Ann Ronan

4 Power Networking Strategies for Successful Self Employed Women

2009-05-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

Many of the women who work with me are shy. And so was I when I first left my “job job” and began networking. When I worked in the university setting, the only networking I did was at conferences where we’d share our curriculum and research findings with others… it didn’t feel like "selling".

When I left behind that "academic identity" 10 years ago, I knew it would be important for me to get out and meet people to share information about my career coaching services and to establish myself as an expert in this field that was new to me. I was quite nervous about this activity but recognized the value enough to talk myself into attending 3 different networking meetings each month. This week, I want to share what I learned with you about what works in networking.

Strategy #1: Intention. Before you attend a meeting, get clear in your own mind, what you would like to have happen. Play the scenario out in your mind like a movie. My intention is usually to meet at least 2 people who can help me by referring clients to me and whom I can help in some way that will be powerful for them.

Try out a networking event before you join. Each has a different flavor –find the ones that are comfortable for you. I recommend joining three. I currently belong to my local Chamber of Commerce, my local chapter of National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO.com) and a mastermind group. I usually attend 1 breakfast meeting, 1 lunch meeting, 1 dinner meeting and one 5:00-7:00 pm “mixer” each month.

Strategy #2: Be curious about people. Here’s a simple formula that works every time. Set a goal to have this conversation with at least 3 people each time you attend a networking event. Approach the person and say “what is your business or what is your work?” Once they tell you, say “what kind of person is your ideal client?…I’d like to know so I may be able to refer people to you.”

Ask them for 2 or 3 cards that you can share with others. When they hand you their card, look at it for a moment, comment on it if you like something about it and jot down a note on it to remind you of how you might help them.

When you get back to your office, put them in your database. If you have an ezine or newsletter, send them your most recent issue with a note saying “this may be of interest to you or may benefit someone you know. If you’d like to subscribe…click here (to your subscriber link) or if you don’t yet have an electronic database set up, say “if you’d like to subscribe, shoot me a message back and I’ll add you to my list.” “If you know of someone who would benefit by this information, I’d appreciate it if you’d forward it along.” “If you have a newsletter or ezine, I’d also like to see yours."

During the following weeks, if you see an article that contains information that pertains to that person, forward it to them with a note. If they are helpful to you in anyway, send a thank you card. The fact that are thinking of them and wanting to help them will help establish a relationship.

Strategy #3: Practice answering the question – “what is your business?”

You need to have a quick, specific answer that you can say with ease and confidence.

This takes practice and fine tuning and that’s ok. As I mentioned early in this ezine, I just attended a conference this past weekend. I was struck by how many people could not answer this question easily when I asked it of them. Many people said to me “wow, you are so clear.”

Here’s what I said when someone asked me what my work was: “I work with women over 40 who want to be self employed. They either can’t decide what business to start, or they have started a business and need help growing it so they can make plenty of money.”

Strategy #4: Use Both Sides of Your Business Card. Don’t agonize over your first business cards and don’t spend a ton of money on them. No doubt, you will change your mind about the design/content over time. I recommend Vistaprint.com. Don’t forget to use the valuable space on the back of the card. You can use this space to list your key services or speaking topics or include a great testimonial here.

4 Success Strategies for Getting and KEEPING Ideal Clients

2009-05-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

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Strategy #1: Mindset

In building your business, you have to work as much on your mind as you do your actions. You have to have both. Books like Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill never go out of style because they contain truths that stand up over time. Here’s one of his quotes: “All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination; imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.”

The new psychology of mindset tells us that if you have a fixed mindset, you believe that your talents and abilities are set in stone–either you have them or you don’t. You must prove yourself over and over, trying to look smart and talented at all costs. This is the path of stagnation. If you have a growth mindset, however, you know that talents can be developed and that great abilities are built over time. This is the path of opportunity–and success.

Strategy #2: Keep in touch with people who express interest in your services/products

Stay in touch regularly with your potential clients by giving them something of value. Some examples: Offer them an email newsletter like this one –send it out at least twice a month. Paper newsletters delivered by postal mail are also welcomed- these can be sent monthly or every other month.

Give small gifts. For example, I’ve recognized that during the last several months the fear level of many folks I’m in touch with has risen to an amazing crescendo. I also know that you cannot feel gratitude and fear at the same time. So, I offered to each of you (and the offer still stands!) a gift. Each of you who sent your postal address to patty@AuthenticLifeInstitute.com received a gratitude stone and a written meditation from me. The responses have been great! Another example is our recent “No Complaints Throwdown” where we sent folks silicone customized bracelets and instructions for how to free up your mind energy from complaints so you can focus on creating your ideal life.

For a small, creative investment, I am able to keep in touch with you all in a meaningful way.

Strategy #3: Form Joint Ventures

You do not want to be the lone ranger trying to make it alone! When you partner with someone else who has a client list that could benefit from your services, you can expand your own list quickly. Here’s just one example of the joint ventures I’ve participated in. My self employment system is of interest to many folks who are on the verge of retiring after a long career. They are still vibrant and want to share their gifts with the world in a way that continues to bring in money while allowing them the lifestyle they desire.

I have partnered with a financial planner whom I admired and we’ve promoted each of our services to our lists. She often has clients who want more from her than just financial advice –they want to get answers to issues like “what’s my real purpose?” and “what would give me fulfillment once I retire?” She doesn’t feel equipped (nor does she want to take the time for these conversations) and I don’t have the training or interest to provide financial advice.

So we both expand the number of people we can reach by working together. We have given seminars together which were very successful –I do a section on purpose, passion and self employment after retirement and she does a section on the top financial decisions that need to be made at retirement.

Think about 1 or 2 folks you could partner with to create this kind of win-win-win situation!

Strategy #4: Referral Circles & Professional Consortiums

A referral circle is 5 or 6 professionals who agree to pro-actively and enthusiastically refer clients to one another. There is no compensation to each other –just a willingness to support and grow each other's businesses. I have this type of relationship with several women I’ve met at local networking groups.

A Professional Consortium is a group of people who serve like business partners. They may visit clients together, submit proposals that include each other’s services, and deliver joint services under one contract. They may create a brochure listing each of their expertise. If one person in the group receives a large contract –they typically subcontract out some of the work to others in the consortium with specific expertise for each piece.

