by Ann Evanston | Nov 3, 2017 | Business Strategy, Vision Values Purpose
I know. Every successful person you’ve ever read, watched on stage, been mentored by or coached tells you: “you must set goals in order to have what you want in life.“
Believe me, I am a goal setter and I am very driven and disciplined when it comes to my goals.
Sometimes though a goal can actually get in the way of success. Sometimes you can be so focused on achieving your goal, but you don’t see how you are dropping other important things around you that will actually improve your life, career, and happiness. Sometimes you can be so driven to get your goal done, that you do not see opportunities that make life easier and therefore more successful.
For example, I set a goal to blog three times a week this year. Since I started it I have successfully written and posted three blogs or week! I have been very focused and disciplined to achieve that goal. The reason why was to increase organic traffic to my website. And guess what? Blogging three times a week does that. It works! So I keep blogging. Also it’s so close to the end of the year, it would be horrible to fail!
But the goal got in the way. I stopped updating website content. I never got my speaker page up as well as other simple updates. I got behind on emailing my list old and new connections. Because the writing three times a week has zapped my writing energy. So who cares if I’m driving more organic traffic if the website isn’t updated! Who cares if I am list building if I never email them!
Sometimes one must look further into their goals. Are they really achieving what you want?
by Ann Evanston | Oct 25, 2017 | Business Strategy, Personal Power, Speaking Strategy
Recently I had the opportunity to teach my Influential Voice course to a group of higher level corporate leaders. It was a great cross-section of different types of industries and backgrounds. I love when people with years of experience still want to learn!
In this program one of the things we cover is the power of using stories to inspire groups of people. I have a simple storytelling method I teach, and they get several times to practice and get feedback in front of everyone.
One participant is a securities software professional. His work is very technical! And here I am asking him to tell stories that increase vulnerability and connect people emotionally. That’s how we create buy-in and yes in others. He wholeheartedly embraced the challenge!
As we started practicing our stories, he revealed that his degree was actually in marine biology. And throughout the class he told these amazing stories and adventures in college and just out …. all related to marine life. He fully engaged the listeners sensory experience!
Better yet? He was 100% able to take those personal stories and relate them back to a point he would want to make to a team at work.
[Tweet “Your Personal stories allow others to know, like, and trust you!”]
Ultimately, that’s a key to a great story. You allow us to learn about you, which means we know like and trust you more, and you create a teachable moment or powerful point so we know why it matters.
Often people tell me they have no stories to share. Every day something happens where you can create a relatable story. Just look at how this man was able to take marine biology and related to a security software team!
by Ann Evanston | Sep 14, 2017 | Business Strategy, Mental Mind Shifts
Energy has to be handled effectively in order to achieve greater levels of success. Too often we try to plan and force energy to work the way we need it to based on our “to do list” versus channel or pay attention to energy. ( Be sure to read last weeks post.)
Energy can come from two places. The first being your own energy . And secondly what I call the nine energetic relationships.
When you think about your own energy it’s important to see if your to do list is aligning with what you say “needs to be done.” Greater success will start if you can align your energy with the work that you need to do.
For example, my intense get it done energy is much stronger in the morning then it is in the afternoon. Knowing that about myself means that I can focus on getting key important things done right away…like working out!
Where many women struggle that I work with is understanding that they control their energy daily, as well as monthly and quarterly, which means throughout the year. (And no, I am not talking about your menstrual cycle!) . It’s time to pay attention to your energy and use it effectively and order to achieve what you need to do.
And when a schedule, like my speaking at a conference all day, requires a certain energy level that’s when I can draw upon the nine energetic relationships.
Ultimately, like I said last week, successful people understand how energy works and can handle it effectively in order to achieve what they desire. Are you managing energy, or allowing it to manage you?
[Tweet “Are you managing energy, or allowing it to manage you?”]
by Ann Evanston | Sep 7, 2017 | Business Strategy
Success is simply ones progressive commitment to a goal or desire. While walking that path, a successful person uses money to realize their goals or desires and to live as they choose. Let me be clear: success isn’t about how much money you make. I don’t care if you make $300, $3000, or $300,000 a month. It’s about how you utilize money to realize your goals and desires and live as you choose, in a happy, easy way.
What differentiates successful people from those that struggle is their ability to understand one important skill. Successful people know how energy works and how to handle it and move it effectively.
Energy exists in several key relationships that we have to be consciously aware of and choose to shift positively. Too often people who struggle to have what they want in their lives allow energy to happen to them rather than make energy happen in those important areas.
Are you consciously connecting your energy? Do you make choices throughout your day to shift positively? Or do you find that people or situations can energetically drain or even impact you negatively?
[Tweet “Consciously connect and shift energy for greater success!”]
by Ann Evanston | Aug 25, 2017 | Business Strategy, Relationship
Do you create connection when engaging others? Are you open to connections? Do you follow up? I will bet your answer is yes. I believe that you know that our ability to have greater success depends on connections.
Or have you gotten comfortable with the connections you already have? Maybe you are running in the same circle? If your answer is yes the question is different. Does your circle empower you, provide resources and solutions? And do you for it?
Where are you reaching out to make new connections? Or better yet, how do you make sure you introduce people to others they should meet?
Influence begins with building and nurturing connections.
by Ann Evanston | Aug 20, 2017 | Business Strategy, Mental Mind Shifts
The Internet, and especially social media, has greatly changed how we can market and network in our businesses. In 2007, I made a significant change in my target market and I needed to find them. Using the Internet and social platforms allowed me to connect with people I would not otherwise meet.
I also developed techniques that allowed me to connect with people in this “strange place” that we were all figuring out! Back then I had tremendous success with being social first. Fast forward 10 years and social media platforms and what is happening on them has changed dramatically. Most of them were private back then and now they’re not. The goal of making money is not only for the company, but for many companies the people using the platforms.
For a period of time I was still running with the old mindset of “build relationship, be social, get to know people, don’t over share what you sell.” And guess what? It was getting me nowhere in terms of growing my business. See, I had to change my mindset about marketing on these platforms. I had to look at what successful small business owners where doing.
I had to stretch my comfort zone and be willing to try something that would make me uncomfortable, something, because of my closed mind, I was judging negatively. I’m a big believer if something makes me uncomfortable I need to expand my mindset in order to grow.
So what was the technique? Simply private messaging people in connection with the project I’m working on, or share what I have, to see if they’re interested. Now, I still do my homework and use personalized language to connect with things that they’re involved with, or doing, or sharing on the platform. I do not just send a generic message to every single person I’m connected to that means nothing to them.
My goal 10 contacts a day. As a result of that I’ve had an increase in sales that’s been dramatic in 30 days! In addition, I reached out to a couple heavy hitters and through a conversation after the private message they are giving me opportunities that will be mind blowing for my business! Beyond what I asked for!
Do you need a new mindset about what you’re doing in creating connection and potentially growing your business at the same time?
[Tweet “Success is dependent on a “yes” Mindset. Where can you think more “yes?””]
