CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Next time you face a problem, try reversing the problem. Say you are hosting a seminar and need to increase sponsorship. Sit down and make a list of all the ways you know how to DECREASE sponsorship. Or say you need to increase productivity in your department... make a list of all the ways you know to DECREASE productivity. The answers to your problems will be found in your lists. You can find problems you may not have been aware of before, and identifying them makes it easier to fix them!

Often, the real problem is masked. When discussing problems, try stating the problem in different ways, and ask for differing viewpoints. Explaining the problem to others out loud helps clarify it. Sometimes exploring what you DON'T want to happen can be just as useful as exploring what you DO want to happen!

Sometimes it is a matter of asking the right questions when we want the answer to problems. Sometimes we need to ask "What if..." questions. This is where your imagination comes in handy. Brainstorm!

Study how others have handled similar problems. Adapt their "answers" to meet your needs, or add their solutions to your list of possible remedies!

Don't settle for the first solution offered. You may find you end up with several possible solutions and one of them will be better than the rest.

Keep notes of your possible solutions - they may come in handy for future brainstorming sessions when discussing new problems.

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

The Mexican Fisherman

The investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The Banker complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, only a little while.

The Banker then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The banker then asked, "but what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."

The banker scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

To which the banker replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then?"

The banker laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions... Then what?"

The banker said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

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

When You're Not Good Enough - Part 2

"I'm too self-conscious"
Think about a time when you were really having a great time and enjoying yourself, or when you achieved something special... I bet you weren't thinking about yourself then... you were too engrossed in the situation or moment. When you start to think about yourself and you feel your esteem slipping, turn your focus to something else - concentrate on the task at hand or whatever you are doing... and if your "self" continues to invade your thoughts, just keep repeating "This is okay, I'm okay", and refocus on something else.

"That was just good luck"
Was it? Or was it something more? When something works out well for you, don't just write it off as 'good luck'... realize that in most cases we create our own 'good luck' situations, so you must have done something to have earned the success. Start to take credit for your successes - pat yourself on the back and say, "Well done, self!"

"I just can't be bothered..."
Why not? If you are so lacking in confidence that it's got to this stage, start doing things you know you are good at - and it can be anything! Doing something you know you are good at, and doing it well because of that, is a surefire way of boosting your self-esteem. Do things you are good at often - keep your self-esteem up and it will make a difference when the times comes for you to do something new or different. Maybe you are good at cooking, or writing, or dancing, or arts... it doesn't have to be something serious.

"I'm too uptight"
Try meditation, exercise, Tai Chi, or relaxation tapes. It's hard to think straight when we're stressed or uptight and anxious. Relaxing helps you to get things back into perspective and think clearly.

"I'm never right"
Really? Never? You'd best contact the Guinness Book of Records then. Make a list of the times when you were right, and remember, nobody is right all the time... in fact, there are people who are wrong many times, but they don't let that stop them or their enthusiasm for life. You are allowed to be wrong... none of us are perfect and nobody is right all the time.

Stay tuned for Part 3 next week...

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

"Get a Life"

When one of my Assistant's daughters was just 6 years old, she said something that reminded us about the simple wisdom of children. One day, having an in-depth discussion about life, spirituality, goals, etc., when my assistant asked her daughter what she thought was the most important thing about being alive, she replied:

"Having a life."

And therein lies a lesson for all of us!

Here is what is not important about being alive...

1. Have the biggest house on the street
   
2. Driving the most expensive car
   
3. Owning more shoes than your friends
   
4. Earning more money than your rival
   
5. Being bigger, better, and more important than everyone else
   
6. Wearing designer label clothes
   
7. Looking like a Barbie Doll or a skinny model from Vogue

There's more but I'm sure you get the picture.

Now, here is what IS important about being alive...

1. Having a roof over your head - a place to call home, however humble.
   
2. Having transport whether it's public or a run-down old heap that saves you from having to walk long distances in appalling weather!
   
3. Having feet upon which to wear shoes and being able to walk on them!
   
4. Earning any kind of income that enables you to feed and clothe yourself and your family and living in a country where the Government will help you out if you're really down.
   
5. Knowing and feeling the connection and that you are part of everything there is... you are connected to the richest man in your city and the poorest... we are all part of the whole - we all belong here.
   
6. Having any kind of clothing on your back and not having to wear rags or beg for loin cloths!


7. Being healthy and being loved - regardless of what we look like. You know you're really loved when you're poor, you look like the bottom of a shoe, you live in a car and none of that matters to the people loving you! (The plastic-surgically enhanced Barbies and Kens of the world don't have this guarantee... and if you don't have their hang ups, consider yourself very lucky.)

So, be thankful for your feet, your eyes, your nose, your ears, your hands - everything. Then look around this beautiful world and appreciate the trees, the flowers, the sunsets, the birdsong, walks along the beach... take it all in... it's special, it's free and it's what having a life is all about!

Until next week...

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

Trust and Commitment

As I contemplated on this theme of self-confidence, two qualities came up that go along with it and they are: Trust and Commitment. Having self-confidence is a reflection of our viewpoint in regards to how much we value ourselves, trust in our inner voices, and stay committed to this agreement we make with ourselves.

In our youth we are taught certain correct behaviors that are acceptable to society. Even though I acknowledge that in many ways this is an important part of maturing, being successful at these behaviors can also encourage us to slip into a performance based behavior rather than being authentic and true to ourselves.

I call this the strategic self - acting in whatever strategy is needed in order to bring about the result one wants. Think about a time when you were using anger to control a situation, pouting to show your unhappiness, alluring to be attractive, or yelling to get something accomplished. These "selves" are not your true self - which comes from working from the heart - they are learned behaviors, strategies so to speak. These are the selves created by the mind and also the ones in which we build our self-esteem around, mainly because they are so familiar to us (habits).

So, how does one shift from the mind to the heart? How does one build their self-confidence based on values, on love? It starts with commitment to focus on who you are rather than on what you do. Think about your gifts and strengths - parts of you that come from the heart. When we judge ourselves by what we do, what we wear, what our income level is, what car we drive, what house we live in, we are putting our trust in mind created, external realities. And does this bring joy?

Sometimes, but it's not long lasting because it's always in the state of change. Our looks change, our income changes, our friends and family come and go and we struggle to find balance. However, when we focus on being grateful for our sense of humor, our ability to forgive, our love for all of nature, whatever, this act of trusting opens our hearts and everything becomes effortless.

What do we get when we commit to focus on "being" rather than on "doing"? I have found I am more relaxed, peaceful, more playful and more confident. In short, I become empowered which gives me the strength to move forward, improve my life and have a constant flow of inner joy. So, be grateful for who you are, trust your heart to guide you and stay committed to make this awareness a top priority moment to moment. The feeling of overall well-being will be worth it.

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

So, You're Not "Good Enough", eh?

Or maybe you are saying you're not pretty enough, handsome enough, smart enough, rich enough...?

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." And truer words were never spoken!

Not discounting those who may have been born with a predisposition to feelings of inadequacy, the majority of people who suffer poor self-esteem are the result of conditioning. Perhaps their parents or teachers were overly critical, and said things like, "You'll never amount to anything!" or "Is that the best you can do?!" or compared them unfavorably to brothers and sisters.

An inferiority complex goes hand in hand with lack of self-confidence and can be the difference between getting a great job or promotion or living a life of mediocrity. Here are some tips for handling and dealing with the different ways low self-esteem affects us and our lives.

"I'm not good enough"

Really? Can you prove that? Is this why you don't go for those great jobs or promotions or any of your dreams? If you aren't "good enough" in terms of skills or education, go and get the skills and education you need for the job or promotion you want. It's never too late - as the growing number of adult education centers bears testimony to.

Try to be realistic... are you really not good enough, or is this just something you've heard and have been repeating to yourself for so long that you can't even remember how it started? Take a look at your track record - list all your achievements, big and small - you'll find your plenty "good enough" after all! (Hey, now I'm a poet!)

You can always be "good enough" at work by simply being and doing the best you can. Arrive on time; don't take "sickies" unless you really are sick; be helpful and cooperative to others; learn your own job so well that you're an expert at it; don't loaf; don't dawdle back to work after lunch; make every effort to get along with your boss and fellow workers - display a cheerful, cooperative disposition. If you are stressed, learn how to handle it - there are books, tapes, websites, and experts who can help you identify and conquer the stress in your life.

If you are already doing these things, then you ARE good enough. If you aren't, you can start now and if you find some habits hard to change, just pretend, and soon you will have developed the newer, successful habit and will no longer have to pretend.

Next week, I'll tell you about some other ways in which we feel not good enough and how to conquer them.

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

THE POSITIVE SIDE OF FAILURE

Failed recently? Or felt like a failure? You know, failing isn't the "bad guy". Sure, at the time it might not feel so wonderful, but there are benefits to be gained from failing that you can't get from success! Failing gets such bad press and I think it's time we reviewed that. Let's start by looking on the bright side:

• Failure strengthens us, making us more resilient and much harder to knock down next time.


• We really know what we're made of when the going gets tough or the chips are down. Failure gives us a chance to prove that to ourselves and the world!


• Our failures actually teach us what we need to do to succeed, because in failing, at the very least we know what DOESN'T work!


• It keeps us humble - nobody likes a big-head!


• Failure eventually leads to success... if you don't give up! It's a motivating challenge! Think of failure as a stepping stone. It is NOT permanent.


• We appreciate our successes all that much more after a failure or two and don't take the process for granted!

Next time you experience a failure, think of it as a right of passage and congratulate yourself on your progress! If you're failing, it just means you haven't quite got "it" right yet, but at least you're giving it a go and sooner or later you're going to land the big one!

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

Singing the "I ain't got no respect, so I can’t give you any either..." blues

This comes back to taking pride in yourself and in the job that you do. One of the biggest complaints from customers these days is the lack of customer service. You can get noticed (for all the right reasons) by providing excellent customer service. But don't just think customers are those external people who buy your company's products or services... your customers are also your fellow workers within the company to whom you provide services and information. In this context, your own manager is one of your customers. The people in the sales department are your customers. The people in the Accounts department are your customers. Treat all your customers with respect and give them excellent service.

If you're singing the "my boss doesn't care, the sales department doesn't follow up on leads and the accounts people are lax with the paperwork" blues... rise above them. Be the better person. Stand out in the crowd of blues singers and provide them all with excellent customer service. Sooner or later, people will start talking about you - in positive, bright tones! Your new attitude may even start to rub off on them! You will enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done... and of course, your fellow blues-singing workmates may still be singing the blues because there is no satisfaction in doing mediocre work... there is no sense of pride in a job poorly done.

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

STILL SINGIN' THE BLUES...

This week it's the "I can't get no satisfaction..." blues.

Whilst we'd all like to believe Companies have become places of enlightenment, who finally realize their greatest asset is their employees, and providing them with fulfilling and satisfying career opportunities is on top of their agenda, sadly, this is not the case.

If you are in a situation where perhaps you cannot easily find a new job and temporarily, for financial reasons or whatever, must stay put, realize that every job has the possibility of providing you with the satisfaction you seek, and as it is YOUR life and YOUR job, it is YOUR responsibility to put "oomph" into it!

First, take pride in what you do. All jobs are important, otherwise they would not exist... therefore, what you do IS important.

Be very clear about what you expect from your job. List what you do like and what you don't like about your current job. Put on your thinking cap... can you do anything about the tasks you don't like to make them more acceptable to you?

Consider discussing your role with your manager. How can he or she help you brighten up your position so you get more enjoyment from it. If your manager doesn't know you are unhappy, he won't know you need help. It may be possible to incorporate a new and more interesting task to your job, something you'll look forward to doing. Or maybe you can re-work an existing task schedule to make it more interesting. Now, we're not saying every Company will embrace this, but you won't know, if you don’t give it a go!

You do have to take responsibility for your own job satisfaction.

