How To Hit Your Goals

The Best ABC's Ever! Press Play!

Take the A-and accept the challenge
The B-and believe in ourselves
The C-convert our thoughts into hopes
The D-the determination to convert our hopes into dreams
We should E-expect some obstacles on the way up
And F-fight while we're faithful and finish the course
We should G-get God on our side
And H-have a Harvey model of leadership
We should I-inspire someone else
And J-take Jesus on our journey
We should K-keep on keeping on
And L-be a leader
We should M-make everyday count
And N-never give up!
We must O-overcome our obstacles
And P-put our best foot forward
We must Q-quit quitting
And R-run the race with patience
We must S-strive on
While T-trusting in The Lord
We should U-use our talents
And V-value our time
We should W-wait for understanding
And X- x-ray our own lifestyles
We should Y-yearn to achieve all that we seek
And Z-be zealous when reaching the top!

--Tim Lee, 2004 Hampton University Commencement

Learning To Say No

When we start out at the beginning of every month in our businesses  We have our monthly goals set,  Method of operation or our schedule in place, and we are ready to take over the world… then what happens…sometimes life gets in the way, unexpected interruptions pop up all over the place and all of our planning gets tossed to the side … an issue a lot of us have, is that we tend to over extend  ourselves and one of the biggest stumbling blocks we can have in our business is not having the ability to say No.

Let’s take a look at why we are so afraid of saying no.  For the most part, we are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings; we do not want to be rude.  Why? Because we want to help people,  we want to be in agreement with others,  we do not want to be the only one in a group decision to say no,  we have a Fear of conflict—that if we say no we are going to make someone mad and we are going to burn a bridge, or we are going to close a door-- if we say no once we may not be considered again and we will lose an opportunity.

Saying no does not mean any of these things; these are situations that for the most part we make up. Thoughts we create in our own minds.  We give so much of ourselves  to others, and we should give – give to our business, give to our success partners and colleagues, but we also have to keep in mind you have your own business as well, You have your own priorities and needs, just like everyone has his/her own needs. Learning to say no is about respecting and valuing your time and space.

It is all about how you say no and putting systems into place that is fair to you and your business and allows you to give exceptional customer service, exceptional support to your success partners and having the time for your family and loved ones (because for some of us that is one of the reasons you decide to go into business in the first place is for time freedom and to spend more of that free time with loved ones.)  

Even though it seems easy to just say no…Right?  My children will tell you that I have no problem saying no to them. But it is so very different in a professional setting. At times it is not as easy as it seems when you are trying to be diplomatic and avoiding conflict inside of your business.

Here is My List of Seven great No’s and how to use each one: 

No #1. “I can’t commit to this as I have other priorities at the moment.”

Just too busy, this “No” lets the person know your plate is full at the moment, so he/she should hold off on this as well as future requests. If it makes it easier, you can also share what you’re working on so the person can understand better. I would use no this when I have too many commitments to attend to.

No #2. “Now’s not a good time as I’m in the middle of something. How about we reconnect at X time?”

It’s common to get sudden requests for help when you are right in the middle of something. This "No" is a great way to (temporarily) hold off the request. First, you let the person know it’s not a good time as you are doing something. Secondly, you make known your desire to help by suggesting another time (at your convenience). This way, the person doesn't feel like you are blowing them off.

No #3. “I’d love to do this, but …”

This is a gentle way of breaking no to the others. It’s encouraging as it lets the person know you may like the idea and there’s nothing wrong about it. Their ideas are absolutely great, but I can’t take part due to other reasons such as prior commitments or different needs.

No #4. “Let me think about it first and I’ll get back to you.”

This is more like a “Maybe” than a straight flat out “No”. If you are interested but you don’t want to say ‘yes’ just yet, this is the "No" to use. Be sure to specify a date or time-range (for example: say, in 1-2 weeks) so the person can expect a reply fro you. If you’re not interested in what the person has to offer at all, don’t lead them on. Use another "No" that is more straight forward.

No #5. “This doesn't meet my needs now but I'll be sure to keep you in mind."

This "No" comes in handy if someone is pitching a deal or opportunity which isn't what you are looking for, let him/her know straight-out that it doesn't meet your needs. It helps as the person know it’s nothing wrong about what he/she is offering, but that you are looking for something else or you are happy where you are. At the same time, by saying you’ll keep him/her in mind, it signals you are open to future opportunities.

No #6. “I’m not the best person to help on this. Why don’t you try X?”

If you are being asked for help in something which you are not the expert, you can’t contribute much to, and you don’t have resources to help them. Let them know they are looking at the wrong person for the answer. If possible, refer them to an expert. This way you help steer the person in the right place and you are not giving incorrect information.

No #7. “No, I can’t.”

This is the simplest and most direct way to say no; don’t think so much about saying no and just say it outright.

This list of no’s can work both ways.  It can help you to learn how to say no easier and this list can help you understand why someone may say no to you and why you should not take a “No” so personally.

So now let’s talk about systems…

Systems that you could put into place in your business can be as simple as creating a schedule for coaching calls, office hours for phone calls. Making sure that your team knows your expectations up front when you welcome them into your success line- make your office hours available to them in a welcome letter or in a new member’s orientation.

We can still give to others, but do it in a way that will benefit both parties involved—Schedule Your Time.

Learn to say no more to things that do not meet your needs or your business needs. You will find that it is not that bad and people are actually more understanding that YOU think.

By Saying No more to requests that do not meet your needs or your business needs, you will find that you will have more time for your business, yourself and your family.

Here is a quote from Jeffery Combs who is a coach, trainer, and motivational speaker

“If you are an addicted "Over Obligator" you will continue to say yes to people and obligate yourself out of guilt and control. If you are exhausted, unorganized and overwhelmed now is the time to change. Let go of your tendency to enable others, volunteer for everything and say yes without considering your time and your feelings.” 

Source: http://zenhabits.net/say-no/

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