by:Connie Scholl
During my years working as a massage therapist, I attracted many of Americas top CEOs, celebrities, and professional athletes as clients. After working with these successful people for several years, I became aware of an interesting commonality among them. No, it wasnt that they all had fame and fat paychecks (or an occasional tantrum). It was something much more profound. I noticed that this rather accomplished lot had a success strategy for preserving their natural power at any cost.
The lesson here? Successful people DONT TOLERATE petty annoyances. And neither should you.
If youre serious about being successful, get rid of everything you are tolerating, putting up with, or enduringthose seemingly “insignificant” annoyances that you know youd be better off without, but just havent dealt with yet. It may be a messy work area, lack of a marketing plan, or a client that’s driving you mad. It could even be your own behavior! If its frustrating you, its eating away at your valuable energy. It is, in essence, draining away the precious - and limited - resources you have for marketing, generating clients, and succeeding in your small business.
Isnt that a good enough reason for eliminating your tolerations right now?
Why It Matters
We all have a certain amount of vigor or energy to carry us through our day. If that energy is slowly and steadily being siphoned away by petty annoyances, where will you find the strength it takes to generate new clients?
The bottom line is this: your tolerations serve only to wear you down, irritate you, and distract you from your true priorities. It is nearly impossible to have enough time, space, and energy for success when your life is littered with petty annoyances.
But dont take it from me, consider some of the most successful people around you. Ill guarantee you that Bill Gates doesnt put up with a slow computer; Lance Armstrong wouldnt tolerate inadequate sports equipment; and Oprah Winfrey isnt spending her time socializing with energy suckers.
I know what some of you are thinking right now: But I just cant avoid some of the tolerations in my life! NONSENSE. Even people with physical disabilities (think Ray Charles, Franklin D. Roosevelt, or Helen Keller!) or tremendous social disadvantages (think Oprah, Tony Robbins, and Shania Twain in the days before they were rich and famous) have a choice in what they will or will not put up with. Its simply a matter of taking responsibility and diligently eliminating - one by one - the sources of strain and drain from your life.
How to Get Started
To begin eradicating your tolerations, follow these simple steps:
* Make a list of as many things as you can think of that you are putting up with right now — at home, at work, and in your relationships. Be specific! Include the little pet peeves, as well as the overwhelming monsters.
* Set aside an hour each week for the next four weeks to start wiping out your list.
* Give yourself permission to spend some money on handling the tasks or chores that pain you. Repair and replace whatever needs to be fixed. Think of it as an investment! Imagine how much more time and energy, and how much less stress and frustration youll experience once youve checked off every item on your list. You wont regret the investment!
* As you begin addressing the items on your list, notice how the momentum builds. If you have items on your list that seem impossible, dont let them keep you stuck. Answers will appear in time. Partner with a friend, or hire someone to help you expedite the process. Give yourself a goal of becoming toleration-free in one to three months.
Final words of wisdom: Dont sweat the small stuff — just get it out of your life. Think less stress, more success.
(c) Connie Scholl 2006
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Connie Scholl of ConnieCoach.com provides self- employed service professionals with simple, effective and low-cost marketing solutions designed to quickly jump-start sales and consistently generate new clients. Get free marketing tips and “how-to-articles” at http://www.conniecoach.com
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