Mindset is such a crucial part of success – and talked about often. But there’s one person who really took the time to research this area and then put all that she learned into a book that is totally captivating on this subject – and that’s Carol Dweck. And her book is Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
I know that some of you have read this book (and probably re-read it multiple times), but if you haven’t, this is one for your bookshelf! Amazon says: “After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, PhD, discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset – those who believe that abilities are fixed – are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset – those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.” And maybe that’s why I love this book so much – because it’s a book for just about everyone! (Yes, I have applied what I learned in this book to my parenting!) If you haven’t read it – all I can say is this is a must-read! You’ll get so much out of it! Please comment below. I would love to hear from you.
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What is virtual event management?
Virtual meetings are things that we had before, but now they’re more frequent. We need to make sure that they’re productive. A lot of my clients are meeting with their customers, and they need to make sure that they’re utilizing their customers’ time wisely. Sometimes it’s sales; sometimes it’s status updates and things like that for large projects that they’re working on. There are some things outside of that I’ve done, such as expos and more networking-type things – all the way up to award shows that have gone virtual for some international clients. With virtual event management – all you have to do is show up. You are the content expert, and everything else happens around you. So, there is typically a discussion with your virtual Event Manager, and they can set up slide changes, video changes, any of the technology side of things. And the portion that I really bring to it is the timing. I make sure, especially with my speakers, that if they have a certain amount of time to give that presentation, and even though there might be 45 slides in the slide deck, that they get through it in 20 minutes. We make sure that they’re not getting to the end of their presentation and not just saying, “Oh, we’ll skip this one and skip this one.” Because a lot of the clients that I work with have compliance, so they have certain things that they need to make sure that they’re getting across to their attendees, and they can’t take the chance that they run out of time to share that information. “There are many factors that you have to be managing all at the same time, as well as presenting, and I think we forget that this virtual space needs just as much support. Just because I have a computer and a camera doesn’t mean that I can run my own event. You can’t necessarily shift from online or virtual and drop all the support that you have.” What are the benefits of having a virtual event manager? I’m going to reframe that a little bit. Ultimately, you’re looking to have a heightened attendee experience. So yes, it will be easier for the presenter. It will be easier for everyone on the business side of things. But ultimately, we want to make sure that it’s seamless, especially with so many virtual calls that we’re on. We want yours to be something that is memorable. We want your attendees to know that their time was well cared for and they didn’t waste that time. They got the information that they needed. They were able to turn on their microphones, ask any questions that they needed to, and they didn’t have any of those technical difficulties that we’re seeing a lot of on those calls. “Oh, your microphone is off, right?” Those types of things do not happen when you have a virtual event manager there because they’re ready to handle all of those things. They are proactive, and they have that flow of show ready to go. It really changes the experience of what your client or customer is getting. They walk away going, “Wow! That knocked my socks off in a way that a lot of other digital meetings have not.” And it brings it so much closer to that on-site experience that you get with a bit more interaction. You can bridge that gap and not lose that connectivity that you have when you’re able to be in person. “Think about the virtual events you have attended. What have you noticed about them? Were they smooth and seamless and made you feel they were delivering what you needed? Or could they have used the expertise of a virtual event manager?” One of my favorite things is to get on the call and confirm the amount of time that you are scheduled for and confirm that the amount of time is still the amount of time for all parties involved. This is especially important for one-on-one calls. For example, I’ll confirm that I have a person scheduled for 20 minutes and make sure that they still have that time in their schedule. They might say, “No, actually, this thing popped up.” When you know that at the beginning of the call, then you can quickly figure out what your must-haves are and what are those cherry-on-top items that you have to maybe do in a follow-up email. Or, just get it done and make sure that you’re getting that information communicated in the time that you have, and leave time for those Q and A’s. I also love giving my clients time back in their schedule because it’s going to take me less time to do this. So, I can get them through the process in five minutes. And then, they have 20 minutes to go work on whatever they need to catch up on, and then the presentation starts. And so, whereas if it were them by themselves, they’d be doing tech check all the way up that, and, and losing all that extra time. That’s the time I give them back in their schedule. What’s the most important actionable item to implement on your next call and improve your time management? I very much “live in time” when I’m on a call. I may have a clock in front of me. I may have a timer going off. Often, for clients, we’ll be able to set up a countdown clock. When you do this, everyone involved in the call can see when that’s going to happen. Personally, it comes very naturally to me to be immersed in that time. But I do work with clients to help them to manage their time on calls. I will do a coaching call if they want to handle it themselves and walk them through it beyond the line, helping make sure they’re hitting all the points they wanted to hit during the call that and then we’ll do a follow-up at the end. 3 Action Steps
Connect with Laura Reiss at LinkedIn, or at Crux Organizing. Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. Last week we returned to the basics of productivity with energy management – and I loved hearing from so many of you about how you manage your energy! It’s good to hear that you know the value.
