Many people do some kind of strategic planning at work but rarely translate that practice into personal vision planning or goal-setting. But as the saying goes, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Personal visioning can lead to proactive results and can be creative and inspiring in the process. Most importantly, it can lead to greater life satisfaction overall including:

• creating work that has deeper meaning;

• achieving better work/life balance;

• developing skills that lead to professional advancement;

• having better clarity and motivation;

• breaking free of reactivity and crisis management; and

• becoming the driver of your own life rather than the passenger.

I see in my coaching practice that my clients attract the object of their focus, so if they are mindful of what they are intending, they become in alignment with their vision. But if they focus on what’s wrong or what’s missing in their lives, they inadvertently create more of what they don’t want.

A clear vision should be built upon personal strengths and interests and not on what someone else envisions for you. To begin developing this clear vision, think of the times in your life when you were utilizing your unique passions and values. Most likely you were in a flow-like state and were oblivious to time passing or to your particular worries of the day. These occasions, which require little effort and yet provide tremendous satisfaction, are usually clues for where and how to build your future plans. That’s because it is at these times that you’re using the essence of who you truly are.

Also, look for themes in your life such as how you spend your time and with whom. Ask your friends, your colleagues and your family “when you think of me, what do you think of?” We are often too close to ourselves to see our unique set of gifts and talents, but when we start to look around, there is lots of evidence to direct us towards how we can construct a plan for a more fulfilling life.
Next, put your goals to paper and create some kind of an accountability system with a coach, a mentor, a buddy or a spouse. Commit to small steps and celebrate when you’ve achieved them. Personal vision planning takes focus and action, but it is a process that builds momentum and can make your dreams come true.

I assure you that this brief article is not about creating a vision – or anything of the sort. This article is all about the manner in which you want to be used.

I don’t know who said this but, everytime I hear it, it strikes me to my core, “People who don’t have a plan are used by people who do.” It’s one of my favorite quotes. It’s a tough pill to swallow but, when you think about it, it’s absolutely true.

How many times have you sat down to work on a project and ended up checking email for an hour? News flash! Because you weren’t committed to your plan, you were “used” by the people who sent you email. You started to work on their schedule, not yours. How many times have you vowed to get serious about going to the gym only to be sidetracked by your husband or family’s needs? You were just “used” by your family. (Save the but-my-family-is-important-to-me email, please.) How often have you sat down to watch your favorite program only to have hours pass with your task list untouched? You were just “used” by primetime TV.

We’ve all been in one of the above situations – yes, even moi. Call it your plan, action list, goals, objectives or whatever you want to call it but, it all comes down to one word: vision. Your vision of yourself, your work, your life. If your vision is not crystal clear to you, you’ll be forever distracted by email, family and TV. Forever used by people who DO have a plan.

Keep in mind that other people’s plans – you know, the distracting ones? – needn’t be grandiose, lofty plans. It could be that someone wants dinner or someone wants ratings during sweeps week or someone wants their email to be read. But, if they aren’t YOUR plans, you’re being used. Plain and simple.

That’s not to say that checking email, tending to your family or watching TV can’t be in your plans. Au contraire! I plan to watch or TiVo Oprah almost on a daily basis! But, it’s MY plan. MY vision. Oprah’s not “using” me because I’ve worked her into my plan, my vision of what my day shapes up to be.

You see (pun intended), having vision is not like having sight. Someone can be partially blind or totally blind to varying degrees. However, when it comes to having a vision, there’s no such animal as a partial vision – you’re either being used or you’re not. You either got it or you don’t.

Let’s look at “Denise,” whose “Denise’s Den” is a trendy Dallas steak restaurant. Denise has neither time nor money to open another restaurant or to ramp up a separate product line. But “Diane” is interested in starting her own food-related business which could involve selling Denise’s private label steak sauce/vegetable dip (“Devil’s Dip”), or opening a Denise’s Den restaurant itself – either of which would provide Denise with a new income stream. So how can Denise protect herself and still earn good money from it?

LICENSING “DEVIL’S DIP”
One option is for Denise to license Devil’s Dip to Diane. Essentially, a license is the revocable “permission” to do something. Think of a driver’s license: if you pay the fee and follow the “rules of the road” (the traffic laws), you can maintain your license. If you drive unsafely, your license can be revoked.

