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Facing Our Fears in 2012

In order to move forward in any endeavour (online or offline), we can’t afford to let fear hold us back!

- Fear paralyzes.  Fear inhibits.  Fear kills action!

Anything new requires a degree of un-comfortability, stepping into the unknown.  With un-comfortability comes a fear of the unknown.

The Problem

Time and time again, I know I’ve dived into a Safey Zone!  Doing something I like versus doing what I know I need to do.

I’ve sat in my comfort zone - tweeting on Twitter, “Liking” on FB.  All the while knowing I should be calling leads or following them up.

I’ve also picked up business cards of prospects I thought looked great and romanced calling them, after … I got all my ducks in a row!

Of course, it is easy to kid ourselves with how busy we are - when we delve into avoiding what we should do!!
The Solution:

Part of living in the solution, is learning a new strength, a new skill, a new competency. 

To achieve financial freedom and earn an executive level income, we need to become, to change, … to transform.

To get to where we aer able to earn a 6 figure income, we must face our fears and take action.

Leave having to be “perfect” behind.  Be open to making mistakes.  Be willing to learn, to adapt, develop and become.

You may as well be “imperfectly productive” instead of “perfectly unproductive”!!

In order to become something new in the process we need the experience.  We must go through the process.  We need to make those mistakes.

If you are motivated by any fear, let it be a fear of the consequences of not doing, not taking action and not becoming.

Embrace the change in yourself.  Embrace challenge.  Face your fears.

Let’s not let fear be our master in 2012.  Let me know what your biggest challenge is.  What is it that you know you need to overcome in 2012.

Here’s to your fearless future!

Best regards,
John.

Hang the New year, We Have Every Day!

Around this time of year folks tend to think about how they want their next year to be different.  Many times New Year’s Resolutions resound aloud, amidst high hopes for things to be radically different.

However, such resolutions can be temporary and don’t stand the test of time and adversity, a little way into the New Year.

As entreprenuers, on the other hand, every day is a New Day for us.  A chance to make over, and pick up the momentum.

We don’t need to coast this year out and wait for the New year.  Everyday is a new beginning!!  As we approach the New Year, let’s use this time available to springboard into 2012.  Instead of coasting to the end of this year, let’s use this time available to prepare to help those looking to make a change in the New Year.

Having said though, “Hang the New Year”, I’d still like to say:

• Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
• Happy Holidays!
• Buon Natale!
• Feliz Navidad!
• Bon Noel!
• Gutes Newes Yahr!

Here’s my mantra for this coming year:

“If you want more of your Slice of Heaven, than 2011,
It’s into success we delve, in 2012″

I look forward to keeping in contact with you in the near future

Best regards,
John Pike

2010 was a year of Challenge and Change

i) I Changed jobs to cut my travel time in half

- this has meant more time with family and to spend on my business! 

ii) The Greatest Challenge in 2010 was entering the “You Inc. Star Video Challenge”

- It’s a challenge I willingly bought on myself!!
The Challenge was a great opportunity and was hosted by Richard Bravo & Joyce Penner.

It involved preparing, producing, filming, editing and uploading 49 videos in 49 days!

I covered a wide variety of topics, including topics of adversity, mindset.  You can check out my videos on my Youtube Channel.

Here are my 5 Greatest Lessons … lessons I want you to take note of and apply right now.

1) The Liberating Power of Production

- I had so many ideas floating around in my head.  It felt great to get them out of my head and into my life.

- My “one day”, “some day”, became that day, every day, for 49 days!!

- It felt truly liberating to develop and package that value and make it a reality.

2) Putting the “No Excuses” Mantra into action

There were plenty of times when the sun was in my eyes, the wind changed direction (causing microphone wind noise), it started to rain and there were times when I ran out of time, I didn’t have time (when I locked my keys in my car), and had to make up that time (in double time), that I couldn’t afford to lose in the first place.

I just had to produce, edit, upload and move on.

So … no excuses … just do it!

3) Not to Overprepare

I learned “by doing” to, shorten the time from idea to launch.

This is essential for content creation!

