What is the best PACE for your business right now?

I was talking to a friend the other day about a spontaneous conversation he had had with a friend recovering from an operation who was struggling to walk. As they made slow progress to their destination, they distracted themselves by discussing the variety of words to describe different types of walking. It occurred to me that this is a great way of examining the PACE at which we are actively working on our business, depending on the circumstances, and how we might identify when we are not moving at the right PACE to achieve our goals.

How are you working? - be honest!

DAWDLE, AMBLE, SHUFFLE
If you feel this is the PACE at which you are working on growing your business, you may want to challenge yourself and pick your feet up a bit! None of these suggest direction, motivation or most importantly, ACTION! At this rate it will be the end of the decade before you get there, by which time you will have lost momentum.

RAMBLE, SCUTTLE, LURCH
If you identify with any of these descriptions, you are probably trying out lots of different ideas, but not necessarily focusing on exactly where you want to end up. Bernadette Doyle calls this 'spray and pray' marketing - a little bit of everything and hope for the best!

TRUDGE, TRAIPSE, TODDLE
This suggests that you lack enthusiasm for all the effort you are making, and certainly lacks energy and confidence. If this is the category you have put yourself in, I suggest you come up with some new ideas, get some advice, or choose another vocation.

STROLL, STRIDE, JOG
Now we're getting somewhere! You may not have quite the velocity you need, but at least you know where you're going!

MARCH, SPRINT, GALLOP
Here we go! Now you know exactly where you're heading, you're building up speed, and you're heading for your target! This suggests you have definite direction and the confidence and enthusiasm you need to get there.

STRUT, SWAGGER, PARADE
So, you've arrived! You've focused on your goal, worked hard and smart, and can now relax for a while and enjoy your much deserved success! You can slow down to a SAUNTER whilst you contemplate your achievements and plan the next project.

So what PACE are you working at, and if you recognise that you're not moving effectively, what can you do to address that?

What's LOVE got to do with it?

Today is the one day of the year dedicated to LOVE. A shame really that it is commercially hijacked for the sole focus of romantic Love, when in fact we could be taking the opportunity to celebrate LOVE in all its various forms.

It's not common to use the concept of LOVE in business, and those professionals who are courageous enough, stand out from the crowd. One of the things which impressed me most about Nigel Temple when I saw him present for the first time, was the fact that not only did he use a visualisation technique to get everyone to look into the future and where they wanted to take their business, but that he also highlighted LOVE as a key element to successful networking. Not, of course, the romantic kind, but the kind which applies generosity - the passing on of contacts and word of mouth referral.

In the celebrated book, The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino suggests the use of LOVE to disarm an awkward customer, or influence an otherwise resistant potential client. My partner often tells the story of arriving for a third meeting with a potential client, who had previously cancelled meetings while he was waiting in reception or dismissed him after 5 minutes. This time round, having been reading Og Mandino's book, he decided to apply the teachings of the second scroll, which recommended looking at the person in question and silently saying "I love you." Sounds kind of weird, doesn't it...?! Nevermind that, it worked! The demeanor of the client immediately changed, and they ended up doing a great deal of business together.

LOVE does in fact permeate and influence every area of our lives, and where there is no LOVE, there will be uncertainty and maybe even disarray. I was asked to produce a poem about LOVE for a dinner party last night, the eve of St Valentine's Day. Here is my contribution:

What’s LOVE got to do with it?

Poets write about it,
Singers sing about it.
What is this thing called LOVE?

Hearts melt over it,
The same hearts break over it.
Where is it, heavens above?

It’s the LOVE of friends,
When their best friend mends
From an illness or that broken heart.

It’s the family who are there
To show that they care
When your world has fallen apart.

It’s the delight of a child
And their heart-melting smiles
To show that they’re happy to see you.

It’s the joy that you feel
From a home-cooked meal,
A walk in the hills, or a sea view.

It’s that wonderful greeting,
To show they’ve been waiting,
From your dog as you walk through the door.

It’s all of these things
Of which singers sing,
These, and so much more.

It’s the thing that sustains all life on earth
And feeds us body and soul.
You can’t buy it, copy it or get one better,
But it’s LOVE that makes us whole.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

New Year - You Choose

A new year presents a time to make changes, make a decision, choose a new path. It's the beginning of a new cycle, a fresh start, a time to set goals and make choices about our lives. It's a very empowering time.

So, have you set your goals? Do you know what you want to have achieved by the end of 2010? Whatever your individual goals, here are some thoughts for the beginning of the year:

1. Greet each day with Love in your heart, as The Drawingroom Mantra says. And be gentle with everyone you meet, whoever they are and whatever they do. You never know what challenges they are facing.

2. Clear a space for new things. Physical clutter which preys on your mind, can also create blocks in your life. Shred your old bills, move the furniture, pass on clothes you never wear and get rid of things you never use (anyone want a bread machine...?). During a stagnant time in my life, I moved the sofa and 2 weeks later I was in Malawi in East Africa, counting hippos... but that's another story...

3. Do something you've never done before. Learn a new skill, discover a new passion, re-kindle an old one, book that creative workshop, take a train to somewhere you've never been, go dancing!

4. Stick to your Values. No-one can take away from you the core of who you truly are. Work out what this is and what's important to you and live your life by it.

5. Be authentic. If you are always yourself, you will never have to put on an act or try to remember how to behave. You will feel confident, and people will have confidence in you.

6. Take time to be. Whether you use meditation, yoga, thai chi, Qi Gong, or just go for a walk, still, reflective time is where we find peace and relaxation, which is essential for our health and well being. It can also allow creative thoughts to flow without the interruption of busyness.

7. Don't wait for perfection. If you always wait for the perfect time, the right amount of adjustments, the right feeling, you will never get anywhere. Perfection can be the enemy. Just do it!

8. Face your fears and take a risk. If you're avoiding doing something because you're afraid, of failing, of being disappointed, of rejection, you will never move forward, never know until you try. What's the worst that could happen, really...?

9. Take responsibility. My wise and wonderful friend, Psychologist, Gill Garratt of Happy Talking, once said to me "The only person responsible for your Happiness, is you." Only you can choose how you respond to your life, events, situations and challenges. Once we embrace this, we can stop getting stuck in blame and start reclaiming control of our lives. This is equally true of our feeling of responsibility towards the Happiness of others. Do your best by everyone, the rest is up to them.

10. Look after your health. Only you can take steps to heal your aches and pains, and explore the reasons for the inconsistencies in your health and well being. Conventional medicine isn't always the answer. For a bountiful resource of alternative health practitioners and healers in the Chesham area, see The Healing Tree Network.

This year is yours to do with what you will, as is the next 24 hours, tomorrow, and next week. It is your life. You choose.