What Do Your Closet and Your Mind Have in Common?

Written on Sunday morning:
This morning I stepped into my closet and realized, "Oh-oh, it's gotten messy again." The last few weeks have been incredibly busy for me so laundry has been ignored and clothes and shoes are strewn in a disorderly fashion over the bars - sans the hangers. Now I know what I'm doing on this Sunday afternoon!

As I stepped back after previewing the cleaning job that lies ahead, I realized that the closet holds a close similarity to the way my mind has been feeling lately. Cluttered and disorganized. I've recently begun a very exciting opportunity hosting my own show on Toginet radio, along with marketing my next coaching group, developing an affiliate program, and several other time-consuming projects. The ideas have been flowing — and so has the work - so my brain has been on overdrive. Whew! It's time to de-clutter the closet and the mind!

It was fun to recognize that my messy closet represented something far more important than dirty laundry. Also, very interesting to realize how my outer world struck such a similarity to my state of mind. The closet is an easy, rather mindless project to tackle, but how to iron out the fabric of many creative processes moving about in my mind? With new projects and opportunities, balancing routine business and responsibilities, along with the personal life, can become overwhelming. If we don't take the time to organize our thoughts, projects, and time, life can become one big messy closet!

Today's awareness helped me realize that, while I have my projects well organized, I haven't been following my regular practice of mind mapping and list making to allow my mind to release the big picture ideas associated with each of the projects. If we allow our thoughts, ideas, and challenges to pile up in our minds it leads to a sense of overwhelm and frustration. My closet reminded me that I may be well on my way to experiencing those burdensome emotions. So, I will declutter my mind today as well!

Here are a few ways I do that. I'd like to hear how you release your creative thoughts, ideas, and challenges so that your brain can function freely and keep your life in balance!
List making — I have a "master to-do" list and I update it daily. My projects and routine tasks are broken into categories with a list of action steps following each one. The more urgent steps are highlighted in red. I carry this list with me everywhere I go!

Mindmapping — This can be done on your computer or on paper. I like to connect my free-flowing ideas on an oversized piece of paper. Seeing how they connect to one another and feed off of one-another is stimulating and productive. I begin with my main focus written in the middle of the paper and surround it with ideas and steps, drawing lines to connect the related items. I love doing this because it incorporates right brain and left brain thinking so well.
Sticky Note Idea Building — This is another good brainstorming activity. I like to write my ideas on sticky notes and put them on a big empty wall. I then move the notes around to see how they relate to and feed into one another. As I work through the process, some get discarded, and new thoughts continue to flow.

Journaling — Stream of consciousness writing (writing without editing your thoughts) is a great way to expand on an idea or work through a challenge. Just allow whatever comes into your mind to flow freely through your hands onto paper or a computer document. You may be amazed at the solutions and ideas born of this exercise.

Brainstorming Sessions — When many ideas are floating about our brain expressing them verbally often solidifies the idea, bringing it to life. It's also a great way to get grounded. Sometimes we may think we have a very achievable concept and our friends and peers can help us recognize the challenges and complications. The opposite is true as well. We may not be able to step back far enough when we are excited about an idea and expanding upon it may be difficult. Brainstorming is a wonderful way to achieve this.

Organization Charts — I like to organize my ideas and projects by category. It really helps me to stay focused on the things that will fit into my big picture vision and mission. The to-do list is one way of doing this, but I like to draw charts on my oversized paper (or you could use a white board). I create a piece of paper for each aspect of my business and put all of the pending projects on the appropriate page. I tack these onto a wall and take a step back to see how they all connect. As I study the picture I sometimes notice discrepancies or areas that I'm creating redundancies. This has saved me many a headache!

It looks like I have a busy, but fun day ahead. I know there are more ideas and solutions out there — let's hear them!
Tuesday updates: Yes, the closet has been restored to its organized state and my state of mind is also much improved! Ah, the comfort of an allowing, peaceful state of mind....

Entrepreneurial Curveballs - How Not To Strike Out

This week I have the privilege of interviewing yet another amazing and successful man of our times, Sanjay Burman. Sanjay is a Master Hypnotherapist, film producer and director and publisher of motivational books now in 8 countries. There is simply too much to even begin to cover here so I am also interviewing Sanjay on the Million Dollar Mindset radio show on Monday, February 1st at 2pm ET. Be sure to tune in! It promises to be filled with fun, laughter, and truly candid conversion with this master of inspiration.

As a rather enterprising youth, Sanjay was asked to leave high school after selling the school to Pepsi without the consent of the principal. What? That's right! That may have been the end of Sanjay's negotiations with Pepsi, but it didn't put the brakes on Sanjay's enterprising spirit. He soon fell into representing children's books and, since he'd already produced a national television show for CBC Television at the age of 16, he applied his knowledge to produce the Cannes Award-winning, Spider.

