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ADVANTAGE Solutions eNews
ADVANTAGE
CONTENTS
The FAST Advantage Joeann’s Monthly Message The SIMPLE LIVING Advantage: Randon Acts of Kindness The TECH Advantage: Tips
and Resources The HEALTH Advantage: The Adrenaline Lifestyle The SKILLS Advantage: Upcoming Free Teleconferences THE REAL ESTATE GAMES! ADVANTAGE THINKING: The Times They Are A Changin' The INSPIRATION Advantage: Some Borrowed Wisdom!
The FAST
Advantage
The seasons of the year, with the accompanying
growth and dormancy cycles are inevitable. You probably accept them and just get on with
it. This year, do the same with the growth and dormancy cycles of your business. Welcome
the respites and take a rest or use the quiet time to focus on something else. A good
measure of what you “should” do is what feels good, light and gives
you joy. When your mind and soul are coming from this place, the attraction principle
will go to work for you. Before long, the
phone will be ringing again and you’ll be so busy, you’ll wish you had the
breathing space back!
<<>> **
<<>> ** <<>> **<<>> ** <<>> I spent Labor Day weekend having my home office buffed up and boy, is there a difference! We took out the carpet and my friend, Frank, craftsman extraordinaire, installed a beautiful wood floor for me. Since everything had to go anyway, I picked some paint colors to replace the Navajo White and now have light rose walls and dark red trim. The real difference is that the only things that are being put back in the office and on the bookshelves are the ones I am CHOOSING to have in my environment. I was amazed at how much had accumulated. Stuff from when I started Advantage Solutions Group in 1993 that is out of date or I’ll never use again. Yes, lots went in the trash, much went into storage and a closet in the other room. When I wrote a column earlier in the year about purging and simplifying, Ira Serkes, RE/Max agent from Berkeley told me he had done that with some bookshelves and found he had some “old friends” to re-aquaint himself with. It was similar for me….lots of books I love and haven’t visited with lately. Others that I will take to the used bookstore to share with someone who is ready and will benefit, rather than hording them here. It gives me an appreciation of the process of moving. We’ve been in this house 19 years. Maybe I should pretend we are moving once a year and do one room at a time! I bet the simplification and choosing what I truly want in my environment would be enlivening. Do you have a room that could benefit from choosing everything that’s there? Or tell me what works for you in keeping things pared down to only what you truly want/need in a particular room? I already feel a more vibrant energy and the law of attraction when there is room for new stuff to come in is already working, as some new opportunities to expand The Real Estate Games have shown up! I am reminded the power our physical environment has in creating a foundation for being able to work at peak effectiveness! And, please forgive me, I try to keep the advertising at
a minimum in this newsletter, but I need to give a shameless plug to the LIVING ON PURPOSE
3 Day business retreat. Last year’s participants raved about the benefits and
process. Coach John Smith and I will coach 18 agents who are committed to having totally
awesome lives and businesses in 2002! If this is you….it’s less than the cost of
one commission…if it’s time to invest in yourself, don’t miss this
opportunity to create a business plan that will enable you to have increased production
AND increased balance and personal time! Call or email me for more information or visit joeann.com If you register
in the next 2 weeks, there is a $350 discount! The SIMPLE LIVING Advantage: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS >>
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<<>> RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS: We CAN make other's lives easier by consciously making an effort to connect and care. I am reminded of the line in Emerson's Definition of Success, which says "…..to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." Whose life can you brighten by saying a kind word? How can you make it a bit easier for the waitress, the secretary, the person behind you in line? If each of us personally makes and effort to connect and cares for those around us, the world will become a little kinder place. This Month's Book Pick: Capture The Rapture by Marcia Reynolds The subtitle of this book is "How to step out of your head and leap into life." If you find yourself wishing you were getting more satisfaction in life, this book will give you the steps to create joy. It includes exercises to guide you through the process.
Action Exercises
Commit 3 Random Acts of Kindness every day this week.