Today let’s piggyback on energy management and talk about REST! Rest is defined as: cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. What you’ll notice in this definition is that there is no mention of time. Rest can take place for five minutes or two weeks – but it does have to involve you stopping work. If the thought of not working on your business for a period of time has you stressed, anxious, or worried – then you are most likely in need of some rest. I probably don’t have to tell you all about the benefits of rest for an entrepreneur – everything from increased productivity and clarity, more motivation, better relationships with family and friends, improved health, increased creativity and inspiration…the list goes on and on. You want those things for yourself, your business, and for those in your life. Of course, as entrepreneurs, we’re accustomed to putting in the hard work with long days and strange hours…but have you ever reached a point where all that time and effort didn’t seem to be paying off as you had hoped? Did you find you were getting cranky, irritable, and feeling demotivated? Yes, you were probably in need of rest. So…you know the benefits, and you know you need it, but how do you go about getting it? Like anything – it takes practice and preparation. And here are a few steps to help you practice and get prepared. Take Small Breaks Throughout Your Day If you’re like a lot of entrepreneurs, being busy feels good. But if you build in breaks throughout your day, I can guarantee that you’re going to feel even better. And these aren’t huge chunks of your time! These are: · A 15-minute walk · Lunch at your local park without your phone · 10 minutes spent pulling the weeks in your flower garden · A five-minute conversation with your child about the book their reading You get the idea – just some time to disengage your brain from your business and put your focus on something else. Get Your Systems and Processes in Place When you have sound systems and processes in place – and you’ve shared them with your team – then you can rest knowing that things are just as they should be. Why? Because everyone is on the same page and knows what needs to be done. Trust Your Team If you have a team supporting you, trust them to do the jobs you’ve hired them to do – and give them the freedom to do so. This way, when you want to take a day off – or even a week or two off – things will go smoothly, and they’ll know that you trust them to take care of the business. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Guess what? Your clients and customers will understand completely that you need rest – as long as you tell them your plans. Let them know that you’re taking some time off – and who they can get in touch with in the case of an emergency. Communication is key! (Don’t you feel like that’s said all the time – but it’s true!) Start Small and Work Your Way Up After you’re used to taking breaks during your workday, then why not try taking a day or two off – and see how your business does? (This is also a great way to see how your team responds and if there are any kinks in your systems and processes.) If all goes well, then it may be time to book that extended vacation so you can really relax, recover, and recuperate. So, who’s ready for some rest? With summer here, it’s a great time to practice and prepare – and REST! Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. In today’s edition of “What’s On My Bookshelf,” I’m sharing something that’s found on my digital bookshelf – via my Audible account!
I’m a fan of audiobooks and podcasts because you can take them with you – on a walk, on a run, or as you take a few moments to enjoy the sunshine. How about you? Are you a fan of audiobooks and podcasts? And yes, Audible has a great selection of books and podcasts – but they also have a wonderful array of meditations – and I love their sleep meditations. I know some of you are saying, “I’m not a meditation-type, Nettie…” – but you really need to give it a try. “Sleep Better” is my favorite sleep meditation – and it actually includes seven guided meditations (ranging from 10-29 minutes) that will walk you through breathing, releasing tension, visualization, and more. I truly do sleep better when I take the time to listen to these at bedtime. And it’s my go-to for when I awake too early in the morning. I can usually sleep 1-2 more hours with these meditations. This week why not check out “Sleep Better” and see how it affects your sleep? I’d love to hear if you notice an improvement! (All you need to do is hit “Reply” to this email and drop me a line!) Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. What role does mindset play in aligning and thriving in business and personal wellbeing?
