Maybe MacGyver can pull it off (very well I might add), but I can’t. I’m finally on the tail end of my mullet (no pun intended!). While getting my hair cut last week with the same guy I’ve been going to for 12 years , it occurred to me how scared so many of us are of change and how comfortable we become with what we know.
After our extremely difficult time with Evan at the hospital, I decided I was going to start making some changes and try new things. Life is too short not to.
I am incredibly excited to announce the launch of my company, Acclivity Performance! After 15 years of teaching, training, speaking, and consulting, I am taking a huge leap. I am energized, excited, and ready to roll!
I’m also thrilled about an e-learning module I’ve created on communication and behavior styles, and I’d love for you to watch it and let me know what you think! Because you’ve been part of the weekly motivational email, for the next 10-days, you can view the module completely FREE of charge. All I ask is that if you like it, you give it a thumbs up and a positive comment. After the 10-day introductory period, there will be a fee, so make sure you check it out as soon as possible.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve had to come way out of my comfort zone, and I’ve learned a few things:
1. Being stuck is a habit. Just like plopping down in front of your favorite T.V. with a bag of chips and a soda, it’s easy to fall in the trap of going day-to-day in our predictable routine. If you want things to change, sitting around and waiting for other people to make it happen is about as effective as riding a bull while applying make-up.
2. You don’t have to know how everything will happen, but you do have to believe it WILL happen. In The Secret, Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, compares this to driving down the highway at night. With headlights, you can drive from Texas to California in the middle of the night, only seeing a few feet ahead of you at a time. You don’t have to be able to see the whole trip at once to be able to get there successfully. Rather than knowing the “how”, he suggests we focus on the “what”.
3. Growth is a choice. In the next couple of weeks, I’m launching my first e-learning module, speaking at the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Texas, and presenting at Tori Johnson’s Spark and Hustle event in Dallas. I got asked to do all of these AFTER I decided to take the lead and go out on my own. You have to want growth and make the choice to pursue it. Then, the doors begin to open.
4. It will never be the perfect time. While Evan is still much better than he was when we went to the hospital, he’s not doing as well as he was when we came home. I kept thinking, “I’ll explore this when he’s better, or when the economy changes, or when I become divinely inspired”. The truth is, there is never a perfect time, and if we wait for one, we might be waiting for a very long time.
5. Change is NOT comfortable. Get used to it. If change were easy and comfortable, everyone would do it. Instead, it’s difficult and sometimes incredibly uncomfortable. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. No pain, no gain!
I hope you love the e-learning module, and I can’t wait to hear your feedback. The mullet might be gone, but Acclivity Performance is here to stay! Check out my website at www.acclivityperformance.com to learn more. And if you get a chance to come to the Women’s Chamber event on Friday, please come by and say hello!
Click here to watch the e-learning module “Communicating for Results: Don’t Be Right…Get It Right!”
Congratulations on taking the plunge, Anne! I wish you great success. Remember your local SBDC is anxious to offer business assistance. I enjoyed the e-learning module, especially the cheat sheet. I learned these skills years ago and appreciate the reminder of their value. I remember animals being used to further describe the four styles; a lion (driver), a giraffe (analytical), a turtle (amiable), and a monkey (expressive). The four phrases each group came up with to descibe their groups respectively were, “Get it done!”, “Get it right!”, “Have a nice day!”, and “Have a good time!”
Thanks Loyd!
Hi Anne,
I watched your e-learning module. I thought it was great! I think if I had it downloaded in my computer at work, I would refer back to it all the time to refresh my memory on how to flex my communication with others. I wish you the best of luck, and great success in your new endeavor.
Hey Isabel! Thanks so much for taking the time to go through the module. I’m so glad you liked it!