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The Tree And the Fence

Quick, name one thing that is preventing your success or keeping you from reaching a goal.

Don’t dwell on the answer, just blurt it out! Now ask, is this something within my power to change?

Regardless of what your blocker is, the answer is YES, you can change your circumstances and remove any obstacle!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-Jh-uRZb6g

All too often we allow negative self-talk to rule out day. And when that’s not giving us the excuse we want, we turn to comparison shopping for progress. You know, “THEY are farther along than me…”. And don’t even get me started on believing in the “shoulds.”

You are a unique combination of gifts and talents and you are positioned in time and place to make a difference. And the reality is you are making a difference, the only question is, is it a positive or a negative one.

Just because you are talented and gifted doesn’t mean you don’t have to put in effort toward the outcome though. Pick any great athlete, they still had to put in the work to achieve greatness, and so do you!

Just like the tree in this picture, don’t let any fence stop you from following your path to success. Yeah, you might have to go under or around and it might not be the prettiest…but it will be yours!

You may look at a fence or a wall and see an obstacle, something that will influence you to change your course. Instead, see it as an opportunity to overcome something that would stop a lesser person, someone who will have to settle for mediocre while you enjoy the fruits of your effort.

When you get stuck and need a hand seeing past your next fence or wall, DM me. I can help. And join me for a bit of daily inspiration, watch or listen to my daily video podcast (link in bio).

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Stop Chasing the Bright Shiny Thing!

When you confidence isn’t founded in focus and purposeful action then you are jumping without a parachute. – Kathryn Lang

It’s a slippery slope when you start chasing what “seems good” at the time.

When you run a business, it is easy to allow distractions, which can dilute your focus even though it seems the “rabbit hole” you’re running down seems more exciting.

You’ll find yourself “confidently” chasing details or “new ideas” that don’t make a difference in the big picture when you originally started everything.

You have confidence because you’ve been there before and you’re “revisiting” something that soothes you, instead of, stretching you.

High confidence should be treated as an indicator that you may not be pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone hard enough… seriously.

Before you make a decision, ask yourself how you can measure the result to see if it moved the needle.

If you can’t come up with a good way to measure, then it’s a bad decision because you’ll never be able to distinguish between a win or a loss.

Do you know how to distinguish between a win and a loss right now?

You may believe it will “sort itself out” in time because of whatever reason, but things never progress unless you’re able to determine the specific things to move the needle in your business. Until then, you’ll be “spinning your wheels”.

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It’s Your Call

Business (and life) is a contact sport! What do you do when it gets to be too much?

Let’s face it, it happens to everybody! Sometimes all the moving pieces of your success and fulfillment seem to be moving in opposite directions! UGH! The answer though is pretty simple…

The more complicated things become, the more aggressively you have to simplify!

Overwhelm, and the feeling of lost control that accompanies it can be debilitating if you let it…but it doesn’t have to be.

Most people believe when they are experiencing overwhelm that the pathway out is planning or studying or some other distraction. The reality is, there’s only one way to dig out from overwhelm…simplify!

In the short term, find one thing you can control, that you can make an unimpeded decision about and make it. For Mel Robbins, author of the 5-second Rule, that was the snooze button on her alarm clock. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy, just something YOU control.

Now that you have some confidence taking control of your ‘alarm clock’ take on that giant pile of decisions that are overwhelming you. Simplify the decision point all the way down to, “which choice moves me closer to my goal.”

Take Jocko’s advice (slightly modified by Thom), “Relax, [take a breath], look around, and make a decision.” Those decisions are the reins of control in your business and your life…start deciding and take back control!

If you need help finding your clarity or simplifying your decision matrix, DM me or connect with me on my website (link in bio) at www.ThomRigsby.com.

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When Confidence Wins

Do you have what it takes to become an overnight success and turn everything you touch into a win? Are you sure?

