Many new clients come to me without a marketing plan in place. If you are not looking for funding, then in this coach’s humble opinion, the marketing plan is the single most important growth-process to have in place. But so many business owners get too caught up in the day-to-day operations to pay the slightest bit of attention to this important piece of the plan. As a result, they feel powerless over their business’s growth – or lack of it.

Developing your plan is only a piece of the process. Once you do have an effective marketing plan in place, you’ll find more customers and clients coming your way but what’s prompting them to walk through your doors or ring your phone? What’s working and what’s not? How do you know where the customers are coming from? How do you know if you’re spending your time and money effectively?

One thing many business owners forget it that it’s critical track the results of each marketing technique. If you send out postcards, for instance, how do you know what your response rate is? Is it worth the time and expense of sending the cards out? Are the cards designed effectively? How current and up-to-date is your mailing list? To send out postcards and hope for the best isn’t a great way to launch a strategy. So let’s take a close look at this example of a marketing tactic. You can apply this train of thought to any part of your plan.

First of all, sending out postcards (or whatever your approach) is NOT enough. For some businesses, this could be an effective way to increase business, but typically it’s only one piece of a much more complex strategy. So, let’s say you have 7 strategies to your marketing plan and 3 of them have been implemented. When a new client knocks on the door, how do you trace his or her steps? Some business owners may ask, “how did you hear about us?” and that’s great. But then what? Do you enter your information into a database? If you keep client records, are you able to track how any particular client heard about you and what exactly prompted them to call? If new customers come into your shop do your employees let you know? How do you “file” this information and what do you do with it?

It’s not difficult to keep a database and it’s important because you need to know what parts of the plan are effective and working for you. I have a client who spends a lot of money to purchase a mailing list, print postcards, and mail these costly pieces every few months. When I asked her what the response rate was, she couldn’t tell me. When she thought about it, she said that she doesn’t get many customers from the mailing, or so she thought – she still wasn’t sure. So I asked, “Then why are you doing this?” How could she know it was worth the time and expense?

Develop a simple tracking system as part of your marketing plan. Ask your new clients how they heard about you. This can be done in casual conversation so the customer doesn’t feel “drilled” for information. Another way to put it might be, “Thank you for stopping by (or calling). Who may I thank for sending you our way?” If your prospects are filling out a form on your website, make sure to add a field for this question. Keep a log of your responses. Then, compile your responses into a simple excel spreadsheet. Some businesses have client management tools that will hold such information. Remember, some prospects may have heard about you in more than one fashion – again, keep track!

Every quarter, you’ll want to review your data and use it to your advantage. If, for instance, your postcard campaign garnered exceptional results, why wait until next year to do it again? If the results were poor, re-evaluate the process. Perhaps the postcard needs to be redesigned or perhaps your list is ineffective. Figure it out before pouring more time and money into the next similar project. Compare your projects and the results. Put your time and money where it garners the greatest results. If one methodology was very successful, create similar campaigns, get creative! Don’t do something just because it’s what most people in your business do – do it because it works for you! Break down the barriers, do something new – and watch the results. You won’t know if you don’t try and you won’t know if it’s worth it if you don’t track results.

What have your marketing efforts done for you? How do you know if they’re effective? Share your tracking methods and what you’ve learned. We’d love to hear from you!

How do you feel when you hand someone your business card? Are you proud of the way it looks, feels, and the message it sends? What about your website? When you look at your site with an objective eye do you see success written all over it? Do your marketing materials have a slick, professional finish or do you print them on your inkjet on whatever paper you have available at the time?

Starting a business on a shoestring budget is the norm, but that doesn’t mean you have to look like you’re on a tight budget – not any more.

