My Opinion: 5 Mistakes the Self-Employed Make

Ahhhhh crap.

Hey guys. I was all fired up to write this 3 hours ago and sketched it out waiting on my tea to steep and now that Im done (TAKE THAT FRIDAY!) with the must-do's of the day before I work out, I just don't wanna.  WAH.

But that would be mistake 3, and a little of 1.  Whether you are a total entrepreneur or a contracted entity, if you are a 'professional' in the health and fitness industry (or any other), then your paycheck depends more on you than it does on the company you work for.  This kind of came to me and I thought it would benefit someone on their journey so I wanted to share it.

Of course these are all totally my opinion based on experience and observation.  Feel free to disagree.

MISTAKE 1:
Relying on to-do lists.
 …and of course your rock-star work ethic :)  But relying on lists instead of a plan with focused priorities that you schedule is not useless, but not ideal.  Hey, at least you care enough to have a to-do list but its a terrible task master. Spend ALOT of time of where you are going and what is the focus for the year/quarter/month and day and put those tasks on your schedule, not a list--according to and around what projects have priority and had already been scheduled.  The deal is this: ITS ALL IMPORTANT!  Make your hours more effective by making a choice about what is the most important and make an appointment for each task according to how it fits in with the priorities.  This is where a lot of NO's come from.  No's are good, by the way:)  I have a A list (must) a B list (should) and a C list (someday)….everything I think of goes on one of those lists, but i decide what goes on my schedule.  Hope that helps!

MISTAKE 2:
Being a crappy Boss.
If you don't have a clear idea of your job description, what your primary responsibilities are and exactly what needs to happen for you to be a success at that job in such a way that you could hire someone and pay them to do this for you, then you are being a crappy boss.  TO YOURSELF!  Most people who are at the mercy of their own business and faced with 1 option, more hours is the only way to make more money are always lacking in this knowledge.  if the only way to get ahead was to work more hours in your own business, what separates you from working at McDonald's for an hourly fee?  Its not a bad gig and you have TONS less responsibility.  Think about it.

MISTAKE 3:
Being a crappy Employee
So now that you have clearly defined roles and goals, you are up against the old "working for yourself gives you freedom" idea.  Many mistake freedom for the definition of laziness.  Freedom to work when you want really means discipline to work when nobody's watching AS IF everybody is watching.

MISTAKE 4:

You don't realize all successful entrepreneurs are part of a team. Its not just 'them.'

Your business is so not about you. It's all up to you, and it will all rise and fall depending on what you choose to do and not to. But it is not about you. You may be the best trainer, rider, developer, programmer, chest presser, runner, or whatever your particular talent is. And there is no question you have a talent to offer and that you are special.  You are just because you have a desire to leave your mark on the world and improve things. It's awesome !!  Because the only way we can improve the products and services we all have access to through those of you with the entrepreneurial spirit striving to make things better.  The only way your vision will be accomplished is if your humble enough to find mentors and team members that believe in your vision and pour yourself into the entire team effort. Being willing to work harder and invest more than anyone ever imagined and offer your team the opportunity to be a part of that growth and to add to it is the only way to build something truly great. It is not about having help with your goal. It is about coming together and using the skills talents and abilities on a team that makes every individual on the team better and rises everyone to the level of the new worthy goal. The desire to work alone is driven by fear and ego. The desire to work on a team is driven by a bigger vision, bigger than yourself, with an ultimate goal to serve and contribute. And once you stop serving yourself and reaching for a goal like that...that brings success.  

MISTAKE 5:

Taking too long to learn how lack of boundaries just create drama and reduce the number of productive hours in the day, diminish the very relationships you are hoping to serve by being so available and invested, and reducing how effective you are in the hours left.  

There is an art and a skill to all of this and I am still learning.  I think its a skill in that you have to try an fail a lot and it hurtful personally, spiritually, financially, and emotionally, but if you choose to learn from it you can choose how to best navigate it all.  Its an art because all the parts are moving and everyone in the system is different, but again you can learn the art…its a dance.  You can learn any dance and then the art is learning how to enjoy it and make it look good.

