Stop Trying

How many times in a day do you hear someone say that they will "try" to call you back, that they will "try" to meet you for lunch next week, that they will "try" to get a particular task done? How many times do you ever use the word "try" in the same context? Now the flip side of the original question: How often do they call you back, meet you for lunch, accomplish the task "tried"?

I feel that "try" is a word of inaction and disempowerment. Just using this word creates a climate of uncertainty - will it get done or not? I propose that we do not use this word - personally or in business - and instead be more decisive by stating clearly what we will do or not do. Almost immediately we have more credibility in the eyes of colleagues, clients, and customers. This is an empowering posture that can help us hold our own accountability.

A quick way to increase your position and credibility is to stop trying - and start doing or not doing. Either do something or don't, but stop trying. This is the best way to get into action, hold your accountability, and set yourself apart from others. The only thing left to do is follow up and follow through.

Reasons We Get Stuck

From time to time all of us experience the feeling of getting stuck. While I think it's much more important to get unstuck than to focus on being stuck, the reasons are important to note - so we can move forward faster.

The major reason we get stuck is that our choice of goal doesn't fit our priorities. Sometimes the goal we've chosen is one we've had continuously for months or even years. And sometimes our goal is simply too big and we need to break it down into smaller pieces. The cure for this could possibly be that we need a fresh perspective - and a fresh goal. We need to have a reachable, realistic goal that can be achieved in particular steps.

Another reason we get stuck is fear. Fear isn't always bad - it sometimes keeps us alive. Fear needs to be addressed and acknowledged for what it is. We must respect the fear. And then we must build reserves in order to reduce the consequences of our fears.

Yet another source of our "stuckness" is attitude and mentality. Positive attitudes get more positive results. Negativism breeds a contempt that creates an environment detrimental to growth and postive change. We can get unstuck and move forward if we adjust our attitudes and our mentality.

While there are many sources of why we can get stuck, these are at the top of the list. If we can address these sources, we all will move forward faster.

Lessons Learned

Today I'm thinking about all the lessons I've learned in the past years - about life and about business. One of the lessons I've learned is that things take longer than you want them to or need them to take. Why do things take longer? There are a number of reasons, I suppose; however, the one reason that keeps coming to mind is that no matter how well prepared you are, the timing is still not perfect. Since timing isn't perfect, things take longer!

Another lesson learned from my experience is that calm is power. When you are calm and others around you are not, you definitely have the edge and the upper hand. When you lose your calm demeanor, you lose control of all emotions and rational thoughts. Even if you just focus on remaining calm, you have an edge. And, once you lose composure, you can't take back what is said.

A third important lesson I've learned is that we have the power to make things happen. It isn't magic and it isn't mysterious. The power to make things happen consists of passion, motivation, determination, and persistence. We can't sit around and wait for something to happen - we must make it happen. And we must make it happen every single day.

Top 5 Characteristics of a Great Manager

Great managers are wonderful to work with and for - and here are the top 5 characteristics of the best managers.

1. Create a climate of openness and trust.
2. Never hide behind the position.
3. Acknowledge every staff member for his/her contributions.
4. Listen and observe.
5. Admit mistakes - learn from them and teach others how to avoid them.

Great managers can get excellent results from their staffs because they know how to manage people. They have many more attributes than the ones I've listed above; however, the list is made up of what matters the most to the people working in any company.

Top 5 Ways to Manage Your Time

There are many ways to manage your time, but I think these are the top 5. Even one of these 5 will help you take control of your time and create some breathing space.

1. Create stronger boundaries. Set limits and stick with them.
2. Confirm all appointments. This way you will never waste time driving or waiting for the meeting or appoinment.
3. Touch each piece of paper once. Stop moving stacks of papers from pile to pile.
4. Schedule everything. Much like the adage a place for everything and everything in its place, schedule everything that must be done and set a specific time in which to do it.
5. Capture an hour just for you. This rejuvenates you and creates more energy to get the other things in your life done.

Top 5 Characteristics of a Good Leader

Leadership remains a hot topic and today I'm listing the Top 5 Characteristics of a Good Leader.

1. Practices clear, candid, and open communication.
2. Creates a climate of trust.
3. Gives feedback and expects feedback from others.
4. Puts the right people in the right positions.
5. Sees the big picture - and never loses sight of it.

There are many characteristics of good leaders, but I think these are the top 5. Without these particular attributes, leadership suffers.

Top 5 Mistakes of Entrepreneurs

Today's Top 5 List is based on some of the mistakes made by entrepreneurs. The point is for us to learn from them and to strengthen our entrepreneurial spirits.

