Debra Kasowski

EPISODE 2: Taking Inspired Action and Celebrate Success

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“I have found that there is a difference in the type of action you take and the results that you receive. My definition of action that gets the results you desire – is relaxed inspired action- not desperate action or desperate reaction.”
― Sheri Kaye Hoff, Relax Into Inspired Action: Connect the Pieces and Live Fulfilled

Desperate action versus desperate reaction. How profound…

Some people talk about action being different than inspired action. We can do a lot of little task and little actions but are we doing them intentionally. Think about the actions you have been taking, are you doing them with intention?

Focus your intention and attention on what you want. If you are distracted or just doing things without thinking about the results that you want, you are going to miss out on a lot of different things.

Visualize achieving your end goal. Imagine how it will feel and what rewards you will reap from taking actions that you have.

Set goals and break them down into smaller manageable pieces. Set goals that help you stretch – in our next podcast.

Spend 20 minutes a day researching, reading, listening to a podcast, and increasing your knowledge about your “want”. People make lists of their dreams and when they are thinking about all the things that they want to do – maybe it is their bucket list. They think it is so far-fetched. It’s so far away from what is possible for me. What I want to do is to help you to shift your thinking from thinking of “impossible” to “I am possible”. I can make anything happen. Do a little bit of research and increase your knowledge. It might break down the some of the barriers of your thinking about why something might not be achievable for you. A lot of people do not investigate the things they truly want. They automatically think things are too expensive or they think something is not achievable.

Several years ago I was doing a vision board workshop and I was talking with different people about their vision boards. There was one lady who had cut out a picture of a bride and she said, ‘I do not know why I am even bothering putting this there.” I told her she did not believe she deserved it. She looked at me and said, “Yes you are right!” After a bit of laser coaching, she ended up putting it on her visions board and to have that on there and start believing in something for her was HUGE! You need to start believing in yourself for these things to happen.

TMW_PDFclickhere.fwWhen you take the time to investigate what the cost might be or the things you want, like the promotion or you want more clients, there are phenomenal books and podcasts that you can have these strategies on your fingertips.

We have the internet. People do not have excuses about how to improve their business, how to get more clients – that pipeline and how to improve our lives with living more healthy.  There are books, articles, and podcasts. There is so much information. There are seminars and conferences you name it – things are available to you. You just need to start asking the right questions and spending the time doing it. The world is not going to just hand it to you and say, “Oh, here it is!” It is the positive thinking that a lot of people that people were talking about from “The Secret”; The Secret does have a lot of truth to it. What you need to do is, to take the action and the positive thinking together to take inspired action. The inspired action is the gentle nudge or voice that is telling you what your true calling is that purpose that you need to do something.

The same goes for growing in your industry – do some research and learn more about it so you can ask more thoughtful questions and help where you are to get better results. Success leaves clues. Leave your track record, create those footprints and take the time to mentor others. It is all the little things that are going to help you excel.

ASK questions and learn as much as you can about what you want. Once you find some information as more questions. Find ways to achieve what you want to. There is always more than one way to get what you want.

Find a mentor who is willing to share their knowledge with you and who has done what you want to achieve. They have great wisdom and are not asked for their expertise a lot of the time. They will find it flattering but don’t just go up to them and ask if you can pick their brain. Find a way to create a win-win situation; it might be you who shares what the latest and greatest is in the industry.

Make a list of pros and cons. Simply, put a piece of paper in front you with a line down the middle with pros on one side and cons on the other. Take a look at the list and eliminate any risks so your actions can be deliberate. What can you do so the consequence does not outweigh the positive result? If there is a risk, how can you mitigate the risk so that you can ensure some smooth sailing? This way you are being proactive versus reactive in getting what you want.

Trust yourself to make the best decisions with the information you have. No one is stopping you from asking additional questions. You can adjust your course as you go. If you are going to wait for the perfect moment, you will either procrastinate or it is never going to be good enough to move forward. Take a chance and adjust as you go and you will be better every single time.

Celebrate your small wins and successes along the way. I often encourage the individuals I work with to keep track of the small wins and successes. Show gratitude. When you have a bad day, go back to those small wins and successes and read them over to shift your mindset but also to help you realize you have been through barriers and obstacles before and you have been able to hit a breakthrough to get you to where you are now. Don’t let it stop you from achieving success. Celebrating your small wins and successes will help increase your motivation and momentum to keep going toward your end goal.

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

Time 10:37 min

How to Recover from a Failed Conversation

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Some conversations leave us feeling empowered whereas others leave us with a bitter taste in our mouths.

There have been some instances after a long hard day that I have dropped into my big oversized chair and wondered what really happened. How did things get so array? Was it two stubborn people clamouring to be seen, heard, and understood?

Self reflection and self awareness are paramount in recovering from a failed conversation. Start by asking yourself the following questions:

  • What role did I play in the conversation?
  • What is the impact does this conversation have on our relationship?
  • Were we discussing something really important?
  • Did I make my intentions known?

