Margie Warrell » Workplace Challenges

Get What You Want: 6 Tips To Make Bold Requests

Margie Warrell — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:01:13 +0000

So often when I hear people complaining, feeling upset about something (or someone!), or overwhelmed with all that they have on their plate, I can quickly spot a request that they could be making that they aren’t. Asking someone to do something (or to stop doing something) can take courage because you put yourself at risk of rejection, disappointment, and hurt. But unless you are willing to ask for what you really want, then you have no chance of getting it as I shared on my recent interview on Better TV.

Here are 6 keys to making bigger and better requests. My request of you is that you actually step outside your comfort zone today and make a request… the worst thing that can happen is that you find yourself exactly where you started! Go on now… be courageous!

1. Don’t assume others are mind readers. We often assume our husbands, bosses, friends and even work colleagues are mind readers and when they don’t act as we’d like, we wind up resentful and upset. For any relationship to thrive both parties have to take responsibility for communicating their needs. Hints just don’t cut it. Whether it’s how you’d like your partner to engage in foreplay, or how you’d like your colleague to communicate with you about a project at work, it’s crucial to be assertive in conveying your wants and needs.

2. Be specific about what you want and when you want it. Asking someone to do something for you “when they get a chance” is a recipe for unmet expectations, frustration and hurt. For a request to hold any water it needs to specify not just what you’d like, but also the time frame in which you want it done. That is, a “what” and a “when.” My beloved husband has learnt to do this very well, “Margie, when you borrow my car could you at least please stop parking my car half way out of the garage?”

3. Be bold in your requests. When it comes to asking for what you really want, the Latin proverb “fortune favors the bold” sums it up perfectly. The reality is you will rarely, if ever, be given more than what you have the courage to ask for. So don’t dilute your requests in order to minimize the possibility of being turned down. Think about what your ideal outcome would be and then confidently, courageously, ask for it. I have a request in to Oprah to be on her show. So far she hasn’t responded… but hey, at least I don’t have to look back and wonder “What if I’d asked?”

4. Teach others how to treat you. Every day, through what we say and do, we teach others how to treat us. If you allow others to take you for granted, to overstep the line of your personal boundaries, or to be outright disrespectful, then you are complicit in it. Letting others know what you will (and will not) tolerate and what you expect from them, is crucial to your well-being and success – at home and work.

5. Don’t be a martyr. I hate to say it, but I think we women in particular can have a tendency to martyr ourselves to the needs of those around us. Needless to say we are little good to anyone if we end up overwhelmed and burnt out in our attempts to be all things to all people. Feeling overwhelmed is a symptom of too few requests. You aren’t doing anyone a favor if, by your lack of requests for help or support, you end up stressed out, sick or worse.

6. Don’t make a “no” mean more than it does. The reality is that you won’t always get what you ask for. Your boss won’t always give you the promotion you’d like and your mother-in-law may not be willing to agree to minding your three young kids every second weekend so you and your husband can go away. Such is life. When people say no, you can take it really personally, get yourself in a big huff, and decide never to speak to them again or you can accept it graciously and then move on. At least now you know where you stand and can make alternate plans accordingly.

Lessons from the BP Oil Spill

Margie Warrell — Sat, 22 May 2010 11:49:01 +0000

You’d have to be living in a cave the last month not to be aware of the growing environmental disaster caused by an explosion on a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Having a long-held fondness for the company that gave me my first “real job” as a Graduate Trainee in their Australian head office, I couldn’t help but feel some level of sympathy for my old colleagues who still work for BP. Having your company dragged through the mud in the media, even if it is for good reason, is not an enjoyable experience.

It’s been many years since I playfully fought my then-boyfriend (now husband), who worked for Mobil Oil, about which gas station we should fill up in (me claiming BP’s were far more attractive, him convinced that Mobil’s were better quality underneath the glam). It has also been many years since BP transformed those initials from British Petroleum into Beyond Petroleum… ah the irony.

Of course none of us are yet certain about the exact chain of events that culminated in the explosion in the Gulf of Mexico last month. What I am fairly certain of is that there was an absence of effective leadership, communication and accountability. I also think there are valuable lessons we can all take from this situation and apply in our own workplaces and relationships.

We humans share an instinctive desire for self-preservation and an innate aversion to situations that might be emotionally uncomfortable. In an organizational setting this can drive employees to “play safe” and avoid crucial conversations about issues that put them at risk of confrontation or ruffling feathers. And if they assess that doing so might jeopardize their position or future opportunities they will be even more reticent to choose the courageous path of speaking up over the less risky one of silence.

But as I’ve said before, the quality of our conversations directly impacts the quality of our relationships and the quality of the results we achieve individually and through our collaboration with others. The absence of crucial conversations about valid issues of concern in any organization, from large global corporations right down to the family unit, can have far-reaching consequences. Concerns that aren’t talked out, contentious issues that aren’t thrashed out and substandard behavior that isn’t held to account rarely (if ever) improves of its own volition. Rather, left unaddressed, issues fester; poor performers grow poorer and flawed decision-making criteria declines further.

In any organization every individual must take personal responsibility for the impact their actions (or lack thereof) have on the organization as a whole, however relatively insignificant they may seem.

People in positions of formal leadership carry a responsibility for nurturing a culture that encourages open and respectful communication coupled with a collective commitment to excellent and ethical behavior (regardless of cost or inconvenience). That said, all members of an organization, regardless of rank or title, have a personal responsibility for contributing to an environment where people can speak up without fear of recrimination and where accountability for one’s performance is expected and not skirted.

Who is to blame for the millions of gallons of oil floating around in the Gulf of Mexico today? Though BP did not actually own the rig they were using (under lease from Transocean), certainly blame is being laid squarely at the feet of BP’s CEO, Tony Hayward. Such is the risk and responsibility that accompanies senior positions of leadership. However, I firmly believe that it takes far more than one person to be negligent in fulfilling their responsibilities for a system failure of this magnitude.

Whether you work in a large organization, run a small business, or are a stay-at-home mum, I invite you to reflect on the following questions and extract valuable lessons for yourself from this environmental catastrophe.

Where might you be avoiding important conversations for fear that they might result in confrontation, ruffle feathers or put you at risk in some way?
Do you treat others with the respect needed to create an environment where they feel safe to express opinions, even those which are contentious?
Do you hold others to account when they fail to fulfill a responsibility or underperform?
Do you honor your own commitments with integrity and excellence? And when you don’t, do you do you very best to rectify the situation?

How to Stay Up When Your Job Search Has You Feeling Down

Margie Warrell — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:15:17 +0000

There are currently more Americans who have been unemployed for more than 6 months than any other time in U.S. history (6.1 million according to the latest figures). And while we hear reports that things are looking up for job seekers, we also have leading economists predicting that the job market may not improve much until 2012.

For those who have find themselves out of work, staying positive and proactive in their job hunt can be a lot easier said than done. Rejection after rejection can take a toll on self-confidence, and with that, the motivation needed to keep trying to find work. But does being unemployed have to mean being miserable? Of course not.

Last week, I appeared on Let’s Talk Live here in D.C. to share some thoughts on how to stay positive when looking for work.

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If you’re out of work (or fear you may be soon), here are six strategies that will help you differentiate yourself from other job seekers, build your resume outside the workplace and land work despite the odds.

