Some days I feel that I am my own worst enemy. I remember reading Pogo cartoons when I was growing  up  ( I realize this probably dates me). I remember his famous line, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

If I could just get out of my own way, everything would just run so smoothly. I would get so much done and be so productive.

Whether you call them mental blocks, internal obstacles or thinking errors, they do the same thing. They stop you in your tracks and keep you from moving forward. They are all based on fear and self doubt.

Here are the most common five blocks and  suggestions to get past them.

1. Thinking you can’t afford it.
Some costs are actually investments in your business, and will in fact, bring you more money. Learn to differentiate between an investment and an expense. Focus on developing a positive prosperity attitude. Eliminating the words “can’t afford it,” is the first step.

2. Feeling like there is just not enough time to do everything.
Time is, in fact, endless and never runs out. It’s all about how you use your time. It could be that the real issue is your organizational systems.

3.Needing to do everything yourself and it’s just too much.
Your business will stay small unless you can let go and trust your ability to manage a team that can help you. Look for creative ways to get help.

4. Stuff that feels too hard and out of your comfort zone.
Everyone can’t be good at everything. If something is too hard you need to find someone to either do it for you or teach you, but don’t avoid it if it’s important.

5. The poor economy will affects your  business no matter what you do.
Focus on what you have total control over. You have the ability to spiff up your marketing, your organization, your leadership and your products. Focus on that and you can make a huge difference regardless.

Are you ready to make that shift from feeling blocked?

Join my  new 6 class seminar that begins in March 9. Get instant clarity, focus and transformation. Low investment and huge benefit.   Wake-up Your Marketing

Sign-up for my Free Prosperity Challenge.

Do you want your potential clients to stay on your website, sign-up for your newsletter and  maybe even call you?  Of course you do  because your website is your most important marketing tool.

Most of us know this and almost every business has a website these days.  However, most websites I look at miss the mark completely in one huge area. They fail to build empathy with their potential clients.

What exactly does this mean?  One definition on Wikepedia says “To empathize means to share, to experience the feelings of another person.” When a person feels empathy from you, they feel that you get it and you understand them. If you feel that someone really understands you, you are much more likely to trust, that they can also help you.

The very first thing on your website needs to be about your client and how they are feeling about their own situation.  Talking about you or your services doesn’t build empathy in any way shape or form.

Have a look at your website from the eyes of your clients and their issues and their needs. If someone has a back ache, they don’t necessarily need a massage. They do need relief from pain and hope that they can stay pain free. They want to feel good.

If someone is stressed about their debts, they don’t need your financial advice. What they do need is a feeling of hope and to be free from financial stress. This formula is true for whatever your service or product, whether you are selling vacuum cleaners or acupuncture.

If you aren’t sure how to do this get some help, because this one tweak on your website will transform your whole business and your potential clients will stay on  your site longer and are more likely to get involved.

Have a quick look at my website and notice the headline and the first sentence. Does it speak to you? Notice it doesn’t say anything about me or what I offer. Look at your own website and see if you are hitting the mark or whether you need to adjust your content. Contact me if you need help.

I met with a small group of entrepreneurs last week and as people shared about their business, one thing everyone had in common was a feeling of overwhelm when it came to business planning. Each person could easily state some goals they wanted to accomplish, but the next part got foggy.

One thing I noticed was that the goals were usually big and very general, and therefore overwhelming. It’s one thing to have a goal and quite another thing to know how to reach that goal and make it real. Here is a simple three step process that will help you to make it more manageable and therefore attainable.

1. Vision
Create a crystal clear vision of what you want to attain. The more details the better. The process of making a vivid vision will force you to work out the unclear parts. If you were building a house, you would need to have detailed blueprints to follow. Your goal needs to be just like that; a blueprint of where you want to be and what you want to develop.

2. Plan
Once you have the vision, the next part is to write out a step-by-step plan of what needs to happen. “I need to call this person, get this information, complete this project, hire this person etc.” This is sort of a to do list of everything you can think of that would help to bring this vision into completion.

3. Action
It is one thing to have a goal and vision with the knowledge of what you need to do, and quite another thing to actually take action and do it. The first thing is to identify the obstacles in yourself  that are keeping you from taking action. How will you face these obstacles and what is the first action you will take. That first action will begin a domino effect and get you going.

You can use this simple formula for anything you want to accomplish.

Most people know about the power of visioning.  Gymnasts do it before their programs, runners do it before their big races and Norman Vincent Peale and Napolean Hill have written about creating success and wealth by just changing your thoughts.

It is also possible to put forth a strong vision for your year by creating a collage. I do this every year and hang it on the wall of my office. Every so often a glance at it and am overwhelmed by the focus I have put forth.

In December at looked at my 2009  collage and was flabbergasted that I had actually manifested so much of my vision. Some of it materialized in ways I could never have predicted.

I met with a lovely group of  woman the first week of January and created my 2010 collage.  I had no idea really, what would emerge, but again it is perfect.  I have hung it on the wall of my office again and now will watch it take shape.

Instructions on creating your new vision board!

Let me know how it goes!

While I was preparing for my networking group last night, I thought about what three words best describes what most small business owners need to do in order to reach the success they desire.

Vision. Having a sharp vision and picture of where you want to be at the end of the year is so important. Without this vivid vision you are less likely to arrive there.  You have to be able to vision it before you can manifest it.

Plan. Without a crystal clear plan and specific steps you will wander around confused and unfocused. Strategies are essential for reaching any goal.

Action.  If you have the vision and the plan, you still need to overcome your inner obstacles that keep you from taking focused action. Are you willing to walk out of your comfort zone, take a risk and go for it. Staying right where you are won’t change anything!

Take a few minutes and write in your answers to those three things above.  Write down clearly what your vision is, what your plan is and what action you will take. Save your answers and look at them again in a month as a reminder.

Then give yourself a big pat on the back.