The 5 "G"s of a Strong September Start

[Kerul Kassel]

Summer has had its unofficial end. As many of you know, I took time off this summer to attend to some personal and scholarly initiatives, doing a minimal amount in my consulting and coaching business. It’s paid off in that way, and it also gave me the time and space to think of new strategies to continue to evolve my business in the changing economy.

I see the week after Labor Day as a sort of second New Year’s, a chance to make a fresh start with renewed vigor and the strategies to support those efforts. So how can we start the new “season” off strongly, and maintain that effort through to the holidays (and beyond)? Here’s a hint: don’t ask yourself for all the answers! See the tip below for an explanation of the “5 G’s” to make your success easier.

On a personal note, we now have a new horse, Dakota. He’s a 16 year old quarterhorse gelding with a dominant personality, and he’ll play a big roll in the personal leadership program I’ll be developing over the next couple of years, as will my other two. Interestingly, he loves women (though he tries to push us around), and is always trying to think one step ahead of whoever he’s with. He’s definitely a personal leadership challenge!

Here we go: The 5 “G”’s of a Strong September Start

“Don’t ask yourself for all the answers.” What kind of tip is that???!! It’s breakthrough tip, the kind that gets you out of your “If I could just figure it out” or “I have to do this on my own” mentality that keeps you stuck in a rut.

Here’s what I mean: by maintaining the “figure it out” mindset you cut yourself off from ideas, concepts, resources, contacts, and networks that make achieving your goals (and dreams) much easier and require less effort to attain. Instead, seek out the opinions, advice, referrals, leads, strategies, and other materials and people that can help you. This is an active opening on your part, where you aren’t sitting around waiting for things to be delivered to you. Rather, you’re out there in a number of ways, always keeping your antennae alert for the best opportunities. It will take a little practice to weed out the so-so opportunities from the really good ones, but that’s part of the process, and you never know who you’ll meet along the way.

Below are some methods for actively opening the door for opportunities:

Get out: Attend meetings and conferences in your industry or areas of interest, including small local groups as well as national or international meetings.

Google it: Research on the internet, and follow leads, no matter what your goal is. Allow yourself to go down a few rabbit holes when it seems appropriate, See who is doing what, and how, what current trends are, and how you might tweak that info for your own personality and needs.

Get advice: contact people who are doing similar things and ask for their advice, for contact information of others who might be helpful, for resources they suggest. Email them and just ask. Sure, some won’t answer, but people are often flattered and happy to help. You don’t need to follow their advice, but it can spark ideas and enthusiasm you didn’t have before.

Give of yourself: volunteer your time and effort (in reasonable doses and depending upon your other commitments and dedication to your goal) toward an organization or initiative related to your goal/dream. This puts you in contact with all the latest developments, the movers and shakers, those in positions of influence, as well as openings and opportunities that may help you reach your goal more swiftly.

Gab about it: talk with people you respect, those who are likely to be supportive, friends/relatives/acquaintances/neighbors accomplishing their own goals and dreams, and ask for their perspectives and ongoing support, in whatever small way (just asking you how it’s going, for example) they might be willing to offer.

Devote 1 to 4 hours a week to widening your net and putting yourself in the path of opportunity in these ways, depending on your schedule.

Try one or two of these ideas, and email me about your experience!

Wishing you optimal procrastivity,

Kerul

Kerul Kassel, Author of Productive Procrastination - Make It Work For You, Not Against You and the award-winning Stop Procrastinating Now - Five Radical Procrastination Strategies To Set You Free



KERUL IN BUSINESS WEEK!

It took a few months to make it to publication, but an interview I did with a reporter from Business Week has finally come out. I was asked to play played devil’s advocate about entrepreneurs taking vacations. I have to say that this article doesn’t present my balanced view of the need for and the benefit of vacations, but the article as a whole does present a balanced view.

Here’s the article at the Business Week site:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_68/s0808074587262.htm

and here it is on my website:


http://www.productiveprocrastinationbook.com/Business-Week-Kerul-Kassel.html

Enjoy!