I’d love for you to take one idea from this article today and make it a specific action step you will take, with a vision for what it will look like when you’ve accomplished it and a deadline for when you will do it. Email me your commitment (ann@AuthenticLifeInstitute.com)–I’d love to see them AND it gives you great power to put your word into writing.

4 Proven Steps to Positioning Yourself As An Expert: Even When you Don’t Feel Like One!

2009-05-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

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The Dictionary definition of an Expert?: a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field. My definition of an Expert: YOU!

Trust me, this was one of my biggest stumbling blocks when starting my business…given that I came from the field of medicine where one of the most famous worldwide heart surgeon “experts” performed his miracles...ahhhh...I had no confidence that I, little Ann, could EVER be an EXPERT!

Well, I’ve overcome that belief and today I want you to also.

Here is my proven system for authentically positioning yourself as an expert.

Step #1: Read and Study in a field that you are passionate about:

The first message I heard that helped me came from Earl Nightingale, motivational speaker and creator of motivational products – he said one hour per day of reading/study in your chosen field is all it takes. One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years, you'll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do. So I have done that in the field of entrepreneurship for the last nine years.

But what about the first year – I was studying and reading and out there speaking – how could I feel like an expert?

Step #2: Write and place articles. Nothing gives you “expert” status like being published. Write short articles (500-900 words is 1-2 pages) on your topic. Get your articles placed in publications online and in print that your potential client/customer reads. Have a “call to action” at the end of the article. Send the article to your local professional association. Make copies and give them out everywhere you go! At the end of the article tell the reader to take action! You can give your website link for a free tip sheet or booklet. Now, that person is in your “leads list.”

Step #3: Lose the Fear of Speaking

You owe the world your life. That’s a big statement huh...I wanted to be sure you were still awake! AND I truly believe you do. The world doesn’t owe you anything. You were put on this planet with your own unique gifts to share and it’s your job to share them with others and prosper as you do so. Simple. So get out there and share yourself with the world.

Find a way that works for you. I enjoy speaking in situations where I am facilitating interaction among the participants. I’m not as fond of “keynote” speeches where I am the only one speaking for any length of time.

So 20 minute talks with Q&A or workshops and seminars where I can have people interact is the way I do it. This is a top method of becoming known as an expert.

If you want more support on this, join our Success Circle –I’ll be conducting a 6 part teleclass on just this topic.

Step #4: Get Testimonials

Testimonials help build trust. Haven’t you ever bought a product or service because the testimonials made you say “I want THAT!” A good testimonial talks about a problem, how you helped the person solve it, and concrete results.

Even when you’re just starting out, you can get testimonials. Listen very carefully to your first clients...any positive feedback is a testimonial. Ask them if you can use their words... I always write the testimonial for them, building on the few words I heard. I send it to them, asking if I can use it as is, or if they’d like to edit it. I always want to include their name and geographical location –this makes it feel like it’s the real deal and not made up. I also offer them the opportunity to have their email and/or website included.

You can also send your product around or invite someone to experience your service and get their testimonial. It helps if you get recognizable names, but people with the right titles or degrees can also help. Start where you are. A good testimonial from an “unknown” person is still worth its weight in gold.

Here’s the latest one I received. “After participating in Ann Ronan’s coaching program, I got very clear on my ideal work and realized that I was happy being an employee... just not with the company I was with. Then the Universe helped me move forward... I got laid off.

Within a short four weeks of making this decision and creating a plan, with Ann, for finding ideal work... I landed the new perfect job (in this economy during 03/09!). In fact, I had 3 job offers - amazing. Of equal importance, Ann was instrumental in helping me use my precious 4 weeks off for rest, personal growth and focusing on things that I normally did not have time for. It was truly magical.

If you too are yearning to create your ideal work - whether in an organization or in your own business - then look no further than Ann Ronan -- an investment in her program is well worth every dollar.” Diane Hankison, Melbourne, FL

4 Secrets to Setting Goals (Goals You'd Really Love to Achieve!)

2009-04-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

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One of our Success Circle members recently asked for more specific guidelines on setting goals. The members each set a 60 Day WOW Goal – an achievement that they will feel really terrific about sharing with other members at the end of 60 days.

Here are my best secrets for setting great WOW goals and achieving them.

Secret #1: Create a vision for your ideal life first. Most people skip this step –don’t be one of them. Write it out in detail, including everything you’d love to be, do or have. Then create a vision board of two or three. You can have one for your business, one for your health goals and one for things you’d like to have. You can have one for things you’ve already achieved to remind you of how far you’ve come.

Vision boards are not a “whoo whoo” deal. Ready for some science? Your brain processes over four hundred billion bits of information every second –you are aware of only about two thousand. What determines what you pay attention to and what you skip over –the part of your brain called the reticular activating system (RAS).

It’s like a sentry at the doorway of your mind, sorting through all those bits of information bombarding you, deciding which best match patterns already established in your brain. It is the most intelligent and sophisticated alarm system we know of.

When you create that vision, with a clear, focused picture of what you want, this part of your brain kicks into high gear, and won’t stop till it finds what you’re looking for. All kinds of “miracles” and coincidences begin to occur to help you reach your ideal life.

Secret #2: Set your first goal as something that both makes you happy NOW and leads towards the rest of your dream. Chances are there is a big gap between your life now and your ideal life and that’s ok. Think about which elements of your ideal day you absolutely must have, those that are desirable and those that are icing on the cake. Then ask yourself “What is the most important thing that is missing from my life right now?” If you can come up with a single, solid answer –that’s your first WOW goal.

Secret #3: Brainstorm (ideally with 2 or more supportive people) and list EACH and EVERY step that needs to be done to reach your Wow Goal.

Be very specific in listing each and every step, even if you don’t know how to do it. Knowing how is NOT necessary to reach your goal. For now, stay focused on your “what,” not the “how.”

Next to each step, write the estimated completion date. When you have each step and date written down in detail, pull out your calendar and schedule each step. You may have to change your success dates, get extra help, or make a step simpler. Putting each step on your calendar is a great reality check that ensures you'll reach your Wow Goal.

There is no “right” way to do this scheduling. I start out in January with a one year plan of where I’d like to be in key areas of my life in December. I then break it down into monthly targets and then weekly. I end my Fridays at about noon by creating my schedule for the following week. I make adjustments –it’s not set in stone- I allow for the unexpected opportunities or challenges that pop up!

