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Are You Keeping Up With Your New Year’s Resolutions?

By on January 19, 2012 in ARTrepreneur, Creative Business Development, Goals, Productivity

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We’re nearing the end of the third week in January.

This is the point where I notice less people at the gym, because they’re starting to give up on their goals—their New Year’s resolutions.

They’re starting to realize that the goals they set weren’t realistic, they didn’t realize how tough it would be to make the change, or they don’t care enough about losing 15 pounds before bathing suit season to wake up an hour earlier.

This is also the point where I notice people not following through on their business plans. They started out the New Year strong and have tapered off.

I have a few suggestions on how you can deal with this, so you’re not one of those people who end up saying, “How did 2012 go by so fast? There was so much I wanted to do and change, and it didn’t happen.”

1. Don’t give up when you slip.

Making changes isn’t easy. That’s just the truth. So, when you decide that you’re going to work on your business for an hour after dinner at least three nights a week, you might realize that it isn’t as easy as just making that decision. Stuff comes up.

Scientists disagree on how long it takes to form a habit, but it usually takes at least 30 days. Once you’ve done something for a month, it becomes easier to keep doing it, because you start to do it more on autopilot. Before this time, most of us have slip ups. These slip ups determine whose going to make it and who won’t. The people who make big changes learn from their slip ups, they understand that making mistakes along the way is part of the process, and they keep moving forward.

2. Get to know your triggers and plan for them.

We all have triggers that keep us from our goals. I just started learning some new knitting techniques, and I’m really excited about them. I also have some episodes of Grey’s Anatomy sitting in the queue of my Tivo. I love to watch/listen to Grey’s Anatomy and knit. I don’t feel as bad about watching television when I do something else along with it—like knitting.

This is a trigger for me. I could be knitting and watching Grey’s instead of working and writing this post. I have to plan for that trigger. I have a rule about it. I’m not allowed to watch and knit until at least 5:45 pm. My husband usually doesn’t get home from work until 6:30 pm, so that gives me time to watch one episode and knit while fast forwarding through the commercials. I don’t get to do it every day, but having that rule in place keeps me from playing couch potato girl.

3. Tell other people about your goals and the changes you want to make.

Today, I spent an hour talking with Mayi Carles from heartmade. We were catching up, talking about our recent launches, and making plans for 2012. That hour inspired me, gave me new ideas, and will help me hold myself accountable. If I tell someone I’m going to do something, I’m more likely to do it. When I feel inspired because I’m around like-minded people, I’m more likely to stay motivated.

One way you can do this is by joining a community like ARTrepreneur {enrollment closes January 30th}. You’d be surrounded by people who want the same things you want, who are willing to tell you their secrets and failures, and who want to see you succeed. That’s one of the things that I love about it.

Tell me. Where you at with those New Year’s resolutions?

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Hitting a Post-Holiday Sales Slump? How to Use This Time Wisely

By on January 4, 2012 in Creative Business Development, Goals, Productivity, Success

We all want sales, but downtime can be your friend if you use it wisely.

In between big projects, I always give myself more time to do fun stuff like baking vegan chocolate chip cookies, reading a new Jodi Picoult novel, and watching girls breakdown on The Bachelor. But, I also use the time to get ahead, plan out creative marketing ideas, and stock up on blog posts.

In this week’s video, I give you five ideas on how you can use time in between sales to your advantage. Check it out:

Wanna quick recap? Here are the five ideas on how to fill your downtime:

1. Make a marketing plan to get out of your feast or famine cycle.

2. Pitch a guest post or interview.

3. Stock up on your best-selling items.

4. Stock up on blog posts.

5. Take a class related to your craft or a business class that will help you move forward in your business.

Have you heard?

In a couple weeks, I’ll be launching a group coaching program for crafters, artists, and creatives who want to turn their passion into a business. It’s a simple, straight-forward course that will walk you through each step to setting up a successful creative biz. Want to know when it launches and get in on the special only for newsletter subscribers? Sign up below.

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3 Must-Read Books That’ll Increase Your Success in 2012

By on December 14, 2011 in Creative Business Development, Goals, Productivity, Success

I’m a book fanatic. I seriously think I have a problem, because I cannot go into a bookstore without buying at least one book–usually it’s more like eight, but who’s counting? I’ve probably read over 50 business-related books this past year. In today’s video, I picked three books that made a big impact on me and that I highly recommend.

And, here’s a quick recap of the 3 books:

1. Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

2. The Renaissance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One by Margaret Lobenstine

3. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath

Before you go, I’d love for you leave a book recommendation in the comments below. Did you read a book this year that rocked your world? A book that helped you be more successful? A book that you left you in awe? Or, a book that really helped your business? Please feed my book addiction!

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Make Things More Enjoyable + Why I Almost Smashed My Video Camera

By on November 23, 2011 in Goals, Productivity, Success

Do you make videos for your website or blog? If not, you’re not allowed to judge.

If you do, don’t you hate it when something interrupts your taping over and over and over? This video took WAY too many takes, because:

1. A loud bird kept squawking in the background. It’s lucky I’m vegan and don’t hurt animals cause I had some not-so-nice thoughts.

2. The tiny dog from three houses away that has the highest, most horrific bark decided to escape and stand right outside our yard and bark like crazy.

3. My dogs got all stirred up by the little dog.

4. My husband thought this was all soooooooooooooo funny and kept poking fun at me. And, he kept making faces that would completely distract me.

So, I had a mini meltdown over a video. I know. I’m not proud of it, but it happened. So, I thought I would share my mini meltdown with you for this week’s entertainment time. You’ll have to watch to end to see it.

Want a recap of the video?

Make things that you don’t really enjoy but need to do anyways more fun by adding something to them. For example, indulge in a gourmet cup coffee if you get up early to work on your creative business or listen to a book on tape as you fold laundry. When you make things more enjoyable, you’re more likely to do them and you’ll feel more refreshed and energized.

Before you go, I’ve got two important reminders:

1. This is the last week that you can register for RoadMap, because there is a week long homework assignment that must be finished before you start the course on December 5th. So, if you want in, get on it!

2. I put together a FREE 4-Day Training on How to Make a Big Change that is only available until November 28th. If you want to make a big change for 2012, check it out.

I would love to hear your thoughts on how you’re going to make something in your life more enjoyable in the comments below.

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Why You Shouldn’t Wait for January to Set Your Business Goals

By on November 16, 2011 in Goals, Productivity, Success

Are you a New Year’s resolution person? Do you come up with things that you want to change at the start of each year?

How does that work for ya? Have you ever stuck with any of those goals long-term?

I’m not a New Year’s resolution person, but I am big on goal setting. I don’t think you should wait for a specific time of year to set goals and make changes.

You should make changes in your life and in your business whenever necessary, and you should always plan ahead. Without goals, what are you working towards?

In this week’s video, I’m encouraging you to think about what goals you’ve accomplished this year and what you want for your business for 2012. Start planning now. If you don’t, it’ll be March before you know it and you won’t have done anything different.

I want big things for you. Do you want big things for yourself?

I’ve put together a fun, downloadable worksheet to get you started!

Let me know in the comments below one goal you have for your biz in 2012. And, if you enjoyed this week’s bit of wisdom, please share it with others.

And, like I mentioned in the video, you can get more details on RoadMap right here. Registration ends November 28th.

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Are You Lying to Yourself About How You Spend Your Time?

By on November 7, 2011 in Goals, Productivity, Success

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How do you view your time? Do you consider every minute precious or do you waste away hours and wonder where the time went?

Have you ever spent time considering how you want to be spending your time? Do you plan out time with your spouse? Do you know what you’re going to do the next time you have an hour to spend with your kids? Do you make time for yourself and carve out time for exercise?

