In my work as a coach, I help women (and men too) to discover their passion, find their voice and take their ideas out into the world and into the marketplace.  Though I love the idea of every woman having the opportunity to express herself and reach her potential, I also want to see her reap financial rewards from her efforts.

I’ve known many women who have had wonderful ideas but hesitate to bring them out into the world.  Some of these women have wanted to write a book based on their experiences or their knowledge, but for many of them, the book remains a wish or a desire.  Others have actually started the book only to have it remain in a notebook or on a hard drive .

Some of these women have had ideas for a new invention, product or service – none of which have come to fruition.  Others have confided a desire to start a business but stopped themselves after a few initial steps.  Others have wanted to become motivational/inspirational speakers but have yet to launch their careers.  And there are many more stories like this.

If you see yourself in these examples, one or more of the following factors can be responsible for stopping you from getting to where you want to be:

• Self-Doubt/Fear
• Underestimating or Devaluing Your Abilities
• Lack of a Sense of Entitlement while Idealizing/Overvaluing Others
• Lack of Know-How or How to Get Started
• Lack of Focus and Clarity
• Lack of Support
• Lack of  Guidance, and a Lack of Coaches or Mentors

So how do you begin to address these factors?  Here are some initial steps:

Give yourself permission – No one can grant you the permission to have what you want but you.  The fact that you have the desire is enough of a reason to do so. You are as entitled as anyone else to realize your dreams.

Give yourself credit – Women tend to compare themselves and often find themselves wanting.  Refrain from comparing.  Instead, give yourself credit for what you know but also remain open to new learning.

Accept that everyone has doubts and fears – If you wait until you resolve your doubts or get over your fears, you won’t accomplish anything.  You have to accept that doubt and fear are part of the process – they just shouldn’t stop you.  Others may appear more courageous or confident but you can never truly know what people go through, so don’t assume if you see a successful person that they are immune to doubt and fear.

Begin the discovery process and do your research – Whatever it is that you want to be or do, you will need to do some research.  Read and learn all you can – not only about your area of expertise but about running a business, marketing and promotion.  Look at the work of others that is similar to what it is that you want to do.  If possible, find out how they accomplished what they did.   This is not for the sake of comparison – this is for the sake of learning.  To use some well-worn clichés – “There is nothing new under the sun” and “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel”.  All you have to do is bring your unique expression to what you want to accomplish.

Recognize that you need support and encouragement on a regular basis – When you finally give yourself permission to take that step and bring your ideas out into the world, know that you will stay more focused and more committed if you have support.  Seek the support of those who can be impartial which means that you may have to exclude family and friends from your support group.

Know that you will need guidance – Whatever you choose to do – write a book, start a business or produce a product – you will need an experienced coach or mentor to guide you.  A coach or mentor will help you gain clarity and will keep you focused.  She will also hold you accountable.  Though you will likely have to pay for these services, receiving guidance will help you get to where you want to go faster (and therefore start generating income faster) and will help cut down on errors that may cost you more in the long run.

Kate Sanner

CEO and Founder of Vivacity

http://VivacityNow.com

Creator of the Boost Your Self-Confidence in 90 Days Coaching Program

http://BoostYourSelfConfidencein90Days.com/

(c) 2010

Question for you… What’s the best way to grow your business without having to go out and sell every day?

Answer… Create your targeted list of prospects.

That’s how you’ll always have new potential buyers and new opportunities to promote your services or products…and make new sales.

But not just by filling up your mailing list with everybody and anybody. The real trick is adding interested, qualified leads who are much more likely to actually buy your product or service! As you may know, building a list properly has been a huge factor in Ali Brown’s business growing from zero-figure idea into a company today that brings in millions of dollars per year.

In fact, it’s so important for YOUR business growth that Ali is hosting a complimentary teleseminar to give you the LATEST  information on list-building:

=====
“Grow That List! The 7 Streams of List-Building That Are Working Right Now”

Wednesday, July 14, 2010
7:00pm Eastern

Learn more and register here:
http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=540045
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On this special complimentary call, you’ll learn…
* the 7 list-building “streams” you should be directing to your site right now — to create a river of traffic

* how to create slow and steady flows of prospects as well as fast gushes of list growth (and why you need both)

* 3 of the latest list-building methods that are relatively NEW and that you should try

* which list-building methods are now outdated (cross these off your to-do-list!)

* which software/applications Ali recommends to automatically manage your list

* the MOST important thing you have to keep in mind when growing your list

* how to get your list growing now… even if you don’t have a website yet

* details about Ali’s BRAND NEW four-part telecourse on list building that she will be personally teaching this summer!

Whether you’re just starting a list for your new business, OR you’re experienced online and need a “list building checkup” to step up your list, you’ll learn how to discover new opportunities, win new qualified prospects, and build a list that will help grow your business successfully.

Ali hasn’t hosted a call like this in quite a while, so don’t miss it! Sign up now here to reserve your space on this complimentary call:
http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=540045

Kate Sanner
P.S. I am an affiliate of Ali’s and the links above are my affiliate links. I have also been a student of Ali’s for 4 years and I’ll be listening to the call right along with you. I never seem to stop learning from Ali and highly endorse her work.

“Observe, record, tabulate, communicate. Use your five senses. . . . Learn to see, learn to hear, learn to feel, learn to smell, and know that by practice alone you can become expert.” William Osler, Canadian Physician

Many of the women small business owners I coach – who are knowledgeable and experienced in their fields – don’t like to refer to themselves as experts.  They perceive that there is some milestone or pinnacle to reach and there just not sure what it is. I believe that establishing yourself as an expert comes down to a combination of three things:  Do you have the in-depth knowledge? Do you have in-depth experience? Do you have the positive results to back all this up?  If the answer is yes to each of these, then you are an expert.

Here are some guidelines for establishing expertise:

Know the difference between proficiency and expertise and have a realistic view of your capabilities and competencies – I love to produce audio content – both for my practice and for my company Vivacity.  I have a small recording studio in my home where I record.  I know how to use software to edit the audio I recorded – I can layer in music and commercials (for my Internet radio shows) and I can use some special effects to enhance the content.

But am I an expert?  No, I am not.  I consider myself very proficient and I am 100% confident that I could easily teach a small business owner or solo-professional how to produce their own audio content.  The person I teach may then look at me as an expert – and that’s her prerogative, but I would never tout myself as one.

And even though I’ve written a few articles on audio recording for small business owners and solo-professionals, I’ve always written them from the viewpoint of “here’s what I know works for me”.

So why don’t I declare myself an expert in the field of audio?  Is it a lack of self-confidence?  No – I have a realistic view of my capabilities and competencies.  I am an aficionado – “an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast” (dictionary.com).  I could easily become an expert if I chose to do so as I have a keen interest in audio recording and I thoroughly enjoy the process.  But expert status would have to fulfill two other criteria: more in-depth training (I’ve had only the most basic of training) and more in-depth practice of and experience with the new knowledge I’ve gained.  And for right now, I see audio recording as a vehicle on my entrepreneurial journey not a destination.  I’m happy being an aficionado.

Expertise requires not just knowledge but real life application and experience – When I was training to become a psychotherapist, I remember a very dear mentor telling me “It takes 10 years of practice to become a seasoned clinician.”  Naturally, that sounded like eons when I was first starting out.  But somewhere near the end of my 9^th year of practice, I realized how true her words were.  In that year, I became aware of how much I now understood about people (myself included), how easily getting to the heart of a particular client’s issues had become, how instinctively red flags would pop up in my mind as a client talked about their life circumstances providing me avenues to pursue with them, how effortless it had become articulating what a plan of action would be and how naturally I could teach to others what I had learned.  After ten years and thousands of hours of clinical practice, I had become seasoned – I had become an expert.