Secret #4: The Biggest Secret: creating time for your action steps. Do you procrastinate? You’re not alone. Or maybe you’re the opposite and find yourself always “doing” but it's mostly doing for others.

If you are serious about getting to your ideal life, you’ll have to take a frank look at how you are spending time now. For one week, record what you actually do with your time.

If you find a lot of time is “wasted” don’t beat yourself up. We all need time to unwind and to be self indulgent. The way to manage these “down” times, so they don’t derail your path to your ideal life, is to schedule them just like everything else.

It can be a block of time each day or a few times every week, but be consistent in the time/days you choose for yourself. And then take half of your designated “me” time to take actions towards your goals and use the remaining half for whatever you love doing…play solitaire, read a novel, stare into space, surf the net mindlessly. You’ve earned it!

A last tip: Each day take time to read, see, and feel your ideal life. And as you make decisions about how to spend your time…ask yourself “is this getting me closer to the life I was meant to live?”

Faith It Till You Make It: 3 Steps to Authentically Grow Into Your New Business Identity

2009-04-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

What keeps you from staying in action towards your desired goals? I can bet it’s that four letter word….FEAR. Maybe your first few baby steps toward your goal were a breeze. And then…it’s time to make a specific request from someone or get out to a networking meeting and say “who you are and what you do” in 30 seconds (when you’re not exactly sure who the heck you are yet!). Taking what feels like a big risk can stop you cold.

Now…you’ve probably heard that you’ll have to “fake it till you make it.” That all successful people have had fears and doubts but persevered with apparent confidence…even if they weren’t feeling it. Well, I don’t care for the word “fake it” so much (my business name is AUTHENTIC Life Institute!). So I say “Faith it Till You Make It.”

I do believe you have to take steps that scare the pants off you…those are the ones that really move you toward your goal AND even more importantly, these scary steps are the ones that stretch you more fully into who you truly are as a human being (not just a human doing). Have faith that these are the steps that bring you closer to your essential self and not the self you’ve created to get the world’s approval.

To help you past this fear, I’m going to share 3 things I did as I grew from my “feeling trapped but secure university professor self” into an entrepreneur who feels freedom, ease and grace while providing products and services to the world that ideally fit my life purpose and lifestyle choices.

Problem #1. Fear stops you when you are doing something for the first time and don’t know how. I’ll never forget the first time I attended a networking meeting –I went in with much trepidation and absolutely no clear intention of what I wanted to get from it. I hadn’t thought about how I’d introduce myself and did it badly. What could you do in this situation?

Solution: You could ask a friend who attends many networking meetings to tell you what to expect when you go to your first meeting. You could also ask her to tell you what her introduction is to get an idea of what’s expected.

You can look up “elevator speeches” on the internet to get tips you can use. You can write up your first draft and practice it aloud, editing it and practicing until you can at least get it out without totally tripping on your tongue.

Problem #2. Fear about lack of experience. For the many of you who have been reading my ezines, taking teleclasses with me and participating in our Success Circle, you’ve witnessed my many “fall flat on the face” efforts. And I can gladly say, that it doesn’t bother me a bit to make mistakes, learn from them and move on now. I couldn’t always say that though!

Solution: You must be willing to tell people if you are brand new to something.
It’s fine to admit it’s the first time you’ve done something AND don’t forget you are bringing tons of valuable experience and skills to this first time situation.

I once facilitated a group on preparing yourself to attract a relationship. I have no training in relationships…I wanted a group to work with me as I was preparing myself for a relationship! I was honest. Right at the start of the group I shared that “I’m not a relationship expert, I am looking to be in a relationship myself…AND I have facilitated hundreds of teleclasses on many subjects and I have a natural gift for this…so I know together we will learn a great deal about ourselves and how to attract the right relationship while having a great time!” And we did. (And I met a man exactly 12 months later who I am now married to.)

Problem #3. Lack of support

When you’re stuck in your rut and not doing anything new to stretch yourself more into who you REALLY are, everyone around you is probably comfortable with you just the way you are. Then, when you decide to step over a threshold and begin to make changes, everyone around you is going to get shook up.

When I announced I was leaving my “secure” job, I got all kinds of responses and none of them was supportive. "You’ll lose your health benefits and retirement." "Do you REALLY think you can succeed in something so different from what you’ve done?" "You’ll be lonely working from home." Get the picture?

Just when you need support the most, those who have given it to you in the past, just might not be able to. They are afraid for you. Some are even envious because they have a buried dream and are not courageous enough yet to move towards it.

Every successful person has at least one supportive person (and most have more!) to provide a strong foundation on which they can lie their dreams and ideas and not have them get squashed. You need people that will say “yes you can!” and help brainstorm ideas with you when you’re stuck. So early on in any change you are making, get some support!

I would love to be part of your support team by offering you a very affordable way to work with me directly. For only $9.99 you can be part of our Success Circle…so why wait? Join us today!
http://www.authenticlifeinstitute.com/SuccessCircle.htm

3 Steps to Choosing Authentic Goals and Achieving Them Easily!

2009-04-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

I’m noticing that many of my clients have lots of trouble choosing goals. I ask them to set a 60 day WOW! goal and they freeze up…I can’t see them over the phone, but I imagine they have that “deer in the headlights” look…they stammer and squirm…and I usually let them off the hook and tell them to think about it for a few days…and then I revisit the question with them again, until they can at least whisper a goal to me. Can you relate?

This problem has 3 reasons …I’ll give you each problem followed by a solution.

#1 People who don’t set goals don’t believe they deserve to have a wonderful life. They are in a mindset of just “getting by,” going to work, doing errands, maybe watching too much t.v. or mindlessly surfing the internet for hours.

They don’t think about what they love to do. Since I was in my teens, it has been my life purpose to get people to ACKNOWLEDGE what they love AND to do more of it…whatever it is…for this is their core –their reason for being here…and I’ve seen it from first hand experience…if they don’t use some of their valuable life force, time and energy on the things they love…they wither and often look back at life with regret.

Solution: Give yourself some inner time with the tv, radio, internet turned off and remember what it is you love to do. Allow whatever it is to emerge. Write it down. Cut out pictures of it and keep them with you. Don’t tell just anybody about it yet…only a person or two who will support and encourage your ideas.

