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June 10, 2020June 10, 2020

Turning Dreams into Goals

We all have dreams right?

To have a lasting, loving relationship.

To start a business.

To have a satisfying career.

To have absolute health and wellness.

To be wealthy.

To own a home.

To own your dream car.

These are some dreams that many of us have.

So what exactly is a dream?

I personally love this definition: a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.

But, let’s take a little bit deeper.

When we talk about a dream, there is an underlying feeling attached to that dream.

Usually, it is a feeling we are trying to achieve.

Feelings of stability, freedom, and accomplishment are all feelings that are the most common when we talk about dreams.

Now let’s talk about goals.

A goal is a person’s ambition or effort, an aim or desired result.

Another way to say this is a goal is a dream in ACTION.

So now think about a dream you have.

Is this dream something that you can turn into a goal?

Can you create an action plan of steps to start making this dream a reality?

What would it take to get you there?

I know when I had this dream of being my own boss and being able to help others, I had no idea what it would look like.

I started to ruminate on all of the possibilities of what I could do professionally that would get me to where I wanted to be.

All the time, I was always “coaching” people in their relationships, careers, and life in general, but I didn’t know that being a coach was an actual thing I could do.

I looked into becoming a teacher, a therapist, a guidance counselor, and even looked into various HR type positions.

All of these were definitely doable but I was not prepared to take on any more student loans to get the education I needed.

So I kept searching.

Finally, the idea of being a coach hit me like a ton of bricks so I started investigating.

I looked at what would be required and found that certification was not required so I wouldn’t have to invest a ton of money upfront before I could get started.

So I went to work on my action plan.

The very first thing on my list: hire my own coach so that I could experience it from the other side and also work on my own shit in the process.

From there I listed out the rest of what I needed to just get started.

It was a simple list of things that were cost-effective and attainable actions I could take.

They were small, attainable goals so that I could keep from feeling overwhelmed.

I committed to 2 hours per day to work toward my main goal.

By the end of my coaching package, I had made the decision that I was going to LAUNCH and I did exactly that just a few short months later.

I was officially operating my very own coaching practice!

Was it perfect?

NO!

And it still isn’t.

Because I am still learning and working toward my goals which means things change, including ME.

You see, a dream is just a dream.

Hoping and wishing it to happen is not going to make it happen.

The ONLY way to make your dream your reality is to take ACTION.

And, you can have ANYTHING you desire.

Does it take work?

Sure it does!

But here is the secret:

Decide now what it is that you want to do, commit to yourself and that goal, and show up and do the work to get there.

You are worth every bit of it!

So now, I want to give you some tips on how to set goals and actually achieve them!

So you have this dream, right?

And you are ready to take action to achieve it, but where do you start?

First, start brainstorming. If you are wanting to start a business, brainstorm all of the things that you like or love to do.

Then research what of those things can you actually make money doing? Find people in that industry. Connect with a community that can support you and can provide some guidance.

The next thing you need to do is list out the things that are REQUIRED for you to get started and the things that can wait. You need to focus on the required items first. Again, this will take some research.

Reach out to your community to gain some insight.

Now, these items sometimes have sub-categories or tasks that need to happen in order to complete said item on your list. This is where I pick ONE of the required items and break out each sub-task and then SCHEDULE IT into my calendar. Try not to do more than 3 per day and ONLY focus on these items. This will keep you focused and moving forward one step at a time.

The more you time block, the more you have control over your progress and success of completion. Pretty soon, you will notice that your results of completion have elevated you to a feeling of accomplishment and success!

So let me ask you, now that I have simplified the process, do you think you can get started moving forward turning your dreams into goals?

If you need support in your efforts, let me know! I would love to talk to you more about where you are and where you want to be! I am currently looking to help ladies new to the entrepreneur arena. If this is you and you are ready to launch and grow, book a free 30-minute call with me here: http://bit.ly/TiffenysBreakthroughCall

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020

What is Your Plan During Uncertainty?

