Re-Inspire Your Inner Enthusiasm

Today many people are settling for “it’s good enough.” They are bored, uninspired and simply counting the hours each day until they leave work. They lament they can’t find other work due to their age, current paycheck, and/or lack of opportunities. Unfortunately, they also tend to blame the boss, job, clients and company for their lack of motivation. They fail to realize their own job dissatisfaction will not be transformed simply due to external work changes. Sparking your motivation is an inside job! Your boss or mentor can’t do it for you. However, with the right conversations, he or she can open the doors and opportunities, if you’re ready. Five steps to prepare for these all important conversations (hint — be sure to write down your responses):

  1. We rarely take time to assess what’s working and what’s not working. We use the all-in-one philosophy that if one thing is broken, none of it is working. An objective assessment of what worked for us and what didn’t can clarify what’s next. Get your copy of the eGuide: “5 Simple Steps to Improve Your Results (and Enjoy Being a Leader Again)” http://ow.ly/EhekG
  2. Read the book, “It’s Time to Brag! Career Edition” and complete the five easy exercises. This will awaken a natural confidence and have you acknowledge and appreciate what you’ve accomplished. Share these brag statements with your boss, mentor and others – they are not aware of all you’ve accomplished. http://Time2Brag.com
  3. Each day write down three things you value about yourself. They should be different each day. If you have a hard time with this, don’t give up on recognizing your value.
  4. Hire a coach to fine-tune your purpose and what you really want. Put together a simple and smart game plan. http://SeibCo.com/contact
  5. You’re ready for great conversations with your boss or mentor. Remember, it’s a two-way communication process. Be open to other ideas from him or her.

Now, take action – waiting doesn’t make a difference. Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact ©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2014

Ask for Help!

It’s the trademark of many successful business leaders.

Unfortunately, we rationalize we don’t have time to ask for help. We are afraid to ask for clarification of a project due to our pride. We falsely believe we know what our boss, company or client needs without asking for their input. As a result, we lose countless hours and fail to achieve intended results. These lost opportunities cost companies millions!

A true story! When someone was late for a meeting due to lack of planning on where the restaurant was located, they simply gave up. They didn’t ask for help or use technology (411 (directory assistant), GPS, or MapQuest).The restaurant was only 2 miles away!

Question: Would you want to work with someone who didn’t know how to ask for help? What opportunities did they lose out on? 

Answer: We’ll never know!

Get in action. Stop rationalizing why you don’t want to! Asking questions of others takes the same amount of energy as rationalizing!  When seeking advice, we look competent. It helps us resolve an issue, move forward to complete a stopped project, or arrive at our intended destination. Asking for help allows us to follow through and sets us apart from our competition.

Working smarter, not harder, means asking for clarification up front.  Ask the right questions, and then stay focused. It takes less than two minutes to ask a question, and saves mega time, money and frustration in doing unnecessary work when we truly listen to the answer. Yes, the response may take 20 minutes, or longer.  (Hint: 20 minutes now vs. 20+ hours later)

Plan ahead for 100% success. Ask about potential breakdowns and pitfalls. They are a reality. Known challenges will not stop you, it’s the unknown that limits your ability to have a successful outcome.

Don’t be afraid to use technology, ask people, meet with advisors and review your own systems for the answers. Take the extra time to conduct your due diligence. It will create opportunities for being unstoppable and have you achieve unprecedented results!

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2010-2014

Leadership Starts Inside

Strong leaders understand their success starts from within and is built on genuine confidence, not false bravado. They do their inner work by hiring a coach to help them recognize and fine-tune their blind spots, while achieving breakthroughs in their leadership style.

These amazing leaders:

  • Take responsibility for themselves first.
  • Trust their inner voice to guide their words and actions.
  • Value others’ ideas, and use them to build solutions.
  • Listen without blame, judgment or criticism to elicit the best in others.
  • Ensure others are comfortable following their lead.
  • Recognize the impact of their strengths and weaknesses when working with others.
  • Set aside their ego and celebrate the successes of others.
  • Create positive learning opportunities out of failures and mistakes.

