Fear of Success? You're not alone ...

The following is an excerpt from a speech I gave in July of 1995.  I was in front of a group of about 300 Independent Sales Reps and their Leadership team during a Regional Sales meeting for a Direct Sales Company I worked with from 1994-1998 

Success.  Everyone wants it.  We all talk about it.  It is the goal, isn't it?  Deep down we all want to be successful, right?  We dream about it.  We plan for it.  And for some of us, we are afraid of it.   Fear of success is not unusual.  It is actually quite common.  And it is a problem.  Being fearful of  our own success actually stops us dead in our tracks.  It can cause us to lose out on a lot of opportunities in life.  And when we're too afraid to take risks and move forward on our goals – either consciously or unconsciously – we get stuck in one place.  No progress.

Fear of success is as real as the fear of failure.  Both present with the same symptoms, and both of these fears will hold you back from achieving your dreams and goals.  The biggest problem for many people is that their fear of success is largely unconscious.  They just don't realize that they've been holding themselves back from doing something great. 

So what does the fear of success look like?

• You feel guilty about any success you have, no matter how small, because your friends, family, or co-workers haven't had the same success.  
• You don't tell others about your accomplishments because you worry that they will think you're being boastful.  
• You avoid or procrastinate on big projects, especially projects that could lead to recognition.
• You frequently set your own goals or agenda aside to avoid conflict with others.  
• You feel that you're not good enough.  
• You feel that you don't deserve to enjoy success in your life.  
• You believe that if you do achieve success, you won't be able to sustain it.  

Fear of success has several possible causes:

• We fear what success will bring it.  For example, loneliness, new enemies, being isolated from our family, longer working hours, or being asked for favors or money.  
• We're afraid that the higher we climb in life, the further we're going to fall when we make a mistake.  
• We fear the added work, responsibilities, or criticism that we'll face.  
• We fear that our relationships will suffer if we become successful. 
• We fear the reaction from others - jealousy and cynicism. 
• We fear that accomplishing our goals may actually cause intense regret that we didn't act sooner. 
•  We fear our own power to be successful - we fear how "big" we can truly become

Overcoming the fear of success involves strategy.   The good news is that the more you face your fears, the more you're likely to overcome them.  Overcoming your fears is the first step in accomplishing your goals.  And what if you do accomplish your goals?  What will happen if you succeed with your goals?  What would your life look like?

Don't look at what you hope will happen, or what you fear will happen.  Instead, look at what is likely to happen.  Take your time answering.  Examine the issues, and write down your answers to questions like these:

• How will my friends and family really react if I accomplish this goal? 
• How will my life change? 
• What's the worst that could happen if I achieve this goal? 
• What's the best that could happen? 
• Why do I feel that I don't deserve to accomplish this goal?
• How motivated am I to work toward this goal? 
• What am I currently doing to sabotage, or hurt, my own efforts? 
• Who can help me get out of my own way? 

One Word

What if I could influence you with just one word?  What if that one word could change your life?  For good.  What if that word could guide you to who you are and where you need to be?  What if the application of this one word could make all the difference in you finally having all the things you have always wanted?


It is not a unique word or one you have never heard of.  But a word if taken seriously every day, could ignite your dreams into reality. 


The word is "action".  It is defined as something done or performed, an act that one consciously wills or habitual or usual acts.  Action is movement.  


Everyone is capable of dreaming and making plans.  But is the ability to take action that separates the extraordinary from the average. 


All top performers share one quality — they get things done.  Action is the one word that will make all the difference in your life.  This ability supersedes intelligence, talent, and connections in determining the size of your salary and the speed of your advancement.

It is simple, yet not always easy.  So many of us stay stuck in one spot for so long, due to our inability to basically put one foot in front of the other.  Action or the ability to take action is a habit.  The habit of putting ideas into action is essential to getting things done and having the results you want. 

Here are just 4 ways you can develop the action habit:

1. Don’t wait for the perfect time – If you’re waiting to start until the time is just right and everything is perfect, you probably never will.   There will always be something that isn’t quite right.   Either the timing is off, the market is down, or there’s too much competition.  In the real world there is no perfect time to start.  You have to take action now and deal with problems as they arise. 


2. Be a doer -  Practice doing things rather than thinking about them.  Do you want to start exercising?  Do you have a great idea for your business?  Do it today.  The longer an idea sits in your head without being acted on, the weaker it becomes.   After a few days the way you think about it might change.  After a week it’s forgotten completely.  By becoming a doer you’ll get more done and stimulate new ideas in the process.

3. Start your creative engine mechanically –  One of the biggest misconceptions about creative work is that it can only be done when inspiration strikes.  Not true!  If you wait for inspiration to show up all the time,  you might be waiting a long time!  Instead of waiting, try starting.  If you need to write something, force yourself to sit down and write.   Put pen to paper.   Brainstorm.  Doodle. See what transpires.  By moving your hands you’ll stimulate the flow of ideas and inspire yourself.

4. Live in the present - Focus on what you can do in right now.  Don’t worry about what you should have done last week or what you might be able to do tomorrow.  The only time that matters is the present.  If you speculate too much about the past or the future you won’t get anything done. Tomorrow or next week might turn into never. 

Brave people take action!  It takes courage to take action without instructions from someone else or knowing all the facts.  Perhaps that’s why people who demonstrate initiative are often recognized as top performers.  You can too.  Seize the initiative.  When you have a good idea, start implementing it.  Put into action, don't delay. 

Don't just dream it, do it! 

Six Really Simple Ways to Boost Your Productivity

Of course we all want to be productive, however there are times when we find ourselves overwhelmed.  And then we find ourselves procrastinating and wasting our time without intention.   You know as well as anybody, that a lack of productivity over time will have a negative effect on your business and its success.  So what to do about it?  Well there are lots of ways to boost your productivity, but here's 6 quick tips!

6 Ways to Boost Your Productivity:

1- Be 100% focused:  Truly productive people become 100% focused on the task they are doing.  When they attempt to complete a task during the time blocked for that task; they put away their mobile phones, they don’t check their email or Facebook and they stay committed to the task at hand until they are done.  

2- Develop courage: Sounds like a weird advice, right? Actually it was discovered that procrastination is sometimes your mind’s method to help you escape from the tasks you fear to do or from the fear of failure.

3- Don’t wait for the right mood: While I wish you happiness everyday still this is not how life works. One day you might find yourself sad, the second day you might find yourself irritated while the third day you might find yourself not in the mood. Waiting for the right mood can kill productivity.  You have a business to build so get to it!

4- Don’t wait for the right time: Sometimes waiting for the right time becomes the excuse we use to escape from responsibilities and the tasks that we don’t like. Just like waiting for the right mood will slow down your productivity waiting for the right time will never help you get your tasks done. Start right now!

5- Know exactly what you should do:  In order to become very productive start by developing a daily to-do list for the tasks you must do.  A common reason for procrastination is often not knowing exactly where to start.  

6- Are you motivated enough? Productivity needs motivation.  If you aren’t motivated enough you won’t feel like working and productivity will have no meaning. Understand the reasons behind your lack of motivation and treat them in order to become truly productive.

Anna Gibbs is a certified Business Coach and a Certified Life Coach dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and sales professionals who are looking to bridge a gap in their performance and achieve greater results in order to grow their business through more effective systems and behaviors.  For more information about Anna Gibbs and her coaching services please visit www.powerfultransitions.com

Have a better day

Below is a list of  simple ways to have a better day, today!   Why is this important to you and your business?  Because positive people are more successful, productive and profitable.  Period.
We all have a positive and negative side to us.  It's part of our human nature. The key is to feed your mind with more positive thoughts so the negative side starts to starve.   The more we think and feel positive; the more positive we become and the stronger those feelings become.  The actions are simple.  We just need to make them a habit and do them every day.  Here are a few ways to make that happen: 1. Practice Gratitude - You can't be stressed and thankful at the same time. Gratitude is like muscle, the more you exercise it the stronger it gets.  Take some time every night and write down those 5 things that happened today that you are thankful for.   2. Turn off the News - it is just too negative! 3. Smile More - It will make you feel happy for no reason,. and besides it's contagious.   4. Read uplifting books or devotionals.  5. Take a look at who you spend time with.  Get together with more positive, uplifting people. 6. Write a few Thank You Notes  - We have already talked about how expressing gratitude will make you feel and writing a hank you note is also good for business.  Imagine how your relationships will develop if you could send out a note to say thank you for your business, thank you for the referral, thank you for your time, etc. 7. Be a Coach - Coaches bring out the best in others. The best coaches mentor, encourage, praise, inspire, and lead with optimism and positivity.  Today, feed others and yourself with positivity by being a coach. 8. Decide to Make a Difference - When you help other people with their problems you forget about your own. What strategy will you start today to feed your positive self?

