Create Your Ultimate Life

Over the last several months I have been on an amazing personal journey.  I am excited to share with you some of what I’m learning. 

At a recent Ultimate Life Workshop I attended, conducted by Jack Canfield and Jim Bunch, we did some work to clarify our mission, vision and values.  Then we were asked to identify how we will manifest that by identifying three skill areas that we intend to focus on and master in 2008. Here’s what I listed:

Skills to Master in 2008:

• Create / write
• Coach / mentor
• Train / speak / sing

In order to stay completely focused on these three skill areas this year, we were then asked to identify the things we are no longer allowed to do .  Here’s the list I came up with:

  Professional:

• Formatting / designing / editing
• Development of website copy and layout
• Writing copy for my autoresponders
• Managing online shopping cart
• Fulfillment of orders placed on my website
• Research 
• Handling much of the email I receive
• Some training and follow-up
• Creating Powerpoint presentations, handouts, workbooks for my teleclasses

  Personal:

• Housecleaning & yard work 
• Cooking & grocery shopping (except for pleasure) 
• Spending time in unhealthy relationships or with negative people 
• Worrying (visualizing a negative future) 
• Hesitating / delaying / procrastinating  
• Watching TV (I actually gave this up a couple years ago – keeping it on the list!)
• Gossiping (talking about other people’s business when they are not present)

Wow!  When I took a close look at how much of my time was spent doing activities I did not enjoy or was not good at, as well as engaging in activities that did not serve me well, it was a real eye-opener.  Some of the things listed above are activities I have been delegating or have not engaged in for years, and I have just recently delegated or said no to the rest. 

Not sure how to find people to delegate to?  I have found a wonderful online resource at www.AssistU.com.  You can post what you need there, and trained and qualified virtual assistants will contact you with their resumes so you can interview whomever you choose.  I've found some real quality people this way.  I currently utilize five virtual assistants.  Each one has specific skillsets and experiences that I need.

Value Your Time

Below are seven powerful tips to help you better value and leverage your time.  These ideas are ideally suited to business owners, although managers and executives can also apply these techniques.

1. Calculate the value of your time

Here’s an exercise to help you with this:

• Identify what your income goal is for this year:  Example:  $250,000
• Number of hours you plan to work this year:  40 hrs/wk x 52 weeks per month = 2080 hours/yr.  
• $250,000 / 2080  =  $120 (your hourly value for your time)

How many of your activities could you delegate (pay someone else to do) for a fraction of the value of your time, in order to free you up to do the activities that will generate the income you desire? Most people are not doing more because they don't have the time.  Since you cannot manufacture time, you will have to buy it -- or buy someone else's time -- if you want to do more. 

If you don’t have the money to pay someone, consider bartering.  You can do something that you enjoy and find easy, in return for someone else doing something you don’t enjoy and/or find difficult to do.

I recently heard Mark Victor Hansen say that "money is the medium of exchange that enables you to extend the service you render far beyond your own presence."  If you want to make a bigger splash in this world, create a greater ripple effect, and increase your ability to earn more money, you must leverage your time through delegation.  For more information about this, read my December 2007 article, The Power of Leverage.

2. Clarify what’s most important, what you like to do, and what you’re best at doing.

Begin by filling in the top two quadrants in Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix.  Then take your important activities from that (these will be from Quadrants I and II in that model) and enter those into the appropriate quadrants below.

	LIKE TO DO	DISLIKE DOING
EASY TO DO
HARD TO DO

You are most likely to generate your value ($120 per hour in the example given) when you are focused on important activities that you like to do and that you can do with ease.  If you dislike doing it and/or find it hard, you’ll probably procrastinate or not do it.  If these activities are critical to your success, perhaps it’s time to delegate them to someone else who loves to do them and can do the activities without struggle.

For example, I don’t like to do bookkeeping, and it needs to be done.  I have delegated it to someone else who loves to do that and finds it easy.  This enables me to spend more time doing what I'm best at and what I love.  By leveraging my time, I'm able to generate more income than it costs me to pay someone else to do this for me.

