Drop The Monkey Business Update

Dear blog readers,  

I have been missing in action of the last six months here on the Drop the Monkey Business Blog. The reason is I have taken my writing off Line and now write a business column for the business section of my city's local paper The Galway Advertiser.

However, over the next few months Drop the Monkey Business will be back in full swing blogging lots of positivity about business, a brand new website, books & a lot more. Stay tuned and in the meantime check out my blog posts for The Huffington Post here: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/oisin-browne/

Warm Regards, 

Oisin Browne 

Certified Hypnotist, Creative Marketeer, Sales Strategist, Business Enthusiast & Music Lover...

DO SOMETHING WHILE YOU WAIT

Yesterday, I went into town to print some photos in FujiFilm. The shop assistant told me to wait five minutes. With no interest in being indoors on a beautiful day or spending my time window shopping I decide to take my Samsung w200 pocket camera for a short walk down shop street. In my wanting to do something while I waited I captured this little clip of a beautiful city in 1.12 minutes.

Drop the Monkey Business & do something while you wait. Make it fun. You may be surprised at what happens!

HAVE FUN

One of the most important laws of life is to have fun. This applies as much in the work place as in the home. If you’re not enjoying the experience how can you expect to give your best?  Have fun with your work. Learn to losen up and laugh more. If you are having fun working, the people with whom you connect with on a daily bases will see this and relate to it. I am not saying to act like a clown. There is a time and place for everything. Never take yourself too seriously, After all it’s only a job and we are all human. Enjoy the fun of winning and the fun of losing. Have fun in business. Have fun in life.

Drop the Monkey Business & have fun!

CHANGING COMPETITION INTO COMMUNITY WITH GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Read the latest Drop the Monkey Business column in the business section of the Galway Advertiser (page 80) titled 'CHANGING COMPETITION INTO COMMUNITY WITH GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE'.

Click here to go to the digital edition.

Drop the Monkey Business

IN THE PRESS!

Drop the Monkey Business has it's first outing today in the Galway Advertiser with a piece called   'Managing your business meetings' and  will run every second week. It will go online from the next edition. It is available on the digital edition which is online. click here to read online. This week I have printed the text below, but do pick up a copy for a preview of the real deal!

Page 101 with logo and nice green box!!

Drop the Monkey Business and read the Galway Advertiser!!

FACE YOUR TRUTHS & MOVE ON

Today I spoke to Katina, Social Editor of IMAGE magazine in Dublin. We talked about how when it comes to problems and blocks in life, business and relationships  people need to learn  to face reality, become honest with themselves and where they are, make the change and move on.

Ask Tina, a page in the popular Irish magazine answers people's questions  on moving forward with their relationships and life.  Katina calls it exactly as it is and gave me a small tip that can be applied in Business and life. 

Drop the Monkey business and face your truths so you can move on.

GIVE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

It’s vital when running a business to look at the customer service that you provide. The business basics are to stay calm, speak with a smile, always listen, offer solutions and give positive responses. The most important ingredient in providing excellent Customer Service is that the customer knows that it’s Job Done and No Sad Stories. That is the Brand promise of The City Bin Co., an Irish waste collector. I spoke to Gene Browne, CEO of The City Bin Co about giving Great Customer Service.

Be responsive to your customer’s requests and get the Job done right every time.  A satisfied customer will not only return, but will recommend you over and over again. Without customers your business will not exist, therefore great customer service is key and the customer is the king.

Drop the Monkey Business, & give excellent customer service.

Creativity, Innovation and You

We all have the ability to give and be our best yet we only shine on occasional moments in our life. Most of the time we are living and supporting somebody else’s dream and not giving one hundred percent of our energy to them nor to ourselves. This week I spoke with Marguerite Tonery, owner of Transflow Proformance about creativity. Marguerite  is an entrepreneur who created a new approach to developing creativity and innovation. Marguerite teaches this to businesses throughout Ireland.

To be creative is to come up with, develop or see something new; look from a different angle. Be yourself. It can be difficult to do this when you are confined to the rules of other peoples vision of life, but it's the creative people who shine because of their uniqueness and ability to tap into the creative zone within their given environment. We all have this ability. Marguerite shared with me how we can tap into that zone on a continued bases. 

