Ok, this is a strange blog post I know, but hey- sometimes it happens – and this year – boy did it ever happen to me.  So I’m figuring that you may have had a similar bad start to the year – maybe not this year, but at least once in your life – and if you did – please share it with me and if there were any lessons learned.  And I tell you what –  the best 3 stories will get a special prize!  But – hey I may win my own prize.

But I figure if my first day was this bad in the New Year, then the rest of the year should be GREAT!  Just getting it all out in the beginning.

So here’s what happened…

December office was busy, trying to shut down for the holiday plans, the “holidays “(really we need another word here) were also at a fast pace as my family chose to split up the festivities this year, so it was 3 days of prep and 5 days of different cities and celebrating (not including new years).  But I love the holidays, giving presents and feeling all the warm vibes of the season, so I was tired but enjoyed it.  But I did feel I was trying to make everyone else happy and exhausted myself in the process. That’s sign #1.

But then I came down with a 2 week sinus affection that didn’t allow me to sleep, eat or breathe properly.  I had black eyes from this infection. And I am the person who doesn’t get colds even when I have sick people around me, so it was surprising.  Perhaps a sign to slow down.

During this time I also found out that a good friend of mine died and I attended the funeral and Shiva.  So that was a hard reminder that love and friendships are precious.  It was also a reminder that we’re all on a silent egg timer and we never know when the bell will ring for us.

A few days later I return to work and a business deal and relationship I am deeply involved in (and really enjoy) seems to have gone to hell in a hand basket (who made up this expression, it’s really good).  I am hoping this will end on a positive note, but the journey to get there is really horribly difficult, time costly and dragged me down emotionally for 3 days where I couldn’t even move – which is weird as I am typically the girl you call in any traumatic experience.  I am a rock and a strong guide in tough situations.  I was a crisis manager for pete-sake!  I can handle pressure.

But I must have been so sick, so exhausted and overwhelmed by the feeling of being let down, that it contributed to my emotional state.   In fact I almost missed New Years over it because I was so devastated by their actions.  Mostly because when they were really making big mistakes and I covered for them and was as forgiving as Mother Theresa.  Why don’t people appreciate or remember those things?  Do we have to be feared in business to get respect and appreciation?   I should be furious but I mostly feel disappointed.  I rationalize it thinking that even good people can do strange actions when they are emotionally or financially struggling, it helps people act from fear and lash out at others.

That same day (my first day back to work), my staff accidentally erased 3 of my main business websites.  Thank god for back-ups!!  This has created a few days of me trying not to panic, but it is slowly being resolved as we speak. But I couldn’t get mad because who can get upset at someone who is more upset at themselves, than I could ever be?  Mistakes can happen.

Then for some strange reason my outlook refused to open, so I had no way of looking at past, present or future emails.  Weird.  It later repaired itself.  It may have been a sign to walk away.

Did I mention that my grandmother is ill?

Seriously, I’m not sure you can top 8 years of work being wiped out in 1 day, a death of a friend, a possible end to a part of a business I enjoyed, computer failures and feeling like crap? – but hey you can try.  Be my guest.

So what do I take from all this????  Well you may have more enlightening answers (and if you do please send them my way).

Here was my thought process:

Ok, someone cursed me.

Ok, everyone but me is crazy.

Ok, I must suck at business.

Ok, I must be the crazy one and don’t see it.  Well, I am talking to myself here.

Jeez, I am dehydrated from crying.  Can someone get dehydrated from tears? 

Ok, maybe a possible (hopefully not) end to a partnership deal, my business being deleted is a signal for me to become a vet.  I love animals – but no, can’t operate on them.  Vet is out – plus I don’t look good in white, I need more color. 

Hmmm, Ok, I should go back to bed, and hide under the covers until I can smell tulips in March.  Hopefully my husband will remember to keep feeding our dog.  He probably won’t. Damn!  I have to get out of bed.

Ok, am I going to let this get me down???       Hell yes! 

