Sara Hand

2011 was a year of challenges. There were many times I wondered how I would ever navigate this course.  “No one comes out of the fire swamp alive.”  But through God’s grace and the support of the wonderful people, friends and family, I have in my life…I am blessed to close out 2011 positioned to move into a really new year.

Through our BarCamp Sarasota community we are issuing a challenge for those of us who have come through and are expecting to Achieve the Incredible  in 2012. If that’s you…join is a declaring that this year I will make “IT” happen.

It is easy to get bogged down in the negative messages that we are bombarded with daily. As an entrepreneur – a business owner, those messages can be overwhelming as we face the challenges of navigating in an economic environment that bears little resemblance to our, in hind-sight, relatively safe world of yesterday. So what do you do?

It is crucial that you take responsibility for your own mindset. Here are a few tips to keep discouragement from keeping you from doing the things you need to do to be effective.

Tips for Winning:

1. Stop and breathe…Some people just run faster and try harder. Others shut down altogether. Neither response will effectively produce results over the course of time.

 Take 3 deep breathes and release slowly each time. Your nervous system will kick in and you will begin to relax. When you relax you can make better choices.

Exercise: It releases endorphins which will help you feel better. Ride a bike, walk, dance…do something you love.

(Alcohol and other substances to “feel good” don’t count.)

Hold hands with someone you love. Look them in the face and TELL them that. Build Joy…Yes, Joy is a real thing.

2. Set realistic goals. The world is tough enough. Stop trying to be Super person. Unrealistic expectations reaffirm an inability to succeed. Affirmations are great, if you really believe that in your heart…if you don’t, it is NO better that the unrealistic goal. Let yourself grow into big goals, one baby step at a time.

 3. Set up accountability with someone who actually cares whether you succeed or not. Ask someone to give you honest caring feedback. I have a coach, a counselor, and an advisory board and a couple of incredible friends that I have empowered to let me have it…they help me stay on track through constructive criticism and act as cheerleaders when the going gets tough. They believe in me, even when I may begin to doubt myself.

Although you may have many people in your life who are a part of your journey, people who encourage you and help you along the way, when it comes down to it the responsibility for winning in your life is yours. You will need to choose to ask for help when you need it, to give yourself a break when necessary, and to choose to grow and embrace change as the friend it can be.

The truth is my life changes when I do. It applies to my business, my relationships, and my health…every area of my life. Maybe the economy could be better, maybe your spouse or significant other needs help, or maybe you were in an accident or have a health challenge that hinders you. However the truth remains; my life changes when I do, and if I don’t change… nothing will change!

Sometimes making life changes, those meant to last a lifetime, can sound overwhelming.

 “It’s the beginning of February and I couldn’t even make it through January with changes, how can I expect to make ‘LIFE CHANGES’ and expect something that lasts?”

Decide to start where you are at. It is so easy to wait until everything is right. However, if you wait until you have everything you need, until all the money is in the bank, until every team member is in place and is thoroughly trained…you may be waiting a LONG time. If it isn’t life or death, consider altering your recipe just slightly if it makes getting started possible. Who knows, it could actually be called inspiration.

Make changes one step at a time, one day at a time. Don’t try to get everything done today. I know that it is hard, because personally, I like things done well and done NOW. However, I also like things that are made to last. Craftsmanship isn’t about who gets to the finish line first, but about getting to the finish line with something that really works.

Celebrate success, whether big or small. Focus on what’s right. You may not have arrived. You may not be where you want to be, but you are not where you were. 

Any moment can be a NEW moment. One mistake, even several does not constitute a lifetime of failure. Whether it is a couple stolen cookies or an indulgent hour at the mall, don’t give up. A few cookies is a few cookies, giving up is weeks of cookies. Any moment you can decide that although you missed it last go around, you are going to take your turn and get up to bat again. The best batting averages start with more misses than hits!

Don’t decide to wait until next year, your birthday or whatever milestone comes around that you measure time by. Start today…or better yet, re-start today, and tomorrow and the day after, and the day after, and the day after that if necessary. In fact, consider every day a re-start as you proactively craft a life!

The holidays are almost here. This year has gone by in a whirlwind. As I journal each day, I have been amazed at how quickly the numbers I write at the top of the page have changed. How could it be the end of November so quickly?

The truth is, with two teenage daughters, a reorganized business with new partners, a growing community initiative and more…my life is full. And although I work with others to help them with personal and professional development…I find that often I fall off the proverbial wagon.

So what I have put in place in my life, are periodic times of review. AND the month of November is one of them. Here I take the time to look at my life. I examine where I am in relationship to the goals I set for myself, my family and my business. What did I get done and what did I fail to complete? I don’t wallow in the lack of achievement, but look to see “WHY”. Then I reassess, reorganize, and put together a new and improved action plan with the knowledge I have gained.

I actually review several times a year to see if I am on track. However, November is not a mid-semester review…what happens in November sets the tone for the whole next year. Amid all the holiday hustle and bustle, if you haven’t all ready, set aside some time to review and to plan for this upcoming year. If you have never really done this:  Review…Update…Plan…Implement…or if you feel like you would like to take life up a notch, consider getting some help doing this.

There is a uniqueness that is all about you, that is characteristic of what makes you different…what makes you special, what makes you unlike any other human being. Just as you are unique as an individual so are you as a business. Yes, there may be businesses that provide a product or service that is similar to what you provide. However they are not you AND that IS important. Because it is in your difference, your uniqueness that something called a unique selling proposition comes forth. People buy a product or service …YOUR product or service because of what makes you different not because of how you are the same as something else.

