Debbie LaChusa

One of my coaches use to tell me that I needed to take time out to celebrate my wins. My usual pattern? Once I reach the top of one mountain, I've already got my sights set on the next hill to climb. What I've realized is that constantly climbing mountain after mountain without taking time out to celebrate even the little victories leads to burn-out. Just as if you were hiking a real mountain, it's important to stop and enjoy the view, take a drink of water and rest every so often.

If you can put this same philosophy into practice when it comes to managing and marketing your business, I think you will find yourself enjoying the journey more and achieving greater success. Because those little breaks and celebrations are what fuel us to keep reaching higher. So just how have I chosen to celebrate my wins this past month? I treated myself to ice cream from my favorite place, Cold Stone Creamery; I took my family out for dinner and we toasted my success, and I took an entire day off and just relaxed. How about you? How are you celebrating your wins?

I can't believe it's already April and the first quarter of 2006 is history. This past week I decided to take out the Vision Statement I wrote in January and revisit it. I realized I had gotten really busy "doing" and I needed to step back for a moment and just "be." I find we often make things harder than they need to be by trying to force the outcomes we think should be happening. Instead of just doing our part and then trusting.

Whenever I take the time to step back, focus on my positive affirmations and my vision, something incredible happens to renew my faith in the power of the universe. An amazing example of this happened last week. My marketing priority this month has been selling out my Spring Extreme Marketing Makeover Program.

I had been invited to teach two teleseminars, but instead of putting together an incredible offer for my makeover program to close the teleseminars with, I simply let the participants know how they could learn more about 10stepmarketing. I got off the second call and decided to meditate. A short while later a participant in one of the courses registered for my Extreme Marketing Makeover Program.

Later that day several particpants from the other teleseminar contacted me about participating in my makeover program, and to let me know they had several friends that wanted to join them. My immediate response was, "Wow, that was easy!" And then I remembered that manifesting what we want doesn't have to be a struggle. But so often we make it one.

I'd like to invite you to step back and remember what it is you're trying to create. Then ask yourself if you're forcing the issue, or, if you're doing your part and then leaving room for the marketing magic to unfold. Very often the marketing magic is much more powerful than we could create on our own. So be sure to allow room for it.

I just returned from 4 days in Las Vegas. I did not go there to gamble. It's Spring Break and my 16-year-old daughter Brianna was playing in a fast-pitch softball tournament. So I packed her, my son and grandma in the car (hubby had to stay home and work) and we headed to sin city for a week of R&R and cheering on the Wolf Pack softball team. It was a great week ... the team placed third out of 32 teams and Brianna even hit a home run AND a grand slam in ONE game! You should have seen me jumping up and down and cheering! Yes, I am a very proud mom! :-)

Even though we had a great time, Las Vegas is not one of my favorite places. I'm not a gambler or a smoker and Vegas has too much of both for my taste. But as I walked through the casinos looking at all the people dropping coins into the slot machines hoping to win big, it made me realize those people are probably not all that different from me. I'm pouring my time, money and energy into another machine ... a machine I hope will someday pay big. That machine is my PC and the Internet. I don't look at what I do as gambling because I'm educating myself and following proven practices. And I'm happy to say I love what I do, so it's fun for me - it doesn't feel like work.

Some people might call me a gambler. I guess starting your own business is a bit of a gamble. There's no guarantee it will succeed. But I for one can't imagine going through life any other way. I love the excitement, the challenges, the unexpected ups and downs that being an entrepreneur provides. How about you?

I have a confession to make. I'm not very good at taking time off. Because my office is in my home, it's always there. I've had many people say they don't know how I get any work done. They share they'd have a hard time working when it's so easy to go do something else like watch TV, go outside, or do laundry. I guess I have the opposite problem. I have a hard time NOT working because my work is always right there. And I love what I do. So I spend a lot of time doing it. Sometimes to the dismay of my husband and kids who are often yelling from the family room next door - "Mom, are you going to come watch TV with us?!"

But I'm happy to report I took last week off. I went out of town with my kids and we had a great time. Turns out the hotel we stayed in didn't have wireless Internet services (yes, I took my laptop!) so I couldn't work. Probably just the Universe's way of forcing me to take time off. And, as always happens when I do take time off, I came home with renewed energy for my business and a new perspective. Suddenly all those little things that just had to get done, don't seem quite so important. I'm more relaxed and accepting of where my business is, and I don't feel so frantic to make things happen. I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be and it's all good.

