In the last post, I gave examples of an empowering question and a disempowering question from a mind-set position. Now let's look at these two questions from the heart-set and how they make you feel.
Ask yourself this question out loud? "How come my money always runs out by the 22nd of every month?"
Identify where you feel the pain. Is it in your head? No? In your gut? Yes? When I ask that question I can feel a knife in my gut. It just feels like nausea. I can almost feel myself spiraling down into depression. Get in the feeling. Is that how it is for you?
Okay--quick! Ask yourself the empowering question out loud: "How can I finish every month with a $500 surplus in my checking account?"
Now--where do you feel that question? Does your spirit takes a leap of faith into possibility? Do you almost feel like you are riding on the wings of an angel that is carrying you into this beautiful place of abundance? What does that place look like? What does it smell like? Can you taste it? What flavor is it? What kind of music do you hear?
Stay there for a few minutes. Begin contemplating the feeling of that kind of energy. Do you suppose it might affect your friendships, your relationships, your appointments, your shopping habits? Do you suppose you might start hearing solutions--instead of problems?
Now begin to consider how are you going to feel when on the last day of the month you check your bank balance on line and discover there is a $500.00 surplus in your account.
How will you celebrate? Will you dance among the daisies? Will you call a friend? Take a bike-ride? Shout "woo-hoo" at the top of your lungs?
Roll the word "surplus" around on your tongue. How does that affect your emotions? Shout at the top of your lungs--I have a $500 surplus in my checking account. Does it make you tingle?
Okay, now begin imagining how you are going to invest that $500 in your future. Will you pay off credit cards? Will you chink away at college debt? Will you begin saving for a new home? Will you give it to charity? Will you use it to launch a new business?
Get into the emotion of this surplus. Keep repeating over and over. "It's the last day of the month and I have a $500 surplus in my checking account. Woohoo!" Feel it very deeply! Where is that feeling coming from?
Get totally into the emotion.
Now, go back and ask "How come my money always runs out by the 22nd of the month?"
What happened to the great positive emotions? Did you crash? Go back to the positive and ask it again. Get in the feeling of how the two are different.
Use this test to identify if the questions you are asking are empowering or disempowering.
Become aware of your disempowering questions. Remove them promptly! Replace them with empowering questions that make you want to dance among the daisies and shout woo-hoo into the heavens!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
What is an Empowering Question?
We all ask ourselves questions. Unfortunately, for many of us we begin from a position of lack instead of abundance; we start from a position of failure rather than a mind-set of success.
You ask, “Why do I run out of money by the 22nd of every month!!!!???”
Guess what! You are simply opening the door to more business cancellations, bad debt and unexpected breakdowns! You give power to negativity, lack, and things that you really don’t want but seem to continue to receive.
Rewrite the question from a position of what you desire.
“How can I finish every month with a $500 surplus in my checking account?”
By asking this question and staying in the question, you will begin to see places where there are leaks in your budget. You discover ways to economize. You find great deals at the grocery store. Your mind is open to other financial opportunities, new business ventures and potential leads. Keep asking the question, every time you shop—every time you pay bills—every time you hear a great tip or learn a new piece of information.
The answer is all in the question. Ask the empowering question and get the empowering answer. Ask with the whine—and you’ll be guaranteed of more opportunity to whine!
What results do you really want in your life?
You ask, “Why do I run out of money by the 22nd of every month!!!!???”
Guess what! You are simply opening the door to more business cancellations, bad debt and unexpected breakdowns! You give power to negativity, lack, and things that you really don’t want but seem to continue to receive.
Rewrite the question from a position of what you desire.
“How can I finish every month with a $500 surplus in my checking account?”
By asking this question and staying in the question, you will begin to see places where there are leaks in your budget. You discover ways to economize. You find great deals at the grocery store. Your mind is open to other financial opportunities, new business ventures and potential leads. Keep asking the question, every time you shop—every time you pay bills—every time you hear a great tip or learn a new piece of information.
The answer is all in the question. Ask the empowering question and get the empowering answer. Ask with the whine—and you’ll be guaranteed of more opportunity to whine!
What results do you really want in your life?
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Will facebook survive?
Now that all the baby boomers have descended on facebook, it seems the site is having hiccups! At least it won't let me post much today. I am trying to post that Seattle is not my dream city and furthermore--the city is not located at the ocean! Seattle may have salt water--but it is not on the ocean even if people from E.Washington say they are going to the coast when they come to Seattle.
So will fb make it now that it is over grown with boomers? Whenever the boomers do something it is like a nice fat rat moving down the snake's body! So will fb survive?
So will fb make it now that it is over grown with boomers? Whenever the boomers do something it is like a nice fat rat moving down the snake's body! So will fb survive?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Diana Golden did not let disability steal her dream
We're visiting our daughter in Avon, CO where she is working for the ski season. Yesterday, we visited the Ski Museum in Vail which is certainly worth the time. In the Disabled Skier Hall of Fame, I read a great quote by Diana Golden who is a member. Before I give you her quote, let me tell you that she lost a leg to cancer at age 12. She won gold in the 1988 Olympics Games in Calgary in the Disabled Womens Grand Slalom. She thrilled audiences for a good number of years speeding 65 mph down the slopes. She won 10 world championship golds and 19 national championship golds. Today she is a full-time speaker and writer. Here is her quote which, I believe can apply to our business as well.
"Greatness is not a gift. Excellence is learned. It takes a combintion of determination, training, commitment, sweat, stubborness and pride to get you where you want to go. Success in sports is like everything else worth having in life--you've got to work for it. If you want to be great at soemthing, you have to set a visin for yourself; you have to believe in it; you have to want it and then you have to pursue it with everyone ounce of passion that your heart and soul can muster."
Vision is of the heart and soul. Never forget it! And go like crazy! Best to you!
"Greatness is not a gift. Excellence is learned. It takes a combintion of determination, training, commitment, sweat, stubborness and pride to get you where you want to go. Success in sports is like everything else worth having in life--you've got to work for it. If you want to be great at soemthing, you have to set a visin for yourself; you have to believe in it; you have to want it and then you have to pursue it with everyone ounce of passion that your heart and soul can muster."
Vision is of the heart and soul. Never forget it! And go like crazy! Best to you!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Lessons from a Remodel, Part I
We tore out the carpet on Leap Year Day! We are now into the 5th month of remodeling and the results are to love!
But it didn't start with the physical labor of tearing out carpeting, removing a wall, or ripping tile from a shower stall.
It began with a dream!
We had a dream of bringing the best out in our home of 20 years. We'd raised two daughters, numerous cats and a bigger-than-life gregarious golden retriever inside these four walls. Evidence of wear and tear was everywhere.
I suggested moving. My husband adamantly responded, "NO!" He did not want to say 'good bye' to our magnificent views of Puget Sound, Mount Baker, and the Everett waterfront. He loved the greenbelt behind our home. He enjoyed his media room that he had labored over. He was firmly entrenched in this house!
The only way to win--REMODEL! Arggggghhhhh!
But we needed to go way beyond simply replacing tired carpet and scratched up molding. We had discovered some serious flaws in our home's design. We identified that the wall between the living room and family kitchen area created a barrier when entertaining. We discovered floors at different levels did not produce an easy flow for guests. We remembered parties where 30 people were clustered shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen and no one would venture into the living room! I remembered standing at the stove top recessed in the back of the kitchen with my back to the view, the company, the family, and the ever hungry, bottomless-pit, "I-think-I'll-help-myself-to-what's-on-the-table" dog.
Our home was ripe for change.
But tearing out walls, removing pantries that created barriers to conversation, and reconciling floor levels is not done quickly or without a lot of dreaming, imagining, thinking, discussing, and visioneering.
Since what we wanted to achieve was a larger space for community--hence a Great Room--we needed a lot of help envisioning how this would look. We invested months in preplanning, rethinking, trying to imagine what we could do and how it would look.
We borrowed remodeling and decorating books from the library. We purchased magazines like Home and Kitchen and Bath Remodeling. We bought books. We scanned hundreds and hundreds of pictures to see what looked like it would work in our home.
But none of these pictures matched our dreams or looked like our home!
How did we bridge the gap from what we had to what we wanted?
Does your new consultant ever feel this way? She has an idea of what she wants to achieve with her business, but the gap between reality and her dream seems like an unconquerable chasm! She can't even imagine where to begin. She can't really picture the results she wants to achieve.
Plus, she has to deal with all the fears of making a mistake, being a failure, looking stupid in front of her friends, wasting time and money, and totally blowing it.
Not only is she second-guessing whether she can be profitable or not--but she doesn't really have a clear picture of what she hopes to achieve with her new business! Somewhere there is a hazy response--"I want to stay home with my children." Or "I want to put away money for retirement." Or "I want to be able to purchase a home for our family." Or "I want to pay off credit cards." But none of it really seems real. How does she do this?
Stay tuned for Part II--Lessons from a Remodel!
But it didn't start with the physical labor of tearing out carpeting, removing a wall, or ripping tile from a shower stall.
It began with a dream!
We had a dream of bringing the best out in our home of 20 years. We'd raised two daughters, numerous cats and a bigger-than-life gregarious golden retriever inside these four walls. Evidence of wear and tear was everywhere.
I suggested moving. My husband adamantly responded, "NO!" He did not want to say 'good bye' to our magnificent views of Puget Sound, Mount Baker, and the Everett waterfront. He loved the greenbelt behind our home. He enjoyed his media room that he had labored over. He was firmly entrenched in this house!
The only way to win--REMODEL! Arggggghhhhh!
But we needed to go way beyond simply replacing tired carpet and scratched up molding. We had discovered some serious flaws in our home's design. We identified that the wall between the living room and family kitchen area created a barrier when entertaining. We discovered floors at different levels did not produce an easy flow for guests. We remembered parties where 30 people were clustered shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen and no one would venture into the living room! I remembered standing at the stove top recessed in the back of the kitchen with my back to the view, the company, the family, and the ever hungry, bottomless-pit, "I-think-I'll-help-myself-to-what's-on-the-table" dog.
Our home was ripe for change.
But tearing out walls, removing pantries that created barriers to conversation, and reconciling floor levels is not done quickly or without a lot of dreaming, imagining, thinking, discussing, and visioneering.
Since what we wanted to achieve was a larger space for community--hence a Great Room--we needed a lot of help envisioning how this would look. We invested months in preplanning, rethinking, trying to imagine what we could do and how it would look.
We borrowed remodeling and decorating books from the library. We purchased magazines like Home and Kitchen and Bath Remodeling. We bought books. We scanned hundreds and hundreds of pictures to see what looked like it would work in our home.
But none of these pictures matched our dreams or looked like our home!
How did we bridge the gap from what we had to what we wanted?
Does your new consultant ever feel this way? She has an idea of what she wants to achieve with her business, but the gap between reality and her dream seems like an unconquerable chasm! She can't even imagine where to begin. She can't really picture the results she wants to achieve.
Plus, she has to deal with all the fears of making a mistake, being a failure, looking stupid in front of her friends, wasting time and money, and totally blowing it.
Not only is she second-guessing whether she can be profitable or not--but she doesn't really have a clear picture of what she hopes to achieve with her new business! Somewhere there is a hazy response--"I want to stay home with my children." Or "I want to put away money for retirement." Or "I want to be able to purchase a home for our family." Or "I want to pay off credit cards." But none of it really seems real. How does she do this?
Stay tuned for Part II--Lessons from a Remodel!
Friendship Building in Direct Sales
How do you work with a consultant? My upline, Cindy Kamrin, taught years ago when we began Noevir, "You have about one week to train a new consultant, then just be their friend."
I still remember that wise counsel. This week as I sat and had tea with a consultant who has been with me for twenty years, I reflected on that wisdom. She doesn't need any advice from me on how to work this business that she is really just launching after being a product user for all these years.
What she really needs is my friendship. It's as simple as that. Be her friend!
When you begin to look at your business partner as a friend--rather than someone you must train to become successful--then I believe your business really kicks into high gear.
Seek friendship and you will build an outstanding business.
Next week my husband and I are joining a new Vietnamese consultant and her husband at a Pho restaurant. We are building friendship--trust--caring--relationship. Out of that relationship will come a burning desire for building a profitable business.
People don't care how much you know--they want to know how much you care!
I still remember that wise counsel. This week as I sat and had tea with a consultant who has been with me for twenty years, I reflected on that wisdom. She doesn't need any advice from me on how to work this business that she is really just launching after being a product user for all these years.
What she really needs is my friendship. It's as simple as that. Be her friend!
When you begin to look at your business partner as a friend--rather than someone you must train to become successful--then I believe your business really kicks into high gear.
Seek friendship and you will build an outstanding business.
Next week my husband and I are joining a new Vietnamese consultant and her husband at a Pho restaurant. We are building friendship--trust--caring--relationship. Out of that relationship will come a burning desire for building a profitable business.
People don't care how much you know--they want to know how much you care!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Objections: Your Key to Success
Have you ever presented your product or service only to be met by absolute disinterest?
Perhaps your prospect was so disengaged that she didn’t even bother to give you an objection to over come. She just wandered away mentally, emotionally, or physically from the sales presentation. At that point, honey, there is nothing to do but pack your bags and move on to greener pastures!
Without objections, it is like trying to find a handle to pick up Jello! There are no handles! Move onto the potato salad!
Reframing how you look at objections will enhance your sales success. Instead of cringing when you are dished out an objection—you should be shouting “Hallelujah!” You now have something to work with! Your prospect wants your product!
An objection tells you a lot of things—first of all, your prospect is interested enough to raise an objection! What she is saying to you is, “I’m almost sold. I just want to see what happens when I give you an objection. How will you handle it? Do you deserve my sale?
If you graciously respond with a well thought out answer that is personalized for her situation, she will respect you all the more. You will have given her the confidence that you know your product and you are a worthy sales representative.
If you become defensive, make up answers, are less than genuine, she will reconsider her interest in the product, but most assuredly she will determine that she would rather give her dollars to someone else.
More importantly, the objection lets you know your prospect needs reassurance that she is making the right decision. When she raises objections, she may be asking for help to justify in her own mind (or to her husband or friends) she made the right decision.
No one wants to be ripped off. An objection is her way of asking for help so that she knows emotionally and mentally that this is best decision for her.
So next time you are faced with an objection! Celebrate! She is on your side! She just needs a little nudge to help her with her buying decision.
Smile! And don't wait too long to reach for you receipt book!
Perhaps your prospect was so disengaged that she didn’t even bother to give you an objection to over come. She just wandered away mentally, emotionally, or physically from the sales presentation. At that point, honey, there is nothing to do but pack your bags and move on to greener pastures!
Without objections, it is like trying to find a handle to pick up Jello! There are no handles! Move onto the potato salad!
Reframing how you look at objections will enhance your sales success. Instead of cringing when you are dished out an objection—you should be shouting “Hallelujah!” You now have something to work with! Your prospect wants your product!
An objection tells you a lot of things—first of all, your prospect is interested enough to raise an objection! What she is saying to you is, “I’m almost sold. I just want to see what happens when I give you an objection. How will you handle it? Do you deserve my sale?
If you graciously respond with a well thought out answer that is personalized for her situation, she will respect you all the more. You will have given her the confidence that you know your product and you are a worthy sales representative.
If you become defensive, make up answers, are less than genuine, she will reconsider her interest in the product, but most assuredly she will determine that she would rather give her dollars to someone else.
More importantly, the objection lets you know your prospect needs reassurance that she is making the right decision. When she raises objections, she may be asking for help to justify in her own mind (or to her husband or friends) she made the right decision.
No one wants to be ripped off. An objection is her way of asking for help so that she knows emotionally and mentally that this is best decision for her.
So next time you are faced with an objection! Celebrate! She is on your side! She just needs a little nudge to help her with her buying decision.
Smile! And don't wait too long to reach for you receipt book!
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