I’ve had a few experiences in the last couple of weeks that have made me question what I am spending my time and money on…and who with, in relation to my personal development.  Like you undoubtedly, I could have bought a small desert island with the amount I have invested in my own improvement over the years, and like you I’ve learned that all is not as it seems out there…much of it is smoke and mirrors.

I’m not saying this to denigrate the ‘expert industry’, far from it…there are some great people out there who really care about delivering on their promises, and who invest time in getting to know and give appropriate support to those who have invested, often more than they can currently afford, with them.  These are the experts who will turn away people who are either not ready for their programme, or their mindset is not right for it; who will ask as many questions of the potential customer as the customer asks of them; who believe and set out to ensure, that this is the beginning of a relationship, and not simply a transaction.  These are the experts who care, and they’re the sort I not only want to work with, but aim to be myself.

Because, like you, I’ve also experienced the alternative.  There are some big names out there who are not so discerning about who they sign up; who are great at the sales pitch - inspiring and pressurising in equal measure - but not so great at the ‘personal’ bit.  Like going to a wholesaler rather than your local shop, you get the mass-produced, one size fits all development…that never does…sent off down some rabbit hole doing stuff that is not right for your business…or at least not right now.  The pedlars of high powered, high priced CRM systems and the like, which are a great fit for their million pound business, but can eat right through the roots of your money tree, and waste what would be better spent elsewhere.
The onus is on us of course to choose wisely…to do our due diligence before handing over our cash…to find out more about the person behind the sales pitch before we are sold to, and from people who not only have recent experience, but are also in a similar position to ourselves; to be sure that we are going to get the level of support, motivation, challenge, how-to info, guidance…that is relevant to us, right here, right now.

It’s a costly business personal development, in terms of both time and money - invest wisely, and well.

This is Your time.  2014 is Your year. Make every single day of it count.

For more information on how MPL can help you visit www.mariannepage.co.uk or contact me on hello@mariannepage.co.uk

I’m going to be brief this Friday, since the business owner that this post is for, won’t have time to read a long one.

You’ll be thinking about all the things you planned to do this week that you haven’t got to yet…that you really need to get done…that you’ll have to do over the weekend instead of going out as you’d planned.  You’ll be reading this because you saw the post while completing your regular feeding of the social media monster, and you were drawn to the word ‘brief’!

I’m not saying this to be facetious or attack you, far from it…I know that you run a successful, money-making operation.  You acted on your passion and enthusiasm, you built a base of loyal customers and the money you make is pretty good. Those who know you consider that you’ve ‘made it’.

But that’s not how you feel, is it?

You feel stuck…trapped in what I call ‘success limbo’.  That place where the hours are ridiculously long and hard, and most weeks stretch into the weekend; where you no longer have time for family and friends and regularly back out of commitments with them; where you can’t get out of reactive mode and are ruled by your e mail inbox and other people’s priorities.

Yes you may have money to do some of the things you dreamed of, but you don’t have time to take advantage.  And anyway, if you took holidays the business would fall apart.

Success limbo is not a good place.and any one of us could find ourselves there.

The good news is though...it doesn’t have to be for eternity - you can get to the heaven of more customers, bigger and better sales AND have the lifestyle that you dreamed of.  It doesn’t have to be this way.

In recognising that something needs to change, that you can’t keep doing things the way you’ve always done them and expect different results; that maybe the ‘systems’ you have in your business aren’t serving you…you have taken the first and most essential step.

You are an ACTion taker, you get stuff done...you just need to adjust what you’re acting on.

Taking a few days out to plan, to prioritise what’s most important to you, to review your daily routines, to check the logic of your systems.  Getting someone in to give you an objective viewpoint, and listen to them.  They are the sort of ACTions that will serve you right now.  And the business will still be there when you get back.  Trust me!

Life is too short to spend more than you already have in success limbo.  It’s time to get the hell out of there.
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This is YOUR time.  2014 is YOUR year.  Make every single day of it count.

For more information on how MPL can help you visit www.mariannepage.co.uk or contact me on hello@mariannepage.co.uk

My friend Hannah was given the devastating news last week that she has cancer for the third time in her life.  Hannah and I are not close, in fact I’ve only known her for 18 months, but I know her as a courageous and fun-loving woman who goes after life and doesn’t waste a second of it.  In the short time I have known her Hannah has started a successful business, written a book ‘The Wealthy Divorcee’, completed the gruelling Tough Mudder, oh and in her spare time, been an inspirational ambassador for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, supporting other women cursed by the vile disease. Hannah is 36 years old.

I’m not telling you this to be maudlin.  I’m not even telling you this so that you will be sympathetic towards Hannah - although a few prayers from those of you with a spiritual bent, would not go amiss.  And I certainly don’t want to bring you down on this Valentine’s weekend.

I’m telling you this because Hannah is a great example of someone who makes every day count, makes best use of her talents, finds time to help others, to have fun..to live life to the full

…and so many of us are not…are making excuses for why we can’t, rather than working out how we can…are wasting both our time and the enormous potential that we have within us waiting for ‘someday’.

I’ve been there, I know what it’s like to play small, to be limited by SMART goals and the norms of our peers and society.  It’s so easy to tell yourself you’re doing well, you’re comfortable, life’s ok or pretty good…and settle for that. But it’s not ok.

You are unique, special, individual.  No one else on the planet has the passions, experiences, thoughts that you do.  No one else can leave the mark that you will.

And clearly you want to make your mark…in making the decision to go into business you were brave and courageous…you showed that you were willing to stick your head above the parapet, to use your talents more expansively. You chose to be a leader.

Life is an amazing gift, and unless you believe in reincarnation, we only get one, so let’s make the most of it.  It took a life changing event and a big birthday to shake me out of my comfort zone. Don’t let it be that way for you.

Be the leader of your life…every day.  Challenge and stretch yourself to get stuff done…every day. Have fun with those you love and care for…every day.
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This is YOUR time.  2014 is YOUR year. Make every single day of it count.

For more information on how MPL can help you visit www.mariannepage.co.uk or contact me on hello@mariannepage.co.uk

We’re taught very early on at ‘management school’ that there is no such thing as a problem, only challenges and opportunities.  Personally I think there are times when only the word ‘problem’, will do…who can imagine being without the immortal line, ‘Houston, we have a problem’!?  But I do prefer the word challenge, with its more positive connotations.  
And I do love a challenge…which is just as well, since running your own business is full of them, as you know!

Taking on a challenge, however big or small, is hugely positive, energising and fulfilling.  Whether it’s learning a new skill, achieving a sales target or running a marathon, a challenge asks us to dig deep into our prodigious reserves of potential, to stretch our self-belief, our skills, our mental capacity, to engage fully…and to grow.

Challenges and their achievement can light our fire like nothing else!

It’s not just the big stuff we need to challenge ourselves with though. Sometimes just getting vertical each day can be a challenge…those days when we are paralysed by self-doubt, inertia, overwhelm…when we hit the dip and lose sight of our passion.  The days when we need to Get Stuff Done, but can’t see a way to just Get Started.

These are the days when we need a system to turn to, a map to follow…daily routines that have become daily disciplines…daily disciplines that have become habits…and habits that have become just what we do every day, however good or bad we feel.

‘The time to have the map is before you enter the woods’, as my mentor Brendon Burchard would say.

If you don’t have a map - a plan, a system, daily routines and disciplines - then that should be your number one focus until you do.  Your business success requires that you know where you’re going, why you’re going there, and how you’re going to get there, day by day, week by week and month by month. You want a challenge…there’s your first one.

2014 is our year of ACTion…the year we Get Stuff Done and make every single day count.  Let’s rise to the challenge.

For more information on how MPL can help you visit www.mariannepage.co.uk or contact me on hello@mariannepage.co.uk