Q. Sanjay, it's clear that your creative mind has been working full time since a very young age. Sometimes such ingenuity can create chaos in the life of a young person — not to mention his or her parents - tell us about when it all started!

A. Life throws us many curve balls. We don't always see them as kids, and don't have to since our parents protect us. But then some of us get that major curve ball that changes our direction, focus and passions forever. This was what happened to me in Grade 3.
We had just moved from a small town in to the big city. I was behind in school, and realized if you were sick, got to sleep in the nurse's office! What a concept! So every Friday like clockwork, a new disease, illness or un-researched virus would strike me. Off to the nurse's office I would go and sleep for the afternoon. What I didn't realize was that my principal, Mr. Fleming, was watching and one day called me into his office, along with my parents! He told my parents that I was a born actor and made a call to the local college for me to attend a summer acting program. This changed everything.

From there, I ended up carving my own path without knowledge of where I was going or what I was doing. I went on faith. I believe that something that lacks in most people today is faith in themselves. We listen to the media and the remarks of others, and in turn, question ourselves and our path. From selling my high school to Pepsi without getting permission first (obviously something I wouldn't suggest) to producing an Oscar nominated movie by the age of 24, I had my failures, successes, mistakes and lessons.

Q. It sounds like you've had more than one curve ball Sanjay! How did you survive them and what does an entrepreneur really need to continue to survive these unexpected turns?

A. Entrepreneurs need two things to survive and become successful; passion and persistence. That's it! It's not about talent, money, contacts or luck. Those like Gates, Dell, and Turner have all pursued their dreams because it was what they loved to do and persisted through adversity and other people's doubts. The idea of not being successful never crossed their minds. It wasn't about IF, it was about WHEN. This is something that is hard to remember when you are in the midst of walking the long dark tunnel; it is those who have faith in themselves that know there is a light just around the corner. David Foster, the famous songwriter said 'I have written 1000 songs. 100 were hits, which means I had 900 failures'. He never quit or second guessed himself. Like Babe Ruth, the hits made up for the misses by a long shot!

Q. Sanjay, do you believe that we're not only influenced by our own belief system, but by those who surround us as well?

A. Yes! The other very important rule for a self-starter is to understand who you are and who you associate with. When I was entering high school, I was full of vim and vigor. I had written scripts, done plays, and read various books on working in Hollywood. Instead of focusing on my bigger goals, I started to socialize with the 'cool' kids who were very unhappy and destructive to themselves, and as I found out later, to me too. They were constantly dismissing my dreams, even going as far as to make fun of them. Without realizing it, I started to lose focus and lose sight of my vision for myself. By the end of the first year in high school, I was happy with just getting a job!

The people around you will define who you are to yourself. Winners are always with winners. You don't have to be successful or achieved a huge milestone; you have to be tenacious and want to learn. The most successful people I know, love being inspired and motivated. They like high energy, ambitious goal-setting and proper intention. It's those qualities that will allow successful people to come into your life.

Q. So we can attract what I like to call "like-minded" individuals into our lives, and that is important. But once you're on that roller coaster to success, self-sabotaging behavior sometimes creeps in. How can that affect us and how do we keep it in check?

A. That's right. Another common mistake is allowing ego and illusions to creep in. The downfall of every major historical figure can be traced to ego. Ego can be camouflaged as many other emotions and therefore hard to control or even spot! The smartest people I know are those who have left their egos aside and focused on the long term picture. Does it really kill you to say 'sorry' or give in once in a while? Actually, not only do you get close to your goals, but also earn the respect of others in doing so.

The illusions I refer to, are those that are in self sabotage cycles. They think they want more, they think they have high aspirations, but in fact have a hidden need to fail. This occurs for people who think they will end up looking foolish if they do succeed, or they will be laughed at if they try and fail, or if they have a bad interpretation about success. For instance 'rich people are liars and selfish.' These types of thoughts are very common. The trick is to stay focused on just the end result for yourself, and not the consequences of winning or losing.

Earn respect, don't expect respect! 'You don't respect me' says Tony Soprano to his Capo. Of course not! Tony lies, cheats and steals, why on earth would anyone respect him? Respect only comes when you respect yourself and treat others the same way. One of our executives says 'I only respect those who respect me'. If this is your thought as well, then I advise you to read the paragraph above about ego.

Christina Aguilera was asked what she would be doing right now if she wasn't a star. Her response was 'I would be working to be a star'. If your answer would be anything other than that, then re-evaluate why you are not passionate about what you are doing, why you are holding yourself back and why you are in a vicious cycle that will only result in your losing out. Your time is now, not tomorrow. The world will be a better place if you contribute your vision to it. We are eager to see it, so what are you waiting for?