Not every small business owner or solo- professional is going to require this 10 year window, but every one of them will need to meet her industry’s standard of practical experience before claiming expert status.  Some industries have less steep learning curves and may not need extended years of practice to become an expert.   But I think we should all be wary of those who come up out of nowhere and proclaim themselves experts.  Before investing money or time in this person’s products or services, check out their background and experience. Have they logged in the “experience miles”?

One more consideration:  Even though your years of experience may qualify you to be considered an expert, you can’t take that status for granted; you can’t “rest on your laurels”.  You will still need to continue learning, studying, growing, innovating and finding creative solutions to stay relevant and competitive in your field.

You have to have the results to back up your claim of expertise – Even though you may have years of training and experience, do you have the testimonials or success stories of those you have served through your business or profession that can attest to the efficacy and productivity of your product or services?  Nothing spells “expert” like a long list of satisfied customers, clients or patients.  Be sure to keep track of numbers served in your business and to collect testimonials from those willing to share this information with you.  If you have a website, have a page devoted to testimonials/success stories or weave them in throughout your site.  People can be impressed by numbers and statistics but they genuinely respond to the authentic, positive stories of those you have served.  These stories will raise you to the status of expert in their eyes.

Kate Sanner

CEO and Founder

Vivacity…Jump into Life

(c)2010

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:  As CEO and founder of Vivacity and creator of the Boost Your Self Confidence in 90 Days Program, Kate Sanner helps women develop the self-confidence they need to take their ideas out into the world and into the marketplace. She is also a podcaster and radio show host and owner of an internet radio station, Vivacity Radio(TM)…Internet Talk Radio for Women. To get your copy of the MP3 download and companion Ebook to Kate’s groundbreaking teleseminar “The 7 Secrets to Total and Lasting Self-Confidence”, go to http://BoostYourSelfConfidencein90Days.com/the7secrets.html

It’s times like this, coming out of one of the most challenging shifts in business history, when seeing how a master marketer like Ali Brown adjusts and changes in order to teach her audience how to thrive in this type of climate.

Here’s what I mean. Ali Brown has completely reinvented her successful SHINE event for 2010. In fact, it’s such a brand-new conference this year you’d have to see it to believe it…so that’s exactly what you have the chance to do in less than one week!

You’re invited to attend a complimentary webinar with Ali Brown on Wednesday, June 23 at 7pm Eastern, to get the scoop on all the exciting details — the new content, the new format, and the fantastic keynote speakers she’s lined up for you this year!  You’ll see everything right on your computer screen, so you’ll be able to picture exactly how each new element will help your business.

Here’s what Ali will show you on this limited-space webinar:

* You’ll see how Shine 2010 is now uniquely designed for entrepreneurs from all types of fields and skill levels, so no matter your business, you will learn techniques that will boost your bottom line

* She’ll review the 18 different learning sessions you’ll be able to choose from at Shine 2010. All are topics that will help you grow your business, whether you’re a new business owner or a seasoned entrepreneur

* Ali will give you the scoop on all of the Shine 2010 keynote speakers and sessions content

* And she’ll share what you can expect when you come to Shine 2010 – the event, the experience, the people, the networking, the fun – and how to best prepare to get the most from attending this year. Ali will also be answering your questions about Shine 2010,  live on the webinar!

Ali Brown is so confident Shine will fast-track your success, even in this economic client. Join her as she personally shares the why and how she has redesigned this 3-day event to be what people have been asking for, including more step-by-step training, a wider variety of topics, structured networking, more program choices, and more. And on this webinar, you will find out how you can receive a $500 discount on your ticket at the conference!

Space is limited on this one-time-only webinar, so don’t wait, go ahead and sign up for this complimentary webinar now:

http://bit.ly/cuZro9

Kate Sanner

In Part One of this series, “A Vision for Your Business – The Missing Ingredient”, I wrote about the experiences of two women who felt frustrated with their businesses’ minimal growth . When asked to go into depth about the vision they had for their businesses, both were only able to give current realities and very short term limited goals. It was the lack of vision that was the missing ingredient for their growth and success.

Vision is the fuel that drives and sustains your business.

Here are five steps on the path to a clear and vibrant vision for your business.

From a Subconscious Desire to a Conscious Idea: Create Your Vision in Your Mind

Your vision arises out of a strong desire which lies in your subconscious mind. Some call it your life purpose, some call it Spirit. Over time, the desire urges itself to be born. After enough stirrings and promptings (at times even awakening you from sleep), you then bring your vision into your conscious mind. Once in the conscious mind, you can begin to give it shape, definition and form.

Try the following visualization exercise to define your vision:

Create a picture of your vision on your mind’s mental screen – up close, in full color in your mind’s eye.

Bring in as many of your senses as possible – these will serve as anchor points for your vision.

What do you see, what do you hear, smell or taste, what do you feel – physically and emotionally – when you bring up your vision. Experience your vision as vibrantly as possible.

Define Your Vision

As you have your vision on your mind’s mental screen, ask yourself the following questions:

• What motivates me to create this vision?
• Who am I serving?
• What benefit will my vision be providing?
• How do I feel as I see others experiencing the benefit?
• How will they feel when they experience the benefit of my vision?

Make your vision as real as you can imagine. And make it as big as you can imagine. Having a big vision gives you room to continue to grow. Be bold…you truly have nothing to lose.

Have Your Vision Written Down and Read It over Frequently

Having your vision written down and reading it frequently builds your belief. The stronger your belief, the sooner your mind will begin to see and accept this vision as an accomplished fact which will make taking action less effortful.

No matter how you choose to do it – index cards, whiteboards, journals – have your vision written down where you can easily access it. Read your vision frequently. And as often as you can, bring up the full vision that was created in the previous step. This adds the power of emotion – which makes any thought stronger. Read it over at the very least in the morning (before meditation is good) and before going to bed; but read it anytime during the day, especially when you feel your resolve begin to waiver or your doubts begin to surface.

Take Your Vision to the Level of a Burning Desire

Wishing will never bring your vision into reality. There has to be a strong commitment, a strong sense of resolve…what Napoleon Hill called a “Burn the Ships” mentality.

Your vision cannot just be a nice thing to do, not just a lovely wish, it must be a burning desire. Only this level of desire can get you motivated to take your vision from your mind out into the world and to keep going through the inevitable challenges you will encounter along the way.

Share Your Vision with a Trusted Advisor or Mentor

The next step is to share your vision verbally with a trusted advisor or mentor. Doing so finally takes the idea you have been holding in your mind and puts it out into reality for the first time.

There is a caveat that goes along with this step. Many of us know the feeling we get when we excitedly share our ideas with family and friends only to have them give us a less then desired response. The rejection or negativity stings. There may be many reasons for this running the gamut from “they love us and don’t want us to make what they perceive as a mistake” to “they’re toxic people to whom we keep turning for approval.”

Whatever it is, it is best not to use your “strong tie” connections when you share your vision. They lack the objectivity and the different frame of reference you need to develop your vision. It is best to use your “weak tie” connections – that is your acquaintances, distant friends, advisors, mentors.

Kate Sanner

CEO and Founder

Vivacity…Jump into Life

http://vivacitynow.com

(c) 2010

In my latest issue of my Ezine VivaNews  – http://74.220.207.101/~vivacity/blog/?p=238 – I wrote: “Doing the right things on a consistent basis is…the formula for getting great results in your business.”

In this series of articles, I’ll be looking at successful small to medium sized businesses that are reaping the rewards of doing the rights things.

