Compass Bearings Vol 6.14, July 8, 2008.

ISSN 1834-4267

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38 Ways to Get More Out of Yourself

In this edition:

Note from Zoe

Hi there!

It was my birthday on July 1st, and for the first time in twelve years, it felt like Canada Day Down Under! I was in Sydney riding a ferry on an ocean inlet, sun shining on sparkling water with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in all their glory.

Since there is A LOT going on here at Inner Compass, including a new member of the team who I will introduce officially in a few weeks, I am declaring July Productivity Month. And since I also turned 38 this year, I thought it was an opportune time to list 38 of my secret productivity and mindset strategies that have allowed me this amazing exponential growth.

Enjoy!

Zoe

P.S. If you like what I write, the best compliment you can pay me is to forward my ezine to like-minded friends and colleagues. Thanks!

• Why you're REALLY procrastinating and what to do about it

• Productive procrastinating (I'm not being cute here - this is a real solution)

• 15 easy strategies to boost your productivity FAST

~~~

Absolute Productivity for Solo-preneurs Workshop

This is my first workshop on this topic in nearly two and a half years! PLUS it's all new content and material.

If you are self-employed and want to maximise your creative output to build your business without going nutso in the process, then this is for you. It is a holistic self-management program designed specifically for solo-entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Early Bird Special finishes July 18 - Hurry! Make sure you book your spot now before it sells out!

Tuesday July 29th, 2008. 9am-12pm.

Register here.

*Can't attend the workshop? Book in for the teleclass here.

1. Look after your body. Since I had cancer, I have become super aware of the need to maintain health. I just could not be productive or enjoy myself when I was unwell. Exercise, nutrition, breathing, sleep - I pay particular attention to making sure these are all well looked after. After all, my body is my number one partner in life - I do the best I can for it, so it will last me my 100 years on the planet.
   
   
2. Forgive people. It's so easy to blame others. Especially parents. When I realised they were just human beings doing the best they could, then my relationship with them became a lot lighter and more fun.
   
   
3. Read lots. I read at least one book a week.  My mentor reads one book per day. Reading expands my skills and knowledge - the real source of wealth. So off to the library I go!
   
   
4. Thank people. It's so easy to make someone's day - thank them! Send a card, an email, a phone call, flowers. Appreciation is the easiest way to play Santa Claus that makes you both feel good. This is also a great way to build solid relationships.
   
   
5. Reach out. As a solo-preneur, it is easy to feel isolated. I get lonely too sometimes! And this is a real productivity killer. The cure? Call some friends, or better yet, join a Mastermind Group. My Inner Circle is a perfect antidote to isolation, with the added benefit of ongoing education.
   
   
6. Pay attention to your thoughts. This one is probably the most important. Thoughts determine your actions and feelings, and these determine what you manifest and achieve. Changing my thoughts and beliefs has made the single-most important difference to my productivity and peace of mind: I'm generating way more revenue, attracting more business opportunities, and even shrinking my waistline - and it all feels effortless and fun now. I use the very same step-by-step system for changing beliefs in my Three Pillars program.
   
   
7. Learn stuff. If you're not learning and growing, you're stagnant and dying. My assistant Heather makes a point of learning something new each month. What a great philosophy! It keeps life exciting.
   
   
8. Turn up the dial on the inner smile.This is not the first time you've heard me say it - expressing genuine gratitude just feels good. It's also a great reminder that life is for living now, and when you feel grateful, you are being fully aware, in the present moment, and enjoying it. I say 'thank you' to the Universe all the time - for emails I get from readers, inquiries, a great book, and even a sunny afternoon.
   
   
9. Go above and beyond. I love surprising clients with extra bonuses they weren't expecting - a book, a card, a call. It makes me feel good to under promise and over deliver. Plus I develop a legion of raving fans! You can too with this simple giving mentality.
   
   
10. Think bigger. I had a consultation recently with a marketing professional who suggested I set my intention to increase my revenue by ten fold. Not double - TEN FOLD! OK that is much bigger than I was daring to dream, but now the seed is planted and growing. Cool, huh?
    
    
11. Hang out with people who inspire you. The reason I love Ali Brown's programs, CDs, and resources is that she inspires me like crazy. Here's a gal who, when recently divorced, set herself up in a one room apartment, and with nothing but a laptop has built a 7 figure business. Plus she's fun, totally girlie, and looks good in an orange suit. My she-ro.
    
    
12. Know how much your time is worth, and then choose to invest it wisely. Needless to say, we are going over this one in great detail in the Absolute Productivity Workshop. It makes it so much easier to say 'no' to stuff when you realise how much it's really costing you.
    
    
13. When you eat cheesecake, really, really enjoy it. On my birthday I had fettuccini with prawns in a cream sauce, followed by full-fat ice cream. Yummo. I only have creamy pasta about every couple of years, so even though I knew how many fat grams were in there, I really, really enjoyed it. The point? Have rules about what you eat to manage your health, and when you plan to indulge, savour it. In fact, savour all your food, all the time.
    
    
14. Hang out with people who will tell you the truth, even when it hurts, and who ask you to think bigger. Much bigger. Hint - hire a coach.
    
    
15. Make friends with money. Have you got Maximise Your Money Mojo yet? This will change your relationship with money permanently. When money is your friend instead of a nuisance, or a worry, then you free yourself from the prison of fear and stress. Instead of stressful, money is fun for me now.
    
    
