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Tag: Entrepreneurship

3 Ways To Stop Running Out Of Time

Do you ever feel like there’s not enough time?

I’m sure we’ve all felt like this on a weekly, if not daily, basis.  The familiar feeling of running out of time to complete all you had in mind for that day, along with a never-ending to-do list. We need to start realizing there will always be something that needs to get done, there will always be one more unchecked box.  We don’t have control over time but can control how we approach it.  The difference lies in our attitude towards this race against time. We need to start creating the space and the time for what and who is actually important to us.  In order to stop running out of time, we must learn to master it.

Below I’m sharing my 3 tricks for igniting this change:

  1. Change your relationship with time.  You can start doing this by immediately stopping the negative talk. Anything along the lines of “I don’t have enough time,” “I’m screwed,” “I’m swamped,” is no longer part of your vocabulary.  Stop programming the idea that there isn’t enough time in a day – this will only hinder you by increasing stress and overwhelm.
  2. Be intentional with your time.  Recognize which of the experiences throughout your day are truly important, the ones that give you the feeling of purpose and happiness.  Learn to fully enjoy the 5 minutes you have with your kid before she goes to school.  Slow down just enough to really be present in the moments that matter.
  3. Cut yourself some slack. We can’t do it all, it’s as simple as that.  Taking care of yourself and prioritizing your health and happiness is more important than the items on your to-do list.  You will receive no benefits from running yourself into the ground.  Give yourself a break, go with the flow and stop pushing yourself.

Check out the resources below if you’re wanting to hear more on this topic! What is your experience with time? Let me know in the comments!

Resources:

 

The Ultimate Guide to Money

I recently did a podcast series all about money. Today I’d like to break it all down with the goal to provide clarity on your relationship with money and move you in a more positive, understanding direction when it comes to your finances.

What Is Your Money Story?

We all have one. Your money story is about your beliefs, feelings, view and relationship surrounding money.  The best place to begin when identifying your money story is to take a look at your upbringing. Typically, our parents relationship with money often shapes our initial views and beliefs.  Think about it, what did you hear growing up – ‘money doesn’t grow on trees,’ ‘money isn’t everything,’ ‘ you must spend money to make money,’ the list goes on.  Was there debt or was money never a problem? Think about how you were raised around this topic and which beliefs you have carried with you into adulthood.  One part of my money story is a belief I inherited from my dad which resulted in less than ideal spending habits.  Once I went off to college I quickly went into debt, now this was simply my own spending as my parents paid for my tuition. I spent money as if I were making money, with the mentality that I’d make up for it later. The result was about $120,000 of debt once I graduated – not so great.  This belief was what I was brought up with and is quite different from the way I live my life now. I was able to check my attitude and money mindset, make some changes and evolve my money story.  I now have check-in’s on a monthly basis regarding how I currently feel about my money situation, asking myself – what is my money story today?  Now ask yourself, what parts of my money story would I  like to change?

How Do You Want To View Money?

My view on money in the past versus the present could not be more different. In the past, I would make it and then promptly spend it. One turning point in my money story was when I transitioned from working a 9-5 into becoming an entrepreneur. I am now more about investing, looking for things that add value and simplifying. Which is a stark contrast to my previous views on money where I had an issue with constantly consuming, accumulating unnecessary items and overspending.  I was able to change my view on money and shift my mindset into an attitude of allowing money to work for me.  Part of this is also gaining clarity on how we view debt.  We will all experience debt at some point in our lives whether it’s student loans, a mortgage or something as small as a cell phone. It’s important when diving into your money story, to acknowledge any fear or anxiety surrounding money – and this typically comes up when we think of debt.  Reflect on your past and present views of money, what shifts would you like to make?

How Do You Handle Your Money?

A vital part of being on top of your finances is keeping track.  No matter if you work a 9-5 with one income stream or run your own business with multiple, it’s important to be aware!  Once you start tracking the ins and outs of your income including expenses, debt, taxes and more, you will gain clarity surrounding your flow of money.  This will also help you to stay accountable, hold yourself responsible and ensure you’re clear on your full financial picture.  Do you currently keep track of your finances?  What can you improve on?

What Is Your Money Mindset?

The last step is to think about your goals and what you have in mind for your future.  What is your current reality and what do you have to do to reach your goal. Or better yet – who do you have to become to reach that goal?  You may require a shift in mindset, a change in habit or a re-wiring of your money beliefs. A perfect resource for uncovering this is Kate’s book, Money: A Love Story and her accompanying course, the Money Love Course.  Creating more abundance is possible and those seemingly unreachable goals are achievable – it usually only requires a simple adjustment.

Once you’ve fully reflected on the questions above, you need to create a game plan for moving forward.  This could be setting up the business you have right now to be completely sustainable or starting a side business you love.  Ready to take real action?  Check out the resources below and make the change now!

Resources:

TheFreedomFamily.net
MoneyLoveCourse.com
SustainableSuccessWorkshop.com
Kate’s book, Money: A Love Story
Project Life’s Money Series: Episodes 061 – 066
Smart Passive Income
Entrepreneur on Fire

Simple Strategies To Boost Motivation

How do you stay motivated when you’re not feeling it?

We all have off days where we just don’t have the motivation to get stuff done. Sometimes this is okay and we can take the day, other times (especially as an entrepreneur) we need to find a way out of this rut and back to work.

My strategies to refocus and boost my motivation consist of stepping away from work, stop trying to force it and taking a break.  My methods for these breaks are activities that change my mental state, get me pumped up and make me feel inspired. A few of my go-to’s are:

  • Getting outside
  • Working out
  • Changing locations
  • Watching motivational content from people such as GaryVee

All of these help to eliminate distraction, refresh my mind and refocus my energy. When I’m lacking motivation it’s important for me to weed out the unnecessary thoughts, step away from distractions such as social media and simplify the direction I want my renewed ambition to go.  