#2. We’re not taught about how to set goals. I remember vividly a moment in college when I realized that the teacher was giving me a strategy to achieving goals and I thought … Eureka! I never knew how to set goals…not one adult ever talked to me about this very cool and important thing…I knew somehow that this knowledge would change my life…and it did!

Solution: Your goal must be concrete. Almost without fail, when you first start out to set a goal, it will be vague. My clients laugh as I gently but relentlessly keep asking laser questions to get them crystal clear about their goals.

Your goal has to be a concrete action or event with a target date. And your goal must give you something you love. Here’s an example from my business. I have a goal to increase this Authentic Institute “tribe” by 50% (or more) by December 31, 2009. That will allow me to help MORE people acknowledge what they love to do and do more of it…and THAT makes my heart sing. So there is that emotional component to the goal that pulls me forward. Now I have a concrete and specific goal with an emotional component but it’s also a WOW! goal. So that takes us to problem number three.

#3. We don’t take baby steps consistently and persistently.

I could easily be overwhelmed if I thought I had to increase our tribe by 50% overnight…but I don’t. I have 12 months (I set the goal in January). In January, I brainstormed what I would need to do to achieve this goal. I brainstormed alone and then with the two coaching groups I’m part of to get the ideas of others.

I took all the steps I came up with and used a flow chart kind of diagram, using post it notes, to put the steps in the order that made most sense to do to get me to the goal. Here were some of my steps:

#1 get ezine out regularly (I’d gotten away from it in my last year of ministerial school). I started with twice a month Jan-March and am now moving to weekly in April. This would rebuild the connection I had with all of you!

#2 use the articles I write for the ezine to draw new members into our tribe…through posting the articles online, in print newspapers and by editing them into press releases and sending them out.

#3 book speaking engagements (2-4 a month from March –December). This will allow many people to get a “taste” of who I am….I’ll give them a valuable booklet or report in exchange for their email address and then they’ll begin getting my weekly ezine… the relationship begins and they become part of our tribe!

That gives you an idea. Each step is entered into my calendar. And I then take ONE step at a time! I take at least one step towards this goal five days a week….sometimes more than one step…some steps can be done in five minutes…some need 3 hours. But it's still one step, one moment at a time. I’m enjoying each one of them AND I’ll achieve my goal. Ready to set your goal? Want the same type of support I receive in the coaching groups, I’m part of? Your next step then is to click here and join our Success Circle.

5 Steps to Generating Authentic & Powerful Leads…FAST!

2009-04-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Many of the solo professionals whom I coach are people who offer services. They're coaches, consultants, creatives. They’re amazing people with huge hearts and their own unique gifts and genius to share with the world.

But here's the problem: I see many of them focusing on the wrong things. They create a snazzy web page, decide on their services and pricing (90% of the time too low by the way…a topic for another day!) and wait for people to find them.

Sadly, it just doesn’t work that way. You have to shine your unique light out into the world like a lighthouse so that just the right people are drawn to your safe harbor.

Here are 5 proven and powerful ways to fill your database with high quality leads who can’t wait to buy your products and services.

#1. Create a blog or website –it doesn’t have to be complicated…you can write your words (copy) from your heart (AND use powerful words –I keep the book “Words That Sell” right at my fingertips.) Give your copy to some techie person, could be one of your kids for heaven’s sake and have them get the blog or website up!

#2. Purchase a contact management system with autoresponders. Aweber.com is my favorite. Constantcontact.com is another that many people use.

This will allow you to collect all your emails in one place and to create autoresponders and broadcast messages. What the heck are those, you ask? An autoresponder is one of the greatest tools a solo entrepreneur can have. Here’s how it works. You buy aweber.com. They tell you how to put up a “sign up box” on your website (have your techie person do this for you). You filled one out on my website –that’s how you got on my list!

Now people are not going to just sign up. They want to receive something in return. So you need to create a free give away that let’s them get a feel for who you REALLY are and what you can do for them. This can be a special report. A directory of resources. An e-course or an audio recording.

#3. Now you have your lead’s email address. The next step is to keep in touch REGULARLY. This builds relationship. I know many of you have been on my list for more than 8 years and even if we’ve never met in person, you feel you know me. You’ve watched me grow and change, divorce and remarry, become a minister and move to my dream location.

When you build relationship, people trust that you truly want to solve their problems and now they are willing to buy your products and services.

The easiest way to keep in touch is with an ezine. You can write a very simple article (400-600 words) on a topic related to your service, add a little personal touch and then use aweber.com to “broadcast” it. That means you go into your aweber software, post your article, hit send to entire list and poof! Everyone on your list receives the ezine at once. You can even write several and set the broadcast to send out each one on a different day.

#4. Post your articles. Ok, now I’m going to urge you to LEVERAGE everything you do. Remember that article that you sent to your email list? Well now it’s time to send that article to people who don’t know you yet!

There are many internet sites looking for free content. To get started, you can post your articles on ezinearticles.com and ideamarketers.com. There are loads of places, but I usually only use 4-6 of them.

The most important thing about posting articles is that you get to create a “resource box.” That’s a fancy term for your short bio. Not just your bio though! Write just a sentence or two about your business and then put in a “call to action.” Right now at the end of all my articles, I’m giving the link to join our Success Circle for free. I know that once these people enter my community, they are going to receive so much information, and support and love from me and our community, that they’ll want to hang around for a long time!

I also publish those same articles in local magazines.

#5 Public Speaking. Have you fainted yet?

I know that this is a huge fear for many people. HOWEVER, it was one of the best ways that I got quality leads FAST. People got to get a taste of me and my presence.

Everytime I speak I offer to send participants a weblink to a free downloadable booklet called “70 Practical Marketing Tips for Solo-Entrepreneurs” IF they will give me their email address. Typically 95% of the audience will give me their business card or write their email address on a piece of paper being passed around that says “Yes! Please send me the booklet." You can get 25 or more leads in one swoop with this method. And they are people who have MET you and asked for more!

If you have fear about this, I strongly encourage you to join our Success Circle where I can teach you all the strategies I used to overcome this fear and become a sought out speaker (and I’m a true introvert!).

2009-04-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

Today I'm feeling extra grateful!

