|
|
| Information |
|
|
Solo Mojo for Solo Entrepreneurs --- Where's Your Juice?
I recently read a magazine article about Andrew, a 42-year old businessman. He gave up a demanding law practice in the Northeast, moved South to launch a new furniture and interior-design store, and wrote his first fiction novel in the midst of that transition. He persevered with his passion for writing, buoyed by the love and support of his family, by drafting ten pages daily for two years. Since the completion of his novel, he started a new advertising business and is co-authoring a non-fiction tale on top of his other interests. Do you know people like Andrew? People who are Solo Mojos --- thriving, solo entrepreneurs who rack up quantum accomplishments in their business with relative ease while keeping up a fulfilling personal life. They have MORE money, time, joy and ENERGY for home and work! Solo-Es like Andrew have figured out their passion and true direction. They've found the 'juice' that fuels Solo Mojo power! Managing energy and finding your juice may be the single most important skill for solo entrepreneurs to master. It's all about tapping into that unique energy that has you feeling like running faster than a speeding bullet and leaping over tall buildings in a single bound. To set the record straight, when I talk about increasing energy, I don't necessarily mean doing more. What I'm getting at is reaching a feeling of being more alive and having the capacity to manifest more --- more money, time, joy, people --- in your life as a Solo-E. Struggle and the Solo-E After a global-trekking career with an international processor and distributor of agricultural products, Jean quit at 35 to have a baby and spend time with her family. When she considered going back to work in a corporate setting, she cringed: thinking of exhausting travel, long days and politics left a sick feeling in her stomach. She couldn't find the energy to go back to work. When money pressures prompted her to act, Jean examined her values, strengths and passions. She realized a career as a financial planner was now an ideal fit for her life style. Three years and six million in managed funds later, Jean is glad she listened to the guidance provided by her struggle to return to work. Have you seen signs of Jean's struggle in other Solo-Es? Or experienced it yourself? -- Frustration -- Low energy -- Physical symptoms like headache, sickness, pain -- Emotional outbursts -- Spinning or obsessive thoughts -- Problems with clients, production -- Conflict -- Not meeting your business goals -- Problems with suppliers/vendors -- Etc., etc. Being drained and losing vitality is a death knell for Solo-Es. There's nobody to step in to run the show when you're feeling out of alignment. If you don't become very, very good at managing your energy, you'll face an uphill battle just to sustain your business, let alone grow it into the success of your dreams. Struggle can be hard to pin down! Often, it seems easier to stay with what we know, and within the struggle, by maintaining habitual patterns or living with unconscious behaviors. Sometimes, we even deny there's a problem. Moving from struggle to supreme Solo Mojo energy takes aligning all aspects of business and life with your true self. It takes learning to be extraordinary at remembering who you are, learning more deeply who you are, AND leveraging a supportive environment (getting help from others or learning new skills yourself), in order to reap extraordinary results. It's important to get the right kind of support on the journey to re-energizing. Entrenched beliefs, attitudes and assumptions often fuel the struggle, especially if we're fixated on a specific idea or result. If we don't stop, look at what we're doing and try something different --- something really outside the box --- the struggle continues. It helps to think about struggle as the result of forgetting who we are, of trying to be something we're not. Because struggle pops up when we don't leverage, honor or understand our gifts. To gain perspective on struggle, think about how you'd respond to this question: What would I have to believe about myself in order to be in this situation? Whatever you do, don't go it alone. If you're stuck, sometimes an impartial outsider can offer perspective on the perfect remedy to the insanity of ongoing struggle! And beware of getting help that tells you what you want to hear - find someone who will challenge you forward. Struggle and Energy: the Inverse Proportions As an occupational therapist (OT) in a public school system, Margaret was close to burnout. After talking with her supervisor, she learned part-time work was an option for her. The reduced schedule offered much-need relief with time for her beloved hobby of quilting and an opportunity to start a home-based OT practice. Since cutting back hours at school, Margaret is now well on her way to achieving a thriving Solo-E business. The school system also implemented a buddy system to reduce the strain on OTs, in part because