IS YOURS A PYJAMA MINDSET?

When you work from home, it's nice to sit around in your PJs until 10:00 a.m. while it's business as usual, isn't it? That's okay, if you do that... if you don't have clients who come to your house... and if it doesn't affect your business attitude.

When you work from home and nobody can see you, it doesn't really matter what you wear, but what does matter is how you function. Remember in your corporate days if somebody called you after hours on a business matter? You were all efficiency. Maybe you hadn't changed out of your work clothes yet!

Well, what happens now when somebody calls you "out of hours"? Is your attitude as relaxed as your attire?

Working for yourself from home should result in no change to your business brain - the clothes may be different and YOU are the boss, but you still have a business to take care of.

Some people become very relaxed when working from home - it's almost as if they've never worked in business before. They become sloppy in their work habits, careless with their paperwork, and worst of all, they treat customers either with indifference or almost as if they are a nuisance to be endured.

Remember all the reasons you decided to set up business for yourself and work from home. If you want to continue to enjoy this lifestyle you have to make sure you have a business to sustain it... your customers are more important than ever before, because without them, you have no business.

So, whether you are sitting in your PJs, your favorite old blue jeans, or a business suit, even though your customers can't see you, they can read volumes by the way you speak to them on the phone and answer their calls or respond to their emails.

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

If You're Not Here to Follow Your Dreams... Why Are you Here???

Life is filled with changes and challenges, many of which you can't control. How you respond to these changes and challenges *is* in your control. Your attitude can determine a situation or you can allow the situation to control your attitude.

Gaining the knowledge that you need is a choice. If you were not fortunate enough to have a formal education, you can make the choice to pursue a path of lifelong learning to gain the knowledge you need to accomplish success. You have a choice to gain the motivation to pursue what you want. A positive attitude guides you in the right direction.

Clearly defining your goals and developing a plan to accomplish them will provide you the direction you need to travel. You also have the choice to develop the persistence required to achieve your goals. When you know what you want and why you want it, take personal responsibility for accomplishing it with passionate persistence.

The world is full of high achievers who came from poverty-stricken backgrounds, with no encouragement, and faced ridicule and scorn. These are our "self-made" successes. Our self-made millionaires. People who dared to follow THEIR dreams - not somebody else's.

So if you're not doing what YOU really want to do, what's your excuse? Is somebody tying your arms behind your back, physically preventing you from being who you really want to be? Don't confuse childhood conditioning with current reality. And unless you are dead or behind bars - you have the same opportunities for success as the rest of us!

That's the beauty of life... it doesn't matter where we came from, or how ugly or impoverished our backgrounds, we can be anything we want if we make that decision. Yes, it does require some work on our part - why should any of us have something handed to us on a plate undeservedly?

You may be a Bill Gates knocker - but give the man his due... here is a dropout who gave up his education and career plans and upset his family with his intention to follow his "dream".

Many thought Einstein would not amount to anything - he was described as "mediocre". Walt Disney endured much ridicule and suffered more than one bankruptcy, but he never gave up his dream or the pursuit of it.

Richard Branson, king of the Virgin empire, was a high school drop out at 16... not content to follow just one dream, he followed many - the man is now a multi-millionaire!

You don't have to aim to be the next Richard Branson... but maybe you dream of having your own business of some kind, no matter how small... the good news is that you can. We know of a man who has just made his first million by inventing a simple little gadget used by hobby fishermen! Hardly earth-moving... not something everybody on the planet will use or know about... but it's made a difference to the lives of millions of hobby fishermen around the world... a flimsy little plastic gadget, invented by yet another highschool dropout! If he can do it - if Disney could do it - if Richard Branson could do it - you can do it! These people did not have it handed to them on a plate. These people faced opposition and scorn. Obviously, that wasn't enough to stop them!

Every morning you wake up with the gift of 24 hours in which you can do whatever YOU like. You can use it for good or bad. You can do something or nothing. You can be influenced or be influential. The choice is YOURS. Every day, you are given this gift of 24 hours...

Follow your dreams - it's why you are on this earth in the first place. Your dreams don't have to be "grand" and they don't have to measure up to anybody's standards but your own.

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

ARE YOU FULFILLED OR FED UP?