You don’t buy a Ford because it is like a Porsche. If you want a Porsche, you buy one. However if the Ford were similar to the Porsche and you bought the Ford instead, it might be because of a different pricing.  People don’t buy because you are like everyone else, they buy because you are different.

If you don’t know what makes you specifically different and unique, and you would like to be more profitable and more effective in how you spend your time and money, commit some time to defining that position. It will pay off!

“Have you ever been on the winning team?” For those that have, we know it is an experience of a lifetime. Yet as good as being a part of a great team can be; the team building experience can also be devastating.

As a business development specialist with a MA in Marriage and Family counseling, my perspective might be somewhat unique. However I see many similarities between building a marriage and developing a team. The most valuable thing any couple considering marriage can do is to invest in pre-marital counseling. And similarly, if a leader takes the time and effort to clarify intent among the members of your developing team the process of reaching a real place of performance.

“Why, and what does this mean for my business and my team?” you wonder.

In building a team there are various stages of growth and development, and some of these stages aren’t all that fun. How and if a team moves through these will be determined by the skill of the leader. When leadership takes the time to discuss in the beginning the reasons the team has come together; when they clearly identify rules of engagement with a  commitment to the team members and purpose , and model communication and effective conflict resolution…teams move on to perform incredible feats.

The difference between the hopes and plans we discuss and those we actually implement and live out is often as simple and as complex as time. My brother Bill is a great example of how to use time, with the help of his wife, to plan and accomplish what others would only dream of.

A number of years ago they bought, what they call the least expensive house in a really nice neighborhood. Both of them being pretty handy, somewhat disciplined and motivated for change began a list of remodel projects. They started by knocking down walls and remodeling the first floor to create an incredible kitchen/family room area that any good Better Homes and Gardens reader could envy.

Each year accomplishing, and YES completing several projects: including new wood floors, all new AC system with beautiful attic storage facilities, removing popcorn texture throughout the entire house to replace with a plaster-type finish, attic dorm, and little by little the list goes on. Yet, through in a couple of kids graduating and you can multiply results exponentially. Last year included a new pool and an outdoor recreation area. This year it is a new pavilion and outdoor shower.

What makes them successful at getting things done?

They have a vision.

They have created a plan.

Their plan is connected to time.

They set goals for themselves that they fully plan on honoring these goals.

They use impending events and circumstances as leverage.

They fully enjoy everything they do, so that they don’t resent upcoming projects.

They invite others to enjoy their projects for positive reinforcement.

Whether you are looking at some big household projects, or at redoing your marketing plan…try these tips from Bill and Stacy. I’ll let you know how the latest projects have turned out after the party!

My daughter and I resolved to develop in better health. To do this we decided that getting more exercise would be good and that we would ride bikes together several times a week. We didn’t wait until January to get started. Before Christmas we began to ride 5 miles 2-3 times a week.

It felt good getting off to a great start, and then January came. Would we let a little cold Florida weather discourage us? Absolutely not! WE bundled up with many lighter layers and included hats, scarves and gloves. Each time challenges were presented to discourage us, we simply developed plans that to keep us moving forward.

However February was different. Not only was it cold, but upper respiratory challenges made riding impossible.

March brought us “wet” and two trips to Reale Bikes in Venice for tires and tubes. (Great Service!)

AND isn’t that the way it seems so often. You start out with a great initiative. You have well outlined goals, a plan to implement and you get off to a terrific start. Then things begin to happen, circumstances beyond your control. Yet you continue on, but so does the opposition. Sometimes you can feel like you are so far off track…

However, April arrived. It’s a new month and each day is new. The weather is warm, the bikes have been serviced, and we are both feeling better. Monday was a 10 mile ride for us.

My daughter said several times…”Don’t you feel empowered Mom?”

The answer is YES! We chose to not let time that we weren’t moving forward to keep us from continuing although it would have been very easy to have been discouraged and to have given up.

If you have gotten off track, if your recent actions have not fully corresponded to your initial intentions for this year…I want to encourage you that although staying on target is good; that getting back on your bike is incredibly rewarding.

The Secret to Success (Part Two)

With all the changes in business, people are looking at how to be more profitable.

Start by taking an inventory of what you currently have. Comb through files, closets and storage and make a list of all your assets and liabilities.

What products, services and information do you have?

What products, services and information do you have access to?

What is costing you money to keep?

 Will it produce more that it costs? And when?

After you answer those questions

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

What do you have in your hand?

So if it’s not the necessarily the best products or the best ideas that make it in the marketplace, and a good plan and plenty of funding don’t guarantee that success is inevitable; what does “it” take to succeed? The million dollar question, the magic pill, the miracle cure is…I’m sorry there isn’t one. AND anyone who tells you there is is lying!

Although the answer is simple, it certainly isn’t easy or everyone would do it. Here are some characteristics that individuals share that go on to accomplish the uncommon. Don’t take my word for it. Pick up a biography of someone you admire and see if they are there.

• Faith…to believe that there is something “more”.

• Hope…a picture of that “more” in your future.

• Courage…is the strength to take action.

• Discipline…the ability to take action on a consistent basis.

• Perseverance…the ability to continue to pursue action daily and believe in the possibility of your “more” regardless of how you feel at any given moment or what outward circumstances might indicate.

 The success or lack of success that exists in my life is determined by me. What exists or doesn’t in your life is determined by you. If you don’t like it, change it! And to change it, starts with changing ourselves. Look at the characteristics above. Are those operating in your life? If not, why not?

The secret to success is to start with a personal inventory.