Funny, this happens every time I take a vacation. Yet I'm amazed at how quickly I "forget" and fall back into my work-too-much routine. But at least I'm aware, and they say that's the first step toward change! How about you? Do you work too much? Or, are you good at taking time off and "going with the flow?" I'd love to hear about it.

As I write this message I'm not feeling too well. I don't get sick very often, but when I woke up this morning I knew it was one of those days I just needed to go back to bed and sleep. So that's what I did ... sleep. As the day slipped by, I realized that some days we just need to take a break and step away from our busy, go-go schedule. It's easy to get caught up in all the items on our "to do" list. Taking a break allows us to clear our mind and renew our focus and perspective.

You realize that if a day goes by and you don't get everything on your "to do" list done, the world doesn't end. And there's comfort in that. Especially for us busy entrepreneurs who are raging toward success. Often it feels like we just can't get there fast enough!

I encourage you to take some time in the near future to step back and take a break. Take a short vacation, or just play for a day. Or, even take a "sick" day and just relax (hopefully yours will be by choice!). I'll bet you'll see things differently when you come back and maybe even have a clearer focus for your business.

My 13-year-old son Jake got braces this week. I've been through this before with my daughter (she spent 4 years in braces!) but it's a whole new ball game for Jake. For one, he LOVES popcorn and with braces it's now off limits. I'm sure he's going to suffer withdrawals! In the end it's all for a good cause - beautiful, healthy teeth and a great smile. But for him, two years without popcorn probably seems like an eternity.

This got me to thinking that even in business we often have long-time habits that we need to break if we really want to be successful. For me, it's a habit of holing up in my home office working all the time. I know that to be truly successful I've got to get out, meet people, attend networking events and forge new relationships. So I work hard to stay mindful of this everyday.

How about you? What habits do you have that coud be stifling the growth of your business? I encourage you to think about it, and then do whatever you can to overcome them for the greater good. Just like Jake will be foregoing popcorn temporarily for a more beautiful smile!

Ever just have one of those weeks? This past week has been a "doosie" for me. Just a lot going on. I'm smack dab in the middle of my Spring Extreme Marketing Makeover Program - which is a lot of fun but is also time consuming as I personally help all 7 participants with their marketing.

Things are also hopping with our real estate investing business ... we celebrated two birthdays in our family this week ... and on top of all this, my dad landed himself in the emergency room on Monday evening and spent the entire week in the hospital. Thankfully, he's home now and is going to be just fine.

About the only way I can describe my week is an emotional roller coaster! Luckily, having my own business gives me the flexibility to "roll with it" when weeks like this come along! I'm very grateful for this. In fact, this flexibility is one of the things I love most about being self-employed and it's the reason I started my own business 8 years ago. You see, I love my work, but when my kids were born, I was really torn between work and being there for them.

So I immediately negotiated a part-time, flex-time work agreement so I could be balance work and family more easily. After years of working this way, I decided it was time to go out on my own and I've never looked back. I LOVE the flexibility. I get to do work I love AND be there for my kids. Frankly, I don't know how other mothers who work full time out of the home do it. I consider myself very blessed. And, with my daughter getting ready to leave for college in a little over a year, I am so thankful I didn't spend the past 16 years missing out on her life because of work. And, I believe I've been able to set a very good example for her as well.

How about you? What do you like most about having your own business? I'd love to hear about it.

Over the past week I've talked to quite a few friends who are also solo-professionals, and the one thing that keeps coming up is that we are all working HARD. Creating and building a business is a lot of work. And while we all love the work we're doing and can't imagine doing anything else, it's not as easy as we thought it would be. Or as easy as many people would have us believe.

We all agreed there are a lot of "gurus" out there telling us how easy it is. I guess it's part of the marketing game. After all, would we buy advice or training or info products from someone telling us, "hey, this is going to be hard!" Probably not. Because in this fast-paced age we find ourselves living in, where we can message someone around the world instantly, see our digital photographs as soon as we take them, and have an instant marketing presence on the World Wide Web, everyone is looking for the quick fix.

The easy road to easy street. The guaranteed success magic pill. Truth is, there just isn't one. Building a business takes time, persistance and yes, hard work. As does your marketing. But if you create a plan, stick with it and consistently take steps to build and market your business, you will get there. And I do believe it will be worth every second you put into it. As long as you remember to stay present and enjoy the journey.

