A Thought on Canada Day

On Canada Day, I am reminded even more about how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful country. We have everything we need to live a great life. I’m sure most of you reading this feel the same way.  For those of you who don’t, take a trip to a 3^rd world country, live there for a while and come back. I grew up in Toronto all my life until my parents’ divorce caused me to move to Manila, Philippines with my mom. Believe me when I say, we are very fortunate to live in Canada!

 So this made me think a little. What am I doing to be a blessing to others when I have been blessed with so much?

Being blessed with so much, it is our responsibility to be the best we can be. Why? So we can experience the great life we are already positioned to experience, and also so we can make a difference in this world.  I feel that because we live in such a great country, we often feel we have the luxury to indulge in our fears. Fear of failure, fear of success...and some of us are just plain lazy.  

So I challenge you today to be the best you can be. Take advantage of all the resources Canada has to offer you. Being your best self in all that you do has a ripple effect whether you see it or not. And it doesn’t require you to relocate to Africa, it doesn’t require you to give up your daily Starbucks. Just be you. The BEST you.

Happy Canada Day everyone!

A little PR Goes a Long Way

Have you ever examined an area of your life that is causing you pain and said to yourself: Well, it’s not my fault. If the government would shape up... If the price of gas would stop increasing... It’s not my fault it’s his...”

We cannot control what happens around us in the world. The only thing we can control is ourselves – our thoughts, attitudes, feelings and actions. The only way to start focusing internally instead of externally is to make an important shift in our perspective. We need to start taking PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for our lives.

You might say: But how do I take personal responsibility for my mother-in-law calling me every 2 minutes? I can’t get any work done! I’m self-employed not unemployed!!

Ask yourself: Is your mother-in-law the real problem OR are you choosing not to set healthy boundaries with her? Ah.

What about this one: The kids and work take up so much of my time I don’t have any time for date nights anymore with my husband. 

Ask yourself: Are the kids and your boss the real issue? Who chooses how you spend your time? Who writes your schedule in your agenda? Who decides what priority is and what isn’t?

I think you get the point. Once we start taking personal responsibility for things that happen in our lives, we position ourselves as having the power to do something pro-active about it.

Coaching Questions:

Which area in your life is causing you pain that you are currently not taking personal responsibility for?
What is the core issue?
Are you ready to take Personal Responsibility for this are in your life?

Think of 1-3 ways you can exercise your personal power and make some changes in this area.

Cover-my-butt Disclaimer: The above first example was fictional and in no way describing my own mother-in-law. She’s amazing! J

Perfection Paralysis
 

Are you suffering from Perfection Paralysis? You know, the virus that keeps you from translating your hopes and dreams into action and results due to the constant desire for perfection?

This type of paralysis has affected me in some areas of my life. I had the desire to grow and take action, even set SMART goals, bought the tools I need, get the people in place, but when it came time to take action, I fell short. I was afraid to because I knew I’d stumble along the way as I got my bearings and in doing so, not producing initial results that I considered “good enough”. 

Two weeks ago I made the decision to overcome this awful paralysis. The cure?  Courage, determination and a success partner! I pushed myself to take action, even when I heard my little gremlin say: Are you sure it’s good enough?  Whoa...don’t you need to edit that blog some more before you post it?. I had to consciously push its remarks aside and took MASSIVE ACTION. It was downright uncomfortable. And you know what? It feels great!!!  I’ve never been so productive in my life!

I realized that not acting because I’m a “perfectionist” is not noble, nor is it productive. It doesn’t serve me or anyone else.  Don’t get me wrong, I still put a high emphasis on quality. There just comes a time in a production process where you have to decide that the product is great, wrap it up and SHIP! Then tweak along the way.  

What area in your life have you wanted to create significant positive change but you were suffering from this type of paralysis? 

·         Have you been waiting for your schedule to be just right before you start your exercise routine?
·         Are you waiting until your income is at a certain level before you start saving?
·         Do you put off dressing your current body shape well because you’ve not yet achieved your goal weight?

Whatever it is, I encourage you to TAKE ACTION TODAY. It doesn’t have to be huge like doing a 10 km run. Just do something, even if it means simply dusting off your sneakers and walking for 5 minutes.  Then your momentum will build. It’s not going to be easy. You’re really going to have to take action based on CHOICE and not on how you feel. It helps having a success partner egging you on and shouting on the sidelines: Good job man, go go go!!   I thought I would be super tired being so productive (yet another limiting belief!) but it’s actually the reverse. I’m super ENERGIZED by getting so much done!

Answer these and then GO! GO! GO!

Which area in your life do you desire positive change?

What is one thing you can do TODAY to get the ball rolling?

Who could be your chief encourager during the process?

Courage

For the last 30 days, you have been given so much information on how you can experience success, wealth and happiness in your life.

People who experience success weren't all born with the silver spoon of success. They are successful because they are courageous! They are willing to try. They are willing to fail. They are willing to get back up and try again!

“Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit.” — Baltasar Gracián 

 

 

What is one courageous thing you can commit to doing today?

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 30

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

Congratulations!!! This is the last day of the 30 Day Challenge!

I hope these lessons have challenged and inspired you and have propelled you into action! Thank you to Mastery TV for the video resources. Thank you for creating them and for encouraging us to share it with others! I encourage you all to do the same!

I created the coaching for you to help you apply the daily lessons. If you weren’t able to translate these principles into action yet, I encourage you to go back to them and use them as a tool to help you get started.

During these last 30 days, there was a lot of training and information given to you. I am confident that while there were some things that were new and enlightening, there were also some lessons that you were already aware of.

I feel the real challenge of this “30-Day Challenge” wasn’t to stay tuned for these 30 days, although if you did, BRAVO. Only a few people have your determination to create a better you, a better life.  The real challenge is: Now that you know, what are you going to do about it?

Enjoy this last video from Mastery TV and I encourage you to continue investing time towards your growth, to be courageous and use your gifts to make this world a better place!  It has been a pleasure and a privilege to journey with you these last 30 days!  

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 30

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASmqjpraFM

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoGsVEH5QRM

COACHING CORNER:

·         What is the one area in your life right now that, if you worked on it, would change the quality of your life in a big way?

·         Which of the lessons you’ve learned in the 30 Day Challenge that you can apply so that you can start experiencing positive change in that area?

·         What would your reward be for having accomplished a major goal in this area?

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 29

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

 

Welcome to the last 2 days of the 30 Day Challenge. The last two days will wrap up the series of powerful lessons we’ve been experiencing these last 28 days. If you’ve just discovered this 30 Day Challenge today, please feel free to jump in or start at Day 1.

Have you ever started a project and you were feeling so excited about it, your energy is 10/10, you’re just unstoppable! Then something grabs your attention and then another thing grabs your attention and after a while, you ask yourself, what was I doing again?  Some call it “The bright shiny object syndrome”.  How do you think that affects our effectiveness?

Because I’m such an “idea” person, I am very much guilty of this. Luckily I am aware of this in myself and have found some ways to keep myself focused. I developed my own personal mission statement for work and life using The Path™ process by Laurie Beth Jones. That helps me keep on my path and not get side tracked.  I know that my mission is to discover, develop and unleash the power within myself and others. I use this every time an opportunity comes my way – I can use that as a guide – to keep me focused on what things I want to get involved in and as a filter – to weed out things which are “time-wasters” or things that are not aligned with my life purpose.

When it comes to a project, large or small, mind maps have helped me a lot.  I create bubbles of all the things I have to do with regards to the project at hand and then I put an asterix on the task that I need to do first or the one that will have the most impact. Then I focus on that and only that until it is completed before I move on to the next thing.  

Using a timer is another great tool. It’s easier to focus on something when you know it’s only for 20 minutes (or a defined chunk of time). Then I commit to working on that and only that for that chunk of time.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, today’s lesson is all about The Power of Focus. Have you let tasks, events or people detract you from your path? There’s nothing that steals away and delays dreams and success like procrastination and lack of focus. Watch this powerful video below to hear Tom Wood’s powerful story about focus! As you watch it, think about the areas in your life that could be so different if you were super-focused on it! Enjoy!

 

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 29

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRV19c8pEdE

 

COACHING CORNER:

 

·         Is lack of focus affecting your effectiveness in certain areas of your life?

·         What are the tools you can use to help you focus so that you can achieve success?

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 28

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

What system or methodology do you use to evaluate opportunities that come your way? Do you use your gut? Your faith? Your moral compass?  All those are great ways, and there are even more ways that you will be introduced to today to evaluate opportunities that come your way. It’s important to learn these skills so that you can evaluate things effectively so that you can then take ACTION.

What are the excuses you usually tell yourself when you’re presented with an opportunity?  Are those statements true or is it based on fear?   As Dr. Phil says, you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. If you were brutally honest with yourself, are you not fulfilling your dreams because you’re constantly making excuses?  If so, what are you telling yourself and what are you going to do about it? 

The top 2 excuses that people make are 1) I have no time and 2) I have no money.   Both of which successful people will tell you is not an excuse. There are ways to achieve success if there is determination within an individual because when you’re determined, you’ll find a way.  Do you remember when you’ve wanted to buy that new gadget, or that new pair of fashionable shoes or an awesome concert came up that you just HAD to go to but you had no time or money? Did you move mountains to be able to buy that gadget, buy those shoes or go to that concert? I bet you did!  

Enjoy the videos and then go to the Coaching Corner to apply today’s lessons! Have a FANTASTIC week-end!!

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 28

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_a_h1S08WY

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGYgVXDBPXE

COACHING CORNER:

Are you ready to apply today’s lesson?

Step 1:

Make a list of the top 10 excuses that you tell yourself. Then make a decision TODAY as to what you’re going to say to yourself instead.

Example: Excuse: “I can’t afford it.”    Productive thinking: “How can I afford it?”

Step 2:

Knowing why you want something is just as important as what you want. Look over your answers in your journal about what you want out of life. There were a few days that asked you to make a list of what your “wish list” is for your life, and also what your vision is for your life. If you haven’t done it already, it’s so important to do it so do that first.

Step 3:

Then apply the principle Jim Britt talked about in the video and ask yourself, “Why do I want this?” and bring it down to a feeling and write those feelings in words down beside what you want.

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 27

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

What are your dreams? One thing I’ve noticed when I do the “Vision Making” part of my workshops, I find that some people have lost the ability to dream.  I don’t mean the type of dreaming that happens when we’re asleep. I mean, dreaming about what we want for our lives.  I hear things like: “But it’s not possible.” or “It’s not realistic.” That’s the whole point of dreaming, it’s not supposed to be realistic!

Why am I talking about dreams when the last few lessons in this series are about building wealth? Your dreams will be the fuel that will keep you going when things get rough. If you’ve lived any amount of time here on earth, you’d have learned by now that anything worth doing isn’t just going to fall on your lap. It’s going to involve hard work, sacrifice and a whole lot of determination. What will keep you going is your vision. The promise that all this hard work is for a better future – a future where you can provide a better life for your family, become your best self and be of greater service to this world.  

If you’ve stopped dreaming because you’re bogged down by the reality of life, I invite you to revive that part of you. We were all able to dream at some point in our lives. Remember when we were children and we were asked what we wanted for Christmas?  I wanted a pony so I asked for a pony (and a puppy and a kitty....). I didn’t stop and think, hey, this isn’t realistic. Whether I got them or not isn’t the point (I didn’t...*sniff*). The point is, we had the ability to dream from the beginning so I urge to you to revive that gift. Have fun with it! Below I’ve included some questions to get you started!  Happy dreaming!

 

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 27

I apologize in advance for the sound of the video. It’s rather scratchy at some points but still worth listening to so maybe just turn the volume down a bit.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRERgugm1dE

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alP_olQHFGw

 

COACHING CORNER:

·         If time and money were no object, what are the 5 things you would be, do or become?

 

·         Describe in detail what your IDEAL is for these areas of your life, again assuming that there are NO LIMITS:

o   Health

o   Career/Business

o   Relationship (romantic)

o   Relationship (family)

o   Relationship (friends)

o   Money

o   Physical surroundings

o   Fun/Recreation

o   Personal Growth/Contribution

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 26

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

 

We’re on Day 26 of the 30 Day Challenge! Wow, can you believe we only have 4 days left of the 30 Day Challenge?! I really hope you’ve learned a lot so far. I definitely have this third time around, and the lessons that I “already know”, I’ve been focusing on putting them into action!

Today we’re going to learn about the one principle about building wealth that all wealthy people know. Remember though, that this series of lessons about building wealth isn’t just solely for the purpose of “getting rich”. It’s about adding value in other people’s lives and being of service. This is part of how we build wealth and this is what we need to do after we are wealthy.

If you’re sick and tired of being poor (financially), but you weren’t taught how to build wealth, watch these series over again. Find books about people who have done it already.  As Tony Robbins says, success leaves clues. Thankfully, there are wealthy people who want to give back and teach us exactly what they did to make that happen. Are you willing to put the elbow grease in it to achieve financial freedom?  It’s like wanting to achieve a certain weight or dress size. You need to be willing and committed to exercise and follow a healthy diet.   

So I ask you again, are you sick and tired of being poor? If your answer is yes, how much time do you put into learn about how to build wealth? How many minutes each day to you read or watch a video to add to your financial education?  Knowledge is power and the more you know about how to go about building wealth, the closer you will get to achieve that dream.  Nothing is easy, but it’s well worth the effort, especially if you want to have a greater impact in this world! You can do it!

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 26

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DnxqFNKLw4

  

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXoaihENqjE

COACHING CORNER:

What is something you can do TODAY to get started in changing your financial situation?

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 25

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

“Success is something you attract by the person you become.”-Jim Rohn

We’re on Day 25 of the 30 Day Challenge! If you’re just joining us, welcome! Each day is on a different topic so jump in!

