Your Life Story: Blockbuster or Straight-to-DVD?

 What if life is a story?

You know, a tale with a setting, characters, plot, maybe even a moral—and where you’re the protagonist? The hero/heroine.

Right now, if screenwriters were to knock on your door and want to put your life on the big screen…would it be a blockbuster? Or would it be a straight-to-DVD yawner filling the at-check-out bin at Walmart?

I have just finished reading a book by New York Times bestseller, Donald Miller, who was himself approached by screenwriters after the success of his novel, Blue Like Jazz. They wanted to make a story of his life, but there was a problem. (Every good story needs one, after all.) After a long interview with Don, one of the screenwriters suggested making “alterations” to his life story to improve the screenplay. As he spoke, Don’s life was becoming fictionalized and so Don spoke up, questioning this course of action.

[Read more…]

Rebuilding After Hurricane Sandy

I’ve walked this boardwalk *countless* times. Well, what was a boardwalk.

Every single board of this 2-mile NJ landmark was ripped from its foundation by the force of Sandy and tossed lie a rag doll into the ocean.

Of course, this is mild compared to what has happened in other areas of my beloved NJ…and my beloved NYC. I am grateful that I get to sit, right now, in Starbucks, siphoning wi-fi so that I can experience a taste of civilization. I have been without power for 7 days and am staying–if you can believe it–with my ex, in a house currently alive because of a generator. We have no phone, internet or cable, and yesterday, I sat for 2 hours in line for gasoline–much shorter due to the new “even/odd” license plate rules. [Read more…]

A 10-Step Pitch to Prospects to Buy Your Expert Service

A client and I were concluding my 7-session private process, The Powerhouse Method, and now armed with her one-of-a–kind differentiation and message, we had time to role-play the pitch she was going to make to decision makers at NYC media companies. We had developed a strategy where she would go to those whom she knew best first, so the “pitch arc” we created keeps in mind the warmth of her relationship to them.

I am sharing it here with my answers, rather than hers for confidentiality’s sake. The example should help you adapt it to your own situation and content.
[Read more…]

A Successful Expert But Still Not Feeling Your Big Purpose? Reason #2

I’d like to round-out this discussion with the other reason you may not be feeling a BIG
PURPOSE—though you’re successful. You may not be utilizing your skills and
talents
for a far-reach aspiration: both yours and your markets’.

When I launched my 2nd business,
Inspired Leadership Training, in 2006,
I was teaching an incredible public
speaking program, Secrets of Impact
and Influence
, based on the latest
brain research in learning. What was
I helping people do, initially? For a
long time, it was “get more clients” by
using public speaking as a marketing
tool. Then, for an equally long time, 
I was helping them to “be the best
presenter in their field”—because this program really delivers that. Then, I was helping
them be responsible experts, raising their standards so they were teaching with
unparalleled excellence—a requirement, in my book, for giving paid presentations,
seminars, trainings, etc. 

But the problem was, these skills and talent of mine, which were able to produce these
promises, were not connecting to a part of me that was alive and well outside of my
business: a part that was becoming aware of and studying global human potential.
I was watching the central institutions of our world collapse around us, and the rising
up of populations demanding freedom and human rights. I knew that this activity was
going to reach a climax—and that leaders with great wisdom would start coming out of
the woodwork, as if suddenly “activated” or called to their purpose. And I knew my
market—a subset of coaches, consultants, authors and speakers–were those up-and-
coming leaders.

Despite this, I was still promoting SII around more practical goals: getting more
business and being one of the best presenters/teachers. Yet, the fact was, this
particular public speaking model was tailor-made for the leaders
.
 For
those who would be called to serve in the global human potential movement. Indeed,
that’s why I had gravitated to learning neuroscience and applying it to public speaking
in the first place!! I had known it could move mountains and mount movements—but
I wasn’t talking about that in my promotion of the course, and not even in the course,
with those seated before me!

My skills and talents were not taking my market far enough, And they were
not taking me far enough into things that mattered most to me. Finally, just a few
months ago, I leapt off the cliff and made it clear that everything I do is specifically
designed for those who want to change the world—who want to be true, inspired leaders.
Not every coach, consultant, speaker or author wants my skills to take them there
they’re more attracted to my older, more pragmatic promises–but so many do! Many
are being “called” to bigger stages every single day and the higher calling of my
skills and talents
(that extend beyond public speaking, by the way) is reaching
out to them
.

So, if you’re not feeling your Big Purpose, look at how far you are taking your followers
with your skills and talents. Where could you take them that’s bigger, higher, grander,
more meaningful—more inspirational?

If you’re one of the called—if you know you are an inspired leader—Big
Purpose known or unknown—it is your time to lead. Be sure to experience
my call Thursday, Feb. 23: A Time to Lead: Do You Dare?

Does “Changing the World” Seem Too Big for You?

In my new business incarnation, I use terms like ”change the world,” “mission” and
“leader.” A colleague of mine, who’s been in business for years, told me she wants
to feel that she has a BIG PURPOSE, but her specialty doesn’t seem to be evoking it.
She does very helpful things for her target market, but she’s not sure it’s going to
change the world or make her a leader. Now, she hasn’t worked with me, and
that’s exactly what I can do with her, but because I know she’s not alone, I thought
I would share some direction about this.

