A dear friend of mine frequently quips, “You heard the thought at the same time I did.”  In an ideal mental and physical installation, there is a filter between the thought entering the conscious mind and that same thought exiting in audible words.  There are cases on record of both faulty installations and totally absent installations.

July 4, 2011 at 1 pm I had a blind date with a professional golfer.  Having achieved the rank of professional on the PGA circuit, one would expect a certain degree of class and social graces.

His offer of a putting lesson sounded like a good idea. The lesson was certainly needed.  “Yes, I live on the 13^th tee of a professional golf course.  Yes, a golf bag and clubs exist in the dark recesses of the garage; however, they have not even been dusted in 30 years.”

3.57965 minutes into the putting lesson he said. “You have a great body.  How much do you weigh?  125 pounds?”

Guys, be honest.  How many of you even ask your wife what she weighs?  Add insult to shock and volunteer a number and you may be sleeping on the couch for a week.  Plan on taking up permanent residence on the couch if you volunteered a number and you were high.

With a height of five foot one inch and wearing a size zero, obesity is not my issue.  Fortunately, a positive mental attitude exists to ward off the emotional ice water of such thoughtless remarks.

“Ralph, you are wrong, your number is high.”  Mentally, my cleats are dug in to the turf but my mind is racing for the safety of my car.  Totally clueless, he did not even bother to apologize.

A few months later he sent an email,”Do you remember me?”  Remember him?  Oh yes.  Respond to the email. .  .no!

In the interest of not being accused of gender bashing, come with me to a professional Realtor organization.  Keep in mind that my Real Estate Brokers license was issued in 1986; I have utmost respect for the industry.

The new President of the organization came up to me and declared, “Oh Elaine, the day I met you I went home and told my husband that I just met a lady with the most fabulous figure.  She must be in her 70s.”

Social error number two is commenting on a female’s age and volunteering a number over a decade high.

Once again, thank you for a positive mental attitude to see the humor in a potentially insulting situation.  Emotional ice water can be offset with a positive mental attitude.

Once again we have a serious filter installation issue.  Expertise in one area does not mean expertise in all areas.  Both individuals were accomplished professionals in their area of expertise.  Both committed grievous social errors.

Fortunately, maintaining a positive mental attitude provided ego salvation.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net.  Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote speaker or workshop leader for your next event.  Whether you are seeking to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you.  Your success requires a positive mental attitude.

Could it be priorities?  Distractions?  Perhaps it is an overactive “yes” gland.  Yes, I will get the groceries, cook the meals, take the kids to soccer practice, clean the house, volunteer at school, volunteer at church and work a full time job.  Sound familiar?  Looking at my calendar; I am guilty as charged.

Are all of these worthwhile endeavors?  Yes.  Do each of these activities need to be performed?  Yes.  Do they all need to be performed by you every day?  Maybe not.

As a busy executive discovers, some duties can be delegated, some declined and some prioritized.  Look at your “to do” list.  What is the possibility of having someone else in the house cook one meal a week?  How about doing a double batch one night and freezing it for next week?  Anything super easy and fast which would work for one meal a week?  Be creative.

Write a detailed list of everything you do for a week.  Pick one item a day and explore the options available.  Who is available to help with that task or even take it completely?

Carefully examine everything you do.  Caution, take only one item to brainstorm a day.

Your busy brain is now saying, with so many things to do and no time to do them how am I supposed to find time to do this additional task?

Treat yourself to 15 minutes a day just for yourself.  Yes, at first, that may be in the evening or early morning.  How badly do you truly want to recover your sanity and get your time under control?  Is it worth 15 minutes a day?  Your decision.

If you truly desire to take control of your time, it will require designing a success plan.  Design a plan you will actually follow through.  This is not a New Years Resolution which is broken in 3 days or maybe even 3 hours.  Design a success plan of your choosing which you truly believe you can follow through.  Implement the plan a if your life depended on its success.  Make the follow through an unbreakable priority.

Your 24 hours a day slips by whether you are harried, frustrated or organized.  The familiar saying “time is money” is simply not true.  If you lose money, there is always the possibility of making more money.  Once time is gone, it can never be recovered.