Are you fulfilled in your life? How about in your work? Many clients we work with tell us they have a wonderful lifestyle but as we start to dig deeper, we see that they are missing a great life. What is the difference?

Simple. A lifestyle is the external things which you gather, but a life is something fulfilling and sustaining. Let's look at some of the ways to be more fulfilled:

1. Stop focusing on earning more and buying more. Stop funding a lifestyle and start creating a better life for you and those around you.
   
2. Stop looking for more gratification and start being very grateful for all you do have now. (Note: a funny thing happens when you do this... you start to attract more wonderful things into your life about which you can be grateful!)
   
3. Stop measuring your success in terms of money and start measuring emotional costs. If you work day and night to keep up with your lifestyle, you are giving up your life. Start enjoying your life and making it simple.
   
4. Ask yourself if you are working for a living or doing the work you love for life? (I do what I love and love what I do... shouldn't you?)
   
5. Focus on your energy, feeling joy, love and having the time to enjoy the special people in your life - this is how to be fulfilled.
   
6. If your work drains you or doesn't fulfill your intellectual, social and emotional needs, make a change.

Imagine yourself 30, 40, 50, or even 60 years from now - old, retired, looking back at your life. What will you say about your life? Will you be satisfied with how you lived it? Or will you have regrets? Will there be any "If only's..."?

Will you be saying, "I was very successful... I made a lot of money and lived in a big mansion and drove a Mercedes and put my kids through the best schools... well, yes, I did work long hours too... so okay, I worked a lot... okay, maybe all the time, but hey, look what I got for it!" (But what about fun? You were too busy, and now it's too late. Sounds like you came here just to be a slave and the only 'riches' you had in your life were monetary.)

OR will you say, "I was very successful... I had a job that I loved and a happy family. We spent the weekends together doing things as a family. I met my friends every week... I pursued my favorite hobbies... we'd go to the beach just to watch the sun set, ... we liked to go camping often... I visited all the museums with each of my kids to show them the beauty of our world... okay, I didn't live in a posh house, and my car was a bit of a wreck but it worked and got me and my family around. I had a lot of fun! I tried lots of things and saw lots of things and had a zillion memorable moments!"

It's nice to have money, but not at the expense of every other important area in our lives. Don't wait until it's too late... get a life now... there is no excuse for not "living" while you are alive!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com/

BEING AN A-1 SELLER!

Never take your loyal, regular customers for granted. If you let your standards slip, they will go elsewhere. Never forget that they are running a business too, and are always looking for the best deal.

Be prepared to go the extra mile for your special customers and clients, offer that little extra, put yourself out for them. Not only will you maintain their custom, but their word of mouth referrals are priceless and will drive more customers to your business.

Make a point of learning/understanding your customers own unique businesses. Then think of ways you can provide products or services that will help them stay on top or improve existing procedures. Don't just think in terms of what you can sell in order to make a profit - sincerely try to be helpful to them - even if it means referring them to someone else for a deal which would suit them perfectly.

If a special client has special needs that are not being addressed, devise a product or service tailor made specifically for them - ask for their opinion. Tell them you'd like to help them with such and such and ask what you might be able to do that will help them achieve that. Don't assume you have all the answers.

Be prepared to adapt your current products and services to meet the special needs of special clients - this is part of going the extra mile. You can't afford to do this for every client, but special clients deserve special attention - particularly if you want to keep them.

Don't desert your special clients if they are going through a quiet patch. Offer extended payment plans to them - but first do a little discreet homework - you don't want to go offering anything if the company is headed for bankruptcy with little chance for you to be paid! By the same token if they just need a little temporary breathing space, they will appreciate and remember your helping them in this manner.

Offer your special customers free previews and samples - let them be the first to discover your new products and services. Offer discounted prices for repeat business. Reward them for their custom and show them you appreciate their business. The small amount of dollars you might miss out on in the short term will be more than made up for in the long term. Customer loyalty is a precious commodity!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

THINK LIKE A COMPETITOR

Competition is healthy. Competition is good. It provides us with variety, helps keep prices down and the benefits of businesses competing are enjoyed by us all.

On the other hand, if you are in business and your competitors are putting on the squeeze or you are working in an extremely competitive market, trying to stay one step ahead, let alone level, can be challenging.

So, if you are brainstorming for new ideas, or improved ideas, try this exercise...

Pretend you are your competition looking at your business.

While you are "them" (you're pretending, don't forget), what can you do to top your business or put you out of business? Looking at your business from this unique perspective may show you potential areas for either problems or success and enable you to attend to these areas before your competitor takes advantage!

Or what can you do better? (You're still pretending to be a competitor looking at YOUR business.) If you find something a competitor could do better than you - get in first and make it better before they do!

In fact, pretend to be a competitor and look at your business the same way you look at your competitors. By doing this to your own business you will stay on top of potential problems. By seeing your company through your competitors' eyes you can stay if not one jump ahead, then at least level with them and you will be able to protect your business interests. Find your weaknesses before your competitor does by pretending to be them surveying your business. What services or products could your competitors come up with to top yours, and so on... then beat them to it!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

HONORING LIFE AS IT IS

I have absolutely NO IDEA who wrote this... found it somewhere... but it's one of those pieces that really strikes a chord. Whoever this "Author Unknown" person is, he really knows his stuff... I think you'll like this...

A time comes in your life when you finally get it. When in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out ~ ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes, you begin to look at the world through new eyes.

THIS IS YOUR AWAKENING.

You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety, and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and she is not Cinderella. And you realize in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter), and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you; and in the process, a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you're not perfect, that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are and that's okay. (They're entitled to their own views and opinions.)

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself, and in the process, a sense of newfound confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own, and to take care of yourself and in the process, a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are, and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties; and in the process, a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself and the world around you is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. You begin to sift through all that you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, and how much you should weigh; what you should wear and where you should shop and what you should drive; how and where you should live, and what you should do for a living, who you should sleep with, who you should marry and what you should expect of a marriage; the importance of having and raising children or what you owe your parents.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with; and in the process you learn to go with your instincts. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility, and the importance of setting boundaries, and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry, and that martyrs get burned at the stake. Then you learn about love - romantic love and the familial love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man or woman on your arm or the child that bears your name.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and you learn that alone does not mean lonely. And you look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a perfect 10 and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you "stack up."

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You know that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK. And that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things that you want and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity, and respect and you won't settle for less. And you allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you to glorify you with his/her touch and in the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect.

And you learn that your body is really your temple, and you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that for the most part, in life you get what you believe you deserve, and that much of life truly is a prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success, you need direction, discipline, and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it's OK to risk asking for help. You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time: FEAR ITSELF.You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it, and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve; and that sometimes, bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions, you learn not to personalize things.

You learn that the Universe isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening. And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state ~ the ego. You learn negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected, or they will suffocate the life out of you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to building bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself; and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never settle for less than your heart's desire. And you hang a wind chime so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with Spirit by your side, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life that you want to live as best as you can.

~ Author Unknown

Yeah, it was pretty long for a blog, but well worth it, don't you think?

Until next time...

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

Are Your Days "Messy"?

How is your work-day arranged? Is is a mish-mash of frenzied and disorganized activity, with calls here, emails there, appointments here, and something else there? If you have a secretary or VA, you probably don't experience this... if you do have this experience, it's time you got yourself new staff!

Try organizing your daily activities in an orderly manner... consolidate and group activities that are similar so you can move smoothly from one task to the next, without the annoyance of constant stoppings and startings and interruptions. Because when this happens, this is when things fall through cracks and you become forgetful!

For example, have you got a lot of calls to make? Don't spread them out or put them off... list them and make all your calls at the same time. Do you need to go out to the post office and bank? Combine these activities with other necessary errand trips so you don't have to keep going in and out.

Go through the clutter on your desk before doing your filing - team these two activities up so that one flows to the next. This will enable you to keep your paperwork filed and up to date.

Pick the mornings or the afternoons for any appointments so you have in place a routine and you know that you will have time to concentrate on tasks without interruptions. Or if you are like me, you can pick "days" that are put aside for certain activities - and you do nothing else except the allotted activity! Of course, you do have to be flexible!

Look at what you do each day and each week - I'm sure you will find other ways of streamlining your activities so your days are clutter and stress-free!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

How's Your Attitude?

None of us is perfect; we all have little personality flaws which hold us back - but we also have the same opportunity to ensure our personal growth continues along a healthy path. Success awaits those with healthy attitudes, ethics, and behavior. Climbing the corporate ladder is easier for those with healthy attitudes, in fact, success in any endeavor is easier for those with healthy attitudes! So... is your attitude healthy? Check this list:

• Are you selfish? Do you only think of yourself, or put yourself and your needs first? Are you willing to help others? Do you show concern for the well-being and welfare of your co-workers and friends? Don't confuse "taking extraordinary self-care" with selfishness! The two are quite different.
  
• Are you always "right"? It's okay to be wrong! We can't always be right. Learn to be wrong graciously. Don't be a "I told you so" person. Express your opinions in a way that allows for others to express differing opinions and feel safe doing so. Just say, "Oh, I didn't know that, thanks for telling me."
  
• Are you rude and aggressive? Can you control your temper? Do you snap at people? If angry, do you use hostile or rude language and mannerisms? How do you make complaints? Do you make implied threats? Do you cast aspersions, or openly question the honesty and integrity of others? You attract more flies with honey, you know!
  
• Do you take responsibility? Some people cannot accept the blame for anything and will look for anyone or anything to pin the blame on if something goes wrong. Sure, often there are outside circumstances that contribute to our mistakes, and it's okay to explain that - but the mistake is still yours. Admit it and do what you can to fix it.
  
• Are you mistrustful and nosey? Until you are 100% sure of your facts, give people the benefit of the doubt. Trust until it has been proven that your trust is misplaced. Be careful, by all means, but don't treat everybody as though they are up to no good! Casting doubts on other people's intentions and methods is not the way to win friends and influence people! Only speak up if you have a record of events to support your doubt. Gut feelings, whilst often right, are impossible to prove without hard evidence!
  
• Do you build others up or knock 'em down? Some people belittle others in the mistaken belief it makes them look better! If you want to be "better", do it by improving yourself, not by putting the other person down and making them appear in a poor light by comparison.

At every opportunity, practice healthier habits and attitudes. At first it will be difficult, because these traits may have become ingrained over a number of years, but with determined practice, you CAN overcome negative attitudes and replace them with positive attitudes. The good news is, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

TAKING THE FRUSTRATION OUT OF HOME LIFE

It's easy to get caught up in all the frustrations of home life. But if you simply let go of the little, irritating factors, you'll be more likely to truly appreciate your family. Here are some ways to keep the focus on important matters:

1. Be more like a kid. Children live in the present. That's a tougher task for adults. Try to put aside worries, regrets, and future tasks to exist fully in the moment.
2. Accept the fact that there is always work to be done - do the dishes, fix a broken sink pipe, organize the garage, mow the lawn. The list is endless. Don't think that one day it'll all get done, and then you'll be able to relax. Try to keep up, but don't expect to complete everything.
3. Keep desire in check. You'll always want more of this or that - and not just in terms of material things. It's good to do your best, but don't demand life to always get better.
4. Bickering is natural. Don't worry if your kids occasionally argue with each other. It's a healthy part of being a child.
5. Speak softly. If you really want to be heard, lower your voice. You'll be surprised how everyone else will do the same. Many a potentially heated situation has been diffused with this method!
6. Don't confuse the perfect TV family with real life - appreciate the time you spend together now... we never know how long it will last!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

GIVE YOURSELF A SECOND CHANCE...AND A THIRD...AND A...

Do you remember when the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch first came out? A friend of mine took her small daughter to see it. Although her daughter was only just five at the time, it was clear to her that everybody deserves a fair chance, and maybe more than one chance, and everybody deserves to be loved... that great things can happen when we give people a chance - and she was adamant that Lilo saw something in Stitch that was worth seeing - even though nobody else could see it!. Ah, the wisdom of children!

So thinking about that, because it's kind of cute, I thought I'd share this with you because in many ways, we all have a "Stitch" inside us - something that needs love and needs acceptance and needs to be given a chance to grow, to improve, to be better, and not just "written off" when we don't get it right the first time, or the second and so on...

You forgive children for mistakes because they are learning, but what we forget is that we never stop learning - it is a lifelong process. There is no magical age at which we are expected to be "perfect" - it doesn't work that way. But if we don't even allow ourselves the chance to try, forgive ourselves for the mistakes we will make (and should make, if we are "living") and love ourselves as we love our children, then we are doing the greatest disservice to a wonderful member of the imperfect human race.

Try this week to look upon yourself as a large child! Or a naughty Stitch. Be gentle with yourself and help yourself "grow" in a friendly, forgiving environment.

Give yourself a "chance"! (Make that "many" chances! It takes a lot of practice, trial and error to become perfect!)

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

Become a "magnet"

Ever met a people magnet? People are drawn to them? They can't seem to put a foot wrong? They seem to not only attract people but great opportunities. Maybe you call them "lucky". They seem to get what they want effortlessly. Ever wanted an ounce of whatever it is that makes them so irresistible?

Well, maybe you aren't a natural magnet. Maybe you try too hard or not hard enough... maybe your upbringing and background was not conducive to attracting anything positive... well, whatever your case, here are some ideas to help you.

First, lose the concept of "needing" something in your life. Have you noticed that whenever you feel you "need" something, it escapes you? Make sure the basics in your life are covered first, things like any special personal or financial requirements. This puts you in a place of not having to "need".

Allow yourself big dreams. Think big! Why shouldn't you have great luck and success? Other people, from all kinds of backgrounds, have succeeded by changing their thinking. Do dream! And dream big! And even if you end up only attracting half of what you "dreamt", you're way ahead of where you were before you started!

If you have a bucket with a hole in it and every time you try to fill it the water simply disappears through the hole, are you going to waste your time filling it or even trying to?
If you have holes anywhere in your life, fill them. The "universe" is not going to try and put anything in your "bucket" (life) if it's just going to go to waste and drain away. What do I mean by this? Respect your space. Put up boundaries where needed and learn to say no. Raise your standards. Heal any unresolved past issues in your life that you may be hanging on to. Where is your energy or positive thinking draining away? Whatever is causing it - plug it!

Hang around with more positive, attractive people. Learn from them. Ask for their help. Adopt their healthier, happier ways of being and doing. Think like they do. Emulate their strategies. It won't happen overnight but gradually you will notice the change in your own life!

Make sure you are very aware of good things when they do occur in your life and be appreciative and grateful for them, no matter how small. Say you meet two strangers in the desert. Both want water, which you give to them because you're nice. One of them acknowledges your kindness and thanks you profusely. The other wonders what took you so long to find them and forgets to thank you. If you met them again in the future and they both needed help of some kind, who would you think about helping first? Get the picture?

Want people to be attracted to you? Make yourself useful. Participate. Join in and offer whatever you have to offer.

Always be honest - tactful, but honest. Be a stand-up, trustworthy, honest person.

Drop the "ought to" and "shoulds" from your vocabulary and your life. We've been brought up with you ought to... and you should... and you have to... so much so that our own desires are smothered. It's time you took control of your own life and your own destiny - you're not here to live somebody else's life or vision or fulfill some other person's dreams. It's not possible so why waste your time trying. If somebody significant in your life who expects you to live that way does not like your new "I'm living my own life" philosophy, I'm sorry... that is THEIR problem, not yours!

So think big, raise your standards, be helpful, be honest, expect great things and live your life the way your "gut" tells you to live.

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

HELP! I'M MY OWN WORST ENEMY!

Do you know what's standing between you and success? Do you know what the greatest threat to your ultimate happiness is? Are you sitting down for this? It could be you!!

We encounter self-sabotaging behavior when we are afraid of failure and sometimes afraid of success! Oh yes... you CAN be afraid of success! Humans resist changes in their lives - it's "safe" to stay in our comfort zone - even if it is boring!

Ten of the most common beliefs self-saboteurs hold are:

1. I am not... (clever, pretty, handsome, etc.)... enough.
2. It is my responsibility to make the sad people around me, happy again... to make them feel better.
3. I must think of others first - otherwise I'm being selfish (and what would mother say about that!)
4. It is egoistical to love yourself.
5. If I allow myself to "shine", people will think I am vain and arrogant.
6. I am "here" because of circumstances outside my control - it's not my fault. I'm a victim of circumstance/parents/life, etc.
7. Why should I bother - there's no point to anything...
8. I can't make a mistake! Mistakes are bad! Nobody will like me - I'll lose my job - the world will stop spinning!
9. The future will just be like the past... these things always happen to me, so why bother!
10. Let’s face it; I simply am not worthy of your attention. I'm not worthy of being loved, complimented, opportunities, wealth, etc. Other people are... but not me, so if you'll excuse me, I'll just go crawl back under my rock where I belong!

