"The Secret" vs. "The Check-In" - The REAL Missing Ingredient of Your Business

I am writing this post over sheer concern about an alarming trend I am seeing in business start-ups today.

It all starts with "The Secret," that little book that brought the Law of Attraction to the forefront (although there were many of us who were familiar with this concept going back to the 60s and even before that). Very simply, The Law of Attraction states that what you think about, you bring about or we attract into our lives that to which we give our energy, focus and attention.

The result has been an explosive industry with books, tapes, courses, seminars, et al all based upon "if you wish it hard enough it can be so" and "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." And certainly there is nothing wrong with maintaining those positive attitudes as negative thinking gets us nowhere.

But there is a flip side to this. I have a friend who owns a business that is in trouble for a variety of reasons. Having been involved in several business startups that I have seen tank like a sinking ship (and having to make adjustments in my own business methodology) I am all too familiar with scenarios where a business pin prick turns into a cut and then a cut into a full-fledge hemorrhage.

For sure we need to encourage each other. But when something is blatantly hemorrhaging, you almost have to hold a mirror up and say you see, your business needs triage. In fact, maybe you just need to admit it into the ICU until it can get well again. To keep encouraging someone to stay in a particular business when maybe they just need to admit that it is time to move on isn't really fair or honest with your friend or acquaintance.

It doesn't matter how great your business idea is, but it requires time, money and marketing to make it work. Yeah, you can get into some network marketing companies on a shoestring, but I have seen it time and time again where a brick and mortar business owner is complaining about lack of customers and they are putting zero dollars into marketing, zero time time into networking and they expect their business to flourish. Of course, some entrepreneurs for whatever reason may hit the sweet spot right off the bat and their business takes off like gangbusters, but that isn't the norm. Most people are trying to figure out how to bring in more customers (and quickly,too) and therefore the proliferation of social network sites. Make friends and get customers.

The other side of "The Secret" and all the positive thinking is what I call "The Check-in." For example, have you identified and written down all the reasons why you want to have a successful business so that you can build upon and rely upon your commitment to that decision -- especially during challenging times? Do you have a well-formulated strategic plan with objectives, goals and related actions? Do you have adequate financial reserves in place, available to invest in the growth of your company? Are you REALLY following your heart or are you too proud to admit that the business just isn't working and you would rather do something else? These are just some of the questions that any business owner should always be asking himself or herself.

Know that when some of the components of your business building system are missing or not working at peak capacity you will not achieve the optimal results from your business building activities. This can manifest itself in several ways depending upon what needs fine-tuning:

*Lack of focus, motivation, or confidence
*A low conversion rate
*Fewer new opportunities and clients

No amount of positive thinking or over-encouraging from well-meaning friends and family will fill in your business building gaps. Even from a spiritual standpoint, God requires that we take action., e.g. "My people perish for lack of knowledge," "write the vision, make it plain."

It is imperative that you do "The Check-In" or a regular basis, especially during these challenging financial times.

If you would like to know more about "The Check-In" and how it can help your business I am only a phone call/
e-mail away at quickcoach4u@aol.com or call 1-888-364-9529.

Are your tired of coming up against brick walls? Are you tired of trying to figure it out by yourself? When will YOU do "The Check-In"?

Always The Bridesmaid

Are you getting married and for whatever reason need a bridesmaid real quick? Then enter Always The Bridesmaid. Always The Bridesmaid will provide an instant bridesmaid, so to speak, and provides other services as well, such as The Aromatherpay Wedding and Deluxe Reflexology Services. For details please contact me at paula@bridalsuitereflexology.com or call me at 1-800-364-9629. While you're thinking about it, please visit http://www.bridalsuitereflexology.com

Are Entrepreneurs Wired Differently? Yes, According to Study!

Risky Decision-making Essential To Entrepreneurialism, Scientists Conclude

ScienceDaily (2008-11-14) -- Whether someone will become the next Richard Branson, Steve Jobs or Henry Ford may be down to whether they make risky decisions, scientists have concluded. ... > read full article

Music for the Soul

Music is great for relaxation. Now you have the chance to create your own music for the soul. Just click on the piano board below and you can create your own tune!

My Health and Wellness Gift to You!

I spent the greater part of the evening updating my various websites with some amazing opportunities for those wanting to get a taste of life coaching.