Email me with your time and sanity recovery success plan.  Success stories are wonderful!  The present is a great time to start!  Today in fact is the perfect day to start writing your new success plan.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net.  Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote speaker or workshop leader for your next event.  Whether you are seeking to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you.  Your success requires a success plan.

Have you ever said something which was perfectly clear in your mind, but someone else heard an entirely different meaning?

It is perfectly natural to view situations through our own personal experience and knowledge filter. Since we all have a different experience filter, is it any wonder that we see the situation from a different angle and thus receive a different message?

Come with me to a recent speech to 50 young financial professionals. The scent of coffee and chocolate drifts through the air as the group settles in to their seats in the packed conference room. The group of 20 and 30 year olds deal with the public all day in their jobs. My topic was Emotional Ice Water – how to deal with negative behavior in a positive way. Phrased another way; how to remain sane and calm in the middle of an emotional ice storm. The event organizers had encouraged me to distribute my businerss cards. My words to the audience were, “If you prefer to discuss your situation privately rather than to say it aloud in front of your co-workers, call me. You have my card.”

During the debrief a week or so later, Brenda said, “Elaine, place yourself in the mindset of these young financial professionals. Their job is to offer financial advice for a fee. Naturally, their filter says “If you are offering me advice, you plan to charge me a fee.” View my offer to help them through their lens of “If I call her, she will charge me,” the offer becomes a business promotion on my part rather than an offer to help them.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes. “What they heard is not what I meant.”

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer

Miscommunication occurs in all aspects of our daily lives. One of the most frequently cited causes of marital discord are “We just can’t communicate.” Actually, the root problem is not a lack of communication but a lack of connecting. When two people connect, they both understand and receive the same message. Communication occurs when one expresses thoughts verbally or in writing; however, it does not mean that the other party receives the message as the speaker intended. The disconnect is not in communication but connection.

Have you ever experienced miscommunication in a relationship? Guys have you ever asked a woman, “What’s wrong?” “Oh, nothing. . .” You get that “Oh not, knot in your stomach that says “What did I do wrong? What did I say? How can I fix this?” “I dn’t even know what I did wrong.”

In John Gray’s book, Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus, he extols the challenges of male and female communication. Do you ever feel as if you are speaking an entirely different language?

What she heard was not what he meant. Lack of communication happens in our personal and professional lives.
Money can be a major stumbling block, especially when it appears to be in short supply. Not only do couples have differing viewpoints of the best use of money, but this stress is transferred to others outside the walls of homes.

With the current economic turmoil, financial professionals are encountering negative reactions far too frequently. Imagine the shock when this group of young financial professionals heard, “The answer to your emotional turmoil is the IRS.” I can hear your brains saying, “What? The IRS is the answer to my emotional turmoil? I don’t think so.”

What do you think of when you hear the acronym IRS? Internal Revenue Service, right? Perfectly natural reaction, and that is one correct answer, but not the only correct answer.

Yes, the answer to emotional turmoil really can be the IRS.

Do a subtle mindset shift. What if the acronym meant something different than Internal Revenue Service. What if IRS meant . . .

Identify your feelings and why you feel as you do.
Release the stress and tension
Seek a solution.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes..

Doing a mindset shift from assuming IRS meant Internal Revenue Service to the new possibility that it meant Identify feelings, Release stress and Seek a solution changes your entire viewpoint.

What other facts do you know which may look different when viewed from a different angle.

Feelings and experiences serve as a filter for our perceptions of events in our life.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes.

Look at all events in your life from different angles and you will create more harmony for yourself and everyone around you. Looking from different viewpoints creates understanding and less hurt feelings. Understanding removes un-necessary tension and opens the door for solutions.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes.

Who knows? The future view of your life could improve from dismal gray to sunshine and gold.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net. Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote or workshop leader for your next event. Whether you are seeking to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you. Speak to connect, not just communicate.

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Imagine you are rushing out the door from work and suddenly your boss adds one more assignment to your already bulging briefcase. Perhaps you are exhausted at the end of a long day and come out to find a flat tire. How many other scenarios come to your mind of times when your energy was already low and one more incident added to the precarious pyramid of eggs which represents your tolerance level? After all, we are human. We do have a limit.

Incidents accumulate until your tolerance reaches that magic point that says “enough, I’ve had it.” Have you ever regretted words said in haste or words said in frustration?

