I just happened to mention the other day that I'd step up and help out a little more around here and I'll be gone this coming week so I thought while I'm doing laundry and packing I could write out this post to provide some value.
It's an actual exercise (so yes, you have to actually DO something) and it's one of the more helpful exercises I've ever done in my life.
If you are struggling in your business, this is for you.
Maybe you're frustrated with how things are going. Maybe you're not happy with the amount of money you are producing...
One way or the other let's identify what's been holding you back and come up with some solutions to destroy them. Sound good?
You'll need a sheet of paper, your journal, or your forearm -- something to write on. Do each step before moving to the next (No, don't read all of it and come back to it. I know you won't. Nobody ever does. So follow along!)
If you care to share your answers with everyone it's usually very helpful for others to see they aren't any more or less crazy than the rest of us. If not, keep your answers nearby because it will be helpful to reference them later.
I think it makes the most sense if I share the exercise and then follow up and help with the solutions (you'll see what I mean).
Here we go:
Step 1. Your Current Results
Question: On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with the results/income/impact you are producing in your business/personal life today?
1 being you are not so happy with the results you are producing today, 10 being you're so happy and wildly successful that you should be the one writing the manual of success for your business!
Where would you be on this scale of 1-10? (Write this down now)
--
Notes: I'm willing to bet you didn't write '10' ... simply because no matter how successful we become, there's always another level, isn't there?
If you happened to write down a 5, this tells me two things: one, there's room for improvement, yes?
Two, if we're playing at a level 5 or below in our business that means we're leaving 50% (or more) of our income on the table every single day. And while that may seem a bit dramatic, let me prove it to you with the next couple of questions.
--
Step 2. Identifying The Challenges to Overcome
Question: What is stopping you, slowing you down, or preventing you from playing at a level 9 or 10 in your business today?
What I want you to do now is to list out all of the reasons that are stopping you from playing at a level 9 or 10 in your business.
In other words, what is getting in the way? Is it procrastination? Is it lack of time? Is it lack of resources?
And I want you to be completely honest with yourself. Not with me, with yourself -- because that's the only way things will change.
Set yourself a timer if you need to but take the next two minutes to write down as many reasons you can think of that are preventing you from producing the kind of results you want.... Go ;-)
--
Notes: Now you should have a list in front of you of all the reasons that are stopping you from playing at a level 9 or 10 in your business which also tells us most of the reasons we are not producing the kind of income or impact we want to product, right?
The thing is, to produce a level '10' income, we have to take actions on a level '10' scale, right? The trick that we're trying to learn here is how do we get ourselves to take action -- that is the unfair competitive advantage in any economy.
--
Step 3. Identifying The Answer That Drives The Others
Question: What beliefs are driving these?
I'll come right out and say it. Go ahead and write down a giant letter B and a giant letter S next to your list. B.S. ... and what does that stand for!?
... belief systems!
Yeesh... you people...
All of these things that are holding you back start with a belief. Our beliefs influence our thoughts, our thoughts influence our decisions (or indecision), that determines what actions we'll take or not take and ultimately produces our results (whatever level you labeled it at previously).
So it all comes down to the belief.
If someone has a belief that says "It's hard for me to talk to people" or "It's hard for me to get out of my comfort zone" -- are they going to take more or less action towards the result they want?
Then, whenever they come up against an obstacle... say making a phone call to a stranger who manufactures products in China they procrastinate, they say they don't have the time, they say they don't have the money to order their first shipment anyways...
Then they never make the call, they never take the action, then what kind of results do they produce? Do they achieve their goal? Or do they produce worse results?
And here's where our beliefs are reinforced.
We say "see, I told you it was the economy, I told you I didn't have the time, I told you this wouldn't work"
So the next step is to identify and WRITE DOWN what beliefs have caused you to... procrastinate, to be lazy, to not try harder, do more, make the extra calls, ask for referrals every single time you're in front of a client, or to follow up instead of letting things drift away?
--
Notes: When writing down some of your beliefs, it may be tough to pull them out of your head because the easiest person to fool is yourself. Don't kid yourself, write down the real answer.
"The economy doesn't support this new business."
"I can't do __________ because ___________."
"If I succeed and actually make some money my friends will disown me."
"If I fail my family will pressure me to get a job I hate."
--
Step 4. Calculating The Cost
Question: What has holding on to these beliefs cost you?
One of the easiest ways to change a belief is to want to. And one of the ways for doing that is to write out in black and white in front of you what these beliefs have cost you financially, in your relationships, in your health, in your stress, and everywhere else in your life.
To figure out financially it's simple but do it anyways: take your financial goal for this year and take how much money you made last year and subtract them.
If my goal is to make $200,000 and I made $50,000 last year that's a difference of $150,000.
You can very plainly see that because you procrastinate, because you're lazy, because you believe you don't have the time, because you believe it's not possible it's costing you $150,000 this year.
