I’ve just returned from a much-needed family sojourn to the Gulf of Mexico to celebrate Spring Break. Lots of long walks and talks mixed in with some intense writing time.

All this moodling, talking and walking gave rise to a single common theme for everyone in our family: we are each trying to do too much. The Young Turk was the first to pipe up with this observation about himself. “Can I stop doing so much every day, Mom? I just want time to hang out at home without feeling rushed.”

Wise words for a nine-year old, don’t you think?

The more we talked about his desires, the more I realized I wanted the very same thing. Time to just hang out and be. It seemed like an impossible desire to fulfill considering the sudden take-off of my new thing, Fierce Loyalty. I’m writing a book, crafting guest posts, speaking at events, conducting interviews and a million other things that take up precious time.

And guess what? None of them are getting the proper time and attention. I’m moving so fast that I’m not doing anything well. And since I am the source of all this creation, I’m squandering the resource by spreading it to thin.

So, starting this week, I’m cutting back. I have to if I want to produce my very best work. What does that look like?

1. I’m paring down my coaching clients so I can give my best to a small group.

2. I’m cutting back on my blog posting. Not forever but until I get some other major writing projects out of the way.

3. My social media time is getting loped to a minimum. I still show up most days, but I don’t camp out on Twitter like I used to.

4. My newsletter will go out every other week now. Since I put it together myself, I want what I send to be rich and meaningful rather than something I dash off because it is “Newsletter Day”.

5. I’m building in “do nothing” time for every single day. The more I tap my creativity, the more I’ve got to have this time to re-fill the well.

Oh – and I’m making calls and cutting back on The Young Turk’s commitments, too. He is a creative and an empath just like me. I want him to learn to value Do Nothing time as a way to re-fuel and re-charge now before the world teaches him that it’s a waste of time.

What about you? Are you feeling spread to thin? In need of some carved out Do Nothing Time so you can bring your best self back to the task at hand?

I’d love to hear about it.

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I haven’t done this in AGES and for the life of me I can’t remember why I’ve let this tradition slip. So, I’m reviving it.

Everyday beginning on December 13, I will send out some really awesome thing ( a pdf, a book chapter, an audio) from my own personal files to the Tribe. And lest you think this is just a reprise of my own stuff, it isn’t. All through the year I download things from amazingly smart people who know WAY more than I do. I’ll be choosing some of their stuff to share with you as well.

This is my way of saying thank you to everyone who shows up here. You mean more than you know and I want to share some of the best stuff I’ve found to help you with you Escape Plan.

Now, just one thing I need you to do. Because I really don’t like it when my emails get marked as spam, I would like you to tell me that you want to participate in the 12 Days of Christmas by popping your name and email addy into the boxes below.  I won’t be posting 12 Days links here for public consumption, so if you want to participate, you’ve got to sign up. 

This is going to be really really good stuff, so I do hope you’ll join me.

Merry Christmas!!

Love,
Sarah

Sign Up Here for 12 Days of Christmas

Name:

Email:

I’m paying attention to conversations about “Community Management” – boy are there a ton to pay attention to. The curious thing about these conversations is that the discussions center almost exclusively on managing ONLINE communities. If offline/IRL communities are brought into the mix, it’s mostly in a “oh by the way, don’t forget” kind of way.

There is no doubt that the web and social media in particular have opened up an incredible opportunity to build connection and relationships with customers and prospects in a virtual way. Using online strategies, community managers can reach an untold number of people and, if done well, rally them around their business, head off pr disasters, mitigate customer complaints and create a marketing army.  These are amazing things indeed.

However, limiting the focus of these efforts to online only (or to a secondary position at best) is overlooking one of the greatest loyalty building strategies available – in real life communities. People crave connecting face to face with other people who share common interests, if doing so is compelling to them. Chances are they aren’t going to organize such connections themselves (hey – we are all overworked and over-scheduled), so it is up to the company to facilitate that.

Harley-Davidson

As a case and point, let’s look at Harley Davidson. I cited them in an earlier article, 4 Thriving Communities to Learn From, because they have mastered the art of the offline community. Go to their community page here and you see online connection points pushed to the margins. Front and center you see five, count them FIVE, distinct, in real life connection points, each designed for a specific kind of customer (or end user) who has very distinct community wants and needs.

Why would Harley Davidson invest resources into organizing and facilitating offline communities that are run by enthusiastic and loyal customers?

Hmmm…..do you think these customers ever bring non-Harley owners along for a ride?! Do you think being a part of a group of shared enthusiasts drives deeper customer loyalty? Do you think when it’s time for a new bike, community members would even think of purchasing anything other than a Harley?

And just in case you think Harley Davidson is primarily focused on these IRL communities, think again. They have nearly three MILLION wildly active fans in their Facebook community. But again, these online efforts run parallel to and in support of offline connections, not as a substitute.

So, what do you think? Should company “Community Managers” broaden their attention to include more of an offline focus? Or should there be a different person who handles offline community building? Or am I overrating the business asset of offline communities?

As always, I’m wildly curious about what you think?!

Check out Building Meaningful Online Relationships here (Hurry – the $79 price tag expires Monday, Oct. 31.)  http://escaping-mediocrity.com/building-meaningful-relationships/

I didn’t intend to watch so much coverage of the anniversary of 9/11. But once I started, I simply could not stop.  I was horror stricken and moved beyond measure over and over again.  When the day was over I was left in much the same place I was left ten years ago: emotionally spent yet incredibly inspired by acts of undaunted courage.

