The North Star (or Polaris), located directly above the North Celestial Pole, holds a lot of meaning. While it’s not the brightest star, it’s easy to locate. As an actual, noteworthy, and reliable point in the night sky, it’s a significant symbol for guidance and achievement. Consider these examples. For centuries, ships relied on celestial navigation, guided by the North Star. In addition, the North Star offered hope and freedom for the enslaved during abolition. While you may not be crossing literal seas or lands, the idea of finding the North Star—your North Star—can highlight the value of goal setting. Having a goal, no matter the size, is crucial for reaching success in any venture. Imagine attending a meeting or announcing a new policy without any idea of your end goal. Not only would that be confusing, but it would also slow down productivity—and possibly hurt the collective morale and trust of your team members. Instead, setting your sights on a goal, or North Star, offers you and your team a clear vision. Once you understand the significance of goal setting, you’ll be able to set realistic and ambitious goals with ease. Let’s explore four insights to shine light on the value of goals—and lay a clear path toward your North Star of success. Insight #1: Start with Clarity in Mind First, clarity for your goals is vital. If you don’t know where your business is going, it’s impossible to achieve real progress. And without a clear roadmap and explanation, a goal could appear unnecessary or out of place to your employees. For example, you wouldn’t choose a random number of sales as your goal without taking the time to research what makes the most sense for your firm’s success. Nor would you ask your employees to waste time in unnecessary meetings or to duplicate work processes. If you’re setting up a product launch, though, you’d ensure your item sells well by clarifying how to get those sales. Start your goal-setting process by clarifying the steps needed to get where you’re going. Insight #2: Determine Direction and Details Next, having a sense of direction when goal setting is crucial. Imagine a child’s birthday party with a piñata: blindfolded youngsters swing wildly in hopes of breaking open all the candy. While this is fun for a celebration, it’s not the way to set goals! Making sure you’re heading in the right direction with goal setting is key—instead of swinging wildly in hopes of getting it right. Knowing the what, why, and how of a goal points you in the right direction—and your sense of direction increases as you focus on the specifics. So, rather than setting vague goals that generalize your vision, you’ll want to aim for specific figures, dates, and other details. Insight #3: Build in a Margin for Error Third, you need a margin for error. If you’re a free thinker, having clear, specific goals laid out may feel like painting yourself into a corner. But look at it this way: no matter the goal, you’ll likely run into some obstacles you weren’t expecting. As a business owner, you’re navigating economic, cultural, personal, and even perhaps political landscapes that could impact your business in ways you couldn’t anticipate. This is why leaving a margin of error is so critical. When done expertly, goal setting leaves room for the unexpected. Instead of feeling blocked in, try to see that wiggle room as a pressure valve, similar to a “rainy day” fund. Allowing a margin for error means there’s room for exploration and spontaneity. Insight #4: Increase Your Motivation Finally, motivation matters! Mindtools describes the power of setting goals as having “long-term vision and short-term motivation”. While this is the case for many goals, it’s worth aspiring toward goals that build your motivation—from start to finish. Achieving your goals doesn’t necessarily have to be hard, but it can be challenging for any number of reasons. If you don’t have enough fire, passion, and desire to achieve a goal, the pr

Goal Setting & Achievement Podcast: Business|Productivity

4 Insights for Goal Setting - Find Your North Star

Daryl Woodhouse has appeared on 200+ stages, workshops and conferences, live and virtually across 60+ countries. From his experience, Daryl knows that a healthy life-work balance isn’t just good for your wellbeing, it has a profound impact on business success. Daryl equips leaders and entrepreneurs with all they need to achieve more, work less, and avoid burnout. This all sounds good to me, so I hope you also get value from insights Daryl shared with me. Here are some questions I asked Daryl that you will benefit from when you listen to his interview: • Since starting your first business in 2012, you achieved 7 figures in revenue within a few years, winning many awards from innovation excellence and client success studies. Please briefly explain what the major contributors were to you being able to accomplish such good success in a short period of time. • Share with us the 8 ways to boost workplace productivity & wellbeing, so we can get an idea on how to get started doing this in our business. • Can you easily share what you call your ‘Perfect Week Planner’ template and give us practical and easy to implement tips? • What did you do to achieve a happier life by working 4 days a week, so you could increase your career and business success? • How can we achieve more at work, without increasing our work hours? To learn more about what Daryl does, connect with him on Linked-in or go to https://darylwoodhouse.com. Applying Strategic Thinking practices to your business will accelerate your success by allowing a crystal-clear focus to drive daily tasks - for you and your team. To download my complimentary copy of a strategic thinking model, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/strategic-thinking-model/. It is amazing to me how many people don’t have a specific agenda for meetings they hold and then they wonder why meetings take so long. Our time is valuable, so we want to use it wisely. To help you with creating an agenda and action items that will result from the meeting, take a look at my worksheet template and modify it to work for you. The purpose for the Agenda & Action Item Worksheet is to provide clarity on what you want to accomplish in the meeting… and clarity on who is going to do what following the meeting. Download this template and see how it might be of value to you in your various meetings with clients, prospects, strategic alliances, team members, etc. To download my complimentary meeting agenda and action item worksheet template, go to http://tinyurl.com/yy24484q. If you want a short daily fix from me, check out The Accountability Minute which can be found on most podcast platforms and in most English-speaking countries. To find me on Amazon's Alexa in the USA: https://www.amazon.com/Accountability-Minute-Anne-Bachrach/dp/B07F5H2KGB The Accountability Minute on Alexa in UK: https://amzn.to/2MayU9v The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Canada: https://amzn.to/2MpvUmx The Accountability Minute on Alexa in Australia: https://amzn.to/2vQqI4i Aim for what you want each and every day! Anne Bachrach The Accountability Coach™ The Results Accelerator™ To help you stay focused and on track to achieving your goals, check out these other high-value resources. Subscribe to my high-value business success tips and resources Blog https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/blog/) - Subscribe to my YouTube channel with business success principles (https://www.youtube.com/annebachrach) - Connect with me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheAccountabilityCoach) - Connect with me on Linked-in (https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebachrach) - Connect with me on Pinterest (https://pinterest.com/resultsrule/) - Connect with me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/annebachrach/) Check out my interview with Daryl Woodhouse by looking for the Accountability Coach Podcast, which can be found on most podcast platforms and in most English-speaking countries, as well as at https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/my-podcast/.

