Finding Motivation to Make the Most Out of Every Day

The misconceptions that are associated with being an entrepreneur shock me sometimes. Whenever someone asks me the question "so what do you do?" And when I answer with "I run and operate my own business," the most common response I hear is, "Wow...you must be really busy", which I've learned really translates into: "Wow...you must have no life."

Yes, I can say from firsthand experience that being an entrepreneur comes with a certain territory, a certain level of expectations, and definitely a certain personality to be successful...and unfortunately, one of those expectations is making personal sacrifices. My personal secret? I have excellent time management ability...and I'm highly motivated. I do believe that one of the crucial personality characteristics to be a successful entrepreneur is motivation. If you aren't motivated or disciplined, then you will find it difficult to reach your goals.

It is true that some believe entrepreneurial skills can be taught, that they can be learned through experience and education. And a big part of this is true. But some also believe what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur lies within inborn personality characteristics, and in both strengths and weaknesses. What do you think?

 Furthermore, each personality trait (positive and negative) plays a part in our behavior. It affects how we work, what motivates us, and how we succeed as entrepreneurs. For example, some are motivated by rewards or incentives, some are motivated by advanced opportunities, and others are motivated by social acceptance and personal feelings.

All in all, regardless of who you are, what you do, or how you learn and work, there is one thing in common: Being an entrepreneur means making the most out of every day. But we get it. Everyone has those “slump” days (or even weeks...) when it's tough to get anything done. You don't feel like making that phone call, or running that errand or going to that appointment, sitting in that meeting, or spending another waking minute staring blankly at your laptop or tablet screen. Everyone has days like this. But, at the end of that day, we still have to conduct business...or we don't eat. So how can you ensure that you get the most out of every day?

 Start the day off right. It’s true that starting the day off right can make all the difference. It sets the tone for the day. But how you choose to start your day can vary from person to person, because ultimately we are talking about different personalities here. This could mean getting up early, taking the dog for a walk, or having a good breakfast for one, and exercising, checking email, and mentally preparing for the day for another. Whatever gets you going in the morning, focus on that and make it your goal to start off every day that way.

If you struggle to get up early each morning, then find out what motivates you to get out of bed. Maybe you have a pet that makes sure you are out of bed at a certain hour. Maybe it’s setting the alarm on your phone to your favorite song, or the post-it notes you leave on your nightstand the night before. Maybe it’s the sound or smell of freshly brewing coffee. Whatever motivates you to get out of bed, make it happen.

 Get organized, and get going. A little organization can go a long way. If this is what gets you going, then spend each morning over coffee or breakfast getting organized and planning your day. Some entrepreneurs claim they can’t focus until they feel organized, whether that is mentally or physically. Maybe this means organizing your work space, or cleaning up your cluttered email inbox. Even just spending a few minutes getting organized each morning will give you that little boost of accomplishment to set the tone for the rest of the day.

Some successful entrepreneurs claim they spend the first two hours of every day "IN" their business. This doesn't mean answering email, listening to or responding to messages, or anything administrative, this means actually thinking, brainstorming, and working on your VISION.

 Live for the Night... If you are more of an evening entrepreneur than a morning entrepreneur, why not spend the evening before planning for the next day? This may mean leaving a to-do list before you leave the office, organize your work space for the next morning, or focusing on something that motivates you before you go to bed. Studies have actually shown that the information or activities you complete the evening before can actually stay in your mind, even convert to knowledge, and the output is creative ideas the next morning.

Of course, we can’t control it all…but as entrepreneurs, we would like to. However, there are always going to be obstacles, challenges, and just things that go wrong. We can’t always avoid them, but we can choose to make the best out of them and learn from them. Each and every entrepreneur has his or her own personality, working and learning style and ways they go about doing business. The key here is to find out what makes your entrepreneurial mind “tick”, and how to go about boosting that to make the most out of every day.

Image credit: © Pixelbliss - Fotolia.com

Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2012 J. H. Language Solutions 

6 Ways to Kill it at Your Next Meeting

How do you react when you receive a meeting invite? One of the first questions that comes to mind is most likely, "Why do I need to go to this?" You're not alone.

There is good news, however: Meetings don't have to be this way. So how can entrepreneurs run better meetings to not only ensure that team members are engaged, but that they are actually getting something out of the meeting and find them valuable? ...Which can be the most frustrating part.  

1. It's not always the WHAT, it's the HOW. Regardless of what you are trying to accomplish or get across in a meeting, it's the how that’s important. Each topic you wish to go over should be tailored to each learning style attending and participating in the meeting. For example, it's a good idea to present visual aids, be them hard copies or electronic documents, and share them with the group. This approach will engage your visual learners.

Furthermore, having an open-ended conversation, Q&A session, or other lecture will appeal to your auditory learners. Remember, these are the folks that are likely going to ask a lot of questions or leave them until the very last second of the meeting. Annoying? Maybe a little...but keep in mind they aren't trying to be.

Finally, your tactile learners are going to be the fidgety bunch that won't be able to sit still. Asking them to participate in a hands-on activity will cure the "fidgety-ness". If there isn't enough time allotted for an activity, then having pens or pads of paper available on a conference room table will be enough to keep them busy. 

2. Interpersonalize. Yeah, I just made up that word right there. Interpersonal communication skills are one of the most important entrepreneurial or project management skills. Paying attention to words, emotions, and body language can have a huge impact on how you direct your message to your team, as well as each individual member. Not only is important to pay attention to your team member's communication style and behavior when he or she asks you a question, but it's also important to keep in mind how YOU react to them, with your own communication style and behavior. This can also help you when resolving conflict or having a difficult conversation with a team member. Again, same as above applies here: "It's not always about WHAT you say, it's HOW you say it."

3. Set an agenda...and stick to it. One of the most annoying things we encounter in a meeting is when conversations veer off course and even open up into other topics. Then, suddenly we are out of time, and not only did we not address what we called the meeting for, but team members leave or get off the phone thinking: "Well THAT was pointless", or worse, with the same unanswered questions as before. Avoid this viral spiral by allotting a time limit for each topic you would like to cover. If more time is needed on a certain topic, then schedule a follow up session for later on or leave room for some flexibility in your schedule or agenda for an open-ended or informal discussion. 

4. Lights, Camera...Action! So how do you know if anyone really got anything out of a meeting? Assign tasks for each member before closing. And, no, this isn't micromanaging...as long as you keep that in check. The key here is motivation, not micromanagement.

Be sure to also assign yourself your own action items. This will make team members feel like you are on the same playing field with them and that you are a true leader. Each team member should be fully aware and have a clear understanding of their tasks and responsibilities before the next meeting. 

5. What have I worked on since the last meeting? Prior to meeting again, whether that is in a few days or a week depending on the project or availability, each team member should discuss with the team what they worked on since the last meeting or what they accomplished. This will help keep goals and tasks focused and centered, and will also avoid veering off topic and running out of time...indubitably everyone's favorite thing. It will also keep the air positive throughout the meeting.

6. Informal Communication is REALLY Okay... Many entrepreneurs or project managers are worried about keeping their communication style professional. While this is a great course of measure, sometimes keeping things formal ALL the time can do more harm than good. Allowing informal communication among your team is okay too. This will allow you to be approachable, trustworthy, and dependable to your team. You want team members to be open with you, talk to you about concerns, and feel comfortable opening up to you. Team members stick around, feel productive and happy, and sometimes even enjoy work if they have a manager they are comfortable with and can trust.

So that wasn't so bad, was it? The moral of the story here is that with a little planning, organization, time management, communication, and a little extra emphasis on appealing to the various learning styles, a meeting doesn't have to be a horrible experience.


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Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2012 J. H. Language Solutions  

The 3 Learning Styles and What They Should Mean to You

Have you ever sat in a meeting, lecture, or class, and think to yourself, "I have NO idea what anyone is talking about, or what I'm reading about"? We've probably all been there at least once in your life. The worst part about that is how stupid we feel in that situation. You can't help but think "everyone is getting this but me." It's a horrible feeling, no doubt about it. But what if it's not all you?

The truth is everyone has a learning style. Recognizing that learning style is also critical to your professional success as well as how you function as an individual. There is no "right" or "wrong" learning style, nor does one mean you are smarter over the other. It's just how you learn. The different types of learners include visual, auditory, and tactical. What kind of learner are you?

Visual Learners. Visual learners rely on visual aids, such as charts, graphs, concept maps, or even prefer reading material at their own pace in order to learn and intake information. So the team members in a meeting, training presentation, or class that may seem like they aren’t paying attention, probably really are, but will most likely read up on meeting notes, review the presentation slides or hand outs, or study on their own time and at their own pace.

Auditory Learners. Auditory learners prefer listening and participating in lectures, class discussions, meetings, and other group projects by asking questions as opposed to reading material. Some leaders or lecturers may find that the “talkers” in the group are often the people that wait until a minute before the close of a meeting to ask 100 questions. Be patient…those are just the auditory learners that are speaking up and feeding their own learning style and habits.

Tactical Learners. Tactical learners, also known as kinesthetic learners, are doers. They are the fidgety, hands-on, “I need to just DO this” kind of people. These are the individuals that might doodle or fidget in meetings or class that others might find annoying or distracting. They are in fact listening and taking in the information, but they prefer to do it and get their hands on it rather than listen to it.

By recognizingand understanding each learning style, we just learned a whole lot more about ourselves, and maybe even our class mates or coworkers, didn't we? Now that we understand each learning style a little bit better, how does this knowledge make us better students, employees, leaders, entrepreneurs, or even parents? It allows us to tailor how we teach, speak to, or support another, be it a class mate, a friend, a child, a coworker, or a team member.

For example, you are a manager and one of your team members is Joe. Joe is a visual learner. He visits your office or calls you up and asks a question that may require some training or in-depth explanation, how do you show Joe what to do? If Joe is standing in your office or is on the phone, you can verbally explain to him what to do, and then you might follow up with an email with those same instructions after your conversation. You can also email him charts or slides from a training presentation for his review. This way, Joe, who may not have taken in every single word you said when you spoke to him, but that doesn't necessarily mean he didn’t listen, but now he has an email from you to read on his own once he tackles his task.

Those of you who are managers or entrepreneurs who might be reading this might think this is borderline micromanagement. It isn’t. It’s not about doing team members’ jobs for them, or breathing down their necks to get it done, it’s rather about recognizing individual learning styles. Just like any manager would recognize a team member’s strengths and weaknesses, this is taking it one step further and reaching a team member in the way that they learn best.

So let's go back to the meeting or class and the moment you realize you feel stupid. What was it about that environment or how the content was presented that you feel like really didn't do it for you? Maybe it was too boring to sit and listen to someone blab? Or maybe the presentation itself was too hard to see from where you were sitting. Or maybe the subject material itself just doesn't hold your interest. Regardless of the reason, just because you don't understand something or having a hard time following doesn't necessarily mean it's a reflection on your intelligence or intellectual level. It's just your learning style.

Image credit: © iQoncept - Fotolia.com

Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2012 J. H. Language Solutions 

3 Small and Easy Ways to Find Job Purpose

Everyone has a job. Well, unless you are blessed with not having to work, or maybe you choose to do volunteer work, or maybe you are a stay-at-home parent (which is probably the hardest job of all!) it is true that most of us have a job. We need a source of income. We need that paycheck. And we probably even need benefits. But at what point does a person settle for just any job and feels okay with it just being, well, that? How many people do you know have actually found not only a job that they like, but one that also has meaningful job purpose?

Passion is Fashion. Project managers, for example, are proactive go-getters that have an innate ability and personality to plan, organize, set goals, and just get things done. I can say this here because I am one. However, each and every individual has a burning passion within them. It's that fire that allows them to achieve what they want to. However, passion needs to come from inspiration and motivation. Each individual needs to find what heir "fire" is, what gets them excited to set goals, make things happen, and strive for success. In order to keep that fire burning, there needs to be fuel. The fuel, in this case, is job purpose.

It's really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day minutiae and boring details of any job, but it's important to remember what and who is it that you are working for. Of course, as we mentioned above, your "purpose" could be a paycheck, going on a dream vacation, or buying a new car, maybe you have children to raise, or maybe you just can't survive without an income. We all have our reasons for working, but are those reasons enough? Maybe. But wouldn't it be great to work for something greater? Now you can, with finding job purpose. Find that purpose, give it fuel, and make it happen for yourself…because you are worth it.

Make it Personal. One of the unwritten rules of working for a living is that we should never take things personally. It's just a job, it's not your life. While this can be true, sometimes giving projects or areas of your job your own personal touch can be quite rewarding. Each individual's personality plays a huge role how they work, of course. Each job requires a certain level of creativity, whether that's how you provide customer service and speak to clients, how you organize yourself, how you relate to coworkers, or even how you get your job done. The psychology behind how we work is both an art and a science. That level of creativity is an individual's own personal touch, which is also what makes you successful and helps you find job purpose.

Make an Impact Every Day. Even if you have the most boring ob known to man (and woman!), I'd bet money that you could still find a way to changes lives with what you do, and how you do it. Approach is key here. The point is also to find how you can help and impact another's life (regardless of how small or insignificant it may seem) and keep that goal in the front of your mind each day you go into work. 

What if your job doesn't involve working with people or the public? What if you work in a warehouse or stock shelves? Even if your job or area of expertise doesn’t change lives directly, you can focus your energy towards a coworker or supplier you may have a great working relationship with. A "hello, how are you?" and a smile in the hallway can make a bigger and more positive impact than what you might think. It will make getting up and going to work each day that much more rewarding.

But at the end of the day (literally), work is work. Working for a living is tough, and I bet most of us would choose to not do it. It's true that some jobs are more challenging than others, some are enjoyable, but at the end of the day, it's all still work. However, your willingness and effort to seek out and find job purpose really can make all the difference. Analyze your job as it is now, and find out how you can add your own personal touch, fuel your passion, and really strive to do something great each day.


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Written content: © 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 J. H. Language Solutions 

Being Thankful

The holidays are upon us. Some of us feel excitement while others groan in exasperation because 1) holiday shopping still needs to be done, and/or 2) the holidays mean that another year is almost over, and we are all one year older. Whether you look forward to the holidays or you dread them, for one reason or another, they're here. In the midst of the confusion of shopping, cooking, wrapping, and traveling and dealing with the regular day-to-day routine on top of it all, it's really easy to lose the very essence of what the holidays are about and what they really mean. However, it doesn't have to be this way. Take some time to yourself and really think about what you are thankful for.

For me personally, I've named 2012 the year of tough decisions. However, now that the holidays and the end of the year quickly approaches, I look back and really feel like the decisions I've made were all the right ones. One thing I've learned this year was how important it is to take some time and care for yourself. I'm not talking in a selfish manner where everything is about you or any one person. Taking care of yourself is actually a very healthy thing. When you become so consumed by one thing in your life, be it a job, an obligation of some sort, or maybe even a person or relationship, you can become mentally and even physically unhealthy.

We've all heard the piece of advice, "you have to love yourself before you can love someone else." Most of us who have heard this often think, "what the hell does that mean?" Or some flat out disbelieve it. However, it's really true. If we take the time to truly care and love ourselves, we can then freely and openly give to others and really display compassion. Sure we can give to others, but if we aren't giving enough to ourselves, then we give out of spite or out of bitterness, and that's no way to love.

I know what you must be thinking...that all this sounds really selfish. I thought the same thing when I was first told this. But the more I paid attention and recognized this, the more I began to realize how true it really is. I'm not saying we should ALL put our needs before others', or that we are better than everyone else. That's not the point...because that IS selfish. The point is to recognize that you are important too. Your needs are just as important as others', you deserve love and compassion, and your happiness and health matters.

So in the next few days and in the next few weeks, try to take some time for yourself and think about what you want for yourself this holiday season. Maybe it's finding the time to exercise, or buying that new sweater, getting tickets to a game, working on professional development, or going out for a night with some friends. Either way, try to make time for yourself...and be thankful.




Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!


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Written content: © 2010, 2011, 2012, J.H. Language Solutions

What Dreams Are Made Of

Everyone has dreams.We all have dreams, whether we remember them the next morning or not. However, we each have had those dreams that stick with us: the recurring ones, the premonitions or the psychic ones, and the ones that contain messages at one point or another in our lives. So what do our dreams mean?

Some people think they don't dream. While we may not dream every night, it's very possible that we do in fact have a dream, we just don't remember it. Dreaming occurs during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) point in our sleep patterns, which usually lasts approximately 90 minutes. Depending on certain beliefs or cultures, dreaming can be due to repressed thoughts or emotions or a mere result of images or events that have occurred in the day.

So what kinds of dreams are there?

Nightmares - We've all had nightmares at one time in our lives. More often than not we had nightmares as children, but they can also occur in adulthood. In fact, about 8% of the adult population still have nightmares on a regular basis. Nightmares are dreams that frighten us or play upon our fears. Some nightmares are so vivid they wake us up from a deep sleep and are often accompanied by heavy breathing or sweating. Some of the most common nightmares may include death, vehicle accidents, losing a loved one, being chased, or even our most basic fears.

Recurring - Recurring dreams are the dreams that you have had more than once. When this happens, you often wake up and think to yourself, "I know I've had that dream before." So what causes this? It is said that recurring dreams are trying to tell you something. This could be due to repressed emotions, anxiety, fears, or even anger. This is your subconscious trying to tell you that something in your life or in a particular situation needs attention. Recurring dreams may represent a certain situation or ongoing event in your life.

Precognitive - Precognitive dreams are dreams that some people have that predict future events. These types of dreams are probably among the most difficult to interpret or explain. Some believe these occur due to signs our body hint to us, such as a pregnancy or illness, or that a loved one that has passed is communicating with us, or other messages that a greater power may be instilling in our minds. Some also believe this is where the deja vu experience comes from.

Lucid - Lucid dreams are the types of dreams where in the middle of the dream you realize that you are dreaming. We've all had those dreams where we are in the middle of a situation or an event that is playing out and suddenly we literally think to ourselves "wait...this is a dream". Often times we are able to control the outcome of the dream with this realization.

While dreams may seem to occur totally at random, there may be reasons why. Some reasons can include the intensity level in which you are sleeping, stress or tension, or even something as trivial as what you ate before you went to bed. I knew someone who would have the craziest dreams if he ate Pepperidge Farm goldfish before going to bed. But if you are having dreams over and over that really stick with you or even bother you on a physical or emotional level, it may be time to look at your life and really focus on that particular area. This could be stress related to a job, a difficult family situation, a traumatic event, a relationship, or guilt in some cases. Any situation or thoughts that you may be repressing for one reason or another are surely to come out in your dreams.

Dreams have always been an area of interest to me. When people tell me weird dreams they've had, one of the things I do is go grab my dream book and figure out what the symbols in the dream mean. I actually sat with someone recently and that person started telling me all about his dreams. It started with, "Julie, I have to tell you about this weird dream I had the other night..." so after we looked up some of the symbols that occurred in his dream, we began to explore some of the other odd or scary dreams he's had in the last year. We came to the conclusion that this person was experiencing some real emotional turmoil where he felt like he wasn't reaching his full potential and felt like his aspirations were out of reach due to present obstacles.

For the last year or two I personally have been experiencing nightmares. I would have at least one nightmare per week. I started to think something was wrong with me. I would have awful nightmares...nightmares that were often violent or life-changing. Some of the nightmares I had involved death, being trapped in burning buildings, trapped in tornadoes, involved in train crashes, and even drowning. They were terrible. After doing some of my own research, I realized that the dreams I had were connected to feelings of being "out of control" and "trapped". After making some long overdue changes in my life, I no longer feel this way...and the nightmares have stopped.

Have you ever attempted to interpret one of your dreams? Sometimes we wake up in the morning and we think of the dream we had the night before and think "wow...that was weird!" The thing is, sometimes those "weird" elements may actually be symbols that are represented by repressed emotions or significant elements in our lives, whether positive or negative. Sometimes these elements can be hidden in odd images or events such as talking animals, creatures, or even the odd location of events, objects, or symbols. Meaning can be found in almost every instance.

One of the things you can do on your own is keep a journal and record all the vivid dreams or nightmares you have had recently or in a certain time period. You can purchase a dream book or you can refer to any online dream dictionary to interpret the symbols or situations in your dream. You will almost instantly recognize a pattern to them, which you should be able to attribute to your life in one form or another. Sweet dreams!

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Written content: © 2010, 2011, 2012, J.H. Language Solutions