As part of my marketing plan tune-up this week, I also checked in on my Vision. Every year I create a vision for what I want to create in my life. I paint a picture in my mind for what my life and my business will look like one year from now. I also create what I call a "Success Poster." This is where I get out my crayons and colored markers and create a real picture of what that vision looks like. My success poster hangs over my desk so I can see it every day. It has words and pictures to remind me what it feels like to have achieved my vision.

For example, it has the names of some of the JV partners I'd love to work with this year. It has pictures of the real estate I want to invest in. And lots of smiling faces representing all the clients I will be helping with their marketing.
And even though I see my poster every day, I like to really look at it and give it a vision check-up this time of year.
It tunes me back into what I'm trying to create in my life. It helps me re-evaluate decisions to determine if they're really going to move me toward this vision. And it gives me a chance to celebrate the aspects of my vision that are already coming to fruition.

Last week I got to celebrate two! I already have JV plans in the works with one of my Dream Team JV partners, Lorrie Morgan-Ferraro of Red Hot Copy. And, I've checked off the 4 real estate investments I wanted to have by year's end. Woo-hoo! When you keep your vision front and center in your life you will move foward faster and easier than if you only revisit it once a year in January. So take some time this week to review your vision. And let me know how you're progressing!

I'd also like to invite you to read the article I wrote recently, titled "Time For Your 6-Month Vision Check-up""

One of the things I've noticed after coaching many solo-professionals is they all have a different comfort level when it comes to marketing and sales. Some people are outgoing and very comfortable networking, taking risks, running with and testing new ideas and just putting themselves and their business out there. Others hate the idea of marketing and selling, they want to have all their ducks in a row before taking a step and the thought of attending a networking event, speaking to a crowd or picking up the phone and cold-calling makes them want to crawl in a hole.

I was in a new business presentation last week and afterward my colleague commented on how comfortable I was in that situation. I realized he was right. But it wasn't always that way. I told him when I first got into business I was terrified of speaking in front of a group - even a group of four or five people. I remember I used to shake and I was sure everyone in the room could hear my heart pounding out of my chest and the quiver in my voice. It's funny how 20 years later, after presenting and speaking to groups over and over again how all of that fear and nervousness has disappeared. And now I truly enjoy sharing what I know with others in presentation situations.

It's all a matter of taking steps to improve your skills, practicing over and over again, and being willing to step through your fear. That's how you learn and get better. And eventually what may have been a weakness no longer is.

What is it about marketing or managing your business that stops you? Are you like I used to be, shaking in your boots every time you have to talk to someone about your business or make a presentation? Or does something else make you want to crawl in a hole? Please share by posting a comment or response. Because the first step to overcoming that fear is acknowledging it.

I spent last weekend in Las Vegas with my 16-year-old daughter, Brianna. It was the first fastpitch softball showcase tournament of the summer for her. She's been playing softball since she was 5 years old. And she's been competing seriously since she was 12. Her dream? To earn a college softball scholarship so she can play the game she loves while purusing her college education. She's been planning this dream for years, and she has taken all the right steps to make it a reality. Getting good grades. Playing for softball clubs that can get her into tournaments to be seen by softball scouts from all across the country. Getting extra help from batting and fielding coaches to improve her skills. And even learning how to market herself. Guess who she consulted on this last one?! :-)

You can apply the same steps to pursuing your dream of building a successful business. First, decide what YOUR dream is. Then determine what steps you need to take to get there. Then start taking consistent action on all those steps. Be persistent. Recognize you may need to expand your knowledge or skills. Don't be shy about getting that knowldge and training. The bottom-line is you have to be willing to believe in your dream and to do whatever it takes to get there. If you don't have that level of passion and commitment, success will probably elude you.

I've shared my daughter's dream. My dream? Turning 10stepmarketing into a business that helps thousands of solo-professionals all around the world learn how to be successful doing work they love. I work on fulfilling that dream every single day just like Brianna works on hers. How about you? What's your dream? Are you taking steps every day to achieve it? I'd love to hear about it.

And be sure to check back on Friday to hear my interview with Risa Olinksy of Classic Fitness & Wellness. She was told her dream was impossible. Well, she didn't let that stop her. Tune in Friday to hear the steps she took to build her business exactly the way she wanted, despite those who doubted it would work.