Daryl Woodhouse Interview, Healthy Life-Work Balance Expert

Developing time management skills enables you to accomplish high-level goals that accelerate your business success. Time remains our most valuable resource. The most successful professionals master their time utilization, so their "hours worked" align with meaningful objectives. These time management skills guide seasoned professionals in their craft. So, the five time management skills you want to master are: 1. Schedule Calls Within Time Blocks Business professionals love to hear the phone ringing. A prospect, partner, or client resides on the other line, waiting for you to pick up the phone. However, fielding calls throughout the day can present a problem. If you spend too much time fielding all your calls, you will not have enough time for outreach and building your brand. Hiring someone on your team to field calls for you greatly alleviates this issue, if you don’t already have someone in place. The person answering the phone can schedule a time for you to call back the prospect or handle the entire call themselves, so you don’t have to. Connecting with colleagues and people in your local area on Linked-in and asking for introductions to potential clients expands your pipeline. Taking calls throughout the day limits your ability to perform these activities. Scattering your calls throughout the day will give you little time to embrace deep work for your other objectives. Scheduling your calls within a time block gives you set hours to get into the flow with other activities. Setting a time block is one of the best time management skills to master. This practice cultivates deep work, which is an essential element of highly successful professionals. Some of the most productive people in the world swear by time blocking. Ever heard of Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Michael Hyatt, or Cal Newport? Yep – all time-blockers. They’re squeezing every drop of productivity from their days, and you can do the same. 2. Identify and Prioritize Your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) Time blocking gives you a scheduling framework to input activities. We all know specific tasks deserve more attention than others, but which tasks deserve the most attention for your business? Rather than take a guess, let your KPIs guide you. Decide the vital KPIs for your business and prioritize work that matches up with your KPIs. Revenue growth and profitability are two common KPIs. Professionals focusing on these KPIs would focus on activities that bring in revenue and increase profit margins. Digging deeper into general KPIs such as revenue growth and profitability gives you further clarity on your priorities. If you make the bulk of your revenue through specific products or services, prioritize activities that effectively fill up your pipeline with the greatest opportunities. If connecting with people on Linked-in more effectively fills up your pipeline than writing industry articles, then you should obviously prioritize Linked-in over articles. 3. Put Less Work On Your Plate When you identify KPIs, it gets easier to implement other time management skills. One of those skills is putting less work on your plate. Many professionals make the mistake of seeing a busy calendar as a successful one. Rather than focus on how many hours they work, successful professionals fill their calendars with impactful activities that are the highest payoff. Pursuing fewer tasks gives them more time to focus on what most contributes to the bottom line. Review all of the work you perform in a given day, week, and month. How many activities produce negligible results? How many activities lead to incredible results? According to Pareto’s Principle, 80% of our results come from 20% of our work. Discover the few activities that yield most of your results. Then, phase out the many activities that only lead to 20% of your results. 4. Slow Down To Speed Up Slowing down to speed up is one of the most underrated time management skills. If you speed up and always keep you

5 Time Management Skills To Master Right Now

If you’re a list-maker, you know there’s nothing like checking items off when complete. In fact, a rush of endorphins floods your brain! The neurotransmitter dopamine produces satisfaction and happiness, making you feel accomplished and propelling you to get more done. But first, you have to actually create that to-do list, which, for some people, can feel like a massive undertaking. After all, making a list (which is really a form of setting goals) requires thinking through many elements, including the things like: • Deciding what needs to be done • Determining how to prioritize • Forcing ourselves to be specific • Breaking jobs down into smaller steps • Scheduling times to check our progress • Holding ourselves accountable • Knowing when to say no If you’re feeling overwhelmed after reading that, you’re not alone! In actuality, science tells us that only 8% of people meet their goals. That means 92% of people don’t. Those are some pretty dismal statistics, but I have hope to offer you. My objective is to help you understand the power of goal setting and why it’s a critical habit for you and your career. What’s the Secret? You might be wondering if you really need to set goals. You might say, Anne, some people work better spontaneously, approaching life by the seat of their pants. Yes, sometimes that’s true. But I’m here to remind you that, in most cases, a goal without a roadmap is just a pipe dream. The elite 8% of successful goal setters have discovered a secret: you must start with the end in mind. The 8% know where they want to go, and they create a path for how to reach that destination. Even though it can be challenging to get started, remaining passive in any goal will prevent you from thriving. Intentions and Ambitions Let’s look at your personal life for a couple of examples. Imagine you want to improve your golf game, but to achieve this goal, you’ll need to do more than hope! To enhance your chip shots, drives, or putts, you must take action. So, you hire a golf coach to learn about proper stance, grip, and posture. Sure—this takes time, effort, and commitment, but the 8% have refined the follow-through necessary to achieve their goals, no matter how difficult. Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to visit Greece. Looking through gorgeous internet scenes of Santorini might inspire you, but action steps are required to make this dream a reality. For example, will you need a visa? What’s your budget? What options do you have for flights? What about planning your itinerary? Will you need any vaccinations? Should you purchase travel insurance? Do you know how to say please (parakaló) or thank you (efkharistó) in Greek? The 8% would thoroughly answer these questions, so they can ensure the trip of a lifetime. Remember, starting with the end in mind means you’re creating a clear roadmap with the goals and resources needed to get there. You’re taking your ambitions and intentions and putting them into action with goals along the way. Getting Results Now that we’ve established the importance of goal setting, let’s look at how that applies to your career. As a business owner, proper goal setting ranks as one of the most vital tasks to provide instruction and a sense of direction for you and your team. Let’s look at five reasons why: 1. Increases Focus: Goal setting takes your ideas from disjointed and disorganized to precise and productive. Having a roadmap helps you achieve the flow state, where your goals are challenging yet still within your skill ability. This zone is where progress happens. 2. Measures Progress: Keeping track of your progress is advantageous and can prevent burnout. Even if you’re just taking baby steps—maybe you’re waiting on others or need more information—you’re still moving forward. 3. Provides Motivation: Setting goals increases motivation—and vice versa. Higher motivation leads to getting more done. 4. Avoids Procrastination: Wasted time helps no one. Procrastination happens to everyone,