……Ok, try again, am I going to let this get me down and quit?      Well, maybe I can look at the positives; maybe SOME people still love me.  Maybe I shouldn’t take this one weird week as the representative of my 8 years of doing good work on the planet and helping so many people find their way and reach for more.    Ok, feeling better.

Getting Proper Perspective Back
Why is it I pay more attention to negative actions of a few, than the many more positives?  I know why, because I try so hard to please everyone, and it just doesn’t work all the time.

Maybe the world has better things to do than single me out for a take-down, after all, I’m not one of the bad guys – just an imperfect woman trying to be perfect 24/7 and make the lives of others a better place.  Bound to make some errors, maybe I have.  Maybe I should forgive others and forgive myself.  Hmm, good start.  That feels better.

Next – look at the bright side:  Ok, I have my health back, which is so important.  My personal relationships are great right now.  My dog is super cute and definitely still loves me.

I have incredible circle of people in my group this year – really top notch and include some of my favorite people.  I am also looking forward to seeing my new MIT members change & grow and helping them along the way like a proud mum.

I may have lost 3 pounds from my cold, which makes up for the chocolate binge on the 3 days I was feeling sorry for myself and not getting off my sofa.  Ok, I’m on to caramels now – and I am currently accepting chocolate or caramel donations.

I am also reminded of an email my good friend, our fabulous MIT coach and circle member Nat said to me last year.  He said his computer froze, and at first he panicked – but then he sought to see the beauty and positive in his situation.  He realized that all he needed to do was do a “de-fragmentation” repair on his computer – this also mirrored his office.  So he took this spare time to clean up all the bits of paper and stuff cluttering up his office and felt a weight lift.  Both he and his computer got a clean-up that day.

So taking Nat’s advice (after all not only is he a rocking MIT Coach, but he is also a Buddhist monk and entrepreneur.  That’s a strong combination) I reflected …

… And thought- if my whole business disappeared (which it did temporarily) – would I be ok?   Yes, I can rebuild.  I would find a way.  Or maybe this is a wake-up call that I should look at changing the program and starting with a fresh perspective.  I have been meaning to do updates.  Or maybe start something totally new.  Is there something else I have been meaning to do?  Is there a new path?

Regarding the deal and partnership that I so treasured… I will keep in my thoughts that both my partner and I will be very happy with whatever the outcome or resolution may be and remain friends and still send each other business.  Perhaps letting go is good – even though it scares me and fills me with unanswered questions about the future.

This also made me realize – when things went – poof! Gone!  That we have a CHOICE to be here.  We have a choice to keep offering the same programs or start again from scratch or even change what we do every day. No one is forcing you to stay at your job, even though it may feel like that sometimes.   We always have a CHOICE to look for new solutions or not. 

It made me remember that in ANY industry you will meet villains, saints and people who do things you just don’t understand (out of fear, jealousy, negative belief systems or desperation), so accept that.  There will be people you help who may resent you for your help later.  I think dogs are the only animals that won’t bite you after you feed them.  People unfortunately can sometimes.  What’s with the dog theme here?

Letting Go Of My Maps
I don’t have everything planned to perfection as I typically do at this time of year.  I choose to not feel panicked about that.  Ok, I repeat, I choose not to feel panicked (I feel like Dorothy clicking her heels and deeply concentrating here – this is hard).   After all I think if there is one life lesson Stefanie Hartman is supposed to learn it’s that you can TRUST life more.  Life has a way of working out.  Life has its own map & timeline.   I hate not having full direction by now, not seeing what is to come.  I can adjust plans, but I typically need to have some direction.  I love maps!  So I’m easing up on that somewhat.  Yes I will identify a few goals, but if I don’t know where my next income is going to be made I will TRUST more that it will (back to the shoes clicking).

