Did you happen to catch the 20/20 feature called “Super Humans” last week? It was eye-opening. They profiled several people with amazing skills such as being able to survive very low temperatures or run 50 marathons in 50 days or a young man with a gift for numbers and languages. He was able to learn the complex Icelandic language in less than a week! Each one said what they did wasn’t all that special, although they admitted their talents were unique. Most of them stated that they thought others could do what they did if someone would just decide to do it. It was clear it took time, dedication and motivation, but they agreed it all began in their mind.

It got me to thinking about all the prep and backend work it takes to do anything right (including a book-launch) that the rest of the world never sees. And all the thoughts, ideas, plans, goals, help, implementation, actions… it takes no matter what BOLD endeavor we are doing.

What Gifts Do YOU Have?

Maybe you can’t survive a polar swim wearing only shorts or quickly learn complex languages, yet your gifts matter. Maybe you just stood at the edge of an animated discussion with ideas running through your mind like crazy, yet you never spoke up? Maybe you told yourself you didn’t have the nerve. Or you didn’t think what you had to say mattered. Or you were too shy. Or they were too smart. Or… whatever excuses you gave yourself for not contributing in the moment. Then stop that! What you have to say is important. You wouldn’t have the ideas/thoughts if it didn’t have value.

We each come into this world with specific gifts and talents. Because they have been with us since birth,  often we place little to no value on them – we think “everybody can do this,” or “everyone must think like that”. Not true! We each have specific skills and talents that benefit the group. If we allow our limiting beliefs to go unchallenged they soon take over and limit our potential. We are each an integral part and your part is just as important and vital as the next guys.

As a business coach and author, I often hear about the risk (fear) of sharing views and beliefs; “maybe I’ll lose business,” “maybe someone won’t like me….” Get over it, there will always be someone that isn’t your client for some reason, yet there are many others you are meant to serve. There is only one you – one wonderful mix of origin, upbringing, thought processes, friends, experiences, beliefs, understanding, and outlook. No one will see or do things exactly the way you do. That’s why it’s so important that you get up, speak up and do it.

Now go have a great day whatever your adventure

To Success! To Life!

Sharon

P.S -My book What Your Body Says (and how to master the message) is due in bookstores on August 2! Pre-order it today at on the major online retailers

My new book is almost here!

Early Bird Bonus: Pre-order three books and I’ll ship you a free copy of my Life’s Short Live Passionately book AND my Beyond Marketing – Building Relationships Action Guide.   Great reading for designing the business and life you want while waiting for your own copy of What Your Body Says (and how master the message).   Shipping of the bonus books will be paid for and handled by me too – what could be sweeter!! Send your receipts to preorder@whatyourbodysays.com Preorder the book from these great retailers

By Guest Blogger: Ann Convery

Why NAMING Your Systems, Services, Programs and Procedures Can Increase Your Profits.

Why name what you do?  Because if done right, it will make you more money.

Tell me, what would you rather have?

— A cup of coffee or a Tall, Grande or Vente?  Frappucino?

— A hamburger or a Big Mac?

— A glass of water or l’eau mineral?  How about H2OM?

— Running shoes or Nike Zoom Mawlers?

— Mascara or Volumizer? (Note how the transformation is contained in the 2nd name.)

— A cell phone or an iphone? (Note how the ultra-cool brand is contained in the 2nd name.)

— Would you rather “do research” or Google?

— Join a membership site or a Diamond Mastermind?

9 Reasons To Name Your Products, Systems, Products And Procedures.

1. A name creates contrast – an Old Brain tool that makes decisions easy.
2. A name creates exclusivity (I have it, you don’t.)
3. A name creates a community – (Want to hang with the In crowd”)
4. A name creates a seductive gap between you and others – essential for creating desire.  (If you had this you’d be happier/richer/healthier/smarter/etc.)
5. A good name should be either exotic or simple street language – another Old Brain favorite.  (Makes you feel comfortable – or – chic, cool, savvy)
6. A great name is visual – most brains process visually.
7. A great name contains the transformation that occurs. (Volumizer, Pampers)
8. A name is proprietary – name it and you claim it.  Forever!  (ask Steve Jobs)
9. A great name stimulates “gotta have it” emotion – essential!

Notice how many ultra-successful entrepreneurs NAME their systems and programs.

— 6-Figure Teleseminar Secrets – Lisa Sasevich
— Big Mission, Big Sales – Lisa Sasevich
— The Millionaire Protégé Club – Ali Brown
— The Invisible Close – Lisa Sasevich
— How to Charge What You’re Worth and Get It – Kendall Summerhawk
— Life on Your Terms – Anthony (Tony) Robbins
— The Ultimate Edge – Anthony (Tony) Robbins
— Ring of Fire Coaching Club – Howie Jacobson
— Simplifying and Demystifying New Media So You Can Profit from It – Sherman Hu
— Instant Wealth-Wake Up Rich! — Christopher Howard
— Chicken Soup for the Soul – Mark Victor Hansen

Why create a powerful, emotion-driven, trigger word, high-contrast name?  So more people will want what you have, urgently.  And you can charge more for it.
 

Thanks Ann, you are so right about the names we select.

Have a great day whatever your adventure

Sharon

——-

About Ann: Ann Convery’s clients generate up to thousands of dollars in business within weeks with her popular program “You’re So Brilliant!  Why Don’t They Buy?”  Ann is an international speaker, trainer and author who has delivered trainings in Barcelona, Madrid, Mexico City, and across the  U.S.  She has been interviewed in The Los Angeles Times, Elle, ABC-TV, Woman's Day, Entrepreneur and other media.  For more information, see www.youresobrilliant.com and  www.annconvery.com

Through email support we received this question….

Q:

I continue to struggle with defining my target market in a way that makes a lot of sense, but your feedback last week was most helpful and I have a meeting scheduled next week to meet with the director at one of the local colleges.  She is excited about my thoughts, so I am hopeful that I will come out of the meeting with some clear ideas about needs and how to approach those I can help. Thanks for your support.

A:

Wonderful news about the meeting, even without a target market completely defined keep moving forward —  as a small business owner we most often don't have the luxury of waiting until everything works.

Remember, one way to stand out from the rest to your target is to specialize, really specialize. Most small business people are good at a lot of things, so you may have to choose THE ONE that JAZZES you most – this will make you stronger and do not fear you are omitting something your clients need. If they love you they will always say "Oh, by the way…." and you say "Of course, I can….

If you don't think you have a specialty, then it's probably your natural gifts and those come so naturally to you that you just assume "If I can do it, so can everyone else." Ask friends what your gifts are to them, what are others always asking you to do are a couple of ways to uncover your gifts.

Sometimes what makes us the most special is hiding in plain sight!

Now go forth and conquer!

Strategy number 1: Be realistic about change. Change will happen. Create ways to work with intention. Always be scanning for new, better ways to work and create new understandings.

Strategy number 2: Be open to feedback and create the place for dialogue. We've all heard misery loves company, but staying around those with that mindset can bring us down. You are who you hang out with! Seek feedback from those that have been down your road. those on the same journey and those that will always love ya! (Make sure those that will always love ya will be those that give you honest feedback, all to often close friends or family give you a pat on the back without offering new perspectives or a view from "the outside looking in."

Strategy number 3: Don't wrap your heart around one central idea. Be flexible, is the key to overcome challenges and know that all roads to success never run smooth, especially if you allow those brain pathways to become ruts.

Listen in to Laura and I – it was a great half-hour on how to adapt to the ever-changing world.

Have a great day whatever your adventure

Sharon 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ssayler

About Laura: At On Impact we are dedicated to bringing products to the marketplace that help organizations successfully maneuver the wild road of change. 

Laura Goodrich is an expert in workplace dynamics and change. Greg Stiever is an Emmy award winning producer and director. The core of their work is storytelling.  On one side of the house, they produce professional video stories that are internationally distributed.  The videos are incorporated into training programs or are used to kick off or close important meetings.  Their successful video Seeing Red Cars is internationally distributed.  The book Seeing Red Cars – Driving People, Teams and Organizations to a Positive Future (Berrett-Koehler) will release January 2011.  On Impact will release their next video in 2010; Shifting Years: Leverage The Power of Generations.  On the other side of the house, On Impact, and Laura Goodrich brings to the marketplace products dedicated to creating positive change and to help organizations define the Future world of Work. 

Dr Clint's communication secret is "Get in the same circle with the person you are talking with."  Ever heard the term, walk in their shoes? That's what Dr Clint means…. learn to be flexible in the way you communicate.

Dr Clint shared with us today the first four steps in his 8 step Mental Toughness Paradigm

First, create a clear vision of what you are trying to accomplish.
Second, make a decision.
Third, engineer and develop the belief that will accomplish your goals.
Fourth, develop the commitment – know you are not going to quit.

Dr. Clint and I expand of these four plus so much more…. did you know that it doesn't take 21 days to change a habit. Listen in for the 30 minute interview and find out how to obtain mental toughness and how long it really takes to change your brain.

Dr. Pearman's book The Gift is available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. Watch for the release soon of his next book Copenology -The New Science of Success. Visit www.clintpearman.com

About Dr Pearman:
Dr. Clint Pearman served more than 31 years in the world’s premier leadership and mental toughness training and development organization — the United States Marine Corps.

While in the Marines, he developed the Mental Toughness Paradigm – applying cutting edge brain science research to teach people how to get their minds and brains to help them accomplish extraordinary things.