March 9th, 2010 by Jim Donovan
There is a wonderful story about the famous escape artist, Harry Houdini that illustrates this theme. As the story goes, the great Houdini often boasted about how he could escape from any confinement or jail cell. One day, he was challenged by the keeper of a new, high tech, high security jail purported to be escape proof.
Houdini accepted the challenge and was given a specific amount of time to complete this seemingly impossible task. Poor Harry tried everything with no success. He attempted to pick and manipulate the lock and every other trick he knew. The lock did not budge.
After many hours, with his body drenched in sweat, he collapsed against the door, which immediately fell open. You see, it had never been locked in the first place.
It was all in his mind! The great Houdini was held prisoner by his own thoughts. His thinking kept him from breaking out of the jail cell. He believed the door was locked, believed it would be difficult to open and, sure enough, it was.
How many of us are held prisoner by our own thoughts? How many times do we create our own “jails” in our minds? How many things have you wanted to do but did not because you thought you would fail?
Are your thoughts and beliefs keepingyou a prisoner in your own mind?
What are some of the things you want to do? Do you want to have a new relationship, lose weight, learn a sport, dance, sing, start a business, travel? What’s stopping you? What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
Why not just go for it and see what happens? Instead of being worried you might fail, why not ask, what if I succeed? Remember the statement made by Henry Ford who said, Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.
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February 26th, 2010 by Jim Donovan
You’re probably asking yourself, “Why would anyone want to push their goals away?” After all, goals represent what we want in our lives, right? It would seem so but in reality, we often set ourselves up to fail every time we think about a goal or something we want to have or do in our lives.
Mary thinks to herself, “I would really like to write my book” (the goal). Then, instead of basking in the good feelings associated with that worthy ideal, the very next thought that comes into her mind is “How will I ever do it? I have to take care of the kids and all. I barely have time to eat much less write a book.”
She has literally pushed the goal away in her mind even before it had a chance to settle in.
Fred thinks, “I’d really like to drop a few pounds and get in better shape” (the goal). Then, before his sub-conscious has a chance to work on attracting the goal to him, he thinks, “That will be hard and will take up even more of my time. I don’t have enough time as it is now.”
The two cases above are typical examples of how we often push our goals away, usually before they even have time to germinate.
You think to yourself, “I’d like a new car.” The very next thought is, “That’s ridiculous! I can’t even afford the car I have now.” If you want to live a magical life, attract your goals to you and have everything you want in life, you must change this reaction.
Whenever the little voice in your head rears its ugly head, tell it to sit down and be quiet. You must silence the negative, limiting thoughts in your mind. Even if your goal is totally outrageous, you must remain open to the possibilities of achieving it if you intend to succeed. There will be plenty of time for a “reality check” later.
Exercise – Goal Attraction
When you have a thought about something you want to have, be or do, write it in your journal, in the form of a question. For example, in the case of writing your book, you might write: “What can I do, right now, to begin working on my book?” or in the case of an exercise program, “What can I do, starting today, to begin to get in better shape, reach my ideal weight and enjoy the process?”
Do It Daily
Invest fifteen or twenty minutes each day thinking about your goal and asking yourself how you might accomplish it. Jot down whatever pops up into your mind. Even if an idea seems absurd, write it down anyway.
This simple technique has been used successfully by some of the greatest achievers throughout history. People like Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford used this simple technique.
They called it, “sitting for ideas.” Whatever you choose to call it, it is well worth the time you spend doing it. You will find that the first couple of days are easy. You come up with al the logical ways to do what it is you want to accomplish. After about the third or fourth day, however, you may begin to run out of ideas.
Don’t Give Up
Don’t quit. Just sit for your allotted time period and let your sub-conscious mind feed you ideas. You may have a thought “pop into” your consciousness. You will surely uncover creative ways to accomplish your goal.
If you do this simple exercise for thirty days, you’ll have an arsenal of creative ideas from which to draw and you’ll be on your way to attracting your most cherished goal.