Letting Go & Taking a Stand for Me
I will not compare myself or my progress to others as that only ends badly.  I just realized that when I compare myself to others, I never compare to those ‘below’ me, just ‘above’ me (basically whoever has something I would also like to have)?   Really this is not a fair comparison without the two perspectives.   While there will be people smarter, more successful, “luckier”, prettier, taller, whatever, there will also be people whose life you would never trade for.  Many people have greater challenges and discomfort or pain.  I will remember the bigger picture and be grateful every day. 

There are very successful people who can feel like failures because they hold themselves to ridiculous standards or ‘fail’ their own self-imposed timelines.  I do not want to be one of them.

I will also retain my own successes in my mind and heart with personal pride and not let my achievements diminish as soon as they are accomplished for fear of being egotistical.  Being happy for myself is not a negative thing, especially when I am genuinely happy for those around me too.  I will no longer put my own happiness in second, third or fourth place.

I will continue to run my business in a way I am proud of, even if others are “getting ahead” faster through not so pleasant methods. 

I will be proud of myself and TRUST that my life has its own timeline and I cannot plan everything.

I will stretch time and spend 8 hours a month connecting with a business & personal relationships – out of the blue.  Telling them how much I care for them.

I will not hold onto what I think ‘should happen’ with a tight grip, even if I am sad or have fear – as I will trust that if it is not meant to work out (no matter what it is), gripping it will only give me a hand cramp and waste time and energy.   Letting things fall where they may, makes room for something better that I may never have even imagined.

It is possible that the plan I have is not as great as the plan the universe has.  I am betting on you universe – so now’s your chance. 

I will do more things in love of life and in spite of fear.

Humanity has gotten me down a bit this past year, so maybe I should add a project that will show the charitable and unexpected sides of people, or do something to help rescue distressed animals.  I will meditate on this.  Having a positive project may be good for me.

I will learn how to meditate.

I will continue to take the risk of opening myself up to the world (and who ever reads this, thank you), keep being transparent, VULNERABLE and real – and hope that I don’t need to be ‘perfect’ and a shark for others to see that while I have vulnerable moments I have many more moments of great strength, that in fact being vulnerable, not putting on a persona in public takes great courage and strength. 

I will try not to take to heart the 1 or 2 negative emails I get from people every so often.  I will instead put more weight on the hundreds of positive ones.

I will let myself be wrong occasionally and forgive myself.  I will forgive others as well.

Whenever I feel fear, I will remember its ‘made up’, not real, and I will trust more.

I will work on getting my body into a gym, and getting my mind/soul into some fun activities as well as some soul searching.

I will go and get some more chocolate caramels because I just missed lunch.

I will not be so hard on myself.

I will keep my sense of humor…it may be the last thing I take with me on earth.

Foreshadow: I‘m thinking my next year’s blog post may be about visiting the dentist from all these milk duds I am eating.  Ok I’m done with eating chocolate – free milk dud boxes for those who think they can top this!

Maybe if I keep saying MILK DUDS the company will sponsor my blog, milk duds, milk duds, and no calls yet…I will keep trying later.

Thanks for listening…..

Your friend, mentor (hopefully still after this crazy blog post) and person who may be YOUR biggest fan and cheerleader,

Stefanie Hartman

PS – Please post your proper email address as will will be contacting the winners!

As spring comes into full swing I am mindful that the first business quarter has come to an end and the next is beginning.    It’s a great time to take stock of where you are, and maybe even readjust your strategy or note what is needed to add or change to achieve the goals you have set for the coming months.

The ability to readjust your approach or tactics as you go can mean the difference between successful marketing and sales fizzling.

So the question is:

• Have you taken stock of where you are?
• Have you planned out how to schedule attacking your marketing plan?

Just like using a map or GPS system, by noting these markers you can be steps ahead of the competition just by taking stock of where you are.

Using a sales and marketing calendar is something that I recommend when consulting my clients and it is one of the strategies that I teach in my The Millionaires in Training^TM Program.  A sales and marketing calendar gives you a hands-on ability to ability to allocate time and energy for items critical to your businesses marketing plan.