For me, making a video used to be an event bigger than Ben Hurr So step aside Hollywood!  You ain’t seen nothing like this yet!! 

Don’t try to practice to perfection, just produce out of your imperfection and be like the rest of humanity.  Get on with it and be real like the rest of us!!

4) The Power of Peer Group Emulation

You can emulate your peers while you model your mentors!

I got to apply so many neat ideas, just by watching fellow contestants.  Wow, what a cool editing trick.  Look at how he got music at the front and end of his video.  Ah ha, he just used his main branding slogan from his blog at the end of the video.  What a consistent self-branding strategy.

You get the idea!

5) The Power of Un-Intended Consequences

At times I went for the Gold, but ended up with Platinum.  Without expecting it.

Many times in life we get rewarded in un-expected ways,

eg. getting to collaborate with judges and exchanging mutual testimonies.

AND NOW folks:

Here’s my biggest key learning!

… Drum roll

Serialising my content!  Breaking up those big 10 minute videos with 5 points, into 3 to 4 videos with 2 to 3 points.

Keep your audience looking for the next installment.

Increase your number of views. 

Drip feed with thought bites, that are digestable.

Don’t feed your audience with a firehouse.  Respect their time!

Who’s going to watch a 10 min. video anyway?!

Well folks … “2010 has done and b’en.  It’s time for our slice of heaven in 2011!”

If you are with me on that, then subscribe to my feed and let’s sow the seed.

I’m looking at walking this path to success with you together over this coming year, so let’s stay in touch.

Until next time.

All the best,
John Pike

Why I Entered the You Inc. Star Video Challenge

I recently entered a 49 day (7 week) challenge to produce a video each day.  The opportunity is being hosted by Richard Bravo, from BetterNetwork.com, who has set up a separate site for the challenge.

Here’s why I entered the challenge:

1) I was not ready for it!

Yes, you heard me say it.  I was not ready!

Psychologically I was up for the challenge, but time wise I wasn’t.  I mean, my blog wasn’t finalised.  Down the track I planned to get my video marketing together.  But not yet!

It was time to move from “learning and preparation” mode, to “production and execution” mode, and I must say that production mode is liberating.

We need to jump out, produce and deliver from our imperfect moments in life and un-ideal circumstances.  Don’t be afraid to be that diamond in the rough and let others see you shine over time, as the edges get knocked off.

We can’t afford to stay under cover, but need to make a run for it and shoot down our fears, hesitations and desires to be perfect before taking action.

Lesson 1:  Many times our ducks won’t be in a row, neatly quacking away, before we need to leap out of the eagles’s nest and start soaring!

2) Opportunity

I was in the right place at the right time.  It is often said that “Opportunity is never lost, it just goes to those who recognise it”.

Also, that “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity”.  I’ve made videos before and that’s the preparation.  They had a lot of content but they were too long.  Time to learn and improve!

I don’t even know who the jugdes are or will be, but I’ve been told to wait for a pleasant surprise.   It’s still not clear to me all the benefits that will come.

Lesson 2:  Don’t wait to understand all the outcomes before you take advantage of a good opportunity.  The full benefits will be revealed in time, so step out in faith today.

3) Growth

We either “grow or die”.  We can’t stand still and get run over on the information super highway!

I absolutely know and believe that growth will come from going through the process.  It is an inevitable outcome.

I’ve watched MasterChef enough to see how:

 i) Growth occurs through expert input from judges,
 ii) From new and exciting opportunities,
 iii) From trying new things (recipes) and,
 iv) By making mistakes and learning from them.

All of these benefits can’t be quantified in $$ terms.

Lesson 3:  Never be afraid to learn from the input of others.  Don’t let fear of exposing your imperfection hold you back on a journey that might change your life for good. 

People just might relate to you even more, when they see how human you are.  Remember, perfectionism can become an excuse to procrastinate.  Procrastination benefits no-one, least of all yourself!

If you’d like to find out what all the buzz is about, check out the action on twitter at: #youincstar.

Feel free to check out my videos on: http://www.youtube.com/johnrpike

I welcome your comments both on this post and my video channel.

All the best to your success.

Best regards,

John

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