Times Are Tough, But Don’t Be A Victim

by Michael D. Hume, M.S.

There are two types of people: The Entrepreneur, who takes initiative and controls her own destiny, and the Victim, who needs taking care of and acts as though the world is out to get him.

In fact, both types live inside each of us, and it’s important to feed your Entrepreneurial image and starve your inner Victim. Only in this way can you become a more inspirational leader, as most of my clients hope to do.

Victims are political creatures, carefully concealing their true intentions and feelings. They’re critical of others, and very competitive.

By contrast, Entrepreneurs are courageous, choosing to boldly proclaim their goals and aspirations. They are curious about other people, usually looking for something to appreciate about everyone they meet. And they’re very collaborative.

Victims believe life is being done to them. Entrepreneurs believe it’s up to them to get things done in life.

It’s been my privilege to coach and counsel many of the world’s brightest consultants and business people… and it’s a privilege for which I feel quite blessed. I will say that the biggest trend I’ve spotted in all my clients has been a desire (perhaps even a need) to be more inspirational to those around them. Whether it’s building inspirational leadership for the team at work, or even exuding inspiration in family or private life, people ask me all the time how they can become more inspirational. The answer I’ve discovered is this: while the weaker side of each of us tends toward the Victim, only the Entrepreneur in each of us can be inspired, and therefore inspirational to others.

Whether you own your own business, make your money through investing, or have a traditional job, you need to take personal responsibility for maximizing your Entrepreneurial spirit this year. The challenges out there are tough, and you’ll need to bring forth you very best to beat them.

You can do it.

Here’s wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous, and truly Entrepreneurial 2011. This time next year, I hope we’re all celebrating the big steps forward we’ve made as Entrepreneurs, and as inspirational leaders.

All-Time Essentials for Entrepreneurs: 100 Things to Know and Do to Make Your Idea Happen

Leanna Archer is the Founder/CEO of Leaana’s Inc, A hair and body care products she started at age 9 years old after her mom started using hair pomade made by her great grandmother on her hair.

Suddenly, she started receiving a lot of attention from strangers commenting on how much they loved her hair which was from the result of the pomade.

She quickly noticed the need for the product and how beneficial it could be; now the next step was convincing her parents as a 9 years old to start a business selling pomade

Firstly, they acknowledged the idea, but wrote it off by saying that they dint have the time and knowledge to run a business, she was told the regular you know “wait till you get older” speech.

But she dint give up, she decided to take it upon herself to introduce the pomade to her friends in a Gerber food jar and it paid off, they all loved it, and it was like they switched a light bulb on, calls started to come, people wanted more.

After that, Her parents were so impressed they decided to help her, she obtained her business license and tax id after doing some research and in June 2005, Leanna Inc was born.

Leanna is still currently responsible for the creations and development of the products but not without her family.

Leanna also travels around the country giving speeches to motivate kids and young adults.

This is a Guest Post

“Hold on just a second! Goal setting and making plans is so important! Everybody knows that!”

You’re right, it is. It is absolutely essential to know where you’re going so that your daily efforts aren’t wasted on inconsequential activities.

But, plans and goals will get you absolutely nowhere by themselves. Nowhere.

Og Mandino said it best,

“Never has there been a map, however carefully executed to detail and scale, which carried its owner over even one inch of ground. Never has there been a parchment of law, however fair, which prevented one crime… Action, alone, is the tinder which ignites the map, the parchment, this scroll, my dreams, my plans, my goals, into a living force. Action is the food and drink which will nourish my success.”

Action is the food and drink which will nourish your success.

Say that out loud.

I get chills every time I read those words.

Powerful right? But, unfortunately, there’s always that voice of doubt that says. . .

“But I have to know what action to take before I take it. So, let me study, dust my desk, and organize my pens for the next year, while I learn what do to. Then I’ll act.”

This is a common excuse that comes from fear and it must be overcome before success even looks in your direction.

So, let’s destroy it, shall we?

First of all, the idea that you have to learn the entire picture of a particular subject before taking action is completely absurd because…

1. You won’t retain any of the information that you tried to learn in the process because your brain assimilates knowledge through its application, not just hearing or reading.