Let’s start with your logo. A good graphic designer will be able to capture the essence of your business in a logo. Did you know that 65% of our population consists of visual learners? A professional logo will capture the eye and create a memorable experience in a visual person. I can hear you saying, “I can’t afford that!” Yes, you can. Many printers employ very talented graphic designers who charge low hourly rates to design logos, business cards, brochures, etc. Speak directly to the designer; look at their portfolio and make sure you appreciate their style and creativity. You might also look at elance.com where gifted designers will bid for your job. Logos are often done for well under $100, and every dollar is well spent. If you double-up and get your logo and business card design done together, this may create a further savings. Your business card is the face of your company, along with your website – it’s not a place to skimp.

Now, the website. Many small business owners feel that they have to settle for less when it comes to their web presence; many don’t even have a website. Odds are if you hire a web designer you will pay upward of $2000 for a small, basic website. That’s a lot of money when you’re starting out, especially if you don’t have further funds to perform search engine optimization and to market your site. The good news is that WordPress themes are getting more and more creative and you can set up a website using this blog software for very little money. And, they are highly optimized right out of the box. If you don’t feel that you have the technical aptitude, many virtual assistants possess this skill and in a few hours your website can be ready to go. You can also look at resources like elance.com, GetACoder.com and Freelance.com for coders and designers. Get bids, interview people. Take a look at Web.com, a service provider that offers online tools, templates and hosting packages that will enable you to set up your site up in a matter of hours, even if you don’t have previous experience in web design.

Your marketing materials don’t have to be produced at home either. Companies like vistaprint.com and overnightprints.com offer deals on postcards, brochures, and more that will make your company look like a million. Now that you have a logo to work with, you can easily upload that design and create outstanding marketing materials around it. Brochures are more costly, so try the large, glossy postcards instead. Limited space on these cards forces you to narrow your marketing message into a couple of sentences or bullet points, and high-quality graphics create further impact. It’s a great solution for a small budget.

As an entrepreneur, you’ve got a strong creative streak. Get creative with your marketing dollars and boost your company’s image so that it matches your Million-Dollar-Mindset!

What’s the difference between an entrepreneur who is perceived as successful and someone who’s struggling in business? Generally, one of the key factors that differentiate between the two is attitude. Now, you may a be thinking, “I have a great attitude. I’ve stuck with this in spite of my financial struggles and I never complain.” That’s fabulous, and definitely a great start. But how do you feel about yourself? Do you feel successful? Do you wake up in the morning and think to yourself, “I’m a successful entrepreneur and I love it?” If you’re fraught with financial woes, or you can’t seem to move your company to the next level, it’s likely that you don’t.

Are you someone who has achieved amazing things in life and business, yet don’t recognize just how successful you are? Come on, be honest. Oftentimes, people measure success only by money and not brains, talent, perseverance, service, skill, achievement, or any number of important factors. Certainly, money is important, and nearly everyone wants more it, but don't let it be the only measurement of your success. To achieve greater wealth, it’s imperative that you first accept and celebrate yourself.

Why? Because it’s like taking a powerful, magical energy drink and it can change your life. When you celebrate YOU, it’s motivating, energizing, uplifting, and generally makes you a magnet for success. People love associating with success-minded people. If you feel positive about yourself and you reinforce that feeling daily, you will wear it loud and clear and others will be drawn to you. Heck, you’ll be drawn to yourself! As your energy shifts, things around you will begin to reflect that shift. Your self-confidence will soar, you will make decisions more clearly and feel more strongly motivated to achieve your goals and dreams. Celebration is magic that magic is within all of us.

So now you’re probably thinking, “What do I have to celebrate and how do I do it?” And in return I ask you, what makes you feel good about yourself? What would you feel good about at the end of the day if you were to focus only on the positive? Below are a few suggestions. Get creative with them and add your own ideas. As you put this into practice notice how much happier you feel and how much more productive you become. It is magic – and it’s all about YOU.

Keep a mini-journal. Once a day spend 5 minutes writing a sentence or two about something that you feel happy about having done. Instead of berating yourself for not even looking at your to-do list, write about how good it feels to have today’s achievements off your plate. Success-minded people have appreciation for what is and it simply feels good to do this exercise.