Would you like the 3 keys to peace of mind which will reduce or perhaps even eliminate that lack of patience?

Would it surprise you to know that the answer lies in the IRS? Yes, the answer really is in the IRS.

Identify your feelings and why you feel as you do

Relieve the tension

Seek a solution

You have just experienced a subtle mind shift. Was your first thought the Internal Revenue Service? What is the lesson? There may be more than one way of viewing an acronym or a situation. A slight change in your workplace attitude or personal attitude could make a monumental improvement in your results.

What would it be worth to you to learn the details of those three keys – the IRS?

Imagine you life with increasing stress and lack of patience until your world comes apart at the seams? Loss of family, loss of your job, or even severe health problems result from too much stress and pent up tension.

By learning and following this formula you can have more patience, peace of mind, happier family, more productive work and peace of mind.

Choose the pain or the gain, the choice is yours.

Contact me and let me help your. Go to www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net and send me a note. When you reach the point you are ready to change your workplace attitude, personal attitude or patience level, contact me – preferably before you are at the breaking point. Hire Elaine Love as the keynote speaker or workshop trainer for your next event. Hire Elaine Love as your personal coach and mentor.

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Take Your Life from Now to WOW

“If I would just get out of my own way, there is something so much greater out there for me.” Peter J. Gomes, renowned theologian, paused in mid sermon with his deep baritone voice trembling to confess that “I am tired of my own excuses and of my own small mindedness. I know there is something so much greater for me if I would just get out of my own way.”

Where are you in your life right now? Are you living up to your potential or settling for what is currently at hand? Why settle?

Individuals come to my workshops or speeches every week lamenting the woeful state of their life. When asked “What are you passionate about doing? What is really important to you?” All too frequently, the answer is either “I don’t know” or on the rare occasion that they do know, they are not doing anything even close to their passion. A litany of excuses pours forth about why they can not or are not even toe testing their passion. (Toe testing is when you go to the beach or swimming pool and gently touch your toe to the water to test the temperature.) They do not have a success plan or even know how to create one. Let’s face it; there is virtually zero risk in toe testing. Find your passion, form a success plan and at least start toe testing it.

Have you heard the expression that time is money? Well it isn’t. Time is time and money is money. Have you ever made a mistake and lost some money? Certainly, everyone has lost money on a purchase at one time in life. Was it fatal? No, probably not. If it was a small amount, you worked a few extra hours and made the money back. When money is lost, it can be regained. Yes, even in this economy. You will always be your most productive, most profitable and most emotionally peaceful when you are doing something you love.

Time is another issue. When time is gone, it is gone. Time can not be recovered. How many people do you think have reached the end of their life and said “I wish I had spent more time at the office and away from my family?” Few if any. How many people look back on their life and regret not spending more time at their kids’ school activities or just spending time with their family? That number is undoubtedly much higher. Time is not equal to money. Time, because it is unrecoverable, becomes far more precious.  

How long do you choose to wait to finally begin at least toe testing your passion? Time is slipping away; in some cases, time is rushing away at the speed of light.

Steve Jobs, noted icon of Apple Computers, said it best. “You will spend a great deal of your life at work. The only way to be totally fulfilled is to do really great work. The only way you will do really great work is to do something you love. If you don’t love it, keep looking. Don’t settle.”

I have had more than one very successful career: teaching, Candy Mountain Culinary Creations, Mountain Castles Property Management and financial education. Even though I enjoyed each one and was very successful, it was not until the world of public speaking and coaching burst into my life that I discovered my true passion and purpose in life. Once the realization enveloped me, I immediately formed a success plan and started implementing the plan.

You will know when you fall in to your stride. Suddenly what you are doing comes easily to you and you know you are doing what you are destined to do.

Last Wednesday evening after speaking to a delightful audience, a wave of satisfaction enveloped me. There was such a beautiful feeling of gratitude and accomplishment because the ladies told me I had inspired and empowered them. When the feeling totally settles into your soul and you know you would do that again even if you were not paid, then you know you are in your element.

