Busting the Myth of “Perfect”
by Christine Kloser, “The Conscious Business Coach”
Have you ever delayed the implementation of a new business idea? You know, you’ve procrastinated on developing a new product, creating a seminar, writing articles or anything else that expands and promotes you and your business. It’s happened to me too, as well as every entrepreneur I know (at some point or another).
In my experience, striving to be “perfect” kept me from doing those things I always said I would do. I believed I had to live up to the “Martha Stewart” standard. That it would be devastating (and people wouldn’t LIKE me) if I produced something less than impeccable. It’s the fear that EVERYONE’S going to find out YOU’RE not “perfect”. It’s refreshing when you realize nobody is “perfect”! Not even Martha.
There is a significant difference between being “perfect” and “perfection.” Here are some basic definitions:
Perfect: Conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal.
Perfection: The state or quality of being or becoming perfect.
Notice that “perfect” is about conforming to some IDEAL, while “perfection” is a state of BEING. I further define “perfection” as something that is ABSOLUTE in every moment of every day, in every experience. Yes, even right now. There is perfection in THIS moment and in the circumstances of your life. If you believe there is a Higher Power in this world that has a plan for YOUR life (and everyone on the planet) then you have to believe that right now IS Divinely perfect for you.
But, just because you live in Divine “perfection”, doesn’t mean life is always easy, that things will be handed to you on a silver platter. In fact, when I was faced with the pain and anguish of deciding whether or not to file bankruptcy, I KNEW somehow (according to God’s plan) the situation was perfect. Yes, it was one of the most challenging experiences I’ve ever been through and making the decision NOT to file, felt as “weighted” as if I had made the decision to file. It was challenging… AND perfect.
In hindsight, you probably notice the most challenging times of your life were the perfect experiences to bring you to where you are today. So, how can you bust through this myth of “perfect” and embrace the journey of “perfection” from this moment forward?
3 Simple Steps For Busting The Myth Of “Perfect”
Be Fully Yourself.
When you accept who you are and embrace your Self fully, it frees you from the myth of “perfect”. Sierra Sullivan, Founder of RAY, says, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” And, I agree. When your image of “perfect” is based on someone else’s definition, you rob yourself of the joy of the JOURNEY of perfection… according to your Divine plan.
Accept Imperfection As Part Of The Journey.
If you delay and procrastinating doing your work in the world because you’re worried it will not be perfect… get over it. I’m sorry to say this so sharply, but it’s true. You are MUCH better off putting your work (speech, product, service, article, website, blog, etc.) out into the world, instead of waiting, and waiting… and waiting. What will happen is your readers, clients, visitors will let you know if something’s not working. In fact, their feedback is necessary in order to improve your work. When you delay putting it out there, you also delay the process of having your work be improved.
Begin With Trusted Friends and Colleagues.
When you’re ready to take action on something you’ve been putting off, it’s an easier “leap” when you have a soft landing pad. What I mean is, have your trusted friends and colleagues see your work FIRST, before you make it public. Have them visit your website, read your article, listen to your ideas for a speech, etc. But, it’s integral to ask them for HONEST feedback and to be willing to HEAR what they say and accept their suggestion, critiques, comments as gifts of love that will help you feel 100% proud of taking it public… even if it’s not perfect!
With these three steps, you’ll feel good about taking action more quickly, getting started on that long overdue project and putting your valuable work out in the world. Remember, it’s about the journey of perfection for yourself, and not conforming to anyone else’s idea. You are complete, whole and “perfect” exactly how you are!
© 2006 Christine Kloser
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit www.ConsciousBusinessCircle.com.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
3 Reasons to be Grateful You're a Conscious Entrepreneur
3 Reasons to Be Grateful You’re a Conscious Entrepreneur
by Christine Kloser, “The Conscious Business Coach”
An attitude of gratitude is one of your greatest assets as a business owner, and a human being. Gratitude has the power to transform your life simply by the changes that occur when you change your perspective. This is especially true when you’re facing some of the challenges that come along with business ownership.
To help you stay on track, and connected to the powerful energy associated with the feeling of gratitude, here are a few reason to be grateful you’re a conscious entrepreneur.
