Hooray!! My site is back up and working!! What a great way to start the new month off on the best foot possible!! My sites were hacked and I have been having a real hard time!!

Welcome to my blog!! If you are a loyal reader, I am so happy and honored that you stuck it out with me, thank you! I am sorry to have been down these past several weeks!! Oh, how I have missed YOU!! If you are new, welcome!! Please take some time to look around, leave some comments and allow me to get to know more about you!

We are now in the last month of the first quarter!! I don’t know about you, but seems as if it has gone by in a flash! I am ready to step up big and end this quarter on a high note!! How about you? What is your single most important ‘goal’ this month and when will it be done by? Leave a comment so I can cheer you on!!

xoxox
HelenRappy

Did you know that you have a pattern for learning new things successfully? It’s most often unconscious, but we each have a personal recipe for success. It is the ritual that we go through in order to move forward. It can be learning a new language, taking up dance lessons, mastering marketing, or simply finding more balance in our lives. Think about the last skill, lesson or behavior that you had success with. How did you do it? Now think of something else, and how you did that. When you look at the series of new skills or behaviors that you have done successfully throughout your life, what do you notice that links them all together?

When we change our habits or learn something new we tend to do it the same way. We do it the way that works for us, often without paying attention to the steps or details. For me, I make small (or big) changes by being aware and making a choice to change or learn something new. Then, I do research, read or take a class for more information, and finally I practice again and again until I can call it a victory. I sometimes experience a victory and then fall back into old habits or forget my new skill, but when it is important to me, I pick up and do it again. How about you, what is your ritual for success?

I have some clients who observe others and then just jump in and give it a try with no training, or others who read  and absorb new information and then map out one or two action steps to implement right away. There are usually similarities, but everyone has a unique twist that makes it work for them. Spend some time thinking about your past successes and look for your your recipe. Don’t get caught up in matching up your successes. How you do anything is how you do everything. Your recipe for success is valid for everything you do, not just similar skills.

I have found that there are a few key ingredients for any recipe. One is the determination to make the change in the first place. Another words, you can’t ask yourself whether you feel like taking action or not. You make a commitment and then you keep moving forward on that commitment. Also, you want to treat yourself with the same kindness, love and respect you would have for a dear friend. When you mess up or make a mistake (and you will if you are human), you can’t be hard on yourself or say nasty things. It is okay to fail, it is okay to make progress and then fall back into old habits. What counts is that you dust yourself off and get back in the game.

The biggest majority of people are overly focused on information and advice that comes from others (some of those others don’t even walk their own talk!). This can hold us back from really knowing what we would do and what action we would take if it were only up to us. Your recipe for success is very much your own, take notice of what has worked for you in the past and what works for you in the present and the future. Look for the pattern that emerges as you make changes or learn new behaviors/skills. You now can use that recipe again and again, as many times as you like for any endeavor that you choose to create or accomplish. This is YOUR recipe for success!

A few months ago, I saw Mary Poppins in New York with a friend and client. We just loved the song, “Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” It is a very catchy tune and an excellent idea to bring into our everyday lives. It is all about pairing something sweet and fun with the not so fun or unpleasant stuff that we need to do. For example, running errands with a friend in the car, working out in the gym while watching TV, cleaning off your desk with your favorite concert playing in the background.

When you feel like your goals are a big list of things that do not seem like any fun, think about how you could pair it up with something you would enjoy. Think about how you could add a spoonful of sugar….

Her are some examples to get you thinking:

• Take a training or course with a friend. Agree to jump on the phone and talk about what you learned and maybe even have a friendly contest to see who can get the assignment done first.

• Listen to music, educational CD, or pod-casts while you are working out, cleaning your office, or organizing your files. Something fun that you could get excited about.

• If you can’t seem to get around to writing that article or lesson you have been talking about? Treat yourself to a cup of your favorite tea or coffee while you are sitting down to work on the project. (any treat that you’d get excited about).

• If making follow-up calls or catching up on emails is one of your least favorite things to do you can sweeten the experience by sitting out on the patio in the sun, working from a fancy hotel lobby or somewhere inspiring for you. Change your environment and scenery for a boost.

