6 Secrets to Business Success (Plus 1!) By Andrea Novakowski

Have you noticed that no one talks much about perfectionism anymore?

My business coaching clients used to tell me their compulsion to do everything perfectly was getting in the way of their success. But these days, with the fast pace of life, the constant stream of information, and the increased workload on everyone?s desks, our struggle for perfectionism seems to have largely disappeared. It?s not that people are feeling guilty or making excuses about not being perfect. It?s just gone from the conversation.

As Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg famously puts it: "Done is better than perfect."

So if we?re no longer chasing perfection, what should we strive for in its place? Here are six alternative ideals to which my clients are now turning their attention. You can, too.

Persistence. Successful people don?t get that way overnight. Instead, they create a plan and continually chip away at it. They break their goals into annual, monthly, weekly, and daily actions. Even if each day?s activities aren?t completed, these folks get back in the saddle the next day, ready to keep moving forward.What do you do to maintain your persistence?

Pacing. Sam, a hard-charging manager at a small company in New Hampshire, planned on retiring in five years. But when he met with a financial planner, he found out he was going to have to work eight more years in order to meet his goals. Sam realized there was no way he?d last eight years at his breakneck pace. Now we?re discussing how he can adjust his work habits so he can continue at his job enjoyably and healthfully. Do a double-check: does your pace match your goals?

Possibility. We?re all creatures of habit. We eat the same breakfast, take the same route to work, do the same things day in and day out. Today, make a point of trying something new and different. What gets your energy up? What has you thinking new thoughts? Coffee? Brain teasers? Collaboration with your colleagues? Where in your life are you taking time to think about what?s possible?

Play. Successful people take breaks during their day. Even if it?s only for a stretch or a short walk, they stop working for a few minutes and move their bodies. Increased circulation in your body means better blood flow to your brain, which produces clearer thinking. If you tend to sit glued to your desk for hours at a time, think about how you can build play into your day.

Power. We?re all naturally more skilled at certain activities than others. Are you a born communicator? A numbers whiz? As much as possible, do the type of work that plays to your strengths. While no one can (or should) elect to do only what comes easily, you?ll achieve more and go farther if you pursue the things you?re good at.

Positivity. You know the old saying: you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. People are attracted to people who are positive. Put a mirror on your desk so that when you pick up the phone, you?re reminded to smile. It sounds corny, but that attitude really does translate over the phone.

Need one more goal to replace perfectionism? How about pleasure? Think about what part of your job you really enjoy, and try to spend more time doing it. When your work aligns with your interests and values, it makes you feel good. And there?s no better definition of success than truly loving what you do.

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5 Ways To Overcome Your Assumptions By Andrea Novakowski

Whenever you find yourself saying, "I can?t possibly?", that?s a good indication you?re making an assumption. Are you truly incapable of doing that thing? Or are you merely imagining all the complications that might interfere with your goal?

Here are five ways to challenge this self-defeating habit.

1. Figure out how you arrived at the assumption. Too often, we extrapolate from one failure to conclude we?re no good at something. In my last post I mentioned how getting a D on a paper in 5th grade doomed me to years of believing I was a terrible writer. In high school, I had a happier experience as a competitor on the track team. The first time I encountered a banked track, I had no idea what the banks were for and that they were only used at the beginning of the race. I actually ran up and down each bank, zigzagging my way to the finish line. Not surprisingly, I finished last in that race. I could have thrown my sneakers in the trash, but I didn?t. I come from a family of athletic folks and it didn?t occur to me to assume that I might be a terrible runner. I figured if I trained harder and asked questions to help prepare for the next race, my performance would improve. And it did.

2. Experiment with your assumptions. Perhaps you?ve been told you?re not creative. Well, creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. It might involve paints and an easel; it might mean working with your hands; it might be singing or gardening or cooking. Creativity can also be found in business. People who discover new products, processes, and medicines are certainly creative. Open the door to creativity by taking a class, reading a book, or visiting a museum. Don?t just automatically accept the mantle of Not Creative. Find out what you?re drawn to explore.