SPREAD THE WORD. The more people who know you are looking for a new job, the more people who can help you land one. Most people really do want to help but they need to know how they can help. Never underestimate the power of social networks when it comes to building your career, growing your business or finding work. Nothing beats a word of mouth referral or recommendation.
STAY UPBEAT. Let’s face it, being out of work can be a joyless experience, but there is nothing to be gained by spending your time getting down on yourself or sharing your story of victimhood with anyone who cares to listen. Potential employers are far more attracted to confident and positive people who have made the most of their extra time out of work than those who have succumbed to self-doubt, disillusionment and the daily TV soaps. Of course getting out the door and being cheerful isn’t always easy, but if you do your best to stay in positive conversations, focus on what you can do versus what you can’t and refuse to get stuck in complaining, then you will find it far easier stay up even when things are getting you down.
TIGHTEN YOUR BELT. When you suddenly become unemployed you may need to adjust your budget and stretch whatever severance you received as much as you can. If you qualify for unemployment benefits, register for them. You can always cancel them if you find work before they kick in. Putting first things first could mean that you have to cancel the cable, cook in more often and rent a DVD rather than head to the movies. Remember this is not forever but without your former income those small luxuries may prevent you from paying the bigger bills like the rent or the mortgage. Don’t let your pride get in the way of being smart and responsible with your money.
BE OPEN TO OPPORTUNITIES. There is always opportunity in adversity. Always. But those who find the opportunity will be those who are out there looking for it, persevering in the face of rejections and doing the preparation they need to do so that when opportunity arises, they are ready to seize it! Sometimes opportunity can come in disguise, like in a job offer for a position that you are overqualified for or pays less than what you earned before. Again, don’t let your pride trip you up from something that could lead to bigger and better things and pay the bills in the interim!
STAY HEALTHY! (Or if you aren’t healthy now, focus on improving it!) Being out of work heightens stress and being stressed lowers the immune system. So while there is never a good time to be sick, when you are in the job market (and your health insurance premium has increased because of that), it is a really bad time to get sick. So make your health and well-being – body, mind and spirit – a top priority. Take time every day to do something that lifts your spirit, that strengthens your body and that keeps your mind sharp. And yes sure, sometimes health issues can be beyond our control, but eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising our bodies are not.
GET ORGANIZED. Make looking for a job your new job. Schedule time every day to do something that moves you forward toward that goal, whether directly (by sending off an application, polishing your resume or making follow up phone calls) or indirectly by gaining skills that will make you a more attractive candidate. If there’s one thing that most people in full-time jobs complain about, it’s not having enough time to do everything else they want to do outside the office. Now that you have time on your hands, use it wisely! Keep a written log of jobs you’ve applied for and leads you need to follow up on. At the beginning of every week write down what you want to accomplish each day that week and then each day prioritize the tasks to ensure they get done. In short, get organized and make the most of each and every day!

Remember, nothing lasts forever and eventually this job market will turn around. In the meantime, staying positive and active will ensure that you are in the best position — both professionally and psychologically — to land your next job.

Question: What strategies have you used to stay positive during your job search? Looking back at other tough times you’ve managed, what lessons from then can you apply now to your job search?

Could you be making bigger, better and BOLDER requests?

Margie Warrell — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:27:18 +0000

As you read the title of this post perhaps you were thinking “umm… I don’t know… could I?”. If that was the case for you then I want you to begin by thinking about something in your life that is not how you would like it to be right now: a person who is annoying you, a situation which is causing you to feel overwhelmed or frustrated or unappreciated, something you would like but aren’t getting. It doesn’t have to be something huge… but it might be! The only criterion is that it’s something that isn’t the way you would ideally like it to be.

Now think about what specifically it is in regard to this “issue” that you would need to be different for you to feel better about it; or put another way, for there to be no issue at all.

Finally, ask yourself whether or not you have made a clear request to have this need fulfilled?

My experience is that often when people find themselves feeling overloaded, dissatisfied, stressed out or resentful there are requests they could be making – to resolve the issue, solve the problem or fulfill the need – that they aren’t. To hear what i had to say about this when i was on the Today Show with Kathy Lee and Hoda click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG4xA2pFxuk

Take Jane for example. Jane recently shared with me how she gets sick of how little notice her husband gives her when he invites business clients over for dinner. When I asked her if she had asked her beloved to give her more notice she said “No. But I’ve dropped enough hints so he should have!”

“Hints” – what good is that?

Pete’s boss asked him to move forward with executing a project without giving him the resources he needed to get the job done to meet the delivery deadline. When I asked Pete whether or not he had asked his boss for more resources he said “No, because there’s none available”.

Or Mel who works for a large investment bank on Wall Street. When we began working together Mel was working such long hours that she hardly saw her young son all week. Needless to say, she wasn’t very happy about the situation. When I asked her whether she had asked her boss if she could cut back hours or work fewer days per week she said “No. My boss would never agree to that. It’s out of the question Margie”.

Four months and one bold request later Mel was taking Wednesdays off.

The more requests being made of you, the more you need to make of others!

Closer to home, I recently found myself feeling overwhelmed with the amount of administrative work I had to do with my business. Knowing when there’s overload it generally indicates there is a request or two going unmade, I asked myself “What request could I be making now that I’m not?”

The answer – making a request of someone else to do some of this work admin work for me. Of course the next question that came up was “But who?” and the next answer that came up was “I don’t know. But I can make a request of a few friends and colleagues to let me know if they can refer anyone”. Within the month I had wonderful Cindy helping with admin, Monica doing my book keeping and Diane managing my website, leaving me unburdened to get on with the stuff I like (and add value to)!