The French call Gratitude “the memory of the heart.” And gratitude is now even being studied scientifically! Robert Emmons, a professor in the new field of positive psychology at University of California Davis, is conducting research on gratitude. He found gratitude contributes to emotional equanimity and pleasure, richer personal relationships and greater health. He says 'Gratitude is more than a tool for self-improvement. Gratitude is a way of life.”

A simple way to cultivate your gratitude is to keep a Gratitude Journal. For the next four weeks, make a commitment to write down five things you are grateful for each day. Include the ordinary as well as the extraordinary.

Create a ritual time to do this each day. Science shows us that keeping a gratitude journal for as little as three weeks results in better sleep and more energy!

Igniting Your Spirit,

Ann

P.S. Want to take a powerful step towards creating your ideal life – a life filled with gratitude? Join our inspiring and supportive Success Circle FREE for 2 months. Yes it takes courage to join AND you have nothing to lose (except regrets if you don’t live the beautiful life you deserve to have!)

P.S.S. If you give us your postal address when you register we'll send you a gift to help you remember Gratitude!

Join here: http://www.authenticlifeinstitute.com/SuccessCircle.htm

Do Whatever It Takes....

2009-03-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

to live your ideal life. Why not? It breaks my heart to work with so many amazing people who limit themselves....who don't believe they have anything of value to offer the world.

Helloooooo - you are a magnificent creation....you are unique...even quirky, the quirkier the better! And you are here to enjoy life and share your uniqueness with others. People are waiting for you.

What do you love to do when you don't HAVE to do anything? What topics do you naturally gravitate towards? Think of a time when you did something you're proud of? What were you doing? What qualities and skills did you bring to the accomplishment. What do you love to do? And are you doing as much of that as you'd like? If not, why not?

Ok...enough questions. It is my mission to help others acknowledge what they love to do and do more of that.

What one step can you take TODAY that is related to what you really love to do? Will you do it?

I'd love it if you'd leave a comment telling me your step -it's extraordinarily powerful to put your intention in writing and to share it with others.

Igniting Your Spirit,

Ann

Dream It & Do It: How to Get Into Action to Live the Life You REALLY Want

2009-03-24T17:05:00.001-07:00

How many dreams have you let float up to the clouds? How many times has your inner spirit “inspired” you with an idea…and then the “yeah buts” kicked it to the dust?

Don’t you think it's time to live the life you really want … following those dreams that just won’t stay down? Here’s an example of a woman that did:

Carol, an executive secretary of two decades, had a passion for tracking the news. Sometimes she'd even take a sick day so she could watch breaking news on TV. In her job, she easily came up with creative ways to generate press for her organization. She had a natural knack as a publicist.

She eventually pitched her boss to the local TV and radio shows as an expert they could interview. Her success at getting him great visibility made her realize that she was "maxed out as a secretary" and could be earning much more money as a publicist.

She revamped her resume and aimed for a PR job. She applied to a one-man firm that could only afford to hire someone trying to break in. It was a perfect match. In 2002, she went entirely freelance. Her reinvention took all of two years.

In 2008, she made over $200,000, more than four times her executive secretary salary. This year, she expects to do even better. And best of all, she’s doing work she enjoys while living a life she loves.

So what’s happened to your powerful dreams? Chances are pretty good that you didn’t take action. Not because you're lazy or a bad person or have rotten karma….no, it’s quite possible you didn’t know how to decide upon the next action to take. Here’s how to get past that.

Ask yourself, what is the emotional core of this goal….what do I love best about it? Is it the desire to help others, to be able to generate as much money as you like, the freedom to work only half the year….get yours to a few words and this will point you to the shortest and most gratifying route to your goal.

Then you need a role model …someone who’s doing what you’d love to do. If they can do it, you can too. This person can give you encouragement, inspiration and practical advice. You may not even know who this person is yet…but you can find her/him.

How can you start to get some of what you want into your life right NOW? The sooner you start getting some of what you really want, the more drive and persistence you’ll have to go for the whole enchilada.

So today, before you close this email, choose your next target goal: It might be to have 3 articles published in magazines within the next 3 months or to travel to Italy and take photographs you can sell by October or to have clarified and clearly defined your target niche for your coaching programs (email me your goal …I’d love to see them!)

Be prepared for your reptilian brain to rear its head as you’re setting your goal. What the heck is that, you ask? The brain that evolved in early vertebrates –specifically reptiles, wrapped around your brain stem, deep in the center of your head. Its purpose is to continuously send you alarm reactions to keep you alive in the wild. Except you probably don’t live in the wild…so it doesn’t do you a whole lotta good. The bad news is…there is no way to stop it from shouting out fear impulses about lack and attack. The good news is you can choose to ignore it. Want to learn how? Join our Success Circle –it’s free for 1 month with no obligation!

Come hang out with us on the phone on Thursday 3/26 at 4:00 Pacific/7:00 Eastern (hurry and register here http://www.authenticlifeinstitute.com/SuccessCircle.htm that’s tomorrow!) On that call, I’m going to give a simple but powerful step by step process for getting past your reptilian brain so you can take those actions needed to get to the Life You REALLY want!

Home Based Work and Your Environment

2009-03-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

It really hit me today that my environment is absolutely key to becoming even more of who I already am.

Oh yeah, I've heard it before and have even shared the idea in my coaching programs...but today I am committing to REALLY watching and evolving my environment...

what do I mean by "environment?" The people I spend time with, the beauty of my surroundings, what I listen to and read...

I am getting more and more in tune with the elevation of my energy when I'm in a supportive environment and the depletion of energy and inspiration when I'm not.

So if you're working from home today as I am....take a look at what you're doing,
what's around you and what you're talking about.

And let your REAL essence shine with a supportive, nurturing environment!

Juggling Plates: How to Have a Portfolio Career with Multiple Streams of Income

2009-03-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I live a spiritually focused life. And one of my beliefs is that there is something bigger than us –we can call it God, or The Force or whatever. I believe we are created from that invisible energy field and that we are part of it –co-creators. Imagine that God is the ocean and we are each unique drops in that ocean -we‘re not God –and yet we have all the power we need to create lives that uniquely suit us!