It takes a huge amount of courage to own our issues, to share our perceptions, and to apologize for our part in how things went. Often people do not realize the impact of their words. I know people who have carried words said by someone over 40 years ago. One of the biggest challenges is to recognize that what someone says about you is none or your business and nor should you take it personally. It is one person’s opinion. Remember 1 in 7 billion people – so who are you giving your power to. You can only do what is within your power and you do not have to change for anyone else.

Courtesy of Imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net
Courtesy of Imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net

Avoidance of the situation or person involved does not solve the issue. You may have heard the phrase, “Do not burn any bridges.” What it basically means is you are better to mend a relationship, keep the connection than to damage it, and let it fester into more than it should be. Also note the world is a small place – you never know who knows who you know. Each person needs to own their own part. Seldom, is it just one person’s mistake. After all, communication is a two way conversation!

It is never too late unless a person has passed on to rectify a situation and to clarify what you really meant to say. Even then you can say it aloud to let it out versus keep it inside of you. There is no room for blaming, complaining, or cursing to say what you wanted to say. They say time heals and you may not forget how you felt but you can forgive yourself and the other person for being human and learning from the experience.

Failed conversations carry an emotional charge to them which tends to make people take comments personally. And yes, the beginning of your conversation it may get a bit awkward but as you speak intentionally – you can turn and failed conversation into one which the other person champions you!

3 Surefire Ways to Keep Your Eyes on Your Goals

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Goal setting is something you can do at any time of the year but most people wait to the end of the year to set goals. I recommend that you set daily goals, monthly goals, and yearly goals in all areas of your life. You will be more focused and get greater results when you have a plan and work on them intentionally. Strategic planning for your life and business.

3 Ways to Keep Your Eyes on Your Goals:

1. Write them down on an 3 x 5 index card. When you write them down you are able to get your goals out of your head and onto paper. Keep them where you can see them throughout the day – by your bathroom mirror, on your car dash, day timer, or in your wallet.

2. Script Achieving Your Goal in a Journal. Write out what the day or event will be like when you achieve your goal. What will it feel like? List out all the details. Do this daily or weekly.

3. Write a letter to yourself. Dear ________, write out a letter to yourself about what it would mean to achieve this goal and all the steps you took to get their. The more detailed you can be the better.  You can do this on a daily basis or mail it to yourself one month, 3 months, or 6 months from now.

Before you know it, you will be accomplishing what you set out to do. Writing your goals down makes a difference. Review your cards, journal, or letters regularly to envision the goal achieve and be able to recognize when you have achieved them. Step by step you will get there!

I would love to hear about what you do. Comment below…let’s get ready for the best 2013 ever!

Your Excuse Today Affects Your Tomorrow

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Photo Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/freedigitalphotos.net

When you finally get a chance to sit down and the end of the day, can you honestly say that you have given your very best effort for that day? Several individuals will say, “Absolutely!” whereas others may say, “Well, I guess I could have “tried” a little harder.” Notice the difference. One statement , is with conviction and the other is weaker. Could have, would have and should have’s are not declarations of intent. When you say I will try, it means maybe yes and maybe no. Now what if you said, “I will” or “I am going to give my best effort.” Do you notice a difference? Which statement sounds stronger?

There is so much power in the words that you use. No matter what you do – business interactions or interactions in your relationships, the same rules apply. I want you to examine or reflect on the words that you use. The power of the mind can be one of the greatest challenges or your greatest gift once you master your thoughts. The words you tell yourself, are what hold you back and when in doubt you mind can play tricks of comparison and competition. The only person you should be comparing yourself or competing with is YOU!

What excuses do you say or give for not giving your best efforts.  You need to take responsibility for what you have control of.

 

 The top 5 excuses I hear are:

1. My Boss – My boss did not give me clear direction or not enough time to complete a project. What could you do here? Ask for more detail, direction, and perhaps negotiate a deadline.

 

2. My Kids – Yes, kids have bedtimes and routines that need to be followed but do they really stop you from accomplishing your goals? Usually not. You need to get creative – get up an hour earlier, exercise with a video tape or go to the gym where they have babysitting, or even hire a babysitter or ask a trusted friend.

 

3. Not enough time – This is a big one! The  solution to this is tracking your time for one week. Look at where time gets wasted. When you start becoming vigilant and focused on the amount of time you spend in different areas you will notice that you can find more time to do what you love.

 

4. I am too tired. – Keep saying “I am too tired.” and the more things that will come up to ensure this statement reigns true. Get enough sleep so you can function at you optimal level.

 

5. Not enough money. – Many individuals say that they do not have enough money to go after what they what. One thing that I know to be true is when you investigate the cost of some of your goals or dreams you will realize that they are not so far out of reach after all. When you make a decision and plan, you can make many things happen and even surprise yourself.

 

BONUS ONE: I do not know enough. I am not good enough. Are you resourceful? Can you find the answer or ask someone who knows? A silver platter is not being held out with a note saying – here it is! You need to get in the game of life. You can learn and find out.

 

The excuses you tell yourself affect your tomorrow. Change the perspective of your excuse and take responsibility for your action. Have you tried changing someone? Doesn’t work so well does it? The only person you can change is YOU! Drop the excuses, get the results that you want, and be victorious!