Creating the Life of Your Dreams
As a Conscious Entrepreneur, you have the freedom to create the life you’ve always dreamed possible. Chances are you’re an entrepreneur because your dreams were too big (or too different) than “the norm” in the corporate world. Just look around you at some of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world: Bill Gates, Michael Gerber, Oprah Winfrey (go, Oprah!) and dare I say it, Martha Stewart… they were all “out of the box” thinkers. They had a “world” they wanted to make a reality for themselves and everyone they touched. They knew their way of “being” and “thinking” in their business was the ticket to realizing their dreams. And, they were committed to making their dreams reality, even when nobody believed in them, but themselves.
Yes, this is a huge reason to be grateful. I often count my blessings about being a conscious business owner because it’s granted me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my clients and customers, move across the country, purchase a brand-new custom home, be available to raise my daughter, make a great living and ENJOY what I do! I’m not saying being responsible for a successful business is a “walk in the park”, because it’s not. It has its’ fair share of challenges, hurdles and hard decisions. What I am saying is that you’d most likely rather embrace and learn from your hurdles, accept those hard decisions and discover solutions for your challenges than give up on your dream.
Life-Long Learning
Sometimes this reason feels crummy, but overall, non-stop learning is one the most valuable benefits you can receive by being a Conscious Entrepreneur. You see, entrepreneurship requires you to be “in school” every day. If you ever think you know it all, you’re in trouble. Why? Because your industry, your customer needs and challenges, your marketing methods and business trends are always evolving and changing. I personally don’t know anyone whose business is the same today as it was only one year ago.
All of this growth, evolution and transformation requires you to learn. The beautiful thing about this is that knowledge is power, and is closely connected to your bottom-line. The more you know, the more valuable you are to your clients and customers, the more you become visible as an expert, and the more opportunities you’ll have to attract more income. But, keep in mind, it’s your responsibility to share your knowledge with your target market and tell them exactly how you can help them. This was the biggest hurdle for me to overcome. I always felt I knew a LOT about business, but it wasn’t until I started truly sharing exactly what I knew and how I could help my clients that people started paying me thousands of dollars a day to have access to what I know. Learn from everything you experience in your business, then help others learn from you!
Being Fully “Who You Are”
If you’ve ever had a job where you didn’t feel fully self-expressed, you can especially relate to this reason. I remember my first post-college job. I worked at a radio station as an account executive… and hated it. There wasn’t anything about “selling air” that excited me, and no real purpose to my work. I could care less if the bar down the street got more customers for happy hour, or if the mattress store sold more mattresses. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. What I love most about being a conscious entrepreneur, and what I invite you to embrace, is the extreme good fortune you have to be yourself in the world. In fact, it’s your uniqueness, your “quirkiness”, your individual style that gets to shine when you’re a conscious business owner.
Imagine how different your life would be if you had to conform to what others thought you should do, “play small” to keep others happy, hide your true essence because it might not be accepted, or be anything less than your best self.
This, my friends, is why it’s good to remember the many reasons to be grateful you are a conscious entrepreneur. Write down your reasons and keep them in a special place. Then, whenever you’re faced with fear, doubt and worry, take out your list and remember why you’re grateful for the thrilling journey of your business… and your life.
© 2006 Christine Kloser
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit www.ConsciousBusinessCircle.com.
by Christine Kloser, “The Conscious Business Coach”
An attitude of gratitude is one of your greatest assets as a business owner, and a human being. Gratitude has the power to transform your life simply by the changes that occur when you change your perspective. This is especially true when you’re facing some of the challenges that come along with business ownership.
To help you stay on track, and connected to the powerful energy associated with the feeling of gratitude, here are a few reason to be grateful you’re a conscious entrepreneur.
Creating the Life of Your Dreams
As a Conscious Entrepreneur, you have the freedom to create the life you’ve always dreamed possible. Chances are you’re an entrepreneur because your dreams were too big (or too different) than “the norm” in the corporate world. Just look around you at some of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world: Bill Gates, Michael Gerber, Oprah Winfrey (go, Oprah!) and dare I say it, Martha Stewart… they were all “out of the box” thinkers. They had a “world” they wanted to make a reality for themselves and everyone they touched. They knew their way of “being” and “thinking” in their business was the ticket to realizing their dreams. And, they were committed to making their dreams reality, even when nobody believed in them, but themselves.