If you check in with your marketing plans each quarter you will find it a useful way to monitor your progress. I will have an indication if I need to re-adjust something or if I am close to my strategic destination I may be happy to leave things as they are.

I recommend doing this “checking in” as it can allow you to acknowledge not only those things you need to adjust but your successes as well.

Your marketing and sales calendar can give you a keen awareness of which months your promotions are booked, giving you much needed lead in time to take care of the details which can make the difference between a successful outcome or a possible setback.

To build your own sales calendar I recommend taking the following steps:

• List out all your products and programs. Input them into the appropriate date.
• Block out time to spend developing your business.
• Add a sales goal each month.

As one of aspects that I teach in my The Millionaires in Training^TM Program, a sales and marketing calendar can greatly improve your success.  The Millionaires in Training^TM Program is designed to empower you even if marketing seems as clear as a foreign language to you. You will receive clear direction, answers to your unique questions and be placed in an environment where you are supported by an intimate group of like-minded individuals, specialized coaches, and my marketing experts and instructors.

A sales and marketing calendar is just one of the many resources successful businesses and entrepreneurs use to increase sales, bring in new business and maximize their growth potential.

I have to type fast…I’ve been brewing for a while on an idea and I can finally begin to reveal it.  I’ve told some people in confidence and they’re saying it is brilliant and THEY WANT IT.  Shouting at me.  Which is cool.   Anyways, I wanted to share it with you first, it won’t be public for a while, and I can only let 75 people in on it…but I HAD to send this to you right away!

Can u believe its April 01st today?  Wow. How fast time goes.

In January I made a to-do list of the marketing things I wanted to get done – and I have to admit, mine is..well not exactly all checked off.  There are still things on my list that I just can’t seem to find the time to do myself (ok I admitted it, let’s just keep this between us).

How is yours doing?  Did you also make such a list in January?

Is your business marketing TO DO List for the year still… ahem…untouched?

Hey look…I’m not judging…in fact it happens to almost all of us. 

Running a small business, it can be seriously hard to find the EXTRA time to put all the marketing pieces together we know we should be doing to grow.

So I was sitting around thinking there has to be a solution…… now, this is TOP SECRET for a little bit longer…but all I can say is…

This ain’t no April Fool’s joke!

If you’re having trouble catching up with all those New Year’s Resolutions – those marketing efforts that you KNOW will increase your revenue and grow your business THIS YEAR – but just never seem to find the time?  Remember the Goals Book  I sent you this earlier in the year – If you are still trying to work towards those goals yourself…

Then, something is coming soon that’s going to make you wonder how the heck you EVER lived without it and will make you and your to-do list sigh in relief!!!

Why has no-one thought of this before?

This is no April Fool’s!  Stay tuned as I can only help 75 people – please!

Watch for more info here…AND DON’T PASS THIS INFO onto anyone!

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A couple years back, I had an experience that I will never forget. It was a day that changed my life.

I was invited to sit down with The World’s Greatest Goal Setter, the real life Indiana Jones, John Goddard – for the very first time.

I had read about him and his famous “goals list” in one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

There are articles written about him in Life Magazine, National Geographic Magazine, Reader’s Digest and others, and he’s been featured in over 200 television shows!

I was fascinated by the idea of someone who could create 127 life goals and then set out on an amazing lifelong journey to achieve each and every one of them.

I knew this man was a special soul, and someone that I had to meet in my lifetime.

If you know anything about John’s goals list, you know that they are not meagre goals!

His incredible journeys and experiences have included retracing the route of Marco Polo through the Middle East, Asia and China, studying numerous primitive cultures firsthand, reading the entire collection of the Encyclopedia Britannica and the Bible from cover to cover, and climbing Mt. Everest – just to name a few.

I was deeply honoured when John invited me to his California home to sit down with him and his wife Carol in their living room, just to ‘chat’ about life and the art of goal setting.