• For any task that you are dreading,  you could just set a timer for 30 minutes of ‘action’ followed by 30 minutes of something you really like to do. Alternate back and forth between must do and want to do.

Think of your own ways to add some sugar to the yucky stuff you need to do. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Of course, it still comes down to you doing what you said you would do. But, hopefully, by aligning not-so-fun tasks with pleasant ones, you will be more inclined to stick with it and get it finished.

Is there something in your life that you want to be different? Something perhaps that you know needs to change in order for you to stand taller and be the best you can be? I think we all have something that, if we played a bit bigger, would improve our life in a way that we could be really exciyed about. Change isn’t easy, even the change that we know is good for us, even the change that must be made in order to accomplish what we truly want.

We can have the best intentions in the world, and still fall short of our potential. I don’t know if you feel the same way, but it’s a huge frustration when I know I am capable of more, but not measuring up. It is the tale of our brain saying one thing and our actions saying another. We want them to be aligned but sometimes they each have a mind of their own! Our natural tendencies are to move toward what is quick, easy, fun and safe.

We can first swing in favor of our natural tendencies, and when that doesn’t work, we can sit and contemplate the cost of not making the change that we want to make. You may have some hard and real facts to ponder. You may have to let your imagine run wild with possibility and what if questions. But, take the time to get really clear on the negative effects or pain that is on the other side of not taking action. What will it take for you to take action and move in the direction that you know will serve you?

The trick to help yourself make the change you want is to focus your energy and your determination toward the good stuff that would naturally pull you forward while keeping in mind the dreaded alternative. You would think that making a change that is good for you would be pretty simple, but it takes much more than logical thinking. We need to pair it up with our emotions to really get the best long term results.

What do you want or need to change? What can you focus on that will make it a pleasure to pursue? For extra support, when you need it most, think about what it will cost you if you don’t make this change. What fear do you want to avoid that can motivate you to stay on track and be more productive?

As an entrepreneur you probably know better than to fall into the trap of setting resolutions. You are thinking bigger than that and planning out what you will accomplish in the new year. Goals and step by step actions are the mindset you have here at the start of 2012. Good habits are always in style, but with a focus on business success, here are my top 5 picks for the best habits to have in the new year.

#1 Stay focused on a priority project. I am sure you have plenty on your list of goals and accomplishments, but in order to excel in the achievement department, my experience has shown that you’ll move forward in a much bigger way if you focus on one priority at a time. Focus diligently and keep it in front of you everyday until you accomplish it. When it is complete you can bring a new project into your priority status. When you have a few larger projects that will take more than 90 days to complete, you may want to break down the milestones into smaller mini projects.

#2 Celebrate every success, both big and small. As entrepreneurs we are much harder on ourselves because we know what we are really capable of. By logging each and every success or win throughout the year you will be able to see ‘in writing’ that you have had many great days and productive weeks. This ongoing list is an excellent source of confidence and can do a great deal to encourage you with ongoing momentum to push forward. Keep you wins and the milestone successes close by, as a word document or in a dominant notebook.

#3 The third good habit of business success in 2012 is to surround yourself with positive people who are thinking big and taking action to improve their business and their lives. You can’t really get away from family or close friends who swing more on the negative side of the fence, but you can control the conversations you have with those people. You also can choose to spend more time with people who support and encourage you to take action on your ideas instead of just letting you talk. If you need to meet and bring new people into your life than seek out online and offline groups where you can meet some like minded people.

#4 Double D attitudes, discipline and determination, are the dual power that can make or break your business success in 2012. Self discipline is the action that supports you to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done. Determination is the drive and commitment that helps you keep your eye on the prize (end result) so you don’t get too far off track when you know exactly what it is you want to accomplish. Determination and discipline are the attitudes you want to bring with you to the game, every single time! Are you ready to bring it and play big?

#5 This one is really important, but more times than not it falls to the back burner. The 5th habit is about balance between business success and living the life style you imagined your business success would bring. We often put our heads down and work our butts off to get ahead and before we know it, the day is over, the week has ended or it is another new month (already!?)! There are certain lifestyle elements that you dream of and before another daydream gets put off with the justification of ‘someday’, think about how you can bring some of those ‘someday ideas’ into the present. What would that look like? Would it include more downtime, travel, time with friends & family, giving back, moving to the country or city?

I wish you a very happy and successful new year. A big part of that is just being clear what that even looks like. After you have a clear vision, these habits will help you to keep moving forward!

What are your intentions this year? If you could write the script (and you can, ya know?) for how this year would turn out, what would it include? There are many choices and I can share from personal experience, that too many choices can stop you in your tracks and put a halt on your progress. So take a minute to pause and then ask the question of what your intentions are for this year as many times as it takes before you get a few solid and clear answers.

Have you ever read something or heard something that you never paid a lot of attention to and then out of no where (or so it seems) you hear that idea over and over again? That is what happened with me around the word ‘intentions’. Sure, I know the word, I’ve read about it here or there, but in the last few weeks I have seen and heard about it more than I can count. No, not because it is a new year and the conversations are usually the same, but because I was present to it and I have been called out to look at it more closely.

So I stopped, took a look and will continue to do so in the weeks and months that are ahead. I wanted to put the idea out there for you to take a look at the word intention and what it means to you, but more so, I wanted to check in and see if you are being called to look more closely at something. A word, an idea, a business model, a relationship? Turns out there are signs and clues all around us if we pause long enough to recognize them instead of ignore them.

I have been a bit stuck. My head has been spinning with ideas about what big things I want to accomplish and what big goals I should and should not make a priority. I was looking for the first steps to success, seems normal, right? So here is what happened as a result of looking at the word intention more closely. I took all my ideas (oh, SO many!!) and made a new list called “The BIG 3”. I wrote down 3 priority projects and also listed out in what ways I could measure that I was making progress with each.

Intentions can be inspiring! Intentions can pull you in and help you focus on what matters most to you so that you can get out of your head and start taking action to make some bigger (or not so big) things happen!! How about you? What are your first steps to success this year?  Your thoughts?

It is a New Year and we are off to a strong start. You may be excited about what 2012 holds for you, and you also may be thinking about doing things a bit differently in the New Year in order to end up with some different results.

If you are serious about success then YOU need to take action! You need to get out of your own way and that can mean any number of things, including doing things differently. Here are some of the questions I look at myself as part of having a stronger and more successful year….

Where have you been stuck?

What behaviors or characteristics are holding you back from moving forward?

What is it that you know you need to do differently? Specifically?

What do you want/need to do more of? Less of?

How can you align what you do each day with your top priorities?

In what ways do you want this year to be different than last year?

Different results means different action. We all know that, but it is not what we know that moves us forward… it is all about what we DO!! Make a commitment and then take action to make it happen!! You can do this!!Be in it to win it! Whatever it takes, right? You can have the best year of your entire life! What would that look like? What would that do for you?

It really helps to be honest about where you are and think about where it is you most want to go. It can be too easy to get lost in the good feelings about what is possible and that is great, but do think about taking time to plan out how you will fulfill on those possibilities. Focus and determination are great places to start and can help you maintain what you start in January, all year long.

This is the time of year where we start to get excited about a fresh clean start. The first step to getting what you want in the new year is to be very clear and decide what exactly it is that you really really want! (fun and difficult at the same time)

For most of us, we have no shortage of good ideas. We need to realize and accept that we only have enough time, resources and money to execute the really GREAT ideas!! What would your life and business look like if that were the focus?

Great ideas are the kind that can be written on the back of an envelope. They are simple and clear more than some crazy and complicated concept. Great ideas are memorable and the the things real growth are made of.

Jack Canfield’s words are in my head (and on the top of my calendar page), “Stop settling for less than you want. You deserve to have everything in your life exactly the way you want it!” (I just LOVE the energy and power that comes with that statement!)

The major theme of the year is for all of us is how to get from where we are to where we want to be. When it comes to our vision lets aim high!!

“If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is to compromise!”
~Robert Fritz author of Path of least resistance

Happy New Year!! May 2012 be everything you dream about and more!

It can be so easy to get stuck with inaction. So many choices that you can stop dead in your tracks and lose momentum. You probably get and see great ideas and opportunities all around you. But, too much information is the quickest path to halting your progress. If this is something you can relate with it is a sign that you have lost your focus. You are running around more then you need to and nothing is getting accomplished.