Lessons from A Local Business

I was looking at the website of Baugher’s, a local orchard in Westminster, Maryland very near where I live, and started reading up on the history of the orchard and how this family-owned business (celebrating over 100 years in Carroll County) started on 60 acres and evolved into Baugher Enterprises – a 600 acre orchard and farm, market, restaurant and bakery.

I love supporting local businesses, so I’m always glad to see them thrive. And as a business owner, I also like to study businesses that continue to be successful – despite the economy.

Here are some of the right things Baugher Enterprises has done that have contributed to its success ~

• hard work
• clear vision
• strong philosophy
• building a strong brand
• maintaining quality product lines
• creating an experience for their customers
• expanding the business wisely
• embracing change

Great lessons from a business one hundred years old and still going strong.

Kate Sanner

CEO and Founder of Vivacity

(c)2010

In this issue:

• A Note from Kate
• “A Jumping-Off Point”
• Vivacity, Products and Services
• Kate Recommends

A Note from Kate

Welcome and thanks to those of you who are new subscribers!  I appreciate your readership and look forward to bringing you tools and resources to build self-confidence and accelerate your professional and personal success.

It’s spring here in the Northern Hemisphere and after a very snowy winter on the East Coast of the United States, we are especially grateful for the beautiful weather we’ve been having.

As I write this, the Spirea Bush – or Bridal Veil Bush – on our property is in full bloom. The daffodils and forsythia have had their heyday in shades from pale yellow to goldenrod, the tulips are at their peak and the lilac trees and azalea bushes are blooming.

But the best part of spring is the appearance of the asparagus shoots in our vegetable garden. Eating organic, home grown food is a true delight and I feel fortunate to live in the country where we can grow some of our own produce.

Growing asparagus is more complex than growing most vegetables. Asparagus takes planning, a fair amount of groundwork, ongoing maintenance – and patience – it takes about three years before the plants are mature enough to start producing. But if you do all the right things on a consistent basis, the delicious shoots will keep on popping up every spring. The results are well worth the time and effort invested.

Doing the right things on a consistent basis is also the formula for getting great results in your business. In this issue’s “A Jumping-Off Point”, I take a look at some of the “wrong things” business owners and solo practitioners do when they first start out and what they can do to correct them.

A Jumping-Off Point™

“9 Mistakes New Small Business Owners Make – and How to Correct Them”

When you have just launched a new business or practice, you are often uncertain about what to do and what not to do.  Here is a list of nine things that you should avoid when first stating out:

1.  Let Your Passion Override Your Reason – It’s good to be in love with your business but even the greatest passion and the grandest ideas have to have a firm foundation in sound business and marketing principles. Define your business and create a brand – so that everyone else can understand what you are so passionate about.  Develop a business plan so you know where you are going. Develop an ongoing marketing plan so that your target market is reminded on a regular basis that you are out there ready to serve them.

2.  Think Small – Even though you are a small business owner, you don’t have to think small.  Does this mean you have to have a multi-million dollar business in order to be considered successful?  No, that’s not what I mean.  Allow yourself to dream big in your business.  Really let yourself see just how big you can build your particular piece of the marketplace.  If you want to generate a business that will support you and your family for the long haul…great!  Dream about that. If you want a business that makes a lot of money, doesn’t require your constant presence and gives you the lifestyle you want…great!  Dream about that. Then think big – what can you do to take these dreams and implement them?  What are the steps you will have to take to have the business you want?  Then play big – make efforts daily that shape your business into the one you want.

3.  Spend Too Much Time and Money on Creating Your Website - The goal of creating a website is to create an online presence for you.  It is a marketing tool and in many cases an e-commerce tool.  But it is often treated like the end goal rather than as a means to a goal and far too much money is spent in the process.  You do not need an expensive website to get started.  Unless your business is one that is based on your artistic creativity, you do not need lots of flash and bells and whistles.  Start minimally – e.g. with a multi-page blog or a one brochure-style page with a blog attached to it.  You can always add on later.