Drop the Monkey business and be yourself. That's creativity.

LET GO OF YOUR FEARS & GO FOR YOUR DREAMS

Today I spoke to Mairead Heagney , creator of Aonacht, about how we sometimes let the flame of the best business ideas blow out.  She explained to me how fear impacts these creative ideas from the very beginning. 

How many times have you thought of a great idea to advance your business, career or life but it fell through at the starting line. What went wrong? What is the ingredient that successful people tap into in order to put life and energy into their ideas and make them work? I believe there is nothing to lose in life and only much to gain. There are two choices you can make when you get a great idea. You can act on it and just go for it or you can do nothing and watch somebody else make good of the very thing you thought of in the first place. Libby Gill has a great book to help with this very subject called “You Unstuck” where she shares different keys to overcoming the very fear that stops us  from getting to where we want to be in life.

Drop the Monkey business, let go of your fears & go for your dreams

SEEK SOUND ADVICE FROM CREATIVE PEOPLE

No matter what business you are in seek the experience from creative industries. Look for inspiration within inventive sources such as artists, musicians and painters.. A few weeks ago I did just that. I had the opportunity to chat to legendary songwriter Dana Cooper. I asked Dana about the changing industry, what young musicians dreaming of making it in music need to look at and what these musicians and other people with dreams be  in life or business can do to take the first steps. The great ideas can come from the most unusual places and the music industry is one of those interesting places that has a lot of creative people with inspirational nuggets. Dana is one such person.

Dana has over 40 years of song writing, performing and life experience and is equipped with a wealth of solid practical information about what it takes to be a working songwriter. He has recorded 22 albums, worked with 2 major record labels, several independent labels and discovered how to thrive as an independent artist. After seeing Dana play live more than once and interviewing him I can only say that this musician has great wisdom to share in business and life.

After talking to Dana Cooper the take-homes I received for myself were to set goals, decide if it’s a way of life or a living, and tap into the new worldwide distribution channels  on the internet such as YouTube, FaceBook,  and Twitter. 

Drop the Monkey Business and seek out your creative mentor.

SHARE YOUR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Today I met with brother/sister team Mark and Claire McCole, world famous Irish dancing sensations who spoke to me about their achievements and why it’s so important to share your skills and pass on your knowledge with others.

If you look at our ancestors, they were experts in this. They’d pass wisdom down from generation to generation. There were no books or computers. All was word of mouth and all was with the intention to improve the skills and knowledge of the next generation. It was a human characteristic to give one’s learning to the person beside you. I believe we lost this to some degree, but it is coming back. People what to learn and as much as they love to learn people want to teach. Like Mark and Claire have done with the Irish dancing ask yourself what learning, teachings, talents or wisdom can you give, be it business tips and techniques, be it a skill or a hobby. There is a student and a teacher in all of us. In many ways this blog is my classroom. I am the student. I am the teacher. What or where is your classroom in this wonderful world?

Drop the Monkey Business and share your skill and knowledge

PUSH THE POSSIBILITIES

I just finished reading Richard Branson’s book called” Screw it, let’s do it”. From the word go Richard really shines with great ingredients that make a good business person. He has a lot of fun. He’s full of enthusiasm. He’s not afraid of failure and he believes in possibilities. The best business people in the world have failed one hundred times before they had their success story. Success can almost always be defined by one’s willingness to fly in the face of fear and take risks that others may see as silly, dangerous, a waste of money or time. People that take risks have belief not only in the person that they are, but in the possibility of their vision or dream becoming a reality. This is where all logic and reasoning goes out the window and so it should. In my world everything is possible. The only thing that limits possibility is the fear of such possibilities manifesting themselves. Stop fearing the outcome that you don’t wish to have so that you can allow the best of you to glow.  Put simply, fear the worst case scenario and you’ll end up with the worst case scenario, so push the possibilities of what you want and not what you don’t want.  Believe in yourself and your ideas. Be more like Richard!

Drop the Monkey Business and push the possibilities.