The strength of their leadership is a reflection of the natural compassion they have developed for themselves and others.
Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette Seibly, 2014

Perfectionism impedes intended results

We are all perfectionists at some level! We love to make things harder than they really are. Many of us are waiting for the perfect time in our lives when the economy is good, we’re working for the right company and boss, and life circumstances are ideal before moving forward to achieve our dreams and goals.

The truth is most humans are risk-adverse and fearful of stepping outside of their comfort zones, particularly if they have experienced recent failures. We spend lots of time, money and countless efforts in an attempt to avoid any further mistakes.

Failure is inevitable. It’s how we handle it that makes all the difference in achieving our intended results. Yet, hoping for perfect external circumstances won’t happen without being in action, and doing the inner work required to prevent repeating our mistakes. Relying on our intuition or feelings is only as good as our ability to learn from these life experiences and disappointments.

Instead of waiting for the perfect time, get into action to fulfill the goals and dreams desired now. Otherwise, don’t be surprised when others take those ideas and are successful!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2014

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

Are You a Good Entrepreneur?

Being in business for yourself can be fun and inspiring. However, without paying attention to the critical details, you will join the 90% of startups that fail within their first five years!

Review the five questions below. If you answer “Yes” to any of them, you might be like many entrepreneurs and business owners, who would rather have a root canal than take a cold hard objective look at their businesses and how they manage them. Each “yes” is a signal that it’s time to talk with a business advisor. Hire one before it’s too late!

  • Are your financials in the red – or bright pink? Sadly many self-employed business owners are afraid of numbers. Do you find it scary to take a close look at the numeric metrics of how you are doing? Or, do you wait until you are forced to do so? Hire a bookkeeper or your CPA to help you set up your books — Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) apply to all businesses. If you are not reliable to keep your numbers updated on a weekly basis, hire someone who can.
  • Are your customers leaving and there are no new ones in the pipeline? Many times business owners get caught up in the creative fun of “bright shiny objects.” Unfortunately, most of these ideas will not provide the ROI required for success, now or in the near future. When you fail to focus on your core products and services, mischief will happen. Hire a marketing coach and/or a social media professional to help you objectively look at your offerings and clarify your points. Read “It’s Time to Brag!” and use these five simple steps to clarify and simplify your messages. http://TimeToBrag.com
  • Have you become a jerk? Many fearful entrepreneurs become defensive and know-it-alls.It makes it difficult for others to help you or work with you. It also has your clients leave in frustration. You can learn effective management and customer service skills that will work for you and them, if you are committed to setting up the right systems and shifting your attitude.
  • Are you unable to decipher between good and bad advice? Poor decision-making is a visible sign of someone who may not have the business savvy to be a good business owner. Are you able to take coaching and implement it effectively? Your improved results may be the markers that you are moving in the right direction, or simply pointing you in a better direction if you’re willing to listen.
  • Do you have high turnover? This is a reflection of poor hiring skills and systems, even if you get lucky once in a while. Hire the right person(s) and you look like a superstar. Hire the wrong person(s) and you’ll need or want to close the doors and start all over again. Work with your business coach to implement a legal and valid process. It will make all the difference in your success.

Hiring a qualified business coach now can help you succeed, beyond your imagination. http://SeibCo.com/contact

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

©Jeannette Seibly, 2010-2014

Why are some people lucky?

“Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.” Mary Kay Ash

You have goals, dreams, desires and wishes. People who write these down, create action plans and execute their plans are the ones more likely to achieve the results. It’s not luck – it’s not trying; it’s creating, taking focused action and enjoying the results.

The secret for helping you achieve your goals is to write down three must-have’s. For example, if you want a new job, what must the job offer? It could be an increase in pay, certain benefits, job responsibilities, etc. If you want a new home, what must the home possess? Does it need to be located in a certain school district, have hardwood floors, or be a ranch-style home?  These must-have’s will clarify and support your goals.

Next, share your goals with others and refine them as appropriate (for example, the right home may not have hardwood floors and you can have them installed after you buy the home). Don’t be concerned if others don’t readily jump on board to support you. Watching you achieve your goals may cause them to remember their own and realize how far away they are from achieving them. Luck is creating and fulfilling your own opportunities and is available for everyone who gets in action.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

Are You A “Pre-Millionaire”?