Margaret shared her concerns. As a result, Margaret's energy and enthusiasm has soared! Energy is just like any other resource you need to manage --- money, time, food. You watch it come, you watch it go and, ultimately, you want a positive balance in your account! Solo Mojos have figured out this simple truth: energy flows more when struggle is viewed as an opportunity to learn. They discovered that the more they struggle, the less energy they have. Conversely, the less they struggle, the more energy they generate. So, the key to transcending struggle is to get comfortable with and learn from struggle. THEN energy increases. And this ability to increase and manage energy is directly proportional to the capacity to handle anything and everything in business and life. If we, as Solo Entrepreneurs, want to find our juice and reach those highest levels of capability and success, we need to get really, really good at learning what struggle has to teach us. As we do so, struggle no longer is a struggle; it morphs into just being one of life's simple lessons. That's when we get the big ah-ha: Struggle is optional in the first place. It is simply resistance to learning a different way of doing things. To help shift thinking from 'struggling' to 'learning,' play with your answers to these questions: 1. How is this struggle compelling me to grow? 2. If this struggle were a friend, what would it be telling me? 3. How is this situation about me? 4. What am I protecting? 5. If I had nothing to be afraid of, how would I proceed? Seven Steps to Building Energy Reserves How is your energy level these days? Are you on top of the world with Solo Mojo power? Or looking for ways to build your energy equity to get more out of work and life? Below are seven simple ways you can use to pump up your juice. 1. Notice things that give you delicious delight What offers you joy and fulfillment? Being creative with your work? Playing and laughing with the kids? Working alone? Collaborating with others? Then do more of these things! Energy comes from the inner joy that results when we follow our instincts and heart. 2. Practice gratitude How do blessings, money and other riches flow into your life? Find those sources and align your life around them. Move to a place that ensures a style of love, growth and expansion. 3. Eliminate energy "leaks" Can you identify where and when that sinking, draining feeling starts washing over you? Let go of tolerations --- those things in life and work you put up with just to get along. Strengthen weak boundaries and fulfill unmet needs that rob you of your juice. (However, beware of setting boundaries to avoid struggle --- that's only avoiding the discomfort of moving toward something new!) 4. Surround yourself with energizers Everybody loves the Energizer Bunnyä! That's why you want to be around an army of people who share its characteristics. Collaborate with folks who challenge you to be your best. Enfold yourself with people who revitalize you, always cherishing and refreshing those relationships. 5. Get really good at self-care An apple a day keeps the doctor away. And taking good care of you as a Solo-E results in less downtime from poor health or low energy. Hop onto a regular program of exercise and smart eating, coupled with gentle treats like massage, meditation, finding spirit, etc. These aren't just "nice to haves" - they are essential energy-building workouts where you practice trusting and remembering what feeds your soul. 6. Get really good at clearing limiting beliefs, fears, anxiety, worry, doubt President Roosevelt hit the mark when he said the greatest thing we have to fear is fear itself. As a Solo-E, you've taken the first step by starting your own business. Now clear away those remaining fears and beliefs that hold you back from being the Solo Mojo you were meant to be. Fear leads to protection and contraction - of yourself and business - and is deadly to the Solo-E business! 7. Get to know yourself extremely well The greatest gift you can give yourself is to understand, recognize and use your gifts or talents. Then practice *giving* those gifts to others. You'll be amazed at how much comes back to fill your life many times over and increases that precious energy stockpile. Finding Your Juice In my many years of coaching and running my own solo business, I've observed that Solo Mojos move through a universal cycle as they find and refine their juice. It goes like this: 1. Learn about self 2. Expand energy and self 3. Expand the business This process isn't a one-time deal and then we're done! Solo Mojos successfully navigate this cycle continually as new opportunities (also known as struggle and life!) arise. Instead of resisting struggle, Solo Mojos embrace it. They are curious, playful and intrigued by it all, diving into the adventure of uncovering new wisdoms struggle has to offer. Solo Mojos don't perceive struggle as a threat, something to be "eliminated," or a signal that things are going "badly." Instead, they realize that the discomfort, uncertainty and