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February 25th, 2010 by Jim Donovan
It has been said that a person will not reach their full potential unless coached. While this may or may not be entirely true, it does hit on a key benefit to coaching, especially for small and solo business owners.
Typically, a small business owner, particularly a solo practitioner, works in a vacuum. They rarely have someone to share ideas with, much less talk about their fears or concerns. Aside from the few who belong to a mastermind group, most have no objective help to expand their ideas or as a way to gain a different perceptive on their business.
Small business people who are not working with someone in the capacity of a coach are missing out on one of their greatest opportunities for growth. Those savvy people who do engage the services of a coach who specializes in working with small businesses have a distinctive advantage over their competition.
Choosing Your Coach
With some many people entering the field choosing your ideal coach can be a daunting task. The single most important characteristic, in my opinion, is that you and the coach have rapport first as people, then as client and coach. I don’t care how many certifications someone has, if you don’t feel good about working with them, it will never work.
Next, I would suggest that if it’s your business that you want help with you choose a coach who specializes in working with small businesses.
I was once hired to coach a high-level sales executive and when I asked why he chose me out of the several people he interviewed; his reply was “because you’re the only one who actually has had sales experience.”
Personally, I feel that a coach who has business experience will bring more value to the relationship then one who has not.
Conversely, I would not choose a business coach to help me with a fitness or a relationship challenge.
The field of personal coaching has evolved over the years from the “life” coaches who worked with a variety of clients, to more specialized ones who choose to work in a specific niche, typically chosen because of the coaches experience in that niche.
Over the years, coach training schools have focused their programs on niches and offer additional training, beyond the basics, in business, health, and relationship coaching.
A really top coach, however, will get involved in several areas of your business and life. If for example, all your time is spent at work and you’re neglecting your health and family relationships, your coach, hopefully, will work with you to bring that back into balance. There is little point in having a successful business if the rest of your life is falling apart.
It is my heart felt suggestion, based on a decade of coaching small business owners and two decades of being in my own business, that if you really want to reach your full potential, you need a coach who can help you step out of your comfort zone and grow your business or professional practice.
How coaching works
Typically, a coach works one-on-one with clients or in a small group setting. For the most part, coaching is conducted by telephone although some of us like in-person meetings when the situation lends itself and, with the advent of video conferencing services like Skype, it’s possible to combine the two.
Coaching relationships last an average of six months although many continue much longer. If the reason for the relationship is a specific task, like publishing a book for example, the relationship may only last until the project is completed.
What does it cost?
While coaching fees vary widely most coaches are open to creating a program that will fit the needs and budget of the client. If finances are what’s preventing someone from hiring a coach, exploring group programs may be the answer, however, the experience of group coaching, while valuable, is not the same as having your own coach. It’s less personal, your time is shared with others, and it lacks the confidentiality of individual sessions.
Group coaching programs are well suited if everyone in the group is working on a similar task or project. A group geared toward people starting their own business, for example, would be quite valuable since group members can share ideas and knowledge.
Whatever method best suits your present circumstances, hiring your own coach is one of the best investments you can make in the future success of your business and will go a long way toward your realizing your full potential.
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February 1st, 2010 by Jim Donovan
“I have every right to be angry!” How many times have you said this or something similar? You rant on in righteous anger about how so and so or such and such wronged you or how “they” should do something about ___________.
You’ll defend your position no matter what the cost. You’ll tell anyone who will listen your tale of woe, and if you are lucky, you can even get a group of people talking about your issues.
It’s easy. All you have to do is start to complain about some injustice, real or imagined, and before too long, other people will join in. They’ll emphasize with you and may even add their own story to fuel the fire. If you doubt this, just listen to almost any group of people discussing a current issue.
There is one problem with this entire scenario. The injustices that you are talking about; the bad service you received in a restaurant or whatever is the source of your anger, you are in a vibrational match to the negative situation.
You’re vibrating in harmony with something you do not want and from that point of attraction, you can only attract more of it.
