The critical element is taking the right actions that allow your business to grow. The great part that I’ve discovered is that the majority of people I talk to already know exactly what they need to be doing. For those who aren’t sure I have a simple step-by-step system that I use to help them become crystal clear on what needs to be done. That’s actually the easy part.

The big challenge is that they aren’t taking those critical actions. Here are three strategies that will help you to focus your energy and your efforts on exactly the right actions to grow your business.

Get a coach- Yep I’m just going to come right out and say it!

I just completed my latest interview with a man who owns 12 companies, has surpassed the million-dollar business mark, and has goals to reach $14 million in annual revenue. I asked him, “What have you done that has had the biggest impact on your business?” Without hesitating he said, “COACHING!” In just three years his coach helped him to transform his business into a million-dollar business. Something that he was unable to do on his own.

Coaching is the single most effective growth tool you can use. Your coach will ensure that you are on track, focused, and producing results. They challenge you and stretch you to breakthrough barriers, knock down walls, and get stuff done faster and easier. The only downside to coaching is that you no longer get to complain about your problems and challenges holding you back.

 Identify who you are trying to please.

Are you running your business out of a fear of disappointing someone or trying to please everyone? The simple answer is “of course not.” I invite you to look a little deeper. Quite often the reason for not taking the right actions revolves around a fear of disappointing, upsetting, or feeling disapproval by someone. This typically happens without our conscious awareness.

When you consider taking that bold step forward take notice if you recoil or hold back due to a thought or feeling of someone’s disapproval or judgment of you.

 This is a real experience and has destroyed many an entrepreneurs dream. The best way to breakthrough this obstacle is through a strong support structure. Build a great peer support team, find a powerful mentor, and get a coach. Those three elements will help you in those critical times when you need to overcome the internal fears that keep you from taking the RIGT actions.

 Shift your focus off of your to do list

Is your goal each day based around crossing items off of your list? If so, you might be stuck in a rut. A great strategy for moving forward and generating momentum is to simply put your head down and go. Quite often any action that gets you moving is good action. However, we can easily work ourselves into a rut, or pattern, that is based on habit and not on results. If you find yourself jamming from one task on the list to another and your goal each day is to get stuff done on your list…most likely you’re stuck in a rut.

 Once momentum is rolling it’s important to shift focus from activity to RESULTS. I suggest setting up a visual display of projects and completion dates. Then focus each day on the RESULTS that need to be produced and not just the tasks that need to be completed. Track each result daily with your team and remember to celebrate each and every win (um…result produced)!!

Raising the bar for success involves a lot of focusing and re-focusing of our strategies to ensure we are taking the RIGHT actions. It is a constant balancing act between strategy and execution. You may have one or a couple of these pieces in place already. Whatever you have, use this as an opportunity to refine your strategy, put one more piece in place, and keep building your foundation for success. The more work you do on this now, the easier it gets later.

I’m super excited. I’ve been really working on how to help you as a business owner, professional, and  entrepreneur to move forward and improve your focus, your effectiveness, and your results in a simple, fun, and effective way that doesn’t take you out of your focus, distract your from your goal, or is just too much effort to achieve.

The M.D.B. Habits of Excellence program is perfect. The whole idea is to add into your daily life a habit that will help you to be more productive, more focused, get stuff done easier, give you more energy, lift your spirits, and overall help you produce better results. Sometimes thinking about this process can be scary and daunting. The reason for this is that we often take on too much. When we have an elephant to eat we can get very discouraged. The trick is to take small bites and just keep moving forward consistently.

The whole essence of the The Habits of Excellence program is to take small bites and just keep going. We’re going to focus on setting up one habit that you really want to focus on and YOU KNOW will make a huge difference for you.

I’m going to walk you through a very specific process, give you a step by step method, and be here to support you and encourage you to make this positive and fun shift. Then together we’re going to celebrate how this one little personal growth project completely impacts every aspect of your success.

If you want some more information here’s the link to the official registration page with the most important details. http://habitofexcellence.eventbrite.com/ Or you can post a comment below!

Stay focused on excellence, play BIG, and put your passion in action

Coach Troy

Why? Why would I spend hours on meaningless tasks, busy work, and chasing smaller clients around for pennies when I know, you know, and the whole world knows the best way to success is to get paid more for doing less? That means attracting bigger opportunities and getting paid more for the work you do.   

What most small business owners do is focus their efforts on the most pressing and important tasks that need to get done. While this strategy seems absolutely necessary based on the amount of “stuff” there is to do, it actually only serves to create the endless “hamster on the treadmill” effect which simply leaves us feeling exhausted and worn out without much progress toward our big dreams.  

 Here are three tips that I’ve used in my business over the past 11 years to attract million dollar level clients even when I was too young, too inexperienced, and completely unknown in the community.

Tip 1- Understand that you will never get “caught up.” I know this sounds a little pessimistic, but this is what my coach has taught me is an unrealizable fantasy. Thinking that if “this” gets done, then I can do “that,” only leads to procrastination of my dreams. The reality is that there will always be something else that needs to happen before you can go after what you really want. You have to start doing what you want NOW! Find a way, make it happen. Git-r-done!

Tip 2- Ask for what you want. You miss 100% of the shots you do not take. There’s no way to hit a homerun if you don’t step up to the plate. I suggest hedging your bets and starting with the people you have the strongest relationship with first. It’s easiest to ask a favor of the people you have a comfortable relationship with. Make a list of those people. Clearly identify what you want. Ask them to help. Nobody gets to the top by themselves and people love to help the ones they care about. 

Tip 3- Tame the drunken monkey…and I’m not talking about that really good noodle dish at theSzechwanPalace. I’m referring to that annoying voice inside your head that chatters like a drunken monkey. It’s the one that says “no,” “don’t,” “you shouldn’t,” “wait,” “hold off,” “you’re not ready.” You have these thoughts, I have these thoughts, and so does everyone else on the planet. It’s natural, however we cannot let the drunken monkey run our business. My greatest opportunities came when I became conscious of the thoughts that were flowing through my mind and deliberately replaced the bad ones with the right ones. “Yes!” “Go for it!” “I can do this!” “Give it a shot.” Whatever your limiting thoughts or beliefs are it’s time to replace them with ones that will benefit you in the long run.

Attracting bigger and better clients has little to do with the prospect and a lot to do with you. Follow the sage advice of success guru Jim Rohn and always be “working harder on yourself, than you do on your job.” Find a way to take action on the things you want now, reach out to those who are dying to help you, put the drunken monkey back in his cage, and watch the great opportunities magically appear before your eyes.

        Today’s business environment demands a clearer focus, a more deliberate product and service, and the ability to do much more, faster, with a lot less. Success as a small business owner boils down to our ability to set clear expectations and direction for the company and inspire our team to innovate in order to produce results at a whole new level.

This is a lot to manage while focusing on the never ending hunt for unique and new ways to attract new business and compel customers to return over and over. It’s a big job but we feel, as with anything, there is a fundamental skill set that allows for ease and simplicity.

Our new brand, image, message, programs, and resources are being designed with one major element in mind, to help you as a small business owner, entrepreneur, or professional to master these fundamentals, bring out your best, and really drive your business beyond good, past great, and into the elite levels of excellence.

I cant wait to share the new business with you and I look forward to being a part of your incredible success for years to come.

Check back very soon as our new launch is happening in just a few days.

Coach Troy

If you’ve been to any of my workshops or talks over the past couple of years you’ve probably heard me talk about one of my favorite mantras,

This week I’m in Central Oregon and the weather is a fabulous 80 degrees. Yesterday, through the power of networking and good fortune, Kay (my mom) and I played golf at one of the premier private courses here in Central Oregon called Pronghorn. What a treat. The course was phenomenal… and hard, at least for someone who has never played it before. Luckily we had Peter with us. Peter is a forecaddie. In case you are wondering, a forecaddie is a person situated in the general landing area of holes to help quickly identify a ball’s position. As well as being great at spotting our ball, Peter was able to tell us exactly where we should be hitting the ball. He knew the distance to every tree, bunker, mound, flag position, and curve of the green. On several occasions Peter would say, “Now aim this shot about 15 feet to the right of the flag stick and hit it about x yards.” Not knowing the course, I trusted my advisor and adjusted my aim, even though his advice sometimes was counter to what I thought I should be doing. On the rare occasion I actually executed the shot like he instructed, the ball landed out of sight, behind the hill, and I heard Peter say, “Just wait. You’re going to see your ball trickling down to the flag.” And then, just as if he had control of my ball with a remote control, out from behind the mound came my ball, rolling gently toward the hole. Without his course knowledge I never would have picked that shot, and consequently my ball would have rolled right off the green.