Goal Setting for the Win and Join the Elite 8%

Ahhh, the good ol’ catchphrase: Believe in yourself. If only it were that simple, right? I know. This expression may feel cliché. But it’s worth looking closer at your belief system to better understand how it impacts your goals and your goal achievement. After all, your beliefs, both positive and negative, will affect your confidence and overall job performance. This, in turn, affects your ability to achieve your goals. To begin, we must consider where our belief system originates. Limiting Beliefs Throughout our lives, we’ve acquired a belief system—whether we’re aware of it or not. In fact, science tells us that our beliefs are mostly formed by the time we’re 7 years old. They’re ingrained into our mind, and honestly, we usually don’t stop to question them. And that might be where the problem lies. Even though you’ve grown into a successful adult, your beliefs today may reflect your beliefs as a child. When you don’t recognize and overcome these types of limiting beliefs, or false beliefs that keep you from pursuing your goals and desires, you’re actually hindering your own personal and professional growth. Limiting beliefs are primarily subconscious, which means you aren’t stopping to think about them. They’re a natural response. They’re conditioned based on past experiences and circumstances. As a child, these beliefs likely provided a place of certainty and probably reduced feelings of anxiety, doubt, and stress. The power of limiting beliefs is mighty—and damaging—to adults. Let’s look closer. Self-Fulfilling Prophecies You’ve probably heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy, which refers to predicting or expecting a particular outcome based on your beliefs. So, when you feel sure that you’ll make a mistake or a goal will fall apart, you’re actually setting yourself up to fail. Then when you choke, that negative outcome is validated—and further cements your limiting beliefs in yourself. Now, it’s vital to note that you’re not alone. As business owners, we’ve all dealt with moments of self-doubt. Consider the examples of limiting beliefs that occur subconsciously in our thinking patterns, that I’m going to share with you. • “I am not _______ enough.” Athletic, tall, qualified, wealthy…whatever it is, these beliefs are limiting. • “I don’t have _______.” Support, time, money, knowledge, experience, resources…all these place boundaries on your potential and confine you to your current environment. • “I can’t ever _______.” Succeed, win, get ahead, catch a break… these kinds of thoughts can prevent you from trying and cripple your career. • “I’m too _______.” Old, ugly, fat, short…negative beliefs about yourself can lower your ability to see opportunities and prevent manifesting the outcomes you desire. As you may have noticed from these examples, limiting beliefs are nearly always negative. But it’s vital to note that your beliefs are just perceptions, not facts. Tuning into your attitude, assumptions, and even your environment can help you better understand your beliefs and, in turn, make your beliefs work for you to reach your goals. Overcoming Limiting Beliefs To beat those negative perceptions, try to shift all your energy to possible positive outcomes. You don’t have to make a vision board or chant mantras every morning; however, these are good to have and do. Simple imagining and visualization can also do the trick! Keep the following three suggestions, I’m about to share, in mind when recognizing and overcoming your limiting beliefs: 1. Silence that inner critic. If you give power to that negative inner voice in your mind, it will pull you under without hesitation. Instead, challenge those thoughts. Ask yourself, What if I’m wrong about this? As soon as you recognize that a belief isn’t true, it loses its power. 2. Surround yourself with affirmation. The old saying is true: garbage in, garbage out. Keep your inner circle filled with positive people. They should encourage you, push you, and help y

5 Tips to Overcome Limiting Beliefs and Achieve Your Goals

Goal setting is directly tied into your future and affects your life. Setting goals not only prepares you for success, it guides you there, to that place that you envision as your ultimate destination. Setting goals helps you to know exactly what it is you want to achieve, and the steps needed in order for you to succeed professionally and personally. Effective goal setting sets you on a certain path that is free from distractions and time wasters that could slow your progress. Finally, goal setting is motivational, because the more goals you set and achieve, the more self-confidence you build and the happier you are. There are two main components to successful goal setting. 1. Set Short Term Goals: You have probably heard of the effectiveness of goal setting before. Who uses this system to their advantage? Many world-renowned athletes, as well as successful businesspersons and celebrities, have adhered to this philosophy. They have to approach their dream from a logical and progressive standpoint. Nobody can say, “I want to be rich” and then go from point A to point Z. In order to find success, as you define it, you must create short-term goals that will ultimately guide you to your vision of success. These goals will, at once, give you short-term motivation while still making your long-term vision ever clearer. 2. Get Organized. Essentially, goal setting is a means of organization. The best way to achieve anything, as an individual or as a group, is by being organized. Arbitrary desires usually do not go very far, and most people are content just to dream. When you actually take the time to organize your resources and efforts, you will come much closer to fulfilling your dream than the countless number of wishers out there. Everyone has the ability to set goals. The question is, who wants it bad enough to actually do it? You may be surprised by how few people really want it that bad. Tips for Setting Goals How do you go about setting goals? There are different levels to goal setting—you might even say there are goals to setting goals! Tip 1: Start Broad and Get Specific You start at the base level, which means deciding what it is you want out of life. Are you interested in a particular career path or are you after the benefits of success, such as money or influence over others? After you decide on a mission you must break down this destination into smaller targets. The entire mission may take a lifetime, so why limit yourself to just one target? Having a series of targets to accomplish over a short period of time keeps you motivated. Tip 2: Brainstorm It is important to give some attention to the “brainstorming” process. The object of these sessions may be to expand your vision of success, with proper attention given to breaking down long-range goals into achievable steps. For example, an artist might ask himself, “If I want to be a professional artist, then what kind of art do I want to make? How will I go about making it?” A career professional might ask herself similar questions, such as what corporate level do I want to reach and why? Do I want to open my own business someday, and if I do, what kind of business would it be?” You may also find that it helps to ask deeper questions such as “How could I make the world a better place?” Tip 3: Do a Personal Assessment After you decide exactly what it is you want to accomplish you have to compare the person you are now to the person you will be then. Examine your circumstances and unique personality to see what is holding you back from achieving your dream. Can you trace your lack of success or motivation to get started to a certain mindset? Is your behavior or your present living surroundings preventing you from reaching a goal? Tip 4: Create Specific Timeframes After you consider how to correct the circumstances, you must organize your goals according to a specific time frame. A specific time frame means t

