2005-06-30

To Be Successful, You Must Stay Motivated!

If you surveyed 50 people asking each their definition of
success, chances are you would receive fifty different answers.
Even so, there are certain steps everyone must follow in order to
be successful. One of the most important is - staying
motivated.

Do you have a new job? Have you started your own business? Are
you in the process of earning a degree? Do you have the desire
to lose weight? If one of these scenarios are a recent event in
your life, you are probably still excited about the opportunity.
That also probably means you are motivated, as well. Excitement
and motivation, often, work hand in hand.

But, how do you stay motivated after several weeks or months have
gone by? How do you maintain the same level of excitement that
you had when you began your new adventure?

There are many things you can do to stay motivated. It is
important to set aside a few minutes or more, each day, in an
effort to keep your motivation level at its highest. There will
be days that you may feel less motivated then usual. Let's face
it; we all have a bad day now and then. So, by doing all that
you can to maintain a positive attitude, your "down days" will
probably be few and far between.

Read a book. There are hundreds of books that have been written
on the topic of motivation. Visit your local bookstore or
library and browse the shelves. Ask the clerk or librarian for
author and title recommendations. Both will be happy to help
you.

If you have a busy schedule, don't despair. Set aside 15 or 20
minutes each day. Even if you only read a few pages, during that
time, it WILL help to keep you motivated. I do it and can attest
to the fact that it really DOES work!

If you are in the process of achieving a goal such as weight loss
or top salesperson, make a "dream board". A dream board is a
poster, of sorts. If a trimmer figure is your goal, cut out
pictures of the new wardrobe you will someday buy.

If you dream of out-selling your peers, find pictures of your
dream home or vacation destination... of the new car you would
LOVE to drive. Make a collage with these pictures and hand it
somewhere where you will see it each day.

There are many other things you can do to stay motivated.
Believe in yourself. Stay healthy. Maintain a positive
attitude.

You will be amazed at what you can achieve!

2005-06-28

Finding the Right Business for You

If you think that starting your own business is the answer to
your problems; whether it's money, child care, illness or a
desire for more free time, then you MUST choose wisely.

Too many individuals eagerly leave their paying jobs in order to
pursue their own business only to return to the unemployment
arena looking for work and carrying a massive debt from their
ventures.

How can you find the answer to your quest for self-employment
without failing?

DESIRE
DISCRETION
DISCIPLINE

DESIRE ----

If you think that running your own business is merely a matter of
using your brains then you are sure to be disappointed.
Successful entrepreneurs have a common thread no matter if they
run the run a country gas station or a Fortune 500 company -
DESIRE. If you don't have the drive and determination to work for
yourself - if you can't give up the security of a regular pay
cheque - you will have great difficulty working for yourself.

DISCRETION ----

Expect to fail. There are many opportunities available. Some are
good, some are frauds and several are absolutely perfect - for
YOU. Each individual's strengths and talents will impact which
business model will suit them best. If you are very shy or hate
to talk to people than it would be wise to stay away from
businesses that require a lot of face-to-face selling. If the
product is not something you would personally use it is not
something you will want to promote and that will show in your
efforts.

Take stock of your abilities and interests and try several
businesses that are related. Not all will suit you, but trying
things will ultimately improve your business skills overall. If
you do fall for what turns out to be a fraud, consider it
education and move on - you will not likely make the same mistake
again.

Consider talking to business owners who do what you want to do or
to people who may use your product or service. Research the
business and read the fine print!

DISCIPLINE ----

You don't have a boss or a time clock, but if you expect to make
a living then you will have to discipline yourself. Have a
schedule that you follow every day. Plan your time wisely.
Although many procrastinators actually do well working for
themselves it is still vitally important to know what needs to be
done and to have the discipline to follow through. A few bad jobs
or unhappy customers can have lasting impact on your business.

Many have found great happiness and success working for
themselves. Enjoy the search and find YOUR perfect business!

2005-06-21

Build a System for Freedom

Every entrepreneur knows that setting goals is crucial to
business success. If you don't know where you're going, how will
you know when you've arrived? Or, more importantly, when you're
heading in completely the wrong direction?