THINK BIG THINK GLOBAL

Anousheh Ansari built a computer technology firm from the ground up, which eventually realized a net worth of $750 million and ultimately allowed her to achieve her childhood dream of spaceflight. When she was in space looking back at the planet Earth she confirmed what she already knew and applied to her life and business success. She had seen that there were no lines separating the land. There are no borders between countries. To know that you are not cornered into any one spot in the world is a great asset to any person in business. Only fear stops us from moving and growing our business out of the geographical location where we are based.

Today I met with Owen O’Malley, founder and CEO of TICN.  With the same belief as Anousheh Ansari, Owen grew his business idea from a thought to a business now operating in 34 countries and in 12 different languages and all from a remote village in the most north-westerly part  of Ireland.

Owen’s message is simple. Think big and think Global. Through the rapid advances of technology our business products can be seen and bought anywhere in the world no matter where we are based. We no longer have to be with the customer in a shop or an office. All you need is a laptop, a website, a PayPal account and belief in yourself and your business.

Drop the Monkey Business and start thinking big

GET A STEP CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL

Today I spoke with David Keane from New Focus|coaching about setting goals that are aligned with our true desires. We spoke about maintaining focus on the ultimate goal while taking the appropriate measures to get over the finishing line. David spoke about Bob Proctor and the Earl Nightingale quote:

 "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal"

Do something each day that will bring you closer to your goal and you will definitely arrive at the end result that you desire. Imagine in one month having made an average of 31 actions in the direction of your goal. In one year, 365 actions. Everybody has different goals which are unique and personal to them. Maybe your goal is to give up smoking or to start a business. Maybe your goal is to run a marathon, publish a book, write a hit song or simply to be content in your daily activities. One step at a time. Never stop. Keep moving and chipping away at the desires that you're most passionate about. Follow the meaning of success in what you believe it to mean for you. Reach for your goal like you already have it in the palm of your hand.

Drop the Monkey Business and get a step closer to your goal.

GET INTO THE BUSINESS OF DRINKING WATER

If you’re dehydrated chances are that you’re not putting 100% of your energy into your business or life. I spoke to nutritional therapist Chen Saat-Murphy from true food Healing about the benefits of drinking water and the different sources from which we can obtain water. 

Imagine communicating your best ideas without being fueled by coffee, tea or a soda drink. Imagine performing better than your perceived best and surprising your colleagues and yourself. Imagine this happening because you drink water, two to three litres per day. This is exactly what top performing athletes do. This is what the best business people do. Why? Because they know that it gives them the energy that their bodies ask for, an energy that translates into faster and clearer thoughts which in turn results in better action. Check out www.allaboutwater.org for more information.

Drop the monkey business and drink water

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

As you can see from the picture, I’m no expert when it comes to dressing for business. Yes, you could say I am expressive and that I have a fun way of dressing, but when it comes to business will that get you the customer? I’m comfortable in my choice of clothing but are the clients comfortable looking at me? I believe you need a balance when dressing in business. Yes my personality shined through on the day this photo was taken, however I didn't see the miss-match until I seen the photo : red, pink and blue and a purple umbrella thrown in for luck!

I felt I'd be on fire  going into meetings , but really, who’d take me serious (besides myself!) at work?  Today I decided to take a call to action. I went to Born, a local clothing store to meet up with  Delilah, International Fashion Stylist and Personal Shopper for some basic tips in dressing for business.

In business, it’s great to look good. When you look good you feel good. It can give you more confidence when you are interacting with other people, especially at work. I believe it should matter more what we do as oppose to what we wear, but at work, in meetings and when we go for interviews it is important to give attention to our appearance. What you wear can leave a lasting impression on people. 

Drop the monkey business and dress for success 

SPREAD ENTHUSIASM

Putting enthusiasm into what you do is like putting petrol into your car. It's hard to go without it and it'll get you to where you need to be. Most businesses, ideas, jobs, and relationships start off on a high note fuelled with lots of enthusiasm. With the time this is watered down and for some it can be like the flame of a candle burning out. They don’t see it happening and they don’t achieve what they originally set out to do. Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great American writer wrote that “Nothing great has ever been achieved without enthusiasm”. Richard Branson puts enthusiasm into everything he does and the result: Success. He doesn't just put it there at the start. It's a full time member of the team, there to see out the projects, missions and goals.

Enthusiasm is so powerfully that it allows you to lock onto your target goal and successfully get there with ease. When you have enthusiasm you have strong self believe. EckhartTolle, who is listed as the most spiritually influential person in the world wrote in his book ‘A New Earth’ that ‘enthusiasm is one of the three modalities needed to align your life to the creative power of the universe’. The other two being acceptance and enjoyment.  

When you start something, be sure to start with buckets of enthusiasm, bring that enthusiasm with you right to the finishing line. Don’t give it away. Don’t let it fade out. If anything spread it. Allow it get big and bright. Let the world see it. It can be contagious for the people around you that want victory for you. The people who don't get it or don't wish to be aboard your ship, let them go. That’s the ingredient for success.

Drop the monkey business and spread enthusiasm.

LESSONS FROM LUNCH AT LUNARES

I'm a creature of habit and I normally don't change easily from my regular routines. Sometimes it feels like too much effort or that I might not enjoy something different, but every now and then I prove myself wrong. I prove that change is worth the risk. The risk of finding that something new far out weighs the risk of being stuck in a groundhog day scenario. When you work hard, it's always good to reward yourself with a lovely bite to eat in a nice restaurant.  I know I'm talking about food, but taking a risk and allowing change to enter your life or business is all part of the dressing in my blog today! There's nothing better than discovering a new great place to have lunch. That's what happened to me today when my brother invited me to lunch at Lunares, a Spanish Tapas restaurant in my hometown. We took the risk, sampled a new dining experience and the rewards were good for all. The food was beautiful, the staff were really friendly and the value was in everything; the food, the service, the place and the people. It's rare to find these kind of food havens that tick all the boxes and more. They didn't just do as expected in this restaurant, they went the extra mile. The chef and owner came out and spoke with every client. The chef even entertained the customers with a traditional Spanish song and demonstrated a Spanish dance. The restaurant was full. The customers were amazed.  It was so good that I decided  to use my creativity and give them something small. I returned later that evening and made this little promo video clip using my flip camera as a token of my gratitude.

I got a few little lessons from my lunch at lunares. It's good to change the regular routine. It's good to take risks. It's good to taste something new. It's good to embrace change and it's always good to give.

Drop the Monkey business and prove to yourself that a change in your regular routine is worth the risk.

GET UP AND GIVE YOURSELF SOME 'YOU' TIME

‘I have no time’ is the number one excuse for not doing the things we love doing. It’s a poor and widely used excuse. I understand that we are all very busy working and doing the day to day chores that life throws at us and that it appears as if there's no time. There's always time. There is an easy solution that may not be music to your ears but it works.  Set the alarm clock one hour earlier than usual.  Getting up daily very early is one of the most important traits of success in business and life according to Robin Sharma, author of ‘The leader who had no title’ and ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari’.  In fact, Robin encourages us all to set our clocks at 5.00a.m. and he’s right. It sounds difficult, but it’s easier than you might  believe. It’s just a habit, a good habit.  What you get when you get up earlier than your peers is uninterrupted valuable time for doing the things that matter most.

This morning I got up at half past five. I dedicated 30 minutes of focused time to my hobby, writing. I wrote 400 words. If I do that every day, five days a week (giving myself two rest days each week) for a year I will give myself 130.5 hours of extra time to do what I love.  If I focus on my writing during this time and write 400 words each day I will write 104,400 words. That's a book!

What one thing could you do with this extra time? Exercise, plan your day, write, meditate, read a book, or focus on your hobby. You will simply get good at what you love.

Drop the monkey business, get up and give yourself some extra 'you' time.

DO MORE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LOVE TO DO

Pádraic O Máille , creator of Smácht shared some great wisdom with me today. Sometimes the support has to start from within. To grow the best in ourselves we need to feed the best in ourselves.  In all aspects of life we need to focus, not on the things we don’t like doing, but on the things we love to do. When you tune into the things that you love doing - expand them.  Always look for the white dot on the black wall and make it bigger. So big that it’ll fill you with happiness. As my wife always says " You got to feed the love to make it grow".

Drop the monkey business and do more of the things that you love to do.

PLAN THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED PARTY

Don’t just write a mission statement. Write a destination statement. A detailed plan of what you want to do and where you want to go. Write down what you need to do in order to achieve it. Write down what steps you’ll take to achieve it and most importantly, something you don’t see too often on business mission statements or personal vision statements, an estimated time of completion. Of course you can say that your mission is to be the best at what you do in your field and leave it as simple as that. Simple is good, but that only tells people your dream, your goal. It doesn't say WHEN.  Knowing when you will achieve your mission in business or life gives you a focus. It leaves no space for excuses. 


Keep your mission simple and to the point. Focus on it. Ask yourself everyday what needs to be done to be one step closer to mission completed. With everything that you do, ask yourself does this bring me closer to mission completed. If not, stop doing it.

For more success in business and life, add WHEN to your mission statement of intent. Add WHEN you plan on reaching that point of excellence and WHEN you get there what you aim to do. Don’t just book the flight and know the name of the destination. KNOW your intended time of arrival. Plan what you will do when you get there. Plan the party.

Drop the Monkey business and plan the mission accomplished party.

BE A WORLD CHAMPION

Today I met with Ken Horan, WKN Middle Weight Kickboxing World Champion. I asked Ken to sum up in one word the key to being a world champion. His answer: “Discipline”.  

Add discipline to your day and all that you do. See the difference it will make within a short time. No matter what you do in business or life, work hard, train hard and play hard. Be a world champion .

Drop the monkey business and be the best at what you do.

START YOUR DAY WITH A BLANK CANVAS

Artists not only start with a blank canvas, they make the frame and stretch their canvas. They have total control over the size and the material. They don’t get caught up in paintings from the past or what they’ll paint next month. They don’t become attached to paintings. They are always focusing on the present painting. The motivation happens in the moment. They look for inspiration from their surroundings. They don’t just paint the roses, they smell the roses.  Apply the artist’s way to your life.

Drop the monkey business and start your day with a blank canvas.

MONEY AND VISUALIZATION

Here you have a blank cheque. Fill it out. Print it out, put your name on it and place it somewhere you can see it everyday. Put as many zeros as you wish on it. Be generous. Look at it everyday until you become very comfortable with its value and what it can bring you. Be comfortable with the idea of having and accessing that amount and more.  The fear of having something can cause you never to receive it. This can be true of money. Remove the fear with this visualization technique. Aim high and land high. You deserve it.

Drop the monkey business and learn to visualize what you desire.

START YOUR JOURNEY

Stop for a moment when faced with a choice and you don't know which road to take. Stand back and look at the road signs. All directions have destinations. Some have the same destination. Some have the wrong destination. Some have unknown destinations, but no two roads can be traveled at once. Make a decision. Choose one road and stick to it. Once on the road there is no turning back. However, if the road gets too bumpy - slow down, stop and if you really have to take the next exit and link to a new road, do it. If the road is smooth, pace yourself and enjoy it. Stop for rest to conserve energy and take in the scenery. You will not arrive at your destination standing still, driving backwards or trying to drive down two different roads at once. As the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said  “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

Drop the Monkey Business and start your journey.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Take five, frame it and sell it for ten. That was the suggestion I received when I asked my uncle how to make money. I took his advice literally. It was the summer of 1996 and that’s exactly what I did. I was young. I was a student who didn’t want to work, yet wanted money to enjoy a good social life. I got more than that. I got great experience. I worked hard and  put in longer hours than I would have in a nine to five job. What did I do? I wrote and printed my short poems on good quality paper, framed them and went door to door selling. I knocked on thousands of doors. I got hundreds of no’s. I sold 200 in the first month and I sold 500 the second month. I took five, framed it and sold it for ten. I followed the advice, but more importantly I followed my heart.

Will you follow the advice? How hard will you work for it? Will you put in the long hours? How many doors will you knock on? How many no's will you listen to? Will you follow your heart?

Drop the Monkey Business & follow your heart.

EXERCISE YOUR MIND & LEARN SOMETHING NEW

It's good to learn. It's good to take yourself out of your comfort zone and do something different. I thought all my learning days were done when I left college. Then I discovered that I could do acting classes once a week in my local night school. I did and after that, I learned Spanish and I’m still learning. Then I took up Capoeira classes which I continued practicing during four years. Two years ago I really learned about how the Music Industry works when I had a top 20 hit! I did workshops on energy awareness and energy healing. Then, I learned some coin and card magic using free YouTube lessons. The magic got me interested in hypnosis. Because of my wanting and openness to learn I am now a certified hypnotherapist. Now, I’m learning the ins and outs of social media and  how to create, connect and manage online networks. And that's only the tip of the iceberg! 