4 Tips for Effective Goal Setting and Accelerating Results

Today we are talking about 6 Ideas for Creating New Opportunities by Getting Rid of Limiting Beliefs. According to the laws of physics and aerodynamics, a bumble bee can’t fly. So…try telling a bumble bee that! Isn’t it wonderful that bumble bees don’t possess human traits? Because if they did, in all likelihood, we would live in a world devoid of flowers and honeycomb and the simple delights of bumble bees productively going about their business in our garden. Why? Because we human beings have a knack for getting caught up in limiting self beliefs, so it follows that the bulk of us would simply accept the word of the scientific community and not fly because we’ve been told we can’t! And like the imaginary void that would be created without the ingenuity of bumble bees, we create huge voids in our life by accepting self-limiting beliefs. Our beliefs about ourselves, those around us and the world at large affect who we are and how we behave. Beliefs are merely thoughts, that with a little encouragement and repetition from our over-active minds, transform into facts. Or so we are led to believe. Once we have formed a self-limiting belief, we continue to pursue evidence to prove that our belief is real. These beliefs are backed up by our self-talk, providing further evidence to back up our negative thoughts. How many times have you caught yourself saying: • I knew I’d be no good at this. • This always happens to me – I’m hopeless. • I’m always the unlucky one. • I’ll never be any good at anything. • I can’t ask for referrals. • I’m not built for following a calendar. • I can’t seem to stop letting things distract me. • I have to spend too much time on lower priorities because they need to get done. Limiting beliefs are self-perpetuating; the more we believe something to be so, the more our actions reflect that belief, and the more the resultant failure to achieve what we originally set out to do reinforces the initial limiting belief. So, how do we break the vicious cycle of self-limiting beliefs and create more positive outcomes? 6 Step Plan to Break the Cycle of Limiting Beliefs The first step in breaking the cycle of self-limiting beliefs is recognizing that the belief exists. This can often be difficult because many of our limiting beliefs stem from early childhood experiences, or are so deeply ingrained into our psyche that we aren’t consciously aware of them. For example, you may have been told over and over as a child that you’d “never amount to anything” because you didn’t get your homework in on time. Over the ensuing years, you’ve lived a mediocre life, settling for whatever life has thrown at you because you don’t believe you are capable of anything better. So, let’s look at a series of exercises that will disprove your long-held belief and create a whole new world of opportunities. 1. Write down your self-limiting belief. Writing is an integral part of the process because it shifts your focus from the maze of random thoughts associated with the right side of the brain to the more analytical, logical left hemisphere. 2. Using the above example, the self-limiting belief might be: “I will never amount to anything.” 3. Describe the self-talk that is associated with the belief: “I am useless.” “I am a waste of space.” “I don’t deserve to be successful.” 4. Record all the limitations your belief creates: “I am unfulfilled.” “I get no enjoyment from life.” “I am frustrated by my inability to get ahead.” 5. Write down the new positive self-talk that opposes the self-limiting belief: “I am capable of great things.” “I can be successful.” “I am a good person.” 6. Imagine yourself with the new positive belief and describe your feelings when you think about it: “I feel happy and content with my life.” “I feel positive and invigorated.” “I know I’m capable of achieving success.” This exercise is designed to give you a new-found sense of excitement about the unlimited possibilities you can create. If you

6 Ideas for Creating New Business Opportunities

Have you heard that saying, “Persistence Pays Off”? It is true, but there is a fine line between being persistent and being relentless, and you need to know when you’re crossing the line. Persistence is a personality trait and an attitude that indicates you’re working hard, and that you keep trying until you achieve success or until you realize the direction you’re going isn’t going to achieve the goal you set. Persistence is a personality trait you can develop and here are five reasons you may want to: 1. You will be motivated. If you’re persistent you are more likely to stay motivated and keep moving toward the goals you’ve set. Self-motivation is a critical trait of a successful entrepreneur. 2. You will gain expertise. If you’re persistent in pursuing a goal, you will work harder and learn more about the subject at hand. You will experiment, and repeat actions until you achieve the desired outcomes. 3. You learn the value of success. When you are persistent and if you don’t always succeed on your first try you truly understand the meaning of success – because you have worked so hard for it. 4. It shows others you are driven. A person who is persistent is perceived as ambitious. You’re not happy to just sit back and let things happen around you – you are a change-maker and take the initiative. 5. Your persistence may motivate others. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a leader in a job, when your colleagues see your persistence and drive, they will follow your lead. You are setting a good example to others by your persistence. You may notice a boost in efficiency and productivity in your team. Are you as persistent as you want to be? Can you develop a more persistent attitude? Yes, you can and here’s how: Determine the goal you want to achieve. If you want to develop persistence you need to have a goal toward which you’re striving. Set goals and set specific milestones to meet those goals. Write down your large goal then break that down into smaller steps. Studies show that if you have clear and concise goals you are 95% more likely to achieve them! Plan for stumbling blocks and failures. Just because you’ve set goals and planned milestones doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t face stumbling blocks. You may even face failure. The persistence you’re developing will keep you from throwing in the towel and it will keep you moving forward. You will persist and find a solution to the issue that caused the initial failure. Keep in mind to consider other options, that you haven’t thought of before, to get to your goal. Sometimes you may have to course correct along the way. If a task is failing and a goal isn’t being met, take a step back and look at it with fresh eyes and determine what is keeping you from your goal and brainstorm new paths that can get you there. Stop procrastinating. If you tend to have trouble getting started, you will have nothing to persist toward. Get started. Don’t fear failure. Move toward your goals with confidence and expect a great outcome. Get buy-in. Whether you’re working alone or in a team, you need to get buy-in. Talk with a trusted business colleague or team members and let them know your plan and the goal you want to achieve. Get their input, take their suggestions and recommendations and persist! Stay focused. It’s impossible to be persistent if you’re constantly chasing new ideas and following new threads that may not be part of your original goal. When you stay focused, you maintain your motivation and you persist on the path to achieve your goal. Celebrate your persistent nature. When you achieve a goal, celebrate. When you overcome a hurdle or a milestone, pat yourself on the back! Set rewards for a job well done. When you meet a specific goal, take an hour off to recharge your batteries. When you are at the halfway point, spend some money on a fancy coffee. Rewards help you stay focused, keep your momentum, and enhance your persistent proclivities. Are you pe