Articles abound in various publications which indicate a rise in the numbers of people who are dissatisfied with their work or their career. Of course, many of these dissatisfied blues singers are going back to school to learn new careers, or jumping onto the self-employed, entrepreneurial bandwagon. Companies are becoming more aware of the need to provide satisfying employment and are willing to find ways to provide this... but sometimes you have to be the instigator and perseverance pays off.

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

Singing the "My job ain't goin' nowhere and I'm goin' with it..." blues

This comes back to your vision for your work. What do you want from your job? Do you WANT to climb a ladder with that company? Is your job something just to provide a pay packet? Do you have any aspirations? Are you prepared to re-train, even going back to night school, if necessary, to gain the appropriate qualifications to enable career advancement?

What are you prepared to do? Do you know what options exist for advancement? Have you discussed this with your Manager or with an appropriate H.R. member? Maybe you want to "advance" sideways into a different department?

Find out what your options are and if the company is prepared to assist you and train you to meet your goals. You won't know if you don't ask. By asking, you make them aware of your presence. When something which might be suitable for you comes up within the Company, you will then have the opportunity of trying out for it - but if you say nothing, and nobody knows of your aspirations, well, you'll just stay where you are, singing the burn out blues...

You don't have to settle for anything, but something better is not just going to be handed to you on a plate... that's like sitting near the phone just in case you get a call. You may never get a call and sitting there isn't going to make that phone ring by itself!

If you're that miserable, do something about it. Look for a new position in your company, or look for a new job. If you can afford it, hire a Career Coach! Alternatively, if your options really are limited, for whatever reason, get yourself a hobby. Create a terrific life outside of work. Life is too short to waste it being miserable!

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

Singing The "My Job Sucks and so do you..." Blues

If you or somebody you know at work hates their job and everyone they work with, realize that it is up to the individual to make a difference.

Make an effort to create respectful and friendly relationships with those you work with. Share smiles and be helpful. Share lunch. Creating meaningful relationships and enjoying the people you work with can sometimes make up for a less than satisfying job. Think about it... you go to an office every day to mingle with friends... what's not to like about that scenario?

In some organizations people don't care about creating meaningful work relationships, are unfriendly, and lack compassion. Some are outright arrogant and rude. The thing is, does this arrogance and rudeness give them job satisfaction and a zest for their work?

Why do you suppose they are such miserable blues singers? You don't have to join their ranks. If they are miserable, don't take it personally - that is their problem. Continue to be friendly to everyone. Even if you work with 100 miserable, unfriendly blues singers, the law of averages will ensure that at least one of them will recognize your shining light and want to be your friend. One friend is better than no friends at all. If you continue to be a bright and happy soul, your cheeriness will rub off eventually...

Keep the lines of communication open, smile, share kind and positive words, and give compliments, and even the grumpiest blues singer will look forward to your company!

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

DON'T BE RUDE WHEN YOU'RE ASKING FOR FAVORS!

I've been too nice lately... think it's time I got on my soap box and stirred things up a little. Are you listening to me?

I don't know about you, but seems to me people are becoming ruder and forgetting their manners in business. I think the internet may have a lot to do with it. In the "old days", before email, we wouldn't dream of "speaking" the way some people do today in their email correspondence.

Gone are the Dear... salutations, and some people don't even remember to say thank you! Whatever happened to "please"? Sentences have become clipped, tones sound almost hostile... when we write old-fashioned letters we don't write that way. What makes people think it is okay to do it in an email, I wonder...?

If you are after favors from somebody, remember your manners. If you want to get anywhere in life you do have to be courteous.

Recently, I have been approached asking if I'd offer a free bonus for somebody's upcoming book promotion. That's fine. I don't mind doing that. What I do mind is the asker telling me that it must be an expensive bonus valued at $X or more! Hang on... they're asking me to give them a freebie - and they're telling me how valuable it must be?

And if you think that's "interesting", you'll enjoy this... another promotion for yet another author, yes I gave a bonus and yes I even annoyed my newsletter list by sending it to them mid-week... obviously nobody was interested because nobody bought... the author emailed demanding to know when we'd sent it, what it looked like, how many were on our list and why didn't anybody buy it! This person was cross with us! Hello?

I don't know what to say! Just remember this - if you want something from me or anybody else - please, remember your manners!

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

What NOT to do at a Network Function...

When I say a Network Function, this can be a meeting of your local Chamber of Commerce, a Church meeting group, or any situation where you have an opportunity to meet people and drum up business. Of course, it also includes those events that are business oriented and you are expected to "network" professionally. Naturally, you want to give the very best impression of yourself and your business and you want to be prepared to succinctly and eloquently introduce yourself. You'll want to have your professional business cards handy to exchange. If you've read previous articles of mine about networking you already have a good idea of what you should do... so here's what you shouldn't do.

1. Don't join a mother's knitting circle and expect to drum up business. If you are a hobbyist and a member of sporting/hobby type groups, keep these as your "hobby" fun-time activity. When you are in "business" networking mode, you should look for organizations whose members include potential clients or associates with whom you can do joint ventures or develop strategic alliances. The right group can make all the difference to your networking success, so don't just join any group for the sake of joining a group and think you are "networking".


2. Don't just show up with your fingers crossed that it will be okay. Do your homework. What is this event about? Who will be attending? How many business cards will you need to take? How should you dress for this particular occasion? What can you find out about the other business people you will meet? What type of business are they in? How can you help them? Can you envision ways you could do joint ventures? What are some interesting questions you can ask them.


3. Find out the group's protocols and what is and isn't permitted and expected. Some groups are fussy about how members behave and you don't want to put your foot in it by not knowing what you can and can't do or say. Knowing this beforehand will prevent you spouting off at the mouth about how wonderful your business is and be met with stony stares of disapproval. Maybe there is a time and place for these self-promotional discussions - you need to know!


4. "Can I borrow your pen... and uh, have you got anything I can write on?" Hello! Does this sound professional to you? Go prepared! Make sure you have sufficient business cards, some brochures, and a pen that works! Oh, and don't take one of those cheap spiral bound notebooks in your top pocket! Use a professional portfolio. It doesn't HAVE to be pure leather, but it needs to look professional. You can also use an electronic organizer if you prefer.