January is a great time to start learning something new. No matter how hard times get and even when times are good keep learning new skills. You'll be surprised, you may even find a new hobby. Not even money can be an excuse with so many tutorials for beginners on every subject available online.

Drop the Monkey Business, exercise your mind and learn something new.

BE INSPIRED BY WISE WORDS

 

Today I met with Little John Nee, an Irish performer who shared some beautiful Zen Inspiration with me. 

My personal reading of this Zen saying is that we create our own life and  there is nothing in life we can’t overcome when we act from the heart.  I was inspired by the words of the Zen quotation shared by  Little John Nee. 

Drop the Monkey Business and be inspired by wise words.

REDIRECT THE ENERGY FROM BLAME TO LEARN

It’s very easy to get angry and point fingers when we don’t get a desired result, but do you practice the human ability to convert the energy from blame to learn? Instead of filling yourself with anger, ask yourself “What can I learn from this and who are my teachers?” Maybe the teachers are the very people you blame. It’s good to learn. You need lessons to learn. You need teachers to teach lessons. Maybe the teachers are people or maybe the teachers are situations. Who are your teachers and what can you learn from them?  For a different perspective ask these two questions of all your highs and lows in business and life.

Drop the Monkey Business and get in the habit of redirecting the energy from blame to Learn. It’s good to let go.  

THE BEST ADVISER IS YOUR INNER ADVISER

When you are afraid to take the next step, or have a mental block stopping you from making progress you can remove yourself from the picture and look from the outside. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to look at other people and their situations and within seconds come up with a plan of action? You can see what’s blocking them. You may even go as far as dishing out friendly advice as you feel that your clarity is super bright and super right. You can’t understand how the other party can’t see the solution that is resting right beneath their nose. The confusing aspect of this great ability is that you can’t do it for yourself. When you try, you become emotionally  involved. You attach yourself to particular outcomes. You ask everybody, only to receive ten very different and conflicting opinions. This is the time to tune out from the noise of the outside world and tune into your inner world. This is the time to go to the cinema on your own, to wash the dishes by hand, do gardening, yoga, meditation or exercise. This is the right time to quieten your mind. It is easier said than done, but if you don’t give it a go, you won’t know. The goal is to disconnect and bring yourself into a calm state of now, the present moment. When you disconnect from the outcome you can tap into more possibilities. You can ask yourself questions and get great honest answers.  You can see yourself as you see others and help yourself as you would others, but first calm the mind. Imagine now if you were to meet a 30 year older version of yourself and could ask him/her this question “What’s the next best step for me to take?” They have been through it all and have all the best answers. Do it now, and see what answers you received. I’m sure it will be the right answer. If you get two answers, listen to the first, the gut feeling. The best adviser is your inner adviser.

Drop the monkey business, tune out and tune in. Get the answers from within.

LET'S DO IT OURSELVES

What if we didn’t turn to our Government to solve the economic crisis in Ireland and what if we could put the country in the hands of the young and unemployed? Maybe they would do a better job than most if given direction and opportunity. Maybe they would move faster and get results. Today I spoke with Phil James, director of the Granary Learning Centre about motivating the young unemployed people, and to use their energy to get Ireland moving once again. Phil's message is exciting. it's all about taking responsibility. He talks solutions. He speaks about keeping the talent in Ireland. He talks about the want for change. The youth that want to work and want to learn. They have ideas. They have energy. It needs to be gathered and focused. They have the experience of being in a comfortable place where they’re not too happy. It's not us and them anymore. It's 'We' as a collective. We want to see the light. 

Drop the Monkey Business and let’s do it ourselves. Let's change and remake Ireland. Let's show the world a better model that they can follow.