I run across quite a few people who are scrambling their way through business just like playing a brand new golf course. They are armed simply with their own ideas and a set of tools for execution (or should I say “a set of clubs”) without much insight into what to expect and how to get around obstacles. They rely on their own experience and make decisions based on their own singular perspective. I’m not saying this is wrong. Just like playing a new golf course without a forecaddie, it’s more challenging and there’s a lot more opportunity for struggle, frustration, and the chance to make expensive mistakes. I think of a business coach like a forecaddie. They can help to steer you through the maze of decision making, problem solving, and effective strategizing all the while helping you to avoid some costly mistakes.

Would you like the expertise of a forecaddie for your business? I’ve been interviewing million-dollar business owners and pulling together the tips, tricks, secrets, and strategies for how to make the leap and transform your business into a million-dollar business.Friday, September 24^th, I will unveil brand-new secrets and strategies that you can use right away to grow your business to a million-dollar success. It’s like having a forecaddie working for you in your business.

Sometimes we just need to hit the reset button on our dreams. When you need to take your results to the next level, try these 6 Urgent Success Secrets…

1) Find your true purpose

First off, reconnect with your purpose. If you’re not       clear on your true purpose, this whole process of getting results gets really, really challenging. In fact, the true purpose for why you’re doing what you’re doing is so important, if you don’t have it clear, you are radically decreasing your chances for success. As I learned in boy scouts, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll get lost. The #1 thing to do when you’re lost is to stop wandering around! All that does is help you to get more lost. Stop, get clear on where you are, where you’re going, and WHY.

**Coach’s Note**

Clarifying your true purpose is the absolute best and biggest breakthrough you will have, and with good coaching you can do this quickly and immediately begin producing bigger results faster!!!

Q: How do you know if you have found your true purpose?

A: If you’re asking the question, you haven’t found it. J

2) Play big

Most of us are simply playing too small and we get bored. We need to raise the bar and challenge ourselves to play a game that scares us. Think back to the first time you jumped off the high dive board. Remember that feeling you had while you were standing at the top preparing to leap? A cloud of uncertainty, fear, and anxiety rushed over you. Your brain began making up scenarios of peril, even to the point that you started thinking about climbing back down the ladder. But then you pushed past it, took the leap, and felt that exhilaration. What happened next? You couldn’t wait to do it again. You realized all the fear and apprehension were for nothing. The worst part about the whole thing wasn’t the jump or the landing; it was the anxiety that you faced while anticipating the jump. The jump was nothing. It was fun. It was exhilarating. It was even easy.

We play too small because of that anxiety, fear, and anticipation of what is going to happen. We need to push ourselves to the top of the high dive, to the point where we’re a little scared and nervous. Play a game big enough to frighten yourself a bit. The worst part about playing big is what we make up in our mind, but that’s a good thing; the fear tells us we’re on the right track. We need to get to that feeling and then jump. Realizing big dreams requires making big leaps. Play big to win big!!

**Coach’s Note**

Zig Zigler said, “You can have anything you want if you help others get what they want.” If you push yourself to a new level by playing big, you will gain knowledge that can help another. Help enough people and you will gain access to whatever it is you want in life. You can help others by helping yourself!

Q: What happens after we’ve made the leap off the high dive?

A: We become the teacher, the cheerleader, and the encourager of all others about to take the leap.

3) Create a millionaire mindset

It’s time to adopt the thinking of a millionaire. The success gurus talk about making decisions based on where we want to be versus where we are. “Begin with the end in mind” is one of Stephen Covey’s famous habits for highly effective people. We have to ensure that we’re making decisions and setting up strategies that are consistent with where we want to go and not where we are.

**Coach’s Note**

There’s a distinction between scarcity thinking and the millionaire mindset of abundance.

Poor people with scarcity mindset:

• Like having big TVs and “things”
• Always ask about payments
• Worry about today
• Talk about someday
• Say, “Yeah, but…”
• Tend to make decisions slowly

Rich people with millionaire thinking:

• Never buy anything; they invest
• Ask about return on investment
• Make decisions based on where they want to be, not where they are
• Surround themselves with people who will help them grow
• Learn constantly
• Have confidence and believe in themselves
• Make decisions quickly and take action today

4) Invest in yourself

Jim Rohn, motivation and success guru, gave me the absolute best advice I’ve ever heard: “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.” Being successful is not about making money. It’s about your knowledge and your ability level. Whatever you have today is 100% consistent with your knowledge and ability. To experience a greater level of success, we have to expand our ability and our knowledge. We have to stretch ourselves to the level that is consistent with what we want.

This is the same reason people who win the lottery tend to end up broke. They have not gained the knowledge and ability to maintain that level of wealth. Being wealthy and successful takes investing in yourself and learning how to play the game of success at a bigger level.

**Coach’s Note**

Success is not something you have, it’s something you become. Success doesn’t happen to you. You must grow and expand through constant and continuous coaching, learning, and experiencing.

Q: Would you love to make money like a professional athlete?

A: By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce. Within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke. The average world-class athlete retires from his sport at the age of 33.

5) Develop your team

This is the second-best place to invest your time, energy, and money. First is in yourself, second is in the team that will support your success. I’m adamant about making sure a good coach is on your list of team members. Get your coach and get him today!! The sooner the better! Remember the high dive? A coach will help you to get through the points of greatest fear and anxiety so you can experience the thrill and rush of a whole new level of success—FAST! Nobody likes stepping out of their comfort zone, but it is absolutely necessary and it is so much easier to do with someone who knows how to guide you over the hurdles, around the pitfalls, and through the inevitable challenges.

When my first sales coach gave me the script to use to get my first client, I asked, “So, why do we do it this way?” He said, “Who cares? It works. Just do it.” Coaching in its simplest form gives you speed. If you’re content going at a slow pace and you have time to waste, then forget about everything I’m saying. Keep doing what you’re doing, and the good point is that you will get there eventually—hopefully.

The second and third elements that you need on your team ASAP are your mentors and peer support. Mentors are great as they have the experience doing what you want to do. The downside to mentors is that they’re generally not committed to your success like a coach is. They’re willing to help, but you have to go after them, they’re not going to chase you around, and often your access to them is limited. The peer support is valuable as it brings you some camaraderie, some friendly competition, and people to share in the growth experience together. You can learn from the experiences of the peer support team, which will allow you to make wiser choices in the future. The downside to peer support, though, is that there’s a lack of true accountability. As peers, if I let you slide, you can let me slide, and we’ll be better buds.

**Coach’s Note**

One of the best things you can invest in is speed (no, not the drug). Invest in what gets stuff done fast like team members, systems development, and technology. Why? Who cares! It works. Get stuff done fast! Have a book to write. Figure out how to do it in a week. Get it done ASAP. A good team increases your speed and expands your capacity.

Q: What’s the one thing you cannot afford to lose in the race to success?

A: Momentum. Anything that slows your momentum dramatically reduces your confidence and your capacity.

6) Fire, aim, ready

Pull the trigger and get your momentum rolling. You are already ready. Just identify the next step and take it—NOW. Start with identifying or reconnecting with your true passion then invest in yourself, get a coach, build your team, and get some speed (and some crack while you’re at it J).

**Coach’s Note**

I recently had a friend come to me for some coaching to jumpstart his business. He said, “I’m feeling a little overwhelmed and unfocused.”

I said, “What is overwhelming?”

He said, “I have this and that to do, and it’s keeping me from getting to what I really want and need to grow my business.”

“Okay,” I replied. “I’m hearing you say that if you get this and that done, then you can move on to doing the next projects and you will feel less overwhelmed and be focused on what you need to be doing to help you take your business to the next level.”

“Yes, absolutely, I just can’t get to it,” he said.

“Okay, then here’s what you’re going to do. First off, you’re going to write me a check for $1,000. Then you’re going to go to your office and start working on your project. If you’re not done by Friday at 5 pm, I’m cashing the check. Thank you and good-bye.” Friday he called. Project done!

Sometimes we just need to stop making it so dang complicated. Create an accountability structure and get to work.