Cheer yourself on. After you complete a task, work with a client, make your sales calls, etc., stand up and cheer! That’s right, physical activity shifts your energy and helps you feel good. Give yourself the “go team” pat on the back that solopreneurs so rarely experience.

Tell a friend – brag! Yes, you have bragging rights. If you crossed 3 things off your to-do list, had an especially great conversation with a prospect, or made a promising connection, pick up the phone and call a friend or relative who will understand what that means to you. If no one in your life fits the bill – hire a coach! Coaches love hearing their clients brag!

Face the sunshine. Sun has the ability to make anyone feel good. I love to step out into my beautiful garden and tilt my head toward the sun. As I close my eyes I reflect on the feel-good sensation growing inside. And I give thanks for having the ability to achieve whatever it is that I’m celebrating in the moment. Ahhhhh.

So you get the picture. Celebration is a simple state of mind and this state has the power to change your life. It’s just another example of A Million-Dollar Mindset – enjoy it!

How long have you been in business? Do you have a mission statement yet? If you do, when was the last time you leveraged its content to grow your company? I know, big sigh! It seems meaningless to spend time writing mission and vision statements, let alone a business plan when there’s real work to be done, right? Wrong! This IS real work. It’s the work that is going to give you a strong foothold on the mountain of competition you’re facing in your industry. It’s the work of a true entrepreneur.

So why is it so important to have a meaningful mission statement? The key word here is “meaningful.” Your mission statement tells the world what your company stands for, what you believe in, and what you intend to achieve, as well as why you intend it. To create a meaningful mission statement, it’s important to understand your personal values and how your company and its actions will align with those values. If you feel out of integrity with your value system as you take part in the day-to-day operations of your business, neither you nor your business are likely to thrive.

To determine which value(s) to incorporate into your mission statement, ask yourself what is most important to you about life and the world you live in. What is the one value that your company must adhere to, or achieve, in order for you to feel in integrity with the core of what you most want to achieve through your company? Let’s take a look at some examples:

Ben and Jerry’s ice cream has a great mission statement and it’s not just about ice cream. It’s about wholesomeness and their contribution to better health and a cleaner environment. That doesn’t mean that ice cream is healthy of course, but when you consume Ben & Jerry’s brand you know that you are not taking in chemicals and artificial flavorings. It’s a natural, wholesome product manufactured by a company that is conscientious about our environment…

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Mission Statement: "We make, distribute & sell the finest quality all natural ice cream & euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment."

This mission inspired Ben and Jerry to build a cause-related company. Their work is not just about the product or service they sell; it’s about our global community. Be it ice cream or underwear, a great mission statement represents the greater cause. Take a look at Joe Boxer’s mission statement:

"JOE BOXER is dedicated to bringing new and creative ideas to the market place, both in our product offerings as well as our marketing events. We will continue to develop our unique brand positioning, to maintain and grow our solid brand recognition, and to adhere to high quality design standards. Because everyone wants to have fun everyday, JOE BOXER will continue to offer something for everyone with fun always in mind."

What are they selling? They don’t even mention underwear in their mission statement. Joe Boxer is selling FUN! Who wouldn’t want to purchase this brand?

When you identify your core values and how they intersect with your business, you will suddenly be in touch with the larger purpose. Your company will take on a new meaning and you can more clearly identify your branding, marketing, and staffing needs. Let’s look at Joe Boxer as a further example, here’s more about how their “fun” value is infused through and through.

“At JOE BOXER we believe fun is an everyday experience. Not only do we embrace creativity and individuality in everything we do, but we also provide the products that meet our customer’s standards through our unique, imaginative and innovative designs. We know that our customers want to experience fun at every level.”