1. Sticking to one idea too long. Ideas are the currency of entrepreneurs - so try out several to see which ones are financially successful.
2. Ignoring cash flow. You'll always need more cash than you think you will.
3. Selling too hard. If you have to sell your ideas too hard, start listening to why they aren't buying.
4. Not having support structures. Hire people to help you - build your own team of support to include a virtual assistant, accountant, business coach, and any others you need to make your business venture work.
5. Giving up too soon. Everything takes longer than we want it to, expect it to, need it to. And that's just the way it is. Plan on a much longer launch time than you want - and stick with it.

I love entrepreneurial spirits - and have several entrepreneurs as clients. If you're an entrepreneur who is wanting to make things happen faster, a coach is one of the tools that can help.

Top 5 Ways to Work Effectively at Home

This Week with Sara Fitts is devoted this week to daily lists of top 5's. Today I'm listing the top 5 ways to effectively work out of your home office. Sometimes it can be extremely difficult to work out of one's home, but I find that the most successful home offices utilize these 5 ways to be more effective.

1. Develop a routine or schedule. You're the boss, so set your times of operation - and stick with them.
2. Set deadlines for specific tasks - with consequences attached. Usually the self-employed have built-in consequences of not getting the work done!
3. Educate your family, friends, and neighbors about your business and your work schedule. While everyone experiences interruptions from time to time, set strong boundaries and live by them - period.
4. Set daily goals that will hold your focus. This can help manage your time, too.
5. Prepare for the next business day before today's close of business. Just by clearing your desk, organizing your files, reviewing the calendar, and knowing what's on tap for the next day leads to the start of another good day in business.

Each of us must find our own best ways to run our businesses and our home offices, but these are the top 5 ways that successful people have remained effective leaders in the business world.

Extreme Self Care Program

Today I'm showcasing Extreme Self Care. I'm licensed to provide this coaching program and those who have completed this program have found that they are living better, healthier lives as a result.

Extreme Self Care consists of 100 items which, when completed, will very likely result in emotional and physical balance - which further supports your career and busines success. The entire purpose of this program is to focus on strengthening the client through improved balance, wellness, and improved overall quality of life. Stress reduction is a major benefit as well. The whole point of this program is that it integrates the changes you are making in your life in order to create sustainable growth and sustainable improvement.

For more information, please contact me. I'd love to explain how this program can be designed just for you.

Personal Freedom Coaching Program (TM)

Today I'm showcasing a program that I'm licensed to provide. Personal Freedom is a fabulous personal development program that is based on 10 foundations of our lives.

The Personal Freedom Program addresses each of the following foundations of our lives as a separate module. I offer this as a 12-week program covering a module per week with assessments provided. The following are topics that are covered in this program:

1. Creating Boundaries
2. Requirements
3. Raising Your Standards
4. Finsih What is Unfinished
5. Getting Your Needs Met
6. Orienting around your Values
7. Building Reserves in all Areas
8. Minimizing Tolerations
9. Handle Your Money Completely
10. Define Success on Your Own Terms

People of all ages and professions have benefitted from this program and attribute it to increasing their personal success as well as business success. If you'd like more information, please contact me. I'd love to talk with you!

Intentional Leadership

Intentional Leadership is the coaching program I'm showcasing today. Please contact me directly for more information or to schedule a complimentary session.

Intentional Leadership is a 90-day program that focuses on the specific skill sets that are needed to set apart excellent leaders from those who only hold the title or position. The program consists of weekly 30-minute calls, unlimited email support, and weekly laser sessions of 5 - 10 minutes that support the client's progress. While this program addresses particular skills, the client's unique and individual situation is addressed at every point.

This program works for managers, sales professionals, team leaders, project managers, supervisors, and anyone who wants to position themselves for leadership roles in any organization.

Please visit www.SLFConsulting.com for more information on the programs I offer - or contact me personally to find out how this program might work for you and your specific needs.

Manage Your Time

This Week with Sara Fitts is dedicating this week to showcasing five coaching programs that I offer. Please contact me for additional information or to schedule a complimentary session to explore any of these programs.

Manage Your Time is a 6-week coaching program that provides a structure with supportive strategies to help you take control of your time and manage it - instead of letting it control you. The program works with weekly 30-minute phone calls (one-on-one coaching) and unlimited email support between calls. Strategies and techniques are presented in addition to providing unique structures for the individual needs of each client. The success rate for this program is extremely high - actually 100% of my clients have reported improved time management skills over the past few years.