If you're the owner of a small business, what is your goal? To
make it to the end of the month with enough money in the bank to
cover the payroll? To take a holiday for the first time in five
years?

Every small business owner should have the same goal - sooner or
later, to become independent of the business. Small businesses
turn into big businesses only when they are able to operate
smoothly without the owner being present. When you can stay away
for a week, or a month, or a year, and return to find the
business running better than before you left, you have the
opportunity to do whatever you like - sell the business and start
a new one, retire, buy a yacht and sail around the world.

True financial independence is the ability to live your life
doing what YOU want to do. Do you really want to show up for work
an hour early every day, leave late at night and never take a
holiday, for the rest of your life? Surely not.

What is the key to being able to walk away?

It's simple. You need a system in place so that everyone in your
business knows exactly what's expected of them.

When you take on a new employee, how do they learn what they're
expected to do? Does an existing employee take them in charge,
explaining how things work? How can you be sure that the new
employee is learning what you want them to know?

As the owner of the business, it's your job to ensure that a
system is put in place as the business grows. The system will
ensure that everyone knows what they need to know to do their job
effectively.

How do you think companies like McDonald's are able to manage
thousands of restaurants across the planet? McDonald's Head
Office doesn't sell hamburgers. They sell franchises, and their
customers are the franchisees. The most valuable asset they have
is their system. It regulates what employees wear, the words they
say to customers, how many seconds a patty is left on the grill.
to variables within their business, every contingency is dictated
by the system.

The system makes it possible for new employees to fit in. They
are educated on 'how we do things around here'. They are taught
the specifics of their job. They may be required to sign a
performance agreement.

In a well-designed system, there is still space for individual
creativity. Better ways of doing things should always be sought
out and encouraged - and written into the system for the future.

The system provides the framework for ensuring that the business
is never entirely dependent on any one person. If you own the
business, your future depends on the quality of your system.

Are You Ready To Become Self-Employed?

If you are interested in starting a business, or taking over one,
you face a daunting task that carries a level of risk and
excitement not possible in the 'employee' world.

If the financial independence of self-employment appeals to you -
no boss, no income limits as to time and wage, and the ability to
let your personal drive determine your compensation - then you
will no doubt be eagerly going over the many options available to
release you from your current job.

However, the rush of financial excitement must be tempered by the
necessary cost of time, money and effort in properly setting
yourself up independently.

Despite income claims made by business opportunity companies, or
competing businesses, you must be ready to accept the reality of
not seeing personal income for several months - or even years.

Starting a self-employed business on the side, while keeping
regular employment as your financial security, is a wise method
of ensuring your income.

Another option is to have substantial savings that permit you the
freedom to pursue your dreams unencumbered with other employment.
However, the savings must also be capable of carrying the costs
of developing a business along with providing for your material
needs.

Do you also recognize the time that is required in starting your
own business? In some ways it is almost unnecessary to bring up
the point since your passion will likely drive you to spend many
hours in your pursuits. If you have other obligations; family,
job, social etc. then you will have to consider if you CAN devote
the time needed to get your business off the ground.

Having discussed both money and time, you must recognize that
there is much more effort extended BEFORE a business is
profitable than at any other time in your business. Yes, once
you are getting work and are satisfied with the income level you
may be very busy indeed but you will then be compensated for it.
When you are still cultivating your business - marketing, doing
free jobs, searching for clients and customers - you may not be
seeing any income, or a very meager one, which makes your EFFORTS
seem immense.

Do not falter! If you come to the point when you are working your
hardest and doing everything your business requires but still not
seeing monetary results, you may hit a psychological wall. This
is where truly entrepreneurial individuals see an obstacle to
overcome as opposed to a dead-end to their hard work. Passion for
their work and the strong desire to work for themselves overcomes
any perceived barriers and moves them to keep going and
ultimately becoming very successful.

By persevering you will certainly see the fine fruits of your
labors and prove to yourself and others that the benefits of
self-employment far outweigh the mediocre status quo of the
typical worker's daily grind.

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