I know this is a lot to think about. And, usually it’s not a pretty picture.

Many of us get completely lost in the day-to-day shuffle and we don’t consider how much time we’re wasting every day on stuff that doesn’t really matter.

We also lie to ourselves about how much time we spend on certain things. We lie to ourselves about how much time we spend watching television. We lie to ourselves about how much quality time we spend with friends, family, and our children. We lie to ourselves about how much time we’re focused and seriously working as opposed to roaming the internet.

We also lie to ourselves about our lack of choice. We make the excuse that we’re too busy for stuff—too busy to read that novel you’ve been meaning to read, too busy to send out a weekly email newsletter, too busy to walk your dogs, too busy to finish that painting.

I get it—we’re all busy. But, we also all make choices about how we spend our time each and every day.

I want you to stop to lying to yourself today, and I want you to take charge of your time. I’ve just launched a new course, Roadmap: Spark Your Productivity to Get You There. If you’re ready to take charge of your time, stop procrastinating, and take action, check out the details of this new course. Registration closes on November 28th.

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Does Practice Really Make Perfect?

By on September 7, 2011 in Goals, Success

Does practice really make perfect? We’ve been told that we should do our math homework, because practice makes perfect. Writers should write every day, because practice makes perfect. Illustrators should draw every day, because practice makes perfect. What if I told you that this wasn’t the case? That doing the same thing over and over doesn’t make perfect. Check out my guest post over at Oh My Handmade Goodness to see what I mean.

Quick Reminder:

Today is the LAST day that you can purchase 3 of my digital programs: Inspired Blogging for Creative Entrepreneurs, 10 Critical Factors That’ll Make Your Blog a Success or a Hot Mess, and How to Write Product Descriptions that Sell.

After today, these programs won’t be available for purchase. Just so you know, Inspired Blogging for Creative Entrepreneurs is a 12-month program that I put together after years of blogging, experimenting, and learning as much as possible about blogging in the the creative niche. Not counting the years of experience, I put about 80+ into writing, making videos, uploading, putting together worksheets, and everything else that it took to put the program together. That would cost you over $12,000 if we were working together one-on-one–so it’s a great way to “work” with me without the huge price tag.

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Top 10 Quotes & Messages from Poke the Box by Seth Godin

By on August 29, 2011 in Book Review, Goals

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I’m a Seth Godin junkie. His books are thought-provoking and fun to read. If you haven’t picked up and read a copy of Seth Godin’s last book, Poke the Box, then I want you to imagine me standing on a stage with a hot pink megaphone covered in glitter yelling, “You need this in your life.”

If that fun little picture didn’t convince you yet or if you want a reminder of the little gem that this book is, I’ve put together my favorite 10 quotes/messages from Poke the Box. Enjoy!

1. “The challenge, it turns out, isn’t in perfecting your ability to know when to start and when to stand by. The challenge is getting into the habit of starting.”

2. “Oprah has had failed shows, failed projects, failed predictions. She starts something every day, sometimes a few times a day, and there’s a long, long list of things that haven’t worked out. No one keeps track of that list, though, because the market {and our society} has such respect for the work she’s done that has succeeded.”

3. “In short: show up.”

4. “The connected economy of ideas demands that we contribute initiative. And yet we resist, because our lizard brain, the one that lives in fear, relentlessly exaggerates the cost of being wrong.”

5. “Please stop waiting for a map. We reward those who draw maps, not those who follow them.”

6. “Change is powerful, but change always comes with failure as its partner. ‘This might not work’ isn’t merely something to be tolerated; it’s something you should seek out.”

7. “Action is easy once you have a plan. Formulating a plan, however, is a rare and valuable skill.”

8. “When was the last time you set out to be promiscuous in your failures?”

9. “Instead of propositioning everyone within reach of your email box, invest some time and earn the right to ask. Do your homework. Build connections.”

10. “Forward motion is a defensible business asset.”