5. Picture this... you hand over your business card and the recipient absent-mindedly shoves it in their trouser pocket. How does this make you feel? I hope YOU don't do that sort of thing! Use a business card wallet so when you receive a card you can present yourself more professionally by placing it inside the wallet and NOT in your trouser or jacket pocket like some kind of candy wrapper! How you treat a person's business card will demonstrate not only YOUR professionalism but also display courtesy.


6. Don't be an "in-person" spammer. You might be desperate for new clients but handing your card or brochure to every Tom, Dick or Harry is hardly the way to go about it! Not everyone will WANT your card and some will be offended by your attempts to push yourself on them. Offer your card sensibly!


7. Don't make them yawn and look for an escape! Don't bore people with long, irrelevant stories and don't use humor until you know who you're talking to. No two people have the same sense of humor and what you might think is funny may be downright rude to another. And I don't care how long you've practiced your "elevator speech" - don't use it as your "introduction" each time you meet somebody at the event. Relax and be friendly first. Get to know them. Ask them about themselves. Establish a "relationship" and wait for the right time to deliver your "elevator speech" - a good time is when you are asked, "And what do you do?" or "What line of business are you in?"


8. Sure, the person walking around serving the savories might look cute, and the door person might look bored, or you might feel sorry for the wallflower sitting behind the aspidistra trying not to be seen... that doesn'tt mean YOU have to go and keep them company! If you are there to network, make sure you meet and mingle with the right people. If you are new and don't know ANYBODY at the function, when the time is right you can go up to somebody you suspect is someone you should meet and break the ice with a simple, "Hello, my name is Joe. This is my first time here. Do they meet here often?" Or an opener of your choice.


9. Don't make promises you can't or won't keep! Write down anything you need to remember later, like if you have promised a new acquaintance that you'd fax them some information. Always follow up and follow through with anything you have said you would do for someone. Make the most of your opportunities with new people you meet. If you find an interesting news clipping about something you believe would interest someone you've met, send it to them. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness and the fact that you remembered this detail about them and you'll have taken the first step in establishing what could be a rewarding relationship. Not everyone you meet may need your services, but everyone you meet can refer others to you!


10. Well, I've been to that group once, don't have to bother with them anymore. Pardon me? Oh yes you do! Especially if you've met people with whom you can do business or who can refer business to you. How are you going to establish worthwhile relationships if you don't get to know them? Of course you will go again...unless of course you went to a mother's knitting circle, in which case, as I said earlier, you're not likely to drum up business there unless you sell knitting needles!

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

Questions That Make You Squirm - What To Say

You're just starting out in your new business and somebody asks you "How long you been in business?" or "How many staff do you have?" You know - the types of questions that make you squirm. You don't want to lie, but how can you be honest without actually having to answer? Sometimes, it is not in your best interests to say, "Oh, I just started last week!" or "I don't have any staff - there's only me."

I cover this in my marketing program, and because it is a much asked question, I thought I'd share some tips on handling these awkward questions...

First, think of all the embarrassing questions you're likely to be asked and prepare your answers now. Make a list. That way, if and when you ever face one of these questions, you will be able to answer smoothly and honestly without skipping a beat. Whatever you do, never lie! Honesty really IS the best policy at all times!

"How long have you been in business?" Or variations of this question. If you just started last week, you don't have to be specific and answer "last week". Whatever business you are in, chances are you've had years of experience prior branching out on your own. So you'd answer something like, "Oh, I have been doing ...X... for about 5 years now and prior that I did ...X..." You haven't lied - okay, you haven't exactly answered the question but you HAVE told them how many years experience you have and that is REALLY what they want to know.

"How many people do you have working for you?" Or variations of this question. Another tricky one, and how you answer depends on what line of business you are in. You might be a small business consultancy, a Virtual Assistant, or a Mobile Hairdresser! Here is one example of how you can answer this question without actually answering it. "I'm able to keep my costs and overheads down by keeping it small and hiring out when I need to, which is how I'm able to keep my prices low for you. I have a team of experts I can call on for specific projects and can fit the right person to the right job all the time rather than just some of the time." Or you could say something like "I can reassure that I have enough people in order to provide 7 day a week service and meet all our deadlines."

If you're asked for specific contacts like your Accounts Department, for example, just say you are the project leader and if they have any problems they go through you to sort it out. There is nothing to stop you having a few different email addresses which all divert to your own personal address. So if your one-person business is called XYZ Consultants, set up an Accts@XYZ.com and Operations@XYZ.com. This gives the impression that you are larger. It also helps you keep your emails in order for the various facets of your business.

"Do you work for many other companies?" Or similar questions about your number of clients. They're fishing for your experience here. Again, if you have worked in your line of business before, you are not lying by using those experiences. Mention you have established confidentiality agreements with your clients and are unable to give details, suffice to say that you have experience in this line of work and can assure them of professional experienced service at all times.

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

AVOID THESE "BEGINNER'S MISTAKES"

Thinking about setting up a small business - a one man show - you might be going to sell widgets via the internet, become a coach or a VA - working from home... whatever you are planning, make sure you don't make these common mistakes:

• Don't put all your eggs into one basket. Having a brilliant idea is great, but don't think you only need the one idea to be successful. Even if your customers get tired of your one product or service, soon you will, too. Play with lots of ideas, have some fun finding out which ones create success!


• If you are something of an entrepreneur, you are different to the rest of society's sheep. Embrace your differences - don't try to be like everybody else. It is your very "difference" that makes you the type of person who CAN be successful. Be you and have fun!


• Don't pay too much attention to your own publicity. It's one thing to be optimistic and share your greatness with others - in fact, for marketing purposes, you do need to "sell yourself"... but don't get sucked-in by your own publicity! Keep your feet on the ground! Don't confuse what "might happen" with reality.


• Watch your money! Don't sink everything into having the most modern, most expensive office in the world. You really do need to keep something aside for a rainy day, because if you are in any kind of business, trust me, you WILL have rainy days and you will be grateful for your savings account!