Ahhh…. the power of a request.

Two Ingredients of a Powerful Request:

For a request to hold any water it needs to specify not just a “what” you’d like, but also a “when”. For Jane, it ended up being “Could you please give me at very least 48 hours notice when you are having people over but preferably a week.” For Pete it was, “If I am to meet this deadline I need an extra two analysts on board within the month for the next 3 months. Otherwise we will have to put the deadline back.” Asking for something to be done “soon” or “sometime” or “when you have time” leaves the door wide open for unmet expectations, frustration and sometimes even hurt.

Of course there is always the possibility that what you ask for will not be what you are given. Geez, if we all got what we asked for then we’d have all won lotto many moons ago. But that’s not the point. Unless you find the courage to make the request in the first place you will have Buckley’s chance (Aussie for no-chance) of having that need fulfilled.

You Get What You Tolerate! Where are you ‘settling’?

It’s a rule of life that you get what you tolerate in the world. Making requests will go a long way to eliminating the ‘tolerations’ in your life. Whether it be having a colleague stop communicating only via email, your husband take out the rubbish, your mother refrain from giving parenting advice, hiring a cleaner to keep your house from looking like a war zone, asking your boss to give you a new challenge/pay rise or your friend/colleague to stop turning up late every time you meet. Complaining about your problems never solves them; whining about unmet needs never fulfills them. People aren’t mind readers and assuming others should automatically know what you need is a surefire recipe for resentment.

Be Bold: Dare to Ask For What You Really Want

So as you get on with the rest of your day, week and year, I invite you to think about where you could be making more plentiful, more effective and more courageous requests. Don’t water down what you really want in order to minimize the possibility of being turned down (“Honey, if you could put the kids to bed yourself once a month that would be super” is not what you really want and “Hey boss, if you could just tell me I’m doing an okay job a bit more often than never” is also not what you really want). Rather be bold and ask for what you would ideally absolutely really and truly looooooove to have happen. At a minimum you create a new context in the ensuing conversation. Even if it’s an outright “no, I can’t do that” that comes back your way, at least now you know where things stand and can move on, plan and make changes accordingly.

Asking less from yourself, from others and from life than you really want doesn’t serve anyone. Take responsibility for your experience of life and make the decision starting right now not to let another day pass by settling for your needs going unmet, your frustrations running unfetted and your life passing uncherished. You are capable of more than you think you are – including making bigger and bolder requests than you’ve made up ’til now. Don’t believe me? Then allow me to request you that you try… today!

Go on… I DARE YOU!

Is Perfectionism Condemning You to a Life of Immaculate Mediocrity?

Margie Warrell — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:22:24 +0000

Don’t get me wrong. I have no bone to pick with perfectionists; particularly not those who might find themselves operating on my heart, building my home or fixing my cars’ brakes. It goes without saying then that there are many situations in which is it extremely important to have things be perfect (or as close to it!). But it also needs to be said that there are many many situations in which it is not! The problem isn’t perfectionism per se; the problem is when we don’t discern between the two. When we fail to ask ourselves “does this really matter?” Our quest for perfection not only fails to serve us, often condemning us to a life of immaculate mediocrity, but can be a disservice to those around us.

Perfectionism can stifle us in three key ways. First, it keeps us from taking risks that might result in a greater accomplishment and contribution because we are afraid of messing up or looking, well. . . less than perfect. It’s a good thing we learned to walk as toddlers before we became conditioned to think that we had to do things just perfectly. I mean, just think about how many adults who never learned to swim as children refuse to learn as adults. Why? Because they don’t want to go through the same learning curve that every child must go through in order to stay afloat. As Winston Churchill once said “The maxim ‘nothing avails but perfection’, may be spelled P-A-R-A-L-Y-S-I-S.”

Not only does our desire to do things faultlessly keep us from taking on new challenges that involve an element of risk, but perfectionism can also limit our success in fulfilling our current responsibilities and goals effectively. For instance, I would not have sat down to write this article if my house first had to be perfect. With four young and extremely rowdy kids running amok in my home each day, I’d never even step outside, if the house first had to be perfect. Likewise often my clients are less productive than they could be because they spend hours (sometimes days) on unimportant details – like the font they use in their PowerPoint presentation to the colors on their charts – that they could be spending on things that actually contribute to their organization’s goals.