Before we go further, however, let’s get this out of the way: if you are an expert on
earth at this time, chances are very good that you are here with a bigger mission
than you are now realizing. Millions are waking up to a powerful call to impact. If
you know that (as she does) but just can’t “get at the itch”—relax, it’s going to come.
If you don’t know it at all and you’re very happy doing just what you’re doing, no
world-changing needed, then–at least for now–this whole idea isn’t for you.
However, you could be attracting far more business with just a slight change
in perspective. (I’ll write more about that in an upcoming post.)

If you’re like my colleague and can feel it “in there somewhere,” don’t be scared by
the idea of “changing the world” and being a “leader.” They’re part of your new job
description and with help, they will feel entirely natural (and destined) for you. I
want to help you see that the whole process is akin to moving from the shore into
tepid water, rather than skydiving off Mt.Kilimanjaro.

The fact is, there is only one thing standing between you and changing the world
as a leader of change. Only one thing that makes “those who know and are doing it”
different from you, and that is: a passionate belief.

There is something you believe fiercely that you are simply not bringing to your
business. It’s not shaping your “Store Front” (business identity), or reflected or
discussed in your programs/information products/speeches–and it’s not pivotal
in your marketing.

That’s it. No big mystery. No huge hurdle. If you aren’t “feeling it”—it’s because
you’re not feeling a passionate belief. Which could mean you’re not feeling a lot of
anything—maybe your “winning formula” in life has been to be highly intellectual
and not feel. It does require feeling to change the world, for certain. And a
passionate belief is what will get you feeling. It is then woven into absolutely
everything you do as a business owner.

You see, changing the world doesn’t have to mean that you “have a dream” that
literally touches every person on the globe—though, aspire for that, I say! And
being a leader doesn’t have to mean standing on a platform that millions can see—
though…! It means that you have a belief you cannot contain inside your own
skin and you know it will solve a problem.

You have it. I know you have it. For years, I have worked with countless visionary
entrepreneurs (coaches, consultants, wellness practitioners, speakers, authors),
and in our work,every single one of them excavates a passionate belief—their
leadership message.
You can, too. Indeed, it is time.

Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that a passionate belief is all well and good,
but without strong internal conditioning, it will fall limp. A leader must call
herself to very high personal standards to actually lead and effect change. But that’s
for another time.

Right now—just live and breathe this question: What do I believe passionately?

Join me on a very special call Feb 23–A Time to Lead: Do You Dare? Read more
here.

Get Your Heart On Straight

All of us are bombarded with “buy this!” messages, and as
business owners, I think we can sometimes drown in the
self-doubt these messages activate. “I should be doing that?!
I didn’t know that!
” Furthermore, “inspired entrepreneurs
—those wanting to change the world—can easily drown in
the constant quest to do it “right” because they feel a bit out
of sorts in the business arena, and so grab at countless promises,
praying they’ll be a life-line.

In other words, there’s a lot of fear that passes through the
hearts of coaches, wellness practitioners, authors and
speakers when it comes to business. And fear, as we know,
is entirely corrosive. It eats the healthy parts of us and all
too often kills our businesses all together.

Today, I’d like to make a suggestion: Get your heart on
straight.
Take your head, in fact, and set it aside for a while
as you re-acquaint yourself with the meaning of your life.
Your mission. Your mission. You. You have one. One that
is independent of your business. Ask yourself, “What am I
here for? What am I very clear I am not here for? What is my
highest purpose on this earth?”

And put it on paper.

And ask yourself, “Am I living this?”

If you’re not, it is absolutely time to get your heart on straight.

Then, step your thoughts back into your business. What is its
highest purpose on earth? What is it to accomplish that will
move humanity forward? At the very pinnacle of its success,
what will it have achieved…that is important to our evolution?

Be called by something bigger than yourself and the marketing
messages you receive constantly will fall into two categories:
those that do not match your personal and business missions,
and those that do. This will be clear to you and you will be
far better equipped to say no to the wrong ones and yes to the
right. The fear and self-doubt these messages can invoke will also
fade as purpose–far greater than your little self and your little
business (not to be condescending, but just factual)–fills your
heart and transcends the minutiae of daily marketing messages.

Something must both anchor and emancipate you as you move
through the busy-ness of your business. Otherwise, you will be
swallowed up by the latest fads, trends and concepts—in the hope
that one will be your savior.

Your “savior” is connecting back to what you are here for. And
then ensuring that every action you take aligns with that–including
the business you offer and the way you offer it.

So, get back to the basics and get your heart on straight. Putting your
personal mission and your business mission into words—and then
sharing it with others—will ground you when you get unfocused,
and free you when you get tangled in fear and self-doubt. You are
here for a reason
. When you do business from that realization,
nothing will stop you, and you will pull to you the right and perfect
guidance.

This is the first “Strategic Inquiry” we address in my upcoming 12
Sentences Business Creation & Articulation Course
. More on that
soon.

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