Both he and his wife were incredibly gracious as they welcomed me into their home. I’ve seen pictures of John on his travels, and he actually does resemble Indiana Jones, with his adventurers hat and well worn khaki shirt and shorts.

But today he doesn’t look anything like the mythical figure I’ve seen, and it almost surprises me to see how regular he looks!

After agreeing to some tea from his wife, I settled down next to him and looked around his living room, which resembled a film set straight out of The Adventures of Indiana Jones, with artefacts and found treasures from his many adventures neatly placed around the room, each with their own unique story.

Suddenly, the $15 replica native mask I had in my own living room that I brought from a store seemed silly, and I vowed to replace it with found treasures from my own life adventures.

But more importantly, I vowed to have my own life adventures!

John’s number one goal was to explore the world’s largest river, the 4,220 mile long Nile.

He saw the Nile as the most important river on Earth, as it had perhaps the greatest influence on the development of civilization for over 6,000 years in the areas of astronomy, architecture, religion and agriculture.

He did indeed become the first man to explore the entire length of the world’s longest river – and on a kayak!

The was a trip so dangerous that local experts begged him not to go – they never thought he would return.

On his exploration he encountered thunderstorms, violent rapids, man-eating crocodiles, bone crushing groups of hippos, elephants who picked up his scent and even water pirates who wanted him as a meal.

Somehow, he out-paddled or out manoeuvred each challenge.

John has looked death right in the eye with over 42 (to date) life threatening experiences. He’s survived plane crashes, earthquakes, three rounds with quicksand, almost drowned twice, and had an appendicitis attack 200 miles from the nearest health care facility.

He was even bitten by a diamondback rattlesnake and lived!

You may be thinking that this guy has a death wish, but when I met him I realized the it’s the opposite that is true.

John has a deep appreciation and dominant love of life itself.

When John was diagnosed with Cancer in 1983, he felt that it was the biggest challenge he had faced so far.

He was given a one-in-ten chance of living more than 5 years. He was hit hard emotionally, became depressed and immediately wanted to retreat “to his cave”.

But those closest to him reminded him of how many pessimists he himself had met over the years that had told him, “You’ll never be able to do it. It’s impossible!”

If he had listened to them before, he would never have achieved so many of his life goals or had all of those incredible experiences.

John remembered that when he was crossing the Nile, he contracted malaria, four other infections and tape worm, all seriously crippling his ability to go forward and making him tired, ill, and weak.

At those times he wanted nothing more than to retreat into his sleeping bag, but he always resisted the temptation and got back out on the river, struggling at first, but getting stronger as each hour passed.

He vowed that he would survive Cancer with the same determination.

He refused to let disease dominate his life. He got up when he felt ill and continued to live his life. He didn’t listen to any pessimists, he researched and read as many books as he could on how other people had survived this illness, and he rejected his own negative thoughts and immediately replaced them with positive expectations.

John surrounded himself with people that he cared about and simply made this a new life goal and resolved to never give up (no matter what) on reaching it.

Here’s some of what I learned from John that day:

I said good-bye to the pessimists in my life who were slowly dragging me down and realized how important choosing the right life partner, close friends and mentors are.

What goals or experiences are you missing out on because you have too many nay-sayers around you and not enough strong friends and mentors?

It’s never too late to make your own life list – to start fresh if need be and reinvent yourself from scratch.

Your mind and your body are stronger than you give them credit for. I’ve learned to remind myself to keep going even when I am afraid or “don’t feel like it” and soon I feel energized or overcome my fears.

Life is a precious gift, and not opening it is beyond unforgivable. John simply chooses to ‘go for it’. I learned how incredibly powerful and life changing those decisions can be.

• Stop making excuses for why things can’t be done. John was not a rich man, nor did he have super human strength.
• He didn’t have access to books or knowledge that we don’t.
• He wasn’t a lone explorer with nothing to risk but himself, he has a loving wife and five children. He simply made a decision and took action.
• He prepared for things as best he could beforehand, then trusted himself to figure out the rest.

