Fear – the biggest time waster!

You might think surfing the web, playing games online or deleting spam are some of the biggest time wasters in your business, but I suggest that fear may actually be the biggest waste of all.

Think about it – if you fear making cold calls, you will suddenly find time to tidy your desk, sort emails and check links on your website! Or fear of a big project may make you procrastinate submitting your application, so much so that you do a rushed job and miss out.

Fear means we don’t get tasks done, and they stay in our minds so we can’t focus 100% on other tasks either. Although I don’t always do it myself, lol, I believe that the things we fear in business are the things we need to do NOW so we can get passed them. That doesn’t mean we won’t be scared of them next time they come around, but maybe we’ll know we can survive them!

As Michelle says in her ShelDesign blog,“if we let fear control our actions, it WILL steal our dreams.” And losing our dreams is a huge waste of our time.

How do you manage fear in your business? Do you find fear of failure or fear of success to be a bigger issue for you?

Christmas already!

Can you believe I just received an email about Christmas? And it’s only mid March!

Ok, it was a request to fill in a survey about Christmas in your business  – a survey where the answers will be used to provide information to magazine readers preparing for Christmas. So it is reasonable to mention Christmas this early, but it still shocked me!

But it does raise the question – how soon do you plan for major events in your business? Not just Christmas, but Easter, change of seasons, new financial year, awareness weeks and so on that are relevant to your business in some way.

Presentation checklist

A few days ago, I posted about the importance of checking presentation as well as details of your content. Today, I am going to list the details I check for when reviewing a draft for a document’s design elements.

This list is in the order I think of them, not necessarily in any importance.

• does the design complement your other materials, such as a website or business card? Does it suit your brand?
is your logo and/or business name included and in an appropriate way?
does the design match your message?
are headings and contents together? A heading at the bottom of a column and text in the next column is disjointed and looks strange
• do any paragraphs end with a single word on a line? Professional designers call these ‘orphans’ and do everything to avoid them! I have often adjusted text to pull that last word onto the previous line
• do contact details stand out sufficiently? People having to search for them are less likely to contact you
• is there a consistent font size throughout the document? Headings may be bigger than the text, but should be the same as each other
• are any tables, diagrams or pictures clearly labelled? Sometimes formatting pushes labels away from the item
• do headings stand out enough? This includes table headings, too
• can the design be adjusted to fit everything into one less page if it is currently an odd number? For example, printing is usually done in multiples of 4 pages so a 5 page document will actually need 8 pages printed
• does everything match any relevant rules or style guidelines?
• are the right things emphasised? For instance, if you have text in highlight boxes, do they stand out from the text? Are disclaimers and privacy statements attracting more attention than your main message?
• are colours and fonts consistent throughout, except as design elements?

If you are happy with all of these details, you will be very close to the correct design for your needs.

Saying sorry

On behalf of Australia, Kevin Rudd says sorry to the stolen generation and their families and communities.

This apology may not be a business or writing topic, but it is important and is a significant moment in Australian history. I was proud to hear our Prime Minister say those words, to express the sorrow so many of us feel at what was done to those Aboriginal children and their families.

The suffering of those families is more than I can imagine, and I hope that this apology can help a little of that pain and bring us closer together as Australians.

I was shocked to realise the practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families was done as recently as the 1970s – 7 decades of it is 70 years too many.

It is my hope that a positive change will arise from this apology – that people can heal, that positive actions will take place and that we will remember the unity and emotions of this momentous event.

Welcome to a new Australia.

Writing professionally

I just read a blog post about writing online as a great career. Don’t get me wrong – I think writing is a great career! But I did not like this blog post.

However, the author of that  particular post (and I won’t link to it as I don’t want to been seen as supporting their site!) wrote about how the only writing worth doing is online writing (not business writing mind you, although he also referred to business writing being good) and that anyone can do it.

The standard of writing in the post itself was not particularly high and he was offering writing work to others even if you hate writing essays and just know a few advertising principles.

In response, I want to say that writing is a great career but not everyone has the language skills and knowledge to do it. It also requires some business ability in order to get enough clients and succeed.

As a professional in any industry, why would anyone downgrade the skills of that industry? By saying ‘anyone can write’ he is downgrading his own employees and business – and is not building up a trust in their abilities for prospective clients. And downgrading the industry in that way could also decrease accepted price ranges for the industry, too, therefore he is not helping his employees either.

As a blog writer, the other lesson from this person’s post is – don’t make your blog posts ads. There is no useful information in his post – it effectively says (in 5 or 6 paragraphs) that writing online is a great job so apply with him now.

Reading an ad instead of an informative post is not going to entice many people back to read another post. People want ads they can go anywhere – blogs are for information of some sort.

Achieving goals

Earlier this month, I wrote about new years resolutions and SMARTY goals.

There are two more things that can really help you achieve your goals.

One is how you word your goals. It is important to focus on the end result and train your mind to see life as if you have already achieved the goal. So it is worth setting your goals in positive terms.

So instead of “I will loose weight” make it “I will weigh xkg”, or replace “I will get out of debt” with “I will have a positive bank balance”

You can take this even further by using the present tense in your goals – and this is particularly useful if you repeat your goal to yourself frequently as an affirmation. So our above two examples become “I weigh xkg” and “I have a positive bank balance”.

Adding a reason in the message can also be helpful – such as “I have lots of energy now I weigh xkg” and “My positive bank balance gives me security.”

The other way to increase your chances of achieving your goal is to acknowledge your efforts. Every so often, look back and acknowledge how far you have come even if it is not as far as you had hoped. It can just be a private “hey, I’ve done this much” or you could share with a trusted friend or give yourself a reward.

If the goal is going to be tough for you or is a long term goal, make sure you give yourself mile stone rewards, too. Maybe for every month you exercise you treat yourself to a massage or for every 25 cold calls you make you can watch your favourite DVD.

With a SMARTY goal written in positive terms and acknowledged and rewarded, I don’t need to wish you luck as your goals are practically achieved already!

Tagging…

This something I haven’t really dealt with before but the basic idea is that a blog owner ‘tags’ another to write something specific and then tag someone else. It’s meant to be a bit of fun (it usually results in blog owners being a bit more personal if they have a business blog like me!) and also to increase traffic between blogs.

So, I got my first tag a couple of days ago from Melissa. And now I need to follow through by giving you the instructions/explanation and commenting on myself. So here goes…

The Rules:
1.Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2.Pick your month of birth.
3.Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
4.Highlight the traits that apply to you and if you would like write some wit or not.
5.Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6.Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

Here are the summaries for each month:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas.Difficult to fathom.Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

About me…

I was born in February so here are my (apparent) traits:

Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract – I’d agree with the combination!

Intelligent and clever – absolutely true 🙂 And I’m sure modesty is listed somewhere, too, lol.

 Changing personality – don’t know about that one

Attractive. Sexy – no comment! Told you modesty should be here!

Temperamental – can be, yep.

Quiet, shy and humble – yes. Although public speaking isn’t an issue for me – go figure!

 Honest and loyal – to a fault, yes. In fact, I once was told that I was alone in my level of honesty!

Determined to reach goals – always striving for something…

Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted – definitely. This is a large part of why I love running my own business

Loves aggressiveness – no, I hate it actually – prefer peace and tranquility

Too sensitive and easily hurt – “too” is too judgmental for my liking

 Gets angry really easily but does not show it – sometimes!

Dislikes unnecessary things – yep. Hate waste of time & resources

Loves making friends but rarely shows it – um, thought I showed it more than rarely!

Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp – guess that is all me!

Loves entertainment and leisure – yes, although not always what others consider entertaining

Romantic on the inside not outside – very insightful

Superstitious and ludicrous – ludicrous? I think not

Spendthrift – definitely. Again, this helped get a small business established, and I found lots of creative ways to market myself (does a blog count in there, too!)

Tries to learn to show emotions – this is also true.

Tagging…

Well, tagging 12 people is going to be tough – anybody want to be tagged???

I can’t think of them now so I’ll add names here later. Wow, I think this is my longest ever post!

SMARTY goals

As promised in my New Year’s message, I wanted to explain what SMARTY goals are – and why they are better than other goals.

First, the acronym stands for:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Timed

whY

And now for an explanation…

Specific – the more specific the goal, the easier it is to see your progress and feel some achievement. For example, ‘loosing weight’ or ‘getting fit’ may be common resultions, but they aren’t specific. Much better to say ‘I will loose 5 kilos’ or I will train so I can run 10km’

Measurable – make it so you know when you have reached it, and see imrpovement along the way as well. For example, ‘I will make $x more this year than last year’ is easy to see how close you are to $x and achieving your goal.

Achievable – you must be able to work on the goal. Setting a goal of running a marathon next week is unlikely if you currently get puffed walking to the letterbox, but a goal of walking for 10 minutes every day is achievable. Of course, part of being able to work on teh goal means your attitude, too – you need to be willing to work on it and allow yourself to grow your abilities along the way.

Relevant – your goals must fit in with where you are, what your values are and your big life goals. Following someone else’s goals may not be relevant for you (e.g. don’t try to loose weight if you are underweight), and you may need to set different goals at different times in your life. If your values are to help people, then ‘I will volunteer at the community centre 3 hours a month’ is a relevant goal.

Timed – goals without a deadline are just wishes really. A deadline makes you take them more seriously and to act on them now rather than tomorrow. Deadlines need to be realistic to keep your goal achievable, but they also need to be tight enough to keep you motivated and working towards the goal. So a timed goal is something like ‘I will read a business magazine a month’, ‘I will sell 10% more this year’ or ‘I will exercise 4 times a week’.

whY- you need to have a reason to aim for your goal. The reason will keep you going even when it is hard and you don’t seem any closer tot eh end. And I’m talking about the real, deep reason for your goal. For example, ‘my doctor says I should stop smoking’ will only motivate you on a good day. On a bad day, you will need to know ‘I want more energy and don’t want emphasemia like Uncle Jim so I will not light a ciggarette now’. So what is your real reason (and there can be more than one) for setting this goal?

So let’s go back to our first examples – I want to loose weight and I want to be get fitter. Now, let’s word them as SMARTY goals:

I will loose 1 kilo a month until I reach 60kg so I can fit into my favourite dress and keep up with my kids in the park.

I will exercise four times every week to be fit enough for the fun run in September. I want to show John that I can compete at his level and I want to feel proud of myself.

Choosing a charity

For a long time I have thought about having a specific charity to support through Word Constructions’ profits, but have just been too busy to select one. Not good, but that’s the way it is.

I have now found some possible donations and wondered which people would prefer?

If you were my client (or are my client, of course!), which of the following would you prefer me to contribute towards? Which is the most relevant/best suited to Word Constructions?

1. Money towards starting a business (yes, I know there are other places offering this, but if I wait to research them all it will take longer!)

2. School fees for a year in southern Africa 

3. Literacy classes for adults in Cambodia

4. general donations to a specific charity (relating to starting a business or literacy) every 6 or 12 months (all of the above ones are individual gifts of $40 or less so I would make a number of them over a year)

I would really appreciate knowing what you think to help me make a decision! I might do another post soon to discuss the value of a charity associated with your business, so hold those thoughts, too!

Happy New Year

I wish you a successful and prosperous 2008, however you define successful.

A new year is the time many of us think about what we intend to do differently in the future and what we intend to strive for. And it is a good time to do this – not only does a new year open in front of us, but we are often refreshed and have more time than during the working year.

Many people disregard resolutions as a meaningless fad. While I don’t think it is the only time to make resolutions, and I agree many new years resolutions don’t survive beyond January, I don’t agree that they are meaningless.

Making a resolution just because it is 1 January and everyone is doing it – that perhaps is meaningless.

Making a resolution because you really want to make a change or improvement is a great thing.

My tips for making resolutions today (or at any time) that will last are:

1. make them SMARTY goals (I’ll outline them in another post, but essentially they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timed and WhY)
2. don’t set too many – one or two major resolutions per area of your life is plenty
3. write them down somewhere you can see them to be reminded frequently
4. consider telling a trusted friend so they can help keep you on track
5. set your own goals – don’t copy others or do what others think you should do

Other than resolutions, it is also a good time to clear out last year and start afresh. My New Year, New Business article has some tips on refreshing your business, so I won’t repeat myself! 

Good luck with your resolutions and goals, and enjoy 2008.