With their “fun” value so well identified, they don’t have to give a second thought to a branding focus – it’s fun! Their logo is fun, their website is fun, and so are their products. They even make their contributions to charitable causes fun.

When your mission statement is complete, you will have one or two values infused and you will always go back to those core values to help you in your decision-making. You will learn to take the meaning of your company and its mission beyond that of the product or service. In just a few sentences, you will feel the power of your brand and see the greater potential of your future. Give it a try and share your findings here on The Solopreneur’s Million Dollar Mindset!

As I sit here in the coffee shop pondering the topic of my next blog post, I’m listening to the beautiful song, “Have a Little Faith in Me.” I had to stop my thought process to take in the lyrics and enjoy the gentle, yet moving melody. A thought came to mind about the negative beliefs held by many, which boil down to lack of faith in themselves. Then, BINGO! The topic of my next (this) article hit me. Self-doubt: the self sabotaging, poisonous venom that runs through the mind of so many very talented entrepreneurs.

I think most of us do it from time-to-time; allow those debilitating thoughts of self-doubt to creep through our minds. “Who am I to take this on?” or “I’m not smart enough to do this.” Thoughts like these run through the minds of even the most brilliant individuals. Do you ever experience this? I sure do! So, here are some exercises that I use in my coaching practice as an antidote to this poisonous obstruction to productivity and sound mental health....

When you encounter limiting thoughts that lead to self-doubt, take a moment to acknowledge what you are experiencing. Think about the individual phrases moving through your head and write them down. Let’s say the thought du jour is “I’m not smart enough to pull this off.” (You’d be amazed at how many brilliant and successful people have this tape running in the background.) Now, you have the header of a column called “I’m Not Smart Enough.” Under the header write down 10 things, that’s right 10 things, that you’ve achieved in the last year that required a rather intelligent thought process to pull off. Don’t be shy about it. Have you scored great grades in a difficult class? Have you helped clients/customers solve a problem? Have you helped your child process some difficult experiences? Come on, how do you use that amazing brain in your head? Oh, you have more than 10? – great! Keep writing. Now go back up to the header name and change it to “I AM Smart!”

Next, compose an email to AT LEAST three people who know you fairly well. When I did this, I told these people I was looking at some angles for marketing my business as a coach. I asked them to list 3-5 things that they believe I do well. What do they see in me that makes me a good coach? Well, if these responses weren’t a boost to the ego, then nothing is. No one stopped at 3 things and good wasn’t an adjective any of them used. I got words like, amazing, rare, astounding – well, you get the picture. Now add a second column next to “I AM Smart” and call it “How Others See Me.” Copy and paste, or write those phrases and adjectives into this column. Wow, how’s this picture shaping up?

One more exercise – and it’s not easy for some. Write down 100 of your top qualities in yet another column. Be honest with yourself – in other words, don’t short-change yourself! One word at a time, how would you describe yourself to the world? Good stuff only because that’s all that counts here. Do you make people laugh? Is integrity an important value? Are you a good friend? Are you witty or creative? Come on, you can do it – 100 things! If you have to list 10-15 a day, and it takes a while, that’s fine – take your time, the end result is the same.

Good job! Now, review the whole picture. Read your lists before you go to bed so that your conscious mind can embrace all these wonderful things about you. Refer to these lists when you’re feeling self-doubt. Keep in touch with the reality of your genius by reading and re-reading all this great stuff. Accept it – this is the real you. The other is self-sabotage and/or fear that is only as real as you allow it to be.

Tell us about your experience. How did this process help you shift your thoughts? Were there any stumbling blocks? Which part was the most difficult? Did any part of it come easier to you than you believed it would? We’d love to hear from you here on the Solopreneur’s Million $ Mindset!

Do you ever feel uncertain about the direction of your business, or some part of your business? Likewise, do you experience uncertainty about what brings you joy or how you can achieve the ever-illusive life balance? You can mull questioning thoughts over and over in your mind, but oftentimes the clarity you desire just isn’t there.

In her Critical Path Success™ Program, marketing expert, Adriane Berg asks the questions: “Where Am I Now?” and “Where Do I Want to Be?” At first glace you might think that you can process these questions internally and figure it out eventually, but they offer a wonderful opportunity to mindmap your thoughts, obstacles, and solutions on paper.

Similarly, Byron Katie, author of The Work and numerous self-help books, offers “the questions and turn around,” 4 key points to access when you are under stress or influenced by limiting beliefs:

- Is it true?
- Can you absolutely know that it's true?
- How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
- Who would you be without the thought?

Clearing your mind and allowing the information to flow freely, without editing your thoughts, will lead to the solution more quickly. Mindmapping or journaling without judging or criticizing your thought process allows whole mind thinking, the use of the right and left-brain, so that both logical and creative thoughts can be a part of your process. Allowing the brain to operate in this manner will create an opening for insightful, new ideas and solutions. These AhHa moments can solve simple and complex problems alike and you may be surprised at the discoveries you are able to achieve by processing seemingly simple questions like the ones Katie and Berg suggest.

As busy entrepreneurs we often forget to set aside time for simple processes that can lead to big discoveries. I strongly recommend that time for intuitive processing becomes a part of every entrepreneur’s schedule. Give it a try and let us know where it takes you. It’s all a part of building your Million-Dollar Mindset!

The topic of niching has become a popular topic over the last couple of years. More business owners seem to be exploring the idea of narrowing their focus and concentrating on a niche, but still more are resisting this path.

When I suggest a business owner develop a niche for their service, I often get a lot of resistance. They feel it would be limiting and that they would miss out on many other opportunities for business, and therefore revenue. Yet, as the business owner continues to focus his or her marketing on the broad spectrum of our population, their bank account continues to suffer. So, I pull out the magic bullet to shatter their niche resistance and things begin to change.

“So what’s the magic bullet?” you ask. It’s just a few words that seem to create a comfort zone for solopreneurs to “safely” explore the idea of marketing to a niche. When I tell them that you can have more than one niche, the fear of missing out on potential business diminishes. Niche marketing doesn’t have to be limiting to your business at all. Focusing on a niche will put money in the bank, and focusing on two or more niches – if it’s done right – can increase those deposits exponentially.

There is a lot of information out there about why to develop a niche so I won’t go into too much depth here, but I do want to point out the most important piece of it. Marketing. Currently, if you don’t have a niche, you’re marketing to anyone who will listen. If you’re a consultant, copywriter, or coach, you are probably marketing your skills to anyone who could use your services. You’re spreading yourself thin and your marketing materials aren’t targeted. But if you’re a consultant who targets your marketing specifically to pediatricians, for instance, you suddenly become well branded and you know exactly where to go to market your expertise. Opportunities would include activities like exhibiting or speaking at expos attended by pediatricians. Your message will speak to them, and your conversion rate will explode.

After you master this niche and outsource much of the work, you may want to develop another niche. Now in addition to pediatricians you might market to internists who specialize in treatment of a specific medical condition. Again, your website and other materials become highly targeted and branded, your networking opportunities become obvious, and your company grows. Remember, the key is outsourcing, don’t try to do it all yourself. You will have the financial resources to outsource once your niche is off the ground.

So, what are your ideas for developing a niche? Any success stories out there? If you have any questions, this is the place!

Every business owner wants their website to stand out from the rest. Like a glossy magazine ad, we want our message to jump off the page. For visitors to come to our site and say, “Wow! That’s the one I want!” But what about having enough faith in your product, service and tagline to allow these things to provide the wow factor for us? Instead, misguided business owners often engage in the use of Flash, overdone graphics, and needless software gadgets to give their site the “latest and greatest” look and feel that they believe is necessary to increase stickiness.

