Recent have said multitasking is bad, and I rejoiced. Researchers said that multi-taskers were less successful. This was shocking. I was raised to be a multi-tasker. Wasn’t multi-tasking was a virtue? Everyone valued someone who could get a lot done. Right? I was a lifelong multi-tasker and saw this as my chance to stop working so hard. After years of working fast, completing multiple projects at one time, this was my way of saying that I needed to make things simpler. I could relax. What I found was quite the opposite. I was not relaxed. I was not as productive nor did I feel as accomplished so I decided to learn more about this phenomenon called multi-tasking.
To begin, I observed myself multi-tasking and not multi-tasking and the results, accomplishments and how much I enjoyed what I was doing. I observed others in the same way. As a coach and consultant I had lots of opportunities to observe others. As a result I was to ask the researchers two questions. Did you measure the difference between men and women? Did you assess the value to the tasks they were doing?
Recognize Your Success
In my observation and my experience, women are natural multi-taskers and men are not. Women have by our nature and physiology a higher energy level. Women have a higher energy level in our bodies to create life. We are wired at a high energy level, so multi-tasking is natural, can creative and rewarding when done correctly. Men, on the other hand, do better when singularly focused. This is not less of an ability just different, and the world is better for these two different ways of being. Multi-taskers and persons who are singularly focused are both needed for success.
Multi-tasking of itself does not create success, so I agree with the studies in this regard. Focused multi-tasking does work. Whether you are a multitasker or a single focus person, your success depends on what you spend your time doing. Just being busy doing whatever presents itself is of no value and has no long-term result. On the other hand, when multi-taskers or single focused persons chose high value tasks they create success. High value tasks are those that will make a difference in your efforts to achieve success versus other tasks that are just busy work or someone else’s need.
So men feel free to be singularly focused on high value tasks if that feels right to you. Women, I say go ahead and multi-task focused on high value tasks if that feels right for you as well.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this. For me, I have returned to multi-tasking, and I am much happier, getting more done and finding greater success.
Working fast, hard and smart is one perspective on success. I recently read a blog on success and the author suggested that the most successful people work fast, fast thinkers, fast decision makers, and they move fast. He also suggested that they work hard, long hours and do the hard work. The third characteristic of a successful person was they carefully selected where they spent this fast, hardworking time. They worked on things that mattered.
This blog grabbed my attention because I have found similar characteristics in the successful people who I work with and others that I observe though I would describe them differently.
From an intuitive perspective working fast is not necessary though you may enjoy working fast. From my observations successful people have high energy. High vibrations are creative energies. High energies make it easy to be creative, create change, to see more clearly, to move through blocks or limits. So while I would not say working fast is a good approach working at a high energy level which is enthusiasm, creativity and may feel or appear fast is essential for success. When our energy is low, nothing is moving, nothing changes and energy blocks are too hard to unlock. So best practice, be in enthusiasm when you work.
Working hard is not necessary either though we might choose to do that, and it may happen. Working hard, of itself, is not a useful goal. From an intuitive perspective successful people are those who have a clear vision, focus on the vision and are not easily distracted. This might feel like hard work, but the key element is to focus. When we are focused and see the impact of that, we want to focus more, to create more. It is rewarding and so we may in the end work harder but that is not the goal.
The last characteristic is doing what matters. I completely agree. It is so easy to work hard and stay busy without accomplishing anything. We are successful when our time and attention stays focused on high value activities. By that, I mean tasks that will make a difference in achieving our vision of success. It is easy to keep busy doing whatever presents itself. Being disciplined enough to focus on actions that matter to our success makes all the difference.
My formula for success using the three traits mentioned in the beginning would be: With enthusiasm focus on high value tasks that will help you achieve your vision of success. Sounds simple? Spend this week working in this way and see if it is easy to do and notice the impact of this approach.
One of the biggest mistakes a business owner makes is when they have a desperate need then makes decisions from that energy.
The energy of need comes deep within us in fear. When we are in fear, all our energy leaves our upper chakras and our rational mind. Instead, our energy goes directly to the first chakra where we manage survival and fear. In some ways, this is helpful because it creates energies and physiological responses that can set us into strong action – fight or flight.
One area that commonly we may not have a clear perspective is the people we need to help us. When we hire from the energy of need, we forgo our intuition, hiring someone who can do the job without considering if they are a good fit for the company. Making decisions this way is always a disaster because we look from only one perspective – can they do the job. As we know, we need more than skill sets from our staff. The energy of need in the first chakra causes us to lose this perspective. “I need someone who can do the job and I need them NOW!” When we hear ourselves feeling this way we need to stop. We are in fear.
Operating from the energy of need happens also when we have a staff person who is negative, bored, unhappy with their job, not performing well, causing disruption, etc. but we NEED them. When we are in the energy of need, we believe that we need them to do the job as if there was no one else in the world who could. This is not true but when we are in need and fear we believe it. Our life depends on it. It is always true that letting go of an unhappy or unpleasant employee will improve your company no matter how much you believe you need them.
Hiring and supporting staff that support you and your vision are critical to your success. The common phrase, hire slow and fire fast, is one of the best pieces of advice I have heard. To hire slow gives you the opportunity to decide not only the skills the applicant has, but also how he/she feels to you and what your intuition tells you about how they will represent your brand and fit into the culture of your business. That same intuition tells you that someone on your staff is disrupting the energy of your business as well as the culture and brand you have worked hard to create.
When we are in the energy of NEED, it disrupts our decision-making and distorts our perspective. This blog talks mostly about staff though the energy of NEED can affect any decision that we make. When making a decision take the time to notice the energy you are making it from. If you feel that urgency in your body or the energy of NEED, take some time to step back, calm down, clear your thinking, come out of fear (lower chakras) to find a more neutral perspective (upper chakras). It will change your perspective and you will make better decisions.
What we are not good at matters most. That may sound counterintuitive, but it is not. In our journey to success, we know what we are good at and the skills we use to push forward enthusiastically. While this is important, it is not the answer.
Doing what we are good at alone will not make us successful. Many business owners and professionals forge ahead disregarding what they do not know, where they are inexperienced or simply don’t have the skills needed as the owner. Others do not know what they do not know. This disregard for our weaknesses gets in the way of our success.
Carol
Lunches is a daytime café that is wildly successful according to the owner. Carol says her café is popular and full every lunchtime so it must be successful. This concept of success is not working for her. She feels that she does everything right. In reality, she does a great deal that is right. She has a great location, great food, repeating customers, happy staff, etc. but she is not making enough money. Carol’s area of weakness as a business owner is finances. As long as she is bringing in lots of money every day she thought it would all work out then she realized that was not the case. Carol’s avoidance of financial planning, reporting, and management was killing her business.
Sara
Sara has an accounting firm, three offices, twelve staff and hundreds of clients eager to use the services of her company. She and other CPAs in her firm have a good reputation. Sara says her problem is she cannot service her customers because she is unable to keep competent, reliable, office staff. As we explored this Sara grew to admit that her weakness is hiring, training and mentoring staff. This is something she did not consider before. She was focused on the reputation of her accounting staff primarily. This was killing her business.
Max
Max has a financial planning firm that he bought from a retiring planner. He has a strong group of clients. He is a skilled financial planner but after two years he is ready to throw in the towel. He feels like he does not have a life. He complained that his staff is not competent, and he is not making enough money to make it worth his while. When we looked at the business, he was very confident and initially unwilling to look at his weaknesses. When we finally opened that door, there was an obvious solution. Max is a doer. His company had no systems or procedures for staff to follow. He simply tells each person each day what they need to do. This was inefficient and resulted in poor customer service. He was loosing business. Max had to admit that he was a good financial planner and a terrible manager.
There is a fear behind not knowing which makes us feel vulnerable. That fear is there whether we admit to our weaknesses or not. When we are willing to be clear about both our skills and our weaknesses, ask for help then we can create success. The fear no longer controls us. When we are overly confident, in denial or only focused on our strengths then we will be frustrated, and our business suffers. It is not easy to step back and look from this perspective and yet it is essential to success. Some do this easily, for others it is a struggle.
While, in this blog, I spoke about businesses, the concepts apply to professionals, as well. Finding out what we do not know is important. Asking for help is next. Making changes is the answer to moving your business or career forward and enjoying it more.
A new culture of business is emerging voicing a new set of values, increased self-awareness and businesses with a new definition of success. I am so relieved by the changes appearing in how businesses run, interact, view their staff, vendors and community. Some of the changes are subtle and others not so subtle. In the end, we are moving to a more moral, value based and healthy way to do business. Not everyone is on board with this, but more and more of us are. “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)
Here are some differences I see between the old business paradigm and the new.
Old: Be on top. Beat out the competition. Be better than everyone else. Take out the competition. Get the largest share of the market.
New: Be the best you can be. Do the best we can. Build our brand so that people know how we are different. Attract loyal customers who value our brand. Collaborate with other businesses. Share resources.
Old: Get more sales – at any cost. Over promise if necessary. Get the sale. Get more than the next guy.
New: Create customers. Under promise and over deliver. Not everyone is our customer. Don’t sell. Understand our customer and serve them with unbeatable quality.
Old: Money flows to the top. Hierarchy with command and control management.
New: Collaboration. Everyone valued. Share the success. Everyone seen as contributing to the success.
Old: Environmental concerns are ok, but not if it affects the bottom line. The community is important if it is a customer.
New: Prevent impacts on the environment and be profitable. Be part of the community. Give back. Join the sharing economy.
Old: How much money can we make?