Yes, this is a huge reason to be grateful. I often count my blessings about being a conscious business owner because it’s granted me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my clients and customers, move across the country, purchase a brand-new custom home, be available to raise my daughter, make a great living and ENJOY what I do! I’m not saying being responsible for a successful business is a “walk in the park”, because it’s not. It has its’ fair share of challenges, hurdles and hard decisions. What I am saying is that you’d most likely rather embrace and learn from your hurdles, accept those hard decisions and discover solutions for your challenges than give up on your dream.
Life-Long Learning
Sometimes this reason feels crummy, but overall, non-stop learning is one the most valuable benefits you can receive by being a Conscious Entrepreneur. You see, entrepreneurship requires you to be “in school” every day. If you ever think you know it all, you’re in trouble. Why? Because your industry, your customer needs and challenges, your marketing methods and business trends are always evolving and changing. I personally don’t know anyone whose business is the same today as it was only one year ago.
All of this growth, evolution and transformation requires you to learn. The beautiful thing about this is that knowledge is power, and is closely connected to your bottom-line. The more you know, the more valuable you are to your clients and customers, the more you become visible as an expert, and the more opportunities you’ll have to attract more income. But, keep in mind, it’s your responsibility to share your knowledge with your target market and tell them exactly how you can help them. This was the biggest hurdle for me to overcome. I always felt I knew a LOT about business, but it wasn’t until I started truly sharing exactly what I knew and how I could help my clients that people started paying me thousands of dollars a day to have access to what I know. Learn from everything you experience in your business, then help others learn from you!
Being Fully “Who You Are”
If you’ve ever had a job where you didn’t feel fully self-expressed, you can especially relate to this reason. I remember my first post-college job. I worked at a radio station as an account executive… and hated it. There wasn’t anything about “selling air” that excited me, and no real purpose to my work. I could care less if the bar down the street got more customers for happy hour, or if the mattress store sold more mattresses. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. What I love most about being a conscious entrepreneur, and what I invite you to embrace, is the extreme good fortune you have to be yourself in the world. In fact, it’s your uniqueness, your “quirkiness”, your individual style that gets to shine when you’re a conscious business owner.
Imagine how different your life would be if you had to conform to what others thought you should do, “play small” to keep others happy, hide your true essence because it might not be accepted, or be anything less than your best self.
This, my friends, is why it’s good to remember the many reasons to be grateful you are a conscious entrepreneur. Write down your reasons and keep them in a special place. Then, whenever you’re faced with fear, doubt and worry, take out your list and remember why you’re grateful for the thrilling journey of your business… and your life.
© 2006 Christine Kloser
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit www.ConsciousBusinessCircle.com.
The ABC's of Conscious Business
The ABC’s of Conscious Business
by Christine Kloser, “The Conscious Business Coach”
Several years ago I started meeting lots of entrepreneurs who were interested in what’s becoming known as “Conscious Business.” Back then, there weren’t words to describe those business owners who believed mindset, trust, manifestation and attraction were just as important as business strategy, planning, learning and marketing. But, there WAS a growing population of business owners who believed it was possible to BLEND intangible and tangible strategies in business. And, from where I sit today, they’re becoming the majority.
People often ask me what it means to be a Conscious Business Owner. While there isn’t a Webster’s Dictionary definition, there are some aspects of conscious business you can embrace today no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey. And, it’s as easy as A-B-C!
Act and Allow
One of the biggest mistakes made by business owners who consider themselves conscious or spiritual, is they spend too much time in meditation and not enough time in ACTION. A successful conscious business owner has to take action in the physical world. Let’s face it. Nobody ever had a big bag of money drop on their head while they were meditating. Money flows to you in exchange for products, services and solutions you offer your target market. And, it’s imperative to take action to effectively find, market to and convert your target audience into paying, satisfied customers.
But, it’s essential not to be 100% focused on action, action, action. It’s equally important to allow the abundance to flow to and through you. So, if your “allowing muscle” needs a bit of exercise, start saying “yes” when people offer to help you. Even something as small as accepting help taking your grocery bags to the car can put you on track for saying “yes” to receiving all that is coming your way.