It's Never Too Late for Success: One Man's Story

Today I have the honor of interviewing an amazing man with a truly inspiring story. So often, I hear from entrepreneurs who are experiencing setbacks in life and business, some are heartbreaking stories. But most often the lessons learned through these setbacks assist the individual in embracing a positive perspective and an understanding that nearly anything is possible for the determined mind and spirit of an entrepreneur. Our guest today personifies that belief and will hopefully inspire you to continue your march as the freedom-loving thought leaders of today's society! He also offers some very sage advice for the solopreneur, so don't miss this one!

Years ago, John Giordano reluctantly walked over the threshold of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center after an intervention by friends and family. Today he is the author of "Proven Holistic Treatment For Addiction & Chronic Relapse," and the founder president and of the prestigious G & G Holistic Addiction Treatment Center in North Miami Beach, Florida.

John's journey prior to rehab lead to the loss of a successful business, luxurious lifestyle, and most significantly, his wife, children and many friends. Today, John's life is committed to helping others conquer addiction and rebuild a life that has been lost.

Q. John, in spite of being in recovery from a crippling addiction, you persevered and started another business. What internal and external resources did you most rely on to find the strength and courage to do this?

A. My life has been blessed. I knew exactly what I wanted to do in life the day I walked into a dojo. I was fourteen at the time and I've been involved in Karate ever since. I've applied the lessons learned over the years to every aspect of my life — in both thick and thin times. I've found that what you think about, you bring about.

The first principle I live by is that you have to believe in yourself, because if you don't, no one else will. The next step is commitment. You have to be completely dedicated to whatever it is you chose to do -- no matter what. In Karate you learn to visualize — see yourself connecting with a kick or punch before you throw it. In life, you have to see yourself being a success before you do it. And finally be passionate about what you do. Your passion will not only fuel you, but also others nearby.

My greatest external resource comes from the people surrounding me. My immediate family has always believed in me and been supportive of my pursuits. Additionally, I associate with people whose philosophies and direction mirror mine. There is no substitute for a positive and reaching outlook on life.

Q. The desire to help others is a strong driver for many entrepreneurs. What do you believe that reaching out to assist others satisfies in us?

A. It is simply our nature, it's in our DNA. Everyone has a need to help others, but it's stronger in some. Speaking for myself, I've learned so much that has improved my quality of life from so many, that I feel compelled to share what I've learned so that the people around me can improve their lives. Yet we have staff members who are motivated by something completely different. What we have in common is that we all believe we are contributing to a better world, a better society. Regardless of what inspires us, there is no greater reward that we share as individuals or a group than watching our clients succeed. It just makes you feel good about yourself and what you are doing.

Q. Many solopreneur practitioners who are in the helping field struggle with charging for their services. Do you have insights that may help rectify that?

A. The mind is a strange thing at times. I had the same problem before I went into rehab. Here I was a world champion and my self-esteem was so low that I could hardly bear to charge my students for their Karate lessons. Rehab did wonders for my low self-esteem, but I also learned another important and valuable lesson. If you don't take care of yourself, if you don't charge enough, you're actually hurting more people than you're helping. I've seen more people than I care to count, who were capable and very good at helping others, move into a different field because they could not live on what they charged. It's sad when you consider how many people they could have helped if they just charged everyone a little bit more and stayed in the people helping business.

Q. Like so many determined entrepreneurs you started your business on a shoestring. Financing is one of the most difficult barriers experienced by business owners. What advice do you have for others who are facing the financial crunch, especially in today's economy?

A. Banks are just not lending right now so you have to look to the private sector. I got started with $300.00 dollars to my name and struggled for quite a while. Keep in mind I was involved with holistic addiction treatment which at the time was a blessing and a curse. It gave me a unique distinction above my competition, but at the same time not too many people understood what holistic was. This made it difficult to raise capital through conventional channels. At the same time I was wearing all the hats of a solopreneur — thus taking precious time away from what I do best, helping people. With all of this considered, I decided to bring in two investing/working partners: Jerry Goldfarb and Gerald Goldfarb. They handled the administrative and marketing aspect of the business freeing me up to do what I love the most, the clinical side. From that day forward G & G Holistic Addiction Treatment Center skyrocketed. As we grew exponentially everyone wanted to jump onboard and lend us money we no longer needed.

From my experiences and those of my friends, there comes a point in time in every solopreneurial business where you either raise capital and hire people; or take on an investor/working partner. I chose the latter so that I could do what I do best and find the most rewarding. Fortunately, it worked. If this option is not appealing to you, then you may want to consider private sector investors - they are always looking for a solid business to park their money. The best way to attract them would be with a good reputation, a proven track record and a real plan for future growth. If you're not able to attract one investor, try breaking-up your financial needs into smaller bites and take on several investors. Do keep in mind that a partnership is like a marriage — you have to have common goals!

