It’s my intention to get up at 6am, and be out on one of our local trails by 7am, walking with Bud the Beagle at least three days a week.  However, finding the motivation to do this sometimes eludes me.

So I got smart. I have different girlfriends that I meet on different days of the week.  Sometimes it’s two days, sometimes it’s four, but every week, Bud the Beagle and I meet one of my girlfriends (and sometimes their dogs) for an hour or hour and a half walk.

Whether I want to get out of bed or not, someone is waiting for me, so I get my butt up and go.

My ex says that “it takes a village” to get me out walking.  And it does.  I need the accountability.

I use the same principle in my business.

There are things I’m great at—things that are in my sweet spot. I’m a great speaker and coach. I’m great at developing new programs and products.  I’m great at motivating other people, and helping them get from where they are to where they’d like to be.

So I focus my efforts there.  I love connecting with other people, and spend time doing that.

And I have created a village for the rest.  Ellen Bryant is genius at graphic design.  Me?  Not so much.  So Ellen is creating everything I need for my new brand.

Darcee Sellers is brilliant at all the stuff that goes into actually making my business work.  She gets my weekly newsletter out, has handled my sales pages, opt-in pages, autoresponders, shopping cart interfaces, and all the things that make things happen. She enjoys and excels at things that would make me crazy, and that I don’t understand.

Bryn Johnson is currently a mentor for me. Her sweet spot is planning and systems, two areas where I can use support.  And she knows way more than I do about processes for internet marketing.

I have an ex who is my best friend, who sees me through the stressful times, and celebrates with me when things go well in my business.

I go to a spiritual women’s group once a month, meet with many of my speaker buddies for a girl’s night out every couple of months, and have a host of brilliant friends and colleagues I can call for information and support.

That’s my village. My business could not be successful without them.  I am grateful for all that they do.

What about you?

• Are you trying to “lone ranger” it and do it all yourself?
• Are you sinking because you’re afraid or embarrassed to ask for help?
• Are you wasting time and spinning your wheels because you’re putting too much effort at things that are not your genius?

My advice?  Knock it off!

Figure out what your passion and talents are.  Know what your genius, your sweet spot is. Focus your efforts on what you’re great at.

And invite people to become part of your village to help with the rest.

Your success and your sanity depend on it!

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“Fear is one thing.

To let fear grab you and swing you around

by the tail is another.”

~Katherine Paterson

I’ve got some big, new things I’m developing in my business. I don’t know everything I need to know to make them happen. And I’m scared.  And that makes me happy!

You might be wondering, “Ava, why in the world would you be happy that you’re scared?”

I’m happy because it means I’m doing something big, something new, something that is going to stretch me and take me beyond what I’ve done before. I’ll have to learn new stuff, connect with new people.  It will require different thinking, new skills, and ongoing transformation of me and my business.

And that’s exciting.

I’ll have to move from my comfort zone into what I call my learning zone.  I’ll have to think bigger, play bigger, and risk bigger—which is both scary and exciting.

And I’m all in. I’m ready.

What about you? When you’re going after something big, and fear comes up (and it does for all of us), how do you react?  Do you throw your hands up in the air, yell “Yippeee!”, celebrate that you’re growing and taking a risk, and know that you just need to move beyond the fear and go after what you want?

Or do you let fear stop you, keep you small, and keep you from your goals and dreams?

It really is a choice!  It’s up to you.  Are you willing to be afraid?  Share your thoughts below…

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Last week, I talked to a colleague who lost 110 pounds.  She’s a speaker and trainer, and wants to create a program to help people reach any goal.

I offered to spend an hour brainstorming with her, so that I could help her focus her message, define her process, and figure out how to make it unique and “not like everyone else.”

I love helping people laser-focus their message, so I was excited to talk with her yesterday morning.  I began by asking her about the steps to achieving any goal.  What she told me sounded like what everyone else who talks about goal setting talks about.  I knew we had to make it hers.  I knew we had to make it unique.  I knew we hadn’t hit on it yet.

The problem is, no one is buying what everyone else is offering. No one is buying something that doesn’t have them think, “She can solve my problem!”  No one is buying something that doesn’t immediately take them toward big results.

We began tossing around ideas. I had a thesaurus program open so that we could look for synonyms for some ideas we had. And suddenly, I found a word that ignited the message.  Revolution. I paired it with results. That’s what people want—results.

She is starting the “Results Now Revolution.”  And she’s going to be the Results Revolutionary.

This works on so many levels.  What would you rather attend—a seminar where someone is talking about how to write down and achieve your goals, or one where you are invited to join the “Results Now Revolution”?

Not only does this give her a way to make her steps and her system unique, it is the umbrella under which all of her messaging can come. She also has what one of my mentors, Suzanne Evans, calls “a movement.” She doesn’t just have a seminar, she has a “movement” that can have lots of components.

So here are some questions to ask yourself in your business:

• Is my message crystal clear, or do I confuse potential buyers by being all over the place?
• Is my message a client magnet? Is it something that is perfectly designed to solve the problems of my perfect clients?
• Do I have multiple ways of delivering this message?  Am I out speaking and talking with people?
• Am I consistent with my messaging?

These questions will help you ensure that your message brings you business!

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I’ve been spending a lot of my time lately talking with women entrepreneurs.  I love these conversations, because the women I talk with are passionate and excited about the difference they can make—but they are often getting in their own way.

I have a speaking gig tomorrow where I’ll be speaking to women about getting out of their own way, and about taking a leadership role.  As I was creating the handout for that session, I decided to put in a page about reclaiming your power.

Once I’d developed the list, I knew I wanted to share it with my community. So here it is:

1. Live your life today.  Don’t put your life on hold waiting to be something that you’re not.  Live your life to its fullest- right now!  Don’t wait until “someday,” until you “have it all together,” until “the stars line up.”  Today.  Now. No waiting.

2.  Treat yourself with respect and kindness. You will make mistakes.  You’re human.  Forgive yourself, learn what you can, and move on.  Be gentle with yourself.  You deserve it. No beating yourself up.

3.  Believe in yourself. Give yourself praise.  Focus on what you’re doing well.  Recognize yourself and feel gratitude for all the good you do- big and small.  Make a list of 25 things you’re proud of that you’ve accomplished over the last year.

4.  Visualize yourself as a success.  Your subconscious mind will act to turn your thoughts and beliefs into your reality.  What we believe, we can achieve.  Visualization is a powerful tool.  Use it daily.

5.  Develop yourself. Take time out of each day for self development and reflection.  Read (or listen to) a motivational message.  Be quiet with yourself and/or your spiritual guidance.  Grow a little each day.  Be willing to have “beginner’s mind.”

6.  Choose happiness. Commit yourself to it. It’s your choice.  Choose the half full glass instead of the half empty one.  I love the quote by Abraham Lincoln, “People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

7.  Dream big. Acknowledge the power within you.  What you can conceive in thought and believe in your heart, you can achieve in your life.  Never give up.  Go after what you really want. Don’t settle.

8.  Use positive affirmations.  It takes only 21 days for something to become a habit.  Combining visualization and affirmations will take you into the future you desire.

9.  Discover your unique purpose.  Finding your purpose or passion can be something that adds amazing focus and power to your life.  Everything falls into place.  Everything makes sense.  Your actions are focused on the difference you want to make in the world.

10. Remember that you’re unique.  No one else can do what you do in the way you do it.  Confidently share who you are.  Live juicy.  Tell your truth.  Stand in your power.

So which of these steps speaks to you?  Is there more than one?  Take some time this week to focus on the ones that will make the biggest difference in your life.

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