Today is a continuation of yesterday’s lesson which is how to create wealth. Today’s lesson is focusing on your mindset and that who you are directly affects the success you experience in your life, in wealth and other success areas.  These lessons again are very simple. Don’t let them slip by. Watch the videos again and see which lessons you can immediately apply and then write them down and set some goals.

If you would like a goal worksheet to work with to get precise about your goals, I would gladly email it to you. Please email me at iris@irisking.ca. Enjoy and have an amazing day!

 

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 25

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQN87oSvIdw

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tE2fFP1RiY

COACHING CORNER:

Do you have a clear picture of where you are financially? Do you know the exact numbers of your:

·         Monthly Income

·         Monthly Expenses

·         Assets and Liabilities

Do you know what to do with those numbers to create a plan to get out of the “rat race”?

If you don’t, I highly recommend this resource:  https://www.richdadworld.com/

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 24

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

We’re on Day 24 of the 30 Day Challenge! If you’re just joining us, welcome! Each day is on a different topic so jump in!

Today we’re going to learn some tips on how to create financial wealth. I’ve created some coaching questions below to help you figure out your relationship with money.  Creating wealth is all about mindset because money is neutral – is just is. How we create it on the other hand depends on how we view it and what it means to us.

Enjoy the video and then come back to the coaching questions below. Have a phenomenal week!

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 24

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oTgW1ZOV2U

  

COACHING CORNER:

Answer the following questions to gain a little more insight on your relationship with “money”.

 

·         What does money mean to me?

·         What did my parents and mentors teach me about money?

·         How have I earned and managed my money thus far?

·         What other ways do I know of where I can earn money?

·         How do I feel about money when I've have an abundance of it?

·         How do I feel when I have lack it?

·         How do I feel about debt?

·         What does money represent to me?

·         Is having money important to me?

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 23

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

We’re on Day 23 of the 30 Day Challenge! Welcome to the last stretch of the 30 Day Challenge!  Keep going, you’re doing great! If you’re just joining us, welcome to you too! Jump in!

Would you rather clean public toilets that speak in public? Today you’ll learn some tried-and-true tricks to not just survive but thrive during your public speaking adventures! We all have to speak to a group at some point in our lives – whether it’s at church, at a PTA meeting, at the office or at a business networking event. Luckily, you don’t have to be born with the gift of public speaking. It is a skill that can be learned and over time, mastered.

The first time I had to speak in front of people was at my church around 5 years ago– there were about 150 people at the time and it was a simple announcement that I had to make.  I was terrified of public speaking but I’m generally a courageous person, so I went anyway! Boy, after my 2 minutes of speaking I felt physically ill! My stomach was in knots and I could hardly breathe!  I was determined to master this skill because I knew there was no way to get around it if I were to achieve my full potential so I threw myself into events where I had to speak to groups.  I did cooking shows, networking, workshops, even videotaped myself and practiced in front of the mirror (*shudder*)!  

 

After years of doing a combination of all those things during the last 5 years, I still have that adrenaline and nervousness, but no more of the debilitating pain that came after that first time up!  So I want to encourage you with that. Practice makes better so embrace the process. What’s the worst that could happen? You end up sucking. So what? Will you die? Will people throw tomatoes at you? No. You will review what you’ve done and try a brand new approach or refine your skills and get better!

 

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 23
 

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCwFtkWSrz8

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjDQg5u44Jw

COACHING CORNER:

Which of these 3 public speaking tips can you choose to start doing this coming week?

 

·         Include stories, quotes, metaphors, facts in your current speeches / presentations to better get your point across

·         Video tape yourself and pick 1-2 things you’d like to improve

·         Observe speakers which have a speaking style that you would like to emulate

30

DAY CHALLENGE: DAY 22

Lessons to Master Your Money, Career, Health & Relationships.

We’re on Day 22 of the 30 Day Challenge! Welcome to the last stretch of the 30 Day Challenge! Keep going, you’re doing great! If you’re just joining us, welcome to you too! Jump in!

You are going to want to stay tuned for the rest of the series – we will be focusing on lessons around leadership and building wealth. Today you will create the foundation of personal marketing and branding. This is key to experiencing success in your work and life.  Tom Wood will give you tools to improve and communicate your “personal brand”. One of his tips is: Talk behind someone’s back. Yes, you read right! Watch the videos to find out what that’s all about! Enjoy and have a courageous day!

RESOURCE:

The Course in Mastery Day 22

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyReO9AHkD0

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0MCpKkUDjQ

 

 

COACHING CORNER:

Which of the ways below will you focus on and develop this week to improve your personal brand? Choose one and focus on this and only this for one week. Then move on to the next thing you feel you need to work on.

1.      Know yourself

2.      Be yourself

3.      Be interested in people

4.      Talk about people behind their back (but say positive things!)

5.      Get the word out