In a license arrangement, Denise will set out the “rules of the road” that she wants Diane to follow. Simply put, if Diane violates the terms, the license will be revoked. Their agreement will address a wide range of issues including: (1) what names/trademarks – such as “Denise’s Den” and “Devil’s Dip,” and the Devil’s Dip recipe – the license covers, plus whether Diane may use the name with unrelated items, like T-shirts; (2) quality standards for Devil’s Dip; (3) length of time the license is in effect; (4) geographic “territory” within which Diane may sell Devil’s Dip; (5) minimum fees or royalties that Diane must pay; and (6) how Denise and Diane will conclude their relationship when the license ends, whether naturally or because of a default.

Note, however, what Denise does not do. She does not dictate to Diane how to run a Devil’s Dip manufacturing business. Denise does not specify where and how Diane must advertise. She does not tell Diane how to dress or train her employees. Denise does not procure the supply channels for food ingredients. Plus, Devil’s Dip is only a small part of the overall Denise’s Den business model (this is an important distinction between a license and a franchise).

FRANCHISING “DENISE’S DEN”

Alternatively, Denise could grant Diane a franchise to open a Denise’s Den restaurant. A franchise is the right that a trademark owner grants to another to engage in business using her trademark. According to federal and many state laws, there are three elements to a franchise: (1) paying a fee; (2) using a trademark or trade name; and (3) “substantial” assistance in replicating the original business model. “Substantial” assistance can include marketing plans, systems, operations manuals, business methodologies, and/or actual requirements for running the business. In essence, with a franchise, Denise controls how Diane will run the restaurant, because Diane will be emulating the entire Denise’s Den model, not just the one Devil’s Dip piece of it.

Unlike licenses, franchises are stringently regulated. Most franchises need to be registered with the Federal Trade Commission and/or state regulatory authorities in which the franchise is being established. Denise must also provide Diane with franchise documents (referred to as a “franchise offering circular”) that fully disclose the advertising, offering, licensing, contracting, and/or promotion that Denise will expect – even before actually granting the franchise to Diane. The failure to do this carries potentially severe civil and criminal penalties.

As with a license, Denise’s franchise agreement with Diane will clearly set out the minimum fees that Diane needs to pay as well as the trademarks that are covered. However, because of the controls exerted, franchise offering circulars must disclose a comprehensive description of the franchise. The details would reveal, among other items: (1) the business background of the directors and managers of Denise’s Den; (2) lawsuits involving Denise’s Den; (3) whether Denise’s Den or its owners have filed for bankruptcy protection; (4) audited financial statements and estimates of Diane’s total financial investment; (5) supply arrangements and restrictions; (6) whether Denise’s Den will provide any financing to help Diane with the franchise; and (7) other “substantial assistance” or training that Denise’s Den’s will provide to Diane.

WHEN LICENSES CROSS THE FRANCHISE LINE

Unfortunately, the distinction between a license and a franchise can be murky, especially in states like New York that have very broad definitions of what constitutes a franchise and what is included in its reach. In both the license and franchise situations, Diane would use a trademark or trade name within certain prescribed circumstances. In both cases, Diane pays a fee (or royalty). The slippery slope from license to franchise seems to turn on what the trademark owner (Denise) really has in mind. The more Denise wants to replicate each and every aspect of Denise’s Den, the closer she comes to establishing a franchise. Therefore, Denise would need to carefully determine how much of the Denise’s Den methodology she really wants to provide. Licensing the right to manufacture and sell Devil’s Dip to Diane alone may lack the “substantial assistance” component of franchises. But if, over time, Denise licenses her preparation style, then décor items, and then, employee uniforms, Denise may unwittingly create a Denise’s Den franchise. As small business owners can cross the “franchise line” without realizing it, they should not establish these kinds of relationships without the help of an attorney well versed in this area.

CONCLUSION

Denise has other options, such as growing her business with investors or establishing other Denise’s Den locations herself, rather than providing her methods and model to others. Nonetheless, licensing and franchising could provide Denise with a new income stream for relatively little ongoing work on her part. The route she takes depends on her financial goals.

Here are 8 ways to know it is time to redesign your website.

1. What Do You Do?
We look at our own websites with an understanding of our businesses and many times we assume we are clear about our services and products. If you have heard visitors to your web site comment on “what your business does” or “why your company is better than the competition” it might be time to get some more feedback and redesign your site.

2. Directions…Lost Information…Where Do I buy?
People visit web sites for a variety of reasons. One reason above most is information. Are your products and services lost on your web site? Can people interested in working with you find what they came for? Such as phone numbers, directions, store policy or just simply how to add the products you offer to their shopping cart?