When I first started my business 8 years ago, I did not have delusions of grandeur. My only goal was to create a small consulting business I could run from my home, so I could be there for my kids. I just wanted to make enough money to pay the bills and be comfortable. Partly because that was all I needed, and partly because that was all I thought I was capable of doing. Then one day I realized I had hit a plateau. My business just wasn't growing anymore. I guess I really shouldn't have been surprised. I had created exactly what I set out to create years earlier.

But a little over two years ago, I started down a path of personal development. I got rid of the thoughts that were keeping me and my business small and made the decision that I wanted to play big. I had to work through some major mental blocks around this idea - first to know it was possible, second to know I deserved it, and third to realize I could still have the time I wanted to spend with my family - that my business didn't have to rule my life. I've learned that if I only play small, I'm limiting myself and the circle of people I can share my gift with. Now, my goals are big. To quote one of my mentors, Loral Langemeier, they're "big, hairy audacious goals!" Now I want to help as many people as I possibly can, and I'm building a business and a system to do just that.

How about you? How big are you thinking? Are you limiting the size of your dream and your business because you think that's all you deserve, or all you're capable of? If so, I dare you to DREAM BIG! It may be a bit uncomfortable at first, but that's how you grow. And, putting it out there is the first step toward achieving it. Won't you share it with me and the others reading this blog? Who knows, someone reading it may be just the person to help you get to the next level.

Be sure to check back Friday to listen to my interview with Dr. Glenda Tavormina to hear how she's applying the "Think Big" strategy to building her and her husband's dental practice.

I was talking to my brother Ryan the other day and he asked me, "Have you heard of The Secret?" I told him "No" and asked him what it was. He shared it was a movie about a secret that many of the most powerful and influential people throughout history knew. He was going to watch the DVD that night and I told him to let me know how it was.

The next day I received an email from my former Peak Potentials SuccessTracs coach, Karen, talking about "The Secret" and the powerful influence it has had on her life. She coached me for one full year yet this never came up. I found it mildly coincidental I was learning about this the day after my brother mentioned it. Incidentally, I just saw "The Celestine Prophecy" (one of my favorite books of all time) a few days ago. The message in this movie and book is all about trusting your intuition and looking for the "coincidences" in life, because they're directing you. So, needless to say, I purchased The Secret DVD! I figured the Universe was sending me a powerful message to see this movie. Well, it arrived and we just watched it. All I can say is it IS powerful. You will not think or act the same after seeing this movie. If you've ever heard of the Law of Attraction, or even if you haven't, this film offers testimony after testimony of its power. If you're struggling in any aspect of your life ... your business, your relationships, anything, you might be surprised to find out why. I highly encourage you to check out this movie. You can learn more and watch a free preview here.

Have you seen The Secret? I'd love to hear what you thought of it. Please share by making a post to this blog.

Over the past year, my 16-year-old daughter has had to learn how to market herself. She plays fast-pitch softball and she's trying to earn a college scholarship. And what we've both realized is that just being a good ball player is not enough. You have to market yourself to the colleges to get their attention, so they'll come see you play.

As I have watched her grow over the past year, the one thing I've noticed most is that she's gotten over her natural inclination to be shy. You see, she was never one to toot her own horn. But this experience with softball (and having a mom who is a marketer!) has taught her that shy people don't get noticed. You have to put yourself out there. You have to share your achievements with people. You have to send letters. You have to send emails. You have to make phone calls. You have to talk to people you don't know.

The same goes for creating a successful business. You can't expect to just sit quietly by and hope the world takes notice of you. You have to get out there and toot your own horn. You have to tell lots of people what you're doing. That's what marketing is all about. So if you find yourself being a bit shy about marketing yourself, I encourage you to do whatever it takes to overcome this challenge. Start putting yourself and your business out there. It may be uncomfortable at first, but it gets easier with every step. And the more you do it, the better marketer you'll become. And, as my daughter will attest, it's the only way to get what you really want! So are you a shy marketer? If so, post a comment on this blog. Tell us why marketing is hard for you ... why you've been shy about putting yourself out there. And consider it your first step in overcoming your shyness!