Because of all that I saw yesterday, rumblings and shifts began making themselves known inside of me. I don’t know exactly what they mean or where they are taking me. I do know they are quite large and will ask much of me.

For now, I must focus on my live event which is happening in two and half weeks and I must focus on my clients, whose work inspires me more than I can say.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that while I am focusing on where I am most needed at the moment, the place I am most needed in the future will reveal itself.

And I will keep you posted.

As part of the lead up to my live event at the end of September, I’m hosting a series of Livestream chats (you can see them here.) Last night’s chat was on Profitability – something many entrepreneurs need to beef up on.

As the conversation progressed, we naturally started talking about sales and attracting the right prospects, etc. So often I see entrepreneurs – online and off – open a conversation with someone they don’t know by talking about themselves. Ew. We all know that guy at the cocktail party who does that right? Don’t be that guy or gal in a business setting.

What to do instead?

Lead with curiosity. Be truly, intensely interested in what’s going on with the other person. Ask questions. Maintain eye contact (rather than glancing around for someone more interesting to talk to). Be generous with your network if someone you know can help.

Need specific things to say? How about:

-What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now?

- What do you need help with?

- What’s the biggest stressor in your business?

Listen to the answer. Then ask more questions. “Tell me more about that.” is a great response.

Are you getting the idea? Take the focus off of you. Stop waiting for your opportunity to talk about yourself. Everyone does that and you aren’t like everyone.

The magic is that at some point the right, easy, natural opportunity to share what you’re up to IN A MEANINGFUL WAY will present itself.  And if it doesn’t, you will still stand out in someone’s memory.

We’re going to talk a whole lot more about curiosity at Creating Irresistible Presence in Atlanta September 29, 30 and October 1. I hope you will join us. http://www.irresistiblepresence.com

This video post is part of my video guest post series that introduces you to the guest speakers who will be teaching their magic at my live event, Creating Irresistible Presence.

You’ve already met Les McKeown, Elizabeth Marshall and Janet Goldstein. Today I want you to meet one of my very favorite people in the world, Mark Silver.

Mark has two-year old twins so he won’t be joining us in person BUT he is putting together an exclusive video presi that focuses on teaching you all about money models. Because let’s face it, if you’re business doesn’t have a revenue plan, it really isn’t a business is it?

You’re just going to love Mark. Here’s why:

If you’d like to get the details on my live event (it’s in Atlanta at the end of September) and grab your seat, here’s the link for that: http://www.irresistiblepresence.com

Last night, I had an experience that I would have never dreamed possible one year ago.

Three members of this Escaping Mediocrity Tribe created something amazing for me in Atlanta.

Several months ago, Judi Knight conceived of hosting an event at her super-cool B & B and I would be the featured guest speaker. Then she enlisted Dana Reeves and Brandon Sutton as co-conspirators for her mission.

Together, they organized, cooked, invited friends – and basically threw their hearts and souls into ensuring that the event ROCKED. And it did.

Sixty people showed up, listened to killer music, ate fab food, mixed, mingled, laughed and talked. Oh – and they got to listen to me speak for a little while too.

During my two and a half hour drive home (I drove back to Birmingham when the event) last night, I got a little teary as I started thinking about everything they did:

1) They spent their VERY valuable time planning and executing the event.

2) They put other priorities aside and cooked a TON of food.

3) They went out on a limb and invited friends to come hear me speak. To me that is the ultimate compliment and I can only hope that I did them proud.

I am touched beyond measure at the belief and support they gave me last night – and give me every single day.

So today, I say “Thank You.” Thank you for being the reasons I do what I do. Thank you for making me better and smarter. Thank you for opening your hearts and sharing your friends with me. Thank you for all the time, energy and love you put into making last night a success. Thank you for being a part of my tribe. I am an incredibly lucky woman.

I like being comfortable. Which means I like my habits. Even when they don’t serve me.

See, changing up a routine, doing things differently, trying something new and bold – that stuff requires a certain level of discomfort and a certain level of extra effort.

Because I am human, I want to take the easy path. That desire is programmed into my DNA.

Fortunately I am not an amoeba and am not at the mercy of my pre-programmed DNA (well - most of the time anyway.).

I can think and feel and make (drumroll for the frontal lobe’s’ evolution!) CHOICES.

I can step outside myself and say “Hey look – there you are doing the same old same old again. Isn’t that interesting.”

Or “Are you done with the same old same old yet? Cuz I sure am!”

Or “Hey why don’t we shake things up and try cooking Asian tonight?”

You get the idea.

The only way I’m going to move ahead on this escaping mediocrity path I chosen is to make different choices and create new habits.

Scary?

Sure it’s scary as h-e-double-toothpicks.

But the idea of staying where I am, doing the same old same old – THAT is really scary to me.

So, I screw up my courage and do new things. Go new places. Ask different people for help.

And soon – being daring and bold becomes a habit. And it’s a habit I think I’ll keep.

If you want to break out of your same-old, same-old habits that are holding you and your business back, I HIGHLY encourage you to check out my live event Creating Irresistible Presence. You’ll come away with a whole pack of awesome new habits that will propel you forward into the kind of success you are after.