Tag Archives: passion

10 Surefire Ways to Knock Out the Undesirables on Your To-Do List

22 Mar

Check off that to-do listThe first quarter of the year is rapidly drawing to a close along with the TO-DO list items that keep getting transferred every day. Here are great answers answers to the following question I put on the HOPEpreneurs Facebook page:

“I have some things on my TO-DO list that keep getting transferred over to the next day. This is mainly because I don’t like to do them. What advice do you have for me to get them done before the end of the year?”

1. Write down each on a separate piece of paper.

Fold it  and drop it in a bowl. Randomly draw one each day. Now, you only have one thing you don’t like on your list!

Jan Harrison – Speaker/Trainer/Conference facilitator

2.  Do one at the FIRST of each day.

Reward yourself (walk, yoga, manicure, coffee) when complete. Good luck!

Gloria Miele – President of Optimal Development Coaching

3.  Do shortest one first.

Glenna Smart Castle

4.  Delegate.

Juliann Nichols

5.  Take little bites.

Momentum builds momentum…

Wayne Parnell –

6. Reward yourself.

There are “to do” things that I love, which do not necessarily need to be done soon, but always get done first. I reward myself with the “love to do” things after I have accomplished a “don’t like to do” thing

Nancy Denharder

7. Determine which ones can be handed off.

Get creative and trade, hire someone to do them or whatever else you need to do.
Mariaemma Pelullo-Willis

8. Dig in and get it done now.

Focus on what’s important to you. Stop procrastinating, because time and energy are needed for your Christmas duties. Besides, think of all the fun you’ll have once these tasks are behind you.
Larry Freeman

9. Set the timer.

Set aside a specific period of time to work on a big project. Stick with it until the timer goes off. You will be amazed at how much you get done.
Karen Sebastian – Founder of HOPEpreneurs

10. Get an accountability partner.

Find someone you can trust to hold you accountable. Make a plan and stick with it. Set dates to complete tasks and get them done.

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Bloggers ~ Taking Time to Focus

8 May

Taking time to focusOne of the reasons I like my Canon DSLR camera so much is that it has an ‘auto-focus’ feature. I turn the camera toward the subject of my picture, press half-way down on the button and it comes in to focus. It doesn’t take a long time and is easy enough for a child to use (which I appreciate). I want to apply this principle to my business.

A well-managed blog is one of the most important pieces of your online networking. I’m normally an enthusiastic person who tackles projects with energy without considering a great deal of strategy. I’ve made a commitment to write a blog yet struggle to come up with topics. That’s where strategic focus becomes important.

First of all, I need to talk about how challenging and exciting it is to come up with topics for my blogs and not dread the writer’s block that can set in when I wait until the last-minute. Secondly, I need to consider my audience and focus on their needs. Take time to get to learn about their interests. Engage them and set up relationships. Ask them for topics they would like to see covered. Pick a general topic and explore different parts of it. As you write the blog, focus on each part briefly and move on.

Stop looking at what everyone else is doing and get going (for procrastinators). One of the best things about posting a blog is that you can make corrections if you see the need to do so (for perfectionists). Select a topic and focus on the different facets. The best part of all is that you will grow personally and your business will develop a stronger foundation.

What do you plan to focus on this week? The few minutes you spend will pay off in the end.

Image from Dreamstime.

Karen Sebastian is a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed in your business. Please email her at hopepreneurs@gmail.com if you would like to book her as a speaker or want one-on-one coaching. Subscribe to this blog for more inspiration on how to become a HOPEpreneur.

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5 Crazy Ways to Get Unstuck

7 Mar

Have you ever been stuck? Your plans were all laid out perfectly and you just knew that by this time you would have been at your destination (with time to spare). Instead, you are stuck in a mire of paperwork and nowhere near your projected timeline. You just want to give up. What can you do? Here are a few of my favorite ways to start moving in the right direction again:

5 Crazy Ways to Get Unstuck

1.  Get up and do some jumping jacks.

Nothing gets the juices going better than to start moving. Walk around the block. Make this part of your routine. Instead of putting your head in your hands, jump up and down a few times. However, be aware of those around you, as they will have proof of your insanity.

2.  Smile for no obvious reason

Smiling will drive people absolutely crazy and they will want to know what you are up to. Keep them guessing. The interesting part about facial expressions is that they telegraph your body that you are okay. I smile a lot when traveling because it is what I can control. When I get on an airplane, once I get to my seat I sit back and relax. I will close my eyes and encourage the corners of my mouth to go up in a smile. It works for me!

3.  Do the opposite of what you’ve been doing

This can be very scary because you love your rut. You’ve grown comfortable in doing things this way. Well, it’s not working. Shake things up a bit. What do you have to lose? Stop playing it safe. Stop doing what those around you are doing. Put a different spin on it. You know you’re doing what needs to be done if you feel uncomfortable. The point is to get out of your comfort zone.

