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learning opportunities and resources you can use immediately to increase your personal and
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ADVANTAGE
CONTENTS
The FAST Advantage
Joeann’s
Monthly Message
The SIMPLE LIVING
Advantage: Random Acts of Kindness
The TECH
Advantage: Tips and Resources
The DISTINCTION OF THE MONTH: DREAMS vs GOALS
The HEALTH
Advantage: The Adrenaline Lifestyle
The SKILLS
Advantage: Tools
for an Awesome 2002
THE REAL ESTATE
GAMES!
ADVANTAGE
THINKING: Time For Biz Planning
The INSPIRATION
Advantage: Some Borrowed Wisdom!
The FAST
Advantage
NOW is the time to prepare for a great next
year. By doing this now, you will be ready to hit the ground running in January. Block a
full day to gather the numbers from this year, to design your vision and strategies for
2002, and then put together your budget and marketing plan.
The clarity you have on whom you love to
work with and whom you serve best will lead naturally to actions and ideas. Have fun with
your planning, create a plan that also includes vacations and family time, and time for
you to do some things you love. And here are a couple of thoughts to keep in mind:
“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat
in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to
go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know’, Alice answered.
‘Then’, said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter’.” - Lewis Carroll
“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw
all the paint on it you can.” Danny Kaye
Knowing where you want to go and then throwing a BUNCH of paint on the canvas
will produce an AWESOME 2002!
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Joeann's Message
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Our lives cycle like seasons in nature.
Life cycles have four distinct phases:
- High activity and results
- Boredom and disillusionment
- Cocooning or going within
- The getting ready and then the cycle starts
again
You can go
through these cycles quickly or sometimes it takes years to come full cycle.
Often I feel and I hear my clients say they feel worried and unproductive when in phases 2 & 3. It is like we think there
should be no down time and we should be able to create awesome results ALL THE TIME, but
life doesn’t work that way. The resistance of that fact causes lots of frustration
and energy drain.
A tree doesn’t feel like a failure
when it loses its leaves for the winter or think something is wrong when all the growth is
happening in its root system underground.
Personally, I’ve been in the cocooning
stage for a while now. It has been a contrast to stay here, away from the high activity
and results phase that seemed such an important part of who I had always defined myself
as: a first born, high achiever who loved to go for it-whatever “it” might be.
There has been a wonderful, peaceful
centeredness in my life and after living on the edge without taking breaks for so long, I
have craved staying here for a while, but finally, I have sufficiently nurtured myself and
my spirit that I am ready once again to take on a challenge or two.
And immediately, the challenges have shown
up! Last week, I signed up for a Triathalon and became a grandmother! If you
don’t know me, we are talking about a 53 year old woman who has distained running her
whole life; not an athletic type at all. Now, to be completely truthful, it is a mini
triathalon: 5 mile Run, 10 Mile Bike and 3 mile Hike in Panama, but, even the
mini-version is something that will definitely take all I have to train and be ready for
the first week in Feb. The event is called “Go The Distance” and is sponsored by
the American Liver Foundation-AZ Chapter.
Yes, I am committed to raising money by
doing this ($10,000). If you want to know more about it or make a pledge (click here)
And the grandmother thing: My daughter gave
birth on October 24 to little Lily, born a
month early and weighing 4 lbs 8 oz. I was teaching the LTG Internet Professional Course
in Van Nuys CA and I thank that class for helping me make it through the afternoon from
when we first heard she was in labor until I got the call at the end of the class and
announced to cheers and applause, she was born.
She is, of course, in my opinion the most beautiful baby ever born :>) If you are
into that sort of thing, she has a page on the website too at www.joeann.com/lily.htm
I am giving her own domain name for her
Christmas present! Talk about the cycle starting again! I have a feeling I’m going to
learn a lot from her.
What phase are you in? Are you going for it
now or re-examining what’s important? What’s next for you? Are you needing
some nurturing and cocooning? Or are you gathering resources and information to
re-enter the action phase? Wherever you are, it is all part of the cycles of our
lives.
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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
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The TECH AdvantageLinks
========================
**** Advantage TECH
TIP: Cool things you can do with a RIGHT CLICK
There is a whole world of shortcuts and
options available with your right mouse click.
- Open a NEW Window: Right click on any hyperlink and you’ll open a new
window on top of the one you’ve been reading, instead of surfing off into the sunset.
- Click on a folder and you can: Rename a folder
- Save Images from webpages with the “save as” choice so you’ll
have them on your computer
Depending on what you right click on, the menu of options changes. Experiment
and you’ll have a whole new world of shortcuts at your fingertips.