Focus is about knowing exactly what you want and having a clear and decisive plan to get there. If you are not moving forward full throttle, it could mean that you are not as sure about what you want to accomplish as you thought. With the clarity of knowing what you want to create, you can work toward that every day while also working on the consistent actions that will support your momentum.

Step back for a minute and think about the basics. Where did you start? When you were free of all the information you now know, what did you do on a consistent basis? Which activities did you do consistently to move yourself forward? There are certain tasks that you need to do each day to move your business forward.

When you can think about what you did, as well as what you are now capable of doing, what items would make it to your list of things that need to be done daily as well as weekly? These are the basics that you don’t want to lose site of. Success is not always about reinventing the wheel, more times than not it is about sticking with what works. You have heard that success leaves clues, what has worked for you in the past, what is working for these around you who you admire most?

Focus on what you want, mixed with what works, and then keep moving forward free and clear of distractions! You can do it!

What is it exactly that stops people from taking action? I get this question all the time. I have been there myself, in a place where I have been stuck and not making progress. Although there are many small reason that sound pretty good, one reason stands out above all else. Fear is the reason to blame 9 out of 10 times when someone does not take action. It can be fear of success or fear of failure, but either way, fear is at the top of the list when it comes to people holding themselves back from taking the action that will help them achieve the success or lifestyle they desire.

It is important to face the fear in order to eliminate it. Sounds easy enough, but we all know that it is easier said than done. What if doing what you were afraid (uncertain, nervous, intimated, etc..) of was in fact the price of admission to ride the success train? If we can’t break through what gets in our way and we find loopholes or other actions to take that are easier or more fun, than we are cheating ourselves out of the life we know we are capable of! Think about it. What is the price of success for you and are you willing, no matter what, to pay that price?

There is so much to be afraid of and at the same time, nothing to be afraid of. This is our one great life to live and we have so many choices about how we could live that life. What is it that you really really want to create or accomplish next and what is the very next step you need to take in order to go in that direction? You know you can do it. In fact if anyone, anywhere in the world, has ever done it before, than you can absolutely do it too! What has been stopping you from taking action? Take all the time you need if the answer is not immediately clear and when you have your answer take just one small step in that direction.

I’d like to give you a very helpful hint. Success and building a life that we dream about is not possible all by yourself, it takes people. It takes plenty of people in all different roles. People who believe in you, people who support you and people who cheer you on whether you feel you deserve it or not. When you know what it is you really want, one of the very first steps need to be sharing it out loud with someone who will say; “That is great!! I know YOU can do it!!” Because, after all, you certainly can!! Go get em!!

This is a question that I hear a lot, “What should I be doing in my business each day?” An important part of being productive is knowing what to do. And, just because you have it all figured out at one point or stage of your business, does not mean that you are all set for the long haul. I have been thinking about this and I have 3 things to share with you that will help you lay out what your daily plan of attack should include. These are 3 big things, the day to day actions will then fall into the details of these ideas.

No matter what industry you are in, your most consistent role is as a marketer. You have products for sale or a service to sell, no matter what business model you are following, you need to market yourself each and every day. If you don’t have something to market, then that is where you want to start. If you do have something to sell, then list as many marketing ideas as you can and keep adding to this list. From all the marketing ideas you come up with, choose 3-5 that you are most excited about and rotate those into your daily action habits.

Marketing helps a great deal with building your customer base. So the next logical thing to focus on is to follow up and engage with your customers. What are some of the daily actions you can take to build, develop and strengthen the relationships you have with both your prospects as well as your paying customers. How can you engage with them on a higher level? What value can you share with them that is over and above what they expect from you? When is the last time you took time to send them a thank you card for doing business with you? Who can you introduce them to that would be a great benefit to their growth?

The last thing that I will share with you to get a handle on what things to be doing each day is about putting systems in place that will support your business, and your time, as you grow and build your business. What things do you do over and over again that could be automated? Are there certain things you do all the time that you could batch together or set up a theme day to get it all done at one time? Could you hire help or delegate things that don’t have to be done by you? When you do something once that is a little complicated, how could you document the steps to make it easier the next time you need to do the same thing or something similar?