So write down what it's cost you financially but also write down what it's cost you in other areas of your life. What has producing mediocre results done to hurt your relationships? Your health? Your stress?
--
Notes: Once again, maybe you think this part is simplistic but isn't it true that if you got yourself to follow through consistently, obtaining these results wouldn't be so tough?
I mean, if you never procrastinated, if you never were lazy, if you always followed up, if you asked for referrals all the time, if you made extra phone calls CONSISTENTLY -- these results would be easy to obtain, wouldn't they?
And we all know this... but why don't we do it? Is it because we're not doing what we know? Ooooh boy... you mean to tell me, you've read the books, you've attended the seminars, you've been on the forum and you know what to do but you're simply not doing it?
It's your beliefs, my friend. And they are costing you... dearly.
--
Step 5. Installing New Beliefs
Question: What is a more empowering belief you can instill in yourself?
Finally, I want you to write down a new -- more empowering -- belief that will drive you forward.
Instead of "the economy is bad" you can start saying "wherever there's crisis, there's opportunity"
The exciting part about this last bit is that here on the forum no matter what you're trying to accomplish there's someone on here who's already done it. And if someone else can do it, you can, too!
And hopefully these guys will step up and share their beliefs with you from their individual experiences. Think real estate is impossible to get into? Ask SteveO, RussH, or Runum.
Think eCommerce would never work? Ask biophase, JasonR, Lighthouse, Andrew, or whatever-the-hell Boris's name is on the forum these days.
Think it's impossible to scale a business into something massive? Ask MJ! The guy that wrote the freaking book no just telling you how to do it but also that it's possible!
Look at those limiting beliefs you wrote down in step 2, cross them out, and write the opposite. Decide who you're going to be now. Decide where you're going to go from here. Make a real decisions to change these patterns and habits.
And I have to warn you -- they ARE habits. The second you start feeling hesitation about picking up that phone, it's the most important time to pick it up so you instill the new habit, the new pattern, the new you.
The second you are a little freaked out about talking to someone, it's time to step up and greet them like an old friend and assume they want to talk to you, too! And if not, F*ck them! (I went a whole post without saying F*ck, I had to say it at least once
)
--
Final notes: So what we've done was to identify where we are in regards to our results/income/impact in our business today, figure out what habits are holding us back, learning that there is a belief behind those habits, and deciding to start forming some new ones.
This is quick and dirty but I promise you'll start getting more results/more money/more everything if you start eliminating these behaviors that have been holding you back.
Excited to see what we come back with.
It's an actual exercise (so yes, you have to actually DO something) and it's one of the more helpful exercises I've ever done in my life.
If you are struggling in your business, this is for you.
Maybe you're frustrated with how things are going. Maybe you're not happy with the amount of money you are producing...
One way or the other let's identify what's been holding you back and come up with some solutions to destroy them. Sound good?
You'll need a sheet of paper, your journal, or your forearm -- something to write on. Do each step before moving to the next (No, don't read all of it and come back to it. I know you won't. Nobody ever does. So follow along!)
If you care to share your answers with everyone it's usually very helpful for others to see they aren't any more or less crazy than the rest of us. If not, keep your answers nearby because it will be helpful to reference them later.
I think it makes the most sense if I share the exercise and then follow up and help with the solutions (you'll see what I mean).
Here we go:
Step 1. Your Current Results
Question: On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with the results/income/impact you are producing in your business/personal life today?
1 being you are not so happy with the results you are producing today, 10 being you're so happy and wildly successful that you should be the one writing the manual of success for your business!
Where would you be on this scale of 1-10? (Write this down now)
--
Notes: I'm willing to bet you didn't write '10' ... simply because no matter how successful we become, there's always another level, isn't there?
If you happened to write down a 5, this tells me two things: one, there's room for improvement, yes?
Two, if we're playing at a level 5 or below in our business that means we're leaving 50% (or more) of our income on the table every single day. And while that may seem a bit dramatic, let me prove it to you with the next couple of questions.
--
Step 2. Identifying The Challenges to Overcome
Question: What is stopping you, slowing you down, or preventing you from playing at a level 9 or 10 in your business today?
What I want you to do now is to list out all of the reasons that are stopping you from playing at a level 9 or 10 in your business.
In other words, what is getting in the way? Is it procrastination? Is it lack of time? Is it lack of resources?
And I want you to be completely honest with yourself. Not with me, with yourself -- because that's the only way things will change.
Set yourself a timer if you need to but take the next two minutes to write down as many reasons you can think of that are preventing you from producing the kind of results you want.... Go ;-)
--
Notes: Now you should have a list in front of you of all the reasons that are stopping you from playing at a level 9 or 10 in your business which also tells us most of the reasons we are not producing the kind of income or impact we want to product, right?