But, you argue, I have to talk about it. Maybe, maybe not but, this is important; you do not have to dwell on the situation. While there may not be anything wrong with expressing anger, there is absolutely no value in maintaining this emotional state.
Whenever you are in a heightened emotional state, good or bad, you are attracting the same or similar conditions.
Knowing this, why would you want to keep replaying a negative situation? Acknowledge the situation, maybe even allow yourself to feel angry or upset by it, but then move on. Reach for a thought that feels better than the one you’re thinking. Replaying unpleasant events from the past has absolutely no value in the present moment. All it will do is keep you stuck and recreate more of the same.
Remaining angry at someone was like letting them live “rent free” in your head.
The next time you find yourself in a situation that can set you off, acknowledge it and then let it go. Either find something good in the situation or just replace the thought with a thought of something you do want.
Simply go, in your mind, to some place, real or imagined, that feels good and remain there for about 30 seconds basking in the good feelings. That is usually sufficient to change your emotional state to one that is more productive. Remember the wise suggestion from the Abraham Hicks work; the most important thing is that you feel good.
It’s really that simple. If you are feeling good, everything is flowing and you are attracting your desires. Anything less, and you are shortchanging yourself.
Remember, “As you sow, so shall you reap.” Bible, Galatians VI
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January 18th, 2010 by Jim Donovan
Martin Luther King said “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyhow.” What would you do if you knew you would not fail? So many people have a dream, something they have always wanted to do, but do not even attempt it because they are afraid they may not successful.
Others have put their dreams on hold in order to pursue raising a family or having a career. Fortunately, as we age, we reach a point we’re realizing our dreams become something we can do.
Many people I know have left their big corporate careers either taking an early retirement, by being downsized and tossed out against their will, or by just deciding, they’re not going to take it anymore and just quitting. My wife Georgia left her executive career in telecommunications to follow her own passions. Having a life long love of fashion and style and wanting to do something fun, she took a position as a makeup artist for the top makeup company in the world.
Instead of spending her days in endless company meetings running to catch yet another plane, she counsels other women and helps them take better care of themselves and look their best, a job that gives her tremendous personal satisfaction.
Have you abandoned your dream because it hasn’t happened yet? Remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it.”
Recommit to your dream, start seeing it as having happened and, one day, sooner than you think, you will realize it is in your life.
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January 14th, 2010 by Jim Donovan
While most of us would like to experience more abundance in our lives, we become conflicted by the mixed messages we receive from society and the media.
We are steadily bombarded with messages telling us that, in order to be happy, we have to be driving a certain type of automobile, look a certain way, wear a particular brand of clothing, and so on. We are told that, in order to be a success, we must earn a certain amount of money.
On the other side of the coin, we are being given negative messages about wealth. The news media loves to tell, in great detail, stories about business leaders who are greedy and going to jail or the latest antics of some overindulged celebrity.
The problem is that, as we are being fed a not-so-subtle message that rich people are bad, we are told through advertising, that in order to be happy you need to be rich.
With our natural tendency to want to be decent people, it’s easy to see why so many of people are confused and, often, sabotage their best efforts.
So, how do we change this?
We do it, like most things in life, one step at a time.
One simple way is to find new references for what wealth represents to you. For example, two of my favorite authors, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, tithe a percentage of sales from their hugely successful Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books to charity. This is just one great example of sharing the wealth. Personally, I’ve been tithing for years and, as a result, watched my own success grow.
There are more people doing good with their wealth than the other type. These are the “Enlightened Millionaires,” as defined by MV Hansen and Robert Allen in One Minute Millionaire. Their definition is a person who comes from abundance, adds massive value, gives back and leaves a lasting legacy. What more could anyone ask for?
Next, begin to see yourself as a positive, generous, wealthy person. Affirm, “I am wealthy and use my wealth for good for myself and others.”
