2014 | | Canadian Small Business Women

Dec 27 2014

Before you make your resolutions and set your goals, DO THIS first!

So, 2014 is about to come to a close, and I’m sure many of you have been thinking about resolutions you want to set in the New Year. I’m one for planning and setting goals, but late last year, I discovered something that I thought was just genius and I wanted to share it with you today. It may be the ticket that actually guarantees that you strive for the right goals; ones that you will actually enjoy pursuing.

So, what is this new method I’m talking about? Well, it’s from one of my mentors, Danielle Laporte, author of The Desire Map. The Desire Map’s core concept is that, because we set a goal in order to feel a certain way, we need to start from there (the feeling place). She says, “You’re not chasing the goal itself; you’re actually chasing the feeling that you hope achieving that goal will give you.” She calls these feelings, your core desired feeling. When we take this approach, we then set our goals based on how we want to feel. If you take a look at past goals you’ve set for yourself and your business, if asked, “why did you want it”, it really boils down to a feeling. Let’s take a goal to get 10 new clients for your business. It really isn’t just about the 10 new clients, but more about how getting those new clients will make you feel: the desire to reach more people with your product or service, feel accomplished, productive, and of service. Those are the goals you’re really going after, not just the number of clients.

Let’s take another example of a resolution many people have which is to lose weight, say 20lbs. It really isn’t just about the number 20, but really about how losing 20lbs would make you feel: the desire to feel fit, strong, healthy, confident and sexy. So, before you set your resolutions and goals this year, it is critical to establish your core desire feelings first!

Next year, my biggest focus is on my core desire feelings. My specific tangible goals, which are important to have, is now based on my core desired feeling not the other way around. So many times, we subscribe to society’s definition of success and achievement. We then strive to reach it, even though reaching it does not evoke feeling of success for us! You need to understand what success feels like for you, and then align your goals to those feelings. If we take the example of losing 20lbs, and focused on the core desire feelings of being strong, fit, confident and sexy, you can set goals to strength train and work out 3-5x/week, because that’s what it will take to feel that way versus just having a goal to lose 20lbs. Even buying that cute little black dress that hugs all the right places will give you the same feeling! How great is that?!

Another great thing about this is that it allows you to evaluate opportunities that come up through the year. So many times we lose focus on our goals or have the “shiny object” syndrome. However, if you have something to compare the opportunities against, it makes it much easier to decide what is best for you. You are then able to make decisions that are aligned to your values and missions.

When you’re clear on your core desired feelings, you become an “intentional creator” of your life as Danielle puts it. As we all know, we start of the year with great intentions. However, along the way, we may hit some roadblocks. When we focus on our core desires, we are able to recognize when we’re not on it. We can’t control what happens, but we can control our reaction and experience of what happens. Focusing on your core desires allows you in those moments to take back your control and ask yourself; “what can I do to generate my core desire feelings”. This allows you to not be a victim to your circumstances.

Check out my two of my favourite gals in this video (Marie Forleo and Danielle Laporte) talking about the steps to match your goals to your core desired feelings here.

So when setting your goals this year, be clear on why you’re setting your goals and look to match them to your soul’s desires.

Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse is a Business & Lifestyle Strategist, Speaker and Writer, but most importantly, a proud Mother and Wife. Uchechi is Founder of My Empowered Living (http://www.myempoweredliving.com) a website aimed at helping women shift their mindset and live their passion! Whether it’s starting and building their dream business, or helping them create a lifestyle they crave, Uchechi is the modern woman’s secret to success! Visit Uchechi at www.myempoweredliving.com to get her FREE online video training series The 4 Keys to your Business Success! This free 4-day business training reveals her 4 key strategies needed to build a profitable and successful business, and how to put them to work in your business!

Oct 16 2014

4th Quarter Check-In

Can you believe we’re in the final quarter of 2014? While you may be asking where the time went, now’s also the time to review what you accomplished in the first 3 quarters of the year. If you didn’t achieve all that you wanted to in your business, the first thing to remember is that it’s not too late to finish the year off with a bang. The second thing to do is make a commitment to making next year better than this one!

From my personal experience, I know that if I don’t write my goals down (and review them regularly), they don’t get done. I also know that when I when I have a plan in place to make the goals happen, they actually do, even if they didn’t go exactly according to plan. Achieving your goals is about going beyond “wishful thinking”. Don’t hope your goals become a reality, create a plan and take action and make your goals a reality!

If this year wasn’t as successful as you had wanted it to be, now’s the time to review what worked and what didn’t. You may need to make some minor adjustments, or you may need a complete overhaul. Whatever it is that you need to do to make next year better, setting the foundation now can only work to your benefit. When January comes around, you will not only be able to hit the ground running, but you’ll also have things in place that will allow you to maintain momentum and commitment through challenging times.

