to ask friends, colleagues and people who you know for feedback on your strengths and natural abilities.

Your practical assignment is to list 5 people who you know and trust for this exercise.

Make sure they are from different areas of your life.

List them below:

1. A FAMILY MEMBER

2. A FRIEND

3. A WORK COLLEAGUE

4. AN ASSOCIATE

5. A SOCIAL CONTACT

You might at this stage be feeling a little nervous about asking these people for feedback.

Don’t worry, because you will be only asking for your strengths.

JUST GO FOR IT!

So, how do you go about it?

Well, below is a list of questions that I’d like you to ask from each on your list.

I recommend that you meet or talk on the phone with each beforehand and explain the context of the exercise and then either ask them verbally or give them the questions and either fill in the sheet of paper or email you with their feedback.

They will feel honoured that you have asked them and the feedback that you will receive will truly make you feel fabulous and full of confidence.

Rightly or wrongly, we live in a society where other peoples’ opinions count toward our self esteem and confidence.

By completing this exercise you will get some really good insight into some of your strengths.

Often you receive valuable information on strengths that you didn’t even know you had!

EXTERNAL FEEDBACK QUESTIONS

· What do you perceive to be my greatest strengths?

· What do you like most about me?

· What do you value most about me?

· What three words sum up the positive points about me?

· If you needed help with something, what would you call me to help you with?

After you have received all of the feedback it is now time to reflect on what has been written or said:

How do you feel about it?

Are there any surprises?

Do you feel confident about your abilities?

How can you use this information in going forward?

How can you maximise your strengths?

If these people think you have these strengths, so do a lot of other people as well – how does that make you feel?

What are the key insights you have learned?

What will you do now that is different to what you have done before?

Do this exercise and realize that you are more that what you think you are and that you are really a good person.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS

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How to De-clutter Your Life and Improve Your Confidence

2011-12-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Many people carry around with them a lot of “baggage” or “clutter” in their minds.

When I say this I mean that they are still holding onto things that they say they should do but don’t; the person who they had a row with but both are not speaking to each other – but both want to; the coulds and shoulds in your life that hold you back – you need to let go, but you don’t.

These people carry around with them a lot of emotional attention that they could be doing without and focussing on something more productive instead!

Are you like this?

If you are, I bet it had a negative influence on your confidence and self esteem.

The approach

Take a look at your life and get rid of this baggage by asking yourself a series of questions and by completing the following exercise.

In effect, what we are doing is making certain tasks “complete”, drawing a line under them and moving on.

Another term for this is “psychological completion” or just “completion”.

The following set of questions can be taken at one sitting or over a number of hours/days.

By writing the answers down they become more formal.

Get to it and watch your confidence soar!

1. Putting up with!

· Make a list of 10 things that you are putting up with at home.

· Make a list of 10 things that you are putting up with at work.

· Make a list of 10 things that you are putting up with in any other area of your life.

· Make an action plan to get rid of/communicate these things that you have been putting up with.

2. Unfinished matters!

· Make a list of things that are unresolved/unfinished in your life.

· Make an action plan of how to reduce this number!

· Do you need to clear the air with anyone? If so, just do it! Life is too short!

· Did you ever say that you were going to call someone or keep in touch with someone yet have done nothing about it? If yes, call them or send an email to them today.

· Let go of as many coulds, woulds, shoulds, maybes, oughts as you can. Write these down.

3. Your standards!

· Write down the standards that you have been saying to yourself that you should have; let go of these and write down a list of the standards that you are going to have in your life from this day forward.

· List 5 people who you admire the most. Identify their greatest qualities, behaviour and how they lead their life. What standards do they have? What standards could you raise starting today to be more like them?

· Respect that other’s standards will be different from your own. Think of 5 close colleagues or friends – what are their standards and how are they different to yours?

By completing these exercises you will be able to focus more on the here, the now and the future.

You will now be able to let go of some of the things that have been taking up your valuable attention units – those things that knock your self esteem.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS

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The Secret of Albert Einstein’s Success

2011-10-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

I was reminded again today of the story of Albert Einstein.

Einstein was once asked what he considered the main difference between his own intelligence and that of other people. He thought for a while and replied: “Well, when most people look for a needle in a haystack, they stop when they find it. But I will continue looking to discover if I can find a second, a third and maybe, if I am very lucky, a fourth or fifth needle.”

How true is it that most people will stop as soon as they achieve their first goal or completed their first task.

The secret for Success in this story for me it to not give up – continue in your search for whatever you want to achieve, whether it is happiness, financial independence, physically healthy…

Don’t stop – continue in your journey and NEVER GIVE UP!

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS

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Three Steps to Success – The Story of Boris Becker.

2011-10-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

I recall hearing this story about a former world tennis champion, Boris Becker, from Germany being interviewed on a radio programme.

“Have you always been a champion?” the interviewer asked.

“No,” Boris said, “Although when I was young I had been picked as a potential future prospect. But other boys had been better than me, more naturally gifted. I often had to play against the best of the girls who were a better match for me than the naturally talented boys.”

“So where are they now, these boys?” the interviewer asks, “And what happened to all of them?”

“Well,” said Boris, “they just did not make it. For all of their talent they just did not have what it takes.”

“So what does it take?” asked the interviewer.

“You’ve got to want it enough.” Boris said.

“Is that the secret?” asked the interviewer.

“No there’s another. It takes discipline. No matter how much talent you have, you’ve got to have the discipline to nurture and develop it. You’ve got to prioritise and give up a lot of things that can seem very attractive at the time.”

“Is that the secret then, to want it enough and to have discipline?” asked the interviewer.

“No there’s one more,” said the former tennis champion, “and it’s harder and more demanding than the first two put together. You need humility, no matter how good you are. You need humility to listen to your coaches, take advice, to test new possibilities and to admit you don’t know everything. Feedback is the breakfast of champions. These three are the secrets of my success.”

I have seen it so many times that those who do not succeed in achieving their goals and dreams most often lack is one or more, if not all of these three requirements for SUCCESS.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

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Learn From The Behaviour of Successful People – Gary Player.

2011-09-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

During an important golf tournament, the great golfer and fellow South African, Gary Player found himself in a sand trap. A particularly challenging shot was demanded from him.

Gary visualized and rehearsed the shot mentally a couple of times and focused all his powers of concentration in this important shot that lay in front of him. The club kissed the ball sweetly. In a spray of sand, the ball flew into the sky, hung for a moment in the air, descended, bounced twice and came to rest half a metre from the pin. What a shot!

As he walked towards the green after the shot, a spectator shouted at him from the crowd.

“Hey Gary! That was a really lucky shot!”

Gary Player, the gentlemen he is, stopped and turned to the man. “I guess you’re right,” he said, “But you know it’s a funny thing. The more I practise the better I become and the better I become, the luckier I get.”

For me, the take away from this is that the more we do what needs to be done to be successful, the better we will get at it.

Success requires discipline and effort.

Practise, practise, practise and never give up.

Never Give Up!

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

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How To Confidently Say “NO” and Mean It!

2011-08-30T03:22:00.000-07:00

How can you confidently respond when someone makes a request you’d prefer not to accommodate?

Identify all the reasons you have for saying “NO.” Identify which stem from a lack of confidence, versus a sincere disinterest in fulfilling the request.

§ It’s beyond your means?

§ It’s beyond your comfort level?

§ You have no interest?

What would happen if you said yes? Perhaps:

§ You would be considered a team player.

§ It would make your boss happy.

§ Your visibility with higher-ups would be improved.

It’s comes down to a simple cost/benefit really.

The role of guilt

Saying “NO” is hard for many of us. Guilt often comes into play. Whether this guilt has its foundation in religion, a proper upbringing, or a worldview that simply says “it’s not nice to say no”, we often recognize it and make decisions we’d rather not be making, based upon our guilt.

Saying “NO”

You’ve made the decision after scientifically weighing the results of your cost/benefit analysis -- go ahead and say “NO”. Say it clearly, and self-assuredly...in the mirror. Look yourself in the eye, and do it. Just say “NO.”

Practice and experiment with different ways to say “NO” until you find one you’re comfortable with. Then go and say “NO.”

After you say “NO”

If you’re used to giving in to others, then guess what? After all that practice you may just be surprised to find that they are not willing to accept it!

They may push, rephrase the question, or make a new, not altogether different, request. Be prepared for this! Know your boundary—what ARE you willing to do?

Revisit the questions you asked yourself before—what would happen if you said no, or yes? If you are serious about saying “NO” then stick to your guns.

Tell the individual making the request that you would appreciate it if they respected your wishes and ask them to refrain from pursuing it further. If you are comfortable expressing your “reasons why” then do so speaking from your personal perspective.

Use effective body language

When saying “NO”, remember the power of non-verbal communications. Look the person in the eye when you say the “NO”. Shake your head at the same time as saying “NO”. Stand up tall and use a firm tone in your voice.

When all is said and done

Don’t forget that when anyone asks a question of you, you are perfectly OK to say, “Can I think about that and get back to you?” No-one should be pressurized into giving an immediate answer, even if the delay is only a couple of minutes. It will give you some time to think it through and to gather your thoughts.

It will also give you some time to think about how you are going to say it, the words to use and your body language.

Saying NO exercise

Practice makes perfect as they say! What I would like you to do for the next 7 days is to start to say “NO” more often. So whether it is the double glazing salesman, the cold call, “Would you like fries with that?” or the shop assistant – practice saying “NO” to one person for at least the next 7 days.