Times have changed. When the World Wide Web began to evolve as a marketing tool, everyone wanted to jump on the bandwagon with the most outrageous, up-to-date presence that they could afford to create. And it was fun. Emails would fly when someone discovered a website with that wow factor. We would tell our friends which sites to check out for the most amazing animation, technology, and originality. Who cared if it took 90 seconds or longer for the page to load? It was worth the wait!

No longer is the Internet a venue for delivering the wow through movement and needless technology. It is now meeting its goal as a pure and simple information technology tool. It’s become a way of life, and convenience and speed are critical to a website’s success. Here are a few review questions to apply to your website. If it’s not up to speed it’s probably time for some updates.

1. Do you have an “intro” page? Most people consider these nothing more than an annoyance. And even worse, it is most likely hurting your search engine ranking. Get to the meat. If you insist on glitz, have your designer create a banner for your homepage that satisfies your desire for movement. Make sure it’s a narrow banner so that your important information is visible “above the fold” where the visitor can get right down to business.

2. If you have an e-commerce site place the shopping gateway right on the homepage. Don’t waste your visitor’s time with a long explanation about your product quality, customer service, blah, blah, blah. Sure, you want descriptive text but placement and brevity are key. Shoppers want to see quality images of what they get to buy on your site – immediately. They don’t want to click, hunt, or search to buy. Think about this. When you walk into a department store, what do you see? What gets your heart pumping? The merchandise. You don’t want to stop and hear lengthy explanations from a sales clerk about how great their products are. You want to shop! Websites are no exception. Let them shop!

3. Make sure your copy speaks to the customer. Identify with their needs and problems. Let them know how your product or service will answer their needs and desires in some way. If, for instance, a visitor is looking for a dentist, they are looking for a doctor that will meet specific needs. What unique offerings do you, as a dentist, have to offer? Think about what need or desire your new patients typically express. If it’s “painless dentistry” for instance, make those words dance off your homepage and into your prospects heart so that they KNOW they’ve found what they’re looking for.

4. Give your visitor a reason to come back. If you don’t engage them the first time they visit, odds are they won’t return. In fact odds are they won’t return unless you reach out to them and entice them to return. Ask for your visitors contact information (name and email address) and give them a compelling reason to give it to you. Coupons, information, and giveaways are a good way to do this. Then, reach out to them from the email list that you will build. Send brief, informative newsletters, more giveaways, fun stuff that will compel them to utilize your services or purchase your products.

5. Make sure that your visitor feels safe on your site. If you are an e-commerce business place secure server notices on your homepage, along with graphic images of the charge cards that you accept. If you ask for contact information, place a brief comment about your policy to never sell or distribute your lists to other parties.

There’s so much more, this is only the beginning. But these changes will make a difference for you. I know that it’s difficult to give up things that you are emotionally tied to, like beautiful images fading to and from the page, but let’s face it – we’re on line to make money. Let’s get to the point and allow our prospects to engage.

You aren’t sure you’re going to meet the bills this month. You work hard, yet you’re lucky if you take home a regular paycheck. And there are a handful of very particular customers who seem to demand the bulk of your time, while others sing your praises and love everything you do for them.

Sound familiar? You're not alone, it’s a scenario I hear often. Oh, I forgot one more important question. Those clients who demand the bulk of your time and energy and rarely seem satisfied? Do they owe you money? Uh huh, thought so. It's puzzling isn't it?

Well, let's see if we can put the puzzle pieces together with a few more questions. What is the average age of your accounts receivable? Have you been billing your clients in a timely manner? These are the first 2 questions I ask a business owner when dollars are tight for them. And it’s often where we find the answers.

If you have customers who frequently pay late, it’s time to review their value to your business. Oftentimes, business owners hold on to late paying customers out of fear. After all, late money is better than no money, right? Well, that assumption is correct only if you have no plans of replacing the revenue. Do you really believe there are no more customers out there? You probably just haven’t had the time to find them.