I know that this Force that works through me and for me, is unlimited in energy, creativity and abundance of all good things. And so, one of my mantras is “God is my source and supply bringing in income from many streams.” I love the fact that I don’t depend on any one source of income and I know that no person, place or thing is my source.

It makes sense to diversify your interests and do some things for money, some because they interest you and some just for fun. Having multiple streams of income gives you an edge when cycles change – one income stream may start going flat while another is building up. Having several projects is an insurance policy to staying afloat.

How do you get started in creating multiple streams of income? Well here are some specific, powerful steps to get you started.

It is easier to earn $1,000 a month from ten little businesses than it is to earn $10,000 a month from one big one. Not that the big ones don’t happen –they do! AND, you can’t start them all at once. This is a big mistake that many of my clients make...they’re afraid to focus on just one thing...thinking they’re giving up their other passions...you’re not!

Take your first idea, either one that is easy for you to make money at right away or, if you’re not pressed for money, the one that gets you most “juiced.” Stay with that one idea until it develops momentum and is bringing in money, then on to the next idea and so on.

Some people have one passion that spins off into several profit centers. For example, a passion for herbs could lead to a bed and breakfast located on an herb farm, lectures on herbs, writing books on gardening herbs, selling articles on herbs, and a mail order catalog to sell herbs.

Others, like myself, have several completely different income streams. My current ones are a Success Circle Coaching Program for women entrepreneurs, an entrepreneur information product, grant writing consulting projects, a 30 day Jump Start Your Grant Writing Consulting Business Coaching Club, a how to do grant writing information product, and a Virtual Center for Spiritual Living (www.revann.com).

Does the thought of this make your head spin? Take it slow. Look at your long-range goals and work backwards breaking your big goals into baby steps –this is the key. A 2nd secret to success is being consistent and persistent.

Suppose you want to create five profit centers each bringing in $10,000 and you want to accomplish that within the next five years. You have two ideas you can get started with, one that is half baked and no idea yet what the other two will be.

You’re first step is to create two $10,000 a year revenue sources. That breaks down to each bringing in $800 a month –with a weekly target of $200 each. That’s doable!

Eventually your goal is to have some of those profit centers bringing you money while you sleep! I’ve learned a lot in my coaching programs about information marketing and now I have two information products that bring in money (ch-ching) into my email box at all hours –even when I’m on vacation.

This is called leveraging your knowledge. A big topic that I’ll share more about in upcoming issues.

How to Focus…the Secret is in Your Unique Genius

2009-02-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver

James Hillman, in the Soul’s Code says that “just as the giant and majestic oak is embedded in the acorn, so a person carries inside them an active kernel of truth, or an image, waiting to be lived. The idea is not a new one - the Greeks had the word ‘daimon’ to describe the invisible guiding force in our lives, the Romans the ‘genius’.”

I read those words in 1996 and bought a ceramic symbol of an acorn…which hangs in my office today. It reminds me that if I started out as an acorn…it makes no sense to try and be a pine tree…

That I must live MY life….as the GENIUS that I am (and so are you!).

Here are the 3 ways to name and claim your Genius.

#1: Its always been there. What did you LOVE to do as a kid? This seems to be a simple question. It’s NOT. It’s the most powerful clue to the essence of your genius. Your essential self was still pretty intact and clear about what it truly loves.

#2. What was a pivotal, memorable experience you had regarding what you loved to do as a kid? What was it about the activity that you loved? I loved reading …it took me into new worlds and was something I could do in quiet and solitude.

#3. What words and/or qualities describe that experience?

My example: learning new things, being in the world of thought, quiet, solitude….and this is the quality of a large part of most of my days today!

Your Unique Genius is not about skills…it’s a powerful force that IS the very core of who you are. It is the essence of what you love to do and do extraordinarily well.

Would an example be helpful? Here’s mine. My Unique Genius is I energize possibility. I express my Unique Genius by creating new programs and services.

Go ahead and draft up your Unique Genius statement –keep it to no more than 6 words or so….and don’t get stuck on getting it RIGHT…you can always change it as you get closer and closer to your essential self.

The feeling of using your Unique Genius is so powerful and motivating that you will find that you can’t wait to let go of anything that is not in your Unique Genius. And THAT is focus.

Resource box: Ann Ronan, Ph.D. is an author, speaker, and self employment expert. For a free audio seminar “Ignite Your Entrepreneurial Spirit: 3 Easy Steps to Self Employment Success”, visit her site at http://www.authenticlifeinstitute.com.

Overcoming Obstacles: Don't Let Them Stop You from Living YOUR Life!

2009-02-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

You may have real obstacles or you may have imagined ones. Either way they tend to stop you cold. And guess what? Obstacles are a normal part of the process –particularly life changing processes.

If you spend your time avoiding obstacles –you get frustration and “what ifs” and regrets.

If you are looking to live without a job, you may not even RECOGNIZE your obstacles!

Here are the top 3 obstacles my clients work through with me:

Obstacle #1: You don’t know how. Every new endeavor will require learning new things. And that to me is exciting! Don’t let the “how” derail you.

Here’s a secret. Change the “how” to “what.” What is it you want? What do you need to do next? It may take time to percolate… but you will get your answers. Keep moving in the direction you want.

Here’s an example. In 2003 I decided I wanted to go to Italy in 2004. I didn’t know “how.” I didn’t know how I would justify and pay for a vacation. I didn’t know which cities I’d visit. I didn’t know how I’d travel solo with no Italian language skills.

AND I didn’t let those perceived obstacles stop me. I wrote it down on my goals list. Then I told 3 people within 2 days…. "I am going to Italy in 2004." It was a done deal.

I bought a guidebook on Italy. I took out my passport and left it in plain view. I put up a photo of Venice as the background setting on my computer so I could see it often.

And then…..a brochure came in the mail from a professional career development organization I belonged to….

Their 2004 annual meeting was to be held in…. Venice!

So now it was starting to come together. I could write off most of the travel costs to a business trip….

I’d have a starting place with colleagues so I could get comfortable before venturing out on my own….

I had a beginning destination. I booked the trip…went….had a fabulous time!

Obstacle #2. Your ego and identity around work.

One of the biggest obstacles I faced when leaving my last “job job” was my mighty ego.

