Make It Happen Blueprint: 18 High-Performance Practices to Crush it in Life and Business without Burning Out
190
Make It Happen Blueprint: 18 High-Performance Practices to Crush it in Life and Business without Burning Out
190Paperback
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781683501138 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Morgan James Publishing |
| Publication date: | 03/21/2017 |
| Pages: | 190 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
POSSIBILITY
"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."
— Anatole France
What moments would you include in a highlight reel of your life? Do you have some favorites that immediately come to mind? Maybe you'd show a memorable birthday, your wedding, the time your children were born, or that carefree day at the beach. Take a minute to think about those moments and what made them special, and feel free to put down your book or device to ponder on the good things you've experienced in your life so far.
I always find I'm able to perceive my reality better when I'm rooted in what's good. Sure, it's easy to rattle off the problems and challenges life has brought you in the past, or talk about everything that's going wrong in your life, but that just results in a cluttered brain space. To begin anew, you have to elevate your thoughts and focus on the positive, happy aspects of life.
After you've taken a minute to think through some of your greatest moments, look to the future. Specifically, ask yourself this: What are the deepest desires of my heart?
Your future is full of possibility, and seeing life through the lens of possibility is like removing the filters from your vision. When you eliminate the "shoulds" and "have tos" and toss out the "I can'ts" and "that's impossibles" you're left with a clear picture of what you really want. You open yourself to a future you deeply desire and, I dare say, deserve.
For most people, the mere mention of this makes their brains start churning with the negative self-talk they've been telling themselves for decades. Mixed in with that is a replay of all the so-called wisdom from naysayers trying to "give a dose of reality." If you experienced a similar reaction, it's time to get those thoughts out of your head.
Instead, try this reality: Life is not meant to be endured — it's meant to be enjoyed. Don't sit around waiting to die. Death will surely come to all of us, as will trials and heartaches, but that doesn't mean life is a death sentence. I believe that my life is mine, and it will become as good or as bad as I create it to be.
Will you join me in living life?
You can start by determining the desires of your heart. What do you really want for yourself? What would you like to become? What experiences would you like to have, and how will those define your future?
My father James died in 2003 of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (better known as SARS) while living in China. He was one of the first Americans on record to die of the disease that ultimately took hundreds of lives. As a result, his death got a lot of media attention. As the nominated family spokesperson, I was interviewed by every local television station, many radio stations, and all the local newspapers. His death received national attention as well, and I did interviews for the Today Show, CBS This Morning, and Good Morning America, as well as the Harvard Crimson (my father received his Master's degree at Harvard), and other random outlets. Needless to say, it was a whirlwind few days from the time of his death until his memorial service.
One reporter who interviewed me also attended the funeral and did a follow-up story. After hearing my father was a member of the Peace Corps, taught English in China, and created a plan called "The Freedom Bomb" that would use literacy and education to liberate third world countries from poverty and oppression, the reporter called my father "lovably quixotic." I'm not going to lie, I had to look up "quixotic" in the dictionary, but it basically means "exceedingly idealistic." It described my father completely. He believed in world peace and freedom for all. He believed in living in full expression of self, and encouraged his family, friends, and even complete strangers to live creatively and believe in a world where anything was possible. Living and thinking that way made my dad happy.
This world needs more lovably quixotic people. We need more dreamers. We need more people who believe that wrongs can be righted and sadnesses can turn happy. We need to turn idealistic thoughts into realistic thoughts, and then we need to act on them.
Don't think small. Though you may not achieve all the dreams you set out to achieve, you'll likely find simply pursuing them brings you happiness. You'll find a sense of fulfillment on your journey knowing your dreams aren't sitting in a lonely box labeled "Someday."
Every year I choose a "word of the year" in addition to my regular goals. Previous words I've used are "Light" and "Intuitive." At the beginning of 2013, I asked myself, "What do I want more than anything else?" The answer was simple. I wanted to be "LIMITLESS."
I wanted to be limitless in my energy. Limitless in my love — especially in my love for my kids and husband. Limitless in my faith in a higher power. Limitless in my ability to have a successful business and speaking career and grow my paychecks. Limitless in the amount I could get done in a day. Limitless in my health, nutrition, and my athletic ability. I wanted to release the limitations I place on myself and get them out of my mind once and for all. I wanted to feel limitless in my possibilities and future.
In previous and subsequent years, I shared my word with other people, but I didn't do that in 2013. Part of what I wanted to let go of were the limitations others placed on me. We all have people in our lives who make our dreams feel small. I didn't want anyone to bring me down with well-meaning comments about human limits. I simply wanted to tell myself I was limitless and live in that experience. So I kept it private and let the journey be my own.