Reach for your dream, your passion, and your unique niche in life. Time ticks away every day. At the very least, toe test your dream. Everyone has a special talent or niche in life, find yours. Stuff the excuses in a closet. Dust off your dreams and bring them out of the closet. It is all about what you feel and do. If you don’t love what you are doing now, keep looking. Don’t settle. It is your life. Reach for what totally fulfills your soul.

Having questions finding your true passion and niche in life? Let me help. Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net. Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote speaker or workshop leader for your next event. Whether you are seeking to improve your career situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you. Time is slipping away, find your niche and life the life you are destined to live.

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The “Presentation Skills Quiz” helps clarify your individual presentation style. Are you truly connecting with your audience? Do people respond to your opening statement with a question for you or do they start telling you about their business? If they start telling you about their business, chances are you have not created the connection you desired.

How will your business, bank account and successful image change when you increase the connection with your audience? As a business development coach, many personalities and attitudes reveal themselves to me. Today’s interview with a successful businessman revealed interesting data. “Elaine, out of 652 people I presented to last year, only 25 converted.” “Ralph, that is 3.8% conversion. How did it rank with other managers on your comparable level?” “My boss thought 25 conversions was good.” “Ralph, how do you feel about being good?” “Good feels like average to me and I don’t like thinking of myself as average.”

Ralph is not only wise, but honest. In the book “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, he details why some make the leap and others do not. Numerous articles have expounded the attitude that good is simply not good enough. Industry icons have never settled for “just good enough to get by.” This ‘settle for the status quo’ attitude is socially polite terminology for “lazy.” Industry leaders and top producers in every field of endeavor stretch themselves to be the best possible.

Research is even beginning to show that people who remain mentally active and are constant learners have less incidents of Alzheimer’s disease. Why? The brain is one of the few organs which actually becomes stronger with use. The more connections you form by continuing to learn, the more connections which are available. If you lose one or two connections through aging, it is far less significant when you have multiple connections still available. Learning increases your quality of life in the short term and the long term.

Whether you are presenting to your board of directors, your potential clients or your kids, you want to be your most effective. This “Presentation Skills Quiz” was created as a module for use as a business development coach program. The quiz is directed more toward business presentations, but the same principles apply to all presentations. The core premise is connecting rather than just communicating.

For your free copy of the “Presentation Skills Quiz” and other helpful information, go to www.Elaine4Success.com. Anyone who completes the quiz and forwards the completed quiz with their contact information (name, email and telephone) will receive a free 30 minute coaching session. How will your business, bank account and success image improve when you increase your rate of connection rather than just communication?

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net. Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote or workshop speaker for your next event. Whether you are seeking to grow as a speaker to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you. Take control of your presentations.

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Design your message to connect with the audience, not just communicate. Have you ever heard a speaker who appeared to be “winging it” or “mailing it in?” Have you ever given such a speech?

Granted there are master storytellers who can stand up at a moment’s notice and tell a story. There are other individuals who have a charming gift of gab and can speak with seemingly little preparation or forethought about their topic. Unfortunately in some of these cases, the speaker has a tendency to ramble. Rambling keynote speeches can frequently be all over the subject map with very little organization. Certainly, finding the point or a core message can be over the top of the challenging scale.

How do you avoid the appearance of lack of preparation? How do you avoid the “rambling racket,” more noise than cohesive message?

Decide on the core message to be delivered to the audience. At the conclusion of the speech, what do you want the audience to think, feel or do? Once you have determined the core message and core action desired from the audience, you are ready to begin crafting your message.

There are numerous structure styles for your speech. The simplest form for keynote presentations is:
Opening
First point
Second point
Third point
Conclusion

This can become slightly more advanced by adding the element of story to the points. This structure is credited to Patricia Fripp; her credentials and accolades would require an entire page. Two of which are “first female president of National Speakers Association” and “certified professional speaker.”

Attention attracting opening
Make a point – tell a story to emphasize the point
Repeat the process with the second point backed by the second story
Repeat the process with the third point backed by the third story
The conclusion story ties all 3 points together and leaves a strong “walk away” message.

Another advanced structure is credited to Judy Carter, humorist and author of “The Comedy Bible.”

Opening
State the problem to be addressed
State what the audience will learn
Present your credentials
Give 3 – 5 action steps
Summary story

The cohesive thread in all of these formats is that they all have a specific structure. No rambling prescribed. Know the main point you desire to convey to the audience and systematically substantiate your case. When you know in advance the point you desire to make and the resulting action you desire from the audience at the conclusion of the speech, you can organize your thoughts and delivery of the message.