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The One Thing You Must Know When Changing a Habit + My Break-Up with Cheese

By on August 10, 2011 in Goals, Success

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I’m vegan. I don’t eat any animal products—no butter, no eggs, and sadly, no cheese.

Would you believe me if I told you that just a little over a year ago cheese was one of my major food groups? No joke. I used to buy sliced American cheese from the deli and eat slices of it for a snack. Cheese and crackers with a glass of wine was my favorite Friday night treat.

When I got my wisdom teeth removed, I took painkillers for the first time. I stayed with my mom during my recovery and sat in front of the television like a zombie. The only thing I really remember about this time is that I ate an entire pound of sliced cheese in one day. I won’t tell you how that turned out, because it’s not pretty.

I was dependent on cheese—and even thinking about giving up cheese made me extremely nervous. What would I do without my pizza, cheese and crackers, grilled cheese, Greek salads with feta cheese?

After a lot of thinking about veganism, food choices, and where our food comes from, I knew that veganism was the lifestyle that I needed to live. Don’t worry. I’m not going to try to convert you, and I’m not going to take away your cheese.

I’m sharing this with you, because I want you to know that I fully understand how hard it is to change a habit or to form new habits.

If you want to be successful at changing a habit, you better have a damn good reason.

I would not have been able to give up cheese if I didn’t do a lot of research and learn a lot about how cheese is made, how cows are treated, and how factory farming affects the environment. If I didn’t have a damn good reason for changing my diet, I would not have been able to keep it up for this long.

Enough about my cheese addiction. Let’s talk creative biz habits.

Let’s say that you want to work on your creative business for one hour each evening after dinner. You’ve got big goals for turning your fledgling creative business into a successful, full-time venture. In order to do this, you have to give up an hour of television. This means saying goodbye to The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Seinfeld reruns.

At first glance, this might seem easy. But, we all know that habits are hard to change. You might make it through the first week, but when the second week rolls around and you catch a sneak peek of the next episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey where Teresa upturns a table and freaks out on her sister-in-law for stealing her hair stylist, you might find yourself back in front of the TV “just this once.”

Remember the reason. Repeat it over and over. Mount it on your wall. Stick it on your fridge.

One thing that can help you stick with your new routine is to remember the reason that you’re doing it. “The why” is so important when you’re trying to change a habit. When you aren’t feeling motivated, think about the reason that you’re building or changing this habit.

Think about the last time you changed a habit. Did you have a good reason? Did that help you push through the times when you just wanted to give up?

Want some more help changing your habits? Check out RoadMap: Sparking Your Productivity to Get You There.

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Giveaway: 4 Copies of The War of Art

By on August 3, 2011 in Book Review, Creative Business Development, Goals

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It’s giveaway time!

Why? We’ve been discussing time management and goal setting and I wanted to help some of you overcome something big: resistance. This nasty little thing called resistance is something that keeps us from doing our amazing work and moving ahead. We’ve got to learn how to deal with resistance and overcome it.

I’m giving away 4 copies of The War of Art, and I’m making it super simple to enter. All you need to do is:

1. Leave a comment below before Friday, August 5th at 5pm EST that answers this question: What keeps you from doing your work?

I want to know what gets in your way and what form of resistance you encounter. Do you struggle with balancing family and work? Do you procrastinate all morning and realize that you’ve gotten nothing done by lunch? Do you have a full-time job that zaps your energy?

2. Use a valid email address when you leave your comment, so I can contact you for your address if you’re a winner.

I will announce the winners on Monday, August 8th.

I’ll leave you with some of my favorite quotes from The War of Art by Steven Pressfield:

“Rule of thumb: The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”

“The danger is greatest when the finish line is in sight. At this point, Resistance knows we’re about to beat it. It hits the panic button. It marshals one last assault and slams us with everything it’s got.”

“There never was a moment, and never will be, when we are without the power to alter our destiny.”

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