5 Ways You Can Supercharge Your Sales Courage Today

Sales can be hard. Whether you’re asking someone to buy a ticket, idea, or program, it’s not a skill that comes naturally to most people. But like any skill,  it can be learned. With practice (and a little bravery), you will get better at selling.

Here are 5 tips to build your sales courage so you can get out there and get business:

1. Focus on Service

Many entrepreneurs don’t think about service. They don’t think about other people. They just think about themselves, and what they can get. Building sales courage starts with putting your focus on being of service to other people, and taking a genuine interest in the problems or challenges they have, that you can help them address.

Sales courage starts when you shift your focus off of yourself, and put it on how you can be of service to others. Sales is not about you. In fact, selling has less to do with whether you say the perfect words, and a whole lot more to do with how well you listen to the other person and what they want to be, do, or have.

Before you begin a sales call, get in the service frame of mind. Maybe it’s taking a deep breath and asking ‘how can I help you?’ before the conversation begins. Maybe it’s consciously giving the other person your undivided attention. Interestingly, focusing on service ramps up your sales courage like nothing else – because it puts your attention where it belongs…on the person with whom you are speaking.

“Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.” – Mary Kay Ash

2. Practice Listening

There’s one skill that will win you customers, investors, and colleagues like nothing else—listening. If you’ve ever been to a party where you were stuck talking with someone who only talks about themselves, you get it. Listening helps you tune into the information a prospective customer is giving you. If you aren’t listening, you will miss all sorts of valuable signals with the potential to boost your sales results.

Events like speed networking, where you can have plenty of shorter conversations with lots of new people, are a great way to notice who is listening and who isn’t – on top of honing your listening skills. Get comfortable talking about what you sell, in a clear and fascinating way.

Watch people’s eyes. Do they glaze over when you’re talking, or do they lean in with curiosity? Notice the people who listen to you, and what they do that shows you that they are listening. Despite what sales gurus teach – like sales is smooth talking and psychological manipulation – for most entrepreneurs, sales actually come from first making other people feel heard.

3. Count the No’s

Selling is a numbers game. As the top salespeople in the world will tell you: it’s not the number of people who say yes to you. It’s the number of people who say no – and your ability and willingness to let those no’s run off you like water on a duck’s back.

Yes, show up for every sales opportunity with your full attention and willingness to be of service to the other person. But don’t get emotionally attached. Sales conversations are like buses, if you don’t catch this one, there is another one coming soon. While this may sound counterintuitive, it is a secret to building sales courage – and serious sales skills.

One tool you can use to count the no’s you get is a courage diary. You record how many sales asks you make in any given day, week, or month, along with the outcome of the conversation, and one thing you learned about selling that you will do differently next time.

The great thing about having one is that it sets the expectation that you need to get one hundred people to say ‘no’ to you.  That’s the goal. Which is actually a trick, because by the time you have gone through the trouble of asking one hundred people to buy from you, your sales courage will be through the roof!

4. Study Your Results

Once you commit to count the no’s, you’ll be in the powerful position of taking action. Action taking is critical to boosting your sales courage because it gives you something you won’t get anywhere else: experience.

Each conversation you have gives you valuable feedback, and an opportunity to learn and develop your skill. For example, if someone tells you now isn’t a good time, you just received feedback that timing is important. You could then ask yourself, ‘how can I serve someone who isn’t ready to buy yet?’ Then strategize.

Maybe you think to yourself, ‘I can ask the person when would be a better time, note their response, and create a simple reminder to follow up.’ Turn each sales interaction you have into exercise for your service muscle.

“Keep yourself positive, cheerful and goal-oriented. Sales success is 80% attitude and only 20% aptitude.” – Brian Tracy

5. It’s Just a Conversation

The first few conversations where you ask someone to buy something, brace yourself, they will probably say no. That is totally normal. It’s like trying on a new coat – it may not feel like your old one, so it takes a little while to get used to how it fits. Sales conversations are a new and different thing.

But then again, you’ve been having conversations with other people all your life! Talking to people is natural. It’s something you do every day. What’s different about sales conversations is that you’re asking people if they want to buy something you are selling. Don’t make it weird by following a ‘sales script,’ asking people corny questions, or trying to push those who said they aren’t interested.

A lot of the sales advice and articles out there are based on dominance models of human interaction that don’t respect the decision-making intelligence of prospects (especially women). If that doesn’t jive with how you do business, keep walking. Sales courage doesn’t come from disrespecting people – it comes when you are humble and open enough to keep getting out there until you’ve gotten your hundred no’s.

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/5-ways-you-can-supercharge-your-sales-courage-today/

9 of Dale Carnegie’s Most Powerful Quotes About Gratitude

Wouldn’t it be awesome to hear what one of the greatest coaches on self-development had to say about gratitude? Well, here’s your chance.

The world-famous Dale Carnegie is an American author, lecturer, and a developer of renowned courses in public speaking, salesmanship, corporate training, self-improvement, and interpersonal skills. His most notable pieces of work “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, a best seller, and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

Here are 9 of Dale Carnegie’s most powerful quotes on gratitude:

1. “Remember, happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think. So start each day by thinking of all the things you have to be thankful for.”

If your happiness is dependent on what you have or who you are, then you’re standing in quicksand. It’s a dangerous place to be and one that you need to leave asap. Being grateful turbocharges your happiness, therefore, improving your wellbeing. You can achieve this by keeping a journal and each day writing the things you’re thankful for.

2. “When ill luck besets us, to ease the tension we have only to remember that happiness is relative. The next time you are tempted to grumble about what has happened to you, why not pause and be glad that it is no worse than it is.”

Misfortunes are guaranteed to happen in our lives. When they do, the easiest route is to complain about these harsh experiences. What we don’t realize is that there’s always the potential of an incident being far worse than it is. So be grateful that whatever misfortune you’re experiencing is not of bigger magnitude.

3. “Try leaving a trail of little sparks of gratitude on your daily trips. You will be surprised how they will set small flames of friendship that will be rose beacons on your next visit.”

Whenever you’re grateful, you become appreciative. As a result, it helps us build new relationships and deepen existing ones. Besides, new opportunities tend to come knocking on your door when we appreciate other people’s contributions.

4. “Let’s not expect gratitude. Then, if we get some occasionally, it will come as a delightful surprise. If we don’t get it, we won’t be disturbed. It is natural for people to forget to be grateful; so, if we go around expecting gratitude, we are headed straight for a lot of heartaches.”

Expectations are the breeding ground for disappointments. When you expect everyone to be grateful for something you have done for them, then you’re setting yourself up for constant heartbreaks. What you can do instead is give your best in whatever you engage in. That way, you will walk away fulfilled you gave it your all whether you’re appreciated or not.

5. “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

We’ve all been there. Life sometimes throws at you all manner of curveballs, and it’s frustrating. The good news is, there’s always a spark to be grateful for in the seemingly unending darkness. It could be a supportive partner or friend who has stood by you all along.  Yes, it could be hard, but it’s worth a try. It could be the lifeline you need to keep going.

6. “Today is our most precious possession. It is our only sure possession.”

It sounds cliche, but we miss it all the time. You’re either regretting the past or fearful and anxious about what the future holds. The simple truth is, the only gift we have is today. The best we can do is surrender and commit to the present, and life will take care of the rest.

7. “The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way.” 

It’s easy to think you’re a failure because you made a mistake. It’s what the world will tell you. What they don’t tell you is that you have gained experience. You get to know what works, and what doesn’t and this increases your chances of achieving success. Be grateful for those mistakes you have made along the way because they’re the foundation on which your success is built.