Hellooo! Yes, you! Under the rock... come on out of there and listen up! Your enemy is about to be exposed...

* Procrastination
* Perfectionism
* Indecision
* Burn-out
* Criticism

You may be able to identify more, but these will do for a start, don't you think?

Slaying the enemy...

1. Choose a goal with meaning for you, break it down into baby steps - divide it into smaller pieces - you don't have to achieve the entire goal in one day! It doesn't work that way.
2. Not being perfect is part of being human. Look around you and see all the imperfect people experiencing love and happiness and wealth! What does that tell you?!
3. Being decisive is about taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions. It has a lot to do with your level of self-confidence. What? You have no confidence? There are books and tapes and coaches out there who can change this!
4. Learn to say 'no'. Try small things first and build up from there. If someone, your boss perhaps, asks you to do a million things at once and you feel uncomfortable saying no, ask him to choose the priority. At first, people may be surprised by your "no" if they are not used to it. If they have an issue with your "no", realize that is "their" problem - not yours! You are NOT responsible for other people - only yourself!
5. Being overly critical stifles your happiness. Use positive affirmations every day, about yourself and those things around you of which you are critical. Silencing your inner critic will take practice - but practices makes perfect (oops! There’s that word again!)

Don't be a rock dweller... you are a beautiful, imperfect, deserving, individual being, not a beetle... but hey, even beetles have a right to be successful and happy - and so do you!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com/
http://www.terrilevine.com/

SMALL BUSINESS "TRAPS" TO AVOID

Regardless of whether the "small business" is a one-man show or a small business with up to 10 employees, when starting out we tend to concentrate/focus on one or two areas of our business and either are unaware or just forget about the other areas. There are certain mistakes that are common to many entrepreneurs and small business owners - being aware of them is the first step to avoiding them!

Sales & Marketing - You need a Sales plan. It will assist you to gauge the financial progress of your business and provide information like where your sales will come from, how they'll be achieved and who your buyers/customers are. And marketing your business is not merely a matter of placing an Ad in your local paper! You need a marketing plan to ensure you spend your marketing and advertising dollars wisely. You should know who your customers are and where to find them. Do your research and don't skimp on this detail! Getting expert advice is money well spent!

Your Customers - You don't only need to know who your customers are for marketing purposes, you need to keep up with who your customers are and keep in touch with them for continued business success. Have their needs or preferences changed? Are your competitors' products meeting their needs better? What do your customers want and are you still providing that? What will they be likely to want in the future, and are you prepared for that?

Great Ideas - We all have great ideas but it is important not to put all your eggs in the one basket - especially if that basket has holes in it. Don't get stuck on one idea - if it isn't working, think about it for sure, just don't invest all your time and money on it until it is "fool proof". Try lots of different ideas to find out which ones are the most successful and will increase your business and wealth. Sometimes, a great idea is just that... a great idea... but in the "real world" it may not be practical or profitable. Realize there is a big difference between the possibility of an idea/action producing X results, and the reality of it... If you're fabulously wealthy and can afford a few mistakes financially, then that's different...

Money - New business owners can become gung-ho and invest crazily in everything to establish their business as quickly as possible, forgetting that it takes time to establish a business and customer database, and meanwhile, having spent all their money, they have nothing to sustain them during the quiet days ahead. Always keep something in reserve to sustain your business until it is strong enough to sustain itself!

Employees - If you have employees, don't take them for granted or overlook their needs just because your focus is on your business growth. Happy employees can make a business. Motivate them, encourage them, and reward them when you can. Ensure they know your products and business back to front so they can provide exceptional customer service!

Finally, quitting when the going gets tough... you don't need me to list all the famously successful people (like Walt Disney, to name one) who failed spectacularly several times before hitting the big time and being a huge success. If you quit, your business will never be a success - it won't have the chance. Give your business every chance. Treat failures as lessons - not reasons to quit. To paraphrase Einstein, all your mistakes are not failures - they are simply new ways you have learned not to do things. If you really think you should quit, get sound business advice first - there may be ways of salvaging and improving your business that you just don't know about, and if the opposite is true, then it is important you find this out too... no point wasting your time, effort and money on whipping a dead horse! It may also be possible to "change" your business - move it into an area in which you can be successful.