Today I want to talk about money and career/jobs and ask if you are prepared for your next move.

When we are in such an uncertain time with a forced stay at home order, some may be able to survive by just working their jobs at home and some will have to take a layoff order and file unemployment.

If you have your own business, the physical brick and mortar locations are forced to close while other service types or sales businesses that can be worked from home tend to slow down and even come to a halt because people are scared to spend money.

Which of these are you?

Me, I fall into a couple of these categories. I have a full-time accounting job (that I was laid off from, called back in 24 hours later, and now am just waiting to see what happens next), and since I started writing this, I was laid off again.

While the stay at home orders were being issued all over the state I live in, I was still having to drive to the office every day. My company didn’t believe in working from home. It’s all about butts in seats for them. A very old-school way of thinking. That is, until our Governor made it mandatory state-wide. I was able to work from home for 2 weeks and I am so grateful that I had that time to keep earning.

I also have my coaching practice. This, I do from home, but I recognize the state of the economy now and am shifting a bit with my focus and offerings. I aim to be visible and available while offering as much support as I can.

And, I have my husband. He is considered “essential”. He is in the construction industry, which thank goodness, has not ceased yet. He also holds his Master Plumber license so he can provide service to those in need of a plumber.

What would happen if we became unable to work?

My husband and I talk about this at length. Although we are so grateful he still has his job during this unsettling time, the reality is imminent. We could both become unemployed…at any given time.

Are we set up for this? I have to honestly tell you, no. We are not.

You see, we were doing great, but he had to step away from a better paying job at the end of last year so that he could improve in his career. He took a month off to study and test for his Master Plumber’s license and then had to take a position with a company making about 60% less than what he was making.

He had to do it though. And the timing wasn’t great because here we are.

My practice slowed down quite a bit so my secondary income has also slowed down quite a bit.

I have become unemployed, although temporary, I just don’t know for how long.

And out of this, we have used most of the savings up because of living between his unemployed month and reduction in income.

So we are sitting in the same place as most of you all are. And knowing that unemployment really only covers about 1/4 of our living expenses is no help.

But our mindset is that of survival. We are grateful now for what we have and we have faith that we will come out of this just fine.

So what do you do?

First things first. Check-in with your mindset. Are you freaking out? Are you ONLY focused on what you DON’T have? If so, that isn’t going to help your situation AT ALL.

You need to make a plan. You need to make a plan NOW, not when it’s over.

Look at your spending habits over the past couple of months. Where is that money going? Is there anything you can live without for a couple of months?
How about TV/Cable? Is there any miscellaneous spending you are doing for things that are not necessities?
Create a budget
- Base your income on the guaranteed minimum. If it is unemployment, base it on that amount first.
- List out the necessities and dollar amounts of things that you NEED to survive:
  - Rent/Mortgage
  - Electricity
  - Gas
  - Water/Sewer
  - Phone
  - Auto-lease/note
  - Food
  - Auto-Gas (if you are still working and need to drive to get there)
- Is your income enough to cover these items? If the answer is no:
  - Figure out how much you can pay for each one if you can pay any of it.
  - Don’t look at the payment as what you are SUPPOSED to pay, rather look at it as how much you CAN pay at this time over the next month or so.
  - Contact the companies and tell them your situation and how much you CAN pay, if any. Believe me, these companies are going to work with you.
Get your resume updated!
- People are still hiring. You can take a temporary job until you figure this all out. Let go of your ego! Go work at the grocery store stocking shelves. Go work in the Amazon warehouse. Find something to supplement your income for now.
- You need to be applying to jobs all over the place. What if your current company doesn’t come back from this? You need to be prepared to hit the ground running. Plus, interviewing is a great practice!
Take that class/training you have wanted to take but haven’t had the time for.
Have you thought about starting your own business? Do it now!
- It doesn’t happen overnight, so get it all ready today so that you can be ready to hit the ground running.

Don’t wait for this to be all over before you get started, guys. This is too important!