Marketing Tips Podcast: Overcoming Your Marketing Shyness

Remember the story of Aladdin and his magic lamp? He rubs it and a genie appears and says "Your wish is my command." I believe we all would find more of our wishes coming true if we'd learn to ask for help. That could mean asking for help from a friend, a mentor, a mastermind group, a coach or even taking a class or buying an information product.

However, I find that very often, we don't ask for help. We struggle with trying to figure things out by ourselves because we don't want others to know we don't have all the answers. I know I've fallen into this trap myself, many times. If you're honest with yourself, I'll be you have, too.

I challenge you to ask for help in one area of your life or business this week. Identify something you're struggling with, figure out who might be able to help you, and make that phone call or send that email to ask for help. Asking also comes into play when it comes to manifesting your dreams and achieving your goals. There's a great book I highly recommend that you might want to check out by Jerry and Esther Hicks called, "Ask and It Is Given. Learning to Manifest Your Desires." "

You might also want to ask the community reading this blog for help by posting a comment about what you need help with.

You probably read my headline and thought, wait a minute, isn't that backwards? Isn't it supposed to be "Ready, Aim, Fire?" Well, two years ago I might have agreed with you. But not anymore. Let me tell you a little story. I used to be one of those people who planned everything down to the smallest detail. Ever heard of "analysis paralysis?" Well I had it big time! I just was not comfortable doing anything, especially in business, until I had done ALL my research and put all my ducks in a row. As a result, it often took a long time to get up and running with new ideas.

So what exactly is Ready, Fire, Aim? The whole idea is you get ready to act, do your homework or your research, map out a plan and then you take action. You don't wait until you know everything about a subject. You learn enough to take a few steps and then you GO! As a result of this new approach, I have to say my business and I have grown more quickly than I ever thought possible. Yes, I've made some mistakes, but another funny thing happened along the way. I realized the mistakes DIDN'T KILL ME! In fact, I've learned more from my mistakes than from my successes.

You may be wondering why someone who advocates planning (The 10stepmarketing System is ALL about creating a marketing PLAN for your business) is touting the virtues of "Ready, Fire, Aim," the seeming antithesis of planning. It's because I don't want you to get stuck like I was for so many years. Get into the game, even if you think you're not ready. Do the best you can and recognize you're going to keep learning every step you take. Then adapt and finetune as you go. I guarantee you'll get where you want to go a whole lot faster!

If you've got kids like I do, you know it's back to school time. It's also a great time to step back and take a look at your business and identify what else you need to learn to keep it growing and moving forward. I'm a believer in constantly learning. It's a must in my book if you want to be successful in your own business. The world and technology are changing so rapidly that if you don't keep up with your continuing education or professional development, you will quickly fall behind. And that is no way to maintain a competitive advantage.

My focus for learning over the past two years has been everything Internet-related. First it was websites and email marketing. And at the beginning of this year is was blogs and podcasting. In fact, many of the things I am doing now to market and grow my business, I didn't even understand a year ago. But by attending seminars, buying information products and hiring mentors and coaches, I've been able to learn and start implementing them. It's exciting to me. Because not only is my business growing and evolving, but so am I.

I encourage you to look at your areas of weakness, or the things you'd like to learn more about and take steps today. Sign up for a class. Buy a book. Hire a coach. Just do something to keep yourself and your business moving forward.

I've had several opportunities over my 21-year career to take full-time advertising management jobs with big, fat paychecks, but I have declined. I determined years ago that the time commitment required by these types of positions is not a good fit for me. When my kids were born I made the decision that while I wanted to work, I also wanted to be there for them. And if I'm working 60+ hours per week in a job, that's just not possible. You see I also determined many years ago that no amount of money is worth throwing my life out of whack, especially if it means missing out on my kids lives. And I feel very blessed to have found a way to have both, by operating my own marketing consulting and training business out of my home.

I've seen too many people over the years who are stuck in jobs that don't make them happy but they can't see any way out. They've earned themselves into a corner. Ironically, I've actually made more money since I bowed out of full time agency work and started working on my own. And, I work fewer hours. The driving force for me has always been what I call the "Happiness Factor." I do the work I do because it makes me happy. And because it allows me to live the life I want to live, and to be there for my family. I've always believed that if you do work you love, the money will follow. I don't believe the opposite works. And more often than not, when what you seek is merely money, happiness usually eludes you.