You will be an expert come the end of the week!

The benefit

§ You will feel much more confident and proud.

§ You will find that practice makes perfect—the more you confidently say “NO” the easier it becomes.

§ Others will respect your wishes and take you seriously the first time you say “NO.”

§ You won’t find yourself doing things you never wanted to do in the first place.

§ You’ll have more time to focus on the things you do want to be involved in.

§ The list goes on from there…

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

How to Gain Confidence by Managing your Time

2011-08-18T01:42:00.000-07:00

Do you always seem strapped for time? Do feel that you can never fit everything you want to do in a day?

Having more time is one of the most precious and sought after resources we have. When we feel in control over our time we have more confidence.

The subject of time management could take up a whole series of blogs to fully explain, that is why I would recommend someone like a Life Coach to help you with this. http://www.martincrous.com

Everyone has the same amount of time. Yet the real winners in life are those that know what they have to do and when and how to do it. So, how can we get more time?

Let’s take a look at some of the vital factors that we must consider when allocating our time.

The first thing that we have to do is to identify how we are spending our time at the present - both at home and at work.

What I would like you to do is write out the tasks or activities that you must do in order for you to achieve the objectives of your job or at home.

These could include work tasks such as meetings, appraisals, E-mails, documentation and the like. Home activities could include cleaning, cooking, shopping, time with the children or watching television. Write all of them down.

After you have identified what you have to do, the next step is to schedule your work and activities. In order for you to schedule your work you need to know two things.

1. You will need to know how long you will want to spend on a particular task -- this is determined by how important the task is.

2. You will have to know how soon you have to get the task completed -- this is determined by how urgent the task is.

Now, important and urgent are not the same. An urgent task is not necessarily important. It may be urgent but trivial. A good rule of thumb is to remember that the tasks and activities you have written will nearly always be important ones.

The unimportant tasks are usually known as reactive tasks. These are the everyday running problems that have to be dealt with to keep things ticking over -- for example, answering the telephone and responding to E-mails.

For successful time management you must have in your possession a diary. Once you have worked out the tasks that you have to do and their relative importance, the next step that you have to do is to schedule these activities into your diary.

In your diary, block out time for certain tasks. Also allow time for reactive tasks and regular duties -- let people know when you are available; also allow time for reviewing and planning at the end of each day.

Scheduling out time for planning is essential on a daily basis. This should be done at the end of the working day or at night for your home duties. Within this time for planning you should draw up your schedule and also a TO DO list for the next day using the techniques that I have already mentioned.

Cross out each activity as you complete them and make sure that you complete them all. I actually use and find that visual work planners are an excellent tool to use.

Here are some time saving techniques you can do to give yourself more time.

Firstly, by doing less you can increase more of your available time. I see so many people who are snowed under with their workload and agenda, these people never seem to have a minute to spare and just take on more and more work.

Let’s have a look at some of the things that you can do. The first and most important question you can ask yourself is this:

Can I delegate certain activities?

You can reduce your workload by getting other people to do it for you.

You can also discourage unnecessary meetings, don’t take work home, don’t take responsibility for other peoples problems and don’t become bogged down with detail.

These are some of the things that you can do to free up some of your time, but one of the most important things that you can do is just by saying NO to certain requirements and requests that are asked of you.

It is such an easy word to say in theory, but too many people don’t use it in practise.

Secondly, another excellent time saving technique is by working faster and by reducing the time for particular tasks.

Ensure deadlines are set and adhered to, keep your communications concise, and take the most important tasks when you are alert -- it is more time efficient and productive. Learn how to conclude meetings and conversations ensure meetings are run promptly and on time -- there are many others.

Another technique to reduce time is by working more effectively. Make sure that you plan your work, establish clear objectives, set priorities, be realistic, draw up TO DO lists daily and weekly, make efficient use of a diary, plan meetings and plan agendas.

The time management techniques that I have just described will start you off in your quest to control every aspect of your life and, once you have control over your time, you will perform more effectively and have greater enjoyment in your life.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

How to Get Motivated By Serving Others.

2011-08-02T05:37:00.000-07:00

While it’s natural to set goals that will benefit you and your life, making it your mission to contribute something of value to the world is one of the best motivators of all time.

Self-sacrifice is not necessary in this scenario either. Find a way to serve others AND make your own life better at the same time. It’s very easy to do and when you find the right combination to achieve this, you will be awed and amazed at how quickly your dreams will be realized.

The magic in this is when you see the powerful way your contributions affect others around you, you’ll never have a shortage of motivation again – in fact, you’ll probably have to guard against burnout because you’ll become so addicted to the feeling of making a powerful difference in the world.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

How To Release Limiting Messages From Others.