The second common element of all speech structures is that if you desire to include questions and answers, do so after your main point and before the conclusion. Audiences tend to remember the first words and the last words. Every successful speaker prefers to have their core point and “walk away” message be the thought lingering in the audience’s mind after the speech. How many people do you know who want “the last word” in a discussion? This same principle applies to keynote speeches. Having a rouge, off the wall, question or comment be the last words an audience hears can destroy the impact of a perfectly crafted speech. Last words do linger; be certain the words which are remaining in the mind of the audience are the words you choose.

Decide on your main message, structure your speech to logically flow from point to point toward your desired conclusion. Craft an attention getting opening and a comprehensive conclusion to tie all of the points together. Using an organized structure helps assure that the audience walks away with your core message. Always speak to be remembered and repeated in a positive way.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net. Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote or workshop leader for your next event. Whether you are seeking to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you. Speak to be remembered and repeated.

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When your Message is Concise and Convincing,
You Attract Your Ideal Customer to You

Design – Structure, focus, key points
Your - Unique, original, passion for your subject
Message – Benefit to the audience
Concise – Specific with clear examples
Convincing – Audience: Do, think, feel

How?

Coaching – One to one – Assisting you in discovering your
passion, expertise and most effective delivery

Workshops – Group – Specific interactive topics:
30 second intro, follow up, structure, content,
Delivery, keys to enhance your attraction to
Your ideal market

Keynotes – Customized presentations for each individual
audience, within my niche subject expertise, to provide
maximum value to your audience

Who?

Professional speakers (or those desiring to be professional speakers), management, sales. Trainers, and new speakers. Enhance your presentation skills and you will increase your value and thus your income.

You are either attracting others to you or chasing them away with your presentation skills.

Discover the keys to connecting not just communicating.

Are you ready to develop the keys to success?

Enter your information for the free self-assessment quiz on your presentation skills.

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Just as those last words, actions or thoughts linger in a relationship, they also linger in presentations. Being a leader requires leadership speaking skills. Over and over in feedback surveys it has been repeated that people remember the first words and the last words they hear in a presentation. How can you use that response to your advantage?

Patricia Fripp, first female president of the National Speakers Association and recipient of the coveted Certified Professional Speaker designation, designed an effective speech structure. Her speech structure opens with a powerful, attention getting, opening and closes with an impactful story which encompasses all of the main points of the speech.

Note! Patricia does NOT end with questions and answers. Far too frequently inexperienced speakers conclude with Q & A. All it takes is a rouge, off the wall question at the end of the question time period and the audience walks away with the wrong final words in their head. If you choose to have a question time frame, Patricia suggests that you slot that segment after your final point and before your powerful story conclusion.

At the beginning of my public speaking, I learned this lesson through making the mistake. One member of the audience chose to make a humorous comment which was totally off topic and left me standing there wondering how to respond. After a few uncomfortable moments for myself and the audience, the organization President thanked me and resumed control of the meeting. The last words which lingered were certainly not the “walk away” message originally intended.

With determination to discover leadership speaking skills, it was time to seek help. At that point the research began about how to handle that awkward situation. Research revealed Patricia Fripp at Fripp.com and worldchampionsedge.com. Both of these are excellent resources. From that point forward, Patricia Fripp and World Champions Edge have been frequent resources for me.

One of the marks of wisdom is locating resources for expanding knowledge and thus a coach. None of us started out knowing all of the answers nor do we have time to discover all of them on our own. Resources led me to hiring a coach and thus expanding my knowledge and experience through not only my own personal efforts but also all of the experience, knowledge and resources of the coach.

The last words to linger from this article are:
1. Make the last words your audience hears be your powerful message.
2. Never end with questions and answers.
3. Research and find answers.
4. Research will lead you to the ideal coach for you. Hire a coach.
5. Enjoy the rewards of powerful presentations and the ideal last words to linger with your audience.