The Power of Persistence in Achieving Your Goals

Do you command a room when you begin speaking? Have you met individuals who, no matter if they’re talking about the weather or about intense business topics, have everyone on the edge of their seats? Have you ever wanted to be an even more effective communicator? If so, I have some good news for you! You can hone that skill. Whether you want to command a room at a speaking engagement, keep your team engaged, or even have better communication with friends and family, and clients and prospects, here are 9 ways you can enhance your communication skills. If you’re ready to take the first steps toward a more effective communication style, there is no better time to start than today. This may not be a skill you hone overnight, but when you plan, prepare and practice, you will see marked improvement in your communication skills. So, let’s explore nine ideas to help you be an even more effective communicator. 1. Think about the takeaway. If you’re getting up to speak, what do you want the audience to walk away with? Do you want your spouse or significant other or your child to remember to pick up the bread? Do you want your colleagues to know the next steps in the current project? If you know the outcome you’re seeking, you can craft your speech toward that resolution. 2. Know when to speak. There are times when you’re better served to be a good listener. Not every gathering is a time for you to shine the light on who you are and what you do. Choose your times wisely. 3. Listen well. You’ve probably heard that we were given two ears and one mouth for a reason – that we should listen twice as often as we speak. Good advice. When you’re a good listener you are better able to give great advice. Respond when the person you’re listening to takes a pause or asks for your input. 4. Don’t be wordy. If you can be succinct, you should. You won’t better make your point by making it wordy and by rambling. People appreciate input when they get the answer they’re seeking in a quick and easy manner. If all you have to say is Blah, don’t say Blah, Blah, Blah. 5. Be the voice that unifies. You’ve been in meetings or conversations where it is just a round-about discussion with no end point, no beginning point, and the point of the conversation has been lost. Step in, recap the conversation and steer it toward a conclusion. You don’t have to give your advice or have your opinion be the one that is the last voice heard. 6. Not everyone wants, or needs, your opinion. Let’s face it, you don’t have to comment on everything and in every discussion, right? You will become a more respected communicator if you offer input where your input is needed and will be the most helpful. 7. If you’re going to be called upon to speak to a group, prepare beforehand. Don’t try to “wing it” even if you’re talking about a subject in which you’re an expert. Not everyone can communicate off the cuff. If you want to provide a memorable conversation, prepare for it. Also, don’t forget to prepare your valuable takeaway for the audience – they will appreciate it. If you are like me, what I say in my head is typically better than what comes out of my mouth, without preparation. 8. Smile when you speak. If you’re positive and if you smile and nod when you’re speaking and when others are speaking, you will be deemed more approachable. Pay attention to the current speaker and curb any impatience you may feel. 9. Validate what the person you’re speaking to is saying. There is something to be said for repeating a question back to the person with whom you’re speaking. For example: “If I understand you correctly, you want to know how I reached the conclusion that 2 + 2 = 4. Correct?” This lets the person know you were listening to them and that you’re paying attention to what they were saying or asking. Body language matters when you’re speaking and when you’re listening. If you’re communicating with your team or a group of colleagues, pay attention to your body l

9 Ideas to Help You Be an Even More Effective Communicator

“Why do I have to deal with change?” The answer is, because change is inevitable. Whether it’s a new client, a new boss, a new piece of software, a discontinuation of your favorite coffee flavor… change is a part of life. Coping with, and adapting to, those changes are crucial for happiness and success in work and in life. Whether you are someone who embraces change or dreads it, the way in which you accept it will increase or decrease your stress levels. Change can trigger powerful emotions. For some, change makes them feel as though they are out of control, that they are being dragged toward a very steep rock face or cliff, toward which they have no control. “Going with the flow” is a mantra some people chant, but for many going with the flow is not easy to do and, in fact, causes them undue stress. Get rid of the “go with the flow” mindset and try these 3 mindset adjustments, I’m about to share with you, to help you better cope with change, as change is constant. 1. Change is a process. When you deal with change, it’s not as easy as flipping a switch and moving from one way of doing something to a completely different way. You need to look at change as a process and you want to take steps to adjust. When you learn to bake a cake, for example, you don’t just open the oven and put in the cake to bake. You need to gather ingredients, measure them, mix them, prepare the pan, preheat the oven, then bake the cake. Baking is a process; change is a process. 2. Be flexible. Some changes are forced upon you, others are a necessary part of life and business. When you accept that some aspects of your life come with change, you can adjust your thinking and prepare for the changes ahead. 3. Change is not always dire, nor does it need to be frightening. Change can be very positive. Change is what you make of it. You can fight against it. You can fear it, or you can look to the future and to the benefits this current change may bring. You can thrive during change; it depends on how you approach it. Let’s now explore seven ways to help you deal with the changes that life and work can throw at you. 1. Face the fact that you’re nervous about the change. Gather all the information you can to help you understand why the change is happening, how the change will impact your business and life, and how you can ease yourself into it. 2. Notice that you’re in the middle of a change in circumstance. When you take time to be aware of the changes ahead, it’s better than denying change is occurring. 3. Do you HAVE to adapt the change? Not all changes necessarily need to be implemented by you. Look for those potential changes that don’t have to impact you and don’t have to be adopted by you. Take time to look at the long-term and see how this short-term acceptance or rejection of a change will impact you and your firm. 4. Positive thinking will color your attitude about change. If you’re facing a change with a negative attitude, the change will be more difficult and fraught with challenges. Look at the change positively. Try to find the silver lining. 5. Anticipate the change. If you tell yourself, “I welcome changes” or “this change might make XYZ even easier to do!” Even if a change will require you to learn and adapt your work habits or lifestyle, that doesn’t mean it’s bad, right? Right! 6. Try to relax. If you know yourself and know that you are uptight when it comes to any switch in a routine or any type of change, you will automatically want to reject the change you’re facing. Try to relax. Take deep breaths and know that not all change is bad – in fact, many changes are great! 7. Set goals toward the acceptance of change. When you take control of the inevitable change you can set goals for its implementation into your business and life. Write down what the change means in your processes, write down goals to incorporate those changes into your process and take baby steps toward implementation. Find someone in whom you can