****TECH Info: Clearing your
Temporary Files On a monthly basis, as part of your regular computer maintenance, clear
your temporary internet files.
On the toolbar of Internet Explorer:
Choose: Tools
Internet Options
You’ll be on the GENERAL tab & see a button in the middle of the screen Under
Temporary Internet Files that says DELETE FILES
This will clean up a lot of files that have been downloaded and allow your machine to work
more efficiently.
****Website TECH Tip: Stop
mailing out relocation packets. Become the virtual source of sources.
Link to lots of community resources and
resources specific to the interests of your sphere of influence. Then your clients can
customize to their needs the information they want.
****TECH Resources: Get Educated!
1. Women’s Council of Realtors Internet Professional Classes:
LTG VIII & IX We are getting rave reviews for the 2 LTG Classes on Technology. Whether
you want to take one to take you closer to getting your LTG Designation Or you have your
designation and just want the most usable info out there, you should sign up today (or
bring a class to your area if one isn’t scheduled nearby) at wcr.org
2. ePro
This NAR designation is delivered entirely ONLINE
You can register at internetcrusade
And while you are at it, this is the place to order your domain names at a great price!
Share YOUR favorite sites, tips or resources and get a certificate for 50% off any Real
Estate Game!™
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THE
COACHING DISTINCTION OF THE MONTH:
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Dreams vs Goals
DEFINITIONS:
Dreams: A
goose-bump producing vision of a future
Goal: A specific set of things to do to
accomplish a result
COMPARISONS:
Outside the box vs Inside the box
Direction vs Result
EXAMPLE: Karen had a
dream that her business could include a team working with her and the possibility of
tripling the net income she was producing. Brad had a goal to do 25% more production
this year than last year
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?
a. How can you implement an action that will take you closer to
itbecoming reality?
b. What else can you do for
your business using this passion?
2. Review
your goals & dreams
a. As you look at each one,
ask yourself if having this goal is empowering you or disempowering you.
b. For the ones that are
empowering you, is there anything else you can do that can get you there?
c. For the ones that are
depressing or disempowering you, are youREALLY committed to them? To doing what it will
take? If not, GIVE IT UP and declare that is NOT your goal.
d. Create any additional dreams that you could get really excited
about. THEN put together a support structure to move you
towards those dreams.
==================================
The HEALTH Advantage
ARE YOU ADDICTED TO
ADRENALINE?
"Fear less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours."
Swedish Proverb
Do most days have a peaceful and centered
quality to them?
Or are you often stressed, rushed and hurried?
Do you have trouble focusing?
Could be you are addicted to adrenaline and don't know it. Adrenaline is that old
"fight or flight" stimulus that has been around since the caveman days. The
adrenal gland is part of your immune system and is suppose to keep you well and healthy.
When we are stressed, it kicks into high gear with chemicals that help our bodies face the
challenges and cope with difficult situations.
Many of us who live in achievement-focused, modern day America, are using adrenaline as
the fuel to keep us going. And while, it's a great resource to use some of the time, when
it is used as your primary fuel, you are setting yourself up for some very nasty side
effects.
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.
John Wanamaker's observation, "People who cannot find time for recreation are obliged
sooner or later to find time for illness" is on target for those who use adrenaline
as their energy source.
In the October 2000 issue Yoga Journal, Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa says the stress response
of "near-constant cortisol release (from the adrenal gland) can damage the memory
center of the brain…..we lose our ability to concentrate, and recall." He says
as we get older, the brain becomes less adept at managing the chemical release. His
studies are primarily with treating Alzheimer's disease. I found this link quite scary. I
do notice, though, when I am relying on the energy from rushing and last minute deadlines,
my ability to focus is decreased.
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?
2.Do you drink 3 or more caffeinated coffee or drinks each day to keep going?
3.Does standing in line make you edgy and annoyed?
4.Do you tailgate, drive over the speed limit regularly and get upset with other drivers?
5.Do you react strongly to surprises?
6.Do you schedule your appointments so you just make it from one to another?
7.Do you spend time around others you are frantically working as hard or harder than you?
8.Do you take on more than you want to be nice and because you can?
9.Do you attract more problems than you deserve?
10.Do you eat sugar to calm yourself?
11.Do you say, "I do my best work under pressure?"
12.Do you find a way to sabotage yourself or a project, yet pull if off at the last
moment?
13.Do you get very upset when others let you down? Do you take it personally?
14.Are you working very hard, yet clearly not winning?
15.Do you continue to talk after others have stopped listening?
16.Is it difficult to focus for more than 10 minutes on any one thing?
17.Do you try to please everyone around you?
18.Do surprises or upsets continue to upset you for a day or more?
19.Do you feel an edgyness or lack of stillness if you aren't doing something? 20.Do you
feel disappointed in yourself or guilty for not doing more?
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.
Notice when you are triggering the release:
Your heart rate goes up, your breathing becomes more rapid, you experience a rush of
energy, your hands get cold.
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.
Here are a few examples.
Now make a list of solutions for YOUR triggers.
If you
Use Caffeine Excessively, TRY Cutting out all Caffeinated Products
If you Rush & are often Late, TRY Leaving so you can arrive 10 minutes Early
If you are involved in many non-essential Projects, TRY Cutting out 50% of all projects
& goals
If you overpromise results,TRY Deliberately underpromising EVERYTHING
If you are doing everything you feel you SHOULD do, TRY Re-examining whose agenda you are
living
If you are driving too fast,TRY to not pass
another car for a whole week
If you are dual-tasking constantly, TRY to
focus on each activity until it is complete
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
==============================
This Month’s FREE
Teleseminars: Your direct link to ideas & resources
(Conference Calls on Steroids!) All you need is your
telephone!
<<>>Mastermind Call: The Best of the NAR Convention FREE Wednesday
November 7 10
AM Pac, 1 PM EST With CyberStar (tm) Wynne Achatz
Facilitated by Joeann Fossland
We’ll share the “best tips and best products” from the NAR Convention and Trade Show in Chicago
<<>>FREE Thursdays Nov. 15 Noon EST, 9 AM PDT
"Bike Tracks, a
Year of Serendipity"
With Kristal Kraft,
Realtor, ABR, CRS, GRI RE/MAX Alliance
Talk about living
your dreams! Kristal visited 6 continents, 47 countries peddling her bike 14,000 + miles over the course of a year.
The adventure took 4 years to plan, they worked hard up until the very last minute when
she just left her desk "as is" and walked away from it all!
She says,”Following my dream took some sacrifice, but the memories and
rewards continue to enrich my life. The experience continues to
grow.”
THE REAL ESTATE GAMES™
& Business Planning Retreats
============================================
Do You Want A GREAT 2002?
THE NEXT REAL ESTATE GAME BUSINESS
PLANNING WEEKEND
Are you truly ENJOYING your work?
Is it part of a life plan?
Are you poised to make 2002 your best year ever?
If
not, this weekend will revolutionize your life!
WHERE: 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
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ADVANTAGE
THINKING: Time For Biz Planning
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Have you started planning 2002?
As you plan 2002, remember the RULES have
changed in real estate and in many ways, it is a whole NEW game. Make sure your strategies
include not only what is working for you now, but also the implementation of new
strategies to capture the business of the Internet Empowered Consumer and the needs of
today’s clients.
Your website strategy, sphere of influence
strategy, a menu of services strategy and a For Sale by Owner strategy are all some
possibilities. It may be time to drop some
old strategies that worked in the past but are producing less results or taking more
energy to create the same results. Your strategies will be most effective if you target
specific niches. Choosing three or four areas where you can be (or are!) the expert is a
more powerful way to build business than trying to be all things to all people. How can
you go deeper this year in those areas and build your reputation as the real estate guru?
NOW is the time to prepare for a great next
year. By doing this now, you will be ready to hit the ground running in January. Block a
full day to gather the numbers from this year, to design your vision and strategies for
2002, and then put together your budget and marketing plan.
The clarity you have on whom you love to
work with and whom you serve best will lead naturally to actions and ideas. Have fun with
your planning, create a plan that also includes vacations and family time, and time for
you to do some things you love. And here are a couple of thoughts to keep in mind:
“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat
in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to
go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know’, Alice answered.
‘Then’, said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter’.” - Lewis Carroll
“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint
on it you can.”
Danny Kaye
Knowing where you want to go and then
throwing a BUNCH of paint
on the canvas will produce an AWESOME 2002!
The INSPIRATION Advantage
============================================
Every day I live I am more convinced that the waste
of life
lies in the love we have not given, the powers we have not used,
the selfish prudence that will risk nothing
and which, shirking pain, misses happiness as well.
- Mary Cholmondeley
"We do not sing because we are happy,
we are happy because we sing."
-William
James
"The place to improve the world is first in
one's
own heart and head and hands."
- Robert M. Pirsig |
