Angela Johnson

Category: Mindset

  • Is Your Money Blah, Blah, Blah Stomping Out Your Profit?

    “How you do your money is how you do everything.” I’ve heard it before but Kendall Summerhawk reminded me of this at her event I’m attending.

    Are you telling yourself all kinds of “stories” about why you can’t invest in something, pay someone back or charge what you are worth? Your money stories are your blah, blah, blah and it’s killing your profits in your business.

    Your money blah, blah, blah often sounds like this:

    • The economy is hard and people aren’t buying right now.
    • I don’t know how to afford this (meanwhile you have a storage shed full of STUFF you aren’t using and you could sell or you have other untapped hidden income.)
    • My spouse won’t let me do this. (This requires a powerful conversation so you have an understanding of what is possible.)
    • I’ll work with you if we can do a trade. (If you don’t know how I despise most trades then you can read about it here.)
    • I’m not feeling inspired so I’ll market when I feel inspired.
    • I can’t get the help I need because I can’t afford it.

    Your blah, blah, blah is your money stories that are keeping you stuck, broke and in victim-ville.

    The first step     to change your money stories is to make a decision of what you want. People often avoid making a decision because then they would have to be accountable for their results.

    The money that is or isn’t in your bank account is your accountability. It’s proof of your previous thoughts, beliefs and actions. The good news is you can change it any time. So what do you decide?

    What do you want?
    Do you want to work with 10 more clients by the end of the year?
    Do you want to make an additional $10,000 of NEW money by Christmas?
    Take a moment right now and get clear.

    The second step is to do whatever it takes.     I mean literally whatever it takes.

    I remember the first time I invested in a high-end business coach. I had a couple hundred dollars in the bank. I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay my bills.

    Meanwhile, I had a huge amount of guilt that I was putting all of the financial responsibilities on my husband. Our lifestyle was dramatically different. Our date night was investing in our $19.99 Netflix monthly bill and microwave popcorn. Eating out was a luxury. Going to a movie was a luxury.

    But I was determined. I made the decision to hire a coach because I had been doing it “my way” for two years and I could no longer lie to myself and say that it was working. It wasn’t working. Life wasn’t supposed to feel like that if I was supposedly living my passion.

    So I did it. I got on the phone and I started talking to people. I sold things. I did what I needed to do to make that first month’s payment.

    I did the same thing the next month.

    I also did whatever my coach told me to do and I started making money. (Even when I wanted to throw up or run away…and even when I told myself that maybe my old life wasn’t so bad after all. I always came back to the truth of I deserved better and it was up to me to make it happen.)

    My life couldn’t be more different today because I took the leap of faith.     And I continue to leap. And it’s scary every time.

    The Money Truths that Result in Profit Every Single Time:

    • Using money is an excuse to not do in your life will repel money from coming in your life. Money is never the reason to not do something. Even reframing it like “I CHOOSE to invest my money in this right now.” Instead of “I can’t afford that.” Stop using money as the scapegoat and own your choices.

    • The breakthrough your clients actually want happens in their investment. If you don’t let your client invest then you are robbing them of owning their value. The level of which someone is willing to invest in themselves is the level of how valuable they think they are. Don’t take that away from someone.

    • If you have money excuses then your clients can use money excuses. People will mirror your money excuses.

    • Stop discounting your services. Rather than give a discount, add a valuable fast-acting bonus. (A fast-acting bonus is when someone makes a decision and acts quickly so you give them a reward of a fast-action bonus.)

    • LADIES – STOP giving your services away for free! Please stop doing this. You are not only ripping yourself off but you are ripping off your “clients” from the power of investing in themselves.

    • This is the biggest breakdown I see with entrepreneurs:
    When you invest in yourself then you can authentically ask others to do the same.

    If you aren’t investing in yourself how in the world do you expect clients to invest in you?     When you can personally speak about how you managed to do whatever it took to invest in your life and business then you can empower others to do the same thing.

    If you haven’t paid a coach $2,000 a month yet you are launching a program that is $2,000 a month do you see how it’s out of alignment? When people tell you they aren’t sure how they can afford that and you say “You can find the money if you really want this,” it’s out of alignment with your truth because you have never done that.

    When you uplevel, your clients will uplevel.     Those clients who aren’t ready to uplevel will spin off. Let them. It’s not your job to save them.

    It’s your job to serve the new level of clients who are now ready to work with you because you now match what they are looking for. Save yourself and empower others to step up to being their commitment of what they say they want. Love your money and money will love you.

    Invest in yourself. It’s worth it every time.

    Now go out and make some money. Charge what you are worth. Invest what you are worth. Your life will never be the same.


    With Love and Success,
    Angela

  • When to Push and When to Stop: 9 Steps to Get What You Want

    How do you know when it’s time to shift directions in your business or push through it?

    Many people think that the second it gets hard it’s a “sign” that it’s not supposed to happen. This is a HUGE misconception and it’s giving people the validation they are looking for to quit.

    When you are faced with a challenge, fear or detour in your business, you have two options, push or quit. There is no stopping. Stopping or “throwing in the towel” is a nicer way of quitting. Are you a quitter? Are do you want to see your goal become a reality?

    The first thing is to make the DECISION of what you want. What is it that you want? Declare it, focus on it, then figure out the how. (hint, once you’ve made the decision, the how will unfold if you let it.)

    So when do you know that the road you are going down needs to shift, or when to take a rest, or change directions?

    Nine  steps get what you want:

    1. Hold the Vision – What do you want? What does it feel like? What results will it create in your life. Know this vision intimately. You know exactly how much money you want to make a month, not “around this much” or “$5,000 would be nice.” What do you want. My favorite tool is Ideal Life Vision.

    2. Make the Decision – Holding the vision is the feel good part. But have you made the decision? Are you waiting for the perfect time, until you have more money, until something else to change before it’s convenient? Or are you totally in? With both feet, even when you are standing in a mud puddle wondering how the hell you got there?

    Most people don’t want to commit because they don’t like being accountable. Human nature is to blame others for certain things stopping them from achieving what they way. When you are committed you do what ever it takes.

    3. Be flexible – Holding on so tightly to the way it HAS to look will only bring frustration. Working hard doesn’t have to be hard, it will take diligence but be open to the possibilities. When you have the vision and you’ve made the decision, relax INTO it, rather than MAKING IT HAPPEN RIGHT THIS SECOND This is hard to do especially when you feel your vision to the depths of your heart. So breathe, relax and start looking at how you can make this happen.

    4. Learn – Often times answers and steps to your goal come through other people. You don’t have to do this alone. So learn what you can. Who has done what you want to? What resources are there for you? Research and learn.

    5. Get Help – This is where most people fall and want to quit. Get support. This can come from a coach, mastermind or a friend or family member. The perfect kind of help is the kind of help who isn’t going to let you off the hook when you want to change your mind. They’ll remind you of what you said you wanted, even at the expense of you not liking them for e moment because they aren’t accepting your excuses. (We all go through this so you are not alone.)

    6. Take Inspired and Planned Action – Part of getting help is planning out what your course of action is. Even if it makes you feel uncomfortable, do it. You vision is inspired and it requires action. Go and DO! While your taking action, you are holding the vision so you are BEING the very thing you want.

    7. Course Correct – Rich Christiansen, of the Zig Zag Principle, talks about your path is never a straight course. You will zig, you will zag and that is the ONLY way to get up the mountain. There are always detours. Always.

    8. Take Time for You! This is sooooooo very important. You know what your body, soul and mind needs to feel good and energized. Inspiration comes in time of quiet. And it may come at the 11th hour. Self care and getting enough sleep are just as important as your business plan.

    9. Celebrate Your Wins! Celebrate the smallest win – this only builds your confidence and courage to keep going. Acknowledge yourself and what you are doing. Sometimes you have to be your own cheerleader and that is okay.

    So the answer is to never stop. You can rest, you can change your mind, but never stop. Quitting doesn’t feel good, it’s not what you are meant to do.     The world is waiting for what YOU have to offer. Live your legacy now.

  • What I Was Pretending Not To Know (And How It Was Draining My Business)

    This question has changed me. I was asked this question last summer and when I want a good reality check, I’ll ask myself this: What am I pretending not to know?

    Example:
    What I pretended not to know is:

    • How important taking care of my health was and that it made a negative impact on my business.
    • When I don’t get enough sleep it is a big deal because I can’t be totally present to my clients, family, friends or my.
    • Not eating healthy food impacts my bank account because I’m not fully engaged with my projects or inspiration because my body is holding me back because it doesn’t feel good.
    • How my physical well-being is the vehicle that sustains my 6-figure business. And I could take better care of it!

    The last one is what the reality check that felt like a punch in the gut. Was my health really holding me back in my business.

    I’m pretty healthy but was struggling with feeling tired, sluggish and just unfocused. Could it be the lack of movement and nutrition? And was THAT an energy leak in my business? YIKES!

    I asked myself that question and I was honest enough to answer it. More importantly I asked myself what I was going to do about it. And started making changes. The result? Feeling FABulous! Released five pounds! Higher confidence. Better sleep. More energy. YES – this is improving my business too.

    Why is this important? Because I want HOLISTIC success. I want to have it all. And that includes a healthy body with vibrant energy.

    Are you ready to take on this question?

    First think about a goal you have. Are you close to that goal? Are you stuck? For me I wanted to feel more vibrant energy to take action on my vision for my business.

    Second, ask yourself: “What am I pretending not to know?” Then answer it. You will see the connections of what is keeping you from reaching that goal. For me the first thing that came up were statements about my health.

    Third, ask yourself “What are you going to do about it?” Awareness is the first step, TAKING ACTION and changing it is the next thing.

    This exercise can set you free from what is currently blocking you in your business. Could it be that you are pretending not to know:

    • You aren’t charging enough for your services.
    • You aren’t following through with contacts and it really is a big deal.
    • You don’t know everything you need to do so it’s time to get support from a great assistant and/or a coach.
    • That you are upset or hurt because you aren’t putting yourself first enough. (Yet you keep telling yourself that it’s okay.)

  • Comparison is Keeping You Stuck

    Comparing yourself to anyone else is a never-ending cycle. There will ALWAYS be someone thinner, richer, taller, smarter, younger, wiser…and it’s all perception. None of it is real.

    But we make it real when we play the game because it’s keeping brilliant people STUCK. And being stuck feels very real.

    I recall my friend and mentor, Tina Metcalf (a great life coach) reminding me that “Comparison is the source of all pain.” So just stop it. Stop the comparison game.

    I’m in two masterminds. One I meet with monthly in person and I sincerely adore everyone in the group. But there has been a problem. I was making other people’s success about what I was or was not doing in my life and business. Rather than celebrating their success fully, I was staying stuck in comparison.

    Several people I mastermind with said this was creeping up in their thoughts too. Why do we do this? If we can’t be happy for others for their success, then we will not attract that success to the fullest extent that we can.

    When I fessed up to my comparison with one fellow mastermind member, I let her know that I apologized for not celebrating fully with her and the success she has worked so hard for, especially recently. Whew, that felt good. I felt a shift in my heart and mind and it opened the door for me to learn from her rather than look at her fantastic successes with envy.

    In our conversation I noticed that she said “I’ve worked my butt off for the results I have now.” I notice that I say the same thing when I accomplish my goals. Why do we have to justify why good things happen to us with using “hard work” as the only way we deserve it?

    How hard are you making yourself work before you feel you DESERVE your success?

    More importantly, I realized that the comparison game was also keeping me from celebrating my own success. I had almost looked past what I have accomplished lately and downplayed it.

    What would happen if we just accepted the good things because we are FREAKING FABULOUS?!!! Period! No justification. No reason. Just received it because it is who we are?

    Now wouldn’t that shake things up a bit in your goals? So go ahead, celebrate your success. Just accept it because you are amazing. There is nothing to work for. Just BE!