Your Power to Choose

Are you still taking action towards your goals? I hope that you are still choosing to live the life of your dreams. As sure as you are a human being, you have the power to make choices. You made the choice to take the time to read this. We make choices so easily and frequently that we are not aware that we have great deal of control over what we choose.

I had the opportunity to see the movie “Selma”. The movie highlighted the marches that took place in Alabama in 1965 to give blacks the right to vote. The participants in those marches made the choice to take action, no matter how bad it could be for them, to make things better for their lives and ours. Realize that the choices you make not only benefit your life but the lives of others as well. This is especially true for parents. The choices we decide to make most certainly have an effect on our children.

I have accomplished many things in my life because early on I made a choice to believe what I heard about human potential and then took action based on that belief. You can change your life for the better when you first make the choice to. Choose to live your life in a positive way! Choose to accomplish your goals! Choose to win! Choose to be wealthy, healthy and successful, no matter what!

You have the potential inside for great success. Your success is possible! You are capable of doing anything you set out to do. It’s all up to you and the choices you make. Realize that you are the one who makes the choices to live the way you do. Please don’t settle for a life of mediocrity. Choose to let your greatness shine through.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”~Viktor E. Frankl

“You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.” ~E. O. Wilson

What to Do in Life When You Feel Stuck?

Have you started working on your goals for the year? There are times when we just don't know what step to take next or we have fear about moving forward. It is not unusual to hit a wall, so to speak, at various points in our life. Being stuck happens to all of us from time to time. What we must realize is that when making any kind of change in our lives, we will be faced with obstacles.

I’ve felt stuck many times during my life. I’ve thought, how am I ever going to get through this! Fortunately, I’ve also learned that I shouldn’t be concerned about how something is going to happen, just trust that it will happen and keep moving forward toward my goal. So, whenever I find myself stuck in a certain situation, I take whatever action I can to get passed the feeling of being stuck, even if it's something small. I know that I have the potential in my life to get past any obstacle that comes my way. You have that same potential!

The key to getting unstuck is taking action. Do anything. It's that simple. Doing anything gets you going and helps to change your perspective. If you find out that what you're doing is not exactly the right thing to do, you can always change what you're doing. It’s possible that you may need a success coach to help you map out some specific action steps to take toward your goals. Please keep in mind that the key to getting unstuck is taking action. When you do one thing, it leads to another and another and all of a sudden you're not stuck anymore.

“Everyone gets stuck in the process of creating. It’s the great among us who religiously who practice getting unstuck.” Keith Yamashita

“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” –Mandy Hale

4 Steps for Increasing Productivity

It’s so easy to get distracted while in pursuit of an important goal. It seems that while every step ahead may get you closer to your destination, it also presents you with turning points, junctures, and new paths of “opportunity” (which are often distractions in disguise).

Therefore, if you don’t keep your goals in the forefront of your mind and take discernible steps towards them, then invariably something shiny and alluring will knock you off track.

However, there are steps for increasing productivity. To eliminate the ‘shiny object’ syndrome, try these 4 easy strategies to keep moving in the right direction:

1. Write down your goals.
   We all have heard this…but do we do it? Studies show that by writing your goals down, your chances of success increase exponentially. Putting your goals in writing makes them tangible and reminds you of what you are working toward. Place them where you can see them such as around your computer monitor, on your bathroom mirror, or on your personal altar.


2. Align your daily choices with your goals.
   Every day, pick one of your goals, and choose 3 things you can do that day to move toward your chosen destination. Put those three things on your “to-do” list, and don’t go to bed until you’ve accomplished them.


3. Share your goals with someone you trust.
   Create accountability with those closest to you by simply sharing your goals, so when you start to veer off track, they can help you through. This process is a mutual beneficial activity because you are keeping each other focused on your stated goals. An additional benefit of this accountability practice is that it can keep situations in perspective.


4. Set milestones of success.
   Nothing is more frustrating than feeling like you are not making enough progress towards accomplishing a big goal. Set milestones of success where you can stop, celebrate and reward yourself for your accomplishments. But don’t sit for too long – get started again soon to keep up your momentum.

Every day, everything that you do is either moving you toward or away from your goals. Don’t let temptations, frustrations or the feeling of immediate gratification keep you from achieving what matters most to you. Keeping your goals in the front of your mind will allow you to make the decisions that bring you to the success you desire.

What steps will YOU take for increasing your productivity today?
Post your answer in the comment section below.

The World Needs You

There’s an old story about jazz great, Miles Davis. It’s said that when he was first starting out as a young man in the NYC jazz clubs, he loved the way that Charlie Parker played…so he imitated him. 

One night during a jam session, one of the players said, “Hey Miles, you’re playin’ real good, man! You sound a lot like Bird (Charlie Parker).” Miles was flattered, then the player went on, “We want to hear YOUR thing, though. Bird’s got Bird’s thing covered. What’s yours?” 

From that experience, Miles Davis embraced his true self and his individual talent and went on to have a long, illustrious career, largely defined by his unique sound.

Much like Miles, it is important that you find your unique voice instead of molding to what others think you should be, conforming to societal norms, or playing small because of the criticism of others.  You shine brightest when you embrace our unique gifts, talents, passions and interests…and the world needs you to shine. 

You are truly a unique being.  From the billions of others who have walked this planet, there is not and will not be another like you.  You are unique, you are extraordinary, and you are here for a purpose.  And there are NO mistakes.

Recognize the value you have and do something about it! What are you good at? What do others say you are good at?  Make a list of what you enjoy doing. Look for people who are in need of what you can offer. 

“If you want to be truly successful invest in yourself to get the knowledge you need to find your unique factor. When you find it and focus on it and persevere your success will blossom.” -- Sydney Madwed

“No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning.” – Barbara de Angelis

Now is the Time to Achieve Your Goals

Let’s get straight to the point…we all have a finite amount of time on this planet. One day our work will be done here on earth, and no one has a crystal ball to notify us when exactly that day will come.

Knowing that, what are you going to do with the remaining, rare and precious moments you have?

You have the potential inside of you to achieve your hopes, dreams, goals and desires. When are you going to tap into and activate that potential to have the success you desire? Later, when you’re older and more tired? Now is the time to achieve your goals.

Of course, there are a million reasons why you shouldn’t…you have errands to run, bills to pay, work to do, and people to care for. Guess what…that never stops. Life does not stop for you to achieve your goals. Living well is accomplishing your goals despite the life events that will inevitably happen.

Right NOW is the only time that you can count on. Right now, you have the fire. Right now, you have breath to breathe. Right now, you have an interest and desire that is needed to fuel your actions to achieve your goals. Right now is the only reality you know. The future is an illusion, and the past is a memory. So do yourself (and everyone else) a favor and get moving on those dreams TODAY.

When you accomplish your goals, you serve the world simultaneously. You demonstrate what is possible when you put forth maximum effort. You also can bring recognition to the industry. Sometimes your work helps others learn an option they did not know existed.

Steve Jobs co-founder and visionary of Apple Computer said it best when he said, “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Today is your day. Now is your time. Don’t look back 5, 10, 20 years from now regretting that you waited so long to go after something that mattered - or worse yet…that you didn’t even try.

Are you ready to achieve your goals? Do you know what you want to do but you don’t know where to get started? Join me Thursday, Jan. 8th at 1:00PM EST when I share 6 steps to help you reach your goals in my free teleclass. Register for the class by filling out the form to the right of this article.

What will YOU Do NOW?

Learn Time Management to Achieve Your Goals

In order to accomplish all of your goals in 2015, you may need to put in more effort than you usually do. Putting in more effort may require that you learn time management to achieve your goals. Radio personality and actor Steve Harvey mentioned the following in an interview once:

“You can decide to be two types of people. You can be ordinary, or you can be extraordinary. The only difference between those two words is extra. If you do extra, you can be extraordinary. If you don't want an extraordinary life, just stop doing extra.”

This is especially true if you are working in a current job while planning to make a career change. When changing your career, you have to expend extra effort because you are maintaining your current responsibilities while building a new life.