• In case you haven't heard, "selling" is OUT. If you're trying too hard to sell your product, pull back and find out WHY they're not buying. You may be trying to sell something nobody wants, or maybe it needs a little tweaking before it's ready.


• No person is an island. Recognize when it is time to get help - the greatest business successes in the world had the common sense to have a great support team, so what makes you think you can do it all on your own?


• Learn to Delegate smartly. Use your support team, your staff to do the things you don't have time to do. This will allow you time to work ON your business and not just in it. By the same token, don't go overboard. Don't get into the habit of "dumping" your workload onto others. Remember, it is YOUR business and your responsibility.


• Never Give Up. I don't know of any "famous" business people who had success handed to them on a plate - many faced bankruptcies and extreme difficulties before success was theirs. Realize you may fail along the way but how you respond will determine whether or not one day you taste the sweetness of success or not. Learn from your mistakes, and carry on... by the same token, don't go flogging a dead horse or continue if you are miserable. Misery is a sign that something isn't quite right...

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

FULFILLMENT AT WORK

This might be a silly question - but it's pretty relevant today. 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.
   
3. Stop measuring your success in 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.

Can't seem to make a change and blaming everyone else? Stop whining... don't be a wimp... take back the power of your life... go for fulfillment... and get back in control!

Don't know how or where to begin? That's why Coaches were invented! You can hire me - or you can hire one of our Coaches - check them out here: http://www.coachinstitute.com/findacoach.htm

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

THE MOST COMMON TOLERATIONS AT WORK

What is this thing we commonly refer to in the coaching world called "tolerations"? Simply put, it is anything or anyone that you are putting up with that isn't to your liking. We often begin a coaching session with our clients by helping them recognize and eliminate tolerations - stop putting up with them and begin preventing them. This gives our clients the chance to enjoy people, places and things more and to stop their energy from being drained by tolerations.

We thought you might be interested in the top tolerations our clients have shared with us in their work environment:

1. Career Path
   
2. Compensation
   
3. Co-Workers
   
4. Boss
   
5. Job
   
6. Daily Routine
   
7. Commute
   
8. Office Space
   
9. Role
   
10. Intellectual Challenge
    
11. Paperwork
    
12. Computer/Telephone Systems
    
13. Office Set-up
    
14. Office Efficiency
    
15. Office Comfort

What are you tolerating? List your tolerations at home, at work, in your relationships and in your environment.

If you don't know how to handle your list of tolerations, consider hiring a coach...you can hire one of ours! Go to: http://www.coachinstitute.com/findacoach.htm and check them out!

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

CHATTERBOXES - HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM

You might be able to identify with this. You're busy or running late and somebody phones. The Chatterbox! These are people who never stop talking. You can put the handset down and go off and make yourself a cup of tea, bake some scones, and return after you've had a shower and washed your hair as well and they're STILL talking and didn't even notice you'd gone!

Or your chatterbox might be a client who rambles on, gets sidetracked and seems to be more interested in chatting like old friends than achieving anything worthwhile in their session.

Subtle hints fall on deaf ears. Not-so-subtle hints are misunderstood or ignored. You're exasperated... How DO you get rid of these people, or get them back on track, if clients, tactfully?! I've thought about this a great deal and tried several successful strategies which have worked for me, and you might like to try them next time you're caught.

To begin with, once you answer the phone and identify the caller as a known chatterbox, before you even so much as say "hi", you MUST make it clear they've caught you at an inopportune moment and you can only spare a few seconds. You must get in first for this to be effective - otherwise they won't hear you! On the other hand, if it is a client calling for an appointed session, this reply won't be appropriate, but if you guide the call right from the start then you can control the amount of time wasted on trivialities.

If it is a client who "forgets" they only have x number of minutes for their call, you MUST remind them if they go off topic, and politely bring them back to the topic you were discussing. By asking them the right questions, you will soon get them back on track, talking about what they're supposed to be talking about, and not their Great Aunt Millie's carbuncles!

If your caller is easily sidetracked or interrupts with trivialities which have no bearing on their session, or rambles on over old ground you've already covered, ask them if it is relevant. It isn't rude to question relevancy or to remind people how much time is left for their call so they can make the most of their minutes with you. If the clock is ticking, as it will be on a coaching session, you have every right to ask your client to get to the point. Ask nicely and you won't offend them. After all, it's their money!

When subtlety and polite directness fail to produce the desired results, you are left with just one option. Be blunt. This doesn't mean be offensive - it just means you tell it like it is a little more strongly. You tell them that under any other circumstances, you'd love a good chinwag with them, they're very interesting and fun to talk with, but with so much ground to cover in so little time, it's best they don't waste their money and time on side issues that are irrelevant. That's not what they hire you for, etc. etc. etc. If you let them prattle on every session, wasting time and achieving nothing, what kind of coaching is that? Remind them that it's a very expensive phone call just for a chat if that's how they plan to spend their time with you!

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

Career Options Begin With Career Planning

There are many factors that should be taken into account when considering a possible career change. Most people focus on only a few of these and this often leads to future job dissatisfaction.

Here is a top ten of what is important in career planning:

1. Clearly state your top 5 interests


2. List 10 of your tops skills and abilities - ask friends, co-workers, family, etc. for the skills they believe you have that you might not even recognize


3. Note your top 5 most important personal characteristics


4. Clarify your top 5 values


5. Know what environmental conditions you may want to avoid


6. Decide what level of continued education/training you are willing to complete


7. Know the amount of money you MUST earn annually (not what you would "like" to earn)


8. Determine what is the most demanding category of physical labor that you are willing to accept


9. Decide which hours and travel you need to avoid


10. Know if you want to work indoors/outdoors or a combination of the two

It's common sense, yes, but you'd be surprised the number of people who get excited over careers that are unsuitable for them. For example, yes, being a commercial pilot is an exciting career for those who love to travel, and of course, love to fly planes! Not really suitable, however, for somebody who is scared of heights or confined spaces or who, when it comes to the crunch, doesn't really like to leave home!

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

PUTTING IDEAS INTO ACTION

Why aren't more employees' ideas implemented? In a corporate setting, new ideas automatically are met with resistance; there are always those who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

But creative ideas from workers can benefit a business, primarily because workers have first-hand experience on office procedures. Getting good ideas implemented, however, requires effective presentation skills. Here are points to keep in mind when you're proposing new ideas:

1. Make sure you focus on the issue involved. Don't attack something you're trying to change or improve.
   
2. Consider the timing of your idea. You can't successfully pitch a solution to a problem when no one else thinks it's a problem. Your idea stands a greater chance of gaining interest and acceptance when a problem becomes apparent - and people are hungry for a solution.
   
3. Present your idea face-to-face to the key players, instead of writing a memo or letter. In a face-to-face situation, you enhance your credibility; you are more closely identified with your idea. A memo is too easy to file away. You'll often get a response like, "We're looking into it."
   
4. Don't be obnoxious about getting your idea across. Instead, be gently persistent. An employee successfully steered an idea to fruition by first meeting with requisite employees and supervisors. The employee pitched the idea and allowed supervisors to give their feedback. Then the feedback was integrated into the idea. Trying to get an idea accepted a little bit at a time can be advantageous. When employees try to get it all, they often receive nothing.
   
5. Don't kill your ideas altogether. As you go through the creative process of finding solutions to problems, don't talk yourself out of new ideas by saying:
   
   
   
   • "The boss won't like it."
   • "I don't have the authority."
   • "We've never done that before."

Just remember, there is always a first time for everything... and if your idea really is good, it's time will come!

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

STAND OUT AND GET NOTICED

Fact: You won't get noticed unless you stand out. Therefore, you won't get promoted unless you can rise above the pack. Here are some ways to get that coveted interview with the boss, and to get noticed:

• Help solve important problems. Consider doing extra work or research on your own time.


• Get published. It could be in a trade or professional association publication, or in your organization's newsletter. Write a piece that will put your organization in a good light, or show your knowledge of your field.
  
• Develop your speech skills.
  
• Network with doers. Reach out to those beyond your own team or department. Do favors for team members and co-workers, but keep your own work top priority.
  
• Update your resume. Ask someone influential about where to send it in-house. Let a few select people see that you're serious about career advancement.


• Do good work. And make sure it gets noticed.

There's no sense being overly modest or letting others take all the glory for YOUR efforts. Stand up and be counted!

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

REASON TO LOVE YOUR CROWS FEET!

Before you rush off to the local plastic surgeon, consider this:

A Psychologist report says that people judge the genuineness of others by looking for their laughter lines. Experiments showed that the eyes, not the mouth, were the main focus of attention in a smiling face.

Tests focused on the "crow's feet" laughter lines that appear at the corner of the eyes when a person smiles. An experiment, in which 60 volunteers were shown pictures of smiling faces, showed most spent up to twice as long gazing at the "laugh lines" than anywhere else, including the mouth. (The direction of their eyes was detected by shining an infra-red beam and measuring the angle of reflection 10 times a second.)

The researchers suggested this could be an instinctive way of assessing whether or not a smile was genuine. Plastic surgery to remove those lines takes away more than just your wrinkles! If your work requires sincere smiling (acting, sales, etc.), removal of those lines will make it hard for others to believe your sincerity because you'll have a "plastic smile".

Plastic surgery is little more than a band-aid for a fragile ego. It's like wearing a mask over your face. People might say, "Hey, great look!" But you know it's the mask they are complimenting... not you. You're still not going to feel good about yourself because YOU know it's not you... it's the mask!

Genuineness is always respected... plastic is disposable, so keep those smiles REAL and respect yourself!

Until next week...

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

THINK THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE?

BEFORE you jump the gun and make any impulsive decisions, have a good think about it first. Whether you are wanting to live somewhere different, get a different job, a different boss, a different partner or a different whatever because you believe it would be better than what you have now, THINK before you leap!

Are you familiar with the Aesop fable, The Ass and the Tanner? In a nutshell, an ass, belonging to a herb-seller, who fed him too little and overworked him, petitioned Jupiter to find him a new master. Jupiter warned him that he would repent his request, but found him a new master - a tile-maker. Soon, the ass was carrying even heavier loads and doing harder work, and so again, he petitioned for another change of master. Jupiter told him this would be the last time that he could do this, and arranged for his sale to a tanner. Of course, the Ass discovered he had fallen into even worse hands. He groaned and said, "it would have been better for me to have been either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the other of my former masters, than to have been bought by my present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to him."

And the moral of the story is: He that finds discontentment in one place is not likely to find happiness in another.

If you are sooo miserable where you are now, consider hiring a Life Coach. You may not need to make the same mistakes as the donkey when the "fix" might be easily within your reach right where you are now!

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

WANT TO LEAD A CHARMED LIFE? BE CHARMING!

We've all met charming people - they're likable, popular, and if they said, "follow me to the ends of the earth", in a hypnotic trance, we just might do that.

We'd all like to think we are charming and sometimes we are, but true charm doesn't turn on and off like a tap. It's inherent in everything we do, in all our dealings with all people.

Fakes always get caught out. So we want to practice being charming at all times - whatever we are doing, with whomever we are doing it. When we earn the reputation of being "charming", people we deal with are more obliging, friendlier, and life becomes so much easier in so many ways. So, to live a "charmed life", we want to incorporate some charming mannerisms.

Being charming is having the ability to make people feel at ease around you and enjoy being around you and dealing with you, in business, your private life, or your career.

Face to face charm...You can practice your charm when you walk down the street... don't quickly look away when a stranger meets your gaze. Look back into their eyes and smile. Charming people acknowledge others, even if just with a smile.

Be friendly. You can practice this anywhere you meet people - strangers in the street, the movie usher, the checkout person at your local shop. Look them in the eye and smile. Use a friendly tone. Say, "How are you?" You will stand out in their memory as a friendly, charming person.