7 Ways to Cope with Change and Increase Your Success

When you’re focused you get more done – plain and simple. Focus also helps you to enjoy the moment you’re in. Being in the present is a gift that many people take for granted. Pay attention. Focus on what you’re doing. You will be happier for it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an entrepreneur or an individual just looking for a bit more peace in your life – focus is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. If you’re not certain if you are focused enough or if you want to find ways to fine tune and enhance your focus, you’re in the right place. Implement these seven steps and you may be able to remain more laser focused, be more efficient in your focus, and enjoy living in, and working in, the moment. 1. Set the alarm clock a bit earlier. I can hear you groaning, but if you get up earlier you may get more done. Also, getting up before everyone in the house wakes up will give you solitude and will make you feel less rushed. If you have always wanted to practice yoga or take a long walk with the dog, read a book, sit on the deck with the paper and your coffee but you never seem to have the time, getting up earlier will be your gift to yourself. As you’re sipping your coffee consider eating breakfast. Skipping meals may make you overeat later. However, if you’re doing intermittent fasting, schedule your day so you have time later in the morning to break your fast. 2. Get the most challenging project out of the way first. If you know you have a pressing task or project to complete, putting it off until the end of the day won’t make it go away. Putting it off will only make it so you’re working on a challenging project when you’re tired from the day. The harder projects won’t go away and putting them off will only drain your mental energy because they will still be there tapping you on the shoulder, waiting for you to complete it. If you have been putting business development calls off until later in the day, do them first thing and be done with them for the day. Brian Tracy calls this “Eating that Frog.” Doing uncomfortable activities first thing in our business day can be very beneficial. 3. Eat it one bite at a time. If you have a huge project ahead of you, eat it one bite at a time. Take your large project and break it down into manageable tasks. Don’t look at “Write a book,” for example, as something you need to complete in one sitting. Take your “write a book” project and break it down into smaller “meals.” For example: choose a title, write chapter titles, craft the back-cover copy, look for your author photo, make note of the beginning, middle and the end, so you have points to work toward. 4. You will procrastinate. There are a myriad of reasons why you will procrastinate, and you will. We all do. When you factor in procrastination time you won’t feel frantic if you find yourself taking fifteen or thirty minutes to “just do nothing.” Don’t schedule yourself so tightly that you don’t have time to just not feel like working for a few minutes. Call it cushion time, break time, or whatever you want. 5. Make a list. I’ve found that when I make a list, my projects aren’t as overwhelming. Make a list and you will get more done – that is a proven fact. Write down a goal, write down tasks and you are more likely to complete them. A goal, written down, is no longer a vague thought – it is an object of substance. 6. Take a break. Yes, taking a break will help with your focus. You cannot work for eight hours straight without a break. You truly don’t want to work more than two hours without a break. Every hour, or every two hours, get up and move around. Do jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups against the wall, walk around the building or block, stretch, go get more water (most of us don’t drink enough water during the day). This break is a gift of rejuvenation and will help you re-focus once you sit back down. 7. Stop multitasking. You will not get more done if you divide your efforts among projects. In fact,

7 Ways to Get More Focused and Increase Success

Distractions are everywhere. If you work from home, you have everything within your home. If you are at an office, you have colleagues, watercooler talk, and phone calls that distract you. Even if you’re not distracted by home or office, chances are you’re distracted by social media pings and email notifications… the list goes on and on! When you’re distracted it’s easy to blame distractions for the reason you’re not getting all the activities you know you need to do (especially high payoff ones) done. You are procrastinating and using your distraction as a crutch. Why do you think distractions are pulling you away from the tasks at hand? On what are you blaming your procrastination? If it’s a distraction, let’s explore 5 potential reasons procrastination can derail your business or career. 1. You forget about your future because you’re living in the now – and with the current distraction. It is sometimes difficult to see the end of the road when you’re surrounded by distractions, pressing to-dos and the day-to-day “grind”. When you take your eye off the big picture though and give in to distractions, you’re going to find it difficult, if not impossible, to achieve your dreams. 2. Blaming your procrastination on distraction is an easy way out. It’s easy to put off the difficult tasks in lieu of something quick and easy. The quick and easy may make you feel great because you’re crossing items off the list, but are they moving you toward your larger goals? Are the insignificant items keeping you from success? 3. When you’re distracted, or when you’re multitasking you are inevitably turning in sloppy work. If you’ve procrastinated yourself up against a hard deadline, you will find yourself throwing something together at the last minute to get the project done and it will not be your best work. Distractions that make you miss deadlines will be more stressful because you will know, deep inside, that you have not turned in a project that is worthy of your best effort. 4. Procrastination and being distracted is draining on your emotions. Even if you’re not completing a project, it is still there tapping you on the shoulder. You know it needs to be done, you can’t avoid it, but pushing it to the side won’t finish it either. Jump into that project you’re putting off, shut out distractions – your health will thank you. 5. Procrastination won’t give you more free time; in fact, it will cut into your free time. Many people who don’t work on projects because they’re distracted are usually not pursuing other worthwhile projects, either. Distractions can lead you to spending hours on Facebook liking and commenting on posts and doing nothing that is even related to work. Then again, you’re facing a hard deadline and are frantic to meet it. This could cause you to miss out on family or friend time and free time. How can you move away from distraction and procrastination and toward completion? Try one or more of these 5 actions you can take to help you move away from distractions that cause procrastination. 1. Make a list of everything you have to do. 2. Look at the list of everything you have to do and make note of those you dread. Be honest. 3. Now write down why you think you’re procrastinating on those tasks. Lack of information? Fear of failure? Fear of success? Not enough knowledge about the topic? When you narrow it down, you can ask for help. 4. Is your perfectionism holding you back? Be honest. 5. Can you delegate specific tasks? If so, get activities off your plate as much as possible. You should only do what you can do and nobody else can do. Delegate everything else. To download a free Delegation List Sample to help you identify more activities to delegate, go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/delegation-list-sample/. The author of the book, Atomic Habits, suggests a simple “2-Minute Rule.” It works something like this. Rather than saying, “read a book before bedtime every night,” give yourself two

