Here at Centredexcellence, we speak to recruitment business owners daily. They are ‘salt of the earth people’, hard workers who are committed.
When they come to us, something isn’t working. It seems like no matter what they do, they can’t maintain the growth they want.
It makes them feel frustrated and for some, failures; though they hide this part very well.
Not pleasant is it, to be in this place after all your years with your nose to the grindstone; this might even describe you?
As we start working with our clients what surprises them is where we initially start to help them create a better life.
Let me give you a clue; it’s by implementing new practices and ideas around self-care and their working habits.
Because both Katy and I know if our clients don’t change first, nothing else will. If this resonates with you, maybe it’s time to look at some different ways to lead the successful life you want too.
So here are some straightforward suggestions, which might surprise you.
Self-Audit
All too often people don’t give themselves time to reflect. It’s all too easy to resist doing this and plough on thinking; ‘if I just work harder, it will come right.’
We get it.
If you have been invested in one course of action for some time, you become attached. Instead of resisting, take a moment to consider what isn’t working and why. This kind of information is invaluable.
At Centredexcellence, with our programme students, we talk about the break down before the breakthrough. In other words, something or someone or our subconscious mind is ‘trying’ to get our attention.
The tough time we are going through is a great way to disrupt our stale and stagnant patterns of thinking.
As a business owner, I am sure you look at your margins and profits every month, to make sure you are on track; true? Then use a similar process with your own self-audit too. You will be surprised how much this can reveal for you about what inputs are creating the best outputs.
Create a Positive Mindset
What we are about to reveal might sound a cliché, but it works. I am sure you will have heard the saying ‘like attracts like’.
Well, energy is magnetic. Focus on cultivating a positive outlook, and that is what you will attract.
This is a universal law based on aligning our energy.
People with positive energy and a growth mindset achieve more. If you haven’t read Carol Dweck’s work on developing a growth mindset, I recommend you do.
Think about the dispositions of some of the most successful people on the planet; are they positive or negative?
We rest our case.
Look After Your Body
As we move on from creating a positive mind remember the mind and body are all connected. We need a healthy body to keep everything together. I am not advocating extreme exercise or calorie reduction. Look at the simple stuff like getting supplement that can boost testosterone naturally to improve your workout.
Get out in the fresh air and away from your desk every day, substitute constant caffeine for the odd glass of water.
Stop eating crap! This is a hard one for some, but don’t drink alcohol every day and here is the science behind why.
Many of you reading this, I suspect, are over the age of 30. Guess what – our metabolism changes, and we don’t process alcohol in the same way. In fact, it can act as a depressant.
Have you ever woken up after that bottle of wine and felt low? This is the reason, why.
Alcohol is a depressant which affects your brain’s natural level of serotonin and dopamine which are neurotransmitters that impact our mood. This means that although you’ll feel an initial ‘boost’ the night before, the next day you will be deficient in these same chemicals, which may lead to feeling anxious, down or depressed and this happens more as we get older.
Our advice – start with some small shifts and notice how much better you feel.
Meditate
Have a conversation with a group of successful individuals, and you will be amazed at how many practice meditation. From Oprah to Bill Gates, to Katy and me. ????
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that we talk a lot about working with the conscious and subconscious mind to improve our results.
I have just mentioned looking after our body and for some that might also include relaxation, going to a spa or spending time in the sun. I like to think of meditation as a spa for the mind.
As business owners we rely heavily on our mind; it’s probably our most valuable asset. Meditation is a way to both relax our mind and critically to take control of it too.
There are many styles of meditation you can use. I use a range. If you want to know more send me a quick email.
Practice Gratitude
Gratitude is such a powerful habit to cultivate. Oprah writes down what she is grateful for every day, so does Sir Richard Branson, Tim Ferris and a whole list of successful household business names.
To achieve more, to be happy, and to make a difference, they consciously practice gratitude.
It’s such an easy thing to do and takes less than 5 minutes a day. I have a journal that I write in every morning. Whether I am at home in Stirling or in London running one of our RockIt events.
It is spooky, but this practice of gratitude often makes the difference between success and failure. I know this well from my own journey.
Whether we like it or not, our lives are greatly dependent on external forces. No matter how self-motivated and driven we may be, a mix of luck, friends, colleagues, family, a higher power, or even total strangers are constantly influencing our daily lives.
Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return the kindness. It stems from acknowledging what we have and the opportunity that lies ahead for us.
Earlier in this post, I talked about a positive mindset. Write down what you are grateful for every day and watch your energy shift.
It will put everything into perspective for you too. Because everything is a gift, even the drama that might be currently going on in your business is preparing you for greater things to come.
……………… And this still surprises and fascinates me, when we are thankful for even the smallest moments, life tends to send more rewards our way.
The act of gratefulness is not just a one-way message to the world. Gratefulness rebounds in all sorts of directions and often opens new doors.
I wonder what is going on in your head now. These success strategies aren’t the latest software or how to attract a team of high billers, are they?
However, they will be critical to your success.
Warm regards,
Nicky and Katy.
P.S. Would you like to know more about this fascinating subject and how you can use a range of techniques and tools like this to shift your results? Then let’s look at setting up a call. You will find all the details here.