When looking at mindset, the first thing we need is a healthy mind. A healthy mind requires nourishing, taking care of, food, and hydration. That’s the foundation. And where we will increase our bandwidth of what we can accomplish. “Many people aren’t thinking, “healthy mind,” when they are thinking, “mindset.” They’re not thinking, “How can I make my brain, my mind my body healthier?” Instead, they might be thinking about the thoughts but not necessarily connecting how important it is to have a healthy mind as the baseline for healthy thoughts.” Because of that, we have physical, mental resilience to take risks and make decisions when things are in a painful state of urgency, which we do in business. Having that foundation of getting back to basics and taking care of our mental physical health is extremely important. I always like to mention that as part of the mindset. There’s also the actual programming of our minds. On the survival side, which almost everyone is tapping into that at this point, when they’re stressed, when there’s chaos, when we’re supposed to return something quickly, if you’re a deadline, it actually triggers our nervous system. Our nervous system gets a little flooded, and we start becoming reactionary. We don’t want to be constantly reacting because then we’re on the defensive and we’re putting out fires. Instead, we want to create this more intentional mindset that allows us to be resilient, respond, give ourselves a little bit of space so we can choose how we move forward. How do we cultivate more focus and productivity and decrease feeling scattered in our work? Focus on nutrition, hydration, sleep, exercise, blood flow to cultivate mental, physical health. To tackle brain fog, take a five-minute walk. 75% of America is dehydrated, which causes those individuals to brain fog and headaches. Grab a glass of water, save the cocktail for later on as a celebration because you were intentional, and you accomplished a lot. As for the business part, First, set up the intention. What are your areas of impact? Instead of booking ourselves all day long with to-do’s, think about, “How do I want to feel? What do I want to accomplish? And what matters most today?” Many of us are working from home. For me, this morning, I had several things going on, but I picked three tasks intentionally, this interview being one of them. Then my daughter woke up, and she did not feel good. Today, we have wildfires going up in Colorado. And it seems like she has some smoke inhalation. I had set those intentions so instead of thinking, “Oh, no, the day is ruined!” and allowing the negativity bias of, “How am I going to get all this done? There’s just no way!” I had cultivated a mindset of one inner calm with mindfulness practices. That was how I had decided to feel. Second, before I got out of bed, I asked myself, “What are my three most important things I want to accomplish today?” Again, realistically, with some buffer time, just in case. “Buffer time is often what is missed. It is the space between appointments in case something goes wrong. Without it, you may feel like you are moving from thing to thing such that when that emergency comes up, there’s no room for it.” What is one mindset shift that can make an impact on a daily basis? I hear this all the time. “There’s not enough time to do everything I want.” Almost everyone says that, it comes from a scarcity mindset. That mindset can be detrimental in business. Sometimes we also put that towards our money in our charging. Shift that over to an abundance mindset such as, “I have the time to get what’s important done.” Today, I had this interview; I am revamping my entire website. And I had one other very important thing. I paused to ask, “What is my intention?” Then I got up, I went for a walk, I made sure I had a great breakfast, I even did a dance class to get the energy moving. I’ve been taking care of my daughter, but having that priority list, I know what to keep coming back to. I’m not getting distracted by voicemail or email, or other people’s emergencies. I know what I am focusing on today. And I have that buffer time in so that I can breathe. That’s abundance and expansiveness. Instead, cultivating a dialogue of, “I got to do, I have to, I’m supposed to, I should,” which is heavy and takes away from being able to create. We can act with intention. We don’t have to end the day feeling less than and judging and critical. I acknowledged that I completed what I needed to complete and nourished myself before the day went to hell in a handbasket. The food came my way. And I was able to be a good mom, take care of my daughter, and work from home. In doing so, we have learned to pivot. When you have a healthy mind and body, you can take risks, handle stress. 3 Action Steps 1. Focus on your brain’s physical health first: hydration, good food, exercise, rest. 2. Start with intention. Decide what you want to feel and your 3 priority tasks for the day. 3. Shift to a belief that you do have all that you need to be successful including time. Connect with Melissa Wolak at LinkedIn, or LinkedIn, or at Melissa Wolak, or click here for short audio downloads that will allow to just do five-minute reset breaks so that you can take charge. Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. Let’s talk about Energy Management.