By Russell Riendeau, PhD and Jeannette Seibly

If you have no interest in becoming a millionaire, you can stop reading now. Continuing to read will make you uncomfortable. This is for business owners, executives, entrepreneurs and all people that want to influence change and secure a more vibrant financial life.

Have you been thinking about money lately? Do you talk about this topic with friends or family? How old are you? When were you planning to start preparing to become a millionaire? Do you have plans in place? Is your work and other life desires in alignment with who you are?

To qualify as a millionaire, means you have a net worth of at least a million dollars. Add up all the cash on hand, 401(K), Swiss bank accounts, mattress money, value of paid off cars, boats, planes, Harleys, big toys, equity in your home, resort property, cash value life insurance—the whole enchilada. Now, minus all your mortgages, car payments, credit card debit, school loans, loans to your brother-in-law, loans from your parents, bookies, timeshares at Disney, etc. If you are in the black by a million dollars—welcome to the Millionaires Club!

Every year, there are more millionaires being created than ever before. And not from inherited, “old money” or “East Coast Money” but money from smart work, patient investing, and pursuit of work that aligns with their real skills and goals in life. “Pursuit of a worthy goal,” Earl Nightingale once said, “was the most critical part of setting life goals.” You can dream or pursue a big goal, but if it’s not a worthy goal, if it doesn’t get you excited each day, the efforts required to support this financial objective will leave you exhausted.

Research shows:

  • Pre-millionaires are the kind of professionals that are aware of how to leverage money, how to protect themselves against excess debt for too long of a period of time. They learn and practice this art at age 19 and keep learning. (Remember, it’s never too late to get started, if the time is now!)
  • Pre-millionaires work smart, then hard. Simply working hard is not going to cut it today. We all know hard workers with no money in the bank. The smart ones hire coaches for themselves and don’t rely upon their employers to get ahead.
  • Pre-millionaires study and understand “delayed gratification” and why the pursuit of a goal carries simple and complex sacrifices that some people are not courageous or confident enough to stay true to. They have guts to do the right things now.
  • Pre-millionaires are fully aware of what kind of person they can and will become by devoting themselves to a worthy goal. These goals often include helping and supporting a worthy cause that is of service to others.
  • Pre-millionaires understand the time-value of money, compound averaging and disciplined savings. They understand it takes time for money to expand and for skills and patience to be learned. It can take 10, 20, 40 years to become a millionaire. It all depends on their work ethic, honesty with themselves, ability to be coach-able and the willingness to do it now.

What does a million of dollars of net worth create for you? A freedom to pursue other life interests, build a business, launch a special project, or simply become a beach bum – along with leverage, confidence and time to consider other life options. Money in the bank gives you choices that others don’t have. It takes courage to save money in a world that seduces you to spend, spend, and spend more than you have.

As you move forward in your career, in your business, in your on-going personal and professional development, here are a few things to constantly keep in mind if you want to accelerate yourself from Pre to Post-Millionaire status:

What’s your net worth today? Be honest with yourself and your analysis of your equity and savings to give you an accurate starting point.

  1. What day will you become a millionaire? Given your current income levels and your net worth, how many years will it take? Do the math now on your phone. Don’t despair if you’re over 45, you will simply need to accelerate the effort.
  2. What is your reason to become a millionaire? Do you have specific, worthy goals and motives to work smart and hard to achieve this status? Or, is it an inner desire and dream to live the “good life?”
  3. What will the money provide you? What will you do with the money? Are these in alignment with your inner values? If not, the conflict will win.
  4. What steps are required in your life starting now? Education? Self-awareness? Better job? Better vocabulary? Do you need to associate yourself with a different crowd of professionals you can learn from?
  5. Is your close circle of friends helping or hindering your goals of achieving wealth? Do they mock or ridicule you for setting high goals? Do they support you during failures as well as successes?
  6. Is your spouse or significant other in accord with your goals? If not, there will be trouble from day one.
  7. What skills will you need to acquire to earn the money you need to become a millionaire? What are the common traits you see in other wealthy people you know that you can emulate and transform to support you? Mimicking others will not get you ahead without clarity of who you are.
  8. What will you do if you don’t achieve your millionaire status in the time frame you set for yourself?
  9. What structures have you setup for yourself? Discipline is key. So is setting goals, saving money and learning how to be resourceful to get what you need and want.