Bottom-Line and Belief
My greatest personal challenge in building a conscious business was the willingness to look at my bottom-line. I figured as long as I was being of service to others and had enough money to pay the bills; that was good enough for me. But, as I looked closer, I discovered “holes” in my business that were costing me a lot of money. As a conscious business owner, you get to look at everything in your business as an opportunity for learning, growth and understanding.
So, I accepted the importance of my bottom-line, began making different decision, (more strategic decisions) and as a result started making a lot more money. More money allowed me to expand my team, offer new and improved products and services and have a lot more fun doing what I love. So, even though it might not feel conscious (or spiritual) to focus on making money, it’s an integral part of building a successful and conscious business.
The other “B” is belief. To succeed in business, you not only need to believe in your product or service, you’ll also want to believe that the Universe is conspiring for your highest good… even when it doesn’t appear that way in the moment. Having a core belief that you WILL receive the perfect clients, at the perfect time, in the perfect way makes it a lot easier to make it through those “lean” times.
Commitment and Clarity
To quote Goethe, “…the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.” Commitment is where the intangible meets tangible, where fantasy become reality and where providence does indeed move, too. I often hear my coaching clients say that simply making the commitment to work with me as their coach, changes everything (even BEFORE we begin working together). You see, it’s the commitments you make that draw you forward. This is especially true when you make a commitment to someone else.
If you’re stagnant in your business, start by making commitments and deliver on them in a timely manner. The greatest successes I’ve experienced have always been when I committed to do something I didn’t already know how to do. Once I made the commitment, THEN I figured out what was necessary in order to keep my word. I encourage you to make one commitment this week that causes you to stretch in new and exciting ways.
However, before you make your commitment, please have some CLARITY that it is the right commitment to make. You’ll be amazed at the synchronicities that begin happening as soon as you are clear on what you want to create/attract/manifest. Clarity is power and an integral part to a thriving conscious business.
Now that you know these ABC’s, I invite you to see how you are already integrating them in your business. And, if one of them strikes you as something to integrate more of… implement the “A” of action and do something about it today.
© 2006 Christine Kloser
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit www.ConsciousBusinessCircle.com.
by Christine Kloser, “The Conscious Business Coach”
Several years ago I started meeting lots of entrepreneurs who were interested in what’s becoming known as “Conscious Business.” Back then, there weren’t words to describe those business owners who believed mindset, trust, manifestation and attraction were just as important as business strategy, planning, learning and marketing. But, there WAS a growing population of business owners who believed it was possible to BLEND intangible and tangible strategies in business. And, from where I sit today, they’re becoming the majority.
People often ask me what it means to be a Conscious Business Owner. While there isn’t a Webster’s Dictionary definition, there are some aspects of conscious business you can embrace today no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey. And, it’s as easy as A-B-C!
Act and Allow
One of the biggest mistakes made by business owners who consider themselves conscious or spiritual, is they spend too much time in meditation and not enough time in ACTION. A successful conscious business owner has to take action in the physical world. Let’s face it. Nobody ever had a big bag of money drop on their head while they were meditating. Money flows to you in exchange for products, services and solutions you offer your target market. And, it’s imperative to take action to effectively find, market to and convert your target audience into paying, satisfied customers.
But, it’s essential not to be 100% focused on action, action, action. It’s equally important to allow the abundance to flow to and through you. So, if your “allowing muscle” needs a bit of exercise, start saying “yes” when people offer to help you. Even something as small as accepting help taking your grocery bags to the car can put you on track for saying “yes” to receiving all that is coming your way.
Bottom-Line and Belief
My greatest personal challenge in building a conscious business was the willingness to look at my bottom-line. I figured as long as I was being of service to others and had enough money to pay the bills; that was good enough for me. But, as I looked closer, I discovered “holes” in my business that were costing me a lot of money. As a conscious business owner, you get to look at everything in your business as an opportunity for learning, growth and understanding.
So, I accepted the importance of my bottom-line, began making different decision, (more strategic decisions) and as a result started making a lot more money. More money allowed me to expand my team, offer new and improved products and services and have a lot more fun doing what I love. So, even though it might not feel conscious (or spiritual) to focus on making money, it’s an integral part of building a successful and conscious business.
The other “B” is belief. To succeed in business, you not only need to believe in your product or service, you’ll also want to believe that the Universe is conspiring for your highest good… even when it doesn’t appear that way in the moment. Having a core belief that you WILL receive the perfect clients, at the perfect time, in the perfect way makes it a lot easier to make it through those “lean” times.