I was recently introduced to a great model, shared by Greg Reid and Scott Evans, co-producers of the movie Pass It On.

When you take what you’re passionate about and combine it with what you’re really good at (talent), and then you take action with the right associations (the best people to partner and network with), that’s a recipe for success.   Getting clear about what you’ll do and what you’ll delegate is part of the success equation.

At the end of this article I will share a list of recommended productivity tools and books that will help you leverage your time. 

3. Craft your business plan from a firm foundation.

Begin with the end in mind.  What is your clear vision that you can share with everyone you delegate to, so your whole team shares the same vision?  Once you’re clear about your vision, identify your objectives, strategies, and action step.

Vision Exercise: 

Write your success story for the Wall Street Journal as if it was

ten years from now and you have already achieved what you want.

 

4. Commit to doing it NOW!

Some people have bought into the belief that earning more money is something that will take years to do.  If that’s what you believe, then you’re right!

Decide now to increase your income in the next 90 days!  Most people believe that they must first figure out HOW before they can commit to doing something.   You don’t have to figure it all out before getting started.  The first step is to decide that you’re going to do it.  The HOW will become known to you once you’ve committed to doing it and have put a timeframe around it.  I've never found "someday" on a calendar!  If you commit to making more money “someday,” it won’t happen.

When NASA first decided to put a man on the moon, they didn't know how.  They figured that out after they made the commitment to do it!  Most people are paralyzed because they don’t know HOW to do what they want to do. Think about the things on your to-do list that have been there for a while.  My guess is that these are things that you either don’t enjoy doing or you don’t know how to do them. 

Let’s say that I decide to build a house.  I have no experience doing this, and I don’t have a clue about HOW to do this.  First I must decide to do it, and then take a first action step.

Take a moment right now to identify something that is important to you that you have not taken action on because you don’t know how.  Got it?

Now let’s identify one next action you can take from the options listed below:

• I will speak with ______ (someone you know with expertise about this) to glean information or ideas about how to move forward.
• I will do a Google search online for _______ and do research on some of the sites that come up.
• I will go to the library or bookstore and find a book about this.
• I will look at my local __________ (Parks & Recreation course offerings, adult continuing education courses offered at the local college, etc. – you fill in the blank) and find a course I can take to learn more about how to do this.
• I will look online for a teleclass or webinar about how to do this.
• I will delegate all or part of this to someone else who already knows how to do this well.  I will ask _________ for a referral.
• Other ideas:  _____________________________________________  (If you were advising your best friend how to get unstuck and moving forward on this, what ideas would you suggest?)

5. Define the “oxygen” for your business.

Our bodies can do without food for 30 days or so, without water for a week or so, and without oxygen for 2-3 minutes.     

Several people have recently shared with me that their financial picture looks rather grim.  One business owner has been considering closing a business that he has poured his heart and soul into.  It’s heartbreaking to hear someone have to make these kinds of decisions when they cannot pay their overhead.  When you are in this kind of situation, it’s important to be clear about what the “oxygen” is for your business.  What’s closest to the cash?  What is the point of sale or transaction?  Once you are clear about that, then you can figure out what needs to be done to turn things around as quickly as possible.

Take a look at what you're involved in right now. Is it preventing you from pursuing greater activities that could provide the needed oxygen for your business? Are you turning down great opportunities because you're too busy doing "business as usual?"  In The Success Principles we're reminded to say no to the "good" so we can say yes to the "great." 

I’m always amazed at how quickly something can happen when we near a deadline. If it weren't for the 11th hour, many things would never get done!  Why build in a deadline of a year from now or five years from now to increase your income when you can create a business plan that will generate income within the next 90 days! 

I’m reading a book right now called Instant Income: Strategies that Bring in the Cash for Small Businesses, Innovative Employees, and Occasional Entrepreneurs, by Janet Switzer (co-author of The Success Principles with Jack Canfield).  Janet has some incredible, yet simple ideas.  Jack credits her with much of his own business growth.  One of her ideas generated $106,000 for Jack in just six weeks!  She is the founder of the Instant Income Business Enhancement System for small businesses who need to create cash now.  Janet also has some free tools on her website.