This program works for individuals - personally and professionally - to improve their time management and give them more time. It keeps them efficient and more productive. For more information, please visit www.SLFConsulting.com or contact me directly. I'd love to help you manage your time!

Peak Performance for Managers

This Week with Sara Fitts will focus on five coaching programs that I offer to give you a better idea of the broad spectrum coaching provides. Please contact me for additional information or to set up a complimentary session to explore any of these programs.

Peak Performance for Managers develops the skill sets needed to move forward at a faster rate of success. Peak performance is vital in today's business climate. This program is designed to close the gap between current and desired performance, to increase job satisfaction and productivity, and to increase the rate of career success. This program will benefit managers, supervisors, project or team leaders, human resources professionals, and just about anyone ready to move forward faster.

The real beauty of this program is that it works for groups or individuals - and is unique to the client's field and position. For more information, please visit www.SLFConsulting.com or contact me directly. I'd love to talk with you about reaching your peak performance.

What 3 Words Describe You?

What 3 words describe you at your best? What 3 words describe you at your worst? What 3 words describe you on a daily basis?

These adjectives create power and learning for you. When you are candid with yourself, you can fully express where you are in your personal and professional development. After identifying the words, are you satisfied with them? If you are, excellent! If you aren't, what do you do now? The power in this exercise is in defining and re-defining who we are. If we don't like who we are, we have the power to create something better.

Try this coaching exercise and see what happens. What did you learn? Were you surprised? Take it a step further and ask those around you for their input. Again, what did you learn? Did their words surprise you? What changes will you make as a result of these words?

If you'd like to experience this coaching exercise with me as a facilitator, please contact me and I'd be happy to take you through a complimentary session.

What 3 Things Aren't Serving You Well?

What 3 things are you doing that really aren't serving you well? I think this is an interesting exercise. When you can identify anything in your personal routine or in your career or business operations that don't really help you in any way, you can eliminate it and substitute something that will get you better results.

If what you're doing isn't helping you, it is hindering your success. Regardless of whether it is personal or professional, we all should only do the things that serve us well. When we do anything that doesn't serve us well, we are literally shooting ourselves in the foot and engaging in self-sabotage.

One of the quickest ways to immediately get better results is to identify the things in our lives and in our work that aren't serving us well - and eliminate them. Take this exercise seriously - and reap the benefits almost instantaneously.

What Do You Want Less of?

What do you want less of? This question is usually posed in the opposite direction - asking for more, not less. So the question sometimes throws us off a bit, but when you really think about it, there are many things we want less of.

What do you want less of?

• stress
• struggle
• overwhelm
• pain
• fear
• conflict
• mindless chatter

This is a provocative question that can lead to enormous empowerment to improve one's life and one's business. Take the time necessary to answer this question fully - and you'll be catapulted forward at a powerful rate of speed.

What do you want less of?

Where Do You Hold Yourself Back?

Where do you hold yourself back? If you really give this question serious thought, there is no telling how empowering the outcome can be. When we address what is holding us back, we can then move forward faster.

Where do we hold ourselves back? Sometimes the answers are obvious and other times we must dig deeper to name them. Here are some answers that I've experienced over the years from clients and colleagues.

• Telling only part of the truth - not the "real" truth
• Going along with the crowd instead of finding our own voice
• Not showing up fully
• Listening to others instead of ourselves
• Giving in to fear
• Settling for less than the best

In order to move forward faster, either personally or professionally, we all must address everything that holds us back from living our fullest lives. Where do you hold yourself back? Just by answering this one question will move you forward - as soon as today!

What Fuels You?

What fuels you? What energizes you? What makes you get up in the morning to face another day?

My work fuels me. I get energy from my clients and the projects I create and participate in. When I'm working on something, I can get lost in it and not even take a lunch break! But in order to stay fresh and focused, I often have to "schedule" short breaks within my day. Sometimes just 10 minutes to breathe is enough to rejuvenate me and keep me fresh.

While I love what I do, I am a strong advocate for vacations. I believe that all of us need to have some down time for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. It can be long weekends away, a week at the beach, or even an elaborate vacation abroad. The real point is taking some time away from stressors (and stresses) and doing something you enjoy for a sustainable period of time. I believe you really need a long weekend at minimum in order to accomplish this. My ideal is 10 days or two weeks. This is long enough to really relax and rejuvenate.

The purpose of vacations should be to fuel us for the next several months. It should provide enough fuel to get us through the routine stress of the workday and other things that pop up and attempt to throw us off our game. In today's environment, we all need to fuel ourselves for the long haul.

What fuels you?