While there is a variety of life and business coaches in practice, truth be told, everyone needs a coach. Even a coach needs a coach who will provide a soft place to land during times of transition, change and uncertainty. We are not meant to try to figure it out all on our own or by ourselves.

If you are struck, trying to pull your business together, or simply do not know where to start, then you owe it to yourself to take advantage of this gift.

I am offering a 15-minute Gift Consultation to anyone who would like to spend just 15 minutes that could change your life for the better during these challenging economic times. I guarantee you will walk away with a key takeaway that could positively impact your business or life.

If you are interested, then please contact me at coachlikeme@aol.com. You also can visit http://www.onyourfeetcoaching.com to see some of the exciting new programs.

I would love to help you reach for the stars!

How To Juice Up Your Wedding Planning Business

One of the things I do is work with businesses to show them how they can integrate networking marketing into their current business. After all, we know that both Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki are fans of network marketing.

To that end please take a look at an article that I wrote for E-Zine Articles on a creative way that wedding planners can juice up their business.

You can view the article here:

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Juice-Up-Your-Wedding-Planning-Business&id=1650378

Please read, rate it and comment as you are so led.

Thanks!

Are You A Forward Thinking Wedding Planner?

I just had this incredible brainstorm this morning about a great way to integrate MonaVie, the hottest functional beverage around, into your business.

If you are working with someone who is having a small wedding and for whatever reason doesn't want to serve alcohol, then MonaVie would make a great option for them. You can get about 25 1 oz. pours from a bottle of MonaVie -- twice that amount if you cut it to 1/2 oz. This would be perfect for a toast. Not only is MonaVie delicious, but also it provides a boost of energy, which would be ideal by the time the reception rolls around. I would recommend the Pulse (with its incredible strawberry/banana/pineapple blend) or the Original.

The Original MonaVie would be perfect for the kids' table.

MonaVie also would be a good drink to offer the bridal party simply as an energy shot during the reception. Weddings can be quite long and tiring. MonaVie will give the bride and groom the energy they need to endure a reception.

There are all kinds of ways to integrate MonaVie into the wedding coordination or other special events.

For more information on MonaVie, please visit http://www.monavie.com/. Be sure to view the Momentum video which you can watch under Company Overview. Then give me a call and let's brainstorm how you can provide a tremendous value to your customer and bring in some additional revenue with MonaVie.

Contact me at coachlikeme@aol.com or call me at 1-888-364-9529.

Do Not Get Antsy Over Delays

Sometimes when we are working toward a goal we can become really antsy about it, wondering why God is not answering out prayer even though we feel we are being obedient. Have you ever felt like that? I know I have.

And feeling antsy can lead to anxiety, frustration and all kinds of unwanted emotions, which are not healthy.

I came across this lesson from Crosswalk.com and I wanted to share it with you. It will put life's delays in a whole other perspective. Enjoy it and please share any feedback. This information came from the Today God is First. newsletter. You can sign up for it and others at http://www.crosswalk.com/newsletters.

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November 2
Obedience With a Cost
References:
Exodus 5:23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all.

Have you ever felt like you have been obedient to the Lord for something He called you to do and all you get are more roadblocks? This is the way Moses felt. When Moses went to tell Pharaoh to release the people because God said so, Pharaoh simply got angry and made the people make bricks without straw. Moses caught the blame for this from the people. Moses was just learning what obedience really means in God's Kingdom. You see, Moses had not even begun to release plagues upon Egypt. He hadn't even gotten started yet in his calling, and he was complaining about his circumstances. There were many more encounters with Pharaoh to come, and many more plagues with no deliverances in sight. Why would God tell Moses that He is going to deliver them and not do it?

It was all in timing. God never said when He was going to deliver. He just said He would. In the next chapter, we find Moses arguing with God about not being capable of the job God had called him to:

But Moses said to the Lord, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?" Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and He commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 6:12-13).

Do you get the feeling God was losing His patience?
God had a good reason for His delays. He said, "And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it" (Ex. 7:5). God not only wanted the people of Israel but also the Egyptians to know Him. It would be the greatest show of God's power on earth.

God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded. Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). Imagine that-Jesus having to learn obedience. What does that say for you and me? Sometimes God's delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience.

Faint not, for the promise may yet come.