Friendly, small talk. Don't give us that "I’m too busy for small talk" business! If you have time to stand in a queue, in an elevator, or anywhere for that matter, near another living being, you have time to be "nice". People like to know others care about them. "How are you?" "How's your day?" "That's a nice jacket you're wearing." You don't have to dazzle with Einstein brilliance - just acknowledge another human being in a way that says, "Hello, I recognize and acknowledge you for the special human being that you are."

Be complimentary. Don't overdo it - you don't want to be smarmy or appear insincere! Not only do people love to be noticed, but also they love to be seen in a good light. Many times, we do notice nice things about other people - new hairdo, shoes, clothing, lipstick, or whatever, but we just don't say it out aloud. Try voicing your complimentary opinions next time.

Try this with your waiter and see if you notice an upgrade in service... "Hi, you look busy tonight. Are they running you off your feet?" You have just been friendly, acknowledged another human being and the fact that they are busy. You have, in a way, shown that you care about the waiter. He or she will give you great service, and the person who merely barked in snobbish tones, "Bring me a tonic water" will get that but little else.

We can practice our charm over the phone and in our emails. We do this by smiling and being friendly and polite. We watch our choice of words. We always want the other person to feel special and appreciated and acknowledged. It doesn't matter if the other person is higher up the ladder or not. A charming person does not differentiate between those perceived to be above or below or equal to him/her.

So, if you want to live a charmed life... be charming!

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

GIVE UP PROMISES

Many of us find ourselves making promises in our business efforts, sales efforts and even in our personal relationships, that we just can't live up to.

When we make a promise, we make a commitment, we give our word and people expect a result. I have often told sales people, business managers or owners, and even couples, to "under promise and over deliver". I have had the belief that if you promised less than you knew you could deliver and then went beyond expectations, people would be pleased.

Now here's what I suggest for you: give up promises!

This may sound very idealistic to you on first glimpse. However, I have found that when I avoid making promises to others I don't have so much stress in my life in living up to expectations. I still work hard at giving my very best and going above and beyond my best - I just don't state the promises out loud. This has given me a new freedom and allowed me the opportunity to give without worry.

It may sound scary to you, (it did to me at first, too!), but I encourage you to try it. See how you feel when you make no promises at all!

Of course, I'm NOT promising you'll feel better... (smile).

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

Are YOU a "Judge"???

Judging people is a bit like judging trees and just as constructive. There are many types of trees, but because one is older, or taller, or has more branches than another does not make that tree right, or better than the tree next to it. There are many types of trees, but the truth is, they are still just trees.

Professional Coaches are trained to hold a neutral position. After all, who are we to judge? For example, as a Coach, I may find myself a client who earns his living as a professional gambler, but what he does for a living is separate from who he is as a fellow human being. I tell him I stand for him as a human being, as a person. I stand for his rights and who he is as an individual and not for what the goals are that he accomplishes or doesn’t accomplish. He could change his career tomorrow, but he will still be a human being, like me, and that is the person I am coaching... not the gambler. However, letting go of reacting to what others say or do or who they are is challenging, admittedly, and requires a great deal of practice.

But you mustn't confuse making observations with making judgments. Making observations is something else we all do. We're always making observations too, like observing what somebody is wearing, what mood somebody is in, etc. Making powerful and useful observations is another Coaching technique. But powerful observations must always be truthful, and again, as a Coach, a powerful observation is my way of saying this is what I think at this point in time from the facts available to me at this point in time, but I do not make or express judgment and I am not coming from a position of who is right or who is wrong, I am simply expressing my perception of something as it appears. There is no right, there is no wrong, there is no judgment. I make my observations the same way that I might observe, "oh, it's a sunny day today."

Next time you hold a judgment about a person's appearance or something they are saying, practice this:

1. Remind yourself not to think about what they say with any judgment. Just "hear" what they're saying and don't form any judgment in your head about it.


2. Focus on the person you are listening to and not your feelings or what you want to say in reply.


3. Set aside your personal feelings, beliefs, or agendas. Don't take what they are saying personally - unless of course, it IS personal.


4. Listen to everything as if it was a plain and simple fact and nothing more.


5. Whenever you feel yourself getting emotionally charged or reactive, remind yourself to be quiet and just listen.

With continued practice, you will find that as you put judgment aside, you will gain the benefits of making greater connections with people, you will experience less stress and discomfort, and you will spend less time and energy with negative thoughts and more just being and letting others be.

Be Happy!

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

Ever Thought You Don't Belong? Well, Consider this...

As a professional business and personal coach, I believe that we, as human beings, are all connected. Whether it be the mailman, our neighbor, a high-flying corporate CEO or the local check-out girl, we all have one thing in common. We all share the same qualities and traits for the simple reason that we are all human and we are alive, and we are all experiencing life's challenges, and we all have dreams and goals. We all experience happiness and sadness, ups and downs. We all bruise if you hit us. And at the very basis of our connectedness, we are all beings of spirit, all made up of the same stuff, all traveling the same journey but by different paths and taking different detours, playing different 'games' in this experience we call life.

We may not see this connection, and sometimes, we may even wish we weren't connected, but it is an essential ingredient in the coaching process. I recognize this sense of connection, but I also recognize that we are each unique and have special gifts, talents, and offerings.

One of the challenges we all face, as connected human beings, is that of remaining non-judgmental. We tend to put labels on what we hear, such as right or wrong, good or bad, happy or sad, etc. Even young children hold judgment about what they see, hear, and experience. A four year old, for example, will be quick to pronounce judgment on another child who is somehow different to him or her self, like an obese child, a loner, or someone from another country, and may even call the other child unkind names to express this judgment. And how many of us are guilty of that most easiest of judgment traps - that of judging someone by their appearance, or by the type of work somebody does?

Somehow, society has trained us to judge others as good or bad and not to accept those who are different from us or what we consider the "norm". But shifting into coaching mode, we believe that no one is right or wrong, good or bad ... they just are, and we accept who or what they are, period.

So, next time you think you were born on the wrong planet, think again. You are a part of everything and everyone. You have equal rights to be here, to look the way you do, to be the way you are. You most definitely BELONG and don't let anybody tell you differently!