2. All knowledge is progressive, meaning that one principle builds on top of another. Therefore, one action builds on another and without carrying out the primary activities, understanding what to do at the end of the road is close to useless.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a test.

Do you remember what you learned in English class during your senior year of high school? Didn’t think so. That’s because you never had the chance or the structure to apply those concepts.

But, how easy is it for you to cook your favorite meal? How easy is it for you to tie your shoes? You can do it like clockwork.

That’s because you have applied that recipe or process repeatedly until it has been committed to your mental and physical memory.

So, in the process of learning, apply each chunk of knowledge that you learn as you learn it. This will not only help you retain that knowledge, but you will actually begin to make progress and build on the results of your actions almost immediately.

“But what if I make mistakes?”

If you’re asking yourself that question, here’s an encouraging fact.

Experience is the most valuable asset to the success of anybody in any field and the amount of experience a person has directly correlates to their success.

And experience is the direct result of action.

Not necessarily the “right” action, but action.

You see, if you take a wrong action action that doesn’t lead you closer to your goal, you’ll learn from the results (or lack thereof), and then adjust accordingly.

There is not one example in the history of mankind of somebody who was perfectly successful in his or her chosen endeavor right off the bat.

Making mistakes and adjustments is an essential part of progress in life and it precedes success. Not only that, you will continue to make mistakes and adjustments even when you’re at a place that you consider successful.

But, what happens when you take no action? You get no experience, no results, and no success.

Action is liberating

Have you ever had a project on your to-do-list that stayed there for months, even years? Then, one day, you just got it together and finished it. How did that feel?

I know that those instances of decisive action are some of the most freeing experiences I have ever had, even if the project itself was insignificant.

Imagine having those experiences on a daily basis!

There is a magic that comes from committing to action and carrying through.

Meet the parents of success

Didn’t know that success has parents? Well she does and you’re going to have to meet them before you’re introduced to her. No exceptions.

Think of it this way.

The father gives the seed of life that is then nourished and developed by the mother.

In the same way, a clear goal is the seed-giving father of your success, but it will never come to life without the nourishment and cultivation of the mother, action.

Please, don’t make success harder than it has to be.

Stop playing your mental fear games and take action today! Commit to one specific thing that you will move a certain area of your life forward!

Sound off!

What do you think? Share your valuable thoughts with us in the comments.

Best of life,

Abhay Khurana

This is supposed to be the place where I plug myself and my website. But, honestly, I just hope that you’ve gotten some value out of what I’ve written for you. If you have and want to connect with me and read more like this, head over to my blog at www.betteryoungentrepreneur.com

I had to do an interview with Grace Boyle, A blogger that writes at smallhandsbigideas, also wanted to introduce her to you guys, I really like what she writes about on her blog, shes talks about career, relationship and inspiration, Anyways i dont want to tell you everything about her, when you could just go on her blog and read the interview below.

Enjoy this quick interview i did with her. She talks about internet, blogging and social media

Hey Grace, how you doing? Thanks for sharing some of your time with me on YHP

Thanks for thinking of me! I’m happy to be talking with the YHP team.

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

I’m 24 years-old, grew up in Iowa, went to college in Vermont and after graduating with my B.S. in Public Relations I decided to move to Boulder (without a job, friends or place to live). I’m still living in beautiful Boulder working at the online, tech startup, Lijit as their Publisher Services Manager. I love my Italian family, traveling, food, connecting with people, wine, writing, snowboarding and laughter.

So how did you get in blogging and social media?

I got into blogging and social media when I was college. In college I had such great professors who understood the relevance of social media and blogging. Projects we had included using Twitter, creating blogs for client projects and running e-mail marketing campaigns. Finally, the multitude of internships I completed in college helped me learn online social media in the professional world. This early educational foundation has been imperative to my interest and subsequent career in the online world.

What do you like the most about the internet, blogging and social media?

The infinite, meaningful, and real connections it can create.

What inspires you? What inspires your posts?

I am inspired by the little things – eye contact, reconnecting with an old friend, sharing a bottle of wine with friends, a musicians riff, climbing a mountain, collaborating with intelligent people, learning something new, holding the door for a stranger and exchanging a smile, and deep, belly laughter. Even pain inspires me, because there’s so much to be felt and learned.