Do something special this week with your loved ones. Tell someone how much you appreciate them ========================
**** Advantage TECH TIP: : USING Outlook A wonderful assortment of tips and shortcuts are available at: zdnet.com ****TECH Info: REGULAR MAINTAINANCE 1. On a monthly basis, clean up your Temporary
Internet Files Folder as follows: Then Click on Delete Files 2. Then you want to run a complete Scan Disk and then DeFrag. These utilities are available at: Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/ Run the ScanDisk first and the the Disk Defragmenter If you do this regularly, it won’t take as long and you will see things If these annoy you and you want to stop them, here is a list of 6 programs that can take care of it for you. Four are free and two are shareware. zdnet.com If you use a Mac, here’s a resource for you: Webwasher is your answer: Here is a site that gives you the free choices: freeISPs I have cut my AOL account back to the $4.95 per month option instead of letting go of the account. I also use the ATT $4.95 per month option that has a floating ad bar. These are both good to have as backups when
traveling because they have lots of local access numbers. 3. FREE SEMINARS WITH TOP TRAINERS A new site is offering teleconferences on topics that will make you money. Check out: myseminars.com I’ll be
presenting “Winning The Real Estate Game” for them on Sept 18! Join us.
Submit YOUR favorite sites, tips or resources and get a certificate for 50% off any Real Estate Game!™
THE COACHING DISTINCTION OF THE MONTH: <<>> ** <<>> ** <<>> **<<>> ** <<>>
Dreams vs Goals DEFINITIONS: Dreams:
A goose-bump producing vision of a future COMPARISONS: Outside the box vs Inside the box
KEY POINT: A dream will excite and energize you and will inspire you to take actions that will be positive, regardless of whether you reach the dream or not. A goal can disempower when it is used as an ultimate measure of success. BENEFIT: A dream gives you who to *be* and what characteristics and strategies you can employ. Just the implementation of these feels good and raises your standards. A goal is often "more, harder, faster" causing exhaustion as well as a right/wrong measure of succeeding or not.(Thanks to Philip Humbert, www.philiphumbert.com for the inspiration for this distinction :>) COACHING ACTIONS: 1. What
dream gives you goosebumps? 2.
Review your goals & dreams ================================== The HEALTH Advantage
ARE YOU ADDICTED TO ADRENALINE? "Fear
less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more; Swedish Proverb
Do most days have a peaceful and centered quality
to them? Side Effects of Adrenaline Addiction Using adrenaline as your fuel source will lead to
eventual exhaustion and burnout. You'll notice that you have trouble focusing and enjoying
life. You will tend to get sick more often, since you are diverting immune system's
resources. While this usually won't happen until, after the big push, it will happen. Dr Archibald Hart's book, Adrenaline and Stress, offers an in depth look at the whole problem and links addiction to adrenaline as a leading indicator of future heart disease. Are you an Adrenaline Addict?????? Here are some questions: 1.Do you wear a pager or carry your cell phone
everywhere you go? If you answered yes to 5 or more of the questions
above, welcome to the club! You aren't alone. Breaking The Addiction The good news is that with awareness and some changes, you can bring more peace into your life and get off the adrenaline treadmill. Like any addiction, you must want to make the change and be willing to go through some discomfort. Step #1: Your awareness is the first step. Step #2: For a week, make a list of all the things
that trigger this physical response. Step #3: For each trigger, identify a solution and
start to change your behavior. If you Use
Caffeine Excessively, TRY Cutting out all Caffeinated Products Step #4 Start scheduling some time for contemplation and silence. DO nothing. This will be very hard at first but will get easier. Ideally, give yourself at least 15 minutes of silence each day. The discomfort of feeling like you "should" be doing something, of feeling guilty because you aren't pushing yourself to excel will rear their ugly heads. You, however, will find that boredom is the gateway to peacefulness and might decide that nothing and no one is worthy of stealing your peace! You will also notice that it is easier to accomplish more when your focus is increased and you will struggle less. You'll actually make more and do less. How does that sound? The SKILLS Advantage: ================================= Current Schedule …..Register Now! <<>>High Touch Through High Tech <<>> <<>> If you are on AOL and you are ready to change to a business email account….this teleconference will make it easy to switch. Learn how to get your mail forwarded, how to get a permanent email address, and what to do to minimize the hassle. TO PARTICIPATE: Send an email to register@joeann.com with your name, company, city, phone and email address Or Register at joeann.com