4.  Put Your Website Up and Then Forget about It – Just putting your website out in cyberspace is not enough – you need to get the search engines to find you on an ongoing basis so that your target audience can find you.  There is plenty of great free information out there on what are the basics of a search-engine friendly website.  Come up with a plan and have your webmaster implement the strategies for you.  If you have an e-commerce site, you may want to invest in getting a website and search engine optimization audit to find out the best way to drive traffic to your site.

5.  Market Your Business Inconsistently or Ineffectively – Marketing is getting your message about your business out to the world.  Marketing has to be a continuous process, not intermittent or sporadic.  When you first start your small business, you are so busy doing the tasks of your business that you forget you have to make time to market your business.  But even before you begin doing this, you have to determine which marketing strategies are right for your business – which will give you the biggest return on your investment.  If you don’t hire a coach for anything else, hire a coach to help you develop a marketing plan.  It will keep you from making expensive or ineffective missteps.

6.  Look at What Others Charge and Then Decide to Charge a Lower Fee So You Can Get Business – Knowing how much to charge for your services is often a stumbling point for new business owners, especially when you provide a service rather than a physical product.  Many service providers will research what others are charging, then decide to set their fee just below that price.  The rationale is that people will compare and choose you because you are more affordable.  Resist the temptation to under-price your services.  Though price may be a determining factor, it is not the only one.  Most people buy based on the benefits they will receive from buying a product or service.  When you are starting out, look at industry standards.  Then look at how you can increase the value of the services you offer so that clients and customers see the value, not the price.  As you become more experienced in business, you will find that if the value is truly there, people will be willing to pay even more than industry standards.

7.  Go It Alone – Just because you are in business for yourself does not mean you should be in business by yourself.  As a new small business owner, you will need ongoing advice, guidance and support.  Having a coach on an ongoing basis is vital to your success.  No one coach can fulfill all your needs over time, so expect to change coaches as you grow.  Get into a master mind group with like-minded people to keep being challenged on a regular basis.  Join an organization that serves the needs of small business owners and attend their events.  Network with other small business owners.

8.  Try to Do It All Yourself – One of the problems of being a new small business owner is that you may not have the money to hire people to help you or buy services that support your business.  To start, look at all the tasks in your business.  See which ones help you generate income but take too much time to do.  For example, good bookkeeping will help you make money and save money.  But not everyone is cut out to be their own bookkeeper, so this may be a service you commit early one to support your business.  Eventually, you will want to outsource all the work that is administrative.  Even if you are good at clerical or administrative tasks, this doesn’t mean you should be doing them.  The point here is to free up enough of your time to create products and services and market your business.

9.  Work to the Point That You Exclude Everything Else – A small business can consume all your time if you let it.  Having boundaries around how much time you spend in your business each day is important.  You will have to plan this just as you do your business tasks. Make sure to allot in down time every day for mindless downtime.  Make time for self-care.  Plan time for recreation and even for an interest outside of your business.  Exercise. Relax. Have fun.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:  As CEO and founder of Vivacity and creator of the Boost Your Self Confidence in 90 Days Program, Kate Sanner helps women develop the self-confidence they need to take their dreams out into reality and into the marketplace. She is also a podcaster, the creator and producer of The Voices of Women Project: An Audio Anthology, radio show host and owner of an internet radio station, Vivacity Radio(TM)…Internet Talk Radio for Women. She is also a blogger, a columnist and an Ezine publisher.

Vivacity Products, Services and Events

Check out Vivacity’s “It’s Our Turn” blog for tips, tools and techniques to boost your self-confidence and help you step into your power and your greatness.

http://ItsOurTurn.us 

Kate Recommends

Here is an invitation I hope you won’t refuse! Chloe JonPaul has invited me to “launch” and has extended the invitation to my friends as well.

Chloe is launching her Best Seller campaign, which will run between April 27th and May 3rd on Amazon.com. Great bonuses and a special prize are available to everyone who attends. Her goal is to have as many book orders as possible on April 27th.

“Entering the Age of Elegance: A Rite of Passage & Practical Guide for the Modern Maturing Woman” is a must-read for every midlife and Boomer woman.  If you’re looking for an exceptional yet inexpensive gift for such women you know, now would be the perfect time to purchase it.

Please mark your calendar for April 27th and for further details,visit Chloe’s web site:

http://enteringtheageofelegance.com/ 

 Listen to Chloe JonPaul’s story on Vivacity’s “The Voices of Women Project: An Audio Anthology” by going to http://vivacitynow.com/vwp

Thanks for reading VivaNews™

Committed to Your Success,

Kate

VivaNews™ provides tools and resources to help you develop the self-confidence you need in your business and in your life.

Please be sure to add “kate@vivacitynow.com” to your whitelist or address book in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving future issues!

Sign me up for this e-zine!

Kate Sanner

CEO and Founder

Vivacity…Jump into Life

Publisher VivaNews Ezine

(c) 2010

In this issue:

• A Note from Kate
• A Jumping-Off Point
• Vivacity Products, Services and Events
• Kate Recommends
• An Opportunity to Get An Hour of Coaching – No Cost to You

A Note from Kate

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all our new readers! Thanks so much for joining the Vivacity community.

It has been an incredibly snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. A couple weeks ago, the Baltimore-Washington area received back to back blizzards, not long after two other snow storms. Fortunately, we had plenty of warning and were able to prepare for both.

Schools and government offices stayed closed for a week or more andbusinesses were negatively impacted. The storms came right before Valentine’s Day which is traditionally a big money-maker for florists, candy makers and restaurants.

It took many more days following the storm for things to start returning back to normal. This is not an area known for hard winters so we don’t bounce back as quickly as those areas where snowy winters are a fact of life.

Since the last issue of the Ezine, much of my time has been devoted to reorganizing, mostly as the result of a major change in one aspect of my professional life.

When I was dealing with the log jam of what seemed like endless procedures and paperwork, what kept me going was knowing there was a light at the end of the tunnel and I could soon return to what motivates me every day – to help people develop their self-confidence so that they can bring their ideas and their best selves out into the world.

This issue’s “A Jumping-Off Point” talks about what happens when our motivation may be at a low point due to transitions or challenges in our lives.

A Jumping-Off Point™

“Seven Ways to Deal with Low Motivation”

“When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb.” – Denis Waitley

Motivation, quite simply, is what makes you want to get up in the morning and what keeps you going all day.

It is your drive, your purpose, your desire or your inspiration.

Motivation fuels your self-confidence – it helps you get the things you want in life so that you can live the life you want.

When you are motivated to do the things that help you feel self-actualized (your highest expression of yourself), you are at your best.  When you are operating at the peak of your awareness and your potential, the energy is amazing!

But what happens when our energy is low because it is being diverted away from its highest expression?

No one can strive for self-actualization when s/he has to meet lesser needs first.

If you are having financial difficulties, health issues, relationship issues or too many competing demands, your motivation will not be available for higher level pursuits.

This is not the time to give up on or postpone your goals.  It is a time to recommit to them.  Times of crises make people more open to change.

Here are some things to do in times of low motivation:

1.  Break down your goals into very small increments and implement each small step at a pace with which you are comfortable
2.  Write the goals down so you can see them
3.  Acknowledge the things you do accomplish, no matter how small
4.  Read or listen to something inspirational – motivational themes are good too, but I believe that getting inspired is more useful.  Sometimes purely motivational writings or audios can be overwhelming when your motivation is low
5.  Seek support – reach out to people who can listen and give you genuine feedback
6.  Be gentle with yourself – everyone goes through down periods and being critical of yourself will only prolong the down times
7.  Do something completely fun to bring up your energy level

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:  As CEO and founder of Vivacity and creator of the Boost Your Self Confidence in 90 Days Program, Kate Sanner helps women develop the self-confidence they need to take their dreams out into reality and into the marketplace and create the lives they desire.   She is also a podcaster, the creator and producer of The Voices of Women Project: An Audio Anthology, radio show host and owner of an internet radio station, Vivacity Radio(TM)…Internet Talk Radio for Women.   She is also a blogger, a columnist and an Ezine publisher.

