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Authentic Marketing: How to Respond to, “What do you do?”

www.HelpMorePeople.com/minicourse.htm

Stop multi-tasking for one moment and grab a paper and a pen. Don’t over process. Think from the gut.

Now, answer this question:

What is it that you would like to see changed in the world?

Write down your answer. Only give yourself 10-15 seconds.

If you had a difficult time answering the question, that is the reason your business is struggling. You have to be the change you wish to see in the world. How can you grow a business around that change if you don’t even know what your mission is?

When someone asks, “What do you do?” do you respond with, “Oh, I’m a life coach Reiki healer energy worker underwater basket weaver…”?

If this sounds familiar, no one knows what it is you really do. They don’t care what your title is.

When you respond with your title (e.g. life coach, business coach, a Reiki master, etc.) you aren’t explaining the pain you solve for people. What solution do you offer?

When someone asks me, “What is it you do?” here’s what I tell people:

“I work with service professionals to make more money, help more people, and have massive impact.”

I don’t talk about the fact that I’m coach. I don’t talk about how I was trained. Most people talk about the process of their work as opposed to the progress and results they offer. People really don’t care what your title or your training is.

Occasionally some people will ask for your credentials or why you’re able to do what you do, but for the most part, they just want to know, “Here’s my problem, here’s my pain, and how can you help me solve it?”

The second piece of this is, it’s got to be you. How often are you putting yourself out there and how often are you telling your story?

When I first started my business, I was sharing my movement. I was talking to people about how I could remove, heal, and help them through their pain on a daily basis. My goal was always to talk to 100 people a week.

You may be saying, “I don’t know who to talk to.” That’s an excuse. You do know how to reach people. You do know how to talk to people.

One of the first things that I suggest you do – I call it my one-mile radius rule, unless you live deep in the country and then you might need to do a ten-mile radius. Get in your car, put on a CD, and drive all over within a one-mile radius of your house. Look at everything through the lens of, “How could I share my message?” Not, “How can I get a client?” There is a difference. Focus on sharing your movement.

All of the sudden, the high school becomes an opportunity to do an expo or to teach at their adult education school. The diner with the Rotary Club sign becomes a place to speak. Businesses in your community become places to contact. The church, the community center, I could go on and on.

Everything you need to build a multiple six-figure business is within a one-mile radius of your home. You can have all the websites in the world, you can have the marketing materials, you can have all of that, but if you are not talking to at least 100 people a week, then you are not reaching enough people.

Once you are talking to people or reaching them in other ways, there is a possibility that you don’t know how to convert, which means you have a selling problem. You may be too salesy or you’re not selling at all.

The process for converting people into clients is called my “I CARE” system. It’s a five-step process.

“I CARE” stands for:

- Inspire

- Clarify

- Ask

- Receive

- Embrace

If you are talking to enough people and still not making sales, you have an authenticity problem. This means you’re not bringing enough of you into it. When you don’t bring enough of you into it, you either are scared to death to sell at all, or you’re overselling and not being your authentic self.

I’d like to invite you to learn how to help more people, make more money and enjoy more freedom with the free 5-day mini course, “Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur,” at http://www.helpmorepeople.com/minicourse.htm

Launch a Coaching Business: 4 Secrets for Authenticity and Success

www.HelpMorePeople.com/minicourse.htm

Something that generates a great amount of curiosity is the fact that I built my coaching business to a relatively large level of success while working a day job.

People wonder how I did it so quickly and if there is a step-by-step roadmap that they can use. I’ll share my four secrets to my success when launching or growing a business. They aren’t complicated marketing formulas. In fact, their sheer simplicity may shock you.

1.) Be willing to make a fool of yourself every day.

I remember riding the train from New Jersey to New York to my day job. I was journaling in a notebook and I thought, “Gosh, how am I going to do this?” I had bought into the mantra, “Build it and they will come,” but when I first started my business, I was struggling to get clients.

And as I was writing in my notebook, this came to me:

“If I am willing to make a fool of myself every day, this is all going to work out.”

If you are willing to be the change that you want to see in the world, you are going to look a little out of the ordinary. You’re going to seem a little off-center. You may even be called crazy.

Think of all the people in the history of the world who have been seen as, “Oh my gosh, that person’s a nut job,” from Jesus Christ to Gandhi to Rosa Parks to historians to political figures.

The realization I had today was that I have a message and I am determined to share that message. So, I can’t worry about what friends or family members think. I can’t worry about failing in front of my colleagues. I needed to be willing to be the fool.

2.) Do what you love.

People often ask me, “How do you stay motivated to market?”

This question scares me. If you have to motivate yourself to market your business, you may be in the wrong business.

I put both feet on the floor in the morning, and the first thing I think about is, “Who can I help? Who can I serve?” I actually say that to myself every morning. “Who can I help? Who can I serve?” I know that I can’t help or serve people without marketing, so doing what I love is paramount.

Many people stay in businesses that they aren’t passionate about because they’ve worked at them for years, or months, but it’s really not their calling. They feel an uncomfortable commitment to follow through on it, because, “they started the business.” It doesn’t matter how much time you’ve put into something, you must be sure to do what you love.

3.) Time melts away when you are in a movement.

People always ask me, “How did you find the time to build your business?”

I was working a 50-60 hour weekday job in New York City while I built my business. Of course, I am no longer in that day job, but I did work that day job up until early 2009.

Time melts away when you are in a movement. Time will not melt away when you are working, but it will melt away if you are being the change that you want to see in the world.

Yes, marketing is important, but instead of thinking about it as solely marketing, focus on starting and perpetuating a movement.

I remember sitting at dinner one night and friend looked at me and said, “Gosh, you’re working a lot,” because I was working all day as well as building my business.

I looked at her and said, “I didn’t notice.” The truth of the matter is, I didn’t notice. When you are in love with what you’re doing and it is a movement, time melts away.

4.) Whatever you do, make sure it’s 100% YOU!

There is no magic formula for success. Everyone is different and you need to make sure that the business you build is authentically yours.

Yes, you will need to learn strategies, techniques, and build strengths when marketing and growing your business. Some will work better than others for different people. The key is that you learn what works best for you and always infuse a bit of yourself in every strategy or tactic that you employ.

Get clear about the movement you want to start and the change you want to see in the world before you start marketing. After that, put yourself out there in a way that is extraordinary. If you really care about your movement and what you’re doing, you will talk about it anywhere.

As you launch a new business or continue growing an existing business, keep my four secrets in mind. Like I mentioned before, there is no magic formula that will work for everyone. The vital piece is that you are focused on a mission that is important to you and promoting it with full force in the most authentic ways possible

I’d like to invite you to learn how to help more people, make more money and enjoy more freedom with the free 5-day mini course, “Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur,” at http://www.helpmorepeople.com/minicourse.htm

Stop Chasing the Money and Start Chasing the Dream

“Don’t chase the paper- chase the dream” P. Diddy

This year as I begin to reflect on all that we have done at Help More People, the hundreds we have served, the businesses launched, stretched, and grown I am really grateful and a bit curious.  I get asked all the time- how did you do it?  Here’s how:

When you love what you do so much your sides could split, money comes easy.  I know some of you are already discounting this after just my first sentence.  You are pulling up all your considerations and circumstances:

• I love what I do and I am broke
• I am in my purpose, but I hate marketing
• I am passionate, but I can’t get clients
• I love what I do, but this is too hard

No.  When you love what you do… when you wake up every day feeling like if you didn’t do it then it would be criminal, then you figure out, learn, and do whatever it takes.  You never stop.  You never pause.  For me money is love.  It allows me to share, give, develop, and grow.  Over the last three years I was never chasing the money- I was always chasing the dream.  The dream of seeing hundreds of entrepreneurs launch and grow and thrive even in this economy.  The dream of seeing helping-based businesses change lives and transform people and situations.  The dream of having the abundance to write checks for things I am passionate about and care for deeply.  I was chasing the love – the love I had to share with people that I knew would then turn and share with others – that deep, rich ripple effect love.

Chasing the money doesn’t work.  At some point you will get bored and angry when things don’t go exactly as you planned.  Money is not that hard to make.  Really.  You could think of 100 ways to make money today – illegally, legally, in a job, asking, begging, Ebay, on and on.  Money is not that hard to make.  The hard part is making a difference.  When you can make money by making a difference, everything is deeper.  You don’t mind the hits or jabs or naysayers that come your way, you simply keep chasing the dream because when your dream comes true, so does everyone’s around you. 

When you love what you do so much you will do whatever it takes to BE THE CHANGE in this world, when you are focused on helping people, serving, and love, you can’t help but make money.  I wake up everyday and ask myself two questions:

• Who can I help?
• Who can I serve?

I never ask how much money I can make and don’t misunderstand I am in this to make money – I know that money will allow me to change my world, your world, and the entire world.  I just know it is not the fastest path to cas*h.  I know when I love people, when I serve people, and when I help people, money always follows IF I am certain to ask.  You can’t just live your life giving everything away. I know that by charging the RIGHT rate for my services I help people and you do too.

So, how did I do what I did this year?  I chased the dream.  I know that money is just love. Money is a barometer to measure the love you give and the love you receive through the divine work that you do.  Money is energy and light and air and love.  I am not looking to be a millionaire to count my dollars… I am looking to be a millionaire to count my blessings.

Stop chasing the money and start chasing the dream.

(c) 2010 Suzanne Evans

About the author:  Suzanne Evans is best known as the ‘action expert’ and has coached hundreds of solopreneurs to model her multiple six figure business. Learn how you can help more people, make more money and have more fun doing what you love by signing up for your free copy of the 5-Part Mini-Course ‘Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur’ at http://www.helpmorepeople.com

Client Retention Tips: How to Show You Care By Staying in Touch

www.HelpMorePeople.com/minicourse.htm

In order to retain clients and build a sustainable business, you must stay in touch with people in a meaningful way. This includes people you have done business with, people you have met in person at events and your email subscriber list.

Your client base has a sacred contract with you. They have connected, spent money, and spent time with you. You must care enough to keep in touch with them.

Advertising experts have proven time and time again, that ads that run continuously, at least three times, always outperform one-shot ad runs. The same is true with your client base. Find a way to reach them, share your message, and consistently stay connected.

For coaches, consultants, healers, and other helping professionals, newsletters are one of the best ways to stay in touch. It is important to shift your mindset and action from not wanting to bother your client base, which is a common mistake that new business owners make.

Just as most new business owners commonly do, I used to say, “People have just given me their name, I don’t want to bother them and send them things all the time.” I had to recognize that touching their lives in a meaningful way allows the cream to rise to the top. Those who are truly interested in what you have to say and the solutions you offer will make themselves known to you. The rest may unsubscribe or walk away from you, but that means they really weren’t engaged or dedicated to your message anyway.

Approaching marketing this way saves you time, effort, and money. Instead of chasing people who may or may not be interested or ready for your offerings, let the people who need you most identify themselves to you. Don’t worry about the others. They will let you know when they are ready or simply opt-out if they are not interested.

My newsletter continually gets better readership when I write more often and when I provide a more personal touch about my family, my dog, or my travels. When I first started doing my newsletter, I did it once a month and about 35% of the people opened it and read it. Now I do my newsletter weekly, and I have sometimes up to 85% open it up and read it. It just proves that if you’re consistent and really share meaningful content, people will want more of it. They will want more of you!

Newsletters are only one way to stay in touch with your clients, prospects or business contacts, but they are a great place to start. Depending on your business and the people you serve, there are dozens of other ways to touch the lives of your clients in a meaningful way.

Once you’ve started regularly sending out an email newsletter, consider mailing out occasional physical newsletters, cards or small gifts to show your appreciation to your clients and contacts. It done authentically and thoughtfully, investments like this will always pay off in spades.

Although there may be specific tactics and media that will work best for your business, niche, and message, the important thing is that you are consistently reaching out to your client base and prospect list in ways that show your dedication to them. Communicating how much you care through an electronic newsletter or any other method of follow up is one of the easiest and most effective ways to grow your business and increase your visibility.

I’d like to invite you to learn how to help more people, make more money and enjoy more freedom with the free 5-day mini course, “Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur,” at http://www.helpmorepeople.com/minicourse.htm

Authentic Marketing: Invest in Yourself and Your Business by Taking Your Show on the Road

www.HelpMorePeople.com/minicourse.htm

What is the topic that dominates the media these days? What is it that we’re reading on websites, in newspapers, seeing on TV and hearing on the radio?

Even if you only read the front pages or skim the headlines, you know it’s all about the economy. Everyone’s talking about Wall Street and financial turmoil.

Here’s what I know to be true – and this is especially relevant to the past year or so – the investments that I have made in myself never got lost in the stock market crash. No recession can ever devalue them.

What I am hanging onto today are the investments I made in my personal growth and in my business, not the investments that I put in Bank of America or my 401k. The investments I made in my training as a coach, as a marketer, and as a business owner continue to pay off regardless of what’s happening in the financial world.

In times like these, it’s easy to get uncomfortable about spending money on training programs, a team, or marketing for your business – and it may be true that you need to be more careful about how you spend your money. But, it’s important that you don’t hold off on the important decisions you need to make now as a business owner.

Make quick and confident decisions. Don’t get stuck in limbo. Whether you’re unsure about a decision to invest in a training opportunity, an event or directly in your business, don’t be indecisive. Successful entrepreneurs make quick decisions.

One of the most effective approaches to growing your business – even in challenging economic times is by doing what I call “taking the show on the road.”

“Taking the show on the road” means that you actively invest in building an audience – an audience to serve and that will buy from you in return.

My background is in Broadway theatre. We put on eight shows a week. It takes continuity to build an audience. Once you have your niche, your story, have begun to invest in a team and to build your business, you must aggressively seek out an audience.

The more you share your message, the faster you accelerate in building the business.

Constantly ask yourself these questions:

• Where can I speak?
• How can I get my writing published?
• Who can I talk to?
• Where can I volunteer?
• On what sites can I blog?
• What gatherings can I go to?
• Who can I call or email?
• How else can I share my message?

No entrepreneurial vision has ever come to fruition by being kept a secret. You must to take the show on the road.

When I first started my business, I was promoted myself from a booth between the tomatoes and the bananas in a Whole Foods. I didn’t know where to go, but I just started talking to people. It might feel silly at times, but you need to get out there, tell your story, and begin building an audience early one.

You will never regret investing in yourself and your business. One of the best ways to do this is to take your “show on the road” and build an audience. Get out there and speak. Go to events and gatherings. Get your writing published. Make the commitment to build your audience.

The specific tactics you use to get your message out there and develop your audience will be unique to your business, but it is guaranteed to pay off as long as you commit and recognize that you are making a vital investment in yourself, your business and bringing a valuable gift into the world.

I’d like to invite you to learn how to help more people, make more money and enjoy more freedom with the free 5-day mini course, “Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur,” at http://www.helpmorepeople.com/minicourse.htm

Skyrocket Your Coaching Business: Build a Business Model that Supports Your Desired Lifestyle

www.HelpMorePeople.com/minicourse.htm

No man is an island. Work only in your strengths and find the people to help you do those things that are not strengths for you right now.

Some of these ideas are for people who are a little further along, but in the beginning I had a coach. I had a marketing coach and I was going through my coach training. It helped me to grow and really played a key role in my growth.

Then I added a virtual assistant, and that doubled my income. Then I moved to a coach at an even higher level and higher marketing program, and that doubled my income. Then I added another virtual assistant, and I kept growing and growing. There’s a pattern here. Plan to work with people that are going to support you and can really help you in growing a team.

A virtual assistant (VA) is someone who provides administrative support to you who works from a remote location, almost always their home. They can specialize in marketing support, web services, whatever it is you have hired that particular VA to do for you. They are contractors, so you don’t have to have employees. They’re a remote professional who works within your business.

I like to work with people who are experts in their areas, so I tend to work with several different virtual assistants. I choose people who really excel in their particular field and use them for those particular tasks and project management.

It’s the key to service professional business – anybody who’s going to run a service-oriented business where you’re delivering coaching, consulting, or training, anything like that. They’re lifesavers because you don’t need an office for them, and they can do everything for you that an in-house assistant can do.

Create a business model that supports your lifestyle.

You must from the start create a business model that supports your life and your desired freedom. If you don’t, before you know it the business is going to be running you.

A strong business model is layered with growth and financial opportunities that don’t require your supervision and presence to generate revenue. That’s what I teach with the multiple streams of income model. It’s really important because you need things that don’t involve you to make money.

Sometimes you have to do things old school and learn the hard way. I’m a perfect example of that. In the beginning I worked really hard to create a business, and before I knew it I just had another job.

I was only working with one-on-one clients, it’s hard work, and every dollar I made was dependent on those hours. When I shifted that model and offered other products and programs that didn’t have to involve me it made a huge difference.
I like to preach that from the beginning so you’re thinking about the future, “What can I have besides clients? Can I have programs? Can I have an audio series? Can I have something on tape that families can listen to in their car? What are other streams of income that I can create?”

Building your team and developing additional streams of income that don’t rely on your involvement, are key to the success and longevity of your coaching business.

I’d like to invite you to learn how to help more people, make more money and enjoy more freedom with the free 5-day mini course, “Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur,” at http://www.helpmorepeople.com/minicourse.htm

Coaching Tips: Charge What You Deserve and Invest in Your Ongoing Business Growth

www.HelpMorePeople.com/minicourse.htm

A common struggle for new or developing coaches is how to set your rates. Do you go with what other coaches in your area are doing? Do you offer something unique or additional that allows you to charge more? Do you even have the confidence to ask for what you’re worth?

Your rate is your announcement to the world of your confidence in your skill set. You don’t do yourself or your business any favors by being the best deal in town.

Sometimes your rate is the first announcement that you make to a potential client. They might hear about your rates from someone else or see something about your rate. What is it that you want them to hear? Your rate tells your truth.

With each appropriate rate increase I’ve had over the last couple of years, I have attracted more ideal, ready, and successful clients. There’s an absolute correlation between your rate and the type of clients you attract. The bargain hunters aren’t generally going to be people you enjoy working with or see good success with.

A little tip for those of you who are already coaching- if 1 in 5 people do not question your rate, your rate is too low. It’s really important from the beginning of your coaching to set the right rate. There’s no benefit to you or your clients in offering the lowest price around, because it’s not sustainable and doesn’t allow you to do your best work with each person.

As your business grows, it’s very easy to stop putting time into the things that got you there – your ongoing training and marketing. Being an entrepreneur takes effort and takes planning. Anything worth doing, success, takes work ethic, energy, and effort. Don’t let anybody tell you it’s easy. If you see a marketing program that says, “Oh, we show you how to make this all easy,” it should be fun, but it’s not effortless. It shouldn’t necessarily be a struggle, but building a business is not easy.
I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that some of the best basketball players throw 300 free throws a day. Championship water skiers take their first runs at 5 a.m. There are no Cinderella stories. Get clear about the time and energy it takes to build a business and get the results that you want.

I personally work at it every day. I get up in the morning, and I really think about what my plan is for the day. I think about marketing my business every day. In the beginning, I worked even more at it. Now I have a lot of things systematized, but the key to entrepreneurial nirvana is continually showing up. Action is that engine that drives all success.

Any coach, mentor, or adviser I’ve come across that has said they have the “entrepreneurial magic pill” that builds your business, I knew it was a fraud, plain and simple. Growing your business will always take effort, but it doesn’t mean you have to struggle. In fact authentic marketing should naturally flow out of who you are and your excitement about the work you do.

Be really clear what your training schedule is going to be for growing your business so you leverage your time for the biggest results.

Whether you’re just starting a coaching business or already have one think about these two critical success factors and how you can use them to grow your coaching business.

I’d like to invite you to learn how to help more people, make more money and enjoy more freedom with the free 5-day mini course, “Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur,” at http://www.helpmorepeople.com/minicourse.htm

Solopreneurs: Strategy Change is the Solution!

There have been lots of new business lessons that the puppy has taught me over the last week, but none as big as tenacity.  What the puppy wants the puppy will get, and not because he is bossy or begging, but because he is willing to use strange strategies. Giving up is not an option- strategy change is the solution.  This made me think back on the last 3 years and building my own business.  I realized I had done pretty much the same thing.  To win in the game of business you have to be willing to change strategies.

You also must be comfortable with failing.  Believe me, when the puppy fails his thoughts are not going to “how stupid can I be”, “I better give up”, or “this is too hard”.  It’s all about- “what’s next”, “try again”, “change sides”, “change ideas”, “let’s get this done”.  Many of you have tunnel vision in your business…you are seeing one problem, one solution, and one strategy.  Get out of the box- get out of the box today- just like I teach multiple streams on income…you have to have multiple streams of approach for attracting clients and making money.

1) What do you need to STOP doing?  It’s not bringing you business but you have some rule that you should be doing it?  A referral group, organization, program, etc…eliminate one thing that is costing you time and NOT bringing you business.

2) Add one NEW element to your list building/business building strategy that you have not used before: audio, video, teleclass, networking group, article marketing, twitter, facebook, etc.  Add one, but do it effectively!

3) Get consistent.  Many clients tell me something isn’t working, but when I research I find they only do it on occasion or inconsistently.  You must build consistency.  Use this newsletter as an example- every week it comes. Every week- rain, shine, sickness, holiday because I want your to depend on me.  I want you to trust me and I have to consistently show up for that to happen.

4) Change approach.  I do this all the time and in the beginning of my business I had to do it even more often… I would run a teleclass and 2 people would show up.  Yikes!  Did I abandon?  No.  New approach… I would make it a point to ask 50 more people than I did the time before or change up the name or the topic.  You have to zig when zagging isn’t working.  To get to what the puppy wants he just changes sides.  Goes under instead of over.  Digs instead of climbs.

5) Give up the complaining.  Business is hard.  Life is tough.  If this were easy- everyone would be doing it.  So, when something doesn’t work- move on or change course.  FAST.  While you are complaining and feeling sorry for yourself I am out getting clients.  I have a one -three minute rule.  I get that amount of time to wish it had gone better, cry about the loss, or be disappointed and then it’s time to get back in the game and help people.

I am on a mission. Are you?  I know I want to help people and I know I have a message… so I can’t complain or waste time- I gotta get to the people who need my help, so they will build strong businesses and in turn go help more people.  This isn’t a job- it’s a movement. Are you leading one, too?

(c) 2009 Suzanne Evans

About the author:  Suzanne Evans is best known as the ‘action expert’ and has coached hundreds of solopreneurs to model her multiple six figure business. Learn how you can help more people, make more money and have more fun doing what you love by signing up for your free copy of the 5-Part Mini-Course ‘Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur’ at http://www.helpmorepeople.com

Now or Never Was the Time!

It’s stirring inside of me right now to the point that I cannot stop writing, thinking, talking, and sharing about it.  I think we all got fooled or lost track or lost faith.  Something went wrong in the marketing madness and the frenzy of buys, sales, promotions, and launches.  Now, I do not want anyone getting me wrong.
 
The only way to make business and money is to sell your services.  The way to spread your message is to market.  They work and they are necessary, but they are tools… they are not strategy.  They are tools… they are not the gift to share. 
 
In all of the marketing hype and sales solutions we have lost sight of our most singular purpose and skill – US.  The people. 

The movement inside of us to be the change, to shape the world, and to help more people. 
 
Do you know your message?  Do you understand the purpose you are to  live and share with others?  I have been asking people and they are getting a bit stuck – see they put all their focus on the ezines, and the sales copy, blogging, and social media.  They focused on learning skills and left behind the calling to serve.  Again, don’t get me wrong, I am not shutting down my Twitter account – what better way to get my message out!  But, I have to put the message before the marketing.  I have to launch the movement above the business model. 

