Every woman entrepreneur has a unique that they bring to their business. Whether you’re in direct sales, or a marketing guru, there are many others who do the same kind of work that you do. However, I firmly believe that there doesn’t need to be a feeling of competition. There’s plenty of opportunity for every entrepreneur for the simple fact that no one can do business like you do.

Once you get your mind wrapped around that mindset, your business can really start to take off in a big way. However, if you’re having trouble with this concept, try this simple exercise:
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Women entrepreneurs face unique challenges. The complexity of our lives demands that we take care of ourselves, because we can’t afford to let ourselves break down. We depend on ourselves and so many depend on us as well.

We’ve made commitments to our families and business. There may also be volunteer projects we’re involved with. And the older we get, the more attention we absolutely have to pay to our physical health and energy. No matter how busy you are, don’t you find you’re better able to cope with the stresses of life when you go for a walk, take your vitamins, drink more water or do whatever it is that you’ve found effective to keep your energy high? (more…)

This week I was interviewed twice and both women asked me why I’m called the Get it Done Girl. What I shared is that last year I stepped into my gift and began doing something that comes easily to me – I get things done easily.

The truth is I’ve always gotten things done quickly but I’d never paid much attention to it. It’s kind of just what I do. (more…)

“Belief is the bridge between your dreams and your dreams coming true.”

What you believe as an entrepreneur believes will affect your habits. Then the cycle continues. Your habits will affect your choices, your behavior, and your decisions.

Belief is incredibly powerful. “If you expect to fail, in most cases you already have.” How many days have you woken up in a bad mood, thought bad thoughts and bad things happened? (more…)

I really appreciate your great responses to my blog on “time vampires” recently, so I want share with you some more ideas.

Rather than specific tips this time, I’m focusing more on the root causes of “time vampires”. If you can identify your own mindset issues that lead to the “time vampires”, then you can make better decisions to help you to get the important things done. Here are some of them:

• Lack of direction. If you don’t have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish in life and business you can waste so much time aimlessly pecking away at this or that project without really getting anything done.

• Limiting Beliefs. Here’s a doozy: “To be a good wife and mom I have to keep a spotless house and make gourmet meals.” Perfectionism isn’t only a problem in business. It can manifest itself in all areas of life.

• Lack of organization. Do you feel like you’re so overwhelmed and tired trying to keep up with everything? You can have so many great things you want to accomplish and by trying to do them all today you can burn out.

How can you readjust your mindset?

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What does it take to be an expert? Or at least to feel like you’re an expert?

I’ve been reflecting on this question a lot lately as I see people holding themselves from moving forward because they think they don’t know enough to do that thing they want to do.

I have had many coaches and mentors throughout my career. I have read many books. I have taken many classes. I have purchased and used the content from many information products. Needless to say there’s a lot of stuff in my brain. (more…)

Entrepreneurs – especially women – get into business to provide value, make money and have fun in the process. And everything we read, hear and see convinces us that we made the right choice. But the part that’s rarely discussed is the “dark side” of entrepreneurship.

What I mean by that is the isolation we feel, or spending too much time looking at what others are doing and losing yourself in the process, and the stress of external voices questioning when you are finally going to make it.

You can’t ignore the dark side, however, there are much healthier ways to address these issues so you can move forward.

My business girlfriend Laura West, founder of Center for Joyful Business shares tools that I just love for creating awareness and shifting your energy quickly. The following suggestions come from an article she wrote on this topic:

• Morning and Evening Journaling – This doesn’t have to involve pages of witty writing. A simple list of what’s happening and how you feel will do. This reminds you to check in with your mindset, thoughts and emotions. Creating awareness of what’s going on for you twice a day will reinforce the importance of checking in with yourself. The awareness alone will create shifts in your energy and ability to shift into a more life-enhancing place if you need to.

• Conscious Breathing – Whenever you notice that you feel anxious and the gremlin is having a chat party inside, just the simple act of breathing consciously can help shift your energy. Consciously and in a relaxed way (not forced) – breathe in to receive, and breathe out to release.

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Most women begin as entrepreneurs because of a passion and a desire for a certain lifestyle.  We know we have something of value to share with our communities, so we pour our hearts into getting our wisdom out there and using our gifts to generate the revenue that we want and need.

However, haven’t you had times when you’re doing all the right things (the marketing, the writing, the speaking etc.) and you still feel stuck?  You feel like you’re not getting where you want to go?

I know I have.

And, what I’ve found to be the issue is rarely the external circumstances but something deep inside.  Something that’s keeping me smaller than I know I want to be.

Limiting beliefs are what you believe to be true about yourself but really aren’t true at all.  Maybe you’ve got beliefs that that you’re the fat girl, or that other people make money, not you, or that to make X happen you have to do Y,

Your thinking gets in your way. It stops you from taking the next step. It’s the limiting beliefs that we think about ourselves, that we rarely share, and may not even know consciously know, that keep us small.

Truth is, if you’re not getting where you want to go, the best place to look is in the mirror.  This is a challenge that we as entrepreneurs face since the growth of our business is dependent on how we’re being and presenting ourselves to others.

How can you shift your thinking from the negative to the positive so that your energies and efforts are lined up to grow your business and connect with more people?

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Guest post by Frederique Murphy

Your success is all about you having the right mindset. Before you can get to work on developing the right mindset, though, you have to understand what it is. Only when you clearly understand it can you become fully aware of your own.

Think of your mindset as your philosophy of life. It drives every single thing that you do in your life and in your business. Your current mindset is derived from a combination of factors – your background, culture, education, upbringing, religious beliefs – everything that has gone into creating the way you view life is part of yours.

Notice that I mentioned your current mindset. I’ve used that word deliberately, to show that it is something you can change. And in order to change something, you first need to know exactly where it is, so that you can shift it to where you want it to be.

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Growing up I couldn’t throw a ball very well. My dad went as far as to say I threw like a chicken. He was a die-hard Yankee fan, and when we went to games I had more fun watching the fans and noticing what people were wearing.

Fast forward to me as an adult with a 10-year old baseball-playing boy and my experience of the game has really changed.  It’s the one time of the day when I let the rest of my world go and enjoy the experience of his game, my spring baseball friends, and an opportunity to be present to what’s going on. I also realize that the lessons he’s learning on the field are very similar to the ones I’m learning in business.

Beck and I recently had a conversation about what makes a player good versus great. Assuming two players have equivalents skill sets, I believe the great player has the tools to shift his mindset and to visualize what he wants for himself. It’s the great player who when faced with adversity (pitching a bad game, going into the last inning losing or being injured) has to rally from somewhere deep inside to pull it together, know they want to win, and do whatever it takes.

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