8. “Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don’t put off being happy until some future date.”

It happens all the time. You tend to postpone your happiness to a future date when you achieve something. The downside is that it robs you of the joy of enjoying the present. Maybe you’re not where you desire to be in this journey of life, and it’s okay because we are all a work in progress. Don’t discard those goals but instead do yourself a favor by being fully immersed in the present and find the things you are grateful for at this stage in life.

9. “If only the people who worry about their liabilities would think about the riches they do possess, they would stop worrying.”

By default, we tend to worry about what we don’t have and forget the treasures we possess. In whatever situation you’re in, there’s always something to be grateful for. A little tweak on your mindset is all you need.

Gratitude is about shifting your mindset and seeing the goodness in your life. It may be difficult at the start, especially if you’re at your lowest, but don’t give up just yet because there’s a ray of hope.

The above gratitude quotes by Dale Carnegie will guide you on the path towards a richer, content, and more fulfilling life. The question is, what’s stopping you? 

from
https://addicted2success.com/quotes/9-of-dale-carnegies-most-powerful-quotes-about-gratitude/

6 Reasons Why Content Marketing Should Be at the Core of Your Brand

So you’re building a brand! Congratulations! You’ve got your website up and running, social media profiles all set up and now it’s time for those sales to start rolling in! Right? Um..not quite! (sorry!) If you’re an Entrepreneur and building your own brand, there is one crucial piece of your sales and marketing strategy that you simply can’t ignore – Content.

Every super successful business owner knows that creating engaging, inspiring and captivating content is key to their business and although it can be a lot of work, it needs to be at the core of your business.

Here’s Why Content Marketing Is So Important To Your Business:

1. Content Marketing Grows Your Audience 

What’s the hardest thing about starting your own business? Getting noticed right? Having people actually find your website in order to contact you. Before you can start getting leads, making sales and booking clients, you need to be discovered!

As of January 2019 there were over 1.94 billion websites on the internet. How on Earth are your ideal clients going to find yours? Unless you are already a massive brand, you’re unlikely to have top-notch SEO and be coming up on the first page of Google (unless you’re paying for ads). So as a new business owner, you need another way to grow your audience and get discovered.

Enter: Content Marketing with it’s trusty sidekick, Social Media! As a solopreneur, social media really is your best friend. By sharing your blog posts on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest & Twitter, you can reach billions of people world-wide at the click of a button – and then drive them back to your website.

Don’t like to blog and prefer creating videos? YouTube, Facebook Live, LinkedIn Live, & Instagram are all great ways to get your message out to the world and reach more of your target market.

“If you’re not putting out relevant content in relevant places- you don’t exist.” – Gary Vaynerchuk

2. Content Marketing Attracts Your Ideal Clients

Speaking of target markets, social media is filled with your ideal clients – and all you need to do to reach them is to create interesting, value-filled and engaging content on social media.

Here’s a few content ideas for you:

1. Run a 5 day challenge and share it in Facebook Groups you belong to
2. Run a Facebook or LinkedIn Ad with your lead magnet (the freebie you give away in exchange for someone’s email address)
3. Share motivational and inspiring quotes from celebrities, entrepreneurs, books, tv and films on Instagram & Pinterest
4. Join Twitter chats and get involved in conversations in your niche and make new connections

Just remember, all the content you create must have a purpose and be relatable to your ideal clients. They need to see your posts and instantly recognise themselves in it and be able to relate to you.

3. Content Marketing Showcases Your Expertise

So now you’ve grown your audience and filled it with your ideal clients, it’s time to showcase your skills and expertise! Again, there are a truck-load of different ways to do this, from creating infographics, blog posts, social media posts, videos, hosting masterclasses, webinars or challenges. Even a simple Q&A session works well! The idea here is that you give your audience value with tips & tricks, trainings and free gifts that position you as an expert in your industry.

4. Content Marketing Shares Your Mission

Every successful entrepreneur I’ve ever met, worked with or spoken to has one thing in common – they have a MISSION. It’s not just that they want to create a lifestyle that suits them and their family. It’s not just that they want to create time freedom, travel the world or have financial freedom.

They have a message to share with the world and they want to help people. Creating a mission for your business makes you stand out from the crowd and people take notice! Your mission should be the underlying factor in all your marketing, your website copy, emails, social media content, offers, products and services. It should be the heart of your business.

Think about this for a moment – what type of promo is going to get a higher reach and more engagement on social media? A blatant ‘buy my stuff’ ad, or an ad where you tell the world what you’re on a mission to create?

5. Content Marketing Makes You Famous

Earlier on I briefly mentioned that you need to position yourself as an expert in your industry and I want to go a bit deeper on that right now! And by the way, you want to become THE Expert, not just AN Expert! Why? Remember back in the day when anyone with a little SEO knowledge could make money online by selling products and services – even if they weren’t really an expert in that topic?

Remember when social media was filled to the brim with online ‘Gurus’ who promised massive results and then let you down, big style?! Urgh! Annoying right? But we actually have to thank them. Because of these so-called ‘Gurus’, real experts have the chance to shine and stand out on social media! And becoming the expert in your niche isn’t as difficult as you might think. As long as you know your stuff, YOU can do it!

When you’re an expert, a million opportunities open up for you. You’re seen as a Leader, an authority and someone who everyone else wants to be in a room with. Creating content to share via email, blog, podcasts, video & social media all becomes so much easier for you, because you know what you’re talking about and can give a fresh or different perspective on your topic.

Becoming an expert means that you are also creating trust with your community and your prospective clients will be signing up to your wait-lists and biting at the bit to work with you!

“Tools are great but content marketing success is about the wizard, not the wand.” – Jay Baer

6. Content Marketing Gets You Clients

And speaking of clients, creating engaging and captivating content and sharing it with your online community is a great way to attract and convert your ideal clients! I believe there are 3 core types of content that position you as an expert in your field, will give you the impact, influence and income you desire – and that absolutely must NOT be missed if you want to make sales from social media.

These types of content are:

1. Positioning Content
2. Relatability Content
3. Valuable Promo Content

So, do I have you convinced that Content Marketing is the key to your success yet and should be at the core of your brand? Just know this – you deserve the business and lifestyle that you dream of – the only thing stopping you from having it is you! Create a plan and take action, one step at a time and you’ll be on the path to success!

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/6-reasons-why-content-marketing-should-be-at-the-core-of-your-brand/

3 Startup Workplace Trends You Need to Carefully Consider

One of the most notable parts of startup culture from the outside looking in is trends. You know the stereotype of the startup CEO — he’s wearing a hoodie that probably cost hundreds of dollars and running meetings from a bean bag chair. However, trendiness isn’t always the right choice for your business. It can be good for your startup to branch out, but some risks aren’t worth taking.

How do you make that choice? Keep reading; we’ll walk you through 3 workplace trends to see if they’re worth the hype for your startup.

1. Do you need a ‘fun’ office? Probably not

We’ve all heard about Google’s legendary campus and the perks therein: free meals, massages, work out classes, and more. We also know not everyone can be Google. There’s always a lot of buzz about ‘fun’ office spaces. But are these benefits worth it? Increasingly, no.

In an article from Forbes, they found that workplace perks aren’t a top reason people enjoy working for a certain company. Quoted from the article, “Workplace perks aren’t…what make or break the decision for talent to stay and deliver great work. Instead, it’s the thought behind the workplace perks that counts.”

Don’t make flashy workplace perks a priority, especially if you’re a small business. Build your team carefully and treat them well, but don’t try to attract talent with superficial perks. If your team isn’t doing meaningful work or they’re not compensated fairly, a fun office won’t matter.

“The most essential quality for a good team is trust.” – Dina Kaplan

2. Keep boundaries as the boss

Another stereotype about startups is a more casual leadership style. CEOs and executive leadership are informal and don’t treat their team like subordinates, but instead, treat them like peers.

This leadership style encourages collaboration, which is definitely a good thing for startups. However, there’s a reason why businesses have traditionally been more formal. Setting boundaries in the workplace is a crucial part of your success, long term. If your team starts to view you as a friend, they might slack off or not take feedback seriously.

The key here, as it is for many things, is balance. Make sure your team feels comfortable bringing problems to your attention, and leave your ego at the door. However, make sure you are the authority figure for your team. You need to be able to inspire and lead, as well as focus and give direction. That beanbag chair might not do the trick.

3. Remote working is worth it 

This trend is becoming so popular, it might not be considered a trend for much longer and might just become a regular part of the workplace. People want more flexibility than what an in-office 8 to 5 position gives them. Millennials in particular, desire flexible work environments more than other groups, and they currently comprise more than half of the job market.

You need to weigh the pros and cons of flexible office hours to find out if they’re a good choice for your startup. Remember, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing here. You can compromise by instituting flexible PTO, leaving early on Fridays, early start/early leaving or vice versa.

You’ll want to work together in person on a regular basis, to encourage collaboration and establish company culture. But allowing people to work from home when they need it is a huge perk and will make a substantial difference to talent you want to attract.

“Your company should act as a springboard for ambitious employees, not a set of shackles.” –Richard Branson

Follow trends that make sense for your business

Trends become popular for a reason, but sometimes that reason doesn’t make sense for your startup. You need to use your better judgement and structure your company in a way that will sustain long term growth.

Establish firm leadership roles, allow flexible working hours up to a point, and make sure not to fall for the allure of ‘fun’ work places. If you make the right choices and think things through for your business, you’ll come out on top.

from
https://addicted2success.com/startups/3-startup-workplace-trends-you-need-to-carefully-consider/

2 Important Lessons We Can Learn About Goal Setting From Dominoes

The Domino Effect. It’s likely you’ve heard the term, but do you really understand the incredible implications for our life and success that we can learn by studying dominoes?

The most common reason we see for people failing to achieve their goal is that people believe they have to take a massive first step in order to reach their goals, to kick off their momentum or gain the confidence they need to continue. This belief can lead to overwhelm about how far they are from their goal at the starting point.

We also see that the busier the goal setter is in their life, the more stress this belief causes. Stress and overwhelm inevitably render the person paralyzed by fear or analysis and justifying why they’ve decided to shrink the size of their goal.

What if goal attainment is different to what we’ve been led to believe though? An in-depth analysis of dominoes teaches us two very different, yet very powerful lessons:

1. A little action, when repeated, can generate massive force

In the Netherlands each year, there is a National Domino Day. In 2009, one company decided to set up for a world record domino fall. Their display totaled 4,491,863 dominoes. The first dominos was tipped – setting off a chain reaction of over 4.4 million dominoes repeating the same action – falling over and tipping the domino next to it over.

From this show, an incredible discovery was made. This display unleashed the same amount of energy it would take for the average male to complete 545 pushups.

Real World Application: Today’s world is full of instant gratification. A world where all people want to do is 10 crunches and eat one salad, believing they will wake up with a 6-pack. And yet, logically we know this isn’t how life works. Instead, recognize that consistency matters!

Find consistency in the actions you take towards your goals. Whether it’s with making sales calls, doing live videos on social media, scheduling date nights with your significant other or daily exercise, the results may not always be immediately apparent. And yet force and momentum are being generated that will result in powerful changes and outcomes.

“Do something everyday that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.” – Mark Twain  

2. Small steps compound to have substantial impact

Do you think you need to be at your strongest, wealthiest, smartest or best to start? If so, you’re holding yourself back from achieving your goals sooner. With the exception of the “I’ll start next week/month/year” excuse, the next most common justification for not starting on a goal is “I’ll start when …” (fill in the blank with whatever tools you think you need to obtain before you can make a start).

Again, dominoes teach us a different lesson. Any step forward towards the goal is beneficial. Did you know a single domino has the capacity to bring down a domino 50% larger than it? The implications of this are MASSIVE!

If domino #1 was 5mm higher (the size of a tic tac), then the 13th domino would be more than a meter tall! If we continued this progression, then the 29th domino would be as tall as the Empire State Building, and the 69th domino would touch the moon!

Real World Application: If we can learn anything from dominoes, it’s to just start. The size of the step you take doesn’t matter, so long as you’re moving forward. Continue taking small steps and over time your actions will compound on each other to have an impact that is out of this world! 

What’s the one goal you’re looking forward to accomplishing before the end of the year? Share it with us in the comments!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/2-important-lessons-we-can-learn-about-goal-setting-from-dominoes/

How This Four Word Phrase Helped Me Sell More Over the Phone

Making sales over the phone is more of an art than a science. From developing rapport to sensing resistance, selling products or services over the phone takes a lot more skill. Over the past three years I have mastered this art form given that I have primarily sold our products and services to our marketplace of buyers over the phone.

In sales you have three aspects of communication. These are:

1. Physiology (body language, hand gestures, facial expressions, etc.)
2. Tonality (how you say the words)
3. Words (what you say)

When selling on the phone, you are missing the aspect of physiology, which means you don’t have the ability to read one’s posture, body language, or facial expressions. Instead, you need to become a master at tonality and word selection. Let’s take a look at each of these aspects closer.

Tonality

Tonality is how you say the words you’re using. This constitutes as 37% of the communication between you and the other person or people. This includes: 

• Tone – the pitch of your voice (for example, relaxed or stern)
• Tempo – the speed at which you talk
• Timbre – the quality of your voice (ie. gravelly or squeaky)
• Volume – how loud or quiet you are

Words

Words are what is said in the communication between two or more people. The words in your communication only constitute 7% of communication, making the margins for error slim. 

Physiology

Physiology constitutes the remaining 56% of communication. This means that when you’re selling over the phone, the bulk of the information we regularly use to communicate is missing.

The Challenge for Most Sales People

Selling over the phone is not difficult, it is simply different from face to face sales. Here is where most sales people get it wrong: the attempt to make up for the missing piece of communication by overembellishing either their tonality, their words, or both. 

Usually what will happen is the salesperson will over do these pieces of the communication formula over the phone, causing the communication to be done poorly. This leads to the prospect losing interest, or getting offended. Either way, in the end the sale is not closed.

“When reps take the role of a curious student rather than an informed expert, buyers are much more inclined to engage.” – Jeff Hoffman

The Magic 4-Word Phrase and How We Use It To Close More Deals

“Does that make sense?” Yes, that’s the secret four words we use. Nothing fancy, no big words, just a short and sweet check in with the prospect on the other end of the phone. Like I mentioned earlier, the trick is not in the 4 words so much as how it is used while communicating on the phone.

Here is what I mean, these four words are ways to re-engage the prospect on the phone and allow them to ask questions regularly. This little question also allows the prospect to say yes to you multiple times before you ask for sale later in the conversation.

When and How To Use This Phrase While On The Phone With A Prospect

There is no clear cut answer for how often or when to use this phrase as everyone has different pitches or scripts for prospects. While building this phrase out for the sales word-tracks for our companies and for our sales people, we have noticed that adding this question in at least three times during the sales conversation yielded higher conversions and bottom line for all the companies.