Vision Board Magic

About 6 months ago I decided it was time to start an internet radio show. I thought it would be a fun way to reach people with information on attracting positive change and to share stories about people who inspire others to achieve their dreams. I was excited about the idea, but found myself in a "stuck" place as the excuses began to pile up. How would I attract listeners, who would I interview, blah, blah, blah. The idea got relegated to the back burner where it simmered at temperatures just hot enough to create that burning feeling of guilt over setting a worthy goal and not exploring it further.

Guilt, like other negative emotions, has a way of lowering one's energy so I knew I had to do something about this idea; either let it go or take action. As I reviewed my 2010 "What Am I Going to Change" list I decided to put the internet radio show idea onto my vision board and let the Universe take care of it. I know, that may sound like inaction, but for me it's a way of creating action.

Well, it didn't take long. Weeks later, as a result of being a guest on Toginet's Paying It Forward with Josephine Geraci, I was invited to create my own show for this successful radio network! Josephine and I had so much fun on her wonderful show that they wanted to do a spin-off on our conversation. Thank you vision board and thank you Josephine!

Since then, I've put out some queries for individuals who have achieved amazing things in life and credit positive thought, law of attraction, and other metaphysical/spiritual practices for their success. Wow! What heart-warming, inspirational stories are out there! But what I love most is how these people are, as Josephine says, paying it forward, by inspiring and teaching others to achieve success, wellness, and happiness as well.

So, I'd like to share with you that "The Million Dollar Mindset" will launch on Toginet next Monday, January 18 at 1pm CT, 2pm ET. Together with my guests I will share insights, tips and stories about unlocking the secrets to creating business success and a happier, more balanced life through abundant thinking and attraction power. This is an extension of this blog space, which I love! I hope you will join me there as well.

What wonderful changes will you attract into your life in 2010? Create forward momentum by sharing them here. Who knows? You may be my next guest on "The Million Dollar Mindset"!

NOTE: If you or someone you know has an inspiring story or mission to share please send their information to me at Marla@MarlaTabaka.com!

What Do You Need to Change?

This is the time of the year when we see a lot of wonderful, inspirational posts and articles about creating new goals for the New Year. Being a coach, I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. Every year I map out what I call my "Ten Most Wanted List." And, naturally, I aim for the sky. Needless to say, one year later I'm disappointed in myself when all of these wishes don't come to fruition. So this year, I did something a little different.

I created a "What Am I Going to Change" list. I figured there's a reason I'm not achieving all of my goals and I set out to figure out why. With that said, remember that I am a total believer in manifesting ones dreams and desires, so I like lofty goals. BUT, if you have internal blocks and strongly resist your goals they will probably never become a fait accompli.

I started my new process with a tough one. Last year, one of my goal statements was, "I will go to the gym 4 times a week." Ouch! Just thinking about it hurts — that one never happened. This year I asked "what do I need to change about myself in order to introduce more exercise into my life?" This opened the door to exploration and open, honest communication between my left, logical brain and right, creative brain. You see, the logical side automatically goes to the most direct and logical solution: Go to the gym! But the softer, more creative side loves to explore all of the possibilities. After writing, thinking, and a bit of talking to myself, do you know what I did? I quit the gym! That's right, au revoir, hasta la vista, adios to my dear friend, the gym.

I discovered that I don't need to change anything about myself except my thinking. The truth is that I really do enjoy some forms of exercise and in order to introduce more of it into my life I need to look forward to it. Reframing from a goal to a question about change helped me to look the problem right in the eye and find a solution. Problem: I simply don't like going to the gym. Awareness: Exercising is fun if it's something I enjoy and that's convenient. Going to the gym takes hours out of my day, to fit it in I have to replace my morning routine at the coffeehouse, which is productive and enjoyable. And at the gym I'm surrounded by a 100 bodies that are in far better shape than my own! Why would anyone want to torture themselves like that? So I asked myself the next question: "How can I increase my exercise in a way that I really enjoy and look forward to?"

Solution: Yoga, my Nordic Track and free weights, and more walks in the woods with my dogs. I love walking in the woods. It's more like a reward than exercise. I love yoga too, so I asked Santa for a yoga DVD for Christmas. And the Nordic Track is convenient and I can blast my music and sing at the top of my lungs if I want to. Yay! I really like this plan! And, it's working. OK, I know, it's only been a week, but I'm optimistic. Most importantly, I feel a weight off my shoulders because my "Ten Most Wanted List" isn't a "Ten Most Dreaded List" anymore. It's filled with fun, uplifting activities that will change my life in some very significant ways.

Do you want or need support in achieving your dreams and goals? Join my affordable group coaching program! The next group begins in February. Check it out!

So what will you change? How can you reframe your goals and turn them into something that excites you and will not lead to disappointment in a year from now? Please share!