And no, I’m not talking about turning off the lights in your office at the end of the day or powering down your computer. I’m talking about managing your own personal energy. The energy that keeps you going throughout the day. The energy that keeps you making good decisions. The energy that maximizes your efficiency. The energy that gets you to Friday without feeling exhausted or overwhelmed. If you read that and thought, “Whoa! I need a little bit of help with my energy management…” – I want you to know that’s not uncommon. Many people associate tiredness and exhaustion with progress – and that’s not necessarily the case, is it? The big question is, how do you go about managing your energy so you are moving forward and not just living for the weekend in hopes of a small respite? I want you to ask yourself a few essential questions. 1. Do you know what zaps your energy? When you think about what you do throughout the day, there are probably things that just drain you – whether it be mentally, emotionally, or even physically. It’s crucial to pay attention to what those things are in order to find ways to deal with them effectively. It may mean finding someone to assist you with those things or improving your systems and processes, so they’re not so taxing on you. 2. Do you have a daily routine? The best leaders in the world will tell you that having a routine is beneficial to them for maintaining consistent energy. For most people at the top of their field, this routine starts from the moment they rise until they go to bed. Things such as a consistent bedtime, exercise, diet, etc., – along with how they structure their day – all contribute to their daily routine. If you don’t have a daily routine, now’s the time to start establishing one. 3. Do you work in some fun? You know the expression, “All work and no play…” – Well, please don’t ever forget the importance of having fun! Sharing a laugh with someone, texting a funny meme, watching a hilarious YouTube video (of which there is no shortage), or taking your crazy dog for a walk can all be fun! 4. Do you take breaks? Studies have shown that breaks reduce stress, help you maintain peak performance, reset your mood, and improve your well-being – and those are all the reasons you need to remember to take some breaks during your day. Five to ten minutes between tasks can mean all the difference in the quality of your work. 5. Do you pace yourself and prioritize? I know that you have great ideas, and you want to implement them NOW! I get it! Sometimes it’s hard to hold yourself back, and you just want to go, go, go! But if that means burning the candle at both ends and making sacrifices in other parts of your life (for example, with family, friends, or your health) – then you need to learn to pace yourself and prioritize your tasks. Check out “How Do You Balance Both the Urgent and the Important?” to learn what Cat Stancik shares about your “Minimum Viable Day.” 6. Do you know what replenishes your energy?We all have those things that seem to replenish our energy. It may be exercise. Gardening. Meditation. Time spent talking with a friend. Reading a good book. Preparing a healthy meal. Whatever it is for you – identify it and work it into your schedule. I know that you have big goals for your business, but you need to manage your energy to make them happen. Without it, you’ll find yourself experiencing extreme fatigue – which could eventually lead to burnout – and nobody wants that! However, by implementing a few simple things, you can do yourself a great big favor to keep you productive and moving forward to achieving your goals. Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. There are lots of things I appreciate in life…and one of them is most definitely you and your support of my new book, “What Businesses Need to Know Right Now: Lessons Learned From Interviewing Businesses During a Pandemic.” In fact, I still pinch myself when I see it sitting on my bookshelf.
If you haven’t picked up your copy, I encourage you to do so! You can grab a digital version or paperback version on Amazon – and check out all of the great interviews that occurred during the height of the Pandemic. The lessons shared, advice given, and tips, tricks, and actionable steps contributed make this a book that you’ll want to keep right on your desk! Bruce M. Casner (Morgan Casner Associates) said, “Nettie Owens has compiled a treasure trove of wisdom from a diverse group of interviewees. Asking the right questions to experts in several fields, she has uncovered and cataloged valuable insights that will help the reader adjust to the world of COVID-19. Readable and relatable, this book will be useful long after the Pandemic is consigned to distant memory.” If you’ve already received your copy, I’d love to hear your thoughts! You can reply to this email or share a review on Amazon. BONUS: If you have your copy and would like access to the bonus resources page send me a photo of you with your book or your receipt and I will send the bonuses along. Right now the bonuses include templates, assessments, access to training and consultations with experts that can help you apply what you are learning. Thanks again for your tremendous support! Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. What is one thing business owners can do to work smarter, not harder?