I had worked a long time to get the title….the nice office....in a beautiful marble filled building….a prestigious organization….and yet I was miserable…

Not at first …I loved the work for more than 15 years…but when it was time to go out on my own…

I was worried about losing the prestige….who would I be if I was just Ann Ronan, on my own…working from home?

Well it didn’t take me long to figure out that who I was … I was happy. Now I really get that doing work that makes me happy is the greatest reward of all.

Obstacle 3. Listening to the wrong people.

Those who secretly long to be their own boss are often full of bad advice for people who are on the verge of taking the leap.

How many of you were encouraged to be self employed when you were a kid? Probably not too many! It just wasn’t understood or valued by most of our parents and teachers.

Protect your dream early on….nurture it like a seed and be careful who you expose it to.

Those who love you most may not be able to support you at first…they are concerned and fearful for you.

Keep learning about self employment…keep taking your steps with the encouragement of those who CAN support you (like our Success Circle!) …and when your loved ones see your success….they will share in your joy.

Starting a business? Here are Resources You Have Right Under Your Nose

2009-01-29T06:50:00.000-08:00

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.” Andrew Carnegie

I have found, with the clients I work with, that they almost always underestimate the resources they already have right here and right now to get started on their new business. If you find yourself doing the same, let me remind you of what you have.

Number one. You have lots of life experience. Everything you’ve done up until this very moment, whether it felt like a success or failure, has taught you something. Your experiences taught you many things that you can bring to your new business. Think about the skills and knowledge you already possess. You may have great organizational skills, interpersonal skills or writing skills. You may have a lot of knowledge in an area you have a strong interest in –maybe tai chi or travel or caring for aging parent (just a few to get your creative juices flowing). This is a powerful resource!

Number two. You have access to information like no one else has had in the history of our planet! For any question you have about starting your business, you can most likely find some good answers on the internet. Using the tai chi example, I “Googled” the term tai chi and found 14,400,000 entries. Yikes! But right up front, I found a tai chi magazine, online classes, schools that teach tai chi, articles about tai chi and health and special information for seniors about tai chi. You can learn a lot here. Caution. Don’t think that because there is already a lot of information available about your potential business area, that there is not a need for your new business! You are unique. You can reach certain people in a way no one else can. When you get clear on your business and align it with who you are, you will be like a lighthouse shining your beam and attracting just the right people to your products and services.

Number three. You have access to professional organizations. There are professional associations for all kinds of businesses –when you find one in your line of business you will have access to invaluable information, conferences and like minded people willing to share information with you. For example, there is a national beer drinkers of America association, an international scrap booking association http://www.wescrap.com/, a national quilting association and I found 17 associations when I looked up astrology on a website of associations at http://www.asaecenter.org/. Using our tai chi example once more, I found several national and international associations and then decided to get more laser focused on associations within Southern California, where I live. I found several including specialty areas (having a narrow specialty in your business actually brings in MORE money!) such as the Aerospace Employees Association Tai Chi Club and the Tai Chi for Arthritis Association. See if you can find a few associations for your interests.

Number four and most important of all, you have your mindset. You can train your mind to help you succeed. And if you don’t train your mind, you won’t succeed. All outcomes begin with your thoughts. One powerful way to train your mind is to set goals. Oh sure, you’ve heard this before, but did you know that the Small Business Administration tells us that 97% of the population does not set goals! That’s incredible.

Successful people set goals. Here’s a few examples from the very wealthy. Warren Buffet asked his managers to set goals and to keep employees focused on them. Bill Gates and 189 world leaders came together at the United Nations to design a roadmap for ending extreme poverty, disease, and hunger. Together, they created eight objectives—known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)—and agreed to achieve them by 2015. On Thursday, September 25, 2008, these leaders met again to renew their commitment to achieving these goals and set practical steps for action. And here were some of Oprah Winfrey’s goals: Go to college, have her own TV show, have more African-Americans in TV and movies and stop child abuse.

Your action step today is to set some goals. Be specific. For example, I will have business cards made is not specific enough. I will have business cards made by 5:00 pm on November 10 is better. I’m not going to request a certain number of goals, but I would suggest you write at least one for several areas of your life. Although our work together is focused on starting and succeeding in self employment you love, in order to be effective AND happy you’ll want to include goals for these seven areas: financial goals, career/business goals, free time/family time, health/appearance goals, relationship goals, personal growth and making a difference.

Also, set one BIG goal. One that would be a real breakthrough for you. Some examples: publishing a book, attaining a degree or credential, or earning an extra $3,000 a month. Now write down your specific goals and read them 3 times a day. Carry your most important goal, written on a card that you can keep in your wallet or in a place that you see often throughout the day. You will activate your amazing powerful subconscious mind and train it to find opportunities, increase your motivation, stir up your creativity and help you to see resources all around you.

The Millionaire Mindset

2009-01-29T06:49:00.000-08:00

“All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.” Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich

Do you have a millionaire mindset? Ok, maybe you don’t want a million or think that’s too high a goal. That’s ok. The purpose of this article is to get you thinking about the way you think about money.

Here are some facts about millionaires from researcher Thomas Stanley of the Millionaire Next Door and the Millionaire Mind:

Millionaires say that the foundation of their financial success is to be in integrity –being honest with all people; practicing discipline/self-control; having social skills and the ability to get along with people; hard work –more than most people; and a supportive spouse. Well, you might not have the supportive spouse right now, but don’t worry, you can control the other four factors and reach financial success.

1/3 of millionaires are business owners or entrepreneurs. They have courage to take financial risk but are not gamblers. The kind of risk they take is related to choices of their occupation or vocation. Being self employed has the risk of no employer backing you up and if you fail to deliver what the market demands, you may be out of business. Just the same, those with millionaire mindsets think it is risky not to be self-employed. And I agree! Being self-employed allows you to be in control of your own destiny. Profits are your own and there is no one stopping you from making as much as you’d like.

Millionaires focus on success, not failure. They practice believing in themselves and persistent attention to their work. The words of Napoleon Hill “Think and Grow Rich” are still true today. They develop an understanding of their strengths and limitations and hire others to do the things they are not best at. They have an abundance of common sense. And here’s a key point –they choose work that they love.