New: Create a business that serves everyone’s life, that people enjoy working in, and that has value whether it sells widgets to solar power.
What changes can you add to this list? This is just the beginning. In what new ways do you or your company operate? Join the conversation.
Problems! Problems! Problems! Or No Problem. Which vibration do you feel most often? What happens most in your life, work or business? From an intuitive perspective this is a state of mind.
Some vibrate at the energy of “No Problem”. They see every bump in the road as something to solve, fix, create or change. Others see the opposite. That bump in the road is a problem. It is frustrating. It will ruin everything, and they are sure it will get bigger and are overwhelmed by the sight of it. This may sound like an exaggeration, but it is not.
How we react to what seems like a problem defines our success. When a problem presents itself successful people immediately look for a solution so that it does not affect them or their success. They see a problem as something that can be solved and even enjoy solving it. Their vision of success does not change. Their enthusiasm for success does not lower. They do not stop and do not let the problem distract them or take up much of their time or attention. If anything, they use it as a way of getting better at their success.
Those who take two steps forward and two steps back see a problem as A PROBLEM. They stop. Their energy drops. They start to blame who or what they perceive created the problem. They are distracted from the goals they are trying to achieve and focus their life force energy on the problem. So now they are in the energy of the problem, go deeper into the energy of the problem so it grows affecting them in body, mind and spirit.
Claire is successful with three offices and a growing staff. With growth problems appear and Claire is learning to adjust to her fast growing company. When a problem occurs, she takes it on and resolves it immediately. Claire is a quick decision maker and does not want to be brought down by the energy of the problem. In this way, she stays focused on her vision and places her time and attention on that.
Susan has a vision of the business she wants to create but has been unable to move it forward. Susan does not yet see how much she goes into the energy of a problem in all aspects of her life. When a problem presents itself she reacts by dropping her energy to the level of the problem then stays there awhile. Susan often sees an ordinary life experience as a problem. Susan is not ready to change at this time, so she lives at the energy of a problem in her life, not just in her business. Not surprisingly she is not yet successful though she is very capable. When Susan becomes aware of this pattern in her and steps out of it she will be able to move forward.
There are many reasons why we are one way or another in relation to problems. Partly we learn this from our families or from an experience that is still on our mind or in our space. Some of us vibrate at a high energy level as a spirit so it is natural to have a positive perspective and success moving forward. Others vibrate at a lower energy level, attract and stay with their problems.
How we react to a problem is a matter of choice, free will and becomes a state of mind. If we see our life moving forward and don’t drop our energy when a problem presents itself then we find success personally and professionally. No Problem. If, on the other hand, we view our life as a problem then problems appear, and we lower our vibration to the level of “It’s a problem” with success always in the future.
How we react to problems is a matter of choice. We may be in the habit of falling into the energy of a problem, but we can change that. By being aware and mindful in the moment, we can catch ourselves and come out of the energy of a problem and approach problems in a new way with a different perspective and a higher energy level.
Take a look at how you react to a problem. What happens to your body? Do you get tense? What about your emotions? Do you get angry or frustrated? What about your thinking? Do you start creating thoughts and stories about how this problem is going to get bigger?
Another way of being is to keep your energy high. Feel successful. Keep your vision set on the possibilities and be in enthusiasm. Take ownership of a problem as something you can solve and move on. In this way problems do not last long, don’t stop or distract you from your success.
My grandmother said, “Hold your head high.” I am sure you are familiar with this phrase as well. When my grandmother said it, I did it and felt better. Over the years I’ve had the same experience. When I held my head high and the more I held it high I felt a significant change in my energy level and my feeling of certainty.
Observing Others
Observing others I noticed I could tell those who held their head high and those who did not. I also observed how I reacted to each. I was drawn toward those who showed confidence and did not have a strong impression of those whose head was down. In fact I hardly noticed them. Finally I decided to look intuitively to see what was going on that made such a difference.
Seventh Energy Center
We all have seven major chakras or energy centers. The first is at the base of our spine and the seventh is on the top of the head in the area that is the soft spot for babies. It is this seventh chakra that is activated when we “hold our head high”. When the 7th chakra is active we feel certain, have ownership of our space and sense of seniority in our life. We appear strong, in charge of our space and own our personal power.
How to hold your head high
The power of the seventh chakra is undeniable. Try it for yourself before you read further. Here is a technique I use with my clients. Start by holding your head high but more than that – stretch your neck. Really lift your head up so that your spine is long and the top back of your head is the top. Notice how differently you feel. Take a deep breath and really hold your head high.
This is not magic though it may feel like that. When we lift our head up, stretch the neck we are straightening the spine and at the same time aligning our energy centers. When our energy centers are aligned along the spine and our energy can flow clearly and smoothly. That alone makes us feel better. So this concept of holding your head high is the alignment of our energy centers with our energy flowing and our crown chakra energize.
Crown Chakra & Strength of Spirit
The crown chakra (seventh) is a powerful energy center that is energized when we hold it in alignment with our spine and energy centers. We feel more empowered. Others perceive us as empowered. Watch others. Notice how you react to someone whose head is down in their shoulders versus someone who is holding their head high.
This is an important concept for those focused on achieving their goals. Some create from their third chakra (below the sternum) with hard work and a great deal of effort. Others use their upper chakras (5th through 7th) for success from creativity, clear vision and certainty. This is a lot more fun and validating.
Feel Better in Body, Mind & Spirit
There are more reasons why energizing our crown chakra makes us feel so much better. It is the chakra through which our life force energy flows (chi, prana, etc.) into the body bringing life force energy to the organs. We feel energized.
So hold your head high when you want to feel better, feel certain, to be seen as a leader, to have strength of spirit and to feel in charge of your life.
Trust your vision. It is always manifesting – even when we get in the way. Just because our vision does not manifest in the way we expect does not mean it is not going to happen. It is so easy for us to get in our way, lose sight of our vision and decide that we are not going to get our goal because of once circumstance or another. That decision is powerful and wrong. Here is a story of one business owner who thought her vision was not going to manifest.
Sara
A business owner, Sara, called last year at her wit’s end saying she was going to close her business but wanted to check in with me before she did so. After speaking with her it was clear that she did not want to close her business. She just wanted and needed to change her role in the business. Sara’s next step was to move more into a leadership role and not be responsible for the day-to-day operations any longer. This is normal and needed step for the owner and the growth of any business.
Leadership Solution
When Sara called she was vibrating at the energy that her business was a big problem. Not so. Sara just needed to stop being CEO, CFO, COO, CBO and every other c-suite title you could think of. Her real goal was not to close her business but to position her business for sale and to find someone she trusted to buy the business she started. Sara wanted someone to carry on its strong reputation and tradition.
A New Organizational Strategy
We created a new organizational strategy to grow her business. We changed her role to CEO/President, made her accountant functionally the CFO. One staff person was promoted to CBO as marketing chief. Another staff person, Carol, was promoted to COO in charge of the day-to-day operations. Carol was also interested in eventually taking over the business. As an intuitive I did not see that Carol as strong nor committed enough to take over the business in the long run but Sara was convinced this would work.
Sara stepped back and let the Carol take over. It did not turn out as well as Sara had hoped and Carol quit within a year throwing the business back into Sara’s lap. Sara was devastated. Her disappointment was overwhelming. She felt like a failure and was unhappy that she was back in the role of CEO and COO once again.
Vision Still Manifesting
Sara called in tears. I had to remind her that she was still getting her goal of finding someone she liked and trusted to take over her business. That goal had not changed. It was so clear to me intuitively that Sara was still getting her goal. It simply was not manifesting in the way she expected. She had pushed for the Carol to be that person. That was not meant to be. Intuitively I saw that Carol was not the person who could carry on the reputation and tradition of the business so it was inevitable that she would leave. It is not a mistake nor a coincidence. That does not mean that Sara is not getting her goal. Quite the contrary. She just has not found the person who she trusts and who could run her business with the same quality of service the community had come to know. Sara could not see this at first because she had too much energy in Carol being the solution.
Not A Coincidence
Not coincidentally the next day Sara ran into a Gail who operated an agency that was her largest competitor. Gail asked how Sara was doing and said she had heard that Carol, Sara’s heir apparent, had quit. Gail asked if Sara was interested in selling her business. Sara was blown over by this.
Vision
Even with this miracle appearing out of no where Sara was still stuck in the energy of disappointment about Carol quitting. She was so much in that energy that she could not see the miracle being presented. Sara’s focus on the solution rather than the goal is something that we all do. By doing do so we get in our own way. We are unable to have a clear perspective and lose sight of the goal. Sara was so focused on losing Carol who she always believed was the solution that Sara had lost her perspective. Sara’s goal was to sell her business and to someone she trusted and who could continue the business in much the same way. She liked Gail and respected her. This could be her dream come true. Perhaps this is the right plan for achieving her vision.
Notice for Yourself
Notice for yourself. Have you ever fixated on what you believe is the right and only way your vision can manifest? In your daily meditation take the time to pull your energy out of solutions, strategies, etc. to order to focus on your vision and where you want to be. Your vision is always manifesting. How you get there may surprise you. Always take steps toward your vision and allowed it to manifest in unexpected ways.
Steve starts his day checking his email. It is easy to be lured into the computer, the latest news, an entertaining story, YouTube video, email, etc. I cannot tell you the number of people who let email direct what they do and focus on each day. Email takes up their time and distracts them from focusing on high values takes that create success. Yikes! It is so easy to be lured into a workday determined by email! The more engrained this habit becomes the less successful a person or business becomes.
To Do List
Frank told me his goal is not to read email or go near his computer until later in the morning or afternoon. His fears about what he might be missing have turned out to be unfounded. Frank has been able to break that addiction. Instead he focuses on his to do list first. Changing that one behavior has made it possible for Frank to focus on changes he needed to make in his business. That is a good step but that is not enough for real success.
Goals, Plans & Strategies
Gail agrees. She starts her day focused on the goals and strategies she wrote for the year. She knows how easy it is get distracted, for others to grab her attention, distract her from her plans, demand that she focus on their issue, etc. so before she begins her day she makes sure that what she has planned, the appointments schedule and her to do list will help her meet her goals. She is determined to have ownership of her time and to make sure that what she does in a day will make a difference in her success. Gail also evaluates if her strategies are producing the results that she wants. That is a good and important approach but it is not enough for real success.
Vision of Success
Charles starts his day reminding himself of his vision of success. Where does he want to be in 3-5 years? Then he makes sure that everything he does that day, in present time, will move him toward his vision. Charles is cautious not to get side tracked by the newest brightest shiniest object or idea. He knows what he wants to create and reminds himself of that before he starts the day. He sets his energy to a vibration that will bring him to that vision knowing that change is important. That is a great approach but it is not enough.
Setting Your Space & Energy
Claire starts her day by connecting with herself. She wants to make sure that whatever she does, however she communicates and the energy level she brings to her day is aligned to who she is at her core. Claire wants to create success based on who she is and what she values. She begins each day with meditation, quietly going within, clearing her thinking, releasing the energy in her space so that she feels like herself, can see clearly where she is going, setting her energy to the level that feels right to her and regains her perspective. Claire knows that the intensity of her work affects her space, her thinking and perspective so she wants to start each day from a clear space.
Start Your Day This Way
Each of these professionals or business owners has a handle on one aspect of creating success. If you were to begin in reverse order of how they are presented here you have a formula for success.
Start your day with meditation to get back to who you are at your core.
Take time to reflect on your vision of success and live that all day.
Review your goals, plans and strategies to achieve your vision. Adjust as needed.
Make a to do list that is limited to high value tasks that help you achieve your goals. Prioritize. Focus.
Finally, break your addiction to email and computer. Stop letting them control your attention. Focus on email as a tool you can use during your workday to meet specific goals.
Having control of our energy, our space and where we place our attention is important to our success. Begin to incorporate these steps and notice the difference this will make.
Frank has a strong vision of the business he is creating yet everyday he does things that sabotage his success. I met with Frank for the second time yesterday. Our first conversation was about his business – mostly the facts. The meeting yesterday was to assess the state of his business and create a business development plan for the year.
Frank was full of bravado that I knew masked a deep fear so I delved. He kept saying he was moving forward, making changes, etc. I could see his uncertainty and fear behind this. He was not going to be successful without being honest with himself. His wife, partner and bookkeeper told him they need $30,000 per month to survive, pay bills and put food on the table. They have been generating $15,000/mo. since the beginning of the year. They are at risk of loosing this business and Frank was hiding.
We talk about what it would take to turn this around. Sales was his answer. Who does sales for the business? He does. How much time does he spend doing sales? Not enough. Where does he spend his time? Responding to what comes up.
These answers are not uncommon. Frank is getting in the way of the success of his business. He is scared so he does those things during the day that make him feel good and valued. He is very good at solving customer problems. They love him so given the choice of helping someone who loves him versus making sales calls he choses the former. He is working within his comfort zone, what feels good and is validating. I understand why he does this though when we want to create a change it means getting out of our comfort zone, doing something new that will make a real difference and create the change that is needed.
He defended his need to serve his customers. I challenged him asking if sacrificing his business was worth making his customers happy at this critical juncture. We created a plan to do both. The plan included daily sales efforts which he avoids and will find any reason to do otherwise as well as time to work with customers. Both times of the day are important and cannot replace each other.
At the end of the consultation Frank thanked me for making him get out of his bravado, hiding and helping him face the reality of the weaknesses in his business. Now he feels he is ready to address them to move his company into profitability. His next step was to complete the business development plan for 2014 that we started. This will help him stay focused on the high value tasks and not hide dong what he makes him comfortable and that he enjoys doing.
Frank is not unlike most business owners. If any of this rings true for you then it is time to get out of your comfort zone. Take the steps that are uncomfortable but will make a real difference.
The feeling of success is a core emotion that drives us from birth. Where did it go? In a recent meditation series I included a meditation on feeling successful. Most joined the meditation because they wanted to feel successful in hopes of becoming successful. Others were successful but did not feel that way. From an intuitive perspective both of these are off the mark.
In Our Nature
Somehow we are programmed about success in a way that has moved us away from our true nature as spirits in bodies and how we evolve, grow, learn and succeed. From an intuitive perspective the feeling of success is an emotion and an internal drive (energy) that is essential for our growth, development and success from birth.
From Birth
You can see this energy or feeling of success in an infant and their drive to reach out, roll over, sit up, etc. These efforts are supported by a feeling of success (energy or emotion) that inspires and motivates an infant to try what at first seems impossible. Once accomplished they are inspired by the feeling of success to try something new, another skill to accomplish. There is nothing logical about this. It is an internal natural drive to succeed.
Feeling Successful Comes First
This feeling of success is behind all of our greatest successes. When this feeling stops or seems to be gone we feel disempowered. The drive to succeed is gone or we do not feel successful. We replace the feeling of success with logical thinking. Thinking about success and planning for success absent the feeling of being successful has never worked. We aren’t wired that way.
Steps to Success
There are steps in our natural way of being successful. This begins with the feeling of success within the body from the second chakra (energy center below the naval). We have a vision or idea of what we want to take on, create, or achieve. The feeling of success energizes our vision. We take actions toward that success.
Where Did It Go?
So when did that feeling of success stop? Who or what affected our energy or our space in a way that shut down this aspect of the second chakra? How many times have you seen an infant try a new skill driven by the feeling of success (such as, climbing onto a countertop) only to be reprimanded? How many times has a student proudly displayed their work only to have others invalidate their efforts? How many times has someone entered a competition, feeling successful then not winning and becoming a loser in our culture?
Get It Back
The effect of these and other experiences are so strong that we may not even feel successful when we actually are successful. This is how our concept of success becomes distorted. These and other life experiences put out the fire on our feeling of success. We can change that. Taking the time to meditate on the feeling of success in the second chakra. Restimulating that feeling and increasing our awareness of it is the first step. Find that feeling and let yourself feel it in your whole body. In this way you consciously and deliberately stimulate an emotion, energy and feeling of success. Feeling then acting successful everyday is a way to renew this emotion and its energy in us. Once this energy is moving it drives us to successful experiences. This is not logical but it is very intuitive.
Don’t Think
Don’t think about this as it is not logical. Just try it. Let me know about your experiences around the feeling of success.
Our perspective on why we do what we do matters. Feeling like it’s a job, a profession or a business lacks awareness and understanding of our true nature. Everything we do, every decision we make is part of our calling, purpose or path. When we step back, take a deep breath, get out of our routine, we open to understanding the why behind what we do. This simple yet profound shift makes a huge difference on how we view ourselves, our work and our life. Take a deep breath and release.
I often hear from people the eternal question, “What am I meant to do?” asking as if the answer was some how out there if they could only find it. Their first solution is to change what they are doing, do something different, etc. That is never the answer.
Life is not about what we do – our occupation. It is about what we are bringing of who we are into the world, what we value and what is important to us. Our purpose, if you will, is to be who we are in the world, our lives and in our work. To do this takes inner awareness not seeking something outside ourselves. So if you find you are busy doing but feel there is more then go within.
Becoming conscious of ourselves and why we do what we do whether it is sorting widgets, manufacturing cosmetics or being a race car driver is the answer we are seeking. When we are self-aware of what part of ourselves we are being in this moment there is great enjoyment. When we unconsciously go through our day, in our routine we are not conscious and lack inspiration. It is not about our future. It is how we are being in this moment, present time.
Our life is working for us when all of who we are is reflected in what we do personally and professionally. This means being consistent across all aspects of our lives and showing integrity in each and every way. Integrity means intuitively to be your true self. Inspired success comes from this consistency. When we are not aware, consistent and congruent then we have more problems than we care to have, are frustrated, perhaps in pain and experience more failure than we need.
Take the time to meditate. Get quiet. Go within to have inner awareness of who you are at your core and let that energy flow into your life and your work.
There is no topic less interesting than time management and yet I was recently part of a discussion on this. Most of us hate the idea of time management and others seem to manage their time with no effort. What if I said there is no such thing as time? That time is simply a construct we create to organize our thinking. There is science behind this concept but that is not the point of this blog.
Choices
On a practical level one person in the conversation did not understand why people have a problem with time management. To him it is just about making the right choices each day. For him it is simple. For others they just know they do not have enough time. Still others have the time but time flies without accomplishing what they intended. I am sure there are other scenarios as well.
Intuitive Perspective
From an intuitive perspective each of us are programmed in our concepts about time. Our thoughts are often unconscious and so they become a habit. We react in the same way in relationship to time, each and every time. During the discussion the organizer polled us on various questions related to time management. Everyone answered and they summarized the poll. Intuitively I saw that we would answer those questions the same no matter when we were asked, last week, last year, next year, etc. We are each programmed to think and react to time in a particular way.
Claire
Working with my client, Claire, I saw she was overwhelmed with the idea of no time or not having enough time. Granted it is a busy season for her but I noticed that her body was tense. Her energy was tight. She seemed stressed. She was not behind in her plans for the day because it was early morning and it had not started. I asked her about her schedule for the day. It was grounded and clear. She had a well thought out plan for her day. I asked about her priorities and what she needed to get done. Claire was clear and knew exactly and in what order she needed to do certain tasks. So why the tension? This question caught her off guard. She was not aware of how stressed she felt then realized that when she thinks about her schedule and her work she reacts in this way in her body. It is automatic and without thought.
This is true for most of us. When we consider time management, prioritizing our work, creating a schedule and a plan to get things done we have an automatic and unconscious way of being. What is that for you? Is it the way that you want to be? Is it causing you not to achieve your goals or in the way you desire?
Multi-Tasking Distorts Time
I admit I am one of those people who can get tense if I am not paying attention. As a teenager and young adult I was taught that multi-tasking was a sign of being very capable so I learned to do many things at once, to have my attention divided. That way of being is very stressful on the body because it requires that you are never present with one thing.
A New Approach
Later I learned that being this way I was busy but not accomplishing my goals so I changed my approach. Now I focus intently on the most important task first to its completion then on to the next. This is a very effective approach for me. I also noticed that though my actions changed my thinking about time and how I felt in my body did not. I still felt like I was multi-tasking and not having enough time. I needed to change this as well.
Real Change
Meditation is a great tool for creating change. I knew my thoughts and reactions were unconscious, automatic ways of being. In meditation each morning I take the time to stop, get quiet and go within. From there I notice my thinking and change it. I become aware of how I am holding energy in my body and relax, release until the tension is gone. Next I decide how I want to be and feel in my body, in my work and in my life this day. The idea of present time (this day) is powerful. How do I want to feel and be right now then feeling that way in my body and changing my thinking to support how I want to be? Some days it is easier to do than others but I stay quiet until I can make these changes because if I do not then nothing changes.
Next Step
What is your relationship to time and time management? What do you want to change? Changing our time management skills happens on several levels so just deciding to change is not enough. Real change happens in body, mind and spirit. So create a time management plan to change your thinking (mind) about time then take the time to meditate to create change in body and spirit. Making these changes in some miraculous way creates time. This is not logical but it is very intuitive. So take the time to make time.
January has passed and by all means possible it is my hope that you did it – your plan for 2014. Whether you are a business owner or a professional focused on success, a written plan is a must do activity. It is fine to have an idea or even know what you want to have happen but there is magic to writing it down, a level of commitment that most of us need. Granted there are exceptions to this rule but they are few and far between. For most of us having a grounded written plan is essential for success. You can easily tell whether you are in the “most of us” category or the “few and far between” category. Are you consistently achieving your grandest vision for yourself each year?
We all achieve some of our goals. Those are the easy ones. The goals are clear to us. We have no difficulty seeing them happen. Most importantly we don’t have any energy, thoughts or beliefs that get in our way that create doubt and so those goals manifest without a second thought.
Beyond Your Reach
Then there are the goals that always seem beyond our reach, challenging to accomplish or simply more difficult to achieve. These goals take a plan – a written plan. As an intuitive I know that everything we wish to create begins with knowing what that is then being able to imagine or seeing it happen in our mind’s eye. These are first and very important, but there is more.
Goals
For that vision to manifest takes concrete actions to bring it into the physical reality. A vision without action remains a dream or a fantasy. Translating our vision into goals (small steps) moves our reality from where we are now to where we want to be. This is where the magic happens.
Write It Down
Going through the process of writing down our vision, the goals (small steps to getting there) and the plan of how to make this happen is all about making your vision real. Writing a plan helps us take bigger steps more quickly as we focus our attention and our awareness. In this way we are not lost in thought, distracted by whomever or whatever grabs our attention.
Vision & Goals
Often people write goals though achieving only goals may not bring us the result we want. It is so much more powerful to know your vision for success first, write goals to get you there next then the plan to achieve those goals.
Not Too Late
It is not too late. You can write your plan at any time so that you can move from where you are now to where you want to be next. If you find you cannot make yourself write it down you may also find you have difficulty creating change in your life. You can change everything by sitting down and writing it all out. It does not have to be perfect. It should be a living document so that if strategies do not create the results you intended then you can create new strategies until your goals and your vision of success begins to manifest. Take the time and see how writing out your plan changes things.
Visualization is an ability we all have. From an intuitive perspective if you can imagine something clearly in your mind’s eye (visualize) you can manifest it. If, on the other hand, you find that you cannot image something then it does not happen. This is not a logical concept, but it is very intuitive.
Visualization is an important topic for January of any year. We all make resolutions, set goals, many of which will never come to fruition. One reason is though we may want something to happen we cannot imagine it happening (visualize) so it won’t.
Three Techniques
Scientists have found three techniques that work for being successful at something: visualize success, model someone else’s behavior and vicarious learning. None of these engage thinking. Scientists observed that the more basic (perhaps intuitive) parts of the brain kick into gear and activate around these experiences the more likely we are to create success.
Michael Lardon, UC San Diego School of Medicine, states that his research has convinced him that visualizing past successes is the most effective way to influence change. This fits my experience as well. No matter how devastated someone is in the moment if they have been successful up to this point, I urge them to feel that success in present time. This ability to re-stimulate successful energy can change your energy back to that level of experience. On the other hand if you feel, think and imagine failure you can create that as well. Be careful what you think.
Scientists refer to the ability to recall past successes as finding the “true data points”. An intuitive explanation would be to restimulate a past time energy and memory, feel that success in the body, recall and create a mental image of that success in present time.
Perhaps you want to be successful in an area that is new to you. Always start by visualizing (imaging) what they success looks like and feels like. Then try the other two techniques, modeling and vicarious learning. Intuitively this means to find others who are successful in ways that you desire. Spend time with them. Intuitively match their vibration of success. The way your energy is now is creating precisely what you have. If you want something different then your energy needs to change. Change to what? Change to the energy level of others who are successful in the ways you desire.
For me modeling and vicarious learning are the same process, match energy of successful people, observe their actions and visualize doing it that way. Your energy, your body and your mind will change in ways necessary so that you can manifest this goal.
Now there are other factors that affect our success but if you are clear about what you want, don’t entertain negative thoughts and feel determined then you are ready for success. First see if you can visualize what you desire. Visualize often until you can see yourself clearly having, being or doing it. Meditation is a good way to do t his. Spend time around those who are successful in ways you desire and match their energy of success.
I just have to ask, “What do you choose?” Every day I watch business owners and professionals make really great choices and others make the worst choice possible but they do not see it. Of course, they do not see it. Who would deliberately make a really bad choice yet it happens all the time. So today I ask you to look deeper at what is behind choice for you.
Making choices is the most powerful creative act we perform each day. The choices we make create our reality (spiritually and physically)and yet we often do this with so little regard. What do you choose to have in your life? The energy behind our choices is important in understanding the experiences we are creating. Do we make choices from fear, resistance, anger, etc.? Wow! It will manifest from there. On the other hand do we make choices from enthusiasm, compassion, love, excitement, validation? If so, it will manifest in that way.
We make choices all day long. Some are automatic responses made without a second thought. We might also chose based on the collective consciousness – go with the flow. Finally, you could choose from your inner awareness of the choices before you and make your highest choice which is not always the easy one.
Making choices to control something never turns out well because we know we do not have control – ever. We can make choices that set forth how we want to be in relation to someone or somethingbut controlling it is never a reality.
I work with business owners and professionals every day. Some take responsibility for their choices, understand what is behind them and learn about the impact of the choices they make. Others do not want to know, to be conscious of themselves or take responsibility for the result of the choices they make everyday. They just decide and move on. How well someone understands themselves and what drives their choices is reflected in their personal and professional success. No one to blame.
There is much to be learned by understanding ourselves and what is driving one choice or another, hopefully before we make it. The choice itself does not matter nearly as much as the thoughts, pictures, concepts, emotions and energy that is behind it. Why do you want to make that choice? What is behind it emotionally, conceptually, etc.? You have heard, “Be careful what you pray for” or “Be careful what you believe”. I would say even before that “Be careful what you choose”.
Your first choice here is whether to be aware of what is behind your choices. This is an important choice. What is behind this particular choice for you? To know yourself or not to know yourself. The greatest step we can take to achieve our vision is to stop acting and reacting to everyone and everything but to choose how to be. This is a choice to be conscious and aware of what we choose in each moment. This means to be present, conscious and aware of self.
If something is not as you would like it to be – do not judge it. Take a moment and remember the choice you made that brought you here. If you do not have something perhaps it is because you have not yet chosen to have itor you inadvertently chose not to have it. For example, saying that you want something then thinking that it cannot happen is a choice not to have it.
Let’s assume you are someone who understands that the choices you make create you experiences. Let’s assume that you are willing to see and know what is behind your choices (fear, grief, anger, envy, control, love, enthusiasm, creativity, etc.). Once you know thatanswer then make the highest and grandest choice even if it is at first uncomfortable.
All the choices we make come from the body, mind and spirit. The best choices use all three. From who you are as a spirit come your highest choices, your grandest vision of who you are and chose to be. What is more common is for the body to want one thing, the mind to think another way and for you to know intuitively your highest choice. What do you choose? When we are aligned in body, mind and spirit our choices create results that will amaze.
Take time to stop and be aware of what is behind the choice you are making in each moment. Make your highest and grandest choice then see what happens.
A new year and the same old routine creates nothing new. We can be so set in our ways and stuck in our own way of thinking that we lock out the possibility of real change. Sure we will make some changes in the New Year. We always do – at least for a few months.
Every January my gym is suddenly packed with people and there is no place to park. I do not stress about this because I know the numbers will go down each day and by the beginning of March everything will be back to normal.
Real change is not easy. It takes focus and determination. From an intuitive perspective it means creating a change in your energy first. Our routines and habits cause our energy to spin in a particular way and at a specific vibration. It stays this way day in and day out with occasional changes to high and low points.
How our energy is set (vibrates) creates precisely what we have in our lives at this time. What we have may be great or we may be done with it. In either case being conscious and aware of how we are being is important to creating success – personally and professionally.
This is a good time to stop, get quiet, go within and reflect on where we have been, where we are now and our vision for where we are going next. I use the word next because we are constantly growing in our understanding of ourselves and so we finish one thing then imagine the next.
Stuart, the Architect
I was working with a new client this week, Stuart, a successful architect. He was dismayed with his current work routine, feeling that everything depended too much on him. He could not see a way out. When I asked him what his vision was for his business in 3 – 5 years he had no idea.
This is a great story to illustrate the importance of having a clear vision. Without it life continues on the same. Stuart’s task was to take the time to meditate, to get out of his current thinking about things and open to his vision for where he wants to be. Once that is in place then every action he takes and decision he makes can move in that direction. In addition his energy will change from the current spin pattern and vibration to a new level that will allow and create change.
Susan, To Lead or Not to Lead
Susan is client who has a fast growing financial planning business. Things have gone well for her up to this point. She has been both a financial planner and a business owner though more of her time is spent managing her business. This past year we worked to create a new organizational plan that would support the growth of her business, adding new financial planners, a lead CPA and Office Manager. The goal is for Susan to step out of the day-to-day running of the business and move more into a leadership role guiding the values, vision and future of her company. Susan is set in her ways. She does not like managing the day-to-day operations but it is familiar to her and she has done it for a long time. Being the leader is a new role, unfamiliar and uncomfortable. To be a leader means to change her energy from the lower chakras (busy doing) to the upper, setting the tone, owning the crown chakra (leadership).
Susan is at a crossroads. She is resisting creating a business development plan, a financial plan, a marketing plan, etc. All the tasks of the leader in a business must do. It is her choice. Her business is growing but will not sustain without a strong leader. We will see if she can make this change in her space for the New Year.
Your Vision
What is your vision of 2014? How does your energy have to change? Getting out of routines, habits and becoming more self-aware are the starting points for real change. It is often the case that we cannot see where we are stuck. Working with a coach is a great way to have someone on your side who can show you what you cannot see. To work with a coach you must be willing to receive honest communication then be willing to change. It may not always be easy but it will be enormously helpful in achieving your vision of success.
What is your choice for the New Year? Same old, same old or something new?
Knowing that thoughts are creative means to be careful what you think. This past month I did a series on thinking. It included being aware of where we get lost in thought, stuck in our thinking, create negative thoughts and other possibilities. In essence I noticed that we take little control of our thinking and, in fact, are not be aware this is happening.
Why do we dwell on thoughts that invalidate our goals and our vision for ourselves? This happens all the time. We just go with it. Whatever we dwell on manifests. That may not be logical but it is very intuitive. Notice for yourself what do you dwell on. Do these thoughts support your vision of success? If so, I am going to guess that you are succeeding. Do you dwell on thoughts that bring you down, focus on what is not happening or reasons why it is not happening? I am going to guess that you are frustrated in not achieving your goals. Without deciding which came first the chicken or the egg simply change your thinking and see what happens.
This is not as easy as it sounds because we are set in our ways, have little control of our thinking and worse yet we believe our thinking as if it was right and true. There is a great deal of research that shows how our thinking can be dead wrong. Yikes!
I was giving a talk this week to a group of business owners and thoughts about their business. One young woman stated emphatically that she was going to have to work 24/7 to be successful in her real estate business. regrettably there would be no time for husband and family. I asked her, “Why do you think that way?” She looked surprised. I asked her if she really wanted to create her career in that way, working 24/7 and not having a family. I suggested that she could change her thinking after all it was only her thinking and not necessarily true. Could she imagine being successful and having a husband and family?
A physician told me that she was concerned this time of year because people don’t go to the doctor during holidays. I asked her why she thought that way. She also looked surprised as I suggested another way of thinking. How about thinking that people decide to go to the doctor during the holidays because things are slower, they have time off or it is easier to take time off. Surprised she agreed this is a possibility as well. Which way would you direct your thinking?
We have free will and free thinking so why not create thoughts that support your vision of success in your personal and professional life. How might things be different if we did not dwell on thoughts that negated this vision. Take control of your thinking. Catch yourself and change your thinking in ways that support your success.
A common fear is failure. Others don’t fear it at all and, in fact, embrace the challenges the possibility of failure presents. These are two entirely different ways of being. Success can be the result of both reactions depending on how you approach it.
I conducted a meditation with business owners and professionals on the fear of failure. Now keep in mind it was not about actually failing just the fear of it. From an intuitive perspective, thoughts and energy are creative so the fear of failure creates ….. failure. We have to get out of fear or manage our fear if we want to be successful.
Meditation is a good tool for becoming aware of the fears that we hold. From the quiet of meditation we can release the energy of fear from our space. This works because the fear of failure is not logical and cannot be processed in that way. Fear is an energy that we can let go of when we are aware of it.
When Fear Is A Good Thing
Fear is important to have in cases of illness, injury, threat, etc. Fear creates a series of physiological reactions designed to make sure that we survive. When we are in fear all our energy goes to the first chakra at the base of the spine. Logic is set aside and replaced by automatic reactions. This is all good when we are in danger.
Fear of failure does not pose a threat to our life so having our body react in survival and our logic compromised is not helpful. It can cause us to act and react in ways that do not support our success.
Working with business owners and professionals I see this all the time. Most of my clients are self-aware and freely talk about their fears knowing they are not in danger but know that fear is in their way. Where these fears originate is a long story but for most of us fear begins at a young age. When we are not aware of the nature of fear we can let it control us.
Fear of Failure
The most common fears I hear are fear of failure, not being good enough and fear of finances. Some of my most successful clients express these fears often. If we are sensitive to fear it will be re-stimulated easily and often in our space. Suddenly we are in fear but we are not in danger. We can sit in the energy of fear or we can become aware that something just re-stimulated a memory, experience, emotion, stuck picture, etc. When we realize this we can take charge of our space and come out of fear. Each time we take a step out of fear we release another layer of energy. On the other hand when we sit in fear we add a layer of energy. Which do you choose?
Kathy’s Aware of Fear
Kathy owns a steel manufacturing company and is growing each month. Her greatest fear is failure despite all evidence to the contrary. Without going into her story suffice to say that she vividly remembers her dad’s fear of failure and how uncomfortable it made her feel. As she becomes aware of her own fear she steps back from it and resets her space to certainty as a women. She finds that her fear passes (releases) and she moves on.
Not resisting fear or failure is important to our success. Placing our attention and vision on what we are creating is a way of getting out of fear. Sitting in fear is not productive and, in fact, creates many physiological reactions that are harmful to our body, mind and spirit. So Fear Not!
Frank’s Fear
When we are in fear of failure it is easy to create stories in our mind that are not based in fact. Frank was in fear that his company was failing simply because he was waiting to hear on a bid he submitted. He did not hear back for so long that he created a story in his mind that he did not get the bid, went into fear and failure then called me. I asked why he was in fear? Why was he in failure? His bid had not been turned down. I suggested he use meditation to get out of fear and failure, to refocus his attention on being awarded the bid and being successful. Frank has free will so he can choose to focus on whatever vision he wants so why not chose to imagine success? Frank did this meditation for three days and felt better. Shortly afterwards he got a call that his bid was accepted. Success! Not a mystery. Not a coincidence. Frank changed his energy from fear of failure to visualizing success and so it manifested.
Notice if you are one of those who embrace the possibility of failure as a challenge to take a step up. Or are you more inclined to go into fear first? You can still embrace the challenge to take a step up. Fear Not.
What goal is still not being achieved? What part of your vision is not manifesting? This is frustrating when we are achieving goals and manifesting our vision in all areas except here. If there was a logical solution you would have found it by now so let’s take an intuitive approach. What is it within you that’s in the way? Knowing that thoughts are creative, as are emotions, find out what you believe.
Karen, Attorney at Law
One of my clients is an attorney with a fast growing practice. Karen decided to change from having a law practice to having a law business. We worked together to make this shift. This means she is more than an attorney. She is a business owner. With the enthusiasm of this change Karen brought in many new clients and was in heaven. After the glow (high energy) of this change wore off Karen started to hit a wall. She was not meeting her financial targets and began to doubt herself.
On the face of it, she was doing all the right things so what happened? Karen is self-aware so she knew to look within. Karen found that at her core she believed that she could not run a business that she was just an attorney. There are lots of reasons for this limited belief but more importantly Karen found it was her own thinking that was putting on the brakes. Armed with this awareness she became determined to release the limiting thoughts and hold her vision to create a successful law business. And she is.
Sarah, Realtor
Sarah is a realtor. She is young and would like a family but sincerely believes that if she wants to be successful in her career it will take all her time, hard work and attention. This means she will have to put off her vision for being married. When she told this to me I asked her why she was creating her reality this way. It was precisely what she did not want to happen but believed it firmly. I asked Sarah if she could imagine being a successful realtor, having a relationship and being married. Sarah looked surprised. She had spent so much of her time struggling with her own thinking that said either/or that she did not even consider the possibility of having both. When Sarah realized it was her own thinking in her way it changed everything for her.
Max, Bakery owner
Max owns a bakery. He works 24/7 or so it feels that way. When Max called me he was at his wit’s end and about to give up his store. I asked him the same question. Why are you creating your business this way? Can you imagine another way? With that Max came up with a list of reasons: can’t find good help, can’t trust others to do it as well as he can, can’t afford to hire enough people, etc. His list was long. Knowing that thoughts are creative I asked Max why he chose to hold these thoughts as the basis for his business. These beliefs will destroy his business. Max never considered that he was the cause of his unhappiness and was not familiar with the notion that thoughts are creative.
Max was willing to try anything to save his business. He agreed to learn meditation as a way to become self-aware, clear his thinking and create a new vision of success that more aligned to what he valued. Max was able to imagine his bakery running successfully with the help of staff and soon after fired a handful of people who share his vision. His business is thriving without him being there 24/7.
What About You?
What part of your vision is not manifesting? What goals seem to elude you? Now become aware of your thoughts creating this. Clear your thinking. Imagine your vision and goals manifesting. Allow things to change and your vision to manifest.
Things don’t have to be this way. They are this way because it is what we believe. I know this is hard to hear especially if you are busy in your life and don’t have the time to stop thinking, solving and working.
From an intuitive perspective I can see how we are creating what we have and what we experience now. It is not a mystery except to ask, “Why do I think that things are this way?” Or “Why do I believe this (your experiences) to be true?”
All Gone Wrong
The only way to find that answer from my perspective is to stop, get quiet and meditate because the answer is not a logical one. I was telling my daughter what a tough time I was having last week. My staff was not showing up, my clients were cancelling, etc. It felt all-wrong and there was not logical explanation so I stopped stressing and decided to mediate. In meditation I can get quiet, pull my energy out of the problem, my thoughts about it, the stories I was making up in my mind, get my space back and get back to the way I truly like to be.
Now I cannot explain to you why things got so out of whack because in my mediation I was aware that it was not one thing but a series of things that I reacted to and collectively they altered my energy and, therefore, my reality. Within an hour of that meditation (which was simply to become aware of myself in present time) everything seemed to turn around 180 degrees. This is not logical but it is very intuitive.
Use Both Sides of Your Brain
We can work mostly from our logic, work hard, solve problems, stress about what is not as we want it to be or we can use both of our abilities – logic and intuition. To benefit from our intuition we have to quiet the body (which is so loud and demanding) and clear our thinking (stop being logical for a moment). It is hard to stop our thinking, our logic< and get quiet enough to meditate but that is where the miracle happens.
FastCompany
FastCompany magazine November 2013, “Want Success? Meditate. The centuries old practice has its skeptics, but science confirms it: Meditation, advocated by an increasing number of successful business people, leads to a happier, more productive, and more creative life. This deep dive exposes how the process affects our brains, from weakening our capacity for anxiety to dramatically improving our ability to fitter out distractions and retain new facts.”
Ray Dalio on Meditation
Meditation is becoming a common tool successful business owners use and are talk about more and more. This is not surprising to me because once you create the practice you experience the change immediately but it requires taking the time to try. Ray Dalio, Hedge Fund Genius, says meditation is secret to his success.
Find Your Style
There are many forms of meditation. I use an intuitive form of meditation because I work with people who have big visions and this style works in manifesting visions. Any form of meditation has value so pick one that suits you and start.
This morning my week looked grim so I meditated and by noon my companies had two new contracts out of blue or I should say, “Out of my meditation.” My recommendation – meditate every day. It will make all the difference.
I don’t like how I feel right now. Does this sound familiar? Or I don’t feel like myself today. These and other terms are used to describe how we feel when we have lost our space. Losing our space means our energy is out of whack and we are out of sync.
Most of us sigh in frustration when we feel this way then move on with our day while feeling out of sorts. This can be disastrous. Disastrous is such a strong term but I mean it. When we are out of sorts, not feeling right, etc. it means we are not being ourselves. This means we also do not have perspective or control of our energy. We may act and react in ways that are not typical for us and make decisions that we would not ordinarily make.
When our energy is disturbed in some way we are likely to do more harm than good because we are not being ourselves. We are being the effect of an energy disturbance in our space.
The causes of disruption, disturbance or changes in our energy are varied. It could be the result of an experience we had recently, a conversation, a meeting, etc. in which the energy caused a change in our energy. Most likely someone’s energy got into our space causing a change in our flow. Maybe someone whacked you meaning they threw energy at you in anger, frustration or competition. Perhaps we had an experience that greatly disturbed us personally or professionally causing our energy to react.
Energy disruptions can also be caused by changes in the body. For women it can be their cycle. For all of us it might be our diet, lack of exercise, medications, drugs, alcohol, lack of sleep, etc.
There are so many causes. It is important to realize when we are out of sorts and not just go with it. The good news is it is easy to change our energy and get our space back to being ourselves. One of my clients, Claire, left me a message yesterday. She is in the throes of a big project and she has learned working with me that her energy changes under pressure going from an otherwise pleasant business owner to a raging boss. Always in the aftermath she regrets her behavior and declares that is not who she is, trying to convince her staff of that as they stare in amazement wondering, “Who is that?”
I recall I was in a meeting representing an organization in a multi-million dollar class action suit and I could tell that two men in the room were lying. That was a trigger for me. I am all about fairness and truth so when people are being dishonest I lose my space and my awareness. I started to challenge them vehemently. Our attorney touched my arm and asked that we step outside. She pointed out how out of control I was and that I needed to get my space back. I explained to her they were lying. She understood that I was intuitive but that there was no evidence they could point out at this time so I had to bide my time. Suddenly I realized how much I had lost my space and was not being myself. What is a trigger for you?
Jim called me asking for help. He had just finished a phone call with a colleague and he felt buzzed and could not think straight. After working with me on this business he has come to realize that he needs to stop when things don’t feel right and set them straight. I saw intuitively that the person he was speaking with was trying so hard to convince him of something that he placed all his energy in Jim’s space making Jim feel not like himself. This is not logical but it is very intuitive. We all have had this experience many times.
Regardless of the cause it is important to our success personally and professionally to realize when we do not feel right or not ourselves and do something about it immediately before we create trouble for ourselves. Changing our energy or getting our space back is easy. Being aware that we have lost our space and taking the steps to stop and fix it is the tougher challenge.
Should you decide to stop and change your space it is quite simple. I suggest meditation. It could be five minutes or an hour whatever it takes. Meditation is simply stopping, quieting the body, clearing our thinking and resetting our space. These are intuitive terms that don’t mean much until you experience it so try this now even if you feel like you have your space. It will make things even better.
Meditation Exercise:
Sit in a comfortable and quiet place.
Take a deep breath, release and begin to relax the body (repeat often).
Close your eyes and focus on yourself, bringing your attention from out there somewhere back to you.
When you feel that you are beginning to relax and focus on yourself then be grounded. Imagine a connection between the base of your spine and the center of the planet. Take a deep breath, release, relax and feel that connection. Be grounded. Repeat until you feel connected and grounded.
Now be centered by bringing your attention into the center of your head. Right now your attention is probably out there somewhere so come into the center of your head. Notice how that feels and how it changes your perspective. Keep breath and release.
Now get your space back. By space I am referring to the energy field around you (your aura). Your energy is probably scattered far and wide from you so imagine calling your energy in around you within arms reach. I know this is not logical. Just try it. Imagine that energy field is all around you like a bubble. Keep calling your aura in until you get a sense of having your energy in around you. Now to make it real imagine a color on the edge of your space. A color you enjoy.
Now be present in the moment. Bring all of your attention and awareness into this moment. Keep doing this until you feel that you are present. You can imagine releasing down your grounding anyone or anything that comes to mind as you do this.
The goal is to be quiet in the body, not thinking and just being aware of yourself in present time.
Now meditate on how you want to be in this moment. You have the ability to change your space and be however you want. I suggest a high vibration (enthusiasm, inspired, amusement, joy, excitement, etc.) When you feel like you are yourself and how you want to be then take a deep breath, stretch and come out of meditation
You are ready for your day. Once you get the hang of it meditation can go easily and quickly until then it make take some time to become comfortable with it. It is well worth the time.
Best wishes on your success, Kay
If you have any difficulty with this please feel free to contact me to discuss what is in the way of you having your space. kay@insightintuitiveconsulting.com
We get up. We go to work. We work hard and don’t always meet our goals and more importantly our vision of success. Getting things done. Completing our To Do List is not important. Are you surprised? One of my clients told me that she has a To Do List that for her is everything. If she does not get that list completed every day then she does not feel that she has accomplished anything. On the other hand when she does complete her to do list she is no closer to being successful.
So what does this all mean? It means we are not focused in the correct way. Sure there are things to do but they are not your purpose, vision or intention of why we do what we do. So often we become doers and lose sight of where we are going. The rest of the title of this blog is “Don’t Start Work Until You See and are Focused on Your Vision of Success”.
Don’t Leave This Blog
As an intuitive Business Coach I recommend all my clients to begin their day with meditation. I know half of you just left this blog because I mentioned meditation but there is no other sure way to promote your success. You won’t understand this until you experience it for yourself. Meditation is simply a way to quiet the body and clear your thinking so that you can regain perspective.
Busy But Not Successful
If you run off and start doing whatever you think you should do, the body will be energized and your mind buzzing on whatever is at hand and it may not be the best choice to achieve your vision. On the other hand if you start with meditation (quieting the body and clearing your thinking) how might things be different than starting our day from thoughts left in our head from the day before that have nothing to do with achieving success or an emotional reaction to something we experienced which also has nothing to do with our success.