6. Conduct a Trust Survey

I recently heard an interview with Stephen M.R. Covey, author of The Speed of Trust.  In his book, Covey shares thirteen behaviors that help build up four cores of credibility: integrity, intent, capabilities, and results. 

High trust organizations outperform low trust organizations by three times in total return to shareholders.  Trust is not just a good idea, but an essential cornerstone for any successful business.  Conduct a trust survey to identify where trust is high and where it can be improved.

Trust must begin with you. Do you keep your word to yourself?  I participate weekly in something called The Ultimate Game, a program started by Success Coach Jim Bunch.  Here’s how the game is played.  I have identified goals for myself in three core areas:  happiness, health, and wealth.  Each week I log into an online goal tracker and identify one activity for each of these three areas for each weekday.  Before I go to bed, I log in again and check off what I did.  If I did not keep my word to myself in any of these three areas, I have an opportunity to do a 3 AM Walk with God to examine why I did not keep my promises to myself.  If I cannot trust myself, it's difficult to trust others. 

Accountability partners can help keep you "honest" with your commitments.  Identify someone who is non-judgmental whom you can check in with on a regular basis. My Ultimate Game partners can see my online goal tracker and can see if I am doing what I commit to daily.  I also have an accountability partner whom I speak with at 7:45 each morning, Monday-Friday.  In this 5-8 minute call, we both share our intentions for the day, and whether or not we did what we said we would do yesterday. 

You must have a bias to trust others.  Of course, you need to do your due diligence rather than blindly trusting everyone.  Here are some good analytical questions to ask in order to assess the trust level:

• Is this a person of integrity?  Do they keep their word? 
• What is their intent?  Are their motives pure and transparent? 
• Do their capabilities (character and competence) gain your trust? 
• Do they consistently deliver the results they promise?

You can measure other people's perceptions of you and find out what behaviors are causing others to perceive you as they do.  Once you have collected this information, you can change behaviors to raise trust.  Covey offers some tools on his website that help with both self-assessment and with asking others to share their perceptions of you.  I also highly recommend that you read The Speed of Trust.

7. Acquire the tools, knowledge and support you need!

Make a list of the tools that will help you move forward with your goals:

• Do you need to purchase a product or service that will help you work more productively?
• Do you need to identify others to assist you (non-judgmental accountability partner, mastermind group, someone to delegate to, etc.)?
• Do you need to expand your knowledge by attending a course or workshop, doing research on the Web, or reading a book?

Below you'll find information about some of my favorite productivity tools, resources and books I recommend. 

Here are three action steps I encourage you to take NOW:

1. Register NOW for my free webinars (see below).
2. Check out the suggested productivity tools and resources section below (some include free trial downloads). 
3. Order the books you plan to read and carve out time to read them!

I'd love to hear what happens as you put these seven tips to use!  Please write me at kathy@orgcoach.net with your stories.

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Productivity Tools & Resources

Having the right tools is half the battle!  The other half is forming new habits to use the new tools!  Here are five productivity tools I use daily.  For more information, click on the hyperlinked titles:

The Paper Tiger

Find anything you file or store in 5 seconds or less, guaranteed!  I have used this software program for more than a decade to file and retrieve papers in my office.  I have also used it for a lot more than just paper.  Anything you can put a number on, you can find in 5 seconds or less. 

Curious how it works?  Here are three ways to learn more:

• Visit my informational web page to read more about it.
• Attend my free monthly webinar called Find Anything in Five Seconds or Less and you will receive a link to download it for a free 30-day trial. During the webinar, you will have an opportunity to connect with me by phone and also view what’s on my screen when you attend the live webinar meeting by logging into a special website.
• If you cannot attend my live webinar or don’t want to wait, you can listen to a recorded teleclass while you play with a free 30-day trial copy of the software.

If you already own this remarkable software and need assistance getting started, I suggest that you get a copy of my instructional recorded teleclass and 18-page instructional guide.  I walk you through how to get started and how to use all of the features built into the software, and you have the instructional guide available to refer back to.

If you do not yet own the software, the cost is the same whether you get it from my online store or from the manufacturer, although they charge shipping and I include it for free.  I also include my instructional teleclass and extensive training guide as a special bonus.  This is not available through the makers of The Paper Tiger.  Here are some unsolicited emails I’ve received about my training:

"Wow!  Thanks for providing me with such an excellent training session.  Your presentation on how to use the Paper Tiger was truly inspiring.  It was not until I listened to your CD that I really started getting value from using the software, which I've owned for more than a year now.  You've helped me to unleash the full power of the The Tiger.  I've finally figured out how to make it work for ME, and I'm eternally grateful for your assistance." --B.V., Entertainment Executive, Los Angeles, CA

"After having purchased the Paper Tiger elsewhere six months ago, I just bought your 18-page instructional guide. I wish I'd had this valuable guide before, as it would have helped me set up a more effective filing system.  Thanks to the expert advice you provided in this guide, I'm going back and reworking the way I set things up."  --S.B., Real Estate Broker, Orlando, FL

I get emails all the time from happy Paper Tiger users.  I’ll never forget this one, though (shared with permission):

Kathy, I've used  Paper Tiger over the years and am evangelistic about its value. In May of 1995 I was in a serious accident when a drunk driver hit me while I was riding my bicycle.  My skull was fractured and I suffered brain injuries in the area of the brain that affects executive functioning.   As a result I experienced panic reactions when interrupted, when there was clutter, or when my ability to focus was broken.  During the next 6.5 years, my very survival depended on having a high degree of order around me.  I'm telling you this because I am living proof that the organizing and time management principles you provide really work. Thanks!  --Floyd Green, Cornerstone Wealth Management, Raleigh, NC

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Tickler File System

Do you have a system to manage the things that come into your life?

• What do you do with something that requires action but that you don’t need to act on right now? 
• Where do you put tickets to a game, concert, or civic event so you’ll be able to quickly find them when the date rolls around? 
• Where do you put your e-ticket, hotel and car reservation confirmation, and other travel documents so you can find them when you’re travel date arrives?
• Where do you put notes or support documents you want to take to an important meeting?
• Where do you put the claim stub for your dry cleaning or something being repaired?
• How do you remember important follow up at the right time?

If you don’t have a good system to manage all of these things, I suggest you participate in my free monthly webinar,  Buried in Paper.  If you want to own a copy of the recording and extensive study guide, that is available, too. 

I’ve been offering the hard-to-find accordion tickler file (43 tabs for 1-31 and January-December) on my website for years because they are difficult to find in the office supply stores.  Last week I received this unsolicited email from a class participant (shared with permission):

Hi Kathy, I just wanted to share that I received the tickler file and spent yesterday filling it.  Last night I took things out of my dated accordion tickler file that I had filed away to take action on today, and I put them in the order I intended to tackle them.  When I came into my office this morning, the ONLY thing on my desk was my TODAY folder.  Throughout the day I pulled things out one at a time and took the appropriate action.  I am at the end of my day, and I've gone through what was still remaining in my TODAY folder and have reassigned those things that were not urgent or important to a different day in my tickler file. 

My desk is clear for the first time in MONTHS, and I had the most productive few hours of work that I have had in a LONG while.  How wonderfully freeing!  Thank you for this great system and for your helpful Buried in Paper teleclass that taught me how to use it.  --Laura Aridgides, Independent Sales Director for The Pampered Chef ®

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RoboForm

RoboForm saves me so much time.  I have used this productivity tool for years.  It is the top-rated Password Manager and Web Form Filler that completely automates password entering and form filling. RoboForm was named PC Magazine Editor's Choice, and CNET Download.com's Software of the Year.

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SendOutCards

It is so important to stay in touch with your clients, prospects and referral partners. Most people don't because it is inconvenient and expensive. SendOutCards changed that for me. It has effortlessly increased my referrals and client retention by building long-term relationships.  

If people don’t REMEMBER you, it doesn’t matter how much they know, like and trust you. Staying in touch is core to sustaining and building your business.  So why don’t more people stay in touch?  Three primary reasons:

1. It’s time-consuming.
2. It can be expensive.
3. We forget!

Now you can send REAL greeting card (not an e-card) in your own handwriting and signature in less than 60 seconds without ever leaving your office.  You select or create your card from the comfort of your desk, type your message, add a gift or gift card if you like, and click SEND.  SendOutCards does the rest. They print, stuff, lick, address, stamp (with a real stamp) and take it to the post office for you on whatever date you want the card to go out.

You can set up a series of cards or postcards to automatically be sent out as many times during the year as you would like to stay in touch.  Click send once and you’re done for the year! There are more than 12,000 cards to choose from or you can upload your own pictures or graphics, all for less than a dollar. You can send a card to one customer or to 500 with a single mouse click.

Click on the Try it for FREE button at http://www.bethoughtfulnow.com/ to request a free gift account.  No obligation … just an opportunity to send a couple cards to someone you care about, and I’ll even pay for the cards and the postage!

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My Mind Makeover

Harness the power of affirmations! Your best productivity tool is what's between your ears!  What you think about affects how you feel, and how you feel affects the choices you make and the actions you'll take. Discover how you can create the life you desire with the help of personalized affirmations recorded in your own voice.  I am using this program and I love it! 

Words produce Thoughts.
   Thoughts produce Feelings.
     Feelings produce Decisions.
       Decisions produce Actions.
         Actions produce Habits.
           Habits produce Character.
             Character produces your Destiny.

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Alex Mandossian- Teleseminar Secrets 

If you can have a conversation on a telephone, then you're 70 minutes away from becoming a Internet Radio Show Interviewer. Teleseminar marketing will get you there fast, easy and with practically zero cash outlay. I took Alex's 8-session course that just ended last month (he only teaches that once a year), and I learned so much from this teleseminar maven.  He is THE go-to person for learning how to create your own knowledge products.  If you want to earn passive income, I highly recommend that you register for this call.

It took Napoleon Hill more than 23 years to write his time-honored masterpiece, Think And Grow Rich.  But by utilizing teleseminar marketing, you can interview top business leaders and publish your own "How To" book in less than 27 days.  Find out how during Alex's "Tested Tactics To Sell From Your Seat" teleseminar.  We've made a special arrangement to SAVE you $70 off the normal $99 tuition with your VIP Discount Code, so the cost of this information-rich webinar is only $20 for you.

* * * Your VIP Discount Code is: AM3964 * * *

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Recommended Reading

Instant Income: Strategies that Bring in the Cash for Small Businesses, Innovative Employees, and Occasional Entrepreneurs :  This incredible book will teach you how to attract income into your business right away.  Janet is one of North America’s top mentors to consultants, coaches, experts and entrepreneurs.  Over the past 14 years she has helped experts attain worldwide status and million-dollar incomes by building information empires around their industry.  She is the marketing genius of choice behind many of the world’s leading success icons and industry gurus.

The Four Hour Workweek:  If you want to learn more about the power of leveraging your time through delegation, read Tim Ferriss’ book.  He went from working long, burnout hours to living the life of his dreams by thinking outside the box.  He has very specific ideas that are amazing.

The Success Principles :  This has been on the bestseller list, and for good reason.  It’s a hefty book (about 450 pages) that is broken into many bite-sized pieces – seven sections and 64 principles – so you can focus on the sections or the principles that are most meaningful to your life right now.

Key to Living the Law of Attraction:  Jack Canfield just published this wonderful little book in January.  Unlike The Success Principles, this is a book that you can easily read in one sitting.  It contains worksheets and exercises that are exceptional tools to help you gain clarity on your goals and focus on what is most important in your life.

Happy for No Reason:  I recently heard Marci interviewed.  I was so inspired by the call that I ran out the next day and got her book, which just came out in January of this year.  She shares seven steps for being happy from the inside out.

The Art of Possibility:  This is still one of my favorite books. You can read my article I wrote about this book in my June 2005 ezine.

The Speed of Trust: This book gets to the core roots of ethical behavior and integrity and how trusted leaders and organizations do things better, faster, and at a lower cost.