The reality is that I know I have limitations. I know I'm not super human. I have weaknesses and shortcomings just like everyone else, and throughout the year I still had my fair share of mistakes and setbacks. I even had breakdowns and cry fests. Feeling limitless is not about having super powers; it's about letting go of weighty beliefs that keep you from your dreams. I discovered that some of the biggest limitations I have are ones I place on myself.
When I released some of those limitations, amazing things happened.
For example, in my annual planning session, and under the influence of Ann Webb's "Ideal LifeVision" program, I decided I wanted to run a half-marathon. To that point I had run a few 5K races and a 10K, but running wasn't really my thing — or at least that's what I had always told myself. I felt a pull to run a half marathon, so I decided it was time to release the "I can't run" limitation from my life. On January 1st, I registered for a half-marathon in September. I announced my intention on Facebook (because everyone knows there's no turning back once you post something on Facebook).
The training process was hard, but I began to see exactly how many of my limitations were only in my head. If I told myself "I am strong. I am a runner. I am capable and ready to run this 10 miles," I could do it. Like so many things in life, running is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one.
There were still times in those months when I wanted to quit, drop out of the training program, and never run again. Yet I couldn't escape the fact that I had committed, and though I might have physical limitations, I'm NOT a quitter. I continued my training, and I ran the race in September. For me, it wasn't just about crossing a finish line, it was about staying committed and removing limits.
Though your stories and circumstances will differ from mine, I want you to think about the limitations you place on yourself. What "I can't _________" statements are holding you back?
When it came to being limitless in my relationships, I found I understood people better when I looked them in the eye, and they understood me better as well. I tried to look at my children with limitless love, and I smiled and practiced having limitless amounts of patience. I wish I could claim a flawless track record in the parenting department, but I can't. I still snapped more than I wanted, but I also had times when I remembered to exude limitless love, and that is when the miracles happened. Just having the words run through my brain were powerful and relationship-altering.
I was blessed to see abundant results in my professional life as well. My radio show Make It Happen took off (it now gets more than 50,000 downloads a month — available on iTunes); I produced physical products to sell at live events; and I had some record-breaking paychecks. I meditated and prayed for success and received energy and clarity to go to work. With those gifts, I was able to write two books. My first book, The Time Blueprint for Entrepreneurs (available on Amazon.com) was a #1 bestselling book in my category. It was well received, and exceeded my initial expectations. Writing a book can be hard, but I removed that limitation and created the possibility that it didn't have to take months — it could take days. When a press opportunity arose, I wanted to have this book, (previously sold as Make It Happen), ready for a show. I had twelve days. I worked at night and while my kids were at school. With my mind fixed upon my goal, and with incredible editors, I was able to remove my limits and release the book digitally in time for the press opportunity.
However good it felt to have the book available digitally, though, I knew it wasn't enough. After all, I was limitless! While I was in the process of exploring my self-publishing options, I sent the manuscript to an industry contact. I was hoping for feedback I could use in writing my third book, but to my surprise and delight, they wanted to publish this one. I was blown away. My dream of getting published within three to five years happened in two.
While we're on the subject of limitless business achievements, let's talk about the fact that I also quadrupled my revenue that year. To be honest, I hadn't even set a money goal. I had things I wanted to accomplish, and I kept my businesses churning, but I was shocked when I did my accounting and realized I'd earned four times as much as the previous year. Releasing limits has a way of affecting every area of your life if you open up to the possibility.
This journey naturally led me to increased prayer and meditation. With all the demands on my personal and professional schedule, I certainly needed divine help. When I put my desires for limitless ability into the hands of my higher power, I not only achieved the results I wanted, but I also became closer to Him and His will for me. Instead of thinking I didn't deserve something, I turned it over to God, and the desire didn't shrink, but was magnified instead.
Do you have an "I don't deserve that" mindset? What possibilities would open up for you if you eliminated it? What could you accomplish if you opened your vision to include what you truly desire, instead of limiting yourself with what your finite understanding says you deserve? If nothing else, what heaviness would be removed from the mental boundaries you've been placing on yourself for decades? The limitless mindset opens your world to new possibilities and new realities you wouldn't have discovered otherwise.
I received many gifts from living a limitless life, and perhaps the greatest of all was the ability to create limitless happiness. Happiness has always been a central focus of mine, but I discovered there are no limits to my ability to choose happiness, even when I don't feel like I deserve it.
LIFTING YOUR LIMITATIONS
You can have a limitless mindset and open your life up to an endless array of possibilities. The following five practices will help you get started.
First, become aware of your limiting beliefs. Chances are, you have been saying negative things to yourself for decades. Possibilities exist in positivity, so retrain your brain to be on your side. Every time you notice yourself engaging in a negative thought pattern, stop and replace it with positive talk.