2011-07-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

Whether you’ve laboured under limiting predictions from a short-sighted parent since childhood, your spouse who just expressed a doubt about your goals, your friends and other family, you may be letting the negative preconceptions of others invade your mind and deplete your motivation. I call these people “Dream Catchers” because they trying to deny you from achieving your dreams.

Release them by holding a private ceremony in which you symbolically let go of any internalized messages or programming you’ve received from others. You can do this in many ways, but probably the quickest and easiest way is to verbally state that you are releasing the hold these damaging messages have on you.

Try something like this:

· I hereby release any internal messages of limitation, lack or inability that may have been instilled in me by others.

· These are not my beliefs and therefore do not belong in my mind or body.

· I let them go and I forgive the bearers of such messages.

· I believe that they do not mean to cause harm to me; they simply cannot see the same vision I see for my own life, just as I am unable to see their vision.

· I reclaim my life purpose and I embrace the courage and desire to follow it with joy and gratitude.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS

How By Inviting Creative Inspiration Can Motivate You.

2011-07-20T03:19:00.000-07:00

Focusing too much on analytical problem solving or logical planning and preparation can often leave us feeling uninspired. Sometimes the solutions you seek have nothing to do with logical thinking at all.

Tap into your creative inspiration and see if it has something valuable to share. You can do this by engaging in creative pursuits like artwork, writing, musical instruments, or simple daydreaming. Most often, if you simply make time and room for your creative inspiration to show up, it doesn’t need any prodding to do so.

Here’s the important thing: when you do receive a creative insight, don’t analyze it to death! See if you can find a way to integrate it with your existing plans, or if you have to alter your existing plans without too much trouble, go ahead. You may be surprised by how effective this process is, and how quickly your motivation returns along with your creative insight.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

Improve Your Body Language, Improve Your Confidence!

2011-07-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

The way that you move your body and walk has an enormous effect on the way that you feel and your confidence levels.

Imagine there are two people standing in front of you – one with “negative body language” and one with “positive body language”.

Take a look at their positive and negative body language by asking these questions: How are they standing? Where are their eyes looking? Where have they got their head? How are they talking? How are they moving?

How you feel at any moment in time is linked to what is going on in your head and how you are moving your body.

The way that you move sends subconscious messages to your mind and this either helps or hinders the way that you feel.

Emotion is created by motion. If you sit still for a long period of time your natural energy levels automatically lower.

And what happens when you get up, walk around and return to your seat?

Yes, you have more energy and you’re given a boost.

I can’t stress how important it is to move and act confidently and positively.

You will give off all the right vibes to everyone around you and it will make them think that you are confident, even if you’re not feeling it inside.

Yes, that’s right. Even if you’re not feeling confident, act as though you are.

So, how do you do this?

Walk fast and with a purpose. Don’t saunter along, walk like you know exactly where you are going and when you get there you mean business!

Gesture with your hands as you talk, it will create motion and you know what that leads to – EMOTION!

All it takes is a smile! Think for a moment about your confidence role model. One thing that confident people in general have in common is that they all probably smile a lot and are happier than their negative counterparts.

Remember that confident people are happy people and negative people are not.

Happy people are also seen as more attractive than unhappy and sad people, so that is an added bonus!

The way that we communicate in our appearance, posture, gesture, gaze and expression can be such a powerful tool in the way that we feel and when communicating with others.

Effective communication is vital if you are going to succeed no matter what you are doing.

The way in which we communicate with people is broken down into component parts and it is believed that people to whom we are speaking understand what we say by interpreting these different elements in varying proportions:

VERBAL

· 7% of our message is interpreted from the words we use.

VOCAL

· 38% is picked up from our voice - speed, tone , pitch, rhythm etc

VISUAL

· 55% is what the other person sees - our body language

Please bear the above in mind when you are communicating to people.

There is plenty to be said on body language, but here are some quick fixes and recommendations that you should start to put into practice:

· Dress to win – Look at your appearance and ask yourself:

· Do I feel confident?

· Do I look confident?

· What could I do with my appearance to give me the edge?

· Handshakes – Never give a limp wrist handshake, make sure it is firm but not too hard.

· Smile a lot more than you have been doing – even if you are a comedian!

· Walk tall with your head and shoulders back. Walk at a brisk pace.

· When you talk to people look them straight in the eye.

· Keep on moving – Motion creates what?

· If you are ever feeling down, just have a look at your body language and change it immediately. Even if it has to be false – YOU WILL start to feel better and more confident immediately.

· First impressions count – so when you are going to meet people for the first time, think what first impression you want to give them. A smiling face? A good remark? Etc.

· Take more notice of others’ body language. You can normally tell what others are feeling by the way that they are moving and using their body too. You can use this to your advantage when you are more aware of it.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

How To Form and Keep a Positive Mental Attitude

2011-07-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

To obtain a Positive Mental Attitude, what you first need to do is think and act on the “CAN DO” approach of every activity instead of the “NO CAN’T DO” approach.