Being the most effective leader and speaker requires leadership speaking skills. Coaching has become such an integral part of my growth as a public speaker that my own requests to coach others have expanded on a weekly basis. What a positive situation. My coaches learn and pass information on to me and I learn and pass information on to my students. After all, that has been the foundation of all education throughout history. Find and hire a coach. Let me help you grow as a speaker.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net. Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote or workshop speaker for your next event. Whether you are seeking to grow as a speaker to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you. Take control of the last words which linger.

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Energy Checklist for Success Plan

Success requires energy. What is your energy plan? What is your success plan? Is time dragging? Are you watching the hands on the clock moving in s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n? Chances are you are probably not working an effective success plan. Do you have the energy to succeed?

When was the last time you completely lost track of time? What words come to mind to describe the emotion you experience when your energy is high and you forget all about time? Focused, enthused, driven, excited, empowered, engrossed and “in the zone” are the descriptive words commonly stated. Athletes such as alpine ski racers frequently envision every bump, twist and turn of the course before the gun ever sounds to commence the run. Writers and painters have also been known to work “in flow.” When you are “in flow” your concentration and energy are high.

When you are not flowing, there are various potential causes. The four major areas affecting our energy are physical activity, nutrition, sleep and mindset.

A very successful network marketer once told me, “Elaine, network marketing can make you fat.” With a petite five foot one inch frame, every pound shows. Daily exercise constitutes mental and physical stress reduction for me, not to mention dress size maintenance. In the June 2011 edition of Success magazine, fitness experts Tony Schwartz and Joel Harper detailed how sitting for 3 or more hours per day slows the metabolism. The metabolic rate slows so much that even an hour of exercise per day will not offset the sedentary hours. That lack of activity can be expansive. Back in the 50s and 60s, before many of you were born, we called it “typewriter spread.” Today it is television, computers and video games; however the net result remains the same. Sit for long periods of time without counterbalancing with exercise and your frame will spread.

Walk, jog, stretch, lift weights or even go to the gym. Walk, does not mean a trip to the cookie jar or a stroll to the refrigerator for a sugary soda. Work at the telephone or computer for 90 minutes and then do something active for at least 15 minutes.

Nutrition is critical. Raw carrots, salads, fresh fruit and raw almonds are all preferable to brownies, cheesecake and potato chips. No, you do not have to give up all of your favorite foods. You are either conscious of what goes into your face or you will be conscious of an expanding pant size. What goes into your mouth will have an effect on your waistline and your energy. Imagine filling your automobile with soda pop instead of gasoline and see how long the engine will run. Poor nutrition into your body will diminish your energy.

“Sleep is highly over rated.” This quote was told to me by an extremely successful young man who bragged that he slept less than 3 hours per night. It actually worked for him for a few years until his body collapsed. Brain Rules by Dr. John Medinal declares that your body will be 30% less efficient at burning calories when it is sleep deprived. During my days owning and operating Candy Mountain Bakery, I attempted to work from 11 pm to 5, 6 or 7 pm 7 days a week. That came to a screeching halt when I could no longer keep my eyes open to drive home. It has been stated that less than 3 percent of the population truly functions very long or very well on 6 hours of sleep per night. Some authorities even recommend a 20 minute power nap in the afternoon.

The fourth factor which is frequently overlooked is your mindset, your attitude. An interest deficit can drag your energy down as fast as lack of sleep, poor nutrition or lack of exercise. When the project does not match your talents, expertise or interest, motivation will probably be missing. Placing a social butterfly in a cubicle and telling them to work with detailed accounting projects would be a disaster. When the degree of enthusiasm or mindset toward a project is lacking, the interest deficit can be a total drag. Your attitude influences your energy and your productivity. When your attitude is not in sync with your project, your performance will not be optimal.

The next time you have the yawns, the desire to check your email or do anything other than concentrate on the task at hand, do an energy check. A quick mental check of your recent physical activity, nutrition, sleep and mindset will reveal the issue to be solved.

To achieve your maximum success, energy is essential. Include all four energy areas in your success plan. Some tasks can be delegated to free you for your most productive activities; physical exercise, nutrition and sleep are strictly your responsibility. Your mindset is paramount to achieving your goals. How are you doing on your energy check?

Hire Elaine Love as your next keynote speaker, workshop leader or personal coach and mentor. Go to www.ElaineSpeaks.net or email Elaine@ElaineSpeaks.com.

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