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com

Working From Home - Can You Do It?

A veritable cornucopia of self-employment opportunities exists today, and for the unwary and unprepared, an equal number of pitfalls exist. There is so much hype about going solo, and there are also get-rich-quick schemes, pyramid schemes, scams, get-paid-to-surf or take surveys etc. to be avoided!

My advice, don't quit your day job without doing your homework. Before considering any drastic moves, realize that it is going to require hard work and commitment. There is no such thing as easy money. Plan properly in the first place. Accept that you are going to make mistakes - nobody is perfect and nobody knows everything there is to know up front. Be prepared to learn from your mistakes and move forward. Don't expect instant results, instant fame, or instant fortune. There is nothing instant about starting your own business. This means making sure you have money to fall back on during the lean or quiet times and having enough to start up with in the first place. If in doubt, get financial advice first - see a financial planner who can help you get things right, from the beginning! Set goals and make sure they are realistic. Keep your focus on your goals and maintain a positive, "can do" attitude.

When you have done your research and settled on a business, make sure you know the regulations governing your home based business. Do you need any approvals? A business license? Do you need a special permit to work out of your home? Check with your local authorities. Do you need to inform the IRS of your change in circumstances?

Do you need to register your business? This will generally involve your first expense - the registration fee. The rules and regulations vary from place to place. Getting advice through a networking e-group from somebody based on the other side of the country may not be appropriate advice for you.

Do some market research - is there a market for your product/service? Will it be profitable for you? What about the competition? How do you plan to stack up against the competition? Can you compete?

How are your skill levels and knowledge or work-experience? Do you know enough to start your own business and be successful? Your skills and abilities will also determine what type of business would be most suitable for you. Doing something you love is the ideal, because you are more likely to work harder but still enjoy yourself so it doesn't really seem like work.

Financing your business - know what you need to cover to start up - fees, registrations, insurance, equipment, marketing costs...make sure you have these covered, and something to fall back on if necessary.

Prepare a Business Plan. This will help you not only get started, but keep you on track. Know what your business will be and a timetable for your action plan.

Have you got the necessary equipment and supplies? Don't overdo it... just get enough to suit your needs, and make sure your insurance covers your new home office. Consider buying second hand - you can always upgrade or buy new when your business takes off.

Work/Life Balance - the reason you wanted to work from home in the first place! Surveys have found that the self-employed actually tend to work longer hours than their counterparts in permanent employment!! It doesn't have to be that way. Before you fall into a workaholic trap, set the rules beforehand. Let your family and friends know what your working hours are. Get family agreement on this so disturbances won't disrupt your workday, necessitating you working even longer into the evenings or on weekends to catch up. If you have very young children, accept that your working life at home in the first few years may very well require this kind of time juggle act. Do you have the stamina for this? Will your partner support you?

If you have this covered, the only other thing to consider is...YOU! Do you have what it takes to be self-employed? Are you the entrepreneurial type? Do you enjoy risk taking? Does it bother you that you don't know how much money you will have month to month? Do you realize that self-employed people often have a more difficult time trying to arrange bank finance? Remember you will also have to cover your own healthcare costs. And you will be working alone - if you're a real people person who MUST be around other people, you may go stir crazy working home alone! If these aspects and leaps into the unknown bother you, you may not be suited to the lifestyle of the self-employed entrepreneur.

Finally, are you self-motivated? Can you make yourself stay in your home office and work even though the sun is shining and there's a great movie on TV you haven't seen? Remember, you will be your own boss now and your own employee.

Various, independent surveys have found that the skills most lacking in new self-employed businesses involve sales, marketing, financial management, and record keeping (book-keeping). How will you cover these things? Can you afford to pay somebody else to look after these? Do you know enough about these areas to handle them yourself, or are you prepared to learn?

Perhaps the most important assets are self-confidence and ambition. Without these, you may be doomed from the start, but with them, you will be able to overcome your obstacles, climb your mountains, and enjoy the view from the top!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com