By Success Expert Sharmen Lane.

"A goal without a plan is just a wish" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.  But a goal with a plan has power.  Just knowing what you want is not enough to get you what you want.  You must make a plan to make it happen.  A famous general once said that success is achieved in the planning phase not the execution phase. This episode is all about the importance of planning and how to put a plan together.  Our guest is Patrick Houlahan, Reserve US Marine F18 fighter pilot who knows and shares the importance and necessity of planning.

 

 MAPin to make it happen [56:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

by Success Expert Sharmen Lane

Ever wonder why some people seem to get what they want easily and effortlessly?  There are some tried and true techniques to getting what you want.  This process is what I call the 3 C’s to Succcess.

#1 Commit.  Are you committed to the outcome?  What is the desired result that you are looking for ?  If you aren’t clear about what you are looking to achieve you certainly aren’t committed to it.

Think of a commitment like a legal binding agreement.  If you sign on the dotted line and are legally bound, are you likely to back out or not fulfill your end of the agreement? Probably not.  If you take that approach to any goal you are setting you are 90% there.  If you are committed to losing weight and sign a contract saying you will weigh ten pounds less than you do now at the end of 60 days, or there will be a $10,000 fine, do you think you will find a way to be ten pounds less?  My guess is yes.  Why does there need to be a $10K fine?  Simply view your goal as a contract, even if it’s only with yourself.  Once you get committed the rest is downhill.

#2 Communicate.  People who are committed to reaching their goal, share that goal with others.  The tell anyone who will listen. They would shout it from the rooftops and take out a full page ad in the New York Times.  Why is that?  Because the more people you tell, the more real it becomes. If you tell one person about your goal and the person next to you tells 100 people, who’s got more at stake?  Obviously, the person who told more people has more to lose.  So the more ways you communicate (write, read, talk, listen, etc) and the more you communicate it to, the closer you will be to your goal.

#3 Create.  Once you have decided that you are truly committed to your goal, and you have written it down and read it out loud, and shared it with others all you have to do now is take action .  This is the easiest of the three steps.  It’s easy to do when you are committed and have told everyone you know about what you are working towards. The most important thing is to “do”.  Do something that is actively working towards your goal every day. Before you know it, you will have what you want and will have created your dream to make it a reality.

Follow the 3 C’s to Success.  It’s a simple tried and true process that will help you reach your desired goal faster and easier than you ever thought possible.

 For more information visit www.sharspeaks.com

By Success Expert Sharmen Lane

Have you ever thought about how people are created equal?  Did you know that there is one way and one way only that we are all exactly the same?  That way is time.  It doesn’t matter how much money you have, or what school you went to, or where you were raised… you only get 24 hours in a day.  That’s 86,400 seconds in each 24 hour period. 
The way to be most efficient and effective with your time and get the most out of your 24 hours is to follow these 5 simple steps.

1. Write-  Everything you need or want to get done in a day, write it down.  You don’t have to overcomplicate this one.  Just get a simple legal pad of paper and write Things To Do  Monday at the top.  Then start your list.  I do things to the ridiculous.  1. Wake up at 6am.  2. Go to gym by 6:30.  3. Email Mike regarding marketing. 4 Call Mary about business cards.  5. Pick up dry cleaning. 6. Drop off bracelet at jeweler. 7. Buy stamps…etc.  If you simply write down what needs to be done you will free up your mind and instantly be more focused and get more done.

2. Eliminate distractions- Distractions or interruptions are the primary cause for people to not be efficient and get what needs to be done, done.  Here you have two options.  Option A- remove the distractor.  If it’s the phone, turn it off.  If it’s email, don’t even log into your account until your project is complete.  If it’s television, don’t turn it on.  Option B. Remove yourself from the distractor.  If you work in an office where others are constantly being a distraction or interruptive, then you need to not be in that environment.  If possible work from home to complete a project.  Go to an available conference room or empty office and close the door.  If you are in a cubicle put up a sign that reads, Do NOT Disturb or Quiet time from 9-noon, no interruptions please.
 
3. Stay in the moment- Many times people do not use the present moment effectively because they are projecting in the future or dwelling on the past.  The future is not here yet, so it is most efficient and effective to get the most you can out of this moment, right now.  By writing a things to do list you will be eliminating, or a least reducing stress and random thoughts.  You will be more organized, together and know what you need to do and when you need to do it by.   If you are dwelling on the past, with all do respect you need to get over it and move on.  Here’s the thing, no matter how much you ponder and percolate on something that has already happened , it isn’t going to change what happened.  It is what it is.  Think about where you are now and what you can do in this present moment to make the best of any situation.

4. Set an alarm- If you need to get something done in a specific amount of time or if you need to dedicate minutes, hours, etc  to a project to complete it by the deadline, set an alarm. Use one on your computer, watch, cell phone, egg timer, or an actually alarm clock.  Until that alarm sounds, you stay focused and only work on that one project.  Allotting a specific amount of time will enable you to concentrate on just the matter at hand without concerning yourself with the clock or other things around you.

5. Have a reward- Nothing is better than having a little incentive when you are learning a new habit. The next time you are struggling with managing your time, give your self a reward.  Say when I have my entire things to do list complete every day for one week, I will give myself blank, as a treat.  Now you have a reason to stay focused, avoid distractions and get what needs done, done.

Those are the five basic steps for Time Management.  What are you waiting for??? Get to writing your things to do list today!
 

By Success Expert Sharmen Lane

Have you ever done something just to later look back and wonder “what was I thinking?” I know I have and I’m pretty sure everyone has at some point in their lives. You know the old adage, hindsight is 20/20. Or, how about “if I knew then what I know now" I would have done things differently.

What if I told you that there is a sure fire way to make better decisions? Do you think that could change your life? Here’s the thing, I can’t change your life for you. I can only give you the tools so you can change your own life, but ultimately you are the one that must do the doing.

Every choice we make has a consequence. Sometimes the consequences are good and sometimes they’re not. More importantly, sometimes we don’t realize or think about our choices or decisions until the damage is done. At which point we have to suffer the consequences which later leads to regret. How can you learn to exercise better judgment without making painful mistakes that could have been avoided in the first place?

Here are five things you can do to make better decisions.

1.       10 second rule- Before you react to anything stop and count to ten slowly. This means when someone says something that you want to rip their head off for just stop. Inhale for a count of five and exhale for a count of five. Just that right there will have elevated your consciousness and provided you with the opportunity to respond wisely versus reacting emotionally.

2.       Video tape test- Before you engage in an act that you might possibly regret later, think about this. If your actions were caught on videotape and sent to your mother would you be proud? If whatever you are doing showed up on YouTube or the evening news and everyone you knew and everyone you didn’t know were to see it, would you be embarrassed or would you be proud? Sometimes we don’t think before we do and then later wish we could undo it altogether. But unfortunately, you can’t undo the past but you can make better choices in the present by being present.

3.       Child test- Many times we don’t have our best interest in mind. Many times we don’t hold ourselves in high regard. How can we learn to respect ourselves? Try this. Before you instantly say yes or no or allow someone to treat you badly, ask yourself “would this be good enough for my child?” Even if you don’t have or want children this method can help. Somehow we as human beings accept less or allow things that would never be acceptable our child. Be your own parent and nurture your own inner child. Then decide if what you are doing or allowing is acceptable for you.

If you utilize these three tools I guarantee you will make better choices, have more proud moments and far fewer regrets.

For more information visit www.sharspeaks.com