It’s just so easy to fall into a trap of spending hours, days, weeks (and sometimes years!) focused on making something be “just perfect” that, in the big scheme of life, really isn’t that important. That’s why it pays to continually ask yourself, “is what I’m spending my time and energy on really important; does this really matter?” It’s very easy to slide down a slippery slope into a quagmire of “small stuff” that can, if we let it, consume all our energy and squander our talent. The fact is that life’s richness comes from finding the courage to let go the small stuff to make room for the bigger, more meaningful, stuff that not only allows you to do more with your talents but which also makes your life much more rewarding to live. Spending your days preoccupied with the “small stuff” doesn’t honor who you are. You are worthy of so much more.

Finally, our endless quest for perfectionism can stifle our enjoyment of life, keeping us from being fully present to, and grateful for, our many blessings in life. Whether it’s your body, your spouse, your home, your kids or your job, when you are focused on everything that isn’t “just right” in your life it keeps you from being truly present to all that is. Life’s perfection actually exists in its imperfection. The truth is that if life were perfect, it wouldn’t be! You can’t always see the perfection of life in the moment through the narrow lens of where you stand today, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Making it a practice to ask yourself if the stuff you are expending your precious time and energy on is worthy of you frees you up to face your challenges more powerfully, accomplish your goals more effectively and enjoy each day more fully. On that note, I invite you to reflect these 5 questions:

What have you been spending a lot of time on which, in the bigger scheme of things, doesn’t really matter?
What would you be doing if you were to let go having to do it “just right” or have it turn out perfectly?
What difference would it make if you could accept yourself just as you are (imperfections and all) embracing everything that makes you so unique?
What difference would it make to your relationships if you could accept others just as they are (imperfections and all) embracing everything that makes them so unique?
How might you enjoy your life more if you could accept your current life circumstances as they are right now despite those aspects which aren’t as you’d like them to be?

I challenge you right now to embrace life’s imperfection more fully, to let go your constant striving to perfect the “small stuff” and to shift your focus to the “bigger stuff” that really does matter. Doing so will enable you to see countless opportunities to excel that you’ve been missing, bring you a deeper sense of gratitude and, most importantly, allow you to fulfill your unique potential, despite your imperfections.

Now. . . what could be more perfect!?

6 steps to finding what every entrepreneur needs most!

Margie Warrell — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:40:02 +0000

Every successful entrepreneur needs a mix of different elements to achieve the success they seek. It’s important to have a good idea, an effective marketing strategy, good distribution, financial know-how, competitive pricing and the list goes on. If you have the funds to employ good consultants, financial advisors and manufacturing specialists you can outsource most of these things. However there is one thing that no aspiring entrepreneur can outsource and it is more important than anything and everything else — courage!

Courage is what distinguishes those who think about starting up their own business from those who actually do. The obstacle that stops most people from stepping into action to build the business they’d love to create is typically not an external one, such as a lack of money, business know-how, marketing savvy, business contacts or an MBA. The biggest obstacle is always an internal one — fear!

The path of entrepreneurship is lined with risks and obstacles. There is a lot more risk involved in setting up your own shop. Risk of failing, risk of going broke, risk of looking foolish to friends or colleagues, risk of letting people down who depend on you and the list goes on.

So how can you get past all of your fears and find the guts to jump boldly out of your comfort zone into the thin blue air of running your own business? And if you have already taken that leap, how can you move forward to take your business to the next level and beyond. Here are a few steps you can take to help you do just that.

1. Paint Your Vision In Bright Colors
It is important to really connect with what inspires you about being an entrepreneur. What is the idea you’ve been brewing on forever and a day that you would absolutely love to turn into a reality? Sit down and write, in as much detail as possible, what your ideal business would look like. How big would it be? What would you be producing? Who would be buying it? How would others benefit – your customers, your employees, and your suppliers? How would you feel each day knowing that you had created this business from a single idea? There is no right or wrong about what you write as long as it really ignites your imagination and touches your spirit. When you are really able to connect with what inspires you, it makes it very difficult to let it go. Look at what you are capable of, what you can create for yourself and others.