3. If an accomplishment seems impossible to you, break it into steps. Carl?s new job required him to write proposals, something he?d never done before. At first, he assumed he couldn?t possibly do it. But I showed Carl how he could tackle the assignment in small increments. He studied proposals that had been used in the past. He asked for help from his supervisors. By approaching the project one step at a time, Carl was able to achieve something he thought was beyond his ability.

4. Re-evaluate your assumptions every so often. Even if a perceived limitation turns out to be real for you right now, that doesn?t mean it will remain that way forever. Tara is a mother with three young children and a full-time job. When she says she can?t possibly find the time for creative expression, she may be right. But before she knows it, her kids will be grown and she can get back to doing what she loves: writing songs, singing, and playing the guitar. In the meantime, Tara brings creative ideas and suggestions to work to help keep her "right brain" fresh.

5. Believe in yourself. Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote of "that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment which constitutes poetic faith." So what if you?ve never tried something, or haven?t done it very well in the past? You can?t change your results until you start believing you can.

Go ahead ? dare to question your ideas of what you can and can?t do. You may be in for a pleasant surprise. Along the way, you might just discover parts of yourself you didn?t know existed.

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6 Secrets to Business Success (Plus 1!) By Andrea Novakowski

Have you noticed that no one talks much about perfectionism anymore?

My business coaching clients used to tell me their compulsion to do everything perfectly was getting in the way of their success. But these days, with the fast pace of life, the constant stream of information, and the increased workload on everyone?s desks, our struggle for perfectionism seems to have largely disappeared. It?s not that people are feeling guilty or making excuses about not being perfect. It?s just gone from the conversation.

As Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg famously puts it: "Done is better than perfect."

So if we?re no longer chasing perfection, what should we strive for in its place? Here are six alternative ideals to which my clients are now turning their attention. You can, too.

Persistence. Successful people don?t get that way overnight. Instead, they create a plan and continually chip away at it. They break their goals into annual, monthly, weekly, and daily actions. Even if each day?s activities aren?t completed, these folks get back in the saddle the next day, ready to keep moving forward.What do you do to maintain your persistence?

Pacing. Sam, a hard-charging manager at a small company in New Hampshire, planned on retiring in five years. But when he met with a financial planner, he found out he was going to have to work eight more years in order to meet his goals. Sam realized there was no way he?d last eight years at his breakneck pace. Now we?re discussing how he can adjust his work habits so he can continue at his job enjoyably and healthfully. Do a double-check: does your pace match your goals?

Possibility. We?re all creatures of habit. We eat the same breakfast, take the same route to work, do the same things day in and day out. Today, make a point of trying something new and different. What gets your energy up? What has you thinking new thoughts? Coffee? Brain teasers? Collaboration with your colleagues? Where in your life are you taking time to think about what?s possible?

Play. Successful people take breaks during their day. Even if it?s only for a stretch or a short walk, they stop working for a few minutes and move their bodies. Increased circulation in your body means better blood flow to your brain, which produces clearer thinking. If you tend to sit glued to your desk for hours at a time, think about how you can build play into your day.

Power. We?re all naturally more skilled at certain activities than others. Are you a born communicator? A numbers whiz? As much as possible, do the type of work that plays to your strengths. While no one can (or should) elect to do only what comes easily, you?ll achieve more and go farther if you pursue the things you?re good at.

Positivity. You know the old saying: you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. People are attracted to people who are positive. Put a mirror on your desk so that when you pick up the phone, you?re reminded to smile. It sounds corny, but that attitude really does translate over the phone.

Need one more goal to replace perfectionism? How about pleasure? Think about what part of your job you really enjoy, and try to spend more time doing it. When your work aligns with your interests and values, it makes you feel good. And there?s no better definition of success than truly loving what you do.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad