We stay in the fixing to, about to, just missed it, next year, next time, space and we think we are making progress because we saw the boat passing by?

WTH?

For some of us, that short term mentality is ingrained in us. We are surprised when we get our utility bill each month as if we didn’t know it’s coming. We are surprised when opportunities keep passing us by, even though we saw the email with the deadline 4 times. And each year, each month, after each opportunity has slipped away, we’re the main one singing “ when is the next one”?

I’m sure we all remember what it was like to be the unprepared kid in class when it was time to take a test. We all had the same information and found out about the test at the same time, but we either chose to ignore it all together or wait until the last minute to hurry and try to prepare.

Yep, we’ve all been that kid. Unfortunately, many are now that adult. We’ve perfected the “minute too late” habit when we are FULLY capable of being the early bird, on time, paid in full person on things that we truly want…..

That’s worth repeating, “ On things we truly want CEOs”

But instead, we let everything “happen” to us. We always get caught up with expired registration tags ( this is mine). We always miss the important events we really wanted to go to because when the time comes to pay…. we don’t have the money ready.

This is detrimental to our lives and our businesses. 

Now, I’m not talking to you about something I don’t or didn’t do. I am writing to you from first hand experience and know that we will ALWAYS be last, be playing catch up and getting left behind if we ALWAYS operate on the “getting ready to mentality” instead of hunkering down ( as my mom says) and planning for the long-term .

It can be really difficult to plan for the long-term as an entrepreneur, especially before your business starts to make regular money-monthly. You don’t know what will come in, what idea will work, with consulting contract you may get, etc. etc.

BUT, it can be done with determination and STRONG desire.

When we’re holding back on our ideas and dreams totally or even slightly, and adding another obstacle-like, “ will we be able to afford that in 6 months ?”, gives us another reason and “excuse” to fail.

We MUST stop doing this. We have to totally develop an “AS IF” mentality, working with the mindset like,

“ I’m DOING This and I will freaking run through walls if I have to, to make it happen”.

That’s some mountain moving ish right there. That’s what gets the money made. That’s what gets you to 10 clients this month, when you said you needed 10. That’s the type of thing that entrepreneurial dreams are made of.

Do you have it? Or are you getting ready to have it?

I want to make mention of a few “getting ready to situations” that we MUST stop doing and give you a few “ BREAK FREE from constant tragedy ” questions to ask yourself to get the ball moving.

• If you know you want to attend a conference, mastermind group, take a course, get business consulting, etc. and you have a 6 month head start, start chipping away at that price NOW by saving a little money towards it a month. Whenever someone tells me that they cannot afford our Mastermind Group and we only do 2 teams a year at 6 months apart, I’m always amazed when applications for the next team opens up and they are still not ready. Trust me, we’ve done 4 teams so far over the course of almost 2 years… I’ve had people who were supposed to be on team 1. Start planning ahead and put the money aside.

 

• If you plan or pay ahead for somethings, it can actually be cheaper. Take advantage of the early bird specials. And quit acting like you didn’t see the email. This one would get me all the time. I’m an entrepreneur, so the money in the account is the money in the account, but I’d see a conference and not want to give up the money yet, then let it get too close to the conference date- and not want to pay full price…. Yeah, I’m speaking to a few of you on this. If you truly want to attend something, pay early, sacrifice early, or start putting the money away.

 

• If you are blogging to grow your brand, gain followers, show that you have knowledge, should be known for a particular topic, then don’t expect for folks to start buying from you on blog post 1. Or blog post 20…. It could take a while. But while you are blogging, blogging, learning, educating yourself on the best ways to blog and get your information out there, you are building up equity on Google and if you do it right ( aka take our strategy advice) soon, you’ll start to show up when folks are searching for your topic, your skills and your talent. Invest in your audience for the long-term and stay ready with opportunities for them to work with you.

 

• When marketing and branding yourself through social media, think long-term. It is VERY difficult to get results on social media quickly. Don’t start marketing and trying to build a platform once you have an event or new product. Folks can smell that digital setup from a mile away. UNLESS you sell retail/makeup/fun stuff, people take longer to buy serious items, or things that they need. Crazy right? But the person hosting the FREE full of information webinar about how to get your retirement accounts in order, will struggle to fill his webinar, but the person hosting the makeup party will be booked. Think long-term with social media branding. I just started getting serious about Women CEO’s social media strategy in 2010. It took until about 2012, for me to start getting serious calls about consulting and speaking gigs.

 

• When you have short term plans without long term strategy you always feel unfocused. You don’t seem to get much done, and you’re always ready to hop on the next new thing. You are not anchored down to anything… Ever feel like that? This is because you don’t have a strong purpose, a strong plan, and a conviction to get you there. You are thinking about how to make the next dollar, and this type of mentality won’t carry you. How can you stay ready if you’re always jumping ship to the next thing?

Questions to Prepare Now

1. What conferences or events do I want to attend for the remaining of 2014?

   1. How much do they cost? How much would I need to save up monthly to attend?

2. How much does it costs to actually hire a coach or consultant?

   1. How much do I need to save each month or from my income tax to pay for the first 3 sessions?

3. How much does it costs to finally write that book?

   1. Have I interviewed designers?

   2. Have I gotten quotes for an interviewed designers? Editors? What’s my total price?

   3. Knowing my total price and adding in 5% extra for just in case, what do I need to save or put aside to write my book?

4. How much does it cost for that mastermind, group I want to join or course I want to buy? What is the day that it opens up? Knowing the date it opens, I have how many months to save to join or purchase this program? Then, how much do I need to put aside a month?

5. What can I work on or plan for today to set myself and my business up tomorrow?

6. Is there something you want? Do you happen to have the money now? PAY FOR IT NOW!

 

This is how I want you to begin to prepare and plan for the things you say that you truly want. I cannot respect it from myself, anyone else, nor should you respect it from yourself, if you always let events “happen” to you, pass you by, or KEEP getting caught off guard.

Today, I want you to ask yourself, where you want to be, where you want to go, and what you need to get there. Then create a plan to make it happen.

Nothing is too big. Nothing is too far. I don’t care if your plan is to go to the moon. Start getting quotes for shuttles now. 

 

That life you say you want, let’s start planning for it now. Inbox me here and let’s roll.