March 18/25, 2019: Volume 34, Issue 21
By Lisbeth Calandrino
Have you ever looked in the rear-view mirror of your life? As I move through life, I realize I have less time in my future and more in my past. Yes, it’s scary, but I’m realizing I shouldn’t waste my time on meaningless things. Whether I clean up my desk or not today really doesn’t matter. I need to focus on the change necessary in my life to continue moving forward.
I recently spoke at the Starnet meeting in Las Vegas. The two-day conference included presentations from their vendor partners. In addition to vendors showing their products, they talked about how they could help by supplying blogs and video content. The group had such energy and curiosity about building their businesses.
Eric Boender, vice president of business development for Starnet, kept the group on track and provided useful information. I was impressed with the group’s positivity and time spent brainstorming and sharing ideas on how to acquire more business. He suggested members work closely with each other and their vendor partners. He also suggested a couple of motivational books. I came back psyched.
How often do you measure your success with past accomplishments? That’s when we start talking about the “good old days” and “how we used to do it.” No, change is not behind; knowing we are capable of success can move us to change. If you could do it when times were tough, you can do it now.
We get inspired by seminars and often come away with good feelings. The environment itself can be inspiring. Motivation is often controlled by the environment, who you hang out with and the books you read. The more we surround ourselves with people who are on our same track the better. The key is to figure out how to take those positive bursts of motivation and keep them going. To keep this momentum, we must design an environment that sparks self-motivation and gives us energy from others. Research says it takes 66 days to form a habit. When something is a habit we don’t have to think about when we do it—we just do.
I believe we spend too much time thinking about what might happen. What’s the absolute worst that could happen with anything you try? Yes, it might not work but history is filled with people who failed their way to success.
If change is what you want, define it and determine how it fits into your core values. If it’s more business, ask yourself, “What am I willing to do to make it happen?” What about this goal will enhance my life? If being successful is on your radar, you will have to see life on a continuum and keep changing.
It’s easy to get caught up in negativity, especially if you surround yourself with people who are too frightened to make changes. That’s why you need a support network, a tribe of like-minded individuals who will support your effort and help move you along the way. Take baby steps and celebrate the daily wins. I know, it’s slow and hard. Try to imagine the outcome and not make the process stressful.
Change can happen a little bit at a time. If you think of completing the entire task at once you will get overwhelmed. Think about life as a game and a big puzzle. As the pieces connect, the task gets easier.
Lisbeth Calandrino has been promoting retail strategies for the last 20 years. To have her speak at your business, or to schedule a consultation at your store, contact her via email at lcalandrino@nycap.rr.com.