When adding in this 4 word phrase to your sales script, make sure it is where it makes sense for the salesperson to take a break. We have found it great to use when you are about ready to make a change or pivot in the conversation as well so that the prospect can agree or disagree that they understand.

Many NLP studies have shown by getting the mind to commit to someone or something at least three times during a single conversation increases the odds of that person committing on the big offer or sale. In layman’s terms this means, the more the prospect says “yes” to you during the conversation, the easier the prospect feels about saying yes to you in the future.

What Happens If The Prospect Says “No”

If you are doing a good job of explaining and communicating with your customers during the sales call then we have seen that this does not happen often. However I would believe at some point it has happened to anyone who has done this. When that happens, all the “no” means is a clue that they are needing more information. Ask more questions to determine what else you need to communicate to help them understand.

“For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.” – Zig Ziglar

Implementing This Into Your Sales Script

By including this into our businesses with all of our sales staff and in our sales systems, we have seen a steady increase in conversions across the board of all of our companies and I am confident you will too. 

Formalize your sales script in someway to include this phrase. I don’t mean to write out every single word, I mean understand the order of items you want to discuss with your prospect(s) over the phone and then simply add in the phrase at certain points of that conversation.

At first, you’ll probably have to remind yourself. After you do this technique a couple times and gain competency and confidence about it, it will become second nature in your process and you will start seeing more sales close, and more money in your bank account.

Have you ever made a sale over the phone? If so, what was the most challenging part of it, and how did you overcome it? Share your stories and thoughts with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/how-this-four-word-phrase-helped-me-sell-more-over-the-phone/

10 Health Benefits of Yoga Supported By Science

Ever wondered what yoga does apart from making you touch your toes? Besides spiritual learning, modern science has also accepted the magical health benefits of yoga in the modern era. Yoga – derived from the Sanskrit word Yuj meaning ‘union’ is an ancient practice that is highly restorative and therapeutic for your body. It is rooted in the sacred land of India. It began as a spiritual practice in the beginning, but today, it is widely known for promoting mental and physical well-being.

Here are ten health benefits of yoga supported by science in the modern era:

1. Natural stress buster

Stress exhibits itself in many ways including physically, emotionally, and mentally but thank goodness yoga can ease us from stress and enhance relaxation. 

A study has shown that the regular practice of yoga can eliminate the secretion of cortisol – the primary stress hormone. The study was conducted on 24 emotionally distressed women. They were sent to a 3 month long yoga program. It was observed that after 3 months their cortisol levels dropped significantly. They also had a lower level of anxiety, stress, depression, and fatigue.

Yoga is highly beneficial in improving the quality of mental health and life. When you practice alone or along with other methods like meditation, it can be a helpful way to keep stress in check. It helps in the secretion of endorphins known as a natural stress and pain fighter. This hormone acts as a drug called codeine and morphine to help you feel relaxed.

2. Get rid of anxiety

Anxiety attacks are described as immediately escalating and unbearable. You can have anxiety attacks whenever you feel stressed with an unfamiliar environment. Additionally, you can feel  anxious because of mental and physical issues also. Anxiety attacks are characterized by shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, muscle spasms, shaking, fatigue, and weakness.

Yoga is known as the best way to cope with the feeling of anxiety. It is interesting to know that research proves that yoga helps in reducing anxiety. It is not completely clear how yoga cures anxiety, however, yoga highlights the necessity of being present in the moment, finding a sense of peace, and helps in treating anxiety.

3. Reduced inflammation

The regular practice of yoga improves mental health and cures chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a general immune response, but severe inflammation can add to the development of pro-inflammatory diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases.

A study was done on 218 participants by dividing them into two groups. Both groups participated in strenuous and moderate exercises for inducing stress. The group who practiced yoga had a lower level of inflammatory elements than those who didn’t. Yoga helps protect you from certain diseases caused by inflammation. The advantageous effects of yoga on inflammation are still needed to be confirmed.

“Yoga begins with listening. When we listen, we are giving space to what is.” – Richard Freeman

4. Improved heart health

The health of our heart is crucial for maintaining normal functions like supplying tissues with necessary nutrients and pumping blood regularly to all the organs. Studies prove that practicing yoga regularly improves heart health and lowers the risk of heart diseases. 

A study was done on people aged over 40 years. They practiced yoga for 5 years. Results showed that they had a lower pulse rate and blood pressure than those who didn’t practice yoga. Many types of research also state that having a healthy lifestyle with yoga slows down the progression of heart diseases.

5. Quality of life

Yoga has become a general adjunct therapy for improving the quality of life for numerous individuals. A study was performed on 135 seniors. It showed that practicing yoga improves their quality of life and mood. Yoga also helps in reducing the symptoms of cancer and the effects of chemotherapy, such as vomiting and nausea. 

Another study states that yoga improves the quality of sleep, improves social functions, enhances spiritual well-being, and reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety in cancer patients.

6. Yoga fights with depression

Yoga has antidepressant effects and helps in reducing the level of cortisol – a stress hormone that influences the level of serotonin – the neurotransmitter, which is often associated with depression.

During the study, participants (in an alcohol dependency program) were told to focus on yoga and rhythmic breathing. After two weeks, participants had a lower level of cortisol and symptoms of depression. Another study also proved the same. Acquired results showed that yoga helps in fighting with depression alone or with the help of traditional methods. 

7. Reduces chronic pain

Chronic pain can be a result of many severe causes from arthritis to injuries. Research has demonstrated that the regular practice of yoga reduces numerous types of chronic pain. In a study, 42 people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome did yoga for eight weeks or received a wrist splint. People who practiced yoga had positive results by improving their grip strength and experiencing less pain than those who received a wrist splint. Another study states that yoga helps in decreasing pain and improves the physical function of people suffering from osteoarthritis of knees. 

“Yoga is a dance between control and surrender — between pushing and letting go — and when to push and when to let go becomes part of the creative process, part of the open-ended exploration of your being.” – Joel Kramer

8. Cures insomnia

Poor sleep quality is associated with high blood pressure, depression, and obesity, amongst other disorders. Studies show that incorporating yoga into your life helps in promoting better sleep. 

In a study, 69 elderly patients were assigned three different programs – practice yoga, be a part of the control group, or take herbal preparation. The group who were assigned to do yoga fell asleep quickly and slept for a long time, and were well-rested in the morning. 

Another study was performed on the patients of lymphoma. The regular practice of yoga decreased sleep disturbance, while improving the duration and quality of sleep. Yoga increases the secretion of melatonin – a hormone that regulates wakefulness and sleep. Yoga has notable effects on the causes of sleep issues such as anxiety, chronic pain, stress, and depression. 

9. Promotes flexibility and balance

Numerous people incorporate yoga into fitness routines for improving balance and flexibility. It’s well known that practicing yoga regularly improves your balance and flexibility. A study was performed on 66 older people. They were assigned to 2 different groups. One group was told to practice yoga and the other one was told to practice calisthenics. After one year, the flexibility of the yoga group increased 4 times as compared to the calisthenics group. 

According to a study in 2013, yoga can improve mobility and balance in older adults. Daily practice of yoga for just 15 to 30 minutes can make a big difference. It can enhance performance by improving balance and flexibility. 

10. Invigorates the nervous system 

It is crucial to have a strong nervous system that reacts to stress and relaxes in the absence of stressors. Unfortunately, numerous people fail to react in the absence of stressors. People who are often overstressed are prone to stroke and heart diseases. 