Positive people look for answers, while negative people look for questions. Negative persons are,in short, problem seekers. They believe that problems and obstacles cannot be surpassed. Whereas, positive people no matter what problem they are facing, look for solutions.

All it takes is a smile: It may seem rather silly, but there is a lot of power associated with a smile. A smile is always returned with a smile.

That doesn’t mean you have to walk around with a silly grin on your face all the time. Smile when you speak to someone, smile as you walk down the street, smile when looking at yourself in the mirror, smile even when speaking on the phone.

You will be amazed by the good feeling that it generates within you. You feel better and project a positive image to others, which attracts opportunities and more people towards you.

Happy people seem to be more attractive and pleasant to others compared to gloomy people. Isn’t this an added bonus for you?

Pat people on the back: There are many people we see in life who jump at the chance of criticizing a person when something goes wrong. Moreover, these people don’t even acknowledge you when you are right!

To create and reflect a Positive Mental Attitude, start complimenting people. If you already have this habit, increase the number of times you do it.

The general idea is that you feel good by making others feel good and it enhances your Positive Mental Attitude. What more, you also enhance the Positive Mental Attitude of the people you compliment!

Treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves: This involves treating everyone as though he/she is the most important person in the world -- because to him or her it stands true!

The Laws of Success state that whatever you hand out in life, you get back at least ten times as much of it.

Connect this rule to life. If you make other people feel worthwhile, useful and valuable, you too are bound to be treated in the same manner -- ten times as much.

Warning: When you compliment people and treat them with respect, be sure that you are doing so genuinely. You must mean what you say.

Believe, conceive and achieve: Start believing that success to you is inevitable.

Whatever task you are given, picture success in your mind. Burn the thought into your subconscious mind. Keep yourself focused on the outcome that you want to achieve in what you do. The mind can achieve anything that it believes and conceives.

You will be surprised to know that there is a giant asleep within yourself. You can direct him to do anything that you want.

You have no idea what you are capable of. Don’t underestimate yourself! Believe it, the power of your mind and imagination is truly exceptional.

You can think your way to almost anything in life - success, happiness, illness and even death.

Read this short story.

John was a middle-aged man who was working in a refrigeration unit in America.

One day he somehow got himself locked inside the unit accidentally. He banged on the door, he screamed for some time, but no one heard him. He gave up.

John sat down defeated and was sure that he was going to die soon. He became all numb and cold. He somehow scribbled a message for the people who would eventually find him.

“Getting colder now, starting to shiver, nothing to do but wait, slowly freezing to death, half asleep now these are my final words”.

At least five hours passed before someone opened the door and found the dead man’s body.

Now that’s a sad story. Here comes the twist. The unit was working fine all of the time!

It was just a fault and it had stopped working but the guy had simply thought that it was really cold and had willed himself to death.

That’s the power of the mind!

Use it for a fulfilled life!

As always,

MY GOAL…YOUR SUCCESS!

How Forgiving Yourself Can Motivate You to Achieve Your Goals

2011-06-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

Why do so many of us have the tendency to be really hard on ourselves, especially when we have a hard time achieving our goals?

Are you being too demanding with your expectations? If so, forgive yourself!

Remember that you’re only human and you are bound to be hard on yourself from time to time. At the same time, make a commitment to go a little easier on yourself. It’s okay to push yourself out of your comfort zones and strive for growth and progress, but there is no need to bully yourself into achieving the goals you’ve set. Do what you can, try to do better than you’ve done in the past, and let your progress happen more naturally. With a slightly more relaxed approach, you may find your motivation returning naturally also!

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

One Powerful Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skill

2011-06-20T05:19:00.000-07:00

Today I want to share with you one skill that I use to successfully solve problems and make decisions.

Problem-solving and decision-making are very important skills for both in business and in life. Problem-solving often involves decision-making and is especially important for management and leadership whether you are working for someone or for yourself.

Problem-solving and decision–making are closely linked and each requires creativity in identifying and developing options for which the “brainstorming technique” is particularly useful.

There are many different types of analysis models you can use. The one that I use to help me with this process is the SWOT analysis. It helps me assess the strength of my company, my life, my coaching clients and ways we can improve and reach our goals.

What is a SWOT analysis?

SWOT analysis looks at your strengths and weaknesses, and the opportunities and threats your business faces. You can use the same analysis for your life.

By focusing on the key factors affecting your business, now and in the future, a SWOT analysis provides a clear basis for examining your business performance and prospects.

In SWOT, strengths and weaknesses are internal factors.

For example:

Strengths could be:

Your specialist marketing expertise.
A new, innovative product or service.
A specific skill that you have to offer.
Any other aspect of your business or your personality that adds value to your life, product or service.