THE REAL ESTATE GAMES™ Do You Want A GREAT Last Quarter? Four weeks of daily focus & motivation for
less than the cost of a cappuccino !! THE NEXT GAMES
Sept 24 10:45 AM
EDT, 7:45 AM Pacific
Nov. 5
9:45 AM EDT, 6:45 AM Pacific For Complete Information visit
www.TheRealEstateGame.com Cost for all four weeks is only $99 (less than $5 a day) To register: joeann.com Or send an email to joeann@joeann.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do You Want A GREAT 2002? THE NEXT REAL ESTATE GAME BUSINESS PLANNING
WEEKEND If not, this weekend will revolutionize your life! WHERE: Scottsdale, AZ October 5-7 OR Santa Fe, NM January 26-28 3 Days of personal & business coaching to help
you achieve your dreams. Limited to 18 agents For more information: joeann.com Or send an email to joeann@joeann.com <<>> ** <<>> ** <<>> **<<>> ** <<>> ADVANTAGE THINKING: The Times They Are a Changin' <<>> ** <<>> ** <<>> **<<>> ** <<>>
“The power of the world always
works in circles, and everything tries to be round. The
sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power,
whirls; birds
make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun and moon, both round, come
forth and go down again in a circle. Even
the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where
they were. The life of a person is a circle from
childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power
moves.” Black Elk, an Oglala Indian who was 13 years old at the battle of Little Big Horn - he survived that battle. Today’s crisp morning air is a delightful respite from the heat of the summer. The shift from the vacation/summer mode to the fall and holiday mode is upon us. Each season brings different conditions; some I like, some I don’t, but I know I must adapt and change, since all the protesting in the world won’t stop the changing of the seasons. The frustration and resistance to the ups and
downs can be a terrible energy vampire…..one that sucks the life from our days.
Author, Dr. Wayne Dyer, says that if we want to manifest our true desires, we must stop
focusing on what isn’t: what we don’t have or don’t want, because the law
of attraction in the universe says we get what we focus on. So, if you focus on what you
don’t have, you are actually pulling more of that lack to you. Acceptance and,
perhaps even, rejoicing in the natural rhythms of your business will kill off this energy
vampire and allow you to focus on creating a future full of abundance and the other dreams
you have. I find most agents, even the super-successful,
have this ebb and flow of their business. I am amazed when I hear an agent who has been in
this business for 20 years, express fear when they hit a slow spell that it will NEVER get
busy again. For you, maybe it isn’t related to the time of year, but you do
experience the feast or famine cycle from time to time. Observing how the tree does
dormancy is a good model for us to look at when the production level and number of
prospects are not where we want them to be. Next time you find you are in a dormant cycle, instead of giving into feeling fearful or frustrated, let go of the “should” conversations about prospecting. Usually, the harder you try to push, the more elusive the results anyway. Shift your focus to the foundational pieces of your business you CAN strengthen.
If you focus on what you can do, right where you
are, business will come. As you have fun and don’t worry or obsess, your lighter
energy will attract “good” stuff to you. The seasons of the year,
with the accompanying growth and dormancy cycles are inevitable. You probably accept them
and just get on with it. This year, do the same with the growth and dormancy cycles of
your business. Welcome the respites and take a rest or use the quiet time to focus on
something else. A good measure of what you “should” do is what feels good,
light and gives you joy. When your mind and soul are coming from this place,
the attraction principle will go to work for you. Before
long, the phone will be ringing again and you’ll be so busy, you’ll wish you had
the breathing space back! The INSPIRATION Advantage
Every day I live I am more
convinced that the waste of life -
Mary Cholmondeley "We do not sing because we
are happy, -William James "The place to improve the
world is first in one's - Robert M. Pirsig
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