Stressed people also adopt unhealthy behaviors, such as overeating, physical inactivity, and smoking. A study shows that yoga and meditation help in keeping our body relaxed, calm, and working. It also reduces the chances of engaging in bad behaviors, which can affect your health. It reduces blood pressure and allows the body to be active. It also strengthens the nervous system.

Do you practice yoga? If so, what’s your favorite part about it? Let us know in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/10-health-benefits-of-yoga-supported-by-science/

5 Productivity Shifts You Need to Make to Have Your Best Year Yet

Everyone wants more time, that is something almost all of us share. Time is the most valuable resource and when you learn how to make your time work for you and how to get the most out of it – you experience life differently.  

Improving how you manage your time is one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself – it’s a real game changer in your business and personal life. There are many ways that you can get more productive and get the right things done sooner; but not all of them are obvious or bring the same results.

Here are 5 productivity shifts you want to make if you are trying to make the most out of your life:

1. Ditch your to do list

Productive people don’t keep to-do lists, they schedule everything they need to do in their calendar and work directly from their calendar!  To-Do lists are ineffective and they are impeding your productivity. A never ending list of items only leaves you overwhelmed and with a false sense of ‘productivity’. If you schedule your To Do’s directly into your calendar at a time to get them done, you commit to it and you are more likely to get it done. Less is more – you don’t need a separate list to remind you what you need to do.

“Productivity is never an accident it’s the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning & focused effort.” – Paul Meyer

2. Give up on motivation

Productive people don’t always have to be motivated before starting something. They balance discipline with motivation and do what they need to do, regardless of motivation. When we come up with resistance to take action on what we have planned, we might tell ourselves that we are not motivated and we believe that we need to be motivated to complete any task.

If you want to increase your productivity, you need to challenge yourself more in the moment to take action and give up on motivation sometimes. Do what you need to in order to get the results you want in the future. Don’t make decisions based on how you feel now, make them based on what result you are really after.

3. Master your mornings

Wake up early and get yourself into the productive mindset with your routine and diet! Productive people start the day with some sort of routine, whether it’s meditation, exercise or visualization, etc. AND they have a healthy breakfast to fuel them for the day. Your health is everything when it comes to productivity, what you eat directly affects your productivity. We can just no longer ignore the direct connection any more. Get in the right mindset to start your day and fuel your mind and body to get the most out of it. Starting your day off in any other way undermines your success – there is no doubt.

4. Schedule according to energy

Productive people know their energy cycles and they plan tasks around their energy levels. Why plan something at a time when you know it will be hard to rise to the challenge? Schedule tasks that require focus and concentration for those times of day that you feel the best and you will find it’s easier to follow through and you will be at your best to perform. Identify your filler tasks and complete those when your energy drops. Be more realistic when scheduling your tasks and set yourself up for wins.

“Do something instead of killing time because time is killing you.” – Paulo Coelho

5. Working backwards

Productive people always focus on those activities that will take them to the next level. They plan backwards, they look at their goals, then identify the tasks they need to do to support those goals. Those tasks get broken down into weekly actions. That’s how they plan.

Don’t only plan on tasks that come in or those which you ‘feel’ or ‘think’ you should be doing. Your day needs to consist of at least one activity that directly supports your longer term objectives, your big project. What sounds like common sense is definitely not common practice.

Create the right habits to achieve your goals, work on adopting easy tips and techniques so you can manage your time and yourself better to get things done.

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/5-productivity-shifts-you-need-to-make-to-make-2018-your-best-year-yet/

It’s Not About Breaking the Board: What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Martial Arts

We’ve all seen the videos…a person wearing a white uniform and a black belt stares down their opponent; a stack of boards six inches high. They take a breath in, and — wham! — their bare hand whips down and breaks the stack cleanly in half. The broken boards tumble to the ground, and the breaker walks away triumphant.

I know what you’re thinking. “I’m not powerful enough to do that, forget it! I’ll just watch. Why would I need to break a board, anyway?” You want to laugh it off, to walk away. But have you thought about why you refuse so quickly? Do you ever feel that inkling feeling of curiosity? You know the, “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve” kind of feeling that you instantly shrug off? You’re afraid of pain. You’re worried that people will see you fail. You don’t want to try, because you believe in your heart that you can’t succeed.

That’s the stupidest excuse out there. Stop making excuses in your life! Let me tell you something — I don’t teach students how to break a “board” or “cement block”. I train students to focus beyond the board or block to a goal they want to achieve or a weakness they want to overcome. The board is just an obstacle between you and your goal. Your goal is BEYOND that obstacle.

However, sometimes, our biggest obstacle isn’t a tangible object like a board or block, but rather, it is our MIND that stops us from achieving our goals. Everyone has a “board” in life. It’s the business we want to launch, the career change we wish to explore, the self-expression we desperately want to pursue but haven’t. Pay attention to the negative inner dialogue that stops you from pursuing that goal, and you’ll probably find that it sounds a lot like the voice you hear when you see someone else breaking a physical board. 

“I can’t.” 

“I’m scared.”

“I’m not strong enough to do what they do.”

“Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality.” – Bruce Lee

I’ve taught Jung SuWon for years now, practiced it for decades, and I’ve heard every excuse. But the truth is that physical training and career achievement are both more mental battles than physical ones. It’s not about breaking one board, or launching a business, or achieving some personal goal — it’s about being determined enough to face adversity head-on, overcome your inner doubts, and accomplish the impossible. It takes a laser focus to break through a stack of boards or cement blocks. Not everyone does it on the first or second try. It takes the same laser focus to start a company or change your career.

This is what I do with my students and people that I coach and mentor all around the world. When I give them a board to break, I always ask them to write their goals. This is important because again, it’s not about breaking the board, it’s about the entire process of channeling your energy with a laser beam focus by joining body, mind and spirit that will enable you to break the board. Know what you want to accomplish and learn to believe in it 110%. That’s the main focus not just breaking the physical board itself.

Instead of looking at the person breaking the board — or the business founders you admire — and saying, “No, I can’t,” you must think, “He Can Do, She Can Do, Why Not Me!”

I say this because I have experienced firsthand how life-changing this mantra can be. I grew up in a small village in South Korea where I was hated, cursed for being a girl in a culture that prized firstborn boys. Worse, I had no interest in the path that was laid out for me. I had no wish to learn to cook and sew or to get married and have twelve sons as tradition dictated.

I fell in love with martial arts, instead. I remember, as a child, peeking outside to see my uncles practicing in the morning fog, their movements graceful and mesmerizing. I wanted to learn — but they laughed in my face. I was a girl, they said, not allowed to learn such things.

And yet, I did. I insisted and begged until one uncle agreed to teach me. Then, I bore the abuse and blows that rained down on me for doing so. I endured my family’s abuse, my village’s hate. Eventually, I met a teacher who changed my life — a Buddhist monk who agreed to break 5000 years of tradition and teach me the skills I so desperately wanted. After years of dedication, I became the first female grandmaster in Korea’s history.

Since then, I have pursued my dreams wherever they have taken me, overcome poverty, discrimination, and nay-sayers. I moved to America, founded a tech company, and continued to teach martial arts.

All of this, I was able to do by following the teachings of Jung SuWon and this one mantra: “He Can Do, She Can Do, Why Not Me!” 

Here are a few martial arts tips that all entrepreneurs should embrace — even if they never plan to put on a martial art uniform:

1. Learn to Fall

There is no such thing as no-fail learning. Many martial arts disciplines begin with teaching students how to fall safely so that they could get up and start fighting again. I never see my mistakes as a negative. instead, I see them as a learning experience and use them to motivate me to be more creative and thoughtful in my approach.