The thing is, to produce a level '10' income, we have to take actions on a level '10' scale, right? The trick that we're trying to learn here is how do we get ourselves to take action -- that is the unfair competitive advantage in any economy.
--
Step 3. Identifying The Answer That Drives The Others
Question: What beliefs are driving these?
I'll come right out and say it. Go ahead and write down a giant letter B and a giant letter S next to your list. B.S. ... and what does that stand for!?
... belief systems!
Yeesh... you people...
All of these things that are holding you back start with a belief. Our beliefs influence our thoughts, our thoughts influence our decisions (or indecision), that determines what actions we'll take or not take and ultimately produces our results (whatever level you labeled it at previously).
So it all comes down to the belief.
If someone has a belief that says "It's hard for me to talk to people" or "It's hard for me to get out of my comfort zone" -- are they going to take more or less action towards the result they want?
Then, whenever they come up against an obstacle... say making a phone call to a stranger who manufactures products in China they procrastinate, they say they don't have the time, they say they don't have the money to order their first shipment anyways...
Then they never make the call, they never take the action, then what kind of results do they produce? Do they achieve their goal? Or do they produce worse results?
And here's where our beliefs are reinforced.
We say "see, I told you it was the economy, I told you I didn't have the time, I told you this wouldn't work"
So the next step is to identify and WRITE DOWN what beliefs have caused you to... procrastinate, to be lazy, to not try harder, do more, make the extra calls, ask for referrals every single time you're in front of a client, or to follow up instead of letting things drift away?
--
Notes: When writing down some of your beliefs, it may be tough to pull them out of your head because the easiest person to fool is yourself. Don't kid yourself, write down the real answer.
"The economy doesn't support this new business."
"I can't do __________ because ___________."
"If I succeed and actually make some money my friends will disown me."
"If I fail my family will pressure me to get a job I hate."
--
Step 4. Calculating The Cost
Question: What has holding on to these beliefs cost you?
One of the easiest ways to change a belief is to want to. And one of the ways for doing that is to write out in black and white in front of you what these beliefs have cost you financially, in your relationships, in your health, in your stress, and everywhere else in your life.
To figure out financially it's simple but do it anyways: take your financial goal for this year and take how much money you made last year and subtract them.
If my goal is to make $200,000 and I made $50,000 last year that's a difference of $150,000.
You can very plainly see that because you procrastinate, because you're lazy, because you believe you don't have the time, because you believe it's not possible it's costing you $150,000 this year.
So write down what it's cost you financially but also write down what it's cost you in other areas of your life. What has producing mediocre results done to hurt your relationships? Your health? Your stress?
--
Notes: Once again, maybe you think this part is simplistic but isn't it true that if you got yourself to follow through consistently, obtaining these results wouldn't be so tough?
I mean, if you never procrastinated, if you never were lazy, if you always followed up, if you asked for referrals all the time, if you made extra phone calls CONSISTENTLY -- these results would be easy to obtain, wouldn't they?
And we all know this... but why don't we do it? Is it because we're not doing what we know? Ooooh boy... you mean to tell me, you've read the books, you've attended the seminars, you've been on the forum and you know what to do but you're simply not doing it?
It's your beliefs, my friend. And they are costing you... dearly.
--
Step 5. Installing New Beliefs
Question: What is a more empowering belief you can instill in yourself?
Finally, I want you to write down a new -- more empowering -- belief that will drive you forward.
Instead of "the economy is bad" you can start saying "wherever there's crisis, there's opportunity"
The exciting part about this last bit is that here on the forum no matter what you're trying to accomplish there's someone on here who's already done it. And if someone else can do it, you can, too!
And hopefully these guys will step up and share their beliefs with you from their individual experiences. Think real estate is impossible to get into? Ask SteveO, RussH, or Runum.
Think eCommerce would never work? Ask biophase, JasonR, Lighthouse, Andrew, or whatever-the-hell Boris's name is on the forum these days.
Think it's impossible to scale a business into something massive? Ask MJ! The guy that wrote the freaking book no just telling you how to do it but also that it's possible!
Look at those limiting beliefs you wrote down in step 2, cross them out, and write the opposite. Decide who you're going to be now. Decide where you're going to go from here. Make a real decisions to change these patterns and habits.
And I have to warn you -- they ARE habits. The second you start feeling hesitation about picking up that phone, it's the most important time to pick it up so you instill the new habit, the new pattern, the new you.
The second you are a little freaked out about talking to someone, it's time to step up and greet them like an old friend and assume they want to talk to you, too! And if not, F*ck them! (I went a whole post without saying F*ck, I had to say it at least once
)--
Final notes: So what we've done was to identify where we are in regards to our results/income/impact in our business today, figure out what habits are holding us back, learning that there is a belief behind those habits, and deciding to start forming some new ones.
This is quick and dirty but I promise you'll start getting more results/more money/more everything if you start eliminating these behaviors that have been holding you back.
Excited to see what we come back with.
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