Until next time...

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

How About Turning Those Problems into Opportunities!

Like the glass half full/half empty scenario, there are people who look at situations and see problems where others see only opportunities. Whatever the situation facing you, how you view it will affect the results you get.

Do you look at a problem with sagging shoulders and imagine the worst? Or do you look at a problem and rise to the challenge it presents to you? The challenge of finding a way to succeed.

The problem lies in giving up too soon. If Thomas Edison had given up we would not have the electrical light bulb - but it took 586 failed experiments before he reached success. Robert Perry finally reached the North Pole but it took 8 attempts over 23 years to do it. Alexander Graham Bell was laughed at and bankers did not take him seriously... just as well he didn't give up or we'd not have the telephone... and we won't go into Walt Disney's bankruptcies because we always use that example!

Don't quit something when success could be waiting just around the next bend... and if it isn't, it may be the bend after that. If something is worth doing or worth having, it is worth persevering for. You need to understand and accept that challenges and problems are not signs that you should quit, but rather, they are part of life. If you were never tested, how would you grow and learn and improve? And where would the fun and satisfaction be if everything landed easily on your lap?

Problems are just experiences in life. Everyone alive is facing, has faced, or will face some kind of adversity in life, and not just once, but possibly many times. This doesn't signal the end. It is an experience and an opportunity for personal growth. The wonderful thing about overcoming problems and adversities is that once you've faced and overcome them, you don't face the same problem again. It's like being in school. Once you've passed the exam for one grade, you never have to sit that exam again.

Too often, some people see successful people, enjoying their wealth, and assume it came "easy" for them. But you don't know the long hours, the sweat, the failures, etc. that came before the great success. And if you persevere and work at it, you too can sit back one day and really enjoy the fruits of your labor and taste for yourself the sweetness of success.

Stick with it!

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

SETTING YOURSELF FREE WITH THE TRUTH

I was going through the archives, clearing out old correspondence, candy wrappers and cobwebs (don't your archives have these features???), and came across a letter which made me reflect once again on matters of honesty and integrity. I thought I'd share my thoughts with you...

It is so sad when people we trust and believe in deceive us and let us down. What signs did we ignore that might have alerted us to this potential? Do we go around wearing blinkers? Do we see only what we want to see? And here we are deceiving ourselves!

Alas, we cannot change other people; we can only make the world a better place to live in by changing ourselves. If we all changed ourselves and worked on ourselves then the world becoming a better place is a given.

And this applies to all areas of our lives. Start with yourself. Are you deceiving yourself right now? What 'lies' or deceptions are you accepting now that are making you uncomfortable or unhappy and what can you, and should you be doing about it?

What are you tolerating or avoiding or making excuses for?

We all deserve to live rich, fulfilling, honest and happy lives, but should we expect others to be honest with us if we can't even be honest with ourselves?

Improving your life demands a truthful look at your life and yourself and the situations you are involved in. It may not be easy, but it certainly is worthwhile.

So this week, start being honest with yourself - the truth really will set you free, or at least, put you on the right path to setting yourself free!

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

ACHIEVING BALANCE

Do you control your life or does it control you? Do you feel caught in a perpetual tug-o-war between the needs of your family and the demands of your work? If so, you've got a lot of company. Balance has become the Holy Grail in the new world of work .

What is balance? Let's begin by talking about what balance is not. Balance is not about squeezing as much as possible into every second of every day. Balance is not about double booking your schedule or worshipping a ten page "To Do" list. Balance is not about being a slave to email. No, balance is about savoring life. Balance is about listening to your favorite music or eating lunch in the sunshine of a beautiful day. Balance is about making choices that allow you to be YOU in the best way possible.

Achieving balance begins with tossing out time management tools. Realize that time management tools are just that -- tools. They are only effective when used in the right situation. Would you use a tape measure to plug a leaky pipe? Probably not.

Too many of us have blindly embraced a generic "one-size-fits-all" time management lifestyle in our quest to squeeze more things into our lives. But do you really want to do MORE things...or do you want to do MORE MEANINGFUL things?

Go for balance by building your life around what is truly important to you.

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

Everyone has off-days!!

If you're human, chances are you've experienced off-days when you feel "down", you feel life is unfair - maybe so many things have gone wrong for you that week you begin to wonder if there really IS anything in that old folk tale about breaking a mirror brings 7 years bad luck... and you think back trying to remember the last time you broke a mirror!

Sometimes it helps to have something to put life back into perspective - something that reminds us of what really is important - something to pick us up and put a smile back on our faces - something that reminds us of how much we already have and for which we can and should be very grateful.

I wish I knew the author of the following so I could acknowledge them, but wherever I've seen this it always says "Author unknown" - he or she is another reason to be thankful! They have written something simple and easy to read that puts everything back into place. Enjoy!

I AM THANKFUL...

for the wife
who says it's hot dogs tonight,
because she is home with me,
and not out with someone else.

For the husband
who is on the sofa
being a couch potato,
because he is home with me
and not out at the bars.

For the teenager
who is complaining about doing dishes
because that means she is at home,
not on the streets.

For the taxes that I pay
because it means that
I am employed.

For the mess
to clean after a party
because it means that I have
been surrounded by friends.

For the clothes
that fit a little too snug
because it means
I have enough to eat.

For my shadow
that watches me work
because it means
I am out in the sunshine.

For a lawn that needs mowing,
windows that need cleaning,
and gutters that need fixing
because it means I have a home.

For all the complaining
I hear about the government
because it means that
we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot
I find at the far end of the parking lot
because it means I am capable of walking
and that I have been
blessed with transportation.

For my huge heating bill
because it means I am warm.

For the lady
behind me in church who sings off key
because it means
that I can hear.

For the pile
of laundry and ironing
because it means
I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles
at the end of the day
because it means
I have been capable of working hard.

For the alarm
that goes off in the early morning hours
because it means that I am alive.

And finally...
For too much trivial e-mail
because it means I have
friends who are thinking of me

Author unknown.

And I bet you can add to this list... what are YOU thankful for today?

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

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