Monday, January 5, 2015

Choosing a Pacesetter as Napoleon Hill taught

Napoleon Hill's teachings don't really have an expiry date. Most, if not all successful men and women in business today have at some point in their lives become students under Napoleon Hill's teaching. Some have just learned indirectly from him, because they are/were under the tutelage of a leader who had already absorbed his teachings.

Have you?

Napoleon Hill wrote that epic little book called "Think and Grow Rich". His advice comes across as both humble, astute, kind and progressive. His work was a precursor to the work of motivational "scientists" such as the Tony Robbins of our day.

So today I wanted to talk about Mr. Hill's recommendation that we each find a "pacesetter".
Maybe you're not familiar with the term. A "pacesetter" in Mr. Hill's lingo, is simply someone that is successful in a similar niche as to what you aspire to, whom you can use as a marker maker, so that you can use his/her success to gauge and pace your own progress toward your goal.

Let' say for example, that your goal is to have a passive income stream from real estate equalling no less than $2000 net profit per month by the time you are 55 years old. Would you look for a pacesetter who hates real estate but loves the stock market? Nope. You want to choose a pacesetter who is in the same zone as you are mentally and in terms of their goals and lifestyle. You would want to find someone who has already gathered a bit of steam in real estate and who you can access some of their expertise, either personally or through their written or video work. Ideally you want a pacesetter whose work you can monitor either through the net or through their published works. If you don't know what your pacesetter is up to, you won't know if you are keeping pace with him/her and the motivating factor will be lost.

The internet has expanded our opportunities in terms of how we access mentors. We don't necessarily have to know our mentors personally in order for them to have a powerful impact on our lives.

For example, Kenneth Copeland has a powerful christian ministry across the globe. The last I heard, his U.S. branch collected close to 150 million dollars in revenue in one year's time. (don't quote me on that, as I haven't double checked the numbers) The reason I mention this, is that most of his "partners" or supporters have not met Kenneth Copeland personally but yet they have given him a place in their lives as a relevant mentor. They read his books, his newsletters, his websites, his twitter feed, and listen to his teachings via CD or podcasts etc. Kenneth is mentoring millions of people without even having to leave his studio. Yes, he does travel a lot as well, but it is worth mentioning that the majority of the mentoring happens remotely via mass media outlets. These outlets are not accessible to "only" his  ministry "partners" as anyone can
buy or read his books or listen to his teachings on Youtube.

I want to encourage you, if perhaps you have felt that mentors are so very hard to find. I have felt that way very often, especially because there seems to be so few female mentors that I really admire enough to want to pick their brain. There is some legit value to a lil' bit o' healthy competition, even if it is only comparable in the virtual world. But I take comfort in knowing that I am living in a day and time in which I can have
unlimited access to a plethora of brilliant minds just because I happen to have an internet connection. If God blesses my journey to the point that I will eventually have a personal networking opportunity with any of my virtual mentors, then that will be another day of joy.. But a personal relationship with a mentor is no longer absolutely necessary.

 You need a pacesetter, so you have some friendly competition to motivate you and inspire you. You need a pacesetter so that you have someone with whom you can assess your own progress. For example, if Tom and Jane have acquired 50 new sales leads in one month, why do you only have 3? Pacesetters inspire action and confidence because they show you what is possible, what is do-able and what you can hope for. Choosing a good pacesetter will help you focus on whatever it is you really want.

Choose a pacesetter who matches your set of values. Make sure it is someone of high moral fiber.
Wishing your blessings and inspiration this afternoon. Peace.

C.


Owning Your Words

Some of my readers are writers, some of them health and wellness seekers, and others are finance readers.
For the writers, I just wanted to mention, that it really does make a big difference where you decide to
"sow" your words. Just throwing your carefully crafted words anywhere and everywhere all over the internet ......just might not be the best strategy.

Yes, there are the typical ways that folks try to build up blog traffic, and one of those ways is by writing as many comments as possible on blogs that have similarly interested readers. The hope is that a reader will find your comment intriguing and therefore click on your blog link to seek out more of your brilliant words or just simply because they find you interesting as someone they want to get to know as a friend or mentor.

But I just wanted to mention, that if you are a real hard core "author" and each and every word that you write has been preplanned and crafted into an artisanal masterpiece, then you might want to be equally as discerning as to just where you plunk your hard work.

If you want to  really "own your words" then you might want to consider only the on line avenues which will allow you to do just that. Set up your very own personal author blog and don't share the writing ops with any one. You will be the sole creator/author/artist of your blog. It is your domain. You control it's contents, it's look , it's advertising and it's focus.

Another option is to set your heart to more Indie type of publishing using one of the various self publishing sites that are popular now such as Create Space, Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords or Lulu.
I have used all of those. Each has it's own unique vibe and efficiency..

I'm very conscious of what is under my control and what is under the control of others.
There are microblogging sites that I write for, and when I write for them, I am under no illusions and I realize that I am really selling them my work for micro-pennies on the dollar. I am not "Author Royalty" sitting on a stuffed leather chair at a glossy mahogany desk, permitted to spend months crafting just one sentence of genius. Simply put....I am a mini-content farm and  "My words" are bucks for them. It isn't personal....it's business. As long as my words earn them viewers, they will continue to seek out to buy my words.

Ok, get to the point Carla. I just want to say, that in your writing you are going to have to make choices. Many or most of these choices are going to have to do with control. Who will you allow to edit your words?
Who will be allowed to post your written work? Which sites will you grant permission to publish your work?

Marketing your written work is often not best done by the author him/herself. It takes an objective eye who understands the dynamics of marketing written material to know how and when and where to promote your work. They might have to tell you gently that your book covers really need help, and that your
work isn't compelling or trendy enough for mainstream media. Know your niche. Know what you like and what you are good at. Then pursue it full steam ahead, all the while knowing that ultimately it must be you and only you  who decides who gets your words and who will not be admitted into the "circle of trust" to take good care of your written babies.

May your work be blessed and prosper, even as you sow it like precious Non-GMO seed into the earth.

Peace and prosperity.

Carla


Sunday, January 4, 2015

Mommy Blog? Nah...I don't like that term

Well yes, for the record I  am a mom and yes I am a blogger too....but please don't categorize me as a "Mommy Blogger".... it just evokes an image that I just can't handle.
My focus is not on how to pick the right pillows for my couch , or how to get grape stains out of my kids' t-shirts. And no, I really don't care what brand of dishes I eat from, as long as they please ME. If they happen to be valuable, then great...but dishes are not my raison d'etre.

How 'bout you. Do you have a hobby that folks often misname or misunderstand?
Do you cringe when folks call you a "crafter" when you're really a serious artist?
Or you folks label your ability to fix anything mechanical...."tinkering" ?

Push comes to shove, we have to be content when we are accomplishing our own goals, no matter what others are saying or writing about it.

Peace and enjoyment this new fresh month of 2015.