It's Thanksgiving week so I'm taking a few moments to step back. I'm reflecting on the past year – looking in my "rear view mirror" if you will. And I encourage you to do the same. Yes, success is amazing and I'm not saying don't strive for it. But it's important to stop periodically and reflect on all the success we already have. It's too easy to get caught up in focusing on what we want, and what we don't have. When we do this, we lose sight of everything we DO have.

I subscribe to the philosophy of "what we focus on expands." I've seen it proven over and over in my life and my business, particularly in the past year. When I'm grateful and thankful for what I have, more of it comes my way. When I'm feeling like nothing is going right and things aren't happening fast enough, my life and business seem to stall.

Whether you believe in this or not, what you must realize is you will be a whole lot happier in your life and your business if you look for things to celebrate everyday, instead of always focusing on what you don't have or what's not happening.

Won't you join me in taking a Gratitude Journey this week?

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Did you know that how you deal with failure will in large part determine your level of success? We all have disappointments in our lives and with our businesses. Things don't go the way we planned. They don't turn out the way we want them to.

What we need to realize is we don't always know the best way to get where we want to go. Our viewpoint is limited to our current knowledge base and circumstances. So we plan a path within the confines of our knowledge believing that's the best way to get what we want.

When in reality, there may be a much faster or easier way to get there and we just don't know it yet. I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. I used to get very upset if I was moving along according to plan and I just wasn't getting the results I thought I should be getting.

My business wasn't growing as fast as I thought, or I wasn't as successful as I thought I should be. But what I've seen over time is that every time things didn't work out according to MY plan, that failure opened the door to another way. A way I wasn't aware of before. And I grew. And, best of all, based on that new knowledge, my business grew, too.

Failure is hard to swallow. Society celebrates winners. Winners in sports. Winners in elections. If you don't win, you're branded a loser. And no one wants to be a loser. But I have to say, that more often than not, I've found a beautiful silver liner in my losses and failures. And they've helped me grow to a much greater degree than my successes ever have.

How about you? Have you turned a failure into success? And, if so, how did you do it?

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A common problem I encounter with my clients is overwhelm. They are busy trying to create a new business, and they're trying to market that business and run every aspect of that business and they feel totally overwhelmed with all the tasks and responsibilities on their plate.

I've been there, too. Back when 10stepmarketing was just an idea in my head, I got stuck in that state of overwhelm for 9 straight months! I was busy running my consulting business and at the same time I had all these ideas for building this new business. Problem was, I had SO many ideas swimming around in my head, I couldn't see straight.

So what did I do? Unfortunately for 9 months I did nothing to start making my new business idea reality. I couldn't take a step because I was so overwhelmed with the enormity of the idea. I didn't know what to do first.

How did I break out of this standstill? Well, I didn't do it alone. I hired a coach. And that coach helped me break down my ideas into one step at a time. It seems silly as I look back now, because that was the concept behind 10stepmarketing. To break down the task of creating and implementing a marketing plan into simple, one-step-at-a-time tasks. But I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't even see that I could apply that same approach to my own situation.

With the help of my coach, we determined one step I could take each week to start turning 10stepmarketing into a reality. After one step was complete, my coach would ask me, "What's the next thing you can do this week to move this idea forward?" I'd pick ONE thing, and commit to doing it. And over the course of four months, I created the business.

It's amazing how simple things can be when we learn to focus on one step at a time! And, when we learn to ask for help when we really need it.

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Does anyone else have trouble focusing on work this time of year? There is so much going on with the holidays and shopping and parties that its downright tough to stay on task sometimes.

As a solo-professional, this can also become a year-round problem. When you work for yourself and by yourself, there's just YOU to keep you on task. You know what you need to do, but you may have a tough time getting yourself to do it. Or, you may get distracted and never get around to the important tasks that are required to build and grow your business.

Other than the holidays, I've never had too much trouble with this. If anything, I tend to work too much because I can, and because I love building my business and watching it grow. But if you're one of those people who gets off task easily, its even more important to have a plan. By taking the time to create a business and marketing plan that maps out how you want your business to grow, and spells out exactly what you need to do on a month-to-month basis to acheive that growth, you can more easily stay focused.

And, you can build some extra down time into your plan around the holidays, or over the summer, or whenever you want. Ahhh, the advantages of being self-employed!

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I always take some extra time off during the holidays. My kids are home on winter break, and its nice to be able to spend a little more time with them and just enjoy this time of year. That's one of the things I love most about having my own business - the ability to take time off when I want to.