2. Success is a Mental Battle, Not a Physical One

Stop focusing on what you can’t do. The moment you start believing in negative self-talk is the moment you ruin your chances for success. Like a martial arts student facing a wooden block, you need to think that you can do whatever you set your mind to — otherwise, you’ll only fail and hurt yourself. 

3. Don’t Mimic Someone Else’s Pattern

Excellent fighters adapt their knowledge of form to their needs. Your expression must be your own — you need to be responsive, to go according to your own direction, and not confine yourself to mirroring someone else’s movements or style. If I had remained in my village as my parents wanted, I would never have accomplished what I did. Similarly, if you follow the path someone else wants for you, you will never be able to achieve your potential.

4. Let Your Opponents Motivate You

Fear can be paralyzing. When you’re staring down an opponent, you fear the pain they could inflict upon you — but the only way to succeed in combat and avoid that pain is to confront it and win. In life, there will be countless people who try to put you down and tell you “NO.” When I established my first martial art studio, arsonists who hated me for my differences, burned it to the ground. I was afraid, but I refused to give in to that fear. Let your fear motivate you — use it as a device that allows you to prove every nay-sayer wrong.

You have the power to overcome every obstacle in your path. That power is already IN you. What you do in your life is your personal choice. Have you realized it yet? What are you waiting for? You, too, can break through to awesome, but you have to take action in your life.

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/its-not-about-breaking-the-board-what-entrepreneurs-can-learn-from-martial-arts/

How Your Startup Can Effectively Collaborate With Influencers

As a startup, your priority is to attract, engage, and turn potential clients into lucrative, long-term consumers. And the optimal way to make this possible is by incorporating startup influencer marketing.

Most consumer brands these days collaborate with influencers to grow their business. Why? Because these individuals have built a lot of trust behind them, they can promote your product or services to their audience and get them to trust your brand. This is a huge sales-driving strategy, especially for new and upcoming businesses.

Collaborating with influencers is still a relatively new marketing strategy and there’s a lot of room for errors. Startups need to know how to collaborate with influencers and build real relationships with them, otherwise, they will end up wasting their limited budget. That said, if you manage to find the right influencers, the quality of customers you will get is generally higher.

Here are some ways startups can make use of collaborations effectively and build their brand’s presence and growth:

1. Engagement is more crucial than the follower count

To make sure your marketing campaign delivers results, examine how an influencer’s audience reacts to their posts, instead of looking at the number of followers they have. If people comment on posts or send shoutouts to your product or services, it shows that they are aware of your brand.

Generally, influencers with high follower count tend to receive fewer interactions when they post. People who are interested in such semi-famous individuals only see them as eye candy and don’t really take their product recommendations seriously as it is not relevant to their daily lives.

Consumers usually tend to relate more to someone with, say, 12k followers and as such, they are more likely to take their product suggestions seriously. It is also often recommended for brands to associate with as many micro-influencers as possible. Micro-influencers with 2-10k followers are not approached by brands that often, and can become willing and happy promoters solely in exchange for a free product from your brand.

“People do not buy goods & services. They buy relations, stories and magic.” – Seth Godin

2. Look within your fans

Find influencers you wish to collaborate with by searching among your current fans. One of the best ways to do this is by determining the type of social channels your consumers are more likely to use. If your company has customers and social media channels already, find individuals who love your product/service, ones that have more influence among their peers.

Remember, you are looking for the popular girl in college, not the Kardashians. While we all know the Kardashians can sell out dresses and products in minutes, it is not easy for most brands to afford these megastars, even more so for startups.

You are left with thousands of influencers, scattered across a number of channels, each charging a different price for promoting your brand. And often, they don’t have much evidence that their content can actually drive sales. This is why finding popular individuals who love your product and collaborating with them can help considerably in driving your brand awareness amongst their peers, which is also your target market.

This strategy is not only great for startup companies with a tiny marketing budget but also drives endorsements from the heart and not the wallet.

3. Pay for performance, not posts

Rewarding influencers for a set number of shoutouts or posts is the easiest way for brands to waste their money. In such instances, the brand manages all the risks of a failed campaign and the influencer is not encouraged to make use of their imagination and creativity. While this marketing format is comparable with the traditional magazine and TV placement, it is being replaced by paying influencers on a performance basis.

Not every influencer will want to collaborate this way, but there are some who will. You just have to put in some effort to find them. For example, the influencer market in the US is more mature as compared to the UK. In the States, there are more influencers who are willing to partner with brands that reward them on a performance basis.

Also, the cost in different industry segments varies and is related to the ones on digital marketing platforms. E.g., hyper-casual games cost around 1 dollar per download on iOS but increases to 3-5 dollars for e-commerce and shopping apps. And although Facebook provides instant scale to brands, influencers offer an endorsement.

“People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising.” – Mark Zuckerberg

By implementing these tips on your next marketing campaign and following a well-articulated strategy, you can build a successful startup.

Beauty and fashion companies may have been the first ones to collaborate with influencers but the industry has changed. Influencer campaigns are starting to become a major part of the marketing strategy of most consumer brands, including paid media and public relations.

However, people are becoming more incredulous of conventional advertising as well as influencer promotion. If you want your influencer campaigns to be successful, you should find the right influencers, ones that love your product genuinely, and have an authentic interaction with their audience.

from
https://addicted2success.com/startups/how-your-startup-can-effectively-collaborate-with-influencers/

How to Protect Yourself From Other People’s Negativity

When I was a kid, it seemed like I felt pain more than anyone else around me. Not just physical pain, but emotional pain. I cried easily, over many things. I had an especially hard time when people were fighting around me, and I didn’t even have to be involved. I could feel the negative energy and felt upset and overwhelmed. I didn’t have a constructive way of handling it.

Maybe other people felt just as much pain as me and were simply better at not showing it. Or maybe they learned how to not let it get under their skin the way I did. I will never know. (I don’t believe being sensitive is a bad personality trait that we need to get rid of. It’s driven me to become good at relationships and communication and it’s in large part the reason why I have a compassionate and empathetic personality.)

For years I’ve searched for ways to maintain inner peace, or ways to stop mental and emotional chaos once it’s started.

Here’s the most powerful lessons I’ve learned, broken down into five sections below:

1. The real source of our pain

Your thoughts and judgments cause emotional pain – not other people’s words or actions. I used to focus my attention on trying to get other people to change, or my environment to change, to make myself feel better. Although these things can influence how we feel, if we focus only on changing our surroundings and not ourselves, we’ll be playing a game we can never win. Eventually, I grasped the idea that trying to control another person’s behavior is impossible. I shifted my attention to the only thing I could control: myself.

Once I began researching this idea more in depth, I came to understand that not only is controlling someone else’s behavior impossible, it’s also pointless. Whatever problem we’re blaming them for really resides within our thinking.

Here’s what I mean: Two different people can witness the same interaction and perceive different levels of negativity in the exchange. This is due to our own unique set of beliefs through which we view the world. 

“Negative” interactions can actually give us opportunities to change something profound in ourselves if we let them. If we perceive things as negative, we are affected negatively. If we perceive things as positive, or at least try to find a silver lining, we are affected positively.

2. Responsibility

Learning that my perceptions and judgments were the true source of my emotional pain is changed my outlook on life significantly. I learned I could influence how much or whether or not I suffered, and I no longer felt afraid of how others were going to act or how I was going to react.