When I do go back to work I choose the top three objectives I need to get done and put all my focus on completing those. One resource that helped me to hone in on how to guide my focus is Deep Work by Cal Newport.  Check out Project Life’s Episode 060 all about the process of Deep Work and how it goes beyond the idea of focus into simplifying other aspects of your life.

In order to continuously function happily in our business and life, we need to constantly regenerate that motivation and excitement.  Realize the importance of recharging and prioritize your self care in order to take these necessary breaks.  Let’s be honest, when you force your work, you often don’t produce the best results because it’s not exactly coming naturally.

So next time you’re feeling stuck, try the following strategies:
  • Stop forcing yourself to work when you’re simply not feeling it
  • Cut yourself enough slack to take a break and walk away
  • Choose an activity or action that makes you feel pumped up, inspired and helps restore your internal balance
  • When you return to work, choose your top three tasks to place your focus

The activities or actions you choose will be different for everyone, what are some of yours?

Finding Success through Network Marketing

This past month, Kate and I were recognized for hitting one million dollars in commission with our network marketing company, Usana Health Sciences.

Today, I’d like to share my insights, experience and advice surrounding the network marketing industry.  A formal definition of network marketing, also known as MLM (multilevel marketing) is essentially a direct selling method where independent distributors sell goods or services for a commission.  Distributors are also encouraged to recruit and train others, with a goal to build and manage a team.  To me, it is a business model that exists because it brings a higher quality of product as well as allowing for delivery of product to be much quicker.  Network marketing eliminates the middleman and in turn, myself and our team become the marketing arm of the company Usana.

One of the more unique parts of this business model, is you have a choice in the company you promote and sell for.  When you’re actually excited about and fully believe in the product or service you are selling, it’s a game changer. I’ve known people who dislike the company they work for, don’t enjoy the product they promote and simply see it as a job.  This can make for a mediocre career and overall experience, which is why network marketing is different in it gives you a chance to choose a company that feels right for you.    

[If you’d like to hear more about my experience, listen to Project Life’s Network Marketing Series, Episodes 030 – 033]

Often when people think of this type of business, an aggressive salesman, persistent promoting and pushing sales with complete disregard for customers can come to mind.  This type of mentality is not how we have built our business, and not an approach we have ever taken.  I’d like to share Kate and I’s personal view when it comes to our Usana business, and what we like to call Conscious Network Marketing.  Meaning we present material to someone when they actually want to hear about it and when it’s relevant.  If they are not interested, we stop talking about it and simply let it go. We listen to the customer – what they want, how they feel and if this feels right for them.  We are professional when it comes to a potential customer and make a point to be transparent about what we do.  When it comes to our team, we lead with a purpose to nurture, help them grow and hopefully produce a transformational change.  There is no bait and switch situation, there is no taking advantage of people – the goal is to just make a positive impact.

When it comes to my personal success with the network marketing space, the benefits I’ve received and what this industry has allowed me to accomplish in my first 7 years of business is invaluable.  It has acted as our starter business, our most consistent source of income and has put me on a much higher platform as a result.  I say it’s a great business to start with because what I learnt and experienced in my first 3 – 5 years was phenomenal from a skill building standpoint. The confidence I now have within myself and the strengths I bring to the table not only have a powerful impact on my business, but on me as a human.  

I have seen our team members start with Usana and then go off to do great things, others have stuck with Usana and now have a reliable business they enjoy.  It’s all about being part of something greater than ourselves and I believe it is a perfect place to begin a transformation.

Interested in this topic? Check out TheFreedomFamily.net!

One Million Dollars in the Bank

One of my goals was to have 1 million dollars in the bank by the time I was 30.

At 34, I can now say…that didn’t exactly happen.

I’ve created goals in my life, in my business and now I’m beginning to realize and re-evaluate the purpose and real meaning behind these goals.

My real journey with what I’m doing now, didn’t even start until I was 28. Leading up to that point I was working my tail off for somebody else and wasn’t exactly enjoying what I was doing.  At that point it was more about survival than anything else.  But when I started my business, my game plan had just been put in place and I was just beginning to enjoy the direction my life was taking.  

Then when I turned 30 and came face to face with the fact that I didn’t hit that goal – I really beat myself up about it.  Even though this was simply an arbitrary goal I had set, I was incredibly hard on myself for not achieving it.  The reality was since I started working on my own business at 28, that only gave me a two year window to reach this goal and that simply wasn’t going to happen.

[Want to hear more? > Listen to Project Life Episode 016: One Million Dollars in the Bank]

Then I came to the realization – why does it even matter that I didn’t hit that one million dollar goal? So I didn’t have one million dollars by the time I was 30, so what?  Why does it even matter, what difference does it really make? My problem was I treating it as a sprint, when it’s actually a marathon.  The business I run now is a marathon, to the full extent of the word. I have been running our business for 7 years now and we make a profit every year. With the goal being to continue to scale the business, reach more people and generally, grow. Now I know the income will grow and the bank account will grow but the question is – what if I never hit one million dollars in the bank? What then?

Gaining this new and different perspective about the reality of life and business, has created a beneficial mindset shift.  I get to see my daughter and wife every day, choose my own hours, and live life on my own terms. Of course I have other goals that require extra capital but it’s honestly not the end of the world if those never happen either.

Have you had a dream that you’ve beat yourself up about not achieving? Let me know in the comments!

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