So, what’s with the Big Shoes?

I get asked that a lot. So, instead of keeping you in the dark, I’ll explain. Although it was the best decision I ever made, going out on my own was a bit terrifying at the time. I knew I had to scare myself to death – well, maybe just hovering on the edge of death…I tried to think of something that would be a mental and physical challenge that could teach me to face down those growling fears. It is somewhat ironic that the idea I came up with was something I had always wanted my boys to do – Outward Bound (www.outwardbound.org) Naturally, having their mother suggest such a thing was the absolute kiss of death but the idea of the challenge drew me in me and I signed up. I did take myself to the outside edge of my fear and realized that it was all in my curly head. And it was a life changing experience mainly because it taught me that whenever I get rattled, I can go back to that one moment at treetop level in the pouring rain, climbing a pole and finishing the high ropes course. I faced down my worst fear of the moment – heights and came through fine.

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Squirrel Marketing

Many business owners , like their furry pets get riveted by squirrels.

Not real squirrels actually, but those little things that come along promising that if you buy this product or that software, all your marketing problems will evaporate. Like squirrels, they divert your attention and get you off track – fast.

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Head in the Sand …Again!

Why is it so easy to fall back into bad habits?

I’m referring to one specific failing of mine: getting busy and letting my pipeline slip away. The pattern is this: I get referrals, get busy with the work, allow my attention to go to the work and not keeping my pipeline filling at different levels.  Then my mind slides into that spiral of catastrophe – this is not a place that I want to live.

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Do goals matter?

I used to think I knew how to set goals. That was, until I took Mike Gidlewski’s course (www.achievable.com) called Quantum Leap. There I learned that most of us, including myself, had goals that were hazy at best and most of the time they were in our heads – not on paper. Neither were they specific enough.

So, when I finally understood that, I began something new:

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The Problem with Standing Out

People like me are always urging you to differentiate from your competition. So, why is it so hard to do?

I think it starts with a belief learned early in life -the one that we have learned over time – it feels safer to go with the group- don’t rock the boat. Look at any field and you will see pack mentality in the way companies in any vertical express themselves. It’s safe AND it’s boring. Worse, when everyone looks the same and too safe no one remembers anything.

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