UnitCoach

The Olympics seemed to come and go in a flash. I must confess I only caught the closing ceremonies but continue to be impressed with the athletes that show up for a chance to compete.

And, of course, that got me thinking about business.

Not one of those athletes “ended up” at the Olympics. They didn’t accidentally get good enough to compete. They didn’t just wish and hope and dream and visualize themselves being there.

And they didn’t listen to their critics. Like the gymnast whose father told her she was too awkward to do gymnastics. Or the hockey player whose older brother said he’d always be a loser. Or the volleyball champion whose well-meaning friends smiled to her face but always talked behind her back about how she wasted so much time on her “hobby.”

What they did do was train as hard as they could…every day.

They didn’t just decide that they wanted to go to the Olympics, they committed themselves to it. What’s the difference? Deciding is mental; committing is backed up by measureable action - something you can see, count, replicate, and repeat.

I’ve done a lot of research on what makes women successful - specifically in four distinct areas. Their individual characteristics, traits, and beliefs are always a telling sign but that’s really about their potential for success.

The deciding factor is their behavior. What exactly do they do with all that potential?

The winners act. They step out. They take risks. They do things that are uncomfortable. They challenge themselves…every day. They choose what’s hard over what’s convenient.

Are there other athletes in this country who had the potential to go to the Olympics? Absolutely.

Are there women in Mary Kay with the potential to go to the top? Almost every single one of them. Maybe we’re talking about you.

The deciding factor, however, isn’t how bad you want it or how much belief you have or whether you are task oriented or a people person or whether you live in the right neighborhood or whether you’re single, thin, young, beautiful, smart, willing, deserving, or educated.

The single deciding factor in whether or not you “win the gold” in your business is what you actually do in your business today…and tomorrow…and the next day…and the day after that.

Believe you can do it. Don’t listen to your critics (they haven’t done it either!) and take the biggest, boldest, most outrageous action step you can think of today. Then
repeat
repeat
repeat!!!

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach

My birthday is in a few weeks. How on earth did that happen?!?!? I was lying in bed this morning, awake very early since I’m still jet-lagged from a month-long trip, and wondering just when exactly it was that people stopped telling me, “You have your whole life ahead of you.” I think it must have been in my early thirties. Not sure but I do know they don’t say that to me now.

I’m a big believer in the future, as you probably know. You can change your entire future with one decision, one choice, one bold action today. And I’m excited about the future. I often spend too much time living for tomorrow. It occurs to me, however, that the number of tomorrows I have left are finite. There are only so many of them, I don’t know what that finite number is, and then that’s it. Game over.

Makes me realize that I have lots to do before I go! And since I don’t know when that is, I better get moving. I don’t want to die with my music still in me. You shouldn’t either.

What is the most compelling dream you hold today? The one that just won’t go away. The one you wake up thinking about and possibly putting off another day because life keeps “happening” to you? That big, bold dream will only get closer if you take a confident step toward it each day. Aw shucks, take an unconfident step…just step out there. Be bold. Make mistakes. Just DO something.

Odd as it may seem, my bold action step for today is just writing this post. Just being me, being vulnerable … you know, warts and all. It’s scary and exhilarating at the same time. My power partners (God love ‘em!) have been encouraging me to be more vulnerable. Whew, are you kidding!?!? Me?!! Vulnerable?!? I’m much more comfortable speaking with the “teacher voice” - my sister calls my unsolicited advice just another “teachable moment” and I know exactly what she means. I doubt I’ll ever stop teaching, its in my blood. But today I’m going to do my level best to put a little more Ann in my writing as well. For me, that’s bold.

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach

One of my favorite things in the world is to watch the sunrise at the seashore. While I was on vacation recently, I stood on the beach each morning with a hot mug of coffee and thought about my life, my work, and my future. Everything seemed crystal clear. I gained such perspective - it seems you always do when you are away from the thick of it all.

After returning home, I sat at my desk with my eyes closed and remembered the decisions I had made on the beach. Well, attempted to remember. You see, I hadn’t written them down completely before I left the beach so I was in the position of trying to recreate the mental clarity I had when I was there. I came close but I’m sure I missed a few insights that I just won’t get back.

Seminar is a heart-stopping experience, a pivotal moment in time, an extraordinary memory for life.

And it will give you enormous perspective.

If you do nothing else with regard to what you gain and learn at this powerful annual convention, write down what you think, what you feel, and what you decide before you leave to return home. It is critical that you do this while you are in the moment.