• Rosa Parks
• Harvey Milk
• Ghandi
• Susan B. Anthony
• YOU 

Stop Marketing… just for a moment. Can you hear what you are here to change? Pause.  Clarify.  Identify why.  Stop Marketing.  Start a Movement.

(c) 2009 Suzanne Evans

About the author:  Suzanne Evans is best known as the ‘action expert’ and has coached hundreds of solopreneurs to model her multiple six figure business. Learn how you can help more people, make more money and have more fun doing what you love by signing up for your free copy of the 5-Part Mini-Course ‘Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur’ at http://www.helpmorepeople.com

The Cycle of Quitting

There are two types of quitting:

1) Giving up

2) Walking away from something harmful or hurtful

I will be the first to tell you that business is messy and it can sting.  I mean really sting sometimes, especially if you are sensitive like I am.  Underneath this whip cracker exterior is someone who cares too much at times, so I often take things personally- someone leaves, someone doesn’t value your program or work and the really interesting part is… the more you serve the more that quit or complain.  Phew.  Breathe.  It can be overwhelming.  I am working on taking things less personal as it does not serve me or my clients, but it is a daily practice.

I get a bird’s eye view of – THE QUITTERS.  I know some would say we should talk about the winners, but I must say I probably learn more from the quitters.  The winners show up, suck up, cry, stomp, celebrate, and then rinse and repeat over and over.  Every successful entrepreneur I have EVER worked with, mentored with, or been a colleague to has had the exact same formula. 

The quitters are a bit more interesting.  They are very creative and it is interesting where and how “quitting” shows up.  Now remember the #1 reason businesses fail is people stop- yep-stop.  I am thinking of writing a book on the quitters cycle because I have been watching when it starts to creep up on people and kick in.  I think it would be useful for people to see a lineage of how it starts and how they might stop themselves, as well as see the difference between something needing to come to an end and just quitting.

It usually appears like this…

Second guessing ~ fear ~ blame ~ projecting ~ overwhelm ~ blame ~ action ~ (the quitting) ~ relief ~ second guessing ~ fear and over again

Fascinating, right?  I am using it as a paradigm for myself to catch me and where I am falling into the cycle – you can honestly use it for anything- the gym, your business, a relationship, etc.  So, I don’t want you to be a quitter…frankly, seeing people give up on their dreams daily can sometimes overwhelm me and blind me to the people actually living theirs, but I know you are out there.  I know you are striving and working and living your gifts.

Here are a few tips to stay in the game, even when you would rather throw in the towel:

1) Have a clear vision of exactly what you want – relationship, money, freedom, environment, and spiritual.  If you have a clear vision in writing and in your view, it is harder to let that vision go or the dream die.

2) Get real.  One of my mentors says… “It is simple, but it is not easy.”  Success is hard work.  No one ever won the Oscar, Gold Medal, Nobel Peace Prize, or Fortune 500 by half ass showing up.  And don’t fool yourself….are you thinking you are working hard or are you spending a lot of time around thinking about succeeding and processing your next step.

3) Get good advice.  The people around me won’t let me quit.  I have surrounded myself with a circle of influence. I have a tribe of tough and loving go-getters.  A friend and coach emailed me last week and said- “hold fast- we need your confidence.  Don’t stop.”  That made me cry as I was reminded people were depending on me.

4) Care.  I know you have gifts to share.  Your life experience has value and people are meant to be transformed by your connection and your talent.  Care enough to keep going.  Care enough to share and keep going.

If you do what you love and you love people while you do it there is no reason to quit.  Stopping is not an option.  See you at the finish line!

(c) 2009 Suzanne Evans

About the author:  Suzanne Evans is best known as the ‘action expert’ and has coached hundreds of solopreneurs to model her multiple six figure business. Learn how you can help more people, make more money and have more fun doing what you love by signing up for your free copy of the 5-Part Mini-Course ‘Awakening Your Authentic Entrepreneur’ at http://www.helpmorepeople.com

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