4.  Create a mindmap

I can feel overwhelmed when I think about all I have to do. I start too many projects at once and have too much rattling around in my head. That’s when I need to get it down on paper. I get my timer and set it for 5 minutes. Then, I draw a circle in the middle of the sheet of paper and start drawing lines out from it. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. I just need to get it out of my head and in a place where I can look at it. This works for me every time.

5.  Start laughing

What do you do when feeling pressure? I like to laugh. The quicker you find humor in difficult situations, the sooner you will make progress. I am always looking for stories for my speaking engagements and blogs. I look for parallels, remember past struggles and rejoice in ways I’ve overcome. If nothing else, I say to myself, “This is going to be a great story one day.” And it always is just that.

Karen Sebastian is a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed in your business. Please email her at hopepreneurs@gmail.com if you would like to receive one-on-one coaching. Subscribe to this blog for more inspiration on how to become a HOPEpreneur.

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Ten Ways to Increase Enthusiasm

12 Feb
Successful entrepreneurs maintain a high level of enthusiasm and energy. When you meet people and share your passion you will begin to see doors open in unexpected ways. Here are ten ways to increase your level of enthusiasm:Enthusiasm-Regain energy by someone else succeed.
  1. Get moving because activity will get the creative juices going.
  2. Revisit your convictions so that you can get back on the path to fulfilling your vision.
  3. Regain energy by helping someone else succeed.
  4. Start talking to someone about why you love what you do or you want to start your business.
  5. Laugh – really laugh until your sides shake and you can’t breathe
  6. Set your doubts aside and move forward anyway.
  7. Get involved in finding creative solutions to problems that arise.
  8. Get up early enough to enjoy a sunrise and start the day with fresh exhiliration.
  9. Write about three things that bring you joy.
  10. Relish the warmth of spending time with family and friends because they are who really matters.

Which is your favorite? Do you have other ways to increase your enthusiasm?

Karen Sebastian is a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed in your business. Please email her at hopepreneurs@gmail.com if you would like to receive one-on-one coaching. Subscribe to this blog for more inspiration on how to become a HOPEpreneur.

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Seven Creative Ways to Stay Motivated

9 Jan

Discover your passion and you will always be motivated - quote from Karen Sebastian of HOPEpreneurs.What’s your motivation quotient? Was it a great week full of accomplishments or were you struggling to get through the days? Did you take on too much as you started the new year?

For the sake of this topic, I would like to give the HOPEpreneur definition of the word motivation: the internal drive to carry out what is important to us. It is closely aligned to what motivates us and what we are passionate about. It is personal and will grow when shared with others who share our passion.

Here are seven creative ways to keep the motivational flame burning brightly to do keep moving forward toward success (For sake of a practical example, I will be talking about find the motivation to write the HOPEpreneur blog that you are reading):

1. Tap into your true motivation.

When we align our goals with what truly motivates us, we will find the stamina to follow through with them. For example, my passion is to make a difference in the lives of women entrepreneurs. As a result, I have found increased my motivation to write this blog as I hear back from readers who find it helpful. What motivates you?

2. Celebrate every step in the right direction.

Set small goals that keep you moving forward. I set a goal of ten blogs and you are reading the eleventh one.  Now I am going to write some blogs to have ready to go for when my travel schedule picks up next year. What’s a small goal you can set that you will celebrate when you accomplish it?

3. Accept setbacks as reality check points.

Initially, I set my goal to write three blogs a week to get me established and build up my mailing list. I still want to do that but am happy when I can get two blogs out there. If I re-frame the setback, I see that this is not a failure but rather a reality check depending on my schedule. What milestones have you set in place to mark your progress?

4. Acquire an accountability partner.

Find someone who will check back with you to see if you completed what you set out to do. This is the reason that organizations like Weight Watchers are so successful. Pick someone you trust and who will urge you to keep going if you get derailed. Who will you ask to celebrate your next accomplishment with you?

5. Get moving.

Literally, get up and walk around when ready to stop. Avoid the temptation to go online because you can burn up time very quickly in that venue. Set your timer and go for a walk around the block. Put some music on and dance to your favorite tune. Moving releases endorphins which help the creative process. What’s your plan when you want to stop? Where are you going to walk?

6. Believe you can.

This sounds like such a ‘no brainer’ doesn’t it? When it comes to our stretch goals, most of us talk ourselves out of what we want to accomplish long before we give it a chance to succeed. I meet people every day who tell me that they are terrible writers. Start small and persist. Follow through and improve your writing every day. The best way to do that is to write. What do you tell others about that stretch goal you’ve set for this year?

7. Have fun.

Read the comics or watch a funny movie. Go spend time with friends that share your sense of humor. The more you laugh, the more creative you will be. What helps you laugh? I, for one, have learned to laugh at myself and find many opportunities every day to laugh.

Karen Sebastian is a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed in your business. Subscribe to this blog for more inspiration on how to become a HOPEpreneur.

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