Optimism equals uccess by Sue Courtney, Executive Style Coach and expert on Personal Rebranding for Career Success

Successful People are Optimists

The good news is that optimism can be learnt – it is a choice

It has been shown in studies that the majority of the most successful people are optimists – but if you aren’t a naturally cheery, glass-half-full type of person the good news is that optimism is a choice and can be developed. There are some vital differences in the way successful people approach the adventure called life.

I’m not claiming that they are constantly ‘happy-clappy’, smiley, full of nothing but happy and positive thoughts and living a charmed life. Oh no. They have their share of upsets, knockbacks, problems and failures – but successful people deal with them differently to the majority of people.

Instead of going into full-blown blame mode, becoming depressed and giving in, they look for the lesson in every setback. They know that in every difficulty there is a valuable lesson (it can be priceless) and once they learn the lesson they know that they will tackle similar situations in a new and more successful way.

They know the saying that “when God wants to send you a gift he wraps it up in a problem – the bigger the problem the bigger the gift!” So instead of moaning they get on with searching for what it is they need to know – what should they have done or not done that would have given a different, more ‘successful’ outcome? Successful people know that they aren’t victims of circumstances but the creators of their own lives and so they take responsibility for their outcomes.

So if you currently feel unhappy, anxious or there is an area of your life that is causing you some sort of ‘pain’ and irritation then nature is telling you that something is wrong. Brian Tracy likens it to sitting on a mental tack! Ask yourself:

“What is the lesson? What else? What else? What else?.......” Until you have got to the heart of the issue. The lesson will rarely be revealed on the first questioning – you need to drill deeper – this is where a coach is invaluable as they are paid to push you out of your comfort zone to face the issues that will make a real difference to your life.

Once you are happy that you can identify the lesson or lessons in the difficult situation then start applying the lessons. If you don’t, you will repeat the lesson over and over in different guises until you do.

Another area where successful people think differently and show themselves to be optimists is in the things they habitually think about. It is a sad fact that the majority of the population spend most of their time thinking about what they DON’T want – don’t want to be late, don’t want to be overlooked for promotion – again, don’t want to work with that colleague, don’t want to live in that area, don’t want....... The list is endless.

Successful people, on the other hand, focus more on what they DO want and ask “How can I get it?”– I do want to be punctual or early – what time do I have to set the alarm to achieve that?  I do want that job – what do I have to do to get it? What new skills do I need? I want to work with a particular colleague or group – how can I maximise my chances of being picked to work with them? I would like to live in XXX – I wonder how much houses are there and how I might get the money to move there?

Can you see the difference? They focus on what they do want and also (and this is very important) what they could do to achieve it. They accept that they will probably need to take some sort of action in order to get what they want and they are willing to do so.

Successful people also look for the good in every situation. When something doesn’t go as they planned or hoped they don’t blame or get mad – they say “That’s good” or “Thank you” and believe that it really is a good thing. I have personal experience of this. Many years ago I was intending to move abroad. I had chosen the plot where the house I would live in was to be built, I had liaised with the architects and changed the layout on the plans, selected the kitchen, lighting and mentally moved in. Then I was told that rules had changed and it was no longer possible. Was I upset – you bet I was! For a few weeks I felt as if the light had gone out at the end of my tunnel, but I knew deep inside that it was for the best so I got on with life – saying “thank you” quite often (albeit a bit feebly sometimes) and looked for new opportunities. And quite soon those new opportunities appeared. Now I am so very grateful that the plan fell through because I can see how big a mistake it would have been. We aren’t in the celestial ‘flying eye’ and so we can’t see what is coming up ahead causing the ‘problem’ or ‘disaster’. If we could we would find it easier to trust. I am absolutely certain that if I had gone into full depressed, angry, blaming mode the opportunities wouldn’t have come my way because I wouldn’t have been in a place where I could see them.

Successful people also constantly feed their minds with positive, uplifting and life-enhancing experiences and material. They read a lot, they go to new places, try new foods talk with different people. They don’t associate with negative people – they say you are what you eat and this applies equally to what you ‘eat’mentally.

It is said that optimists have unrealistic expectations of success and that they learn more things – they have an unquenchable appetite for knowledge, they try more things – they aren’t afraid to read a different paper, try a new dish on the menu, travel to a new location, move house or take a different route to work, and they persist longer than the average person. So often people quit just before success was about to happen – it is always too soon to quit if it is something you truly want!

Maths is not my best subject but I believe that statistically there is a probability that anything can happen.