Remember to focus on only the things you CAN control and you CAN control how you respond to all of this. Take a proactive stance. Stop being reactive!

And don’t forget, I am here to help! If you need someone to bounce ideas off of. If you need some added support. If you are already a boss babe or are looking to become one, I can help with those wanting to grow their businesses or ladies who are just starting and need some help. If you are considering becoming a coach, I can help with that too! NOW IS THE TIME LADIES!

I have space in my 1×1 Action for Change coaching program for those who are ready to take some action TODAY so that they can be ready for tomorrow.

If any of this is appealing to you, let’s talk about it! Book some time on my calendar for a free 30-minute breakthrough session so that we can where you are headed!

January 26, 2020January 26, 2020

Resolutions, Intentions, and Goals

Well, here we are fresh into the new year and new DECADE! I waited to write about his topic until we were closer to the end of the, what I call, “honeymoon period” that encompasses the “out with the old, in with the new” mindset that we all have when we turn over a new year. What’s unique about this one, is that it’s also a new DECADE. That means 10 New YEARS, and depending on how young you are, you have already made it through a few decades. For me, it has been 4, now in my 5th! WOW!!! That’s a lot! And boy, have I come a LONG way in my life!

I have never been one for “resolutions”. They rank up there with “diets” and I believe setting you up right away for failure because of the stigma just around the words themselves. Generally, people make resolutions like “I am going to lose 50 lbs”, or “I am going to eat healthily”, or “I am going to work out every day”. And then, January 1 hits, and you are off and running, pushing yourself toward the idea of what you think you want and then by mid-February, give up because you are so overwhelmed with the sudden changes that you don’t believe you will ever make it. This same process occurs when we try to make other lifestyle changes and pool them into the “resolutions” category.

So now, let’s look at the definition of “resolution”. It means “a firm decision to do or not to do something”. That’s it. When we make resolutions, we have every intention of doing whatever it is, but we don’t have a plan. We don’t usually have systems set up to help us succeed so, we quit and inevitably, fail. There is also an “all or nothing” attachment to whatever that something is.

Intention, on the other hand, is “a thing intended; an aim or plan” and a goal is “the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result” and goal setting “involves the development of an action plan designed to motivate and guide a person or group toward a goal”. Intention and goal setting go hand in hand. It is the expansion of a resolution because we actually can take action by even implementing small steps that are mapped out in a plan. And because the plan involves steps, you need to be specific.

So, instead of making a resolution of “I am going to lose weight”, make an intention of “I am going to lose 20 pounds this year and I am going to get there by taking these steps….” and actually WRITE out your plan, break it down into daily manageable steps. As you accomplish each step, you check it off the list and receive instant gratification and a feeling of accomplishment. Then you do the same thing the next day.

Now, take it one step further. Think about how you want to FEEL if you accomplish this goal. THAT is the true magic behind the success. We aren’t seeking the outcome, we are seeking how we want to FEEL about the outcome. How do you feel when you are 20 pounds lighter? Do you feel healthier, happier, more comfortable in your body? Do you feel sexy and confident? That is what you are really after!

Lastly, if you fall down, and you will, brush yourself off and try again. There is no “all or nothing” when you are working toward a goal. When you fall, reflect on what happened to make you fall. What can you do differently the next time? This is all part of the journey. And this is where you will grow. You will be able to set intentions and make a plan to get you there. Notice I did not say “fail”. To fail means to “be unsuccessful in achieving one’s goal”. If you are constantly working, falling, getting back up, and starting again, this is not failing in my eyes. As long as you don’t give up, you won’t fail.

I challenge you to sit down and look at the things in your life you want to achieve. Weightloss, conquering your debt, or any behavior you would like to change. Pick the top 5-10 things on that list and decide how you are going to get there. Map out your plan, set your intentions, and start! Taking it one step at a time means progress so don’t try and overwhelm yourself trying to do it all at once.

You’ve got this! I believe in you!