even fear that come with struggle is a sign that they are on the right track! They've found their juice and figured out that "struggle" is just another opportunity to?. -- Develop a new skill -- Reveal strength -- Realize what's most important -- Allow passion to flow -- Become more fully alive! -- Be ENERGIZED!!! Copyright 2004, Karen Tax ~ Life Coaching ____________________________________________ Karen is a Life Coach (http://www.karentax.biz) who works with people in shifting to entrepreneurship. She especially likes working with folks to find their "juice" or sources of energy, using their passions to guide their business and life. ____________________________________________ *********** Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com - Keeping Solo Entrepreneurs Juiced in Business and in Life. Our team of Solo Entrepreneurs are comprised of small business experts who support others in finding business success with the flexibility and freedom to have a life, too. Network with other freelancers, self-employed and Solo Entrepreneurs in our forums, enjoy our articles and newsletter, and find other online training opportunities. ***********
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Myanmar's Suu Kyi to get family letters, news mags (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to wring small concessions from the ruling generals in the form of letters from her family and some international news magazines, her lawyer said on Friday. JCDecaux in talks for News Outdoor Group in Russia (AP via Yahoo! News) French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux SA said Thursday it is negotiating to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp tightens grip on Premiere with new CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch tightened his grip on German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere by appointing News Corp executive Mark Williams as CEO in a move to get the company back on track. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (CBS News) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel 's current news flow, was picked up by a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. After a lot of buck ... JCDecaux and News Corp. in talks to combine outdoor ad groups (International Herald Tribune) The News Corp. chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, has recently expressed nervousness about investments in Russia, where News Outdoor generated the bulk of its revenue last year. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (paidContent.org via Yahoo! Finance) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel's current news flow, was picked up by a Google News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. JCDecaux in talks to buy News Corp. billboard unit (AP via Yahoo! Finance) In a deal that would create the world's largest outdoor advertising company, French conglomerate JCDecaux SA said Thursday that it is in talks to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. Phila. mayor to announce grim budget news (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The Nutter administration is expected to announce grim budget news today, which is all but certain to lead to significant spending cuts - perhaps as high as 10 percent - in some city departments, according to three sources familiar with the budget. News Corp says Mark Williams interim Premiere CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp. executive Mark Williams has taken over as chief executive of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere in an interim capacity, News Corp. said after the move led to renewed takeover speculation. News Corp. says Mark Williams interim Premiere CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Mark Williams, a News Corp. executive named late on Wednesday as chief executive of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere, has taken over in an interim capacity, a News Corp. spokeswoman said on Thursday. Site: news - Google News New Voices in Congress Will Change the Tone of the Democratic Majority - New York Times
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for entrepreneurialism Lone Star Library: Green Mountain founder shares entrepreneurial insights (Fort Worth Business Press) Rural Southerner Sam Wyly came by his self-made captain-of-industry status the hard way, developing a passion for business strategy by playing schoolboy football and observing his parents? natural gift for small-business operations and hard-bargain bartering. S.C.'s brightest complete Business Week (Columbia Star) Approximately 200 high school students from across S.C. have successfully graduated from South Carolina Business Week, presented by the South Carolina Cable Television Association, July 13- 18, at Presbyterian College in Clinton. Wellington West opens Montreal branch (CNW Group via Yahoo! Finance) Wellington West Holdings Inc., a privately held, employee-owned financial services firm, today announced the expansion of its national network with the opening of a Wellington West Capital Inc. full-service retail investment branch in Montreal, Quebec. Ctek Selects Kyocera 300 Module for Z4100 Wireless Router (Centre Daily Times) Kyocera Wireless Corp. (KWC), a leading global manufacturer of wireless handsets, devices and embedded machine-to-machine (M2M) modules, and Ctek, a leading manufacturer of specialized communications solutions for industrial and commercial applications, today announced the selection of the Kyocera 300 Module for Ctek's cost-effective Z4100 Router. The Kyocera 300 Module enables reliable, ... Memphis confident of growth campaign (Memphis Commercial Appeal) One year after the launch of a $64 million economic development campaign, city officials are increasingly optimistic about the impact of MemphisED on the Bluff City. Summer break project: JTCC student lives, learns nonprofit leadership with Pheonix Project (The Petersburg Progress-Index) CHESTER ? Jamie Poniatowski, a Class of 2008 human services major, spent her summer break in Petersburg, participating in the Phoenix Project?s 2008 Nonprofit Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Program, which transforms committed undergraduate and graduate students into effective social entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills and connections to succeed in Virginia?s nonprofit sector. Ctek Selects Kyocera 300 Module for Z4100 Wireless Router (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance) SAN DIEGO & RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif.----Kyocera Wireless Corp. , a leading global manufacturer of wireless handsets, devices and embedded machine-to-machine modules, and Ctek, a leading manufacturer of specialized communications solutions for industrial and commercial applications, today announced the selection of the Kyocera 300 Module for Ctek?s cost-effective Z4100 Router. $1 Million Opus Prize Finalists Announced (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) Seattle University and the Opus Prize Foundation today announced three finalists for the $1 million 2008 Opus Prize, one of the world's largest humanitarian service awards. Guided by faith and an entrepreneurial spirit, Marguerite "Maggy" Barankitse, Krishnammal Jagannathan and Michael Woodard are working throughout the world to give people the tools to transform their lives. Scotiabank Online Small Business Contest Last Call (CNW Group via Yahoo! Finance) The chance for Canadian small business owners to win $50,000 in cash prizes is coming to a close. As part of Scotiabank's 'Get Growing to a Million' Campaign, the online challenge has offered small business owners across Canada a chance to win one grand prize of $20,000 and six regional prizes of $5,000. In cinemas this weekend (Guardian Unlimited) RocknRolla | The Duchess | Bangkok Dangerous | Disaster Movie | Sweete Land | El Cantante | Never Apologise | Mera Pind My Home Site: entrepreneurialism - Google News Ohio House Speaker Budish touts regionalism in his first address - WKYC-TV
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur on the Web Becoming a successful entrepreneur in the online world is no different than becoming a successful entrepreneur in the brick-and-mortar world. Both tasks require vision, determination, and hard work. Do You Have What It Takes? I think it's fair to say that not everyone is cut out to be a successful business owner, now some of you maybe disputing this statement but hear me out.I'm not saying that if you put a person in the perfect business environment that they won't succeed but how often does the perfect business environment appear?Based on my own study and observations, as well as, the common themes that come through articles on my Minds Alike Blog Site (www. Entrepreneurship: What does it REALLY mean? Introduction:In a world where ideas drive economies, it is no wonder that innovation and entrepreneurship are often seen as inseparable bedfellows. The governments around the world are starting to realize that in order to sustain progress and improve a country's economy, the people have to be encouraged and trained to think out-of-the-box and be constantly developing innovative products and services. Are You Sure You Want To Start Your Own Business? Part Two of a Series Why, exactly, do you want to go into business for yourself? Is it because you cannot stand the thought of working for an uptight, demanding, and perfectly dreadful boss?Is it because you cannot bear the thought of going through another downsizing or restructuring, knowing that your job could be on the line?Is it because you want to be your own boss, call your own shots, or see more up side in your earning potential, with the possibility of financial self-sufficiency? These are all good reasons for wanting to go into business. In fact, studies have shown that many entrepreneurs get their start due to some life-altering experience such as losing a job or finally walking away from a dead-end job or a demoralizing work environment. Become a Recognized Authority in Your Field - in 60 Days or Less! You don't have to be rock-star famous before you are recognized as an authority in your field. You just have to begin to get the word out. Preparing to Outsource It's important to understand when to add individuals to your business model. Adding a new team member should be an easy transition - that's where organization comes in. Your Company Needs A Mission Statement; Make It Count Does anyone remember that book "Built to Last" done y the Stanford class and professor? Well change that to "Built to Merge." My grandfather was personal friends with Bill Hewlett and David Packard and I bet they would not have wanted this merger with Compaq either. 100% of Nothing What would it be worth to you to receive a steady stream of new customers with little or no effort on your part? Would you be willing to pay 10% of the revenue they generate? 20%? 50%? Or do you believe that you can't afford to pay anything?During a recent discussion, I was surprised that people said they could not afford to 'give up' 20% in commissions to reach new customers. If you have more work than you can handle, that makes sense. Identify the Growth Factors In "The Incredible Hulk", mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner discovered that when he was exposed to "gamma rays" he was transformed into a massive beast that could ferociously muscle his way to victory in any situation. Other than being disfigured, green, and in nothing but his boxer shorts, the Hulk discovered that a single growth factor could drastically change his ability to handle his problems. What Part of Handwriting on the Wall Dont You Understand - They Dont Hire People Over 50 In a recent talk to the Detroit Economic Club, President Bush told of a powerful statement made to John Bailey by his wife, "Just what part of the writing on the wall don't your understand - companies don't want people over 50!" The White House staff had become aware of an amazing story of entrepreneurial success stemming from John's wife's words.John's wife was very quick to read the writing on the wall, rationalizing that it would be virtually impossible for John to find a new job. Curb Your Enthusiasm Isn't enthusiasm a good thing? Aren't we urged to be enthusiasticabout what we do? To be committed?We are.. Defining a R&D Framework for Entrepreneurship and Innovation on Information Product Generation IntroductionKnowledge is the key resource that forms the institutional basis of the post-industrial economy and society. It should be empasized that it is institutions of higher education that give tangible expression to this argument by acting as catalysts for knowledge and research-driven economic growth as well as well-being enhancement. Solving the Million Dollar Mystery: 4 Steps To Create A Turn-Key Business You're a smart, hardworking entrepreneur, and you're moving fast. You are highly educated in your field and your business is growing and getting busier each day. Judging Entrepreneurial Ideas Most entrepreneurs constantly come up with new ideas. Whether they are working on another project, driving, or lying in bed, their minds are constantly churning out new products, services and ways of doing things. Differentiation - Smart Marketing Strategies for the Solo Entrepreneur Are you ever frustrated or hesitant when you talk to prospective customers because you can't readily explain why they should come to you rather than go to your competitors? Sure, you might have your 30-second elevator speech, but then they ask you that dreaded question, "So what makes you different?" Then, all those self-doubts creep in, and you just aren't sure what to say. Differentiation can boost confidence--yours in yourself and that prospective customer's confidence in you!-- Dif-fer-en-ti-ate v. The Term Sheet's Role in Raising Venture Capital Entrepreneurs and companies who are seeking venture capital often negotiate with one or more venture capital firms on a number of important issues. These issues include the amount of capital to be raised, the investment terms, etc. Lessons Learned from Successful Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurs are a special breed of high achievers. They create things, get things started: businesses, clubs, churches, associations, even nations. From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money Selling Info Products The term "Infopreneur" is a relatively new industry buzz word that is making waves because it opens doors for entrepreneurs to generate new streams of income. Simply put, an infopreneur sells information. Identifying the Right Venture Capital Firm Partner Venture capital firms are comprised of individual partners. These partners make investment decisions and typically take a seat on each portfolio company's Board. The Risks of Entrepreneurship The "spark" for many entrepreneurs is seeing an opportunity that doesn't yet exist. Ted Turner, for example, launched CNN because he perceived that people wanted more television news than they were being offered.
|
| Home | Site Map | Resource Links |