These ideas should help you get thinking about all the little things that make up your day to day actions. Taking your business to the next level is about being present with the things you need to do consistently as well as taking time to be creative, watch what others are doing or talk with customers about their experience with you and your business and asking for feedback on what things they would like to see from you. Each day is a new opportunity to stand out in your marketplace and turn your business into the success story you always knew it could be!

Welcome to my Blog! Each month I make a static post that will stay at the top for the month to introduce myself and what my blog is about. You can look around and find out plenty about me and my blog, but this month I want to talk about December.

This month is filled with so much joy, love and also with some stress or even depression. December is a special, crazy and sometimes unpredictable month. It goes faster than most months and can go by in a blur if you don’t make a conscious choice to be present each and every moment.

December is a great opportunity to bring some balance and order into your life and to your business. It is a great time to get really clear about what it is that matters most to you and to put more of your attention on that. There will be plenty happening this month and it is a great time to tie up loose ends, make some important choice and to get excited about the potential of 2012!

Don’t rush through the end of the year. Be present and take stock of how you have been living your life, take stock of what you have created this past year and what you are most proud and grateful for. I recommend you create a word document or mini journal to highlight your accomplishments and victories from 2011, it will be a great memento and even possible ritual to take forward with you.

Have a magical month, happy December!
Xox
Helen

I have read many articles and books about the topic of being a ‘winner’, of what it takes to be successful and the differences between those who dream vs those who take action to make their dreams come true. It is a topic that I have been interested in since I was a young teenager. It’s both educational as well as inspirational to read the success stories and triumphs of those who have traveled down a road we wish to go. I now have a tale of my own that I’d like to share with you.

At the start of the year I entered a contest called ‘Better Your Best’, it is a well know contest within the Internet community hosted by Armand Morin and his AM2 team. The contest is open to anyone in one of his upper level Coaching programs. You can enter the contest in one of two categories, either an increase in income or a more organized and systematic business. Throughout the year, as a contestant, I have had to track my progress, follow a checklist of business activities, keep a daily online journal and submit a package that showcases what I have accomplished.

Doing everything necessary earned me a ‘seat’ in the finals where I gave a 4 minute (not one second longer, or I would have been disqualified) presentation that summarized my progress along with an inspirational story of why I deserved to win. It was a very full year for me that consisted of BIG results and I am ecstatic to have come in first place! To date, this is my biggest accomplishment and a time in my life that I know I will never forget.

I have heard plenty of people talk about success being easy with the right tools and particular support. There may be a few people who have experienced that, but I can’t say easy is the first word that comes to mind. I do agree that the right tools and support are key factors, but the commitment, energy, sacrifices and positive attitude are not easy at all. In fact I can clearly see for myself that success is a mindset and determination above all else. Many (many, many) people talk about what they would like to create or accomplish for themselves, but fewer actually do anything about it.

I wanted to win more than almost anything else I have ever wanted! In fact I was in this contest last year and came in second, and within a few days I had signed up again. I decided that I was not going to stop, that I wanted to win and I’d enter the contest every  year until I did win. Here is the thing, a maximum of 7 people can make the finals, and rarely do that many people make the finals. To make the finals, you just can’t give up or quit and I figured I had that part down! I talked about making a commitment and seeing it all the way through to results. Something I have written down in my notes that I look at all the time is that “1 person with a commitment is worth more than 100 people who only have an interest.”  Most people only have an interest to reach their goal, and a commitment is what it takes!

It took me about 20 years to become an overnight success and I have learned some very important lessons. The best one I can share with you is to focus on what you want and take action toward its attainment every day. Funny, I had heard that before and even would say I thought I was doing that, but it turns out I was way off track. Focus means one thing, not several, focus means you have a priority and nothing else can distract you or slow you down, focus means that you are 100% committed and that you are absolutely willing to do whatever it takes, no matter how scary, how uncomfortable, or how terrifying it is!! We all have the same amount of time in a day, week and month, but where we can stand out and make a difference is in what we make a priority and focus on.