Here’s a quick checklist. If you have a difficult customer or two, keep them in mind as you ask yourself the following questions.

• Do I enforce late fees and other policies to encourage this customer to pay on time or do I brush it under the carpet for fear of confrontation?
• Do I allow this customer to intimidate me?
• Do I send timely billing statements, reminders, and follow up with frequent phone calls?
• Do I consistently continue to provide service or products to this customer even if he or she has an outstanding balance?
• What is my stress level like when I deal with this customer?
• How much more time does this account demand than my other accounts for similar service?
• If the customer is unable to pay on time, do I ask for a portion of the balance?

This checklist may have given you some areas to improve upon, or simply food for thought. Now I have one more critical question for you. If you could recoup all of the hours in the week that you would normally spend on this/these accounts and you spent those hours doing marketing and sales, how quickly could you find more clients? For example, let’s say that you spend 15 hours a week on an account that is a huge headache and doesn’t pay on time, if ever. If you spent those 15 hours on additional marketing and sales instead, could you replace that account? Probably. Also, factor in a higher level of productivity once your stress level improves. There isn’t enough money in the world to offset high stress.

Is it time to crack down on one or more of your customers? Hopefully, the checklist has helped you to determine the answer. You work hard and you deserve to be respected for your work with timely payment and healthy working relationships.

Questions? Feel free to ask them here on The Solopreneurs Million-Dollar Mindset.

Making decisions comes easy for some and seems overwhelming for others. People who make confident choices are usually employing their senses, even if they’re not aware of it. Sometimes pure logic doesn’t work. What may seem logical at the time doesn’t feel good or look good for the future. So how do we make sure that we’re making the best possible choice available to us at the time? We put on the lab coat and dissect the situation using neuroscience! That’s right, we use our senses. Let’s try it.

Think about a decision you’re having difficulty making and let’s see if we can help you come to your senses.

Step 1. How Does It Look? Using Your Visual Sense

Write down the problem/situation and the choices that accompany the situation. To do this, I like to use a simple MindMap process. Put the “problem” in a box in the center of your paper. Now draw lines from the problem/situation to other boxes that contain all of the possible solutions. Get creative, look at your options. Use your visual sense to see the big picture. Also use envisioning, picturing the outcome of each choice. Which outcome appears to best suit your needs and desires? Which choice best follows your vision and mission for your company? Do you see any problems resulting from your choice? If you do, draw more boxes and put those problems in the boxes with lines leading back to that choice. Do you see solutions? That’s right, more boxes, more lines.

Step 2. How Does It Feel? Using Your Intuition

As you look at your MindMap check in with your “gut.” Again, which decision seems best suited to your values and mission? Which one feels good to you? You may experience some internal conflict with this one, so explore that conflict. Are you leaning toward a certain solution out of guilt or need to please someone else? Which decision feels best for YOU? Everyone has intuitive powers. Tap into yours by closing your eyes and listening to your body. When you put your focus on a certain solution, do your shoulders tense? Does your stomach feel uncomfortable? Perhaps you feel a lump in your throat or tension behind your eyes. Your body is trying to tell you something and can be your compass to healthy choices if you listen and allow.

Step 3. How Does It Sound? Using Auditory Senses

Talk to yourself. That’s right. Say it out loud. Ask questions. Talk all you want, so what if people think you’re insane? I always joke that I talk to myself because that’s how I get the most intelligent responses. Sometimes hearing the problem and processing it out loud will bring different solutions into the picture. All right, so you feel uncomfortable talking to yourself. Say it out loud to someone else. If you don’t want their input, just tell them so. Simply say that you need to process something out loud and ask them to be a good listener. They may like being let off the hook and you may come up with the perfect solution.

Now unless you’re deciding what to make for dinner, you’ll probably be able to skip the other 2 senses - taste and smell. But after you make your decision take yourself out to dinner and delight in those other senses. You deserve it!