Best of luck to all my entrepreneurial brethren and sister (sistren?) out there!!

Thats all it got!

Its all in your head,

Anna

P.S.  If you have some tips to add or if you agree and especially if you don't feel free to comment or head back over to Facebook and discuss.  The more we learn, the better we all are !!!

5 *Simple* Reasons You Aren't Getting Results

If you are reading this, you are more than likely feeling like this way------------------------->  

Right?  

I don't care who you are, at some point, any action you take seems to get you nowhere.  I've been there more times than I can count.  But there is a way out and truth be told you are a rockstar already on the right track because 90% of the people who need to read this are too busy doing #1 (you're not there yet, hang on) to recognize it so they didn't click on the link you did.  But you're here so congrats, results are on the way.  

Fair warning.  Sometimes its tough to hear the truth but I know you're ready. You're going to have to put on your big girl panties and admit a few things, but if you're ready, here are 5 reasons you aren't getting results and how to get, finally, magically, (insert hallelujah choir) unstuck.

1)  You're wallowing.  
Get over it.   Look, a little self pity is normal right?  WRONG!  Half of the problem is how many times a day you are telling yourself you have a problem.  Name one time self pity got you anywhere or got you anything worth having.  Identify the problem. Once is enough.  So now your energy is spent on new ideas to solve the problem.  Stop letting talking about the problem be the goal.  Its identified.  Start brainstorming solutions and testing them.  Today.

2)  You're certifiably INSANE.
Nothing changes when nothing changes.
You're not testing new actions to get new results.  You're doing the same thing over and over and then measure the result and then BAM!  The lack of results devastates you and you are back to #1.  This is usually an ego problem, not sanity.  Your ego wants to simultaneously blame others and not take the advice of those that have gone before you AND have helped others get what you want.  We call this being "uncoachable."  Get humble and get coachable and implement changes.  Your current thinking got you where you are.

3) You're DISTRACTED.
I wish a had a nickel for every time I got distracted, I wish I had some ice cream.  See what I did there?

Seriously.  Pick your goals and then decide you will measure your progress towards that goal everyday.  Facebook, friends, food, TV, work, you name it can soak up a day if you aren't passionately fighting to give your goal the attention it needs to make progress today.  99% of the people I coach in fitness and business achieve their written goal when they stop wallowing (see #1) become coachable (see #2) and get focused on that goal every day.  Accountability goes a long way here because the undertow of "life" is so strong, just staying focused on your goals day in and day out can radically change the game, but it takes a team effort.

4) You Think You Are the "Failure Whisperer"
You treat failure like a "sign"as if although its just an obstacle, only you can see its greater deeper meaning….
You know how when something unexpected happens or you make a mistake and your inner child goes "oh..that must be a sign I can't do this.  Its just not for me…"  Im so glad Walt Disney didn't listen to his inner child, or Michael Jordan, or Louis Pastuer or Albert Einstein.  Failure is the tuition you pay for success…saw that the other day.  Love it!  Its PART of success.  If you are not willing to fail, you can kiss winning GOODBYE.  And you may want to go back and reread the ego section of #2 again.  

5) Fear of the Badass Within
Most of the time Im pretty timid...scared of my shadow and shy and like to hang out alone and write or read and just spend time with my family.  A lot of you probably are too.  But there is a little corner of you, maybe its like a light, whatever it is, its that something special that you have and YOU KNOW IT.  That's your Badassery (see Badassery post from a few months back).  That's badass within is real and you avoid it because of fear.  Fear of embarrassment, fear its only real to you, just fear.  Listen, here is a shot of yesterdays Facebook post on this.  Its highlighted across the page.  But the bottom line is:

FEAR IS A THIEF. Go read the Facebook post.  

Thats all I got!

Its all in your head,
Anna

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