Financially independent people have no difficulty focusing on their goals and working at high levels of productivity because they love their work and are excited by it every day. They know their chosen work allows them to fully use their strengths; they get self-esteem from their work and they are absolutely certain that their work will make them financially independent one day. Now, please note that many millionaires had several other jobs before finding their ideal one. And you probably will too. One of my mentors was fired from his first five jobs before finding his passion and fortune in real estate!

The rich find a great idea, often something they are passionate about, they assemble a great team of people, follow advice and hang out with people who are already where they want to be and they never let anyone steal their dream. Most people will scoff at your desire to be financially free because they don’t believe they can achieve this for themselves. Don’t let them. Don’t even tell them. Just surround yourself with those who are already where you want to be and share your dream with only those who you know will support you and see the vision of your dream with you.

If being self employed, working from home and being financially free is your dream, stay tuned for the next article on “Great Home Based Businesses.” I’m walking out the door now of Starbucks, where I’ve worked this afternoon, taking my own advice –I’m on my way to a real estate investors club. I’ve built a six figure business and am now ready to generate more passive revenue (more on that topic in a later issue), and I’ve chosen real estate investing as the way to do this. So, I’m on my way to learning new things I have a passion for, putting persistent actions into place, meeting people who are already where I want to be and getting support!

Want to Spend the 2nd Half of Your Life YOUR Way?

2009-01-29T06:46:00.000-08:00

Are you considering self employment in order to live life they way you’d like? Nearly one in five pre-retirees say they want to start their own business after retirement. And many of you are chomping at the bit and want to start now –to heck with waiting for retirement. Although 80% of adults say they would work even if they didn’t have to, it’s a sad fact that the majority of them can’t wait to leave their current jobs and get home.

I knew nearly 2 years before I left my academic job that something was wrong. I, a normally positive, cheerful person, was getting angry at work. Often. In thinking about what the heck was happening, I realized it was nothing “out there” that had changed. It was me. While my career had been extraordinarily satisfying for 15 years, I had outgrown it. Divine discontent was knocking at my door –in the form of anger. I needed to listen!

I worked with a coach for a year, weekly unpeeling all the fears and imagined obstacles that kept me from leaving this work I no longer loved. And then, I took the leap! And survived. More than survived, I thrived. And continue to do so.

One of the questions I asked during that year long soul searching, nail biting process, was “do I have what it takes to be self-employed?” I had no role models in my family to “prove” to me that it was possible –that I was cut from the right cloth for this type of adventure. I did some researching and here’s what others told me about what it takes to be self employed. I’ll give you my opinion following each point.

1. You must have the ability to believe you can be successful.

I agree with this. Self employed people learn to take risks and become decisive. These qualities are not innate; no person is born an entrepreneur. I believe that your mindset is one of the most important keys to successful self employment.

2. You must love to learn and continue doing so.

Yes! In order to keep growing and to thrive in your business you will need to learn from you mistakes. You will find that there are just some things that don’t work –that’s fine – try something else!

You will learn from watching others in your line of work that are successful. Learn the best parts of their methods, but beware of trying to imitate. It is your quirky uniqueness that will make you successful.

You will learn from reading and research. Read inspirational material of others who are successful. Read books from people who have information about how to innovate in your work.

3. Here’s one I don’t agree with. Many checklists of entrepreneurial qualities say that you must be a hardworking person and that you must put in more hours than you did as a person employed by someone else. This is a pervasive, yet faulty mindset that many self employed people operate under. If you are beginning a new business, while you maintain your current employment, yes, you may work more hours for a time.

However, once you take the leap, I encourage you to set an intention that you will work smart and stay focused on what brings you close to the money. If you don’t fritter away your hours on actions that are not essential, you can work less hours than you previously did and make equal or more money.

I can speak from experience! I previously had to work hours that didn’t’ suit me in order to accommodate the hours of the busy physicians I worked with –I had to be at early morning and late night meetings. I now start my day more slowly, rarely work more than 30 hours a week and make twice as much as did in my previous job.

Here’s an action step to take after reading this article. Take some time to write out a vision of your ideal day in your new, self employed world. Make it as vivid as possible, using as many of your senses as you can. Where are you, what is around you, what sounds, smells, tastes? Who do you work with? What emotions do they have, do you have after your work together? This is a powerful exercise! Just ignore your doubts and “yeah buts” when they raise up to ask you if you are out of your mind. Read that vision each morning. If you decide to put it away after a week or a month, mark your calendar for a date six months from now to remind you to revisit your vision. There’s a good chance you will be amazed at the progress you have made toward having that ideal.

Uncovering Your Passions

2009-01-29T06:44:00.000-08:00

Ok –here’s a secret. They’re already there. You just need to acknowledge, embrace them and take action on them. So how do you uncover them?

Some of you may have had an "aha" or life changing moment that made you aware of a passion. Others discover their passions through intuition - an internal knowing that this is it. Others come to a gradual awareness through their experiences. Here are 3 methods to uncovering your unique passions.

1. Think about the childhood activities you enjoyed.

This is where the seeds of your passions lie. You were closer to your essential, true self as a child, before society, teachers and parents helped you forget what you truly love. I uncovered my passions through a combination of thinking about my favorite childhood activities and becoming aware of when I am happiest and "juiced" in the present.

2. Look at your current activities. When do you lose track of time? What topics do you naturally gravitate towards when you’re reading a newspaper, browsing a bookstore, choosing movies? What are you doing when you get in the “flow” and lose all track of time? These are important clues to your passions.

3. Imagine your ideal day. Take some time to write this down. Use all your senses. What are you doing when you wake up? What can you see and smell? How do you spend your time? What do you do for lunch? What kind of people are you working with? What kind of environment –indoors, outdoors, traveling? How do you feel at the end of the work day?

Action: Take 30 minutes to think about your childhood activities. Write down what you loved to do. How did you feel? What was it about the activity that excited you?

Then consider where you are today. What do you like about your current work? Dislike? What is pleasing to you in your living and work environments?

Ask others around you if they notice what it is you are doing or talking about when your face really lights up.

Finally take a peek into the future. If you could live an ideal life what would it look like? Who is in it with you? Where do you live? What are you doing for a living?

As you come up with a list of potential passions, begin to experiment with them. Put your toe in the water by doing an activity related to your potential passion. Pay attention. What is it about the activity that excites you? Enjoy yourself as you uncover your passions! Next we’ll talk about common fears that come up when you consider self employment and how to get past them.