Sometimes when I’m having a conversation with someone looking for a business and life coach I will ask them this question. Often they seem genuinely surprised that I’d ask such a question. But it’s a necessary question.

If you’re going to win in business, you have to have confidence in yourself! No one else is going to do it for you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTzmeMQcmFU

Confidence is the residue of execution. The more you execute, the more your confidence builds. And as your confidence builds, so will the success of your business. There is a direct relationship!

Think about it, would you rather go with the doctor that “thinks” they can solve the problem or the one that “knows what the problem is and what to do?” You’re customers feel the same way!

So what if you don’t have the confidence yet? Well, this is where fear and courage make their appearance. Your lack of confidence will create fear, and fear is a good thing. It gives you an opportunity to step out in faith and demonstrate your courage!

All other things equal, when you’re in the heard and everyone is huddled up, afraid and unsure what to do next, they will follow the first person to step out front and say, “follow me.” It might as well be you!

If you are not sure what steps to take next, don’t know how to execute to achieve your goals, or just need some help putting together a plan, I can help. DM me or find me on my website at www.ThomRigsby.com.

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Confidence Is Fun

When was the last time you really had fun? Take a second right now and really think about it! How much did confidence have to do with it?

Joe Namath once said, “When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun.” But is that really true? Confident of what?

Have you ever watched children playing? Our granddaughter is 7 and she loves to sing along with songs and videos…but not when someone is watching. She’s very confident in herself when no one is looking. Add in an observer and her confidence takes a hit…and it becomes less fun.

You need a certain degree of confidence in order to really dive into something and go all out. And the funny thing is, it’s not even confidence in the outcome! You can have a great time playing a game and still lose. It’s confidence in yourself to compete…to have a chance! (remember that word, chance)

See, for any victory to be rewarding, there has to be some risk involved, there has to be a chance that you WON’T WIN in order to enjoy the game! When we take the risk away, there is no need for confidence…so in a misguided attempt to build confidence, they’ve actually taken the confidence from a whole generation! But I digress…

When I’m talking with aspiring business owners in my life and business coaching practice, I hear it all the time, “I want to get all my ducks in a row” or, “dot all my I’s and cross all my t’s.” The reality is not only is that not possible, but you also don’t want that!

Confidence is the result of experience. You have to try things to build the confidence you need to win…in little league, in business, and in life! What have you avoided trying lately? Go ahead give it a shot! Win some confidence and have FUN doing it!

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Circumstances Do Not Dictate Outcomes!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your circumstances?

You may have heard me say that opportunity is just a set of circumstances…facts or conditions that surround you. But is it possible to have so many opportunities or circumstances that we get stuck and can’t make ANY progress? Well, sure, it’s possible…so what do about it?

When you are feeling overwhelmed by circumstances, it is rarely the volume of opportunity that is causing the problem (that doesn’t change very much over time). Rather, it is the relative weight you are assigning to the opportunity or the outcome.

Sometimes, the weight is appropriate…get out of the street or be hit by that truck…but more often than not, the weight is arbitrary, just something you made up. If you made it up, you can change it!

In my life and business coaching practice, I see this a lot around goals (or expectations of outcomes). You start a business and expect million dollar results in the first year…then when it doesn’t happen, or it’s slow, you start looking at everything you need to do to improve…and there’s a lot…and BOOM…you’re overwhelmed!

This is one reason I came up with the P4F model for planning and GSD. It will help you find the five most important things to focus on today and prioritize them to create results.

I’ve made a short video about P4F and how it works. You can find it on my website at www.ThomRigsby.com/P4F. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a 6-minute breather and watch the video…it will change your life!

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Get Scared!

What did you do yesterday that scared you? Made you nervous? Was risky?

We talk a lot about fear on the podcast (7 Minutes In the Morning, link in bio) because fear is a natural part of life. It serves a biological purpose by causing our body to prepare for ‘something’ and it tells our senses to ‘pay attention!’