Commitment and Clarity
To quote Goethe, “…the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.” Commitment is where the intangible meets tangible, where fantasy become reality and where providence does indeed move, too. I often hear my coaching clients say that simply making the commitment to work with me as their coach, changes everything (even BEFORE we begin working together). You see, it’s the commitments you make that draw you forward. This is especially true when you make a commitment to someone else.
If you’re stagnant in your business, start by making commitments and deliver on them in a timely manner. The greatest successes I’ve experienced have always been when I committed to do something I didn’t already know how to do. Once I made the commitment, THEN I figured out what was necessary in order to keep my word. I encourage you to make one commitment this week that causes you to stretch in new and exciting ways.
However, before you make your commitment, please have some CLARITY that it is the right commitment to make. You’ll be amazed at the synchronicities that begin happening as soon as you are clear on what you want to create/attract/manifest. Clarity is power and an integral part to a thriving conscious business.
Now that you know these ABC’s, I invite you to see how you are already integrating them in your business. And, if one of them strikes you as something to integrate more of… implement the “A” of action and do something about it today.
© 2006 Christine Kloser
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit www.ConsciousBusinessCircle.com.
What To Do When "The Going Gets Tough"
What To Do When “The Going Gets Tough”
by Christine Kloser, “The Conscious Business Coach”
Have you heard the expression, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”? Me, too. In fact, I LIVED by this motto for most of my entrepreneurial life. This may sound familiar. When “the going got tough”, you got into action. You did more networking, more cold calling, more outreach, more marketing, more product development… more of everything. And, it felt like you were trying to push a huge boulder up hill! At least this is what it felt like to me.
Then, I discovered “the tough get going” mentality doesn’t work! That’s right folks. It just doesn’t work. Why? Because sometimes when “the going gets tough” you’re meant to step back and learn from the difficulties you’re facing and maybe make difference choices.
Before I share my 3 favorite strategies for handling those tough times, I’d like to share a story that demonstrates the power of NOT trying to push that boulder up hill. You see, last year I was planning a 1-day “multi-speaker” seminar in Los Angeles. I had done these events in the past and they had been VERY successful, earning me a generous 5-figure income for a FUN and SIMPLE event.
This time things were different. A few weeks before the event, my attendance numbers were quite discouraging. Here I was, planning to fly from my home on the east coast to Los Angeles to produce an event that would likely COST me money, not MAKE me money. Plus, I had 4 speakers lined up to come to Los Angeles to present to my audience. But, I wasn’t attracting the 100+ attendees I usually had at these events.
I was faced with a choice. I could work my tush off doing all sorts of promotion to keep the event afloat. Or, I could pay closer attention to the message I was getting to possibly cancel the event. The loud voices in my head were saying, “What will everyone think of me? I’m going to look like a big failure? What are the speakers going to say? Can I get out of my contract with the hotel?” Thankfully, I didn’t listen to them.
So, I decided to write the most vulnerable email I’ve ever sent. I told my readers I was feeling like I was being guided to cancel the event rather than work my tush off to make is successful. I asked for their honest opinion and feedback on why they weren’t registering to attend my seminar. And, promised them I’d make my final decision in a few days.
What happened next blew me away. I received email after email from people telling me they admired my vulnerability, found it refreshing to experience such authenticity in business, and gave me invaluable feedback on why they weren’t attending. These types of responses made it VERY easy to follow my initial gut response to cancel the event. The speakers understood and APPRECIATED I wasn’t going to make them be at an event with poor attendance (that’s happened to them a LOT). The hotel let me out of my contract without ANY fees, I developed a closer relationship with my readers AND I got to spend my time re-evaluating my business and developing new services instead of trying to “push that bolder up hill.” This was monumental to me.
Since reflecting on this experience, I’ve developed a 3-step process I use whenever the “going gets tough”. Below I share this process with the intention that it helps you, too.
3 Steps to Take When “The Going Gets Tough”
Gain Perspective. Take a break and get away from the details of your situation. When you’re too close to it, it’s impossible to see your options. Literally, step away from your desk, go for a walk, play with your dog, do something that gets you out of the “energy” of the issue at hand.