To best utilize this article, write out your answers to every question in this piece. (Studies have shown that writing engages the brain, which engages the rest of you!) Make a copy and keep it where you will see it every day. If you do this, you will be in the top 1% of people who will commit to achieving their goals. Very likely, your first million dollars! Without a written goal and a good reason, you will be tempted and your energy will become scattered chasing shiny distractions that promise value, but don’t deliver on their promise.

About the authors:

Dr. Russ Riendeau is senior partner of East Wing Group, Inc. – a search firm specializing in management, marketing and sales executives. He’s a psychologist and author of 7 books on talent management and success in business. Dr. Riendeau has also taught at Northwestern University’s School of Continuing Studies and speaks nationally on peak performance. He can be reached at 847-381-0977 or russriendeau@gmail.com.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years, and is a published author. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? She can be reached at http://SeibCo.com/contact to talk about what it will take for you to become a successful business owner, executive or entrepreneur.

Your comments:

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What does it take to become a courageous leader?

 

    1. Break outside the constraints of how it’s been traditionally done – required to achieve amazing results.
    2. Build on everyone’s ideas — listen and listen some more.
    3. Provide unbeatable service to internal and external customers — each time.
    4. Express your thoughts and feelings responsibly — apologies work wonders.
    5. Manage your ethics and integrity – the impact can last forever.
    6. Oversee your projects for the human experiencenot just the product creation and execution.
    7. Enjoy gratitude for everything and everyone – regardless of the circumstances.
    8. Being respected usually outlasts likeability — people’s feelings can be fickle.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

What Do You Allow to Stop You?

You have goals, dreams, desires and wishes. Too often, you allow fears, doubts, lack of self-worth, and other circumstances to stop you! They get in the way of your commitments. You find excuses for not moving forward. Some people create black and white expectations of what must happen first. There are times these demands work, but usually they get in the way of seeing new ways to pursue your future. As a result, you are usually left feeling limited and your real potential is not fully realized.

What is stopping you from taking action? Take a few minutes. Create a list of your top five fears and write down the reasons why they are fears.

You could have the:

  • Desire for a promotion and your fear is leaving your current employer.
  • Goal to earn more money and you doubt your ability to find a better job.
  • Dream to live in a particular geographical area and you’ve never been there for fear of moving.

The challenge for many of you is that you are waiting until your children get older, or you no longer have to be a caregiver for others. So you use them as the excuse to not take action.

Regardless of the seemingly valid reason, create your list. Now, turn it around! What are the top five reasons it could work! Then, list ideas to bridge the gaps between now and achieving your results. Talk them over with a committed coach, friend or acquaintance to see where you are making it harder than it needs to be.

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business and executive coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact

Why wait? Do It Now!

Goals, dreams, desires and wishes. We all have them. They could be related to business, professional, personal, financial, spiritual, etc. Yet, we love to wait, talk about it and think some more before we do anything. Many times, after years of contemplating, we talk ourselves out of it!

Recently a friend let me know she had bought a RV. She’s in her 50’s and has wanted to travel for many years – however, her husband doesn’t like leaving home. Then, she shared with me her progress: the places she had scheduled to visit, notification to her employer of her last day and letting her husband know of her plans. She was excited and nervous. She would be travelling solo; however, she would continue the part-time retail business she had created during the past couple of years to earn money while on the road!

It reminded me of a time when my mother wanted to go to Hawaii. My dad didn’t. So, my mother finally purchased tickets for herself and a good friend. They went and had a great time. My dad never let my mother travel again without him!

We all have dreams that have been percolating for a long time. It took me years before I finally decided to move to Colorado from Michigan – I had been talking about it for years – I had setup my business so I could live anywhere – yet, it took time before I finally said, “yes.” I remember driving down Highway 69 and still contemplating turning around!  However, after I arrived, I noticed an inner confidence that naturally developed after making the move – it boded well for achieving my next set of goals.

So, whatever it is you’re thinking about doing … do it now!

Jeannette Seibly has been an international business coach for over 20 years. She has guided the creation of three millionaires. Are you the next one? http://SeibCo.com/contact