Coming Up Short | Barb Langlois

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I received a newsletter today, a very well written and engaging newsletter, I might add.? It was from Lewis Howes.? Who?s he?? Oh, he?s the founder of the Sports Executive Association but more importantly, he?s a LinkedIn expert (social media for those of you unfamiliar with LinkedIn) and . . . he made $7 million for his business using LinkedIn, over 3 years!

Show off!

His article also appeared in Forbes magazine, which had 50000 views and was second for the most read articles in Forbes.

What?s he trying to do . . . impress me?

It?s . . . working.

Do you ever read something and then start to feel like a flop because you haven?t achieved the same level of success (let me personalize this one: haven?t achieved even a fraction of the same level of success) as the person you?re reading about?? Naa, me either (don?t even know where that question came from).

Yesterday, I read an article in a professional speaking journal about a speaker, Mikki Williams.? The tag line for the article was ?Big personality, Big hair and Big jewelry lead to speaking success.? She?s been compared to Dolly Parton on steroids. The article says Mikki Williams has had 9 successful careers (self built)? and counting ? in the business world.

Show off!

How does anyone create 9 successful businesses?

And just as a throw in, she?s a single parent, her husband died in a car accident.

Now, I feel like a complete goober.

The book I?m currently reading ?The Woman Who Changed Her Brain? is about a women who well . . . changed her brain! She was diagnosed with severe learning disabilities as a young child (she couldn?t relate symbols together so couldn?t follow a discussion, a tv show, couldn?t do math ? you get the picture).? At the age of 29, she discovered brain exercises that would stimulate the part of her brain that was impaired and generated new neural pathways.

Show off!

Just so you know, she?s not a researcher or doctor, just someone trying to improve her life and she?s has had unprecedented success. ?Thirty years ago, she started her own school in Toronto, to assist learning disabled children.? She has radically changed people?s lives.

How can anyone be that smart and determined?

I can hardly figure out what the title of my article should be.

Seriously though, I love to read about other people?s success but the rotten part about that ? it?s hard for me to remain neutral, especially if I?m having a ?low? day.

Do you have a similar problem? ?You might not be reading about the same people I read about, but do you ever find yourself measuring your life against someone else?s?

And coming up short?

Here?s what happens to me:

I almost always begin with: ?What?s wrong with me? How come it seems so easy for them but I?m flipping out at the thought of speaking to a journalist??? (Cool how I slipped that in, huh? More on that later.)

And then last night as I was reading my book (The Woman Who Changed Her Brain) I thought, ?Maybe I have a brain lesion that?s preventing me from moving forward??

Then again, maybe I?m spending more time looking for reasons rather than results.

Lewis? article (the one I read today) gave me some suggestions on what I can do. I figured he must know something if 50000 people are reading his words.? Here?s what he says:

There are two things in life we can control.

1. ?Our Attitude

2. ?Our Actions/ Reactions

No matter how bad things seem to be looking,? how much you are struggling with growing your?business,? if your relationships are stressing you out, or you ?aren?t living your passion?(and you?re reading about everyone else?s success ? just a little editting in italics from me!), you have the ability ?to change the way you think, and act about every situation.

How are you thinking right now, (enviously) and what type of actions ?are your thoughts creating? (Actions? Well it?s more like inaction because I?m wondering what it would be like to have 7 million and be featured in Forbes.)

Are they the kind that are you getting you the results you want? Hmmm, not really . . .

If not, simply start with a positive attitude in EVERY situation. ?Here?s my positive attitude ? someone from Forbes will read one of my articles and ask me to write for Forbes ? does grandiose thinking count as a positive attitude?

That will help build more positive momentum in every action,? and those positive actions will get you where you want to be.? Forbes . . . I think I?m on my way.

Lewis is right and it?s good advice.

Me?

I say, first of all, catch yourself when you compare to others. It?s deadly and will suck the life right out of your eyeballs.

Then, view other?s success as something you can aim for.? On your ladder of success, perhaps they are a rung or two higher than you are (or maybe 10).? That?s ok, just focus on your next step.

Finally, surround yourself with people who celebrate your wins or achievements no matter how big or small they are.? Positive energy is a great incentive for achieving results.

Leadership That Matters

Barb

PS

Here?s the scoop on The National Post Interview.? The reporter and I talked for 45 minutes and can you believe it was fun?? Imagine that.? Then she asked me some questions I needed to think about.? I said I would have to get back to her and she was totally ok with that.? Imagine that.

I got back to her then . . . I didn?t hear from her.

Oh no, here we go again . . .

?What if she thinks I?m an idiot?? What if she found no value in what I said?? What if she doesn?t? use anything I said??

Yesterday, I mustered up the courage to send her an email asking if she got the additional information I sent her.? Here?s how she responded:

Thanks for following up. I?ve had to put that project on hold a bit while covering the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences for the Post (I was sent out on assignment). Plan to get back with it next week upon my return.?Will definitely let you know what?s happening with it when I know.

What if, all my ?What iffing? is just a waste of time and energy?

PSS

If you?re attending CNA Bienniel Conference in Vancouvdr, please come to my concurrent session on June 16? ?5 Steps to Ensure You Are Not a Bullying Culprit.?

And finally . . .

If you know of someone who could find value in this article, please forward it to them.? If you received this email as a forward from a friend, please go to my website and sign up so future newsletters can be delivered directly to your inbox!? http://www.barblanglois.com/e-newsletter/ Thank You!

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