Second, clear your brain of clutter. Clutter can include your negative thoughts, but it can also be simple things like to-do list items you haven't written down, or worries about home or the office. I often use "morning pages" to clear my mind. I first read about this practice in The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She talks about the importance of freeing the creative mind from clutter and recommends writing something by hand, in a stream of consciousness sort of fashion, each morning. This exercise isn't about perfect handwriting, or catching every thought, but is instead about verbalizing and then releasing your thoughts to connect you with your most creative self.
My use of this practice has evolved over the years. Sometimes I time myself, and sometimes I try to fill a certain number of pages. Though my method varies, the result is the same — freedom. I find clarity, and my dreams actually become bigger.
Another aspect of clearing your brain of clutter is finding more quiet time. We are masters at filling our lives with constant noise — music, television, Internet, and so on. Make time for yourself to be still and think without distraction, and you may be surprised what you discover.
Third, create visual cues for yourself. If you're creating a big, hairy, audacious goal or future, put visible reminders around your home. There will undoubtedly be times when your motivation meter is running low, or someone says something that knocks you down. Create visible reminders to help rally your spirits during these times.
Try using a vision board, a visual representation of your thoughts and dreams. To be honest, vision boarding always seemed a bit "woo woo" to me, but I have discovered there is actually great power in them.
I'd heard of vision boards, but I didn't start using them until 2008 when Kelly Anderson, my friend and business partner in Startup Princess, suggested I give them a try. My first board included some seemingly random things. I put a picture of a new house I wanted after carefully selecting the design from a builder I liked. I printed off a picture of money and wrote down my financial goal for the year. I found a picture of a nice digital video camera to represent video marketing and the equipment I needed to be able to do it. I cut out a picture of a magazine cover to represent media opportunities. I also included pictures of other tangible items like a desk and a flat-bed scanner. I put a picture of a tropical location, where I wanted to vacation with my husband (sans kids). And to keep me on course, I included a picture of my family in the center of my vision board, because they are my number one priority, and I know I can have anything I want as long as I include them in the process.
A few weeks after I finished the board, I had my first manifesting experience. At the time we had an old document scanner, but I really wanted one I could use to scan pictures as part of my family history. One day, I got a call from Kelly .Her voice was hesitant and she said something like, "I know this is kind of random, but I got this flatbed photo scanner to review for Startup Princess and I really felt like I was supposed to call and offer it to you."
I sat on the other end of the phone speechless for what seemed like a full minute. When I could speak, I said, "That is so weird, because I just put that on my vision board." I could almost hear the theme song from The Twilight Zone playing at that moment.
Now that I'm more familiar with vision boards, success stories are commonplace. With the exception of the desk, EVERY item I put on my first vision board came to fruition. My husband's work paid for us to go on a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I saved and found the camera I wanted for video marketing. A local business magazine selected me from hundreds of nominations to be included in their "40 Under 40" feature. And the list goes on and on. It was enough to make me a believer, and I now update my vision board every year as part of my annual planning. It's something I love to watch unfold.
At the heart of vision-boarding are two main principles — deciding what you want, and believing you can have it. Some of the items on my board came to me in incredible ways, while others resulted from saving my pennies and being wise with my resources. Regardless of how each item came about, the visual reminder motivated me to put in the work to get the things I wanted. It all starts with possibility. I have a hard time looking at that board and being ho-hum about it. It fires me up and keeps me going on hard days.
If you like vision boards, you'll love another possibility tool called "Ideal LifeVision." I embraced Ideal LifeVision founder Ann Webb and her visioning tool in much the same way as vision boards — I thought she was crazy and couldn't get away from her booth at a women's event fast enough. But when I started to see results from my vision board (and nearly three years after I met her for the first time) I softened to the concept and decided to give Ideal LifeVision a whirl.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Make It Happen Blueprint"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Michelle McCullough.
Excerpted by permission of Morgan James Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Foreword Richie Norton xiii
Introduction: The Principle of Practice xvi
Chapter 1 Possibility 1
Chapter 2 Pledge 13
Chapter 3 Permission 18
Chapter 4 Purpose 24
Chapter 5 Planning and My Take on Goals 30
Chapter 6 Productivity 45
Chapter 7 Peace 54
Chapter 8 Power Up and Power Down 58
Chapter 9 Persistence 63
Chapter 10 Positivity 69
Chapter 11 Plasticity 78
Chapter 12 People-Centric 85
Chapter 13 Power Team 91
Chapter 14 Persuasion 103
Chapter 15 Pride 112
Chapter 16 Physical Health 116
Chapter 17 Play 125
Chapter 18 A Pattern for Raising Up Little High Performers 134
Chapter 19 The Plastic Bag Principle 151
Acknowledgments 157
Contact Michelle 159
Afore from Michelle 162