16. Do something HUGE - run a marathon, ask someone out on a date, learn to paint, climb a mountain, travel overseas. I'm constantly amazed at what I discover I am really capable of, once I decide to try - like running 6 marathons, taking a mountaineering course (I'm not a fan of heights or climbing), or starting a business (from not-for-profit work to capitalism - big leap of faith here.)
    
    
17. Ask. Need referrals? Ask a client and a colleague. Need testimonials? Ask your clients for some. Need some help designing a web page? Ask a professional. Trust me, it's so much easier when you get help.
    
    
18. Love your body. All of it. No matter its shape, size, lumps and bumps. Why torture yourself about how much you'll never look like Elle McPherson when you are only five feet tall? YOUR body is perfect - as it is. Learn to appreciate it. Ironically, this is when it starts to become what you desire it to be. Accept and appreciate - this leads to all manifestations.
    
    
19. Enjoy sex. Often. What? You need an explanation here?!
    
    
20. Make peace with food. I've been there too - love/hate, feel like a prisoner but can't help eating that extra piece of pizza...I LOVE coaching clients on this. You can turn your thoughts around. Check out my videos on You Tube about this.
    
    
21. Appreciate, accept, surrender, let go. These are all great Law of Attraction terms that mean 'be in the moment' and 'choose happiness now'. Everything you desire flows from this state of being.
    
    
22. The grass is always greenest right here, right now - take a look. Otherwise, when you're staring at someone else's field, you'll step in cow dung. I am sure this makes sense as a metaphor!
    
    
23. Brain dump. I keep a notebook to download all random ideas I have for business expansions, article topics, and things 'to do'. This gives my brain more dreaming room, instead of simply trying to remember all the random ideas. Once back in the office, they get processed with my regular activity management system.
    
    
24. Routines. The most productive (and wealthiest) people are ones that follow strict routines. Dan Kennedy (multi-millionaire entrepreneur) writes every day from 5am to 6am. This is how he gets two newsletters, sales copy projects, and at least one book written each year.  Write a checklist for your routines and follow it. Works like a charm.
    
    
25. Track actions and results. This is especially important when you are self-employed. Who are you accountable to? Yourself! So create a weekly meeting time to review your financial results and other goal markers, as well as you weekly marketing activity that is generating these kinds of results.
    
    
26. Affirmations. This is a really fun and feel-good way to program your subconscious mind. My favourite? "There is gold dust in the air and it settles on me in great abundance." Repeat frequently.
    
    
27. Clump. I clump tasks that are similar in nature, such as phone calls, to be done at a particular time slot. Same with networking appointments - I schedule them all for Fridays and do them one after another. This way my brain is not totally inundated with diverse topics and activities. I get on a roll and build momentum this way.
    
    
28. Sprint training. Have you noticed the difference between marathon runners and sprinters? Marathoners = skinny and stringy. Sprinters = strong and robust. My trainer will tell you that the most effective fat loss and efficient training program is intervals - fast-pace bursts of effort followed by periods of rest. This same practice also works wonders for productivity - do short bursts of concentrated effort (no more than 90 minutes) and follow it up with a rest (tea break or walk or stretch).
    
    
29. Script it. Got an outcome you are getting anxious about? Write your happy ending! I use a journal to write out everything I wish to see happen in my business. I fill it with great details, really tapping into all the senses. This way my subconscious knows what to expect and what to look out for. I've attracted new clients, enrollments for workshops, and even joint ventures I hadn't expected this way.
    
    
30. Musical vibes. There is some music that enhances the alpha brain wave state and really kicks up my creativity. Try Enya, Nathalie Merchant, Norah Jones, and Mozart.
    
    
31. Green tea. This is the perfect way to take a break - calorie free, anti-oxidant rich, and just a hint of caffeine for a little boost.
    
    
32. Map it. Stuck a on a big project? I use mind mapping (drawing a diagram) to break down the steps and spark new ideas. I wrote the Absolute Productivity and Three Pillars programs this way in record time.
    
    
33. Indulge your Inner Nerd. Let's face it, life is not all about work, even if you love your work as much I do. Indulge your nerdiness and embrace the goofy things you also love - like Star Wars, Rocky, Friends TV series. Taking a mental break for mindless entertainment keeps it real, in a weird sort of way.
    
    
34. Take note of the miracles. Life is what is happening now - and manifestations are happening all the time, all around you. It makes the day delightful when you take note of all the cool stuff that is going on.
    
    
35. Meditate. Quiet time doing nothing connects to source energy, calms the entire physical, mental, and emotional being. I find even five minutes works wonders.
    
    
36. Time out. Time away from the office command center, and even the house where my office is, gives me a tremendous boost. My perspective opens up wide, and I feel like I get recalibrated to 'neutral'.
    
    
37. Be by the water. My 'happy place' is by the water - oceans, lakes, rivers. It simply soothes the soul. Wherever your happy place is, go there. Often.
    
    
38. Celebrate. It's easy to get caught up with whatever is happening next. Take stock of achievements, reward yourself, acknowledge your achievements, learning, and growth. My favourite way to celebrate? Dinner and a movie with my sweetie.

Zoe

Stuff that works

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Canberra Corner: Ondina Studio

It's still my favourite place to shop for clothes: personalised attention, quality garments, and real feedback. Plus I can get my gel nails done there too. A delightful experience. 28 Kennedy Street, Kingston

About Zoe

Zoe has paddled 30 weeks by canoe
in Northwest Ontario, run 6 marathons,
hiked hundreds of kilometers in
Australia's outback, worked ten
years at Outward Bound, survived
cancer, married a fair dinkum Aussie
bloke, and wrestled a 6 meter
crocodile.

It's all about fun, freedom, and adventure.

If you want to live an entrepreneurial life that rocks your socks, then get in
contact.

It's time. Let's get started! Email me This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Zoe