The other side benefit I always realize is that by taking time off, and stepping away, it allows me to see things more clearly. It enables me to step back and really see my business from the outside. And I always come back to work refreshed and full of new energy and ideas to move my business forward.

It's easy to get caught up in the "to do" lists and the day to day tasks involved in running our business. So I encourage you to take a little time off, step back and focus on something else. It'll be good for you, and for your business, too.

What do you do to re-energize yourself and take a fresh look at your business? I'd love to hear about it.

(length 2:52 minutes)

I'd like to invite you to take your Visioning exercise one step further. Several years ago I attended a seminar in January. One of the exercises we did was to create a poster. This poster was a visual representation of all of our hopes and dreams for the coming year. It was our vision.

On that poster I drew pictures of everything I wanted to create in my life and my business over the next 12 months. I wrote words that represented the success I would create. I really let myself dream big, and I captured that big dream in living color on this poster.

I hung that poster over my desk and saw it every day for 365 days. And I watched as my hopes and dreams started becoming reality. It was absolutely amazing. Ever since then I've made it a practice to create a new Success Poster every January. It's the easiest way to manifest success and it is so cool when you start to see the things on the poster materializing.

So grab a piece of poster board, get out your colored markers and crayons and start drawing your future in bright, living color. I dare you!

Do you have a visioning exercise that has helped you create success in your life? If so, I'd love to hear about it.

(length 3:15 minutes)

I'm not one to dwell on the negative, but as I look back at 2006, I must admit that not everything went as planned and hoped for last year. Even though I'm a marketer by trade, I'm still always learning and testing and fine-tuning. It's the nature of the marketing beast.

So what was my biggest disappointment of 2006? Drum roll please .....

Blogging and Podcasting.

I must admit I knew nothing about blogs on January 1, 2006. I jumped in head first and launched my blog and podcast in March 2006. I worked diligently on both all year long, posting and learning, interviewing and learning, recording and learning, editing and learning ... okay you get the idea.

My goals were two-fold: (1) to create an avenue for two-way conversation with people posting comments and sharing from their own marketing and small business experiences and, (2) to build by list.

Well, comments have been few and far between and my list has continued to grow at the same pace it was pre-blog and podcast.

So what do I make of this MAJOR disappointment? Will I stop blogging and podcasting in favor of trying a different way of marketing?

Two conclusions. First, looking back I think my expectations about how quickly my blog and podcast would grow my list were perhaps not realistic. Live and learn and learn some more.

And second, NO I don't have plans to stop blogging and podcasting anytime soon. I do still believe both are the future of online marketing. But I will be changing the way I blog and podcast a bit in 2007. And of course, I'll continue testing both, and learning.

How about you? What was your biggest disappointment of 2006? I can't be the only one who didn't get everything she wished for last January? Post a comment to share what didn't go as planned for you, and how you plan to address it this year. By acknowledging it, you will then be free to move forward toward success in 2007.

I talk a lot in this blog and in my weekly ezine about the key steps you need to take in order to build a successful business. Clearly I believe that without a solid marketing plan, most small business owners will struggle.

However, there is another side to success that in my opinion cannot be overlooked. I believe we create our own success, by creating a powerful vision of what we'd like to achieve and by being thankful everyday for what we already have. By focusing on everything good in our life, we are able to attract more good things into it. Including business success.

Many people get caught up focusing on their goals, and how far they are from achieving them. They focus on what they don't have. Unfortunately, I believe this brings us more of what we don't want.

It is tough when you are struggling to focus on being thankful. I know because I face this challenge, too. I don't think we'd be human if we didn't.

So when I discovered a wonderful tool to help me stay in an attitude of gratitude, I wanted to share it with you. It's a short video produced by the makers of the movie The Secret. It's free and I encourage you to download it to your computer and begin each day with it.

Here's OUR Marketing Step For Today: I am making a commitment to watching this short video every morning for the next 30 days. And I encourage you to do the same. I'll report back in a month and I'd love for you to do the same.

In fact, why don't you post a comment, committing to watching this video every day for the next 30 days. By writing it down, you'll make it real, and it will help hold you accountable. Let's see how many people we can enroll in this little test.

Here's the link to download the video: http://thesecret.tv/secret-to-you/

On Valentine's Day I attended a "Get Motivated" seminar. It was a day-long event with an all-star line-up of speakers including Zig Ziglar, Steve Forbes, Rudy Giuliani, and Marty Shottenheimer and Ladainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers. The speakers were all inspiring and motivating, but there were several moments that stood out to me above everything else.

One was during Steve Forbe's presentation. He was sharing the story of his grandfather, who started Forbes Magazine many years ago. But his story was about how his grandfather got started in the publishing business. You see, his grandfather tried and tried but could not find anyone to hire him as a reporter. He finally "put it all on the line" as Steve Forbes put it, and told a newspaper publisher that he would work for free for one month. If, after one month, he had done a good job, the publisher would agree to hire him.

After one month, his grandfather had done such a good job, the publisher did hire him. And the rest as they say, is history.

This story made me stop and think. Am I committed enough to my business that I would put it all on the line if I had to? I believe that I would, if I felt it was really necessary. Because I believe my work is my purpose. And I know my work is my passion. So I don't think I'd have any other choice but to put it on the line if I was forced to. How about you?

The "Get Motivated! seminar I attended on Valentine's Day was put on by Peter Lowe and his wife, Tamara. This is the first time I have attended but apparently they have been putting on this seminar all across the country for 25 years. Even though there was an all-star line-up of speakers, including Zig Ziglar, Steve Forbes, Rudy Giuliani, Marty Shottenheimer and Ladainian Tomlinson and they were all great, it was something that Peter Lowe shared during his presentation that really stuck with me.

He was actually talking about money and saving for retirement, but the story he shared could just as easily apply to small business owners and solo-professionals and their commitment to their business. I'd like to share with you his Dollar Story.

It starts with a question. Do you know how many times you have to double a dollar to get to $1 million? The answer might surprise you. It's only 20 times. That doesn't seem too difficult to achieve. Yet most people never get there.

Peter borrowed a dollar from someone in the audience and proceeded to share what most people do when it comes to saving for their retirement. Most people he explained will diligently save and invest, doubling that dollar 10 times. But at that point, they only have $1024. They are seemingly half way to their goal of 20 doubles, but they are FAR from their goal of $1 million. It seems too far off.

But they are not really THAT far off. Think about where they will be when they have doubled that dollar 19 times. They'd have $500,000. One more double and they hit $1 million. This is the power of compounding. And it can be deceiving.

What do most people do? When they get half way to their goal and are at 10 doubles, they spend that $1024 on a new refrigerator or some other major purchase they think they have to have, putting them back to square one in their retirement savings plan. And they keep doing this over and over, never reaching their goal of $1 million.

If you think about it, many people do the very same thing in their businesses. They work diligently for one year, two years, five years. But they still feel like they are far from away from success. From where they WANT their business to be. So they give up. Usually just before they would have acheived that final doubling. When you're building a business, momentum and compounding apply, too.

So, I'd like to ask you. Are you really committed to your business? Are you going to stick it out until you get there? Or, are you likely to give up right before you make it?

A month ago I made a commitment to watch "The Secret to You" daily video every morning. I am an avid believer in the teachings in "The Secret" DVD and I wanted to see what would happen if I spent a few minutes every morning focusing on being grateful and being reminded of what "The Secret" teaches us.

If you're not familiar with "The Secret" I urge you to find out more. Here are two links to videos of recent tapings of the Oprah Winfrey show featuring the teachers from "The Secret." These shows will give you a taste of what "The Secret" is all about.

http://whatanicewebsite.com/oprah.wmv
http://whatanicewebsite.com/Oprah-Feb16.wmv

Now, back to my experiment. It's been a month since I made my commitment and while I admit there were a few days I didn't start my day with "The Secret to You" video, I did manage to stick to my commitment nearly every day. So what happened?

All I can say is it has been an amazing month. I have had new business come my way. I have been flooded with ideas for my businesses without even trying. I have found solutions to problems that had previously overwhelmed me, again without trying. I have easily made some decisions that had been weighing heavy on my mind for a long time (and I am at total peace with those decisions!) I have been happy, peaceful, grateful and dare I say, even walking with a bit more bounce in my step! :-)

There's something about taking time every single day to be thankful for what you have. When you do this, the Law of Attraction works to attract more things to be grateful for. But be careful. the Law of Attraction works both ways, so if you focus on what you aren't happy about, well, you'll get more things to not be happy about.

I encourage you, whether you're struggling to get