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Commitment vs. Interest: The Key to Achieving Your Dream Goals by @Melcoach

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Commitment vs. Interest: The Key to Achieving Your Dream Goals

by Melanie Benson Strick | Featured Contributor

Have you ever wondered why you put every ounce of energy into some of your goals while others never get your attention?

It’s all about your commitment.

There’s a big difference between being interested in achieving a goal and being committed to that goal – and what I’ve discovered is that being interested isn’t enough.

Interest is being curious. Curious people might “try.”

Commitment requires being all in. If you are committed to your goal, you make it the priority and allocate time for action on that goal.

Commitment requires you to do whatever it takes where as “interest” means you’ll do just enough but not more. Entrepreneurs and mission-driven professionals who are committed typically demonstrate that commitment with the following traits:

  1. Commit to being “all in” even if they don’t know how to achieve the goal.
  2. They take action with deep resourcefulness, trusting that they get outside of the box to find answers and resources.
  3. Have beliefs, thoughts and ideas that are congruent with success of the goal.
  4. Let go of needing approval and validation from others.
  5. Invest fully in achieving the goal (like hiring a coach, expert and other support personnel.)
  6. Address bottlenecks and roadblocks quickly. If there is a situation in the way that is stealing time or energy, committed goal-seekers will resolve the issues so they can get back to business.
  7. Focus on the positive outcomes of achieving the goal instead of lamenting the cost of pursuing their dream.
  8. Align goals to their values and priorities which creates limitless energy and inspiration during the pursuit.
  9. Willing to get uncomfortable and take action (even though it might be scary) to achieve the goal.
  10. Refuse to let any excuses be bigger than your commitment.

When you are committed, you will be relentless in your pursuit of the goal. Obstacles don’t take you out of the game. They simply become a learning opportunity so that you get better at your game.

When you are merely interested, you change direction as your mood shifts. You are not committed to the outcome so you allow your emotions to drive your actions, which often mean doing what feels comfortable and safe.

Here’s four important keys to being committed to your goal:

  1. Choose a goal that is aligned with your big picture priorities. When it’s really important, you will make time for it.
  2. Visualize a successful outcome. See and feel yourself with the goal already realized. Don’t let fears and doubts could your mind.
  3. Keep the goal front of mind. Make action towards the goal a part of your daily routine.
  4. Commit to being the person – mindset, habits and strategies – that will achieve those goals easily.

Now, go make your dream goals a reality!

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melanie strickMelanie Benson Strick is known as America’s Leading Small Business Optimizer because she knows how to boost profits and results with her secret weapon — LEVERAGE. With over 12 years in corporate project management, Melanie works exclusively with thought leaders and visionary entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to monetize their big ideas and catapult their success without giving up their life.

Melanie is author of Rewired for Wealth, serves on the Executive Leadership Team for Women Speakers Association, is co-author of Entrepreneur.com’s Start Up Guide to Starting an Information Marketing Business and has her success tips featured in magazines such as Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Parenting Magazine, Woman’s Day and American Express FORUM. Melanie is a proud lifestyle enthusiast and spends her free time in search of the best spas and beaches in the world. Find out if you are using all of the right Profit Boosting Factors with this FREE downloadable guidebook on SuccessConnections.com.

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3 Ways To End The Year With A Bang! by @SandraDawes

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What-the-New-Year-brings

by Sandra Dawes | Featured Contributor 

We’re in the final stretch of 2015! Whether or not you’ve accomplished everything you wanted to for the year, it’s not too late to end the year on a high note. Even in our failures there are lessons to learn and seeds of future success that have been planted. Here are 3 ways to end the year with a bang regardless of how the year has been to-date:

  1. Make a list of lessons learned this yearThere are things that worked out better than you imagined, and others that didn’t unfold as expected. What lessons did you learn from those experiences? What will you do differently next time? Many of us choose not to revisit programs or product launches because they weren’t a success the first time around. There are a lot of situations where a bit of tweaking and better planning and identifying gaps can turn a flop into massive success! It’s just a matter of taking the time to reflect and a willingness to be honest with ourselves.
  1. Review your resourcesAre you still trying to do it all on your own? Whether it’s a team, a better website or hiring a coach to work on specific areas of your business, it’s always a good idea to take inventory of what you have and what you need. If you want different, better results in the New Year, it’s important to identify what your needs are and develop a plan to acquire the resources needed to take your business and your life to the next level. It’s one thing to know what you’re lacking; it’s a completely different thing to have a plan in place to make sure you get what you need. Nothing is more disheartening that feeling like a year has passed and no progress or changes have taken place.
  1. Ask yourself: what else is possible?Sure you achieved a lot this year. That doesn’t mean that you can rest on your laurels. If 2015 has been an awesome year, what is possible to 2016? You’re not the same person you were at the start of the year. You’ve experienced new things, gained knowledge and wisdom. Taking the time to appreciate the good, bad and ugly of 2015 to-date provides us with the starting point to map out an awesome new year. Even if things didn’t work out the way that you wanted them to, you’ve learned from those mistakes and will do things differently next time.

2015 isn’t over yet. There’s still time to get things done, including laying the foundation for a successful 2016. Don’t wait for January to start thinking about your goals for the New Year. Celebrate your successes, big and small. Consider what resources you need to make things even more awesome in the coming year and don’t limit yourself to what’s possible. A new year is a fresh start and the offer opportunities to do things like you never have before. Here’s to making 2016 your best year yet!

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Sandra Dawes, Founder, Life Coach, Embrace Your DestinySandra Dawes is a recovering control freak and excuse maker, as well as founder of Embrace Your Destiny, her life coaching practice. Her work involves teaching women how to stop making arguing for their limitations so that they can create the life that they want. Sandra’s inspiration to help others in this area comes from her own journey and experiences in dealing with the heartbreak of losing her father. She published her first book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve, a story that outlines her personal journey, in November 2013.

In her down time, Sandra loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her partner Satnam and their dog Lulu. For more information on what she does, visit www.embraceyourdestiny.ca.

3 Reasons Why Passion is Key to Success by @SandraDawes

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Every-great-dream-beginsby Sandra Dawes | Featured Contributor

There are so many factors that contribute to our success in business or in any part of our lives really. The Internet is full of articles about the success factors for entrepreneurs, so I thought I would add one more to the list 🙂 I believe that we have to love what we do. While there are always things we don’t like to do in our day-to-day tasks, there has to be a burning passion that drives us. Here are three reasons why I think that being passionate about your business is the key to success:

  1. It fuels commitment.
    We hear so much about “knowing your why” and there’s a reason. You have to be aware of what drives you, what you’re working towards and why it’s important to you. When you don’t have clarity on these things, challenges and obstacles can really become a major distraction and take you off course. When you’re really passionate about what you do, quitting isn’t an option. The saying that “where there’s a will, there’s a way” is the truth. When you’re committed to your goals, the universe conspires with you to make them a reality.
  1. It helps you make the sale.
    Cold-calling does not excite me. I’m sure that there are lots of people who have no problem picking up the phone and making those calls, I’m not one of them. The exception to this is when I’m working on a project that I’m excited about where making calls to complete strangers is the only way it’s going to succeed. When we’re passionate about what we do, the people on the other end of the phone can hear it and they’ll want to be a part of it (some of them anyway). If you’re selling something that you don’t believe in, you’re going to have a difficult time.
  2. It keeps you fulfilled.
    Life is good when you’re doing what you love! When you’re living on purpose and doing what you love, things start to flow much easier. Things that once seemed like the end of the world are no longer a big deal. Challenges and obstacles are seen as tests to our commitment rather than cruel punishment from universe. You know why you do what you do and it makes your hear sing. There are so many people out there that are living unfulfilled lives. They have dreams that they think can never be a reality. The fact that you have the opportunity to do what you love is a blessing, and you know it.

Passion is what keeps us going as entrepreneurs. It’s the fuel that drives us and our business. If you’re not passionate about what you do, you need to ask yourself why you’re doing it. If passion was what started it, then it’s just a matter of reconnecting with it. If you were never passionate about what you do, it’s time to figure out how to add passion to what you do or do something that you are really fired up about. If we want meaningful success in life, passion is a must-have.

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Sandra Dawes, Founder, Life Coach, Embrace Your DestinySandra Dawes is a recovering control freak and excuse maker, as well as founder of Embrace Your Destiny, her life coaching practice. Her work involves teaching women how to stop making arguing for their limitations so that they can create the life that they want. Sandra’s inspiration to help others in this area comes from her own journey and experiences in dealing with the heartbreak of losing her father. She published her first book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve, a story that outlines her personal journey, in November 2013.

In her down time, Sandra loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her partner Satnam and their dog Lulu. For more information on what she does, visit www.embraceyourdestiny.ca.

3 Indicators You’re Focusing On The “Right Stuff” by @SandraDawes

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I’m constantly being reminded of how powerful our focus is. Whatever we focus on expands. Good, Jack Canfield SOI quotebad or otherwise, we get what we spend the most of our energy on. While it can be a scary notion, the good news is that the choice of where we focus on minds remains in our complete control. Here are 3 ways to know your focusing your energy in a productive way.

  1. Despite any challenges you’ve encountered, your still passionate about your goalPassion is the fire that fuels us in the pursuit of our goals. If our goals aren’t big enough, or meaningful enough, it’s easy to lose heart. When we focus on why we chose the goal, what achieving the goal is going to mean for us, those around us and maybe even the world at large, the bumps and bruises along the way are worth it. Challenges don’t discourage us from the things that are important to us. Instead, they show us what we’re made of, and empower us with the strength to make the once seemingly impossible, possible.
  1. People are starting to notice your effortsPersistence pays off. When you persist in the achievement of your goals, things start to happen and people begin to take notice. Maybe you’ve started things in the past and left them incomplete because you lacked the necessary passion. This time is different, and the people around you can see that. What’s exciting about this is that when you commit to your goals and remain focused no matter what, people around you want to contribute to your success. Big goals are impossible to achieve on your own. We all need support to make our goals a reality. With the support of others, you’re unstoppable!
  1. Even in moments of darkness, opportunities present themselves to restore your faithHave you ever had moments when you actually begin to question if you really know what you’re doing? Maybe you’ve even considered looking for a job, thinking that it might be time to think about a “Plan B”. All of a sudden, it happens – it seems like the heavens open and opportunities start showing up. They may not all pan out, but you know have a renewed faith and excitement about the possibilities when it comes to the goal you’re working towards. You see enough of a glimmer to believe in the existence of the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. I believe that these moments occur to encourage us not to give up. They are a reminder of the idea I talk about at the beginning of #2 – persistence and commitment pay off. Keep your eye on the prize and you will reap the rewards!

Remaining positive in the pursuit of our goals can be challenging, but it is necessary. Negative experiences are a part of life. We all experience failures and disappointments in our personal and business goals. How we choose to deal with them, and what we choose to focus on always remains in our control. What will you choose to focus on today?

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Sandra Dawes, Founder, Life Coach, Embrace Your DestinySandra Dawes is a recovering control freak and excuse maker, as well as founder of Embrace Your Destiny, her life coaching practice. Her work involves teaching women how to stop making arguing for their limitations so that they can create the life that they want. Sandra’s inspiration to help others in this area comes from her own journey and experiences in dealing with the heartbreak of losing her father. She published her first book Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve, a story that outlines her personal journey, in November 2013.

In her down time, Sandra loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her partner Satnam and their dog Lulu. For more information on what she does, visit www.embraceyourdestiny.ca.