In addition to the decisions and commitments that you make, answering these questions may give you additional fuel for your mental fire:

• What was your greatest insight about the company?
• What surprised you the most about the people you met?
• What is the most powerful thing you learned about yourself?
• What one skill did you observe that, if you mastered it, would have the greatest positive impact on your career?
• Who touched your heart and why?
• What was your most unforgettable moment?
• And how will you use that memory to remind yourself of your “why?”

- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach

At Seminar this year you will be inspired, changed, and profoundly moved. For many of you, your entire future will suddenly become crystal clear. It is truly an experience that can rock your world. From Seminar you will gain a new or clearer vision of your life and your business - guaranteed.

But if you go with a vision or ‘desired outcome’ of Seminar itself, you will ensure that upon your return, you are focused as well as inspired.

• What do you most need to learn while you are there?
• What would you most like to be thinking about on your return trip?

Let’s say you suddenly find yourself standing next to or riding in an elevator with one of your favorite Nationals.

If you’re not prepared, you may just stumble over your words, gush profusely because you can’t believe you’re in her presence, and later regret a missed opportunity. Think now about what you would most like to ask her - what you really want to know. Develop several very powerful, specific questions ahead of time so that when you have the opportunity to ask them, you will be prepared.

It will be easier for her to answer a specific question than a general one. “How do I become a National?” is too hard to answer, but “What has been the most effective tool you’ve used to get people to meetings?” gives her the opportunity to tell you exactly what works!

Be very, very specific about what you need, practice asking the questions, and know them cold before you go.

In order for Seminar to give you inspiration as well as focus, you must decide what you will return with and then seek it out while you are there.

- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach

P.S. What is the most productive step you are/have taken prior to Seminar to ensure that August is not just a ‘basking in the glow of Seminar’ month but powerfully productive and successful?

You have just a few days left in this seminar year. Miracles are there for the taking. All you have to do is TAKE ACTION.

This doesn’t mean THINK about taking action, or plan on taking action, or learn more about what type of action to take, or talk to other people about the action they are taking, or look for other things to try when you do take action - it means TAKE ACTION.

Pick up the phone and dial.
Walk out of your house.
Drive somewhere and get out of your car.
Talk to anyone and everyone. All the time.

This is the last mile of the marathon. This is where you either get real and get serious or you spend the next year wallowing in your justification for why you “couldn’t” make it happen.

To get it done, you will have to give up or let go of something that is holding you back. Much like driving around with your emergency brake on. You can add more gas but you will not hit top speed until you release the brake. Perhaps it is your need to think it’s too hard so you never have to come face to face with your true potential.

You’re probably not nearly as afraid of failure as you think, particularly if most of your failures have been failures of omission - all those things you didn’t try or didn’t do. Those are all failures as well - but you had the luxury of experiencing them in private without the scrutiny of a public flogging.

Perhaps more than anything you’re afraid of potential failure or failure in public. A grand, spectacular, “told you so” failure in front of everyone you know. Of having your nose just rubbed in one more thing you said you were going to do and didn’t.

So your job these next days is to be absolutely, down-right UNreasonable about winning in a big way. You’re done with behaving in a reasonable, average, mediocre, don’t rock the boat, “good girl,” unobtrusive, let me see how small I can be sort of way.
Done.
No more.
It is time to take off your stuffy mental clothes and put on a full-force, give me more, can’t touch this, “you SO need to meet me” attitude. At the end of June you will have to account for yourself. Seminar is the place where you can nod your head and say, “I’ve done well.” Or can you see yourself shaking your head in disappointment…again?

You WANT to live large.
NOW is your time.
No more waiting.
No excuses.
Action, action, action.
Do it NOW.

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach

You were not created to just survive or endure or get through or simply manage your life. You are meant for something much greater.

You already have everything you need to be enormously successful. The only thing that holds you back is…you. Not your husband or your friends or your location or your kids or your job.

Just you.

A year from now, you could be driving the same car, working the same job, making the same money, living in the same house and nothing has changed.

Or you can take action…right now.
Pick up the phone, book a class, call your customers, talk to strangers. Which is truly more frightening - today’s action or next year’s vision?

So you get to choose.
Will you choose what you want now?
Or what you want most?

But…
the kids’ have soccer practice
company is coming
I just had a baby, got married, moved
the baby is fussy
the tires need to be rotated
I need a better computer
I have a dental appointment
my back hurts
the kids need me
my husband doesn’t approve
the library books are overdue
my office needs to be organized
I have to plan my son’s birthday party
swim lessons start next week
I don’t have enough time, money, energy

There will always be a reason not to work your business.

Work it anyway.

You can choose to give power to your circumstances or you can choose to be successful in spite of them. The choice is truly yours.
Choose well.

Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach