That’s right. I’m laying down the gauntlet. I’m starting the November Challenge and I want you to join me.
As of today things are going to change around here.
November is the month to say no more.
This is an intentional double entendre. I want you to do two things with me in November to make it your best month yet:
- Say no to anything that will not benefit you, your business and achieving your goals.
- Commit to `no more’ procrastinating. Quit dilly dallying around – it’s time to take action.
There’s just 60 days left in this year and if you have surpassed all your goals, are in total control, feeling relaxed AND making healthy profits then big congratulations to you.
You’re either A) Wonderwoman or B) You’re lying.
Why? Because every single one of us has had a tough year in 2010. This is not a big sweeping general statement, it’s pure observation.
I’m sure there are those of you out there that are having a great year (Ali Brown is a shining example), but if you’re like 96.37% of the rest of this world you have to admit 2010 has been challenging.
The good news, things are looking up.
Partly because I said so! Partly due to statistics that show women are starting businesses at an ever increasing rate and will continue to dominate the business landscape (more on that in a few weeks).
That makes me happy because that’s my mission – to create more of us so the world can benefit.
So it is time to put the pesky `recession’ news behind us, step up and take ourselves into an amazing 60 day power session to end the year with a bang.
Here’s why. There’s every reason to and no reason why not. Screw excuses – they are so 2009.
In the words of Chris Guillebeau’s excellent interview with me `Set your own rules, live the life you and want and change the world. Don’t settle for anything less’.
First You Must Take stock of you
I’d like you to take a look at what you’re doing right now and how that’s making you feel. Are you energized and focused or are you stressed out and overwhelmed?
There’s a difference between working hard and working smart. One gives you better balance in life and leaves you feeling on top of things and fulfilled. The other leaves you frazzled.
I did this a few days ago and boy did I need to.
You may have noticed that I’ve been on a power streak over the last 6 weeks. In many ways this has been wonderful. I’ve achieved so many great things that I’m proud of.
I’ve had more than a few friends say “I’m jealous of your life, living anywhere and running your business and being on a constant adventure”.
Most of the time I have to agree. That’s what I want to continue to do and help you to do too – for whatever form `freedom in business and adventure in life’ looks like to you.
Here’s a brief recap of my life in the lately:
- Left Canada, am travelling through the US while enroute to Argentina
- Ran sellout social media bootcamps that were personally and financially rewarding
- Completed my first entire online product launch with great results (and crucial lessons learned)
- Nominated for Canada’s Top 40 Under 40
- Became a guest contributor and wrote my first article for Young Entrepreneur
- Identified by Nike as an outstanding female blogger they want to work with
- Attended BlogWorld and mingled with the pro bloggers and many incredibly talented people
- Running On Track Media’s `Current Media Landscape’ session for an online webinar series
- Kick started two massive projects for 2011 and established several joint ventures
- Saw a 40% increase in my blog traffic, plus great growth across all social media sites
- Doubled my newsletter sign ups with a combo of cool content & the PopUp Domination plug-in
- Realised my vision for making WomanzWorld remarkable thanks to your amazing feedback
That list is impressive now that I’ve actually written it down. However I’ve also acknowledged that doing all the above, as a predominantly one woman show, is nuts and has taken its toll.
I’ve become a slave to my laptop, my incessant thoughts about all the other things I need to do and want to be doing.
I’ve pushed aside my fitness and healthy eating more than I’d like and am lacking in my usual energy. It’s recently affected my sleep and I’ve become lousy at taking a break. This kind of behavior has to stop.
It’s time to FOCUS
I’ve devised a nifty November plan of attack and this week, if you’ll join me, we will tackle the first part of my plan.
Ready? Here it is.
Week 1: FOCUS
F= Fitness: Look after yourself and gain energy with short yet invigorating workouts and healthy meals
O= Outsourcing: Do things smarter, faster and cheaper and free up your time
C = Community: Tap into your community to increase your influence, profits and purpose
U = Unwinding: Take essential steps to take to ensure clarity and focus on your priorities
S = Simplification: Cutting out the fat and streamlining your day to day business tactics
I’ve got a couple of experts who will be weighing in on a few of these topics to kick us off. There’ll be 5 articles out this week that you can enjoy and start implementing.
We’re going to make sure you that we are helping each other stay on track.
So join me on my November Challenge and make it your best month yet.
If you haven’t already please write down your Number 1 goal for November – yes just one, and 5 strategies of how you will achieve it.
Then do your own check up. On one side of a page write down down 10 things that make you feel great, that you love doing. On the other side write down 10 things that suck away your energy and leave you drained.
Take a good long hard look at that list and acknowledge whether your life of late has been too much of the right hand side and not enough of the left. If it is then now’s the time to fix it.
Take on this challenge and start saying NO to those things that aren’t moving you in the direction you want, and YES to the things that will make this your month to shine.