It’s empowering knowing this. But, like Uncle Ben says in Spiderman, “…with great power comes great responsibility.” Once you understand that your interpretations of things matter more than whatever anyone else does, you can’t deny your responsibility – for the way you treat others, the way you treat yourself, and how happy or miserable you are.

It’s easier to blame other people than take responsibility for your inner peace. You feel better about yourself if you can blame others. You get to be the victim and receive attention from others for your suffering which makes you temporarily feel better. You can’t blame others for your suffering anymore. If you do, you’re lying to yourself.

“Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen R. Covey

3. The two selves: love and fear

I believe that we are more than our bodies and our minds. I believe we have some sort of soul, spirit, or higher consciousness that is beyond our bodies and minds that we have yet to fully understand. 

This part of us is said to be our true self – which is pure unconditional love, creative, limitless, cannot be harmed, and never dies. In many spiritual schools of thought, this higher part of us is made up of the same energy that makes up the entire universe and binds everything together.

Some people call this part of us God, or at least say that it’s connected with God. However, when we are young and begin to develop language and understand our place in the world, our minds create an idea about who we think we are (called the Ego in psychology), and how we think the world works based on fear, lack, and limitation. We suffer because we believe the lies our mind creates and try to live as if they were true.

4. The more someone is hurting, the more hurtful they will usually act

Remember the last time you heard someone say something to you that hurt you? The truth is more than likely they were stressed out and/or upset. They were probably functioning from fear. If you reacted by feeling attacked/defensive and wanting to attack back, that means you let their fear pull you in so that you started operating from fear as well.

Albert Einstein said, “You cannot solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that created it.” You can’t solve fear with more fear. The only way to solve fear is to meet it with love. If you can recognize that when someone is attacking you they’re in a state of fear and then you respond from love instead of attacking back, you will help them as well as yourself.

Of course, you can still communicate to them how you felt about what happened and stick to your boundaries, and that doesn’t mean you’re coming from fear. It means you’re acknowledging the situation and having an honest dialogue to improve your relationship. Acting rude, cold, passive aggressive, or attacking back means you’ve let fear win.

“If you do not have control over your mouth, you will not have control over your future.” – Germany Kent

5. Accept your emotions – don’t try to change them

Sometimes when I’d get upset about other people’s negativity, I would end up being more upset about how I felt about it than about what originally happened. Because I did not want to be so easily upset all the time, I would get upset with myself for feeling upset! As you can imagine that only made things worse. If you understand that your feelings can’t hurt you unless you stay in that negative state for a long time, you can accept them and move on much easier.

You can say to yourself, yes, I feel really pissed off and really upset about what happened and that’s okay. Your feelings will pass like clouds in the sky. When you don’t like how you feel, you try to make yourself feel differently. That’s when you get stuck. You’re trying to force your feelings away because you see them as being bad, and you will only feel worse and worse. Acknowledging that it’s okay to feel upset will lead to a much faster turnaround from your state.

What strategies do you use for handling other people’s negativity? Add your favorites in the comments below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/how-to-protect-yourself-from-other-peoples-negativity/

19 Tom Bilyeu Quotes That Will Inspire You To Become Your Best Self

Tom Bilyeu is the co-founder of billion-dollar brand Quest Nutrition and the co-founder and host of Impact Theory. With the goal to help people unlock their potential, and actualize their dreams, Tom speaks to the greatest minds of today and spreads their knowledge throughout the world. Through his content and public speaking, he inspires his audience to become the best versions of themselves.

Here are 19 of Tom Bilyeu’s most inspiring quotes to give you a fresh perspective on life and business:

1. You have to be willing to see things that are impossible and TRY.

Even when science says something can’t be done, all it takes is some stubborn outlier to debunk the theory. If you want to make the impossible possible, all that’s required is a little effort and ingenuity. Just look at Dick Fosbury, an influential athlete that revolutionized high-jumping by inventing his own approach to the sport.

2. Don’t let joy be an accident. Create it.

This is such an important quote because if you look at the majority of successful people in the world, they’ll tell you to measure your life in happiness rather than money or accomplishments. Even Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, says he measures success by how many people love him. So do what you love with the people you love and you can’t go wrong.

3. What price are you willing to pay for greatness?

It’s common knowledge that If you want an amazing body, you have to work out and eat right. Just like if you want that fancy new car, you need to work hard to pay for it. And without trying to sound like spiderman, greatness comes at a price. So if you’re spending time with people that aren’t contributing to your happiness or success, you’ll need to keep them at a distance. 

It’s up to you to evaluate your life and see where you’re wasting your time and efforts, then take necessary action to get rid of those distractions. So what are you willing to sacrifice?

4. Pick one thing. And go at it with everything you’ve got. 

What do Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Warren Buffett all have in common? They’re all a master of one particular craft. Oprah will always be an expert in self-help. Buffett, Investing. Gates, Computers. What do you want to be known for?

5. You could do more. You could be more.

Chances are no matter what business you’re in and hours you’re committing, you can probably think of an area where you could be doing more than what you currently are. Stay accountable.

6. If you look for the negative, it will be there. If you look for the positive, it will overwhelm you.

Like the old saying “where your attention goes, energy flows”, if you constantly look at what’s going wrong in your life without taking a step back to appreciate what’s going right, you’ll just want to hide in your bed all day. So what are three things right now that you could say thanks for?

7. Don’t ask what’s the least you can do. Ask what’s the most you can bear.

In an age where everything is being provided to us on a silver platter, it’s becoming increasingly harder to put in the extra mile for anything. However, there’s no getting around the old proverb “what you sow, so shall you reap.”

8. It’s about identity. Be the kind of person that gets things done. Even when it’s hard.

The way we see ourselves sets the stage for how others see us too. Joe Rogan loved the idea of pretending there’s an imaginary camera following you around documenting your life. Imagine how morbid you would be looking back on that video and not seeing the badass, get stuff done type, that you wanted to be. 

9. The level of effort you tolerate from yourself will define your life.

Your successes in life will always be in direct proportion to your efforts. 

10. The way to build a big business is to take care of people.

This applies not only to your customers but also to your employees. Solving problems has always been the key to great business.

11. If you really want to cut through the noise, you’re going to have to outperform everyone else. 

In a nutshell: effort equals results. So are you prepared to wake up at 4 in the morning if you have to? How are you going to stand out amongst the competition?

12. Make it your daily obsession to make the most of your potential.

You might have heard that your habits make you who you are. And you’d be right to take that on board. As Will Durant once said, “We are what we repeatedly do, excellence, then, is not an act, it’s a habit”.

13. “Never be afraid to change course.” 

As Einstein once said: “ Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. Simply put, if something is not working, change it up a little. Take a different approach to it. Any good entrepreneur has been through their share of trial and error.

14. “Failure is temporary. Move quickly past it. What lies beyond the failure is the lesson.” 

What lies beyond the lesson is your next success.

15. Decide who you want to become. Make that the center of your focus.

As the renowned speaker and author Stephen Covey once wrote: “Start with the end in mind”. Once you get clear on an end goal (who it is you want to be) it becomes easier to focus on the direction to actualize it. 

16. Don’t worry about where to start. Remember, it’s the decisions you make, it’s the decision to get started, it’s the decision to face possible failure, it’s the decision to get up once you’ve failed and it’s the decision of what to learn when you fail.

Being decisive is just another trait you’ll see consistently among successful people. Being able to decide on a course of action, follow-through, then make adjustments when needed is the true sign of a winning mindset.

17. You’ve got to take risks to be a game-changer.

As the old saying goes: “you’ll miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take”.

18. “Confidence is deciding you’re unstoppable – not that you’ll never fail.”