My favorite posts come from these simple, real-life experiences, that undoubtedly, others can relate to.

What are the most crucial things you have done and think most bloggers should be doing to grow their blogs?

I think blogging is largely about the community you create and the connections you (perpetually) make. I compare it to a cocktail party. No one likes it when there’s that one person who talks just about themselves and doesn’t care to listen.

When I started my blog, I was sure to use my voice and style, but I also turned to other bloggers to learn the ropes and find inspiration. This collaboration, talking with other bloggers, having someone to turn to with a question or bounce an idea off each other and listening to your readers are an integral part to blogging.

Finally, in the words of Steve Jobs, I tell bloggers to “stay hungry, stay foolish.”

How do you manage your time?

Oh good question. Sometimes I even need to ask myself this!

A few things: I use my Outlook calendar and a daily planner (I like to write things down still, call me old fashioned) to visually view what my week looks like, I make sure to schedule time to myself so I can stay centered and I also learn to say “no” because I can’t do everything (even though I often think I can).

How do you promote/advertise your work?

I don’t heavily focus on this aspect of blogging although I do have a degree and background in public relations.

I use Twitter and Facebook to publicly promote my blog posts. That’s about it. I think there’s a time and a place for self-promotion – I also believe that for my own blog, people will come because they like me (or don’t) and because of the content I’m creating.

What is your favourite online tool?

I really enjoy Twitter. It’s concise, easy, powerful and has created some of the most rewarding professional and personal relationships in my life.

If the internet never existed, what would you be doing?

My job is based on the Internet, but there are many things that I still do that doesn’t involve the Internet (a necessary part of my life, actually). Professionally though, I would be traveling the world, become a professional food taster and maybe have my own travel show sharing all my worldwide cultural secrets.

Who are your role models? Who are the people that inspire you online?

My parents are my role models. They’re both entrepreneurs, have started companies from the ground up, are compassionate, respectable and still make me laugh.

Online: I am inspired by Rebecca Thorman (http://www.modite.com) as she is one of the first bloggers I started reading. Her writing is elegant, witty and intelligent.

What are your favourite websites?

I have an eclectic taste and I work online so these are some of my favorite sites to visit they make me laugh, think and are intriguing: http://weburbanist.com/, http://chelseatalkssmack.blogspot.com/, http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/, http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/, http://www.creativeclass.com/, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/, http://livethecharmedlife.com/, http://caitlinmccabe.com/ and http://failblog.org/.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?

It’s interesting because I have a lot of aspirations and I would consider myself motivated, but currently, my life is very moment to moment. I’m learning, loving, laughing and thoroughly enjoy working at a startup. I also know that life is filled with surprises, so I could list off what I see for myself in the future, but right now, I’m excited to see what it has in store.

I will say that in 5 to 10 years I hope to continue to work hard, play hard and love hard.

Thanks for spending time to do this interview with us.

Thanks for having me here. I’m easily reached by email (gracekboyle at gmail dot com), Twitter or feel free to stop by my blog and say hello.

Be in the flow…

let go of your fear; of your need to be in control

for it imprisons your dreams.

Breathe deeply in the darkness…

an illusion cast forth by your light;

no other can take your place.

Let the world be blinded by your majesty…

a beacon to those struggling to find their way;

for it is your divinity to shine like the star you truly are.

Go; enter the dragon’s den and reclaim your heart.

***************************

© Cheryl Hopkins, 2nd Jan 2006

Inspiring you to do work you love

www.Changeitliveit.co.uk

“It’s so easy to get caught up wanting to save the world, run a successful business, be in great shape, have immense wealth… success, no wonder we runs ourselves ragged.

When all is said and done, what we really want is to be happy, feel loved… for life to flow; and when that’s your aim is life everything else falls in to place; well, that’s what I’ve found.”

© Cheryl Hopkins, 15th Feb 2010 Change it live it http://www.bit.ly/blosG0

“When you choose to be yourself; to be authentic, you begin to soar… to be (in)credible in life”

http://bit.ly/blosG0

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

-Napoleon Hill

Action is the real measure of intelligence.
-Napoleon Hill