Ask. Next, ask the Universe what you’re meant to discover from the situation. This experience is part of the larger Divine plan for your life and there is an insight or lesson here for you to embrace.
Do What’s Right. Lastly, do what feels right to YOU without letting the fear-based voices in your head dictate your action. This may be the perfect opportunity for you to break a pattern, take a risk or make a choice that’s going to bring more JOY into your life.
The next time you hear someone say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” make the choice to not just “unconsciously get going”. Instead, decide to “CONSCIOUSLY get going” in the direction of your Divine plan.
© 2006 Christine Kloser
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit www.ConsciousBusinessCircle.com.
by Christine Kloser, “The Conscious Business Coach”
Have you heard the expression, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”? Me, too. In fact, I LIVED by this motto for most of my entrepreneurial life. This may sound familiar. When “the going got tough”, you got into action. You did more networking, more cold calling, more outreach, more marketing, more product development… more of everything. And, it felt like you were trying to push a huge boulder up hill! At least this is what it felt like to me.
Then, I discovered “the tough get going” mentality doesn’t work! That’s right folks. It just doesn’t work. Why? Because sometimes when “the going gets tough” you’re meant to step back and learn from the difficulties you’re facing and maybe make difference choices.
Before I share my 3 favorite strategies for handling those tough times, I’d like to share a story that demonstrates the power of NOT trying to push that boulder up hill. You see, last year I was planning a 1-day “multi-speaker” seminar in Los Angeles. I had done these events in the past and they had been VERY successful, earning me a generous 5-figure income for a FUN and SIMPLE event.
This time things were different. A few weeks before the event, my attendance numbers were quite discouraging. Here I was, planning to fly from my home on the east coast to Los Angeles to produce an event that would likely COST me money, not MAKE me money. Plus, I had 4 speakers lined up to come to Los Angeles to present to my audience. But, I wasn’t attracting the 100+ attendees I usually had at these events.
I was faced with a choice. I could work my tush off doing all sorts of promotion to keep the event afloat. Or, I could pay closer attention to the message I was getting to possibly cancel the event. The loud voices in my head were saying, “What will everyone think of me? I’m going to look like a big failure? What are the speakers going to say? Can I get out of my contract with the hotel?” Thankfully, I didn’t listen to them.
So, I decided to write the most vulnerable email I’ve ever sent. I told my readers I was feeling like I was being guided to cancel the event rather than work my tush off to make is successful. I asked for their honest opinion and feedback on why they weren’t registering to attend my seminar. And, promised them I’d make my final decision in a few days.
What happened next blew me away. I received email after email from people telling me they admired my vulnerability, found it refreshing to experience such authenticity in business, and gave me invaluable feedback on why they weren’t attending. These types of responses made it VERY easy to follow my initial gut response to cancel the event. The speakers understood and APPRECIATED I wasn’t going to make them be at an event with poor attendance (that’s happened to them a LOT). The hotel let me out of my contract without ANY fees, I developed a closer relationship with my readers AND I got to spend my time re-evaluating my business and developing new services instead of trying to “push that bolder up hill.” This was monumental to me.
Since reflecting on this experience, I’ve developed a 3-step process I use whenever the “going gets tough”. Below I share this process with the intention that it helps you, too.
3 Steps to Take When “The Going Gets Tough”
Gain Perspective. Take a break and get away from the details of your situation. When you’re too close to it, it’s impossible to see your options. Literally, step away from your desk, go for a walk, play with your dog, do something that gets you out of the “energy” of the issue at hand.
Ask. Next, ask the Universe what you’re meant to discover from the situation. This experience is part of the larger Divine plan for your life and there is an insight or lesson here for you to embrace.
Do What’s Right. Lastly, do what feels right to YOU without letting the fear-based voices in your head dictate your action. This may be the perfect opportunity for you to break a pattern, take a risk or make a choice that’s going to bring more JOY into your life.
The next time you hear someone say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” make the choice to not just “unconsciously get going”. Instead, decide to “CONSCIOUSLY get going” in the direction of your Divine plan.
© 2006 Christine Kloser
Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you're ready to integrate business strategies with intangible/Universal principles to help you achieve results faster… and easier, visit www.ConsciousBusinessCircle.com.
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