There’s a saying that a client of mine sent me after we succeeded at a marketing campaign despite nay-sayers. It said, “Those who say it can’t be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.”

Each adventure, rewarding experience, and step that you take in exploring where your life makes you stronger, more confident, and shows you what is possible.

You need to ‘do’ first in order to ‘know’ second – it’s never the other way around.

Waiting until you’re ’sure’ or you know it’s the right thing is futile. I no longer wait for my doubts to come up or my fears to subside or for me to ‘know’ the answer.

I plan my life, I make the best possible choices I can, and I surprise myself each step of the way with every success I have. I’m even surprised at how much each ‘mistake’ gave me a valuable life nugget that has saved me even more from a potential future disaster or experience.

I learned how important it is to value your own life journey and to recognize that each of us is on one, whether we are aware of it or not.

I follow John’s advice to have more patience with myself and other people – to resolve conflict and to mend conflicts.

I make a point of aligning myself with ‘teachers’ – people who see the world differently than myself or who have knowledge that I don’t, who can open me up to another area of life that I never knew existed and who can guide me through it and yet let me lead my own way.

These people show up in everyone’s life, the trick is – do you always notice them?

Through the graciousness of John Goddard and his wife Carol inviting me into their home, I learned that my goals and the things I want to happen in my life may not really be as far away or as insurmountable as I sometimes make them out to be.

Sometimes all you need is the courage to take that chance, make that phone call or take a tiny step – and you’re there before you know it.

Is it time for you to have your own private “wish list”, which will turn into a “to do list”, then finally into a “list of accomplishments”?

Considered one of America’s most influential entrepreneurial mentors to help you get clients, skyrocket sales, and become famous in your niche or field, Stefanie Hartman, is known as “The Expert’s Expert”. CEO of Centaur Strategies, she founded the entrepreneur’s “Millionaires-in-Training Mentorship Program”, that literally teaches you how to re-invent yourself, become a published expert and create a six-to-seven-figure annual income from selling information you already have! Learn the “behind-the-scenes’ marketing, business & profit secrets from the marketing expert to the guru’s.   www.mitprogram.com www.PrivateJVClub.com

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… CY: wait… I: wait… L: wait… YCat: wait… I: wait… Top: wait… I: wait… L: wait… C: wait…

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It’s that time of year when you are creating goals to define where you want to go this year or you are reassessing where you are and creating new goals as you grow and your desires change.
 
Here’s something I’d like you to consider – use this e-book to design the lifestyle or business model that you want - not to think about “I should” or “I need to” goals.  Because once you define what you want – then you can look for ways to outsource or get help with the rest of it. 

Having a life that is FUN AND brings in MONEY may be the ultimate goal.
 
Let’s face it focus is important…without an idea or a target in mind of how you want your life to be like every day you experience something similar to being in a canoe without paddles – great for a while that is until you see that big waterfall drop off ahead. 
 
Exciting for a week, but you will soon get bored or feel overwhelmed by having no direction and millions of ideas and people and suggestions for what you “should be” doing coming at you, a similar feeling to drowning.
 
Narrowing your focus helps you to actually get things done or do them well. 
 
After all – you are the CEO of your life. A company without direction is a company going bankrupt financially and emotionally.
 
This e-book was complied by asking 53 Entrepreneurs to give us their best tips on how to set, track and manage goals and in between their great ideas, I have sprinkled in my own direction based on experience plus included a planning guide at the end.  Inevitably there will be someone’s style that will speak to you.
 
Please grab your copy here and also pre-view the table of contents
 
It’s only $14.95!!!!
 
Click Here: http://www.stefaniehartman.com/cmd.php?Clk=2850168
 
Also if you feel this is something that your database or customers would like, you can re-sell them and keep 50% for every copy sold.  Just Click Here and grab your own tracked sales link.
 
All the best
Stefanie

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