Failure really is the harbinger of success. So be sure to keep pressing forward when you fail because confidence comes naturally the more you learn from those experiences. As the great Dan Peña once said: “I may be wrong but I’ll never be uncertain”.

19. “The greatest mind control is control over your own mind.”

Whether it’s business, sport or dating, all your success starts in the mind. Your thoughts determine your actions, your actions determine your habits, your habits determine your success.

What is your favorite Tom Bilyeu quote? Share your thoughts below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/quotes/19-tom-bilyeu-quotes-that-will-inspire-you-to-become-your-best-self/

A Salesman’s Guide On What To Do When Your Prospect Misses Your Call

Regardless of what you are selling, or what your business is, it’s a common occurrence that a prospect doesn’t answer a sales call. It has definitely happened to me as a salesperson and entrepreneur. Now as a CEO, I help my sales teams as well as my clients with increasing their sales ratio from what many salespeople would perceive as a dead lead.

This strategy came to fruition mainly through trial and error, and being so hungry to make sales at the beginning of my journey, that I would do anything I could to close a deal. This process and the word tracks I use, has now become an emotionless system that I train my sales team on and my private clients in when working with them on converting the leads we help them generate for their companies.

Here is the framework that I use:

The Voicemail

I call the prospective buyer at our scheduled time. I get their voicemail. I leave a voicemail saying, “Hey (name of prospect), this is Sidney with the Better Leads Box and I was calling on our scheduled call we had today at (specific time scheduled) and got your voicemail. No biggie! I know life gets in the way sometimes. Would you like to reschedule our call for later today or is later this week better? I look forward to chatting with you soon.”

The Text Message

After leaving the voicemail, I immediately use the same word track above and I send this message to the prospect in a text message, as well as a Facebook message. By doing this, our team has seen a 50% higher conversion rate from leads that did not answer their first scheduled sales call.

The reason this strategy works is a mixture of two things, including a word track that is laced with language patterns and embedded commands. It also contacts the client through their direct response communication channels.

The Direct Response Communication Channels

We reach out to our prospects who missed the sales call by voicemail, text message and by Facebook messenger. These three communication platforms are meant for a direct response of some kind and usually quickly. Could you email them? Yes of course, if that’s your clients best way of communication with you. Heck, if fax was still a viable way of communication, I would say fax it.

We want to reach out to the client immediately after missing the call, using multiple channels (voicemail, text and messenger). This will allow us to determine which are the best communication channels with the client, based on what they are most likely to see and respond to. We have found an increase in receiving messages back to reschedule the call when we send these messages within two hours of the original scheduled time.

Language Patterns and Embedded Commands

Let’s break this word track apart:

The first sentence, “Hey (first name of prospect), this is Sidney with the Better Leads Box and I was calling on our scheduled call we had today at (specific time scheduled) and got voicemail, no biggie, I know life gets in the way sometimes.

By saying the first name of the prospect, it comes across less formal, less stuffy which increases your bond with the customer from the message. It is like you have already established a positive connection with the prospect. Then you explain who you are. When done like this in text, this allows your name and where you are coming from to be above the fold (where people can see it on the notification of the text or Facebook message) without having to open it in any way.

The second part of this word track is where the language pattern, called a double bind, really drives the prospect to move and reschedule the sales call.  It goes like this, “Would you like to reschedule our call for later today or is later this week better?” The unconscious mind will typically pick one of the two options we have provided – reschedule today, or later this week.

And finally we finish with the embedded command, “I look forward to chatting with you soon.” We embed into the prospects mind that we will be talking with them soon.

I am confident that by implementing this strategy into your business you will see and increase in your conversion rates from the leads that miss a scheduled sales call. 

If you’re in sales, what do you think is the most challenging part about your work? Share your thoughts with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/a-salesmans-guide-on-what-to-do-when-your-prospect-misses-your-call/

How to Write a Personal Destiny Statement in 3 Steps

We all have a God-given destiny to fulfill that we were each born with. I personally believe it is buried deep down within us. The number one secret to success is to let it emerge out of you and release it to the world. What is my destiny you may ask? It is the thing you would regret not doing before leaving Planet Earth.

In the book, Five Regrets of the Dying, Bonnie Ware states one of the top five regrets is, “I wish I had the courage to live a life that was true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” We each have a purposeful, powerful and passionate dream we were born with. Sometimes it gets shoved aside out of fear or resistance to ourselves.

You can’t be afraid to own it and declare it to the world. Sometimes you feel you’re not worthy or that you could never manifest it. Resistance to our inner greatness is debilitating. It keeps you safe and comfortable with your dreams stuffed down inside you.

Nothing helps more than writing out your personal life mission in one intentional statement. Make the vision plain and write it on the wall so you can run with it. An example of a famous person’s mission statement is Oprah Winfrey. 

Years before she was famous, she wrote the following vision statement. “To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.” When she first wrote this, she never dreamed it would be on TV. Sometimes your vision forces you to step out and up into something greater than your very being.

Once you have your destiny statement in front of you, it clarifies your vision. It defines what you will give your time and attention to. Nothing is as empowering and impactful as a personal destiny statement.

Here are three steps to getting started today:

1. Define your top talents and strengths

Make a list of your top traits and see if those might become part of your destiny statement. What does everyone say about you? What have you loved doing since you were 5 years old? What are you naturally good at doing? What do people say about you over and over? What have you been denying about yourself for years?

“Focus on your work. Do what you’re great at. Don’t compare yourself to others and or waste time criticizing the lives and work of others. Do what matters most to you and make a difference doing that.” – Germany Kent

2. Write out what you want to accomplish in one statement

Ask yourself what you want to be remembered for? What do you most dream of accomplishing in your lifetime? If you had no limits, restraints, and nothing holding you back, what would you go for? If money weren’t a factor, what would you ultimately pursue?

You will only live a lesser version of your life, full of story and why you couldn’t have your one true dream if you don’t get this real with yourself. Dig deep inside your core to reveal your one authentic truth. 

You must have a respect for your calling. You were born with it after all and it is a talent given to you as an investment. What will you do with your investment? If you sow a seed, you will reap a great harvest. Great world leaders invested in themselves, took huge risks and became who they were born to be even after suffering much adversity.

Let me share with you my destiny statement written in three different ways. I have always wanted to be a motivational speaker on a huge level. When I am totally authentic with myself it is my highest dream.

“To use my gifts of courage, motivation and words to inspire the masses to transform their lives, take back their worst fears and fail forward.”

“To use my talents of talk, encouragement and my life story of overcoming fear to empower others to lead the best life they can ever imagine, championing their destiny and overcoming the worst in life to create the best most beautiful outcomes.”

“To create connections, conversations that release a chain reaction in others, an explosion of growth where they completely fall in love with their lives and are compelled to fulfill their destiny.”

3. Once you have your vision secured, then you need to post it on the wall

Your subconscious brain will actually think of ways to manifest your vision. Once you put it out there, then you can begin to manifest it. Recognize that fulfilling your destiny will cost you everything you have in life. On the flip side you must ask yourself what will it cost you to not fulfill your destiny?

“You must decide if you are going to rob the world or bless it with the rich, valuable, potent, untapped resources locked away within you.” – Myles Munroe 

We all were born with richness in our soul; often untapped potential locked away. Release it, activate it and set it free. The gifts and talents you were born with were never for you but for everyone around you in life. When you give them away, life and all its glory will come back to you in its highest measure.

What’s your personal destiny statement? Share it with us! We’d love to hear it.

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/how-to-write-a-personal-destiny-statement-in-3-steps/