• Watercooler talk time becomes break time on your phone doing research for your career change, making calls or researching information online.
• Former lunch time with colleagues becomes coaching sessions over the phone with your coach and running errands to find out information and check out resources that will support your goals.

You see, effective time management is the first step toward being extraordinary. You have the same 168 hours per week, but the proficiency in which you use your time will change. You can use time management scheduling to include investing time in your goals. You can use your time to:

• look for organizations and online communities where you can learn more about different industries
• seek ways you can volunteer in these communities for a short time to get a feel for the environment – test the waters
• connect with others that share your interests to learn and find support

Learning time management will take some time to get right but the discomfort and possible frustration will not last. It is a temporary by-product of building something new. Construction is dusty and noisy in the beginning, but the result is a beautifully designed, functional, building that serves a purpose. If you haven't been able to accomplish the goals you set at the beginning of this year, with 2015 around the corner, this is the best time to make a fresh start to learn time management. Don't let anything or anyone stop you from your goals. Remember, your potential for success is unlimited. When you push yourself just a little past your comfort zone, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.

"Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning." -- Denis Waitley

FREE GOAL ACHIEVING TELECLASS

Make 2015 Your Goal Achieving Year!

     • Do you have a goal you’ve been trying for a long time to accomplish?

     • Do you know what you want to do but don’t know the first steps to take?

     • Do you feel stuck or feel like you are holding yourself back?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you’ll want to attend, my free teleclass in January. I am JoAnn Youngblood King, CTA Certified Success Coach, and next month I am hosting an interactive teleclass.

In this teleclass:

•  Learn some action steps to take right now to reach your goal
• Begin to create your personal action plan while we are on the call from the information I share
• Have a clear direction of how to use your time each day to accomplish the action plan
• Receive support while creating your action plan to move from mental or emotional paralysis
• Feel rejuvenated and clear about what to do now to realize your dreams

The main reasons people come to me for coaching is because they:

• Feel stuck or they have a goal to reach but don’t know how to get started.
• Are not clear about their gifts, talents and do not know what they are passionate for but have a desire to do something different.
• Are ready to create a synergy around their goal that makes it real 

In this class, I’ll be sharing the 6 qualities/action steps that I’ve defined in my book, the Next Top Success Story to help you:

• Discover how to create an income doing what you love
• Get through any fears or negativity blocking your success
• Create a safety net to remain focused on your goals

Give yourself this time to become clear about your goals and how to activate the potential within yourself to succeed!

Date: Thursday, January 8, 2014

Time: 1:00PM EST/10:00AM PST

Where:  You will receive an email with the number when you register
Cost:  Free!

Complete the form below to register for:

Make 2015 Your Goal Achieving Year!

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If this is your first time signing up for one of my events, you will also begin receiving my blog posts and announcements with action steps, ideas, and inspiration designed for you to take action and start realizing your goals with clear focus and enthusiasm. You may always unsubscribe with one click.  Privacy policy: I will NEVER sell, rent or share your information.

JoAnn Youngblood King, CTA Certified Success Coach, Author and Owner of Live Your Potential is a member of the Coaching Training Alliance and the International Association of Coaching.  JoAnn, who has a diploma in Small Business Management, is a Business Trainer and Facilitator for Project Enterprise, an organization that provides access to business loans, business development services and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

As your coach, JoAnn is committed to your success and happiness.  She motivates and supports you in staying on track with your purpose and goals.  She listens deeply, without judgment, and explores with you the actions that will move you toward your goals.

Live Your Potential helps entrepreneurs and small business owners to discover, tap into and live their inherent potential for success. We specialize in working with Administrative Assistants, Executive Assistants, Coordinators and all types of support staff who are entrepreneurs at heart and are ready to accomplish their dreams and goals while currently working for someone else.  We also work with mom entrepreneurs to help them find the time needed to start their business or take their existing business to the next level. Live Your Potential provides Success Coaching through one-on-one coaching, group coaching and holding Success Seminars, Workshops and Events.

Her book, the Next Top Success Story is available on…Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com

One on one coaching is available by contacting JoAnn at info@liveyourpotential.com. For more information about JoAnn’s programs, visit Live Your Potential