Perhaps you’ve have heard Denis Waitley’s quote, “Happy people plan actions, they don’t plan results.” You almost have to read that quote twice to understand his message.

There is a psychological test, originally developed by Julian Rotter, called the “Locus of Control” that essentially determines where an individual places the power to control events in their lives – either internally or externally. Their score indicates whether they take full responsibility for what happens to them, whether they give all the power to their circumstances, or whether, like most people, they fall somewhere in between.

As you can imagine, those with a high external locus of control often feel powerless and victimized. Those with a high internal locus of control usually feel strong, independent, and in charge of their circumstances. You can guess where most entrepreneurs score.

We can choose to be in charge of our circumstances or we can choose to let our circumstances control us. It’s our choice.

To feel more powerful and in control, you must develop a stronger internal locus of control. One of the best ways to do that in your business is by setting action goals instead of results goals.

When you set a results goal you are not 100% in control of the results. You could be dependent upon other people, circumstances, time, or the weather cooperating in order for that goal to be met. If they don’t, you’ll likely be disappointed that you didn’t meet your goal.

It’s not that you didn’t work hard and it’s not that you didn’t plan properly. It’s just that the power to complete some aspect of that goal was not entirely yours.

However, when you set an action goal, one that is based on the action steps you can take entirely on your own (number of phone numbers dialed, miles run, words typed etc.) it is entirely within your power to make that happen. That means you can meet your goals every time if you so choose. And if you set high enough action goals, the payoff is extraordinary results.

Be bold!
Ann Vertel

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• High Achievers

We all have unique gifts and talents. We’re really good at certain things and not so good at others. I will never be an opera singer, a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, or an engineer. Those just aren’t my strengths.

Trying to be something you were not cut out to be can be frustrating, demoralizing, and in many cases a waste of time. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t attempt to grow and learn and become everything you were meant to be. It means you should honor and lead with your strengths.

Grab a sheet of paper and make two columns. In the left column list at least ten of your strengths, talents, gifts, skills – the kind of things that come naturally to you. They may be such a part of you that you’ve never really thought of them as strengths before.

In the right column, indicate which aspects of your business lend themselves well to that particular strength. For instance, if you said that one of your strengths is that you “listen well” than the parts of your business that are best served by that strength might be “talking directly with customers” and “networking events.”

Maybe you have strengths that don’t seem to have a matching business area. This is where you can get creative and develop a business way of showcasing that strength, talent, or skill.

Let’s say one of your strengths (and passions!) is “cooking.” At first glance, you might think that has nothing to do with your business….and you’re probably right! At first. But what if you answered this question,

“How can I best showcase my talent and love of cooking in my business?”

You might decide to combine a teleseminar on “Feeding Your Passion” with a cooking class. Or tailor a newsletter to use cooking type words, themes, and symbols. Maybe you add the word “spicy” to your marketing materials or use cooking utensils as props in your live speeches. 

You will always do better by leading with your strengths than by trying to do something you were not designed to do. Yes, you can work on your weaknesses but you’ll likely just get “better” weaknesses. Why not play to your strengths and enjoy the process at the same time?

Take charge!
Ann Vertel

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• Being Bold
• It’s Not Permanent
• Gratitude

What are the biggest differences between high and low achievers? Having worked with a number of remarkably successful entrepreneurs, I can tell you that three of the biggest are their ability to define specific goals, work with a team, and determine who they will allow to influence them.

High achievers are much more precise in their goals than everyone else. Ask the top entrepreneurs how much they will sell this year, and they’ll give you an actual number. Ask most new entrepreneurs, “hobby” business people and those in the middle of the pack, and they’ll tell you something general, like: “More than last year!” or “It depends.”

Winners can tell you how much they’ll weigh, where they will go on vacation, how many days they will work, and how much they’ll sell. They can tell you, in advance, who their best customers are and the techniques they will use to contact, persuade and gain new customers. The average entrepreneur is still waiting for someone to tell them what to do next.

Secondly, high achievers understand the power of teams. They value each contact for “what they bring to the table” and they capitalize on those strengths. They build strong, life-long business relationships and they understand the power of truly caring for those in their network.

The third key difference between high and low achievers is that high achievers only spend their time with like-minded individuals – they understand the necessity of hanging with other winners – momentum, enthusiasm, ideas, support, and drive. High achievers have looked at who has influence on them. In some cases, that influence is not positive. So high achievers have specifically chosen who is on their “Board of Directors” and discuss business ONLY with those individuals. They never discuss their business with the individuals in their life who do not support their dreams.

There are many things that define a high achiever. Taking steps to add these three behaviors to your everyday performance will get you on the road to success.

Take charge!
Ann Vertel

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• Make a Different Choice
• What are you waiting for?
• Goals – Action or Results?

Opportunities show up every day for every one of us. Successful people are not only able to recognize them, but also expect them to show up, count on them showing up, and seek them out when not enough show up.

They make it a point to look for opportunities all around them, knowing full well that they are there just waiting to be taken.

If you operate your life or your business from a mindset of scarcity; if you believe that opportunities are hard to come by, then you are either not looking in the right places, or you have not yet honed your ability to be creative about where they might lie. Let’s say I told you,

“When you head out the door today, one of the people who will cross your path is right now, this very minute, looking for what you have to offer. It’s guaranteed and it’s a sure thing.”

What is your response? I suspect you’d be headed out the door pretty shortly.

Opportunities are there all the time – we just prefer to have a guarantee before we pursue them. It doesn’t work that way. Opportunities are “invisible” and pass you right by if you’re out hunting for guarantees.

If you think with a scarcity mentality, you will bemoan the idea that you can’t find any guarantees. When you think the way a successful person thinks, you will actively seek daily opportunities because you expect them to be there. That’s because they are.

 Take charge!
Ann Vertel

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• This is Where I Will Be on Tuesday!
• It’s Not Permanent
• Like, Trust, and Respect

We all have 24 hours in a day. So why does it seem like some people are far more productive in that timeframe than others? I believe there are 3 major reasons:

(1) The successful individual consistently chooses what she wants most (long term) over what she wants now (immediate gratification).

(2) The successful individual recognizes that she isn’t good at all things and, therefore, needs other people to do the tasks she doesn’t excel at so that she can honor her gifts and do the things she was meant to do. 

You may be excellent at cleaning your house or balancing your books, but that doesn’t mean you should do those tasks. If you’re in business, hire experts to work on your business so you can work in it – doing the things that actually generate income. Hire a housekeeper, a bookkeeper, a cook, or a Virtual Assistant. With the extra time, you can produce enough to pay their fees and make a hefty profit - work smarter, not harder.

(3) The successful individual does not actually manage her time, she manages her energy.

Think about how much you get done on the day before you go away on a trip. Or how often you have been able to get multiple tasks checked off your list during the one hour before you had to leave your house or pick up your child from soccer practice.

And I’m sure you can recall a day when you had hours to spend, only a few items to do, and just never got around to doing them. Managing your energy means you are in “top form” and ready to go at a moment’s notice. You have gotten plenty of sleep, exercised to get your blood pumping, and eaten a healthy breakfast.

Act on what you want most, outsource everything you can, and manage your energy - it’s foundational to the success of your day, your life, and your business!

Take charge!
Ann Vertel

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• Your Un-Comfort Zone
• It’s All You
• Getting Organized … Mentally!