5 Reasons You’re Procrastinating and What to Do About It

Michelle Seiler Tucker is the Founder and CEO of Seiler Tucker Incorporated. As a 20-year veteran in mergers & acquisitions, Michelle and her firm has sold over a thousand companies in almost every vertical. Michelle is the Best-Selling Author of the book “Sell Your Business for more than it’s Worth”, and her latest book “Exit Rich” which is available now. In addition to being featured in INC, Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and USA Magazine, Michelle makes regular radio and TV appearances on Fox Business News and CNBC. She has spoken alongside many prominent speakers, such as Eric Trump, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathy Ireland, Donna Karen, Stedman Graham, Randi Zuckerberg, Steve Wozniak, and more. Her passion is to save businesses that might otherwise close. By identifying and correcting the top mistakes business owners make, Michelle will fine tune a business into a well-oiled machine. Michelle gave us some great insight that will help us be even more successful, so we can Exit Rich, if that is your goal. Here are some questions I asked Michelle that you will benefit from by listening to her interview: 1. How does an entrepreneur create, build, and grow a business where they could exit rich? Basically, how does someone Build a Sustainable, Scalable, and Sellable Business? 2. What kinds of businesses have a higher probability to sell better than others? 3. Where would a business owner go to get an accurate business valuation for their business and industry? 4. Why is it important to plan your exit strategy from day one using the ST GPS Exit Model (a five-step process that business owners need to accomplish before they sell their business)? 5. Tell us what the 6 P’s are and why they are so important? Hint: The “ST 6 P’s” is the best evaluation method every business owner should live by and establish within their company. It is based off 6 principles. 6. What inspired you to write your newest book, Exit Rich? To buy a copy of Michell’s newest book, Exit Rich, go to www.exitrichbook.com. It is only $24.79 plus shipping and handling. When you buy it here, you will get a lot of great bonuses worth over $50k. If you are getting value from any of Podcasts, please take a minute to leave me a short rating and review. I would really appreciate it, and love to hear from you. Aim for what you want each and every day! Anne Bachrach The Accountability Coach™ The Results Accelerator™ To help you stay focused and on track to achieving your goals, check out these other high-value resources. - Subscribe to my high-value business success tips and resources Blog https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/blog/) - Subscribe to my YouTube channel with business success principles (https://www.youtube.com/annebachrach) - Connect with me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheAccountabilityCoach) - Connect with me on Linked-in (https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebachrach) - Connect with me on Pinterest (https://pinterest.com/resultsrule/) - Connect with me on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/annebachrach/) Take advantage of all the complimentary business tips and tools by joining the Free Silver Membership on https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/. Go to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com to check out for yourself how I, as your Accountability Coach™, can help you get and stay focused on you highest payoff activities that put you in the highest probability position to achieve your professional and personal goals, so you can enjoy the kind of business and life you truly want and deserve. As an experienced accountability coach and author of 5 books, I help business professionals make more money, work less, and enjoy even better work life balance. Check out my proven business accelerator resources by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/. Get your daily Accountability Minute shot of a single, simple, doable idea, so you can start your day off on the "right foot". You can

Check out my Interview with Michelle Seiler Tucker

Without a doubt, one of the hallmarks of successful people in business is their ability to be consistent, both at work and in their personal lives. Creating a steady cadence in life allows us to be less stressed, more productive, and to experience a high level of contentment and success year in and year out. While cultivating consistency isn’t easy, it is an incredible skill that is vital to reaching your full potential. But what does it mean to be consistent? Is it merely delivering the same quality of service day in and day out? Is it the ability to present a true version of yourself while at work and also while at home? Is it gritty, focused discipline that doesn’t turn back from goals once they have been set? In all honesty, consistency is all of those things and so much more. Your trustworthiness, your business reputation, your relationships – they all hinge on consistency. A life lived with dependability will be marked with success and accolades. A life that is poorly managed and does not adhere to a code of structure and consistency will quickly devolve into stress and disorganization, both of which are detrimental to the success and strength of a company. Consistency allows you to accept and provide accountability A healthy workplace is one that has a solid culture of accountability and collaboration. As people, we work the best when we feel safe, heard, valued, and challenged. If standards of success and expectations are kept consistent, it is easy to know if you are living up to the expectation set before you or not. Otherwise, it can be confusing and frustrating trying to discern whether or not you are doing a good job. Eric Holtzclaw, a contributor for Inc. and a well-known entrepreneur, says: “I ask my employees to be accountable for their deliverables and goals. They should expect the same in return from my leadership. I put a priority on making time for and being available to my team. I work to establish consistent and recurring meetings when a project or aspect of the business requires attention. The simple fact that there is a set time to report on progress is often the catalyst that moves an initiative along to a successful end.” When your team knows they can depend on you to provide dependable, measured feedback and guidelines for them, they can easily settle into a routine and embrace their workflow with focus and intensity. Likewise, when you are in a disciplined routine you are more likely to allow people to speak into your life as accountability partners and to work unwaveringly toward your own success goals. Consistency gives you a structured way to review progress In order to measure your success and evaluate if your business trajectory is taking you where you want to go, you need to have consistent results and a documented history to review. You can’t appropriately evaluate business initiatives, client relationships, product launches, or income goals if you have not consistently been tracking progress or providing evaluation points along the way. Consistency helps you honestly look at things based on data, and not on your feeling of how things are going. Feelings can often lie to us, painting things with rose-colored glasses, whereas detailed business metrics and consistent review helps keep us laser-focused on the true picture of how things are going. Consistency reflects integrity and cements your character On both a personal and business level, your ability to be consistent speaks volumes about your personal integrity and the strength of your character. The ability to say what you mean, to follow through with promises, and to work honestly and transparently will attract clients that respect the work you do and that trust you to work with their best interest in mind. If the people you serve can have that kind of unwavering faith in you and your company and in your ability to do a good job for them, they are more likely to refer you to others, to remain long-term clients, and to pay th

Creating a Culture of Consistency in Your Firm

Returned a called to your grieving widow client. Check. Made flight arrangement’s for next month’s conference. Check. Reviewed your client’s recommendations for your meeting with them tomorrow. Check. Running late for a meeting and still have 20 items on the to-do list for the day. The business world moves fast, sometimes, too fast. It can become overwhelming, and you may feel that you are falling behind. Let’s explore seven ways to help you keep up with an ever-changing business environment. 1. Work Smart You’ve heard the phrase, ‘work smart’, but what does that really mean? In a fast-paced business world, staying on top of the work is the best way to manage it. Maximize your time during your commute by returning calls in the car or emails if you take mass transportation. Check emails twice a day, and not first thing in the morning. Schedule work and meetings in time blocks if possible, to maximize. Goals and dreams are what make a business work. Sometimes, aspirations have to be pared down to what can actually be accomplished. Prioritize what can be done within reason. 2. Make a Plan Formulating a plan will help you prepare for the challenges of the day. Start your day by prioritizing what needs to be done that day and review the entire week while you are at it. Write down your tasks for the day and check them off as you complete them. It is gratifying to cross something off your list, and it makes you more efficient and productive. It also brings order to your day, which helps you to remain calm, especially in a chaotic environment. 3. Be Consistent Remaining consistent in your work is one important key to success. Try to avoid ups and downs in your work production, so you don’t feel that you are overwhelmed. Morten Hansen, professor of entrepreneurship at INSEAD, states: “You would expect that in a world that is changing constantly around you that what you ought to do is to morph into the next thing and the next thing and so on, but what we found in our research is that winners in the industries that we studied followed a path of consistent pacing. And in the long run, that is what paid off, even in chaotic industries.” 4. Communicate Well In a fast-paced business environment, there is always a lot of work to be done, but you just can’t do it all. Don’t be afraid to wave the white flag once in a while. When you get really bogged down with work, communicate with your team. If someone else can handle something that you are just not doing at all, it’s better than it not getting done at all. And, in many cases, I’m guessing, you need to let the small details go and let someone else do it the way they see fit. 5. Use Social Media to Help Social media is a one-stop shop to find out the comings and goings in your field. Platforms such as Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter should be used to keep updated on the industry trends to keep competitive and stay ahead of the rest. You can also receive daily updates from industry leaders, and you can follow what your current and potential clients are doing, if this can help you get additional business. 6. Embrace Technology Almost every industry has experienced rapid change over the last few years. The best way to evolve in an evolving business world is to stay updated with technology. Innovation is critical to launching products/services and expanding business. Invest in technology that will benefit not only your business as a whole and align with your objectives, but in those that make your job easier. This will also keep your skills current and your team’s skills current. 7. Take a Break Time spent rejuvenating is imperative to keep up with a fast pace. Run, watch a movie, read a book, take a yoga class, do some stretching---do something that relaxes you and that has nothing to do with work. When you give your mind a break from the ever-growing to-do list, you will find that you come back to it refreshed. The same goes for your lunch break.

7 Ways to Keep Up in Today’s Fast-Paced Business World

Proven Business Success Principles and Systems for Working Less, Making More Money, and Enjoying Better Work Life Balance. You will discover proven and practical ideas you can immediately apply in all areas of your business and personal life so you can achieve your goals in the time frames you desire. Wouldn’t it be great if our ‘good intentions’ worked the way that we think they should? Not even enthusiasm guarantees positive results. There’s often a wide gap between our intentions and our actions. We fail to take the action necessary to be in alignment with our good intentions. This can be very frustrating. Good intentions don’t magically lead to good results. They are a start; however, they are unfortunately not enough. This is just the truth! We all can use a little accountability in our life to help us stay focused so we can achieve all our goals in the time frames we desire. Anne Bachrach is author of Excuses Don't Count; Results Rule!, Live Life with No Regrets; How the Choices we Make Impact our Lives, No Excuses, and The Work Life Balance Emergency Kit. Listen to the Podcasts and you can create the kind of life you have always dreamed of having. Go to www.AccountabilityCoach.com/landing today and take advantage of 3 Free gifts that you can immediately use to help you achieve your professional and personal goals. Visit www.AccountabilityCoach.com and receive 10% off all high-value products and services along with many complimentary resources and tools available to you under the FREE Silver Membership. You have access to tools like the Quality of Life Enhancer™ Exercise, a Wheel of Life exercise for helping you find balance in everyday life, assessments, articles, and so much more. Subscribe to the high-content Blog and receive valuable information. https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/blog/

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Goal Setting & Achievement Podcast: Business|Productivity

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