Fear also serves an important mental purpose as well. When you feel afraid or scared in a work or business capacity, it’s a message that you are testing the edges of your comfort zone. Yep, that’s right, your comfort zone!

Many people live their entire lives inside their comfort zone, even if the life there is less than fulfilling…at least its safe! But not you! When you take on the role of business owner and entrepreneur, you need to prepare yourself…even LOOK for ways…to be afraid every day.

It all points back to the principle that, “if you want the things other people don’t have, you have to do the things they won’t.” They won’t do them because they’re warm and cozy in their comfort zone. Ahh but you my friend…you’re out there making it happen!

You can start testing the boundaries of your comfort zone by signing up for a no-cost, no-obligation business strategy session! The link is in my bio!

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The Secret to Work Life Balance

Have you found work/life balance yet? Neither have I and there’s a good reason why…it doesn’t exist! [read more]

You have been sold a bill of goods, a pig in a poke, whatever axiom you want to use. The idea that work goes in one box and life goes in another, then somehow, if you are PERFECT they’re supposed to balance out, is just a bunch of bunk!

Okay, so if work/life balance is a load of…um…fertilizer, then what SHOULD you expect?!

Here’s the deal…you need to work. There is something deep in your soul that wants to enjoy the reward and the value you get from seeing an accomplishment of your labor. And that work is just part of your life! Get it? There’s no work-life balance, there’s just life, and work is a big part of it!

When most people say they want more work-life balance, they’re really saying they want more life and less work! Is that you? If it is, that’s fine, just be honest about what you’re asking for!

The reality is that you are uniquely gifted, talented, and placed to do work that matters, and when you’re doing the work that matters TO YOU, you will enjoy it. Don’t compromise!

Are you doing the work you are gifted and talented to do? Or are you doing the work that will make you the most money? Just something for you to consider before you read that next book or watch that next video promising to give you something you already have!

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Why Is It a Struggle to Reach My Goals

We’re almost halfway through the year, are you struggling to reach your goals? That’s a good thing, here’s why.

We hear a lot these days about how things should be easy. Great example: minimum wage should be a living wage. I don’t know about you but there was a time in my life where I worked three jobs and my wife worked two…5 jobs between us…to make a ‘living wage.’ There was nothing easy about it, but we did get one very valuable thing from it.

I’ve always been blessed to know that the best things in life cost you the most, and not always in money. Having to work hard for anything gives us a greater appreciation for the value of that thing. That’s one reason I’m so fond of saying your employees will never love your business the way you do, they haven’t lived the struggle.

It’s also one reason I make it challenging to get into my business and life coaching practice. I don’t want to convince anyone that they need help, I want them to know they need it!

So be thankful for the struggles. They give you an opportunity to demonstrate greatness and they make the reward that much sweeter!

If you are having difficulty reaching your goals for 2019, or maybe you haven’t even set any goals yet, I can help! DM me or send an email to thom@thomrigsby.com to see if you have what it takes to enter the program!

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What Is the Displacement Principle

Are you having trouble getting results? Can’t seem to get the things you want? Here’s the reason…and an answer!

You are not getting the results you want because of displacement. You are displacing the work you SHOULD be doing to create the result you want with other work that is either ‘busy work’ or directed at something other than what you say you want.

If you have the ability to read this message, you have access to everything you need to create the result you want! The ONLY thing holding you back is YOU and what YOU choose to work on.

I know it’s not always sexy or fun…and that’s the point! If you want something you’ve never had you have to do the things you’ve never done! And so what if they are difficult, or risky, or whatever! DO IT ALREADY… do work that matters!

We are almost half-way through 2019…are you half-way to your goals for the year? If you’re not, there’s still time, you just have to choose the right priority and get it done…then do it again tomorrow…and the next day…( I think you get the idea ).

If you are struggling with your goals I would love to help! You can schedule a no-cost, no-obligation call with me on my website (link in bio). You will find clarity, gain confidence, and take back control of your time! You CAN make great things happen before the end of 2019!