TAKE CHARGE OF THE ONLINE YOU

When the FBI or CIA needs to know something about someone they run a background check on that person. Once upon a time only organisations like these could do such a search on an individual. Now everybody can run a background check on any person. It’s called ‘Google search’. Have you ever thought to yourself what happens when you're looking for a job and you send your curriculum vitae in to twenty plus employers? They google you and this can have an impact on their final hiring decision. I believe this is a good thing. It means you have an opportunity to build your professional online presence and direct them towards you and how you want others to see you. Maybe you have your own business. Have you ever wondered what happens when one of your reps leaves a meeting where they are pitching to a new prospect? They get googled. Yes, the company gets googled, but the sales representative will be first on the hit list for a background check. What comes up in the search can be a deal maker if the prospect likes what they see. It can also be an added factor in losing a deal if the prospect finds little, nothing or offensive information from the person’s personal social media content. Have you ever done a search on somebody wanting to learn a little more? If not, you are one of a few. Most of us do. And without a doubt, you can be sure the same is done with you when you are looking for something, or when somebody is looking for something from you. This also happens when you’re looking for a job, looking for business or simply socializing. You are responsible for your name and where it is, and what it says about you on the internet. You can manage what people see via social media.  This can all be done in a few hours. Open a facebook, linkedin, twitter and youtube account. Link them all together. keep the Information and name on the accounts the name. Start a basic blog. When this is done you can create the information for all these sites that you wish others to see. The content can be based on your professional curriculum vitae if you’re looking for a job. It can be based on your company, products and your interests if you are in business. Or maybe you just want to rightly have power over how you look and how much can be seen when people are checking you out. There are no excuses. If my wife’s eighty seven year old grandmother can do all this, well then, so can you.

Drop the monkey business and take charge of the online you.

CUT THE CORDS OF EMOTIONAL INTERFERENCE

We all like to do some spring cleaning every once and a while, throwing out unwanted items that are collecting dust, rearranging the files on the laptop or simply getting rid of the outdated books on the shelf. This is a great practice, especially after the new year. You throw out the old, and make space for the new. It works. You will actually feel lighter after going through the process. There will be less material goods that you don’t use staring you in the face. What most of us don’t do is an emotional clearout. We meet people every day with whom we form emotional connections. Some people we fall in with and build great relationships, others we fall out with, but still hold onto the emotional attachment of that person or situation. You need to look at this. Work with this if you wish to succeed.  To focus on the material things and not the mind is like putting petrol in the car but never checking or putting in the oil. You must mind the mind to experience true success. This is one simple exercise to help you do your emotional clear-out. Do it now, wherever you are. It will take twenty seconds. You don’t have to close your eyes, (read the instructions first, of course!) but if you are in a safe place, it’s more relaxing to shut the eyes for a moment. Just relax and take three deep breaths. Inhale right into wherever you feel the most tension in your body and exhale all the tension right out. Tell yourself that you are letting go. In the same way that you throw out the items you don’t want when spring cleaning you don’t have to hold onto any tension in the body. It is actually easier than you may think to break the links. Imagine yourself with hundreds of cords attached to your body and going out into the distance. These cords represent all emotional connections that you have with others. Now imagine taking a scissors in your right hand. Cut all the chords of emotional interference. Cut every one of them until there is none left. Now feel the lightness and the freedom.  You will think clearly after doing this. It's that simple. This is a great short exercise to do before going into a meeting. It clears the head and gets you focus. Do this every morning. It’s a great way to start the day. Emotions that don’t belong to you can hinder progress in your life. With a clear mind you will feel so  much lighter that you will fly to wherever you are going. So, when you do this daily make sure you reach for the stars because you’ll more than likely get there.

Drop the Monkey business and rid the mind, body and soul of unwanted negative emotional intrusions.

YOU ARE THE LEADING ACTOR

Do you want to understand your life? Do you want to understand what’s going on in your career? Look at life as a movie. Your life is a reality Movie. Yes, it’s a bit like The Truman Show and of course you’d love to be getting Jim Carrey’s pay packet. Well, you can. Go with this, you have nothing to lose. You are the leading actor in all the different episodes of your professional and personal life. You wrote the script. You selected the supporting actors. You control what you earn. You designed the set and only you have the power to rewrite and sign off on the new script. No matter where you are, STOP. Sit down with a pen and paper and start rewriting how you want it to be. Do it today and don't rest  until you tick the box that says script rewrite completed.

Drop the monkey business and rewrite the script for your life.