Weaknesses could be:

Lack of marketing expertise.
Undifferentiated products or services.
Lack of self belief.
Poor quality goods or services.
Damaged reputation.

In SWOT, opportunities and threats are external factors.

For example:

Opportunities could be:

A developing market such as the Internet.
Personal development.
Mergers, joint ventures or strategic alliances.
Moving into new market segments that offer improved profits.
A new international market.
A market vacated by an ineffective competitor.

Threats could be:

A new competitor in your home market.
Price wars with competitors.
A competitor has a new, innovative product or service.
Competitors have superior access to channels of distribution.

Six simple rules for a successful SWOT analysis.

Be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of your organization when conducting SWOT analysis.
SWOT analysis should distinguish between where your organization is today, and where it could be in the future.
SWOT should always be specific. Avoid grey areas.
Always apply SWOT in relation to your competition, i.e. better than or worse than your competition.
Keep your SWOT short and simple. Avoid complexity and over analysis.
SWOT is subjective.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

Refocusing After Setbacks

2011-06-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

How many times have you started a diet, a new way of thinking, or tried something new and then a setback occurs and you just go back to the way you were?

Don’t worry; you are not the only one! Setbacks and difficulties occur all of the time – they are a natural activity of life.

There are two ways of facing difficulties:

1. You change or alter the difficulty.

2. You alter yourself to be able to deal with it.

Deal with difficulties correctly and it will enhance your confidence. Deal with them incorrectly and they can do some serious damage to your self-worth.

Your response to issues and difficulties

When you are faced with any setback your ability to deal with it can be turned around into a position of strength by asking yourself positive empowering questions.

There is an unwritten rule that says:

Ask your mind a silly question and you will get a silly answer!

So, if after setback you ask yourself something like: “Why does this always happen to me, I never have any luck?”

Your mind will probably come out with: “Because you are useless and good things do not happen to you!”

Sound familiar?

Instead, if you ask yourself a positive empowering question like: “What did I learn from this setback for next time?”

Your mind will kick into solution mode and help.

Here are some rules and things to think about when setbacks do occur:

Acknowledge that it has happened. Don’t hide from it. These things happen. So what?

What positive empowering questions can you ask yourself?

What is good about this situation?

How can I make the most of this situation?

What can I learn from it?

What are the facts about this problem?

How can I make it a successful outcome?

Acknowledge that setbacks occur to everyone and you are not being singled out.

View them as a challenge to overcome rather than an issue or problem.

Think about the negative disempowering thoughts that you think on a regular basis after a setback.

What new empowering questions could you ask yourself to give some better answers?

Write these down now and make them a habit.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

How Running Teaches me to Get “In The Zone” – Here are 3 Tips.

2011-06-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

On my recent visit to South Africa I enjoyed the times when I went for my daily run along the beach. Whilst running, the thought came to mind that in order for me to be able to run faster and longer, I need to get “in the zone” where I am so focused on what I am doing that I feel invincible and almost run as if there is no end and nothing can stop me. This made me feel happy, full of energy, relaxed and in control. While having this feeling I was thinking about how we can get ourselves “in the zone” in everything we do -- if for a sporting event, speaking event, seminar, business, in life or just anything you need to accomplish.

Here are three short tips you can use:

1. Preparation: Just as with running, in everything you do you need a solid foundation. Preparation is that foundation stone. You need to set your goal and game plan for that special occasion or goal. Map out your plan and keep your eye on the end result, always making the necessary adjustments along the way.

2. Visualise success: You need to vividly imagine achieving your end result; your goal. With running you need to visualise crossing the line, hearing the applause, getting that medal. So it is in all the goals you set for yourself. Visualise the small steps you achieved along your journey of achieving that goal. Visualise the end result, the reward (whatever that might be), and how proud you and everyone associated with your goal are. The unconscious mind doesn’t differentiate between a real experience and a vividly imagined one, so rehearsing a positive outcome brings you closer to achieving it. Do this every day.

3. Give yourself a pep talk: Psychologists estimate that we conduct a steady stream of internal conversation with ourselves amounting to around 300 words a minute. We know that negative thoughts produce negative outcomes. However the opposite is just as true: positive thoughts and feelings lead to high self-belief and positive results. It’s often mental muscle that gives you the power to edge ahead of your competitors, whether in sport or in business.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

5 Simple Reasons for Breaking a Bad Habit and How to do it!

2011-06-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

Whatever the bad habit is you want to get rid of whether it’s a perpetual pile of clothes in the corner you’re waiting to someday turn into gold, procrastination, smoking, a self-proclaimed disability which renders you unable to refrain from interrupting, or, a knack for timing your exit just so, so that someone else is continually left to do the dishes, now’s the time to extinguish these habits before they turn into next year’s resolutions.

Why?

1. It’s not fair to others

One of the great universal laws ruling our wonderful planet says that you get back what you put out there.

Want others to be kind and considerate to you?

Then start putting the considerate, kind vibes out there and pick up your clothes, your dishes, and stop interrupting or whatever it is you or a collective “others” define as a bad habit.

2. It’s not fair to you

I’m sure you’re a nice person, and you pride yourself on having generous, warmhearted traits.

So, it’s not fair to you either that this simple, little, annoying thing you do can wield the power that it now, or will soon have.

These tiny culprits have been known to ruin marriages, friendships, and cause the downfall of many a mighty person.

Plus you’ll feel better about yourself.

3. Your success depends on it

Bad habits have a funny way of scope and context creep.

First they only happen in certain situations, and the next thing you know, you’re at a business function swirling your fingers through the chip dip.

Put an end to it now before situations that require your utmost polish become tarnished by these terribly annoying little critters.

4. You probably don’t like it when others do the same thing

Think about it. If someone did the same thing to you, would it bother you?

Be honest.

Sometimes all it takes is a simple exercise in empathy to find the motivation to quit whatever it is we could benefit from stopping.

5. List your own reasons

But be sincere.

What is it costing you to perpetuate these habits?

Whether it’s a moment of peace, seemingly perpetual nagging, or simple anxiety resulting from anticipation of the next blow-up or negative comment, you owe it to yourself to commit to your ongoing personal development, and to the elimination of any behavior whose costs far outweigh the benefits.

So how does one begin?

Just like breaking a smoking habit, bad habits have a way of creeping up on us and slowly over time becoming somewhat akin to an appendage—i.e. they’re hard to get rid of.

Here are some tips for breaking these bad habits:

Start small:

While it might not be reasonable to expect that you can just stop whatever you’re doing overnight, identify what might constitute as a small step in the right direction?

Write down what that step is and carry it out over the next 21 days.

For example, if you are smoking 40 a day, cut that down to 20 for the next 21 days.

Make that behavior a habit before you cut that down to 15 for the next 21 days and then 10 and so on.

Commit:

Promise yourself you’ll make this shift, and if reinforcement and punishment works—use it!

Figure out how you might reward yourself for making the change. Or, figure out how you might penalize yourself if you don’t.

Let’s take our smoking example. Put the money you would have spent on the cigarettes in a jar and at the end of the 21 days add it all up and buy yourself a treat for example.

From cutting down to 20 smokes a day from 40 smokes a day, over a 21-day period at $4 a packet that will save you $80 in just 3 weeks!

Also, write two lists, one, of the reasons why you are doing this and also a list of the things that you will miss out on if you keep on doing your bad habit.

Identify alternatives:

What are some alternatives to the behavior you are demonstrating?

Is there a quick fix or solution that might help provide an alternative—e.g. put a laundry basket by the bedside (one to match with the décor) so that you don’t end up with a pile on the floor.

Get help:

Ask someone to help keep you accountable.

If they’ve been victims of this bad habit, they’ll most likely be thrilled you asked!

Ask for feedback:

Because human nature dictates that we will only complain when you offend, rather than amend, ask for feedback frequently.

Don’t assume, no news is good news, but be sure to get praise when praise is due.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

COMMUNICATION: 6 Skills You Need To Build Amazing Rapport.

2011-05-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

This week I would like to share with you 6 very important communication skills you need to build rapport.

1. Match the persons sensory modality

People like to have relationship with those who think and behave like themselves, or even with those who have similar background. Matching and mirroring the way others think and talk is a good way to build rapport with them.

There is a slight difference between mirroring and matching. Mirroring is quite similar to looking into a mirror. The time difference between the actions of both parties is negligible. However, in matching you would have to wait for your turn to repeat the action of the other party.

Take note of the indicator words that the person is using and use words/phrases from the same modality. Also, look out for eye movements to spot thinking patterns.

2. Mirror the persons Physiology

Have you ever noticed that a group of teenagers who are friends bear similarities in their clothing, vocabulary and movements? People who are in rapport have a tendency to dress in a similar way or have matching body language.

Mirroring the physiology of someone you’re talking to can make him/her feel comfortable. Copying the person’s posture, facial expressions, hand gestures, movements and even their eye blinking, will cause their body to say unconsciously to their mind that this person is like me!

3. Matching their voice

You should match the tone, tempo, timbre and the volume of the person’s voice. If the person is slow and deliberate, he will feel comfortable if you are the same way. You should also try, when you speak, to use the keywords that they use a lot.

For examples: “Alright”, “Actually”, “You know what I mean”

4.   Matching their breathing

If there is a big difference in the breathing pattern of two people in conversation, both of them would feel uncomfortable. If you want to build rapport with someone, you need to match the rhythm of breathing of the other person by moving your foot or finger at the same pace.

5.   Matching how they deal with information

Different people deal with information differently. Some are detail oriented and some prefer it brief. You need to match the other person’s way of dealing with information.

If you get this wrong you will find it very difficult to build rapport as the detailed oriented person will be yearning for more information and the other type of person will soon be yawning!

6.   Matching common experiences

Suppose, you are a long way from home and met someone, who is a total stranger, and discovered he is from your own hometown. Before long, you will find yourself in a very lively conversation with the guy, looking for experiences in common.

Consider the opposite case. You are in a restaurant and everybody at your table has been served their food but you. How do you feel? Out of place?

This is all about finding some commonality. If both parties have matching experiences, interests, backgrounds, values and beliefs, they have greater chance to be in rapport.

One point to bear in mind is that you need to be subtle when you are matching and mirroring. Be careful not to exceed the limits. Typically, however, the other person will not notice it.

You can develop your ability to observe other people to such an extent that you will begin to see and even predict people’s reactions to communications. This is known as calibration and is a way of determining whether you are in rapport with someone.

Feel free to add your own experiences in below.

As always,

MY GOAL – YOUR SUCCESS!

8 Time-Saving Tips

2011-05-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

■ Give everything in your office/home a permanent place, according to where and when you use it.
■ Only check your e-mail/social media at two or three designated times of the day so you're not constantly interrupting your work.
■ Use one notebook to keep track of everything - to-do lists, notes, phone numbers, etc.
■ Set up your regular bills to be paid automatically through your bank.

■ Whether e-mail or snail mail, "touch" each piece of correspondence only once - either respond, file, forward or toss it immediately.
■ Start a master calendar at home or office to keep track of everyone's activities and appointments.
■ Prepare things the night before - whether it's your gym bag or your outfit for the next day - to make the morning easier.
■ Take 30 minutes at the end of your business day to plan your next day.

As always,

MY GOAL - YOUR SUCCESS!

9 Tips on the Do's and Don'ts of Business Etiquette

2011-04-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

If you think your business etiquette could use a refresher course, here you go.

■ At events, wear your name badge on your right shoulder - This enables others to see your name when they are shaking your hand and have a visual confirmation when you say your name.
■ Be the first to extend your hand for an introduction - This places you in control. Others will perceive you as confident; you will own the introduction and all that follows.
■ Never call a client or superior by a first name unless invited to do so- This is disrespectful and assumes familiarity when that may not be the intent.
■ Wear a watch- Using your cell phone as a timepiece is distracting and appears as though you are more interested in texts or phone messages than the people you are meeting. It makes others feel as though they are not important.
■ When using e-mail be a professional - Your e-mail is a reflection of who you are. Skip the decorations. Proof your e-mail for grammar and spelling. Do not use all caps, as it will appear as though you are yelling at someone.
■ Do not exchange business cards over a meal - The purpose of a dinner or lunch meeting is to get to know your client or associate better. Passing your business card over a meal changes the venue to a marketing opportunity. Business cards should be exchanged after the meal as a means of follow-up contact.
■ Make the subject line meaningful- Businesspeople need to be able to determine what your message is about when they scan their e-mail to quickly determine which ones need to be opened first. It shows respect for their time.
■ Silence the cell phones and BlackBerry’s in meetings - Tapping on your BlackBerry or texting during a meeting is disrespectful to the meeting leader and shows a lack of professionalism.
■ If you use iPods, remember to remove both ear buds when someone approaches you to speak to you- Leaving one bud in your ear implies that you have been disturbed and are more interested in returning to your music or book.

As always,

MY GOAL - YOUR SUCCESS!

7 Tips To Build More Confidences

2011-04-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

I have noticed over the years working with people the lack of self believe so many have. They second-guess themselves, they keep their head down when walking, they hesitate to speak in groups or meetings and it takes them a while to make a decision.

Perhaps your self-confidence needs a boost. Here are some short tips to build a more confident you!

• Always show a real appreciation for a gift or compliment. The ability to accept or receive is a universal mark of an individual with solid self-esteem.
• Dial down the nagging, critical voice. Imagine a volume control and lower the volume.
• Don't brag. People who brag about their own exploits or demand special attention are simply trying to build themselves up in the eyes of others.
• When doing something for the first time, imagine you have already done it. Your mind does not know the difference between vividly imagined and real.
• Greet others with a smile and look them directly in the eye. A smile and direct eye contact convey confidence born of self-respect.
• Find someone already confident in the area of expertise you need and watch how they do it.
• Act as if you already have the habit or behavior you desire. If you were confident, how would you be feeling? What would you be thinking? With practice, your behavior becomes habit.

As always,

MY GOAL - YOUR SUCCESS!