Vivacity Products and Services

The 7 Secrets to Total and Lasting Self-Confidence MP3 and 20 Page Companion EBook

Yours at no cost, by going to:

http://boostyourselfconfidencein90days.com/the7secrets.html

Kate Recommends…

My show, A Jumping Off Point, is featured in The Directory of Business Talk Radio Shows ebook. You may have been a guest on my show but perhaps you’d like to promote your book, business or expertise on other radio shows. Problem is that researching radio shows is a hassle and traditional radio directories are mere listings.

Good news!!  Ebooks are now available for potential radio guests. Talk Radio Advocate Francine Silverman based the ebooks on her book, Talk Radio Wants You: An Intimate Guide to 700 Shows and How to Get Invited (McFarland & Co. 2009), a National “Best Books 2009 award winner, which contains everything a potential guest needs to know before contacting a host.

You’re a business person but radio is not your bailiwick. Perhaps it should be. You’ve got the expertise. You like to talk about what you know. Moreover, it’s a lot easier to get a guest spot on radio than to get newspaper coverage. Radio hosts need guests. It’s free and, more often than not, the radio host will tout your book or business several times. You don’t have to travel and can even do the interview in your pajamas. Can’t beat it!

Peter Bowerman, author of The Well-Fed Writer (Fanove Publishing 2009) and a copywriter, has no time to search for radio shows and purchased the business ebook.“I started contacting radio show hosts from your  ‘Business’  list a few weeks back,” he reports. “I’ve already been on 2, have 2-3 more scheduled and several more interested… Pretty terrific payback on a $15 investment! And I’m not done yet!”

Most radio websites are poorly designed for potential radio guests. Rarely will you find the show theme and guest criteria – or even if guests are welcome. As an on-line publicist, Fran is well aware of the pitfalls in matching her client’s specialties to the relevant radio show.

That’s why the ebooks contain the most vital information for guests: show title and theme, guest criteria, name of host, email, phone (optional), website, best method of contact, and where aired.

The Business ebook (64 shows for $20) covers workplace issues, innovation, entrepreneurship, business strategies, careers, finance, small business, sales, home-based businesses, investments, insurance, money management, law, law enforcement, and real estate.  To sample the Directory of Business Talk Radio Shows, please go to:

http://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/6138/1/directory-of-business-talk-radio-shows

Five free updates will be granted to purchasers when five new shows complete the e-book form.

An Opportunity to Get An Hour of Free Coaching with Kate

I’d like to offer the opportunity to one of my loyal readers to win an hour of coaching with me via telephone.  Here’s what to do to qualify:

1.  Be a subscriber to VivaNews
2. Answer the following question in 200 words or less:  What stops you from achieving what you want in your professional or personal life?  And – what resources (e.g., training, coaching, information product) would help you to get where you want to go in your business or your life?
3. Email the answer to me by (Midnight ET in U.S.) March 8, 2010 at vivacitycoaching@gmail.com

I’ll randomly choose the winner of the one hour of coaching from entries that qualify.  Four runners-up will receive a Vivacity tote bag filled with great premiums and gifts – including two books written by my favorite mentors.

Thanks for reading VivaNews™

Committed to Your Success,

Kate

VivaNews™ provides tools and resources to help you develop the self-confidence you need in your business and in your life.

Please be sure to add “kate@vivacitynow.com” to your whitelist or address book in your    e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving future issues!

Sign me up for this e-zine!

Kate Sanner

CEO and Founder

Vivacity…Jump into Life

Publisher VivaNews Ezine

(c) 2010