Get used to being around the finer things you’d like to attract into your life. For example, if you want a luxury automobile, start getting used to the idea by going to a dealership. There’s no charge for walking around the dealer’s showroom. As a mater of fact, you can usually get a complimentary cup of coffee there:-)
If you want to upgrade your wardrobe, you can begin by spending time shopping in better quality stores. As a matter of fact, you can buy expensive clothes for less by shopping the “reduced for clearance” racks, Outlet stores or even high end designer consignment shops. These, by the way, are tricks I learned from my wife:-)
Do something luxurious for yourself.
It does not need to be expensive. Just take some amount of m*ney, whatever you can afford, and splurge on something nice for yourself. It could be something as simple as a manicure or massage, or even an ice cream sundae.
For many people, this can be a major breakthrough. My mother, for example, would never consider spending on herself, although she splurged on her children and grandchildren. Does this sound like you?
While it may be “better to give than to receive,” it’s still pretty nice to receive:-)
If you want to explore this further, join me for my new “Wake up and smell the money” complimentary tele-seminar.
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December 30th, 2009 by Jim Donovan
This is a recording of a talk I gave at the NJ Savvy Living magazine Better Living Expo. It explores how to make the rest of your life, the best of your life. Based on my new book, Dont Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body
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Use the player below to listen to the Podcast
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December 28th, 2009 by Jim Donovan
Several years ago, I began the practice of writing my accomplishments at the end of the year. I borrowed the idea from the corporate world. In most companies, managers are required to submit a list of their accomplishments and objectives annually. This information is used as the basis for performance reviews, raises, and promotions.
I thought, “If it works for them, maybe it will help me.” The sense of personal satisfaction and encouragement I received after doing this once was so great that it has become a regular practice and something I look forward to doing at the start of each new year.
We take so much of what we do for granted, or just shrug it off, saying, “It’s no big deal.” We point to the successes, contributions, and accomplishments of others while overlooking all that we, ourselves, have done.
Only after taking the time to list our own accomplishments and activities do we see that we, too, are making a difference. We realize how much we have actually done in our lives, and this serves to encourage and motivate us to even greater heights.
In your journal, make a list of what you have done in the past year. Include everything you can think of. Where have you vacationed? What plays, movies, or concerts have you seen or attended? What books have you read? What have you done for and with your family? What have you accomplished in your business? What about personal goals? What have you done for yourself? What about your health? Have you lost weight, began exercising, or played a sport? Did you start a business, write a book, or give a speech?
Write down everything you can think of. The more you list, the better. Be sure to list even the seemingly small things.
Seeing all you have done will raise your self-esteem and increase the likelihood that you will accomplish even more in the future. You have probably done much more than you realize, and writing it down will enable you to see just how much you have accomplished.
(Excerpt, 52 Ways to a Happier Life, by Jim Donovan, early 2010 release)
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December 14th, 2009 by Jim Donovan
I want to ask you a serious question.
Did you reach the goals you set for yourself this past year? Remember back to the beginning of 2009. You were excited about the year ahead.
You had dreams and, hopefully, took the time to write your goals in your journal and maybe even developed an action plan to achieve them.
If you did this and are fully satisfied with your results, congratulations.
If not, ask yourself why. You had the best of intentions. You were motivated but, yet, for some reason, life got in the way.
I understand. It’s happened to all of us at one time or another.
One reason so many people are living what seems like the same year, over and over again, is simply because they don’t have a coach.
That’s it. The secret is out!
I’ll tell you one thing I know as sure as I know my own name. If you had worked with me as your coach over this past year, you’d be closer to your goals than you are now.
How do I know this? Simple, I’ve been coaching people for over a decade and have the results to back it up.
Just ask the aspiring authors I worked with who are now successfully published and living their dream. One recently hit #7 on the New York Times bestseller list.
Or you could ask the realtor I coached who wrote that in his 16 years in the business, he had his best year when we were working together.
You could ask the small business owners who I helped launch products, develop additional revenue streams, create joint ventures, and open new markets, they had not even considered before. You could ask the small publisher who added $9,000 to her monthly income.
How am I able to do this? What makes me so different from other coaches?
Simple, in addition to my more than 10 years as a coach and my certification in a Law of Attraction coaching program specifically for businesses, I have more than 30 years servicing small to mid-sized business clients. This means I have worked with companies in dozens of different industries and bring this experience to my work with each of my clients.
Let me ask you this: What will you do to make sure 2010 is the year you go for your dreams?
Here are a couple of things you can do to insure your success:
For starters, get a coach. If not me, get someone else or, at the very least, have an “accountability” partner to work with to keep you on track.
Next, make a habit of reading and listening to personal development information daily. In addition to books and audio’s, I’d suggest you subscribe to Success Magazine. It’s a great way to keep your attitude positive and continue learning throughout the year.
If you do want to consider working with me as your coach, send me an email and tell me a little about yourself and what you’d like to achieve this year.
Do it now because, you deserve to have the life you desire and, besides, in 2010 I am only working with a small number of people.
You deserve to live the life of your dreams but no one does it alone. Get a coach, work with a team, ask for help.
Create your vision, take inspired action, have faith, and enjoy the journey.
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December 7th, 2009 by Jim Donovan
I’ll admit this is a loaded question. The truth is the Law of Attraction works all the time. It’s always operating in our lives whether or not we’re aware of it. The times we “think” it’s not working tend to be those times when we are not attracting what we say we want.
We have all experienced this at one time or another. You sit each morning and evening visualizing your goal. You really start feeling it in your life. Every cell in your body seems to be vibrating in alignment with your desires, but when all is said and done, that pile of money is not sitting in your lap. “Well” you say, “I guess this doesn’t really work, at least not for me.”
So what happened? Does the law of attraction only work for some people some of the time? Or does it only work for small things, like finding a parking space but not for manifesting a new car? The answer is that the law of attraction works for everything, all of the time but, this is key, we must allow it to operate in our lives.
For example, if I want to attract more people buying my new book, but I am constantly talking about how slow it’s going, I am not in virbrational alignment with my desires.
If I want to attract more wealth but spend my days lamenting about how broke I am, it is unlikely to happen. Be grateful for whatever financial abundance you have. That energy of gratitude will put you in a vibration to attract more of the same, namely more wealth. “To he who has, more is given.”
It’s like a situation, years ago, with a coaching client. She wanted to conduct a seminar about, of all things, the Law of Attraction. She was lamenting to me one day how she “only had three people signed up.” I pointed out that she had three people and that she should be thankful that they showed enough faith in her work to invest their time and money and suggested she focus on that and be grateful for it.
Within a few days, she had several more people and by the day of the event, she had attracted the ideal number of people to fill her seminar. As I’ve said before, if you are praying for rain, carry an umbrella.
Another way we sometimes undo our desires, is by speaking and acting in ways that are inconsistent with what we want. For example, people who are working on attracting more financial wealth, but walking around saying things like “Oh I’d never spend that much for a suit.”
This is one of the reasons why I advise people who want more wealth to get into the energy of luxury. Go visit a four-star hotel or restaurant even if you just buy a cup of coffee, soda, beer or a glass of wine, and get into the feeling of that as your new lifestyle. Start getting comfortable in those surroundings.
If you want finer clothes, walk around the better stores and feel that energy of being around quality merchandise.
If you want to attract a relationship, get off your couch and go where there are people. And, if you do meet someone who is not quite right, don’t use that as an excuse to quit. Acknowledge that, even though this was not your ideal person, you are out meeting people and you’re in an environment to meet your dream mate. These things happen in God’s time, not ours, however, it’s important to never give up. Don’t quit before the miracle happens.
The more you focus on the evidence of what you want in showing up in your life, while being grateful for what you already have, the more you’re in vibrational alignment with your desire and the more likely it will grow.
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There is a wonderful story about the famous escape artist, Harry Houdini that illustrates this theme. As the story goes, the great Houdini often boasted about how he could escape from any confinement or jail cell. One day, he was challenged by the keeper of a new, high tech, high security jail purported to be escape proof.
Tags: beliefs, escape artist, great houdini, Harry Houdini, Henry Ford, impossible task, success, Thoughts