Why Living a Life of Gratitude Can Make a Difference

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” 

– Meister Eckhart

Many years ago Oprah Winfrey spoke about her gratitude journal on the Oprah Winfrey show.  She shared the deep effect writing in it had on her and her life.  Oprah said, at the end of each day she writes down the 5 things that she was most grateful for today.  She felt it was better to write in this gratitude journal at the end of the day because you would work harder all day long to find things, even the smallest things, during the day to be grateful for.   She challenged the audience and her devoted fans (me being one of them that day) to keep a daily gratitude journal.  I thought that was a great idea, but I didn't do it.  

Now don't get me wrong, I really did think it was a great idea.  And I do believe in the power of gratitude.  As a matter of fact, I believe I live in a constant state of gratitude each and every day.  If I say thank you once, I must say it about a thousand times a day.  I speak it out loud, I say it silently, I am mindful of it, I am grateful.  Therefore, I had myself convinced that I did not need to actually write any of those grateful thoughts down in a book!  I had it all in my mind, I was feeling it each and every day, wasn't that enough? 

Then one day, recently, I realized ...maybe it is not enough to just think it.  Maybe there would be a benefit to writing down my gratitude each day.  So, I tried it.  And I have to tell you in just a couple of weeks I think I am more focused, more energetic and more aware of doing the right things to be more positive.  Why?  Because the act of writing down why I am grateful every day helps to connect me to those feelings more.  And the simple fact that it is recorded in a journal allows me to revisit those previous feelings each day.  All of which makes me feel more and more grateful for each day and its blessings.  It is a very humbling feeling and it makes me very happy.  

Why should that be? Why should the simple act of thinking about who and what I’m grateful for and then writing it down make such a big difference in my life?

Just a few reasons:

• Because it reminds you of the positive things in your life. It makes you happy about the people in your life, whether they’re loved ones or just a stranger you met who was kind to you in some way.
• Because it turns bad things into good things. Having problems at work? Be grateful you have work. Be grateful you have challenges, and that life isn’t boring. Be grateful that you can learn from these challenges. Be thankful they make you a stronger person.
• Because it reminds you of what’s important. It’s hard to complain about the little things when you give thanks that your children are alive and healthy. It’s hard to get stressed out over paying bills when you are grateful there is a roof over your head.
• Because it reminds you to thank others. I’ll talk about this more below, but the simple act of saying “thank you” to someone can make a big difference in that person’s life. Calling them, emailing them, stopping by to say thank you … just taking that minute out of your life to tell them why you are grateful toward them is important to them. People like being appreciated for who they are and what they do. It costs you little, but makes someone else happy. And making someone else happy will make you happy.

What do I give thanks for, privately, in my little gratitude session? It varies every day.  Personally, I thank God first.  I thank Him for his blessings, his mercy and his direction in my life.  I am grateful for my loved ones.  My family and friends.  I am grateful to do what I love each and every day.  I am thankful for the people around me, especially my clients, my experiences.  Sometimes, I am just thankful for the good cup of coffee I had to start my day!  

How to Live a Life of Gratitude
The thing is, simple acts of gratitude don’t cost you much (especially once you get over the initial discomfort some people feel with thanking others). But they can make a huge difference.

If you’re interested in living a life of gratitude, here are my suggestions:

• Morning gratitude session.  Before your feet even hit the floor ...take even just one minute each morning to give thanks, to whoever or whatever you’re grateful for. You don’t have to do anything, other than close your eyes and silently give thanks. This one act can make a huge difference in your day and in your life.
• Say thank you. When someone does something nice for you, however small, try to remember to say thank you. And really mean it.
• Call to say thanks. Sometimes you might think about something nice that someone did for you. Perhaps you remember during your gratitude session. When you do, pick up the phone and call the person, just to say thanks. Let them know what they did that you’re grateful for, and why you appreciate it. Takes a minute or two. If it’s too early to call, make a note to call later. Even better is telling them in person, if you happen to see them or if they’re on your route. Almost as good is a thank-you email — keep it short and sweet.
• Give thanks for “negative” things in your life. There’s always two ways to look at something.  Many times when we think of something as negative — it’s stressful, harmful, sad, unfortunate, difficult.  And at the time, it might be just that.  However, I know (from experience) that the blessing often comes after the breaking.  Therefore, is it possible, that the same experience can then be looked at in a more positive way?  There is often a gift or a lesson that comes of it.  Be grateful to have had the opportunity to be changed or transformed.   Problems can be seen as opportunities to grow, to be creative and become stronger, wiser.
• Keep a gratitude journal.  Choose a journal or notebook for the sole purpose of recording the 5 things that you were most grateful for each day.   Keep it on the table by the side of your bed and do this before you go to sleep.  You may have your best night's sleep!

Let me leave you with a prayer of gratitude that I’ve always found … well, perfect.  I shared this with my newsletter subscribers last November as a Thanksgiving wish and I know so many of you replied with a big "Thank You" for sharing!

Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.
~ Author Unknown ~

10 Simple Ways to Get to the Next Level

We all want to "get to the next level".  I believe humans have an innate desire to constantly grow and improve ourselves and our situations.  It is why we are alive.  So here are 10 simple ways to help you create a plan and focus on personal growth.

 

1. Commit to life long learning – People who have more information have a tremendous advantage over people who don’t!  And though you might think it takes years to acquire the knowledge you would need to become super-successful, the truth is that simple behaviors like reading for an hour a day, turning TV time into learning time & attending classes & training programs can make it surprisingly easy to increase your knowledge – and your level of success.

2.  Stay motivated with the Masters – Listen to audio, read books and attend trainings delivered by people who have done it; people who are inspiring and successful.  Learn from the best!

3.  Find ways to maintain your passion and encourage your enthusiasm everyday.

4.  Learn to control your time and re-define it.  Prepare and plan for great results.

5.  Stop majoring in the minors!  Instead of dedicating yourself – and your time – to mundane, non-productive, time stealing activities – focus on the 20% of activity that will bring you the best benefit.

6.  Write it down! – Seeing your plans and your options in writing will help crystallize your thinking and determine what questions to ask, what information to gather, what your plan of attack might be, etc.

7.  Coaching- You would never expect an athlete to reach the Olympics without a coach.  Of all the things successful people do to accelerate their trip down the path to success, participating in some kind of coaching program is at the top of the list. A coach will help you clarify your vision & goals, support you through your fears, keep you focused, confront your unconscious behaviors & old patterns, expect you to do your best, help you live by your values and show you how to earn more by working less.

8. Attend a Mastermind Group- New thoughts, new people, new resources

9. Show Appreciation – Appreciation is a secret to success.  When you are in a state of appreciation you are in one of the highest vibrational (emotional) states possible.  When you are in a state of appreciation & gratitude, you are in a state of abundance.  Your focus is on what you have received, and you always get more of what you focus on.

10. Be a "Class Act" – Develop Class Act behavior.  Live by your highest standards.  Increase the quality of every experience through your conscious thinking and actions.  Learn to take responsibility for actions and results.

The Leader Within You

The Leader Within You

Leadership…everyone talks about it, many want it, yet few understand it.  What comes to mind when you hear the word?  Is leadership something we’re born with or is it something we discover?  Or better yet is it something to develop?   

What makes someone a good leader?  We know that leaders inspire and motivate rather than intimidate and manipulate.  They encourage others because they know that encouragement is what brings out the best in people.  Your vision not only for yourself but for the world around you is the first step toward developing the leader within you.  

Leaders understand the importance of a positive attitude and disposition because it will have an impact on their ability to influence.  The leader’s ability to influence others is at the heart of leadership skill.  John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert and he says, “Leadership is influence.  That’s it.  Nothing more, nothing less.” 

I believe there is a little more to leadership than just influence, albeit important.   A leader is also someone with a vision; someone who can get others to not only see the vision but to help in achieving the vision.  Leadership is not a position, rank or a title; it is the ability to influence others and gain followers.  However, the one who influences others to only follow is not really a leader.  A true leader is someone who influences others to influence others to create a bigger following so more people can work to carry out the vision.  Basically, a true leader is someone who can develop people.

Before you can develop others; you should begin developing the leader within you.  Everyone has the potential to be a great leader!  It is our calling to do so.  Developing your leadership qualities is really your obligation to the world.  The world needs more leaders who can add value to the people and organizations they wish to lead.    

As you work to discover the leader within you, ask yourself a few important questions: 

How do I add value to the people and organizations around me? 

Do I normally come from a place of genuine contribution? 

Why is it so important to develop the leader within me?

Something else to consider as you develop the leader within are these 5 attributes of leadership.  What areas are your strengths?  What areas do you need to improve in?

• Self-discipline – the ability to make yourself do the thing you need to do even when you don’t want to
• Positive attitude – Leadership has less to do with position and more to do with disposition
• Vision – Leaders see it (the vision) and pursue it and they help others to see it and  pursue it
• Integrity – being who you, doing what you say, having credibility and knowing how to do the right thing
• Influence – getting people to see what you see and support you in getting there.