We all have them. Sometimes they just sneak right up on you without you ever suspecting it. Other times it can be a succession of perceivably one negative thing happening after another and you get to a point of “stop the world, I want to get off”. We’ve all been there. For women, it can be ‘that’ time of the month and we feel it is out of our control. Believe me I have felt it. And for me, it is quite regular. Now I’m not saying here that I have depression or anything like that. I am merely saying that I am human. And I’m admitting it. Not many would. That is the purpose of this blog – to get real. Tell it like it is. Believe me, even the so called “Top Networkers” in the world have bad days. Top sports people have them too. And if they don’t admit that they do – they are lying – either to themselves or to everyone else. So how exactly does one shirk it off and get on with what needs to be done? Here’s my formula. And hey, I’m not so arrogant to think that this is a tried and tested and proven formula that will work for all and sundry. I’m not quite that naïve. But I do believe that if you practise this – it will work in, if nothing else, getting you back on track (even if the bad mood is still sort of there). Firstly, I do a stocktake of everything that needs to be done that day. I have a formal dining room so I pop the extensions on the table and place all paperwork on it that needs to be looked at – both business and personal. Then I make a list of everything that needs to be done. Just a laundry list – it doesn’t have to be elaborate or done by one of those fancy programs or apps. Just handwritten. Not alphatized, categorized, highlighted, numbered. Just a to do list. It at least allows you to see on paper in your own handwriting everything that is overwhelming you or pressuring you or stressing you. Believe me, once you have it written out – it NEVER looks anywhere near as bad as you think it will be. It actually looks a lot more digestable. More do-able. After I have done that, THEN I start prioritising. And always, always, always – if you are a networker or work in any type of sales – then calls are your first and only priority. Everything else comes second. Remember the 80/20 rule? Spend 80% of your time on prospecting and the rest on problem solving, marketing and admin. In fact problem solving should be a fraction of a percentage. Don’t get caught up in creating problems or solving other people’s problems that they can solve themselves. I focus the majority of my time on talking to people and methods to create those people to talk to. If that little process stops, my income stops. It’s as simple as that. The next thing I do is very critically assess whether or not I should be on the phone that day. If my attitude is so stinky, and nothing will change it quickly – I don’t pick up the phone! I spend time on marketing instead to create the people to talk to. Another day is not going to change history. Believe me if someone changes their mind about your business in 24 hours’ – they weren’t serious to begin with. The serious ones will wait another day. They won’t wait forever – granted – but a day won’t kill your business. Obviously, just don’t make a habit out of it. The next thing I do is find something to do that I actually really enjoy and know that I will enjoy doing it despite my mood. I tend to find the best things are exercise, massages, baths, getting my nails done or marketing. I LOVE marketing and finding new methods. When people come from those methods, it is enormously satisfying. If you can, try not to sleep in. Try getting up just that little bit earlier and hit the treadmill. Jog with the dog. Lift some weights. Go for a bike ride or a swim. Whatever you enjoy doing exercise wise – get out and do it. Exercise is proven to release endorphins in your brain which helps you to feel good. If you like just going for a drive with loud music on, then do that. If you have a Daily Method of Operation (or DMO) – and if you don’t have one and are in business, I would strongly recommend you get one – stick to this sucker like glue. I may just talk about this tomorrow. Nothing will make you feel more awesome than sticking to it and feeling that sense of achievement that you have actually stuck to something and achieved something. Lastly, do some Personal Development. Whether that be pick up a book, watch a DVD, listen to a CD, head off to a seminar – whatever. Type “personal development” into your Google search bar and see what comes up and what resonates with you. Start with “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. Or visit the websites of people like @BobProctorCoach, @OfficialJimRohn, @DaniJohnsonlive and the like. Sometimes doing one of these things will be enough to turn your mind around, sometimes it will be a couple or a few, and sometimes it will take all of the above and you will quite literally need to take a day off to get them all done. But do it. Don’t feel guilty. And if you are being pressured by your ‘upline’ to get back to work, believe me, you are in the wrong company! It is particularly important in our business to take care of your mind. It is an especially demoralizing business having to hear the word “no” so often. But think of it this way, life is full of ups and downs – much like a cardiograph or a stock market chart. If it looked like a flatline – we would be dead. So if you are down in the dumps, know that it is temporary. Something amazing is just around the corner. That’s the way it has to be. If it wasn’t, how would you appreciate the great if you never experienced the opposite? Play with this and enjoy it. It is life, after all. I’d love to hear your comments.
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