Reviewing what didn’t work and tweaking the plan isn’t meant to be a self-deprecating exercise. It doesn’t make sense to beat ourselves up about things that have already happened that can’t be undone. When we know better, we do better, and that’s the approach that we must take as entrepreneurs. There is a wealth of information out there that can help you to gain the clarity you need and access the resources required to achieve your goals. We just have to be willing to ask for help and remain open minded about the possibilities that exist that can take us where we want to go in all areas of our life, business or pleasure.

Where do you want your business to be a year from today? Once you have clarity on this you can start to develop the plan to make it happen. Not everything is going to go according to plan, but you will have a guide that will help you to figure out whether you’re getting closer to or further away from your goals. Wishing you much success in the final quarter of 2014!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!
Connect:
www.embraceyourdestiny.ca
www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny
www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook
www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Jan 10 2014

New Beginnings

It’s that time of year upon when many of us decide to begin anew. We make ourselves and other promises of change. Some of us attack weight loss, others set goals for our career or business path. In essence we start with the best of intentions. We move into the new year with such wonderful expectations, full of vigor!

AND…, in some cases we hit the brick wall! Our first main obstacle occurs and we start to teeter. Then we begin to question our ability and this turns into disappointment and soon we begin to wonder what we were thinking in making this goal to begin with.

Does this formula sound familiar??? How many of you have already it your first impasse?

I am here to help with these feelings. I would like you to know that over 80% of goals set have been hindered by the feelings of inability. The question we all want answered is why we allow the plan to alter at the first sign of trouble.

The will to want to make a change is a huge part of success however we need to do the follow through. Here are some steps to ensure that you are successful:

Once your goal is set, you need to make a plan. Make steps to your plan with appropriate time lines!
Revise and edit your plan if you find that portions of your steps aren’t working with the outcome you desire. Making a change in the plan isn’t quitting; it is merely allowing you to tweak your plan to ensure your success.
Look for help! If you find that things aren’t coming together seek the advice of a good friend or more importantly a professional. Seek a business councillor for your business needs or the expert in the field of your goal.
Don’t quit!!!! You have the ability to become anything you want or achieve any success you desire. It is all your choice!

Here is wishing you a great start to your goals in 2014! Feel free to contact me if you need any help ensuring your success.

Anna Ottaviani is a Board Certified NLP Master Practitioner & Master Coach, Board Certified Master Hypnotherapist,Creating Your Future® , Time Line® Therapist Practitioner and Reiki Master. Her methods are unique and tailored to each individual client. She can be reached at www.sucessfullyyou.ca or by phone at 289-221-5772. You can follow her on Facebook

Nov 18 2013

Dreams vs. Goals

Can you believe that there are just over 5 weeks left in 2013? I don’t know about you, but time seems to just keep speeding up. It feels like just a few months ago I was ringing in the New Year with friends and loved ones! As we head into the final stretch, now’s as good a time as any to review our accomplishments for the year.

Do you have a long list of things you wanted to achieve back in January that still remain undone? If so, then it’s time to consider why you didn’t make the progress you wanted to this year. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions, but we lose focus as the year continues. Think about how packed gyms are in January and how the numbers start dwindling in February. Why do we lose momentum so quickly?

One of the reasons is because we don’t see the immediate results we desire. We live in a world where instant gratification has become the norm. When we don’t see the results we want as quickly as we want, we become discouraged. Another reason is the fact that we haven’t put a plan in place to achieve our goals. I’m sure we’ve all heard it said that a goal without a plan is just a dream. Without a strategy to achieve our goals, it is easy to get distracted and/or discouraged.

Plans don’t have to be static. The most effective plans evolve as we put them into action. When we take action on the goals we want to achieve, we learn new things and often encounter unexpected outcomes and challenges. The plan needs to be flexible if our goals are to become a reality. Remember to focus on what you want to achieve and not be too stuck on how you think it should happen. It’s impossible to know all of the avenues that exist to take you to the realization of your goal. Keep an open mind and you’ll be amazed at the opportunities that present themselves to you!

As we get closer to the end of the year, now is a great time to start thinking about your goals for the New Year and develop the plan to make them a reality. Consider what you want to achieve in all areas of your life: personal, career & education, health & wellness, relationships, financial, and contribution (charity/giving back). Break them down into short, medium and long-term goals and keep track of your progress at regular intervals throughout the year. As you see the progress you are making, you will be more motivated to keep going. Your goals can become a reality; you just have to be committed to making them happen!

If you’d like to get a head start on 2014, join me for my Jump Start Your Year workshop on December 1^st.

Here’s to making 2014 your best year yet!

Connect:
www.embraceyourdestiny.ca
www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny
www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Stay Social with Canadian Small Business Women: