Week 4. It’s not the critic who counts

Let me share with you the quote that is part of my daily reading routine. It’s inspired from Theodore Roosevelt’s “daring greatly”. It is so powerfull that it takes by breath each time I read it. This quote provides me a sense of support both in my phone-call-based business and in my efforts raising my kids.

— It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, who strives to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat —

Believe,

Week 3. I didn’t know it was a mean and not a goal

Last year, I left my job to embrace full time the profession I used to dream about. Back then, working full time doing what I love was my major goal. And I achieved that goal. My DMP until this week was written focussing on an income that is massively increasing in my new profession.

However, this week, I realized while doing the exercices that, where last year, my “own business full time” was a “goal”, today “my own business” turned into a “mean”.

That was a major breakthrough for me because, since week 1, my DMP was focussing on the “mean”. My current frustration in life is based on the fact that the work done in the business is not paying off to the level I was expecting. The frustration is hard to overcome and believe in a DMP that is written in a way to produce more frustration and is self defeating. I had to rewrite it completely and focus on the person I am to become while acquiring and mastering the skills that will help me double my income.

We are week 3 and I have a brand new DMP.

Believe,

Week 2. The Enemy Within

For a long time, I thought that “self-pity” was my worst ennemy within. With time, I manage to know when self-pity was at work. I can recognize the feeling of it, the rapage of negative thoughts, the comfort food that it needs. But recently, I discovered that there is a tiny switch, barely noticeable but that is the trigger of “self-pity” and the negative spiral of thoughts. This trigger is “defeat”.  

I am a single mother with two nice kids and a sales-job. These kids are happy ones, always polite and helping. I know I am lucky with these two. They are growing up and have their own life full of activities, celebrations, friends, sport tournaments, holidays invitations… Like any other kid of their ages.

When “overwhelm” shows up. That’s ok. I move into auto-pilot, not thinking just doing, making it anyway. But when “defeat” shows up, that’s the end. Defeat appears when an expected deal doesn’t happen, when hard work doesn’t pay off, when I cancel an activity because I can not pay for it, When I book to travel by bus because it is less expensive that the car. When my colleague makes 2 deals this month and I do zero.

… And then comes “self-pity” and the comfort food 🙂

Week 1. One year later

One year has passed. Last year I was writing my first blog post. Exactly as I am doing today. What has changed? My DMP has changed so many times. I stroke through items from it and added others. Stroke through as I had reached them, one by one. The little items and the big ones.

I am back to week one because there are still challenges ahead. But the difference is that today, my self-confidence has rised to a level I had never thought possible. When I say “I know that I can reach my goals”, the words “I know” have another meaning today. Today, I know it from within, I believe, I live that I can reach my goals. One by one, from the little goal to the big one. Today I begin a new journey and I “stake my entire future on my ability to get what I want”.

Believe,

Week 14. We are what we think about

“We are what we think about”. Well yes, I agree. I understand the concept. I do my best to keep up with positive thinking. That’s what I would have said up until Dec 31st in the morning.

Something happened that morning. I woke up rested. Took my readings and did my sit-in. A thought came: “How quiet the morning is when the children are with their father.” Then the sequence of thoughts continued. “For sure they will enjoy the new year celebration tonight”. “The firework is fantastic in the city center”.

At that moment, came a flashing thought of my boy of 7, lost in the crowd while everyone else was enjoying the firework in the freezing cold of the new year eve. That thought felt like a blade through in my heart, triggering sweat and distress in my entire body. I was flooded with negativity.

I grabbed all my readings and smiled: “Aha! That’s what it really means? We are what we think about.”  We are in week 14 and it is only know that I “understand” what it really means. I understand what Mark means when speaking about “peptides” and “reading with gusto”. It means that the thoughts around my DMP must have the same intensity as the thought I had about my boy. They should flood my mind and wash over me but with joy and gratitude.

We are in week 14 and I have to say that up until now the intensity level was very average. The thoughts around my DMP were pleasant thoughts with a mild intensity of joy and gratitude. But now I know better 🙂

Believe,

Week 13. October Sky

I know now that persistence mixed with love and topped with kindness is the fuel that would get any rocket to success. While I was watching the film, a negative thought came up “Yeah, it’s a movie, for sure he is going to get the scholarship. In the real life, he would be among the 99 others that would go all the way and get turned down”. Then I realised it was based on a true story.

I grabbed my DMP and the pile of gratitude and achievement cards. A question came. Is this all about choice and decision? Can one choose and decide to be The One? But if the prizes of life are at the end of the journey, how do I know if I will be the One who gets the medal or if I am among the 99 that will be turned down?

For sure I don’t know how many steps are necessary to reach my goal. What I know is that DMP + PMA+ POA + MMA = a great movie. In the movie of my life, I want to win the scholarship to manifest my DMP. It is all about choice, decision and the willingness to pay the price.

Believe,

Week 12. Do I feel rejected?

In my profession, I have a sales profile. Yes, I am a sales person. How do I know? Every morning, I can’t wait to start working and sell somebody. Sell somebody on my enthusiasm 🙂

Every day by 10:30, I will have faced an average of 8 rejections. Some will reject my business. Some will reject my service. Some will reject my style. Some will reject my accent.

Do I feel rejected? No really! I am a sales person.

By 12:00, the same 8 people who rejected my stuff, will have sent me LinkedIn contact requests, Facebook friend requests, Skype connection invitations. They will like my comments. They will comment on my posts. They will even invite me to their own business events.

Do I feel rejected? Not really! I am a sales person. When I go to sleep, I smile. Tomorrow will offer me so many other opportunities to sell somebody on my enthusiasm 🙂

Believe

Week 11. Did you say ‘phone call based business’?

My story about overcoming the fear of  calling.

In September, I left a well paid banking job to start as freelance headhunter.

I had no experience in recruitment but had a great mentor and business partner. He believed in me as I believed in him. He would coach me until I gain full autonomy.

The very first day, he said “always remember that you are now in a phone call based business. The day you forget your phone at home, it will be considered as a day off and you are not paid on day off. Is it clear?”.

Very clear, it is indeed, I mumbled.

Two months later. I had not done a single deal. And none was in sight. Panic was starting to rise in my stomach. Bills were waiting. But they could not wait for very long.

I spoke to my mentor and shared that two months had past and that I was starting to worry that this business might not be for me. (My old blueprint was feeling insecure and had started to whisper that I should think of going back to the bank and beg to be reintroduced to my position).

My mentor looked at me and quietly said “do you remember this is a phone call based business?”

I frowned and replied “Well, yes. We are calling all day long”.

He smiled and said “I am glad you said ‘we’. Because I wonder how many calls you do per day. How many yesterday?” I checked my working spreadsheet. I froze. I had done only two. He saw I was embarrassed.

He smiled and said  “This is what we’re going to do. Sit here, count how many calls  I do per hour and listen to what I say. Ready?”

I took a pen, sat comfortably in a chair and waited. Not for long. He did 7 calls in 15 minutes. After 20, he sent me for a break.

When I returned he insisted “This is a phone call based business. It is not a job for shy people, neither for lazy people, nor for those who are not prepared to do the work. You choose. I can cover your bills for this month but you’ll be indebted to me. Or you just do the work. As I know, you are neither shy nor lazy.”

I sat and did the work as if it was my first day. Within 2 weeks I closed 3 deals.

Every day, my mentor says to me “you’re not far from full autonomy. It will not take long before you drive a car like mine and send your kids to private school.”  (So does repeat the gal in the glass every evening)

My needs are recognition for creative expression and autonomy 🙂

Week 10. What do I see?

This is how I feel today. Today is Friday. Looking back on the week 10 and what do I see?

I see that I love my job. Clients are happy with my service. My business partner is thrilled with my work. Yet another deal is closing.

I feel lucky to be alive right now. I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy. So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist 🙂

Week 9 You’re simply the best

That’s what I say to the gal in the glas: “You’re simply the best, better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Anyone I ever met.”  Indeed, from all the gals I met in the past, in front of this same glass, staring at me, the one I see now is the best. Because this gal is whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy 🙂