Reading Time: Two post-vacation minutes
Dear Reader,
I've returned to my desk after a few weeks of travel, sight-seeing, thinking, and eating (so much eating!). If you're a TL;DR kind of person, skip to the bottom.
The slower pace and opportunity to let ideas come (so many ideas!) reminded me of a much simpler time. Before I had the equivalent of a camera, phone, Encyclopedia Britannica, scanner, copier, radio, and calculator in my pocket at all times.
Back then (yes, I'm talking about in the 1970s and 1980s), I had a pen pal. Her name was Amanda Choate and she lived in Oklahoma, I lived in Ohio. We sent each other letters every week and receiving them was a major highlight. (We didn't stay in touch, so if anyone knows what became of Amanda, I'd sure love to know.)
Anyway, I've never lost my love of snail mail. Of receiving a note that was meant just for me, and I realized that is exactly how I want you to feel when you receive my newsletters. Like it's personal, sent with intention, and just for you. Well it is!
And while AI is "all the rage" and it's pretty cool to see what people are doing with it, I will continue to write every word of what I send you because my goal is to help you build your empire, around a book if that's your goal, one that you own and doesn't own you. And if you want an empire without a book, I'm here for that, too. My empire consisted of two businesses and six income streams before I wrote a single word of my first book.
So I'll still be in your inbox on the daily, and you'll notice a shift, which I'll talk about as we go. Mostly, I want you to know that when I'm writing, I'm writing to you, Reader, and I hope you'll get excited about my messages--so excited, you press reply and tell me what you're thinking. We can be pen pals!
Speaking of shifting ... every leap, big or small, in your business comes on the other side of making one. If your goal is to grow anything (book or course sales, email list, client roster, revenue), a shift is in order, so let's get you one:
SHIFT! What got you here won't get you there, which means you'll need to stay grounded in your vision of success regardless of what's happening around you. On the other side of a tough conversation, "bad" day, or rough situation, you'll need to shift into the unstoppable version of yourself, the one that is full of "I've got this, rock-solid confidence!" Here are a few things that work for me:
Keep a success list. I keep a list of my accomplishments, challenges I've conquered (or survived), and times when I did things right. If you don't already have one, get a notebook, journal, or heck, a giant Post-It note to stick on your wall and make a list of every win and success you've ever had. Give yourself props! You can start with "learned how to walk!" if you're having a hard time thinking of anything. (You can read, open email, carry on a conversation in at least one language ... now you!). Refer to the list whenever the voice in your head isn't being nice (you can turn it down, btw) and keep adding to it. You'll also want to refer to it when you're contemplating taking on a new client or opportunity out of scarcity (which as I'm sure you know, isn't the best idea) so you can shift into abundance energy instead and make the best decision.
Ask the 10X question. There's a saying in business, "The best time to close a deal is when you've just closed a deal." But in order to close the second deal, don't you have to close the first deal? Well, yes, but only in your mind! When I want to close any deal, I put myself in "just closed a deal" energy (and I also do this when I feel the urge to undervalue myself). I ask the 10X question, "If I knew I'd have 10 more ideal client conversations in the next month, would I take on this one?" If the answer is no, I say "no thanks!" It's a simple way to maximize your results and eliminate the risk I make take on something (or someone) I'll regret later. Remember: scared money don't make money!
Pause & Fill up. If I'm not a "Heck yes!" I'm probably a "Heck no!" But sometimes I need to take a beat and think to gain clarity. I've learned to make sure I've slept, eaten, exercised, and meditated and I'm hydrated before going out into the world, otherwise not-so-great to bad things can happen. I've got a default response to things ready when I need it, "This sounds great. Let me think about it, and I'll get back to you in the next 48 hours." Ensuring I'm in an ideal state and have had time to talk and think things through has been invaluable.
Just doing these three things consistently has meant I stay my best self (and shift as needed) for year-over-year personal and professional growth.
I talk about not making it so hard in my book, Stop Trying So F*cking Hard. Have you read it? If not, it's right here. As an aside, although this is getting super long, I was relieved to realize life and business don't have to be hard, especially when I don't make it harder than it has to be...
What shift do you need to make right now? Was this message helpful? Do you have questions? Either way, press reply and tell me what's up with you. I'd love to hear back. Thanks for reading!
Okay, I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow.