2. Build Belief in Yourself
The biggest hurdle every human faces in fulfilling their own potential and achieving the goals that inspire them are the limiting beliefs they have about themselves. So it is important to spend some time building up your belief in your ability to make your dream a reality. You are capable of far more than you think you are. I know this is true. But do you? What are the beliefs about yourself that are keeping you stuck? Write them down and then one by one go through each one and write down all the evidence that supports the opposite. For instance, if you think you aren’t really that good with money and finances, write down all the times you have been able to manage your finances well. If you believe you would not be good at marketing, think about other times in your life when, faced with necessity, you have either learned the skills you’ve needed or outsourced your needs to someone else. The fact is that you will be as resourceful as you need to be.

Likewise, this applies when it comes to being bold and gutsy in how you run your business. You may feel like you’re a complete wimp or a habitual procrastinator, but think again. There are plenty of times when you’ve been courageous in your life, pulled up your socks and jumped into the fray. Just because you haven’t been as courageous as the heroes you see on TV doesn’t mean you don’t have the same courage. You just haven’t been in a situation that has required you to call on it. You do not possess any more or less courage than the next man (or woman!). Indeed you have all the courage inside you that you need to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into a fabulous reality. It’s just that your courage hasn’t had as much oxygen as it would like and has been buried under layers of “yeah buts” and “what ifs”?

3. Connect With Your Fear
Fear can paralyze. Indeed that’s exactly what it does to those who let it rule the roost in their businesses and their lives. Courage is not an absence of fear. Courage means going forward with your plans and dreams despite the knot in your stomach. Your fears are born from an instinctive drive to protect you from pain and discomfort. They are trying to serve you. However our instinctive fears are still working on the Stone Age model. You no longer need to worry about being eaten by a lion should you move in the opposite direction your fear wants you to take (which is generally to stay firmly rooted in your cave/comfort zone).

So acknowledge your fears but realize if you let them stay at the helm in your life, you are never going to be able to create the business you want or be the entrepreneur you aspire to be. Yes, your fears are real. They may show up as that lump in your throat or the sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, but they are merely an emotion that does not serve you. Don’t let your fears determine what you will do or who you will become. The fact is, if you have an idea that inspires you, then you have the ability to turn that vision from thought into reality. If you couldn’t do it, you would not have been given the dream in the first place.

4. Create Your Plan
Those who are truly successful in life are able to shift their sights from the big canvas to the actions they need to make their vision a reality. Do you need to have a plan for every step of the way? Nope. Do you need to have the knowledge required to implement every part of your vision right now? Nope, again. The fact is, when you get further down the path from where you are now and need to know which step to take next, it will become apparent to you. Likewise when you need a new level of expertise to take your business to the next level, you will get the expertise you need then.

The only thing that matters right now is to write down the first few steps you need to take with deadlines to keep you focused. It might simply be to do more research into the industry, to contact some manufacturers, to find out how to register a business, to do a course in running a small business or maybe even just to engage a Business Coach to help you figure out what your first few steps should be.

5. Step Into Action
Okay so now you’ve got a plan for your first few steps. There is nothing else for you to do than to take them. Yes, big deep breath and off you go. Pick up the phone book, get onto the web, call your accountant, whatever. The most important thing is that you get some momentum happening in the forward direction. If you’re feeling a little (or a lot) nervous about doing any of it, don’t worry, that’s normal. As I said earlier, courage is not an absence of fear, self-doubt or quivering knees but action in the face of it. You don’t need the courage to climb the whole staircase right now. You only need the courage to take the next few steps that will take your entrepreneurial vision in the direction you want it to go.

6. Get Support
When you are surrounded by people who believe in you, who cheer you on to succeed, (whether friends, family, colleagues or professionals you engage to support you) you create an environment where it is so much easier for you to succeed. The fact is, no one person’s internal motivation system stays working in top gear all the time. When you are having a doubt-filled day, things aren’t going quite as smoothly as you’d like and you feel like moving home to mother, you need others who will hold you accountable to your goals and being the gutsy entrepreneur you aspire to be. So share your vision with others and ask them to help you in making it a reality. Build in a system of accountability if that is what you need. Whatever you do, don’t underestimate the importance of having a great environment around you to help you stay on track.

Wherever you are right now with your vision for yourself, your business and your life in general, just know that you have all the courage and ability inside you to create what it is that inspires you. You alone are uniquely positioned to create something truly fabulous. After all, if you don’t do it, who will? And if not now, then when? But the most important question of all is this: “What would you do if you had no fear of failing?” Now breathe in a big deep courageous breath and move forward boldly in the direction your answer beckons you.