Reacting & Stuck Thinking
So often we are reacting to what is on our mind or in our space instead of being clear about the actions can we take to move us further in our success. Don’t just be busy. Don’t be reactive. Don’t get lost in your thinking which can take you way off target. Stop. Clear your thinking. Let go of all the energy in your space then see clearly what is the next step and what can you do today to further your success. Ask that question when you are clear and quiet. That is the most important question you can ask and from the space of clarity.
Try This Meditation
Find a comfortable and quiet place. Allow yourself the time to do this well so don’t rush. That is not to say it will take a long time. It will take the time that it takes depending on how easily you are able to get grounded and quiet in present time.
Sit in a chair in a comfortable and quiet place.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and as you exhale relax and release tension (energy). Repeat as needed until you feel relaxed in your chair.
Be grounded. Feel and see yourself connected deeply into the ground.
Be centered. Bring your attention behind your eyes into the center of your head. Notice what that feels like.
Stop thinking. Be aware of being centered.
Have your space. Imagine all of your energy in around you – within arms reach.
Don’t be scattered or distracted.
Be present in the moment. Notice yourself breathing.
Don’t let your mind wander. Be present.
(Repeat until you are grounded, centered, have your space and are present in the moment)
Now meditate (imagine) your vision of success (personally and professionally).
See it clearly in your mind’s eye.
(If you cannot see your vision of success then do this often until you can because the things that manifest are those that you can see clearly. Think of them as the blueprint.)
Once you can see your vision of success begin to notice any thoughts you have that argue with your success. Clear and let go of these thoughts. They are just your thinking. They are not true unless you decide they are.
Now in your mind’s eye see the steps you can take today to move you further along. Don’t think. Use your intuition. Meditate and know your next step.
It may be an uncomfortable step, one that you are avoiding, something you resist, etc. Decide to take it!
Take a deep breath. Stretch. Come out of meditation.
Do this everyday. Each day you will become clearer. Each day you will see the benefit of taking this time to be clear. Also observe how each day goes when you begin this way.
Best wishes on your success, Kay
Please share your experiences with meditation and success.
This week was a look at how easy it is for business owners to get in the way of their success. Here is the story of one business owner getting in his own way. Jake has owned a large heating and air conditioning installation company for 18 yr. and suddenly it is about to go under.
Jake
Jake turned over the day-to-day operations of his company two years ago to two of his key staff. In general day-to-day operations is the function of managers and so that was a good strategy. On the other hand, Jake also stepped out, and unknowingly gave them the leadership of his company and this was his mistake.
Setting The Tone
For a business to succeed someone, typically the owner or CEO, sets the vision, values and the tone of the company. Staff, vendors and customers come to know this as the company’s brand which becomes how they feel about the company and what they expect in terms of customer service and product/service quality.
Abdicated Leadership
For two years, Jake trusted these employees, thought they were doing a good job and left them to run the business while he found new projects/customers to serve. This year Jake’s intuition told him he better come back as the leader of the company. He felt compelled by his intuition to ask for financial reports. With that both men quit leaving Jake with huge debt and little knowledge of the day-to-day operations, staff, vendors, customers and current operational procedures.
Admit Mistakes
Jake made several mistakes as a business owner but the one that harmed him the most was he gave up leadership of his company.
Jake had not been providing leadership from which all work would be done. One person has to define the vision for the company, the values they hold, the products and services provided and the way everyone will interact with each other, clients, vendors, investors, etc. When Jake gave up leadership, the two lead staff took over setting their own vision, imposing their own values and setting the tone for working with everyone. This change resulted in financial mismanagement, decreased quality and delivery of their products and services as well as relationships altered.
Now What?
When these two men left Jake had a crisis on his hands. He was in enormous debt, could not service his contracts, did not have qualified staff or systems in place, all the knowledge about the operations was held by the two that left and he had lost the faith of his bankers, staff, vendors and clients.
Jake’s Fears
How did Jake get into this mess? It was simple and could easily happen to any of us. Jake is educated and smart, but like all of us he does not know what he does not know as a business owner. Two years ago he felt like he did not know enough to keep his business going so rather than admit his uncertainty and finding a way to learn how to take his business to the next level he abdicated his business to others. Jake’s greatest weakness as a business owner is his fear of not knowing. His greatest strength is his knowledge of his industry and the high values that he brings to his business. His greatest fear, stated by him, is that he is not a leader. Jake is clearly a leader in his family of 14 children and his local community where he works to inspire youth to get an education and sees his role as helping others to be employed and productive. That sense of leadership is missing in his business.
Intuitive Perspective
Jake belongs to a very conservative religion that values humility and allowing others to be senior to them. This affects his ability to set his crown at a leadership vibration. Leadership from the crown chakra is different from the control and command form of leadership which comes from the third Chakra below the sternum.
From an intuitive perspective leadership vibrates in an energy center on the top of the head called the crown Chakra. When you hold your head high and straighten your spine, you experience an energy change. Try it. Suddenly you feel more certain. The crown Chakra sets the energy for our space. We can use this energy center to set the tone in any situation. Notice for yourself. Those who hold their head high show the energy of leadership, seniority and certainty. We notice, listen and pay attention to them. Those who hold their head low, bowed or below others give off the impression of not knowing, not being important, being weaker and certainly not a leader.
Be Willing to Learn and Change
Jake created a successful company for 16 years based on the information he had available to him then he hit his limit. He did not know how to manage or grow his $6 mil. company. In his fear of not knowing, he gave up leadership.
When Jake came back into the company and realized how desperate the situation was he called to discuss business coaching. He was willing to admit that he did not know what it would take to turn things around. After working with Jake for a month I realized it would not work. Jake’s greatest weakness he was his inability to plan and prepare both of which are essential qualities of a business owner and a leader. It is, in fact, the most important ability, to work on the business rather than doing the work of the business. He was simply unwilling to spend the time to create the vision of his company, define the brand he wanted to impart, to develop a financial or organizational plan and all the other foundational components of a successful business. He admitted he hates planning and preparing.
As an intuitive, I see Jake was stuck in an old energy pattern or routine that is familiar and comfortable even if it is not serving him. He was in resistance to changing his space, energy or focus. So if nothing changes within us then nothing changes in our lives or in our creations. In the end we stopped coaching as Jake admitted he could not take the time to plan. He would try to put band aids on his problems for now.
Being willing to lead, admit what we don’t know and to change ourselves first are essential components of success.
As always, your comments and experiences are appreciated.
Meditation in business is not a new idea but it is not widely practiced. That’s not because meditation and the benefits of meditation are not valued. It is because we cannot imagine stopping just to meditate. This is true in our personal lives just as it is in our professional space.
Taking the time to stop is probably the single most important action we can take in our day. A telling sign of success is our ability to stop. The more we keep working, thinking, doing, the more we collect energy and pictures in our space the sooner we will lose our perspective. Suddenly our minds are no longer clear. We cannot think straight. We begin to react and not respond. Our perspective is impaired by past time experiences and thoughts that are restimulated. Our decision-making ability is diminished. Wow!
Meditation is a time to stop, quiet the body and clear our thinking so that we can regain our perspective and refocus. I could make a laundry list of what goes out of whack when we lose our space and our perspective but I am sure you have your own list. What happens for you
So many business owners and professionals have told me stories of bad decisions, wasted time, over reactions and lost opportunities because they were not clear thinking. When we lose our space, awareness and clarity it not only affects the decisions we make, it affects how we communicate with everyone including staff, colleagues, family, friends, vendors and our clients.
Ask staff in any business and they can readily tell if their boss has his or her space at any point. When we lose our space it is clear to everyone even if we are not aware. We are not kidding anyone even if we try. People, all people, are intuitive meaning they can read us.
I talk about using meditation to clear our space and regain perspective though meditation has other value. Meditation is a way to heal. Many use it to visualize what they intend. I was watching a major league baseball game recently and the announcers were talking about a young pitcher who meditates before each outing. The announcer who was a former pitcher validated how important meditation is for a pitcher to be focused, clear-headed and to visualize pitching. Absolutely.
Start today. Decide to meditate not because you should but because it is a time for you to stop and get things right. You will notice the benefits immediately.
Best wishes on your success,
Kay
To listen to a short guided meditation or read how to do a short meditation Login-Register then go to Free Stuff Membership Area
When I begin a coaching session I always ask my client how they are doing. If they are great we move on. If they whine or show their energy is low for one reason or another then I wonder, “Why are they sitting in that energy when they have the ability to change it?” There is little value in a coaching someone in apathy, boredom, worry, etc. so we start with changing the space (energy) they are in. They are always very grateful and relieved.
The energy level we are being determines the outcomes and experiences we have. Lower vibrations create failure, actions not producing results, problems with communication, etc. Higher vibrations produce changes, creativity, success, new ideas, new opportunities, etc.
Most often people accept their space as it is for better or for worse. If they are not feeling great they attribute it to the fight they had with their friend, how they felt after looking at their bank account or after a client called in a complaint. They accept it and live that day in this energy. Why? We can stay in our reaction to things or we can change our space (vibration, energy level). There is no value in staying at a lower vibration unless we like to suffer or we don’t realize that we can change this.
So let’s state here and now. We can change our space and how we feel. We don’t have to solve the problem at hand first. When we change our energy then the problem at hand goes away or is much easier to solve. If your energy is typically at a lower vibration then it will take determination to change that habit. For most of us our energy is great one day and we can conquer the world or low another and we want to skip out on everything.
Why stay at a lower vibration when you have the choice and the ability to be at a higher vibration (energy level, feeling)? We have free will. We get to choose. My sister sent me a plaque that reads “Choose Happy”. I like that.
We have the ability to decide how we want to be and to change where we are on an energy level to a vibration we want to be. In this way we are in charge of our creations and our life. This may not be logical and your logic may be arguing with me but give this a try and see.
Start your day with a short (or long) meditation but at the very least do this.
Sit upright in a comfortable quiet place (if possible but on the subway if necessary).
Take deep breath and relax. Grab your attention from everywhere else and place your attention on yourself.
Notice how you are feeling. Why you are feeling that way does not matter so much
Stop thinking.
Notice how you are being. You can feel an energy driving your space already, i.e. enthusiasm, anger, creativity, depression, amusement, worry. etc.
Decide if this is how you want to be in this day. If it is them really feel it and enjoy it. If not then change your space!
Begin by taking a deep breaths and as you exhale let go of and release the energy that is making you feel that way, i.e. anger, worry, depression. Don’t think about it or analyze it just imagine letting it do.
Once you feel that you have begun to let go of where you are start to imagine how you would like to be.
How would you like your day to go?
How do you want to feel in your day?
Take as much time as you need to do these steps with certainty.
Now really feel that way.
When you have reset your space to the vibration you want to be this day then really be that all day. If you find your energy slipping then stop. Take a moment and come back to feeling (energy level) you want to be. You will learn a great deal about your automatic responses to things and ways in which you get in your own way but letting your energy drop. Success (personally and professionally) only happens at higher vibrations.
The magic comes when we begin to realize we have the control of our space OR we can choose to just be the effect of what is in our space. You chose.
Best wishes on your success, Kay
Learn basic meditation or join an online meditation (no experience needed). Meditation,
So answer honestly, do you find that you react or respond in most situations? Perhaps you have not put your attention on the difference. As a leader in your business, profession or life, it makes all the difference.
We all have energy in our space. What I mean by that is literally, we all have energy in our space. This is the “charge” we hold from experiences whether positive or negative. If I have an argument with someone it creates pictures and emotions – a charge in my space. When I carry that energy with me and communicate to others I am most likely to react in a way I may not intend.
Carol
My client, Carol, told me the story of having a disagreement with her teenage daughter first thing in the morning. She left the issue unresolved and it bothered her as she drove to work. Her first appointment was with a potential client and she worried about being late. When she got to her office her secretary looked at her then seemed angry. Carol thought that was odd because her secretary was level-headed and Carol was actually on-time – barely. That surprisingly irritated her. Carol stopped before stepping into the meeting, took a deep breath to make sure she was putting on a good front with smiles and enthusiasm. The meeting started awkwardly and soon Carol sensed she was not connecting with this potential client. There seemed to be tension between them so she stopped. Carol acknowledged the tension and apologized for being distracted by an earlier argument with her daughter. The client laughed and said, “So that is why I am angry at you and I don’t even know you yet!”. Her new client intuitively picked up on the anger in Carol’s space and felt angry as well. Hmmm. Once the air was clear they started over at the energy level they both wanted in their communication. He became her client but that is not always the case.
As an intuitive business coach, I asked Carol what happened that made her angry even before her argument with her daughter. She dug deeper though for another layer to the story.
Reacting vs. Responding
This happens all the time. We carry energy in our space and it impacts our conversations, relationship, decision-making, health, state of mind, etc. When we react we are communicating through the energy in our space, the thoughts on our mind, the emotions that are stimulated, etc. That is why I suggest we take the time to stop, clear our space, release and let go of whatever is on our mind or in our space so that we are responding from a space of clarity to reality in present time. What is happening now and not how do I perceive what is happening now through the filter of the energy in my space?
Leadership
Responding is important for leadership. Being clear, without energy and baggage of other experiences clouding our thinking, makes us a better leader in our work and in our life. So take the time to clear your mind and let go of energy you are holding in your space then step into your life and your work in present time.
This past week we invited Lynne Twist, the author of “The Soul of Money”, to speak. I read her book years ago and am still reflecting on her perspective that every decision we make is based on “Will this make me money?” or “Will this cost me money?” We are so programmed by money that in the back of our mind we are always weighing these two thoughts. Yikes! Is that really what we want?
Stop Striving
On Thursday Lynne focused on other aspects of money that I want to share with you. She suggested that we let go of trying to get more to free up our creative energy so that we can simply create more. She suggested that we pay attention to what we have, be grateful, make a difference with it and see our world change. This is not at all logical but it is very intuitive.
Have Gratitude
Lynne’s primary message was one of gratitude and gratefulness. These are two energy levels that create a different outcome than being focused on the energy of scarcity and lack. We can focus on having what we need and want or we can focus on our fear of not having. It is our choice, our free will.
What do you choose?
I was working with a business owner yesterday who realizes that her company goes up and down based on where she is in her focus and her thinking. Since we started our coaching relationship a month ago her business is up 12% so now she feels empowered. Even with evidence of her ability to create a successful business she has in the back of her mind fears that it will fail. I pointed out the choice she was presenting herself. She can place her attention on gratitude for what she is creating and see herself continuing to create OR she can place her attention on her fears. Which would you choose?
Thoughts About Money
What would happen if we changed our thinking about money? Try these steps and see what happens to your reality?
Let go of striving and trying so hard to have money
Clear your thinking about money, i.e. lack, not enough
Have a clear vision of what you are creating
Be grateful for what you have already created
Have gratitude for what you have now
Have gratitude for what you are creating
Please share your thoughts about money. There is so much to say about this.
One thing is for sure. You cannot be successful alone. I have seen so many people try. Even those who promote their success as an individual are not alone. They are part of something bigger.
I learned this at a very early age. My dad was successful, and I observed that he spent time being connected and building relationships in a very genuine way. When his connections needed logistics services of one kind, or another they called Bob Robinson, Robinson & Ogilvy. He was irresistible. What does that mean?
This morning I read a blog by Deepak Chopra about how to be irresistible. As I read, his blog I thought of my dad and it is Father’s Day. The characteristics mentioned were: be present, be centered in who you are and what you value; and care. These are my words not Deepak’s, but the concepts are the same.
When you were with my dad, he made you feel like you were the center of his world at that moment. You had his full attention. Everyone who spent time with him felt aware of themselves because he was so focused on them. My dad was very confident. He was an attractive man, who loved to have fun, made connections easily, saw himself as being successful and enjoyed being successful.
Most importantly he cared about others. He made friends with everyone he felt was sincere regardless of their role in his life. His friends were people he felt were honest and genuine from truck drivers to heads of corporations. He was a generous man. He gave to those who in need on the streets, donated to organizations that served a cause that moved him and gave endlessly to his church including an anonymous donation of the altar in a church he helped to build after meeting in a fire station because we did not have a church building.
So what did I learn about being successful?
Be present so that you know who you are being in the moment.
Build real, genuine connections.
Be centered in yourself. Know who you want to be and be that.
Care about others, be sincere, give, have compassion and be part of something bigger than yourself.
In the end, I saw my dad as bigger than his business and his success. His business served his life, and he made his life have value. He was not boastful and never saw himself above, important or better. He simply enjoyed being.
Was he perfect? Not at all. He had faults and had tough times like us all. I am grateful on this Father’s Day for what I learned about success, being and caring.
We have to get out of the DO before we lose everything! Does that resonate with you?
My focus is your success so I am always watching and observing what we do that supports our success and what we do that gets in the way. In this blog we are going to look at how being busy, doing lots of things, multi-tasking and focusing on details can get in our way.
I am a details person so I am not suggesting that paying attention to details is a problem but what is a problem is paying more attention to details than the big picture.
Success is a vision of something big we want to have, be or do. It is the big picture of what we are creating, our blue print of sorts. When we have a clear vision and can see it clearly in our mind’s eye it is manifesting. Too often we lose sight of our vision and get lost in the details. I love the term “loose sight” because that is exactly what happens.
When we lose sight our success begins to diminish and we wonder what happened. Just as easily we can place our attention back on the vision and make that focus of our attention. So rather focusing on sorting widgets and doing a really good job at it we can refocus on the big picture pulling our energy out of DOING things.
Being busy and working hard do not equal success. I know lots of people who are busy everyday and work really hard but are not achieving their vision of success. For the most part this happens when they confuse a good idea with a clear vision. A good idea is a thought we have about what we want our success to be. A vision of success is our ability to see that idea manifesting clearly in our mind’s eye. We can imagine it happening and can “see” it happening.
When we get lost in doing things and being busy we lose sight of our vision, it is diminished. We find that we are just busy, working hard and getting things done. None of this will create success of itself.
The next step is to take time each day to meditate and see clearly in your mind’s eye your vision of success. Don’t think about it. See it. Imagine it. Only then will the actions your take manifest your vision.
When we can see our vision happening then it is. If we do not see our vision clearly it is not manifesting so working harder won’t make a difference. Spend time meditating, clearing your thinking until you can see your vision of success. When you see it then all the hard work you are doing and all the details will pay off.
Recent have said multitasking is bad, and I rejoiced. Researchers said that multi-taskers were less successful. This was shocking. I was raised to be a multi-tasker. Wasn’t multi-tasking was a virtue? Everyone valued someone who could get a lot done. Right? I was a lifelong multi-tasker and saw this as my chance to stop working so hard. After years of working fast, completing multiple projects at one time, this was my way of saying that I needed to make things simpler. I could relax. What I found was quite the opposite. I was not relaxed. I was not as productive nor did I feel as accomplished so I decided to learn more about this phenomenon called multi-tasking.
Intuition in Life & Success 