I’d say the most important thing you can do is declutter your desk and office each night before you go to bed or before you close down the office for the day – whatever time it is. There are studies that show that if you declutter your desk, it raises your brainwaves from beta to alpha. Alpha is power. So, if you have a clean desk and beautiful surroundings, you have a very good flow. In three seconds, you can raise your brainwaves to alpha. So that’s pretty important. You want to stay focused on your goals. “So often, at the end of the day, if you’re tired, you just get up from your desk, and everything from that day is still left on it. But what if you cleared it off? How would your morning start the next day?” What is one Feng Shui tip business owners should keep in mind when setting up their home or business for abundance? You want to situate yourself so that you’re sitting facing the door and you’re facing one of your good directions. Facing where the energy is coming in will bring you more abundance. There are stories of writers, and they wanted to find inspiration, but they were facing outside and looking out the window. And, as beautiful as that is, changing the direction they were facing brought them inspiration. A very famous person made this change, and now he’s a prolific writer and has written quite a few bestselling books. But it wasn’t happening before – so it’s very effective. “A change in perspective is good for everyone – even if it’s something as simple as changing the direction your desk and chair are facing.” What is one thing to be careful of when setting up an office for more success & abundance? One of them is the placement of mirrors. That’s a very important thing to be aware of. If you have a mirror on the side and you’re looking at yourself while working, you will double the work that you have to do. And you will do this because it’s telling the universe that there are two people there, so you’ll get the work of two people. But you won’t have enough energy to do all of that because there’s only one of you. So, it’s not a good idea to have a mirror reflecting you. At least not so you can see it. There are other angles that might work. That’s something to be careful of. There’s also something that is perhaps not as well known. And that is, there is some negative energy flow that comes into areas of the world every year. And they’re very nasty. For example, one is called the “disaster star” – and it was in the east, which was the cause of this pandemic. I won’t say it was the cause, but the energy was there. The potential was there for something worldwide to happen on a disastrous level. There are things that we can do in our homes to help. I’m just going to share one of them, and that is to put a lush, green plant in the east to protect your family from getting sick, in addition to normal precautions. That green plant is symbolic of healing. And having green in that particular area is particularly important this year. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can put an artificial plant. An artificial plant will work, but the energy is stronger in a live plant. A large plant or a small tree is what’s recommended – even something like a money tree. You want something so green as it’s the color that’s doing it for you. But since it’s healthy energy, I would suggest living. 3 Action Steps
Connect with Connie Knudson on YouTube, LinkedIn or at Connie Knudson. Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. This week it’s all about…GOAL SETTING!
I can see the glint in your eye as you read “GOAL SETTING” because if there’s one thing I know about high achievers, it’s that you set lofty goals – and you work extremely hard to make them happen! In fact, it may be one of the things I love most about working with high achievers! Those goals you set are so inspiring, and seeing your determination is exciting. But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of setting goals that you can attain. We’ve all heard about SMART goals by now. SMART stands for: Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic or Relevant Time-bound Yes, using these ideas to help you set goals is smart, but can we make them smart-er? I think so! When It comes to making those audacious goals you set for yourself a bit smarter, I encourage you to: Set long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals. Start with the long-term goals and work backward! This allows you to see the big picture for your business – and then set smaller goals to help you get there. Decide on the value of your goals. One thing that often gets overlooked when setting goals is the value of that specific goal. You may have a goal to share two blog posts per week on your website. But is that a valuable goal? What will it do for you? For your clients? For potential clients? Weigh the value of your goals. Keep your goals simple. Why is it that we always tend to make things more complicated than they need to be? And when you do this, we experience overwhelm and frustration – and, in turn, that has a negative impact on you and your business – maybe even causing you to throw in the towel. Instead, keep your goals simple with actionable steps that allow you to see the progress. Tell someone about your goals. Do you want a little accountability when it comes to your goals? Then you need to share them! Tell everyone about your goals – and ask them to check in with you regarding their progress. Implement habits that support your goals. This is such an important one – and vital to getting things done! Do you need to make prioritization a habit in order to get the important things done? Then do it! Do you need time to work on your business rather than in it all of the time? Then create a routine to make it happen! Good habits definitely bring success! Don’t give up. At times, we all encounter stumbling blocks…and they can throw us for a loop. But remember – you don’t quit on a bad day! You might need to modify and adjust – but not quit! So, are you ready to make your goals a little smarter? Take a look at your current goals and spend a few minutes revising them as needed. Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. After the success of Momentum Live Virtual, a few of you noticed that I shared in the Momentum Network some of our new members of Momentum Insiders.
And then a few of you reached out to me and asked, “What is Momentum Insiders?” Ah, excellent question – so let me just share a little bit about it! Momentum Insiders is a program for those of you who are working to get to the next level. Notice I didn’t say “want to get to the next level” – I said “working” – because if you are “working” for it, then you have the drive and ambition that are needed – but you just might need some help to get you there. And that’s where this program comes in. It’s designed to help you focus, give you guidance, bring you understanding, and hold you accountable for all that you’re working on – so that you get to where you want to be! I’m going to be honest…it’s not for everyone. I definitely strive to hold your “feet to the fire,” as the saying goes – but if you think it’s for you – I encourage you to read more here! You can see exactly what this program provides you, what you can expect, and hear from some of the people involved. Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. |
AuthorBeing an entrepreneur and business owner is hard! Once you have your business up and running it's not uncommon to hit a few snags: scalability, staff retention, launching growth projects, getting enough sleep! Archives
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