Optimists increase the chances of what they want happening by doing more things because the more things you try the higher your chances that one of them will be successful.

If you are getting mad at work because you aren’t getting the promotion or the chances you want then try some of the behaviours of successful people and see what happens. Remember – success leaves tracks – look at the people in your place of work who are successful and work out what they do that is different to you, then try doing it too. Or ask them for advice – most will be only too happy to pass on their tips.

What will you do differently today?

You could contact me at sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk

Or

You could go to www.freepersonalrebrandingbook.co.uk and claim your FREE book "The Ultimate Guide to Personal Rebranding for Professional Females Climbing the Corporare Ladder"

To your success and optimism

Sue C

Task Management by Sue Courtney, Executive Style Coach

Time Management is Impossible

You can’t manage time – but you can manage your tasks and use time more efficiently

It seems that today, most of us have far more tasks to complete in a day than hours to complete them. It is impossible to empty the ‘in’ tray and the ‘to-do’ list seems to grow not shrink with each task completed. As a coach I am often asked to work with clients on issues of time management, but the issue isn’t really time management, it is task management. We all have the same twenty four hours each and every day – the secret to remaining calm and stress free and efficient isn’t how we manage our time, it is how we manage the tasks.

Recently I was talking to someone who was bemoaning the fact that she had far too much to do and clearly needed help to manage her time more effectively. After a little coaching and careful questioning a possible solution emerged – to spend more time on a task she loved in order to make enough money to offload a task that she loathed. She is now investigating how this might be achieved. How could you apply this to your life?

I have noticed that on days when I get up with a general idea of what I want to do and what I want to have done by the end of the day, I tend to end up with a longer to do list than I started with. I get distracted by emails, phone calls, washing up, in fact anything to put off the tasks. Procrastination is, indeed, the thief of time because it prevents us completing tasks. But proper planning can make all the difference. In his wonderful book “Eat that Frog” Brian Tracy details ways to stop procrastination and get tasks done.

 The book is based on the old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you will know that it is probably the worst thing you will have to do all day and so the rest of the day will be wonderful and relatively stress free by comparison. Of course your ‘frog’ is your biggest or most important task of the day – the one you are most likely to put off doing for days or even weeks, until it absolutely has to be done. This is a huge drain on your energy and well being, inducing a lot of stress. If you have two ‘frogs’, then eat the biggest or ugliest one first! In other words, do the biggest, most difficult and most important task first, then the other one. Granted this isn’t going to be easy –you have to make the decision to do it and find the discipline and determination to see it through. But it is a great feeling when you know that by mid-morning you have got the worst of the day over and you can relax and enjoy the rest of the day. There is a wonderful sense of achievement in getting important jobs done quickly and well on a regular basis.

It is one of the habits that successful people master early on in their careers but it requires you to recognise which the biggest frog of the day is and plan for it to be eaten first. Yes, I am talking lists! But a list with a difference – it has a strategy which will enable you to prioritise your tasks. “No, no” I hear you cry, “Not a list – I don’t have time for that. You are giving me an extra task – I’m trying to get rid of tasks not take more on!”

Trust me, this is really a good use of your time and will enable you to be more effective and efficient – and actually it is more than one list! Oops - Sorry. The daily list is best made at the end of the previous day so that your subconscious mind can work on it while you relax and sleep. But first thing in the morning is better than not at all.

Begin by listing every task that you have to do. Yes, everything. Then apply the Pareto Principle to the list. Basically this says that 20% of your tasks will account for 80% of your success. So ask yourself, “Which of the tasks on my list are absolutely essential? Which one or two will have the greatest impact on my life, work and happiness?” These are tasks that will have serious consequences if they are not done. Give them an ‘A’ – if you have more than one then give the most important an’A*’ or ‘A**’. These are your frogs!

Something which I think should be in your A** list is going to www.freepersonalrebrandingbook.co.uk to claim your FREE copy of my book "The Ultimate Guide to Personal Rebranding for Professional Females Climbing the Corporate Ladder" - but then I suppose I could be accused of a certain bias! You'll just have to get your FREE copy to see if I am right!

Next consider which tasks are your ‘B’ items? These are tasks that should be done but the consequences of not doing them aren’t that serious. These are your tadpoles! The idea is that you never eat a tadpole until all the frogs are gone.

A ‘C’ task is a task that it would be nice to do – a bit of a treat. It won’t affect your working success at all but you would like to do it. Which of the tasks on your list fit into this category? Life is always better with regular treats , so the idea is to accomplish all the ‘A’ and ‘B’ tasks before the end of the day so you still have time for a few ‘C’ treats.

Which tasks could you delegate to someone else? These are the ‘D’ category items. The idea is that you delegate tasks that others can do in order to free time to do the ‘A’ tasks that only you can do.

Finally there are the ‘E’ tasks which can be eliminated. Often these are tasks that were important once upon a time, but were procrastinated on for so long that their time has passed. They may also be tasks that you do out of habit but which serve no real function in your life any more.

I am sure that by now many of you will be shouting that all these lists and categories are a complete waste of time and won’t make you more efficient and effective! Why not just try the idea for a week and see what happens? What have you got to lose, apart from a lot of stress? You may even gain time to do the things you love because you have managed your tasks efficiently.

 The six ‘P’ formula - “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance” makes a huge difference. We can all prioritise our tasks to make better use of the time we have, it just takes the courage to try a different approach.

So how could you make the tasks you love into ‘A’s and turn the tasks you hate into ‘D’s or ‘E’s? Remember, if you say “I can’t” you close your mind down. If you ask “How can I?” you open your mind up to new possibilities.

To find out how working with Sue can help you develop your professional life, email
sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Style with Substance - How to Dress for Success by Sue Courtney

Style with Substance Wins the Day

To be a high-flyer today you need to develop your style as well as your skills – and that requires a long term plan.

Is it widely accepted that today you need to make the right first impression to get ahead of the competition. You are well on the way to achieving this as you have been wise enough to claim your copy of my booklet – “The Ultimate Guide to Personal Rebranding for Professional Females Climbing the Corporate Ladder”.

When it comes to a job interview, first day in a new role or asking for a pay review it is essential to ensure you look the part, not just on that occasion, but every day.

This may require a mindset shift. When you go shopping for work clothes be mindful that you are not just buying another dress, skirt or suit – you are buying your future success. Do not dismiss the psychological and financial advantages to be gained from dressing well.

You are aiming to develop a look that delivers the message that you are professional, trustworthy, responsible, sincere, likeable and represent yourself and the company well. Not too tall an order then?

I suggest developing a long term buying plan to enable you to save for the very best quality clothes you can possibly afford, replacing or adding to your wardrobe of elegant, timeless classics every year.

Here’s how it works.

You really need two good quality suits to start but if money is an issue then make do with a couple of middling-quality suits to begin with. Add a new, top quality suit every two years until you have at least five. You can mix dress suits, skirt suits and trouser suits. The joy of this system is that if you buy the very best quality in  classic colours and styles that suit your body shape you will be able to wear them for ten or twenty years, just updating your accessories to ring the changes. It is a very cost effective way to shop and brings the ‘cost-per-wear’ of each suit down to negligible amounts. A cheap, fashion suit will last only a season or so – not a good investment of your hard-earned cash (and you will appear less successful and less professional).

Next come shoes. Buy shoes with leather uppers and leather soles in the classic court style. I suggest starting with a nude pair with a medium heel so they are comfortable. Then add the basic black, brown, navy, tan and grey. Bright colours and fashion styles are best left to weekends and evenings. As well as these basic shoes remember to buy a pair of flat ballet pumps in each colour for travelling to work  in comfort and style. (You know my thoughts on wearing trainers to work.) Again, the investment in quality footwear will ensure that, if looked after properly, they will reward you with years of use.

A stylish coat for warmth is essential. I urge you to buy a classic style and colour in good quality fabric. It should just cover your skirts – not too long or short. I suggest buying one every two years until you have a choice of three and also adding a trench mac for summer. Avoid the fashion styles and opt for quality.

Next comes the bag – an essential piece of any woman’s wardrobe. Your handbag needs to be big enough to carry all your essentials. A medium sized, leather bag of good quality will reward you with years of use if you select the right style. Try to avoid matching bag and shoes – this is such a cliché and unnecessarily frumpy. You can inject a little personality and colour with a well chosen bag. If you need to take lunch, a change of shoes and other items then avoid plastic carrier bags, beach bags and rucksacks. (However practical they aren’t stylish and don’t exude an aura of elegance, sophistication, professionalism and style!) Instead choose a large, unstructured (but still good quality leather) bag to hold all your bits and have a clutch bag, which will fit neatly in the big bag, for your handbag. Thus, everything you need fits neatly into one stylish bag – a stylish and practical alternative. You could even fit in a notebook or ipad.

Now, I have lost count of the number of professional women who spoil a really smart look with a cheap, high fashion, plastic, coloured watch. A watch is an item that you wear every day. It is very visible and in constant use so invest in the best you can afford – a classic style with a metal or brown leather strap that will last five years or so. Then in five years replace it with a top quality watch that will last you many years. It really is an investment.

It pains me to say this, but it really may be sensible to upgrade your phone every two to three years in order to be seen to be keeping up with technological advances. The men love their toys and will usually have the newest technology – to look professional and current you will have to do the same – sorry.

If you wear glasses then I suggest having at least three pairs in styles that flatter your face and in different colours so you can ring the changes. It is something that men rarely do and it shows that you have thought about your look and taken care over your appearance. However, avoid very outrageous styles – you are still aiming to look professional, elegant and stylish – not a figure of fun! Change your frames every two years to stay current.

So that is how the plan works. In essence it is all about buying the best you can possibly afford at the time and building on it. Buy items that you can mix-and-match for maximum value and take the best possible care of your investments – for investments they undoubtedly are. Underestimate the importance of presenting the right image at your peril. If you look the part and show that you take care of the details in your appearance people will automatically assume that you can be relied upon to take care of the detail and be professional in your work.

To find out more go to www.freepersonalrebrandingbook.co.uk to claim your FREE copy of my book "The Ultimate Guide to Personal Rebranding for Professional Females Climbing the Corporate Ladder". It is full of top tips and completely FREE!

Eliminate Irritations to Achieve Goals by Sue Courtney, Personal Branding expert

Increase Success by Eliminating Irritations

Watch your success soar once you have sorted those little annoyances in your life.

If life isn’t going quite the way you would like and you are struggling to achieve your goals and get that promotion then I have a suggestion – relax, get out of your own way and do something different.

If you seem to be working harder and harder and putting in longer and longer hours at the office without seeing any tangible results it may be because you are trying too hard. This often has the effect of pushing away the results you long for. It also often means that you don’t have the time or energy to tackle the little irritations of life that really diminish your joy and peace.

So, for the next few weeks I want you to take a different approach to achieving your goals – do something else! Not just anything – particular things.

First I want you to write a list of all the things in your life that you are ‘putting up with’ but that aren’t making you happy and are, therefore, stealing your energy. I want you to come up with a list of 100 niggles. They could be as small as a missing button, a mouldy shower curtain or a bulb that blew a couple of months ago and hasn’t yet been replaced. They could be as big as your current job, a significant relationship or the way you have no spare time for yourself. Write them all down.

I am doing this too because I know how powerful it is and also because I don’t tell my clients to do anything that I am not prepared to do myself.

Having a problem finding any?

Listed some but can’t come up with 100?

That’s fine – accept what you currently have and begin working on the list – which niggle can you get sorted right away – now – immediately – this minute? So why are you still reading this? Get on and do it!

As you begin to tackle the items you will probably find that more come up to be added to the list – you will get to 100 eventually!

If you are still struggling them why not categorise them – you could try finding 20 niggles in the categories of work, home, relationships, yourself, finances.

Set yourself the goal of completing one niggle per day – I bet once you get going you find you can shift several at a time. Or get together with a friend, set aside a few hours and see who can eliminate the most niggles in that time – make it fun!

Once you put them into categories you may find that by tackling one significant irritation you will eliminate several.

Before long you will have cleared enough stuck energy to create some momentum, moving you towards your goals more quickly than before.

I was compelled to do this exercise once, a few years ago. Several of my niggles were connected with all the books and paperwork connected to my job that I had accumulated at home over the years. So I went through every cupboard, drawer, nook and cranny and cleared out all the old paperwork.

Then I took what was left and returned it to work.

Then I kept my promise to myself not to bring work home – I stayed there until it was finished each day.

Then I cleared out my book collection and gave away those that I didn’t truly love and believe I would read again or find useful in the future.

Then I cleared out old photos, holiday brochures and other paperwork.

It felt really good – liberating in fact - and I suddenly found my life taking off in unexpected ways – I left my job and started my business, sold my house and moved and became a whole lot happier and more fulfilled.

So go on – go to work on your niggles and see what happens to yourself and your life!

You might be amazed!

Contact Sue at
sue@successandimagecoach.co.uk

or, to claim your FREE copy of the book "The Ultimate Guide to Personal Rebranding for Professional Females Climbing the Coprorate Ladder" go to
http://www.freepersonalrebrandingbook.co.uk/