My heartfelt advice to move forward and accomplish more of what you see for yourself is first and foremost to seek out support that comes with accountability. You will also want to take your big idea (or goal) and break it down into mini milestones that you can work toward crossing off your ‘list’. Lastly, keep your target in the front of your mind at all times! You’ll be tempted by distractions and valid excuses, but you must be so determined that you surpass those things and not fall victim to giving up. It can help to have rewards or consequences for each milestone lined up to keep your mind in the game all the way through to the finish line.

I did better my best, and everything I accomplished is all thanks to the positive pressure that I endured from my support team at AM2. It may have been actual, it might have been implied, or maybe I just imagined it, but however I see it, it worked to help make my dream come true! To make one of your dreams come true, you must be willing, no matter what, to keep your commitment to it. It is not enough to just make a commitment, although that is big in and of itself, but you have got to keep that commitment and see it all the way through to results!! Cross the finish line and see it all the way through.

I am happy to answer any questions, share any tips, or offer any support to you in taking your business and your life to the next level, please leave a comment….

This past weekend I won $25,000 in a very special and elite contest called “Better your Best”, hosted by Armand Morin and the AM2 Network. (Yes, woohoo and yippee!!!!) To enter was easy, to do everything required, follow through and keep the commitment all the way through to the end was a little bit tougher. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and to date, the most memorable! I’ll share all the contest details in the next few days, but right now I want to talk about the prize money.

After I won first place in the contest, the question that I was asked most often was “How are you going to spend the money?” Certainly a valid question, but I was a little surprised that it was the most common question and that only a few people asked what I did to win and be successful in the contest. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to put the question back out to you, “What would you do with $25,000?

Most of us have purchased a lotto ticket at one time or another, and I don’t know about you, but sometimes half the fun is imagining what I would do if I won. Have you ever done that? I didn’t think too far ahead with this one, I didn’t want to think about spending it, my focus has been on doing my very best and making the finals. I know I want to be smart with the money, something that will grow my business and maximize the opportunity to make more money.

I am honored and proud to have taken first place. I’ve had the check for a full 24 hours now and I enjoy looking at it and thinking, oh my God, this is real! How would you spend $25,000, what would YOU do with the money? Have fun and be smart at the same time. Who knows, I may borrow some of your ideas. Leave a comment and dream out loud about how you would spend $25,000. And, for those of you who are curious what I did to win and the success strategies that kept me in the running, I’ll write about that next and share it with you in a few days.

Some Of My AM2 Family Members

Today I am leaving for San Francisco (in about 60 minutes) for an Armand Morin Live event. This is my online mentor and the coaching program that I belong to. I go to several events a year and Armand Live is always one of my favorites. This weekend, the event is extra special and important to me. Once a year Armand holds a ‘Better Your Best’ contest. This is a very big deal in the Internet community and a big commitment to participate in as well. I am telling you about it, because I am in the contest this weekend.

The contest is open to members of his coaching program and there are two categories to compete in. One is increasing your income and the second is improving your business and marketing systems. There are many factors involved throughout the year, such as keeping an online journal of your progress, using and perfecting a special members only check list, and sending in a full package of information that will show what you have been working on and what you have accomplished throughout the year. The final piece is live at the event where the contestants deliver a 4 minute presentation live from stage and share what they have accomplished and why they want to win.

This experience is one of the very best for taking action and moving your business forward. I can’t advocate enough how important it is to get clear on what it is you want to create or accomplish. Then after you are clear you have to make the commitment to take it all the way through to results! It sounds easy enough and yes, it is a bit of a no-brainer when you think about it, but there is more to it than just knowing that you need to make a commitment. A commitment toward a major goal (or even minor one) is an every day mindset. I have to continuously remind myself to never quit, never give up, and to keep pushing forward. Distractions and temptations are a part of life and part of taking our business to the next level, but we you do with those ‘excuses’ will determine whether we win or lose our desired target.

If you have an opportunity to do something that pushes you outside of your comfort zone, I highly encourage it! It is those exact moments that we make some of the biggest leaps in our lives. In the time that I have been a part of the AM2 family and community I have seen my business, my confidence and ultimately, my income grow. I can’t wait to share with you what happens next…