3. The Virtual Isles Are Cluttered…I Can’t Find What I Am Looking For!
Are your pages getting too cluttered? Can people find and see what you offer? This point can be a major issue with ecommerce websites. Too much information might make it difficult for shoppers to find what they are interested in. Learn to categorize items into major and minor categories to help shoppers get started.

4. Time for Something New
One of the biggest shockers businesses face is the fact that sometimes the need to add a new technology means your website might need a makeover. Not all designs work with all technologies. For example, adding an shopping cart to your site may require a simpler navigation or an adjustment to design to make room for information you never needed prior to this upgrade.

5. Personality Sells
Every company has a personality and everything about our companies reflect our personality from the way we answer our phones to the look and feel of our web site. Does your web site match your company’s personality?

6. Too Many Window Shoppers
If you look at your website statistics you can see how many people visit your web site each day. Are they looking but not buying? If that is the case you have to start to research as to why this is happening. Why are people taking the time to come into your web site and then turnaround and leave? Is it design? Is it confusion about what you offer?

7. Not Since Some Time in the 90′s
I love watching those VH1 shows and reminiscing about the 90′s but oh how my business has changed since then. How about yours? If your site has not been updated since the day you first put it up in the mid 1990′s in might be time for a new design.

8. Too Much Time & Energy to Change
Updating your web site is so important and nowadays there is no reason why you or someone on your staff can not edit or maintain general copy on the site. Many times the design was not created to make things easy to update or back when your site was first created some of the new tools were not available. Investing a little to update your website might save you more than just money.

These 8 points are just a place to get started and many times that is all we need to get the ball rolling. Remember that your site is for your customers, not you! Talk to past and present clients or shoppers about what they liked and didn’t like about your site. Be open to feedback-it will only help you grow. Your web site might look cool but is it really doing what it is suppose to? And don’t get discouraged if you feel you have no ideas as to what to improve. There is a way to bring it all together. Just ask your customers.

People do business with people. That is why your image is so important–it distinguishes you from the crowd. Each day at work you’re involved in activities where your image is put on the line. This could include making a presentation, calling a client, or having a business meal. Each step of the way requires you to check your mental attitude and make sure it matches your outward appearance.

Here are some image evaluation questions to ask yourself. Each question is followed with a suggestion:

1. Do I really come across as articulate, persuasive, and sure of myself?

There’s one easy way to prove your knowledge without appearing over-confident or arrogant. It’s done by asking other people good questions. It’s a win/win way of improving your image because when you ask questions, you are complimenting the other person. And when you ask well-crafted questions, others will realize that you know what you’re talking about.

2. What happens when I meet someone new?

We need to act as cheerful, personable, and friendly as possible. It’s not always easy. However, first impressions can be lasting impressions. One way to help first meetings with others is to observe people to discover their communication styles. If they like to be in charge of a conversation, then be prepared to do most of the listening. Or perhaps they’re introverted, so you’ll need to find ways to help them express themselves. A sure-fire technique is to greet people with a warm smile. A smile is a universal sign that gives a positive first impression.

3. How trustworthy do I appear?

Think about how important our reputation and our reliability are to our image. We all work so hard to build relationships both at work and in our personal life. Therefore, if we are not consistently trustworthy, this can ruin our image. Developing a reputation for integrity can take a long time. However, our image can be damaged in minutes with one careless act.

Always be working on what I call your I.C.–Image Collection. Throughout the day, imagine that a photograph was taken of you at each encounter you had with another person. At the end of the day, pretend you’re putting together a photo album of all the pictures. What do you have of yourself? Is it a collection of pictures of a happy, positive, and self-assured person? Or do you look like someone who is unsure and rough around the edges?

Your goal is to look like a diamond–firm, multi-faceted, valuable, and someone who gives off a radiant light. When you possess those attributes, you will have a priceless and profitable image.

Just at that moment, my older brother, a junior in college at the time, walked by and said, “You love to write and draw and you’re always watching TV. Why don’t you study advertising?” That evening I caught an episode of Who’s the Boss? I closed my eyes and in a split second had a vision.

I could climb the corporate ladder in the Big Apple and be an art director. I could get married and raise a family in a pretty little house in Connecticut. Then I could be a teacher and give back all I’ve learned and experienced. And some day, some how, I would perform on stage and travel to such places like Egypt, Italy and Africa.

I pictured myself 10, 20, 30, even 40 years from then and absolutely loved what I saw. I just had to make it happen. I filled out the rest of my college application and slept well that night.

Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years from now?

Research shows that people find this is to be one of the toughest interview questions to answer. The reason, in my opinion, is that most people haven’t asked themselves that question, nor taken the time to figure it out. Does everyone need a lifelong vision or 40-year plan to succeed? Of course not. However, dreams, realistic or not, inspire forward action. And even a short-term plan can provide the means to make dreams a reality.

From Visions Come Decisions

While I wanted to become an art director, I didn’t want to take the route of graphic designer. So, I chose the broad field of marketing to pursue my creative interests. Then, the day after I completed my college applications, my parents, who had watched our Brooklyn neighborhood change for the worse, decided to move the family to Florida. My vision was instantly crushed. I was only half an hour away from New York City, literally a bridge away from my dreams. I didn’t sleep well that night.

Although our new house had a built in pool, Jacuzzi and golf course for a backyard, the scenery wasn’t enough. My twin brother and I finished our last year of high school in an environment we didn’t like and graduated with kids we didn’t know. Two months later he moved back to New York and a few months after that, my younger brother moved back. “Wait for me?” I cried. I was devastated and I knew I had to get back to my dream.

I wasn’t prepared to move back right away. I had nothing to offer the big city. So, I developed a two-year plan. I started community college and worked at my parent’s pizzeria to save some money. Two years later, with 48 credits in one pocket and a few dollars in the other, I headed on home.

In two weeks I landed a job with Seiko Corporation. Just as I was getting friendly with the advertising department, the company moved to New Jersey, another bump in the road. After pounding the pavement for two months, I was offered a position as broker trainee with a money market firm on Wall Street. I knew this job was way off my career path and that I wouldn’t graduate college in the traditional time frame, but I also knew that I’d be working in an exciting, fast-paced environment while earning a progressive salary. I accepted. Very quickly I had the funds to put myself back on the college track. Six years later I earned my bachelor’s degree, and two days later secured an internship with a small publishing firm that launched my marketing career—overnight.

From then on I kept my eyes open for opportunities that could lead me to my dream careers. I chose companies and took on projects and responsibilities that matched my values and interests.

Well, I progressed to my art director dream job and today I am an entrepreneur, educator, marketing consultant and motivational speaker. Recently, I was an extra in Steven Spielberg’s movie War of the Worlds and took to the stage as stand-up comedian. Over the years, for business and pleasure, I traveled across America and to places like London, Geneva, Hong Kong and the Caribbean Islands.

I achieved my 40-year plan in 15 years.

I’m not sharing this story to say “hey look at me, I’m successful”. My goal is to illustrate that when you envision a future, manage detours along the way and stay focused with a positive outlook, you CAN make dreams a reality. All the brokers I worked with said I would never leave such a high paying job. But money wasn’t my motivator. In fact, because I knew a pay cut was inevitable, with the help of my twin brother (who was focused on money and became a financial advisor) I started saving and investing, which provided the cushion I needed. By staying in touch with my dreams, I helped myself make confident decisions. I determined the benefits of every step I took and never felt stuck in a dead-end job. I always considered myself ‘self-employed’.
Managing Expectations

If you look back to my 40-year plan, you’ll notice that my goal of marriage and family has not been achieved yet. I’m not giving up.

Planning doesn’t bring guarantees. It fosters confident decision-making and reduces the risks of wasted time, energy and money—not to mention frustration and lack of sleep. Did I know exactly how my life would unfold? Of course not. Did it take a lot of work to get there? Sure. Were there challenges and mistakes along the way? Absolutely. But it was all worth it. The moment I chose to be a leader—a leader of me—I paved the way for a momentous, adventurous, self-fulfilled life.

The success I achieved for myself led me to the very role I play in society today. Four years ago I left corporate America to figure out my next step. While freelancing as a resume writer, I heard horror stories from the thousands of people I serviced and learned of an alarming statistic—7 out of 10 people are not happy with their job and career situations. That broke my heart because I knew what it was like to love to go to work, to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Having developed expert writing skills over the years, I was able turn lackluster resumes into truthful, dynamic, standout self-marketing tools that helped my clients pursue jobs with confidence and results.

I wanted to do more for them.

So, I earned a Career Planning Certificate from NYU (my dream school by the way) and launched a private Career Planning & Development Practice. In the past, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to teach. Well, I found it. Given today’s competitive job market, in addition to one-on-one coaching, I also develop and deliver presentations and group workshops on topics including college planning, job searching, interviewing, portfolios, workplace communications and public speaking. I am giving back what I’ve learned and experienced. It’s amazing how life can come full circle.
It’s Your Turn

No matter what your age or stage in life, STOP. Stop and take a look at where you are, what you’ve accomplished and what you still want to do. From there, I believe that with the right combination of information, planning and commitment, your Mission IS Possible.

I’m not making light of anyone’s personal situations. Life is rarely simple. In fact, even the simplest of dreams need hard work. And although I champion self-leadership, I know from experience that success requires more than ‘self’. Throughout my life story, which you have so graciously taken the time to read, I have reached out to family, friends, mentors, networks, educators, informational resources and professionals to help me along the way.

To help you achieve a self-designed future, I leave with you these final thoughts:
Get Your RPMs in Gear for the Decisions That Will Shape Your Life!

R = Research & Risk—research your skills, interests, values, risk tolerances AND the job market.
P = Plan your next series of career moves and Prioritize your short and long term goals.
M = Market & Manage your dreams with a standout resume and multi-channel job search strategy.

Finally, keep yourself on track to success with a FAST attitude:

Flexibility—maintain focus on your dreams and adapt your plan as life happens.
Accentuate—attract the attention you deserve through oral, written and creative communications.
Sense of Humor—life is short, laugh at yourself, learn from mistakes and find ways to have fun.
Tenacity—stay clear of negative people and thoughts and never give up!

With an RPM Strategy and FAST attitude, anything is possible.

Thank you and good luck in all that you dream!

For more information on how you can develop effective career planning strategies and acquire the powerful self-marketing tools necessary to succeed in today’s highly competitive and challenging job market, contact Lisa Panarello, founder and CEO of Careers Advance Consulting, at 718-605-2290, write her at info@careersadvance.com or visit www.careersadvance.com. Womeandbiz.com readers will receive a 20% discount on all products and services.

Dear Jill,

I’ve had my own graphic design firm for about six years. It took a while to build our client base, but the past four years have been very strong. Even though I’m always busy, I’ve been feeling increasingly bored. Things are going so well, I don’t want to rock the boat. I’m wondering if I’m expecting too much—is this just what happens to people at mid-career?

Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Barbara

Dear Barbara,

I’ve worked with many clients who’ve experienced similar feelings—although not all have achieved the same business success. It’s very common for people to assess their career choices during middle-age—and very healthy. Many career professionals consider this the most exciting time in our careers, when we have enough self-knowledge to identify more fulfilling possibilities and enough self-confidence to pursue them.

It’s always beneficial to acknowledge our feelings, and yours seem to be signaling the need for change. It’s your job now to find out specifically what your boredom is trying to tell you. I’d suggest you begin with a simple visioning exercise to learn more about your heart’s desires. Here are some steps to guide you:

* Schedule at least a half-day away from the office, and go somewhere beautiful—a nurturing environment.

* When you arrive, find a quiet place and take some time to relax and connect with yourself. Then use pen and paper to list key categories that relate to your business and personal life. For example:

Business: Personal:
-Your clients: -Your favorite non-work activities:
-Your products/services: -Your new interests:
-Your staff: -Your time with family and friends:
-Your work responsibilities: -Your vacations:
-Your earnings:
-Your work schedule:

* Then sit back and close your eyes. Imagine that it’s a year from now, and you’re feeling very good about things—every aspect of your work and personal life is going beautifully. Allow yourself to experience all the happiness and fulfillment this brings.

* When you’re ready, open your eyes and begin to write a description of how each category on your list appears in this ideal future (e.g., Your clients: “We have five major clients in large, successful organizations with great design budgets. They want to be creative and are willing to take risks. They truly partner with us and respect our expertise. They have great relationships with their own senior management, and involve us in decision making with top executives. It’s a joy to work with these people..,” etc.).

* After you finish describing each category, take time to slowly read through the vision you’ve created of your ideal future.

This exercise should give you valuable hints on positive changes that you’d like to make. You also can work with a management consultant or career professional to assist you in further self-assessment and decision making. It’s definitely possible to experience greater fulfillment, Barbara, and you certainly deserve it!

Supporting An Overwhelmed Client

Dear Jill,

I’m in a frustrating position. My client is on temporary leave, and won’t return for three more months. He’s left decision making to one of his directs, a young guy who seems very overwhelmed. We have critical project deadlines to meet, and it’s been difficult to get him to make decisions. I think that he has the knowledge, but there’s too much on his plate. How can I keep things moving?

Thanks,
Laurie

Dear Laurie,

In a situation like this, you really have two objectives: to successfully meet project goals and to build a positive relationship with your “temporary” client. It’s not just that these two go hand in hand (although they usually do), but we live in an increasingly “small world”—if this gentleman reappears in your future, you want him to remember you positively.

When someone is feeling overwhelmed, he’s often experiencing fear, insecurity and even low self-esteem. You need to convey three things to this client: that you think well of him, that you’re on his side, and that you’ll do whatever it takes to make him successful. You want to be someone who he actually looks forward to meeting with, no matter how busy he is. Here are a few suggestions:

* Offer to meet with him at the end of day, when he’s likely to be more relaxed and able to focus.

* Begin your meeting by taking time to ask how he is, and how things are going. Be a great listener—genuinely empathetic and supportive. You’ll naturally feel more patient with him as you better understand what he’s experiencing.

* After you’ve established a positive rapport, briefly share what decisions need to be made in the meeting. If he resists, explain why timely decision making is important in terms that are highly meaningful to him. For instance, if he’s concerned about providing an accurate update to senior executives, help him understand how holding off on a decision will interfere with this.

* Help him to feel competent and confident in his abilities—remind him of wise decisions he’s made in the past and their positive impact on the project.

* Make it very easy for him to make a good decision—provide a brief summary of key data, pro’s and con’s, and also your own thoughts, as appropriate.

* Before leaving, provide positive feedback on his performance in his temporary role—particularly on behaviors you want to reinforce for the good of your project!

While you can’t make this client step up to the plate, you can be the best partner possible, and always know that he was very lucky to work with you!
If you have a question about a leadership or team issue in the workplace, please write to AskJill@womenandbiz.com.

Let’s Get Mental

Yes, indeed, marketing your business is an activity. But that does not mean that the activity is necessarily “physical”.

Mental activity is thousands and thousands times more potent than physical activity. In fact, mental activity is a precursor to the right physical activity that gets results. However, physical activity is not necessarily required if you understand and apply mental activity. It is not magic. It is law. As I like to say, once you understand how the laws work, the “supernatural” becomes quite natural. You realize that the Universe is indeed magnetic and thought and feeling has more vibratory pull than any magnet you could imagine.

So I think it behooves anyone who wants to be successful to become aware of the relationship of mental and physical activity and know when either is indicated. There is the right mental activity, which can in and of itself attract without the need for physical activity AND there is the right mental activity that inspires a corresponding right physical action/activity that produces results. If the right mental activity is not included, then one will end up like the majority of the population – doing and doing, acting and acting but not succeeding.

You are using these laws all of the time whether you realize it or not. Only you are most likely not using them for the purpose and intention that you desire consciously. How many things have you attracted into your life that you feel you did nothing to deserve and asked, “Why did this happen?” You didn’t “work” for those things. Yet they happened. Why? These results were the outcropping of the thoughts and impressions that were established in your mind subconsciously.

Now, the laws I am presenting to you do not indicate that you are to spend all of your time sitting around doing nothing. I won’t even address that because it is just plain ridiculous. I believe I am articulate enough in my writing to get my meaning across – if you will read carefully.

However, the absolute truth is that yes, we can attract circumstances to us without physical action. I have lived my life accomplishing that way. When you understand fully that thoughts are things and all physical things are in motion and vibrating at the molecular level, you will understand that it is indeed a magnetic Universe and we can vibrate to our good and it can vibrate to us. I know without knowledge in this area, it may appear fantastic, but that is why I attempt to speak in simple terms to create understanding and acceptance in your minds.

How Do I Know?

What is my experience? In 20 years I have never looked for a client (and my clients are the largest corporations in the world). I never advertised, never actively promoted. And yet I became renowned in my field and received all the exposure and publicity I could want – not as a result of anything I did physically, but as a result of the mental activity I learned to do. The physical part comes AFTER I receive the clients and the opportunities – that’s when I fulfill the creative vision of the client’s projects. I attract all of the ideas and elements necessary to do the perfect job. It’s easy. It flows. I don’t have to struggle or push or try or waste energy. The right answers truly “come out of the blue” for the most part. You can find some pretty amazing stories on my website with details of my results from using these laws over the years.

But the actual marketing of my business – always receptive, never active, except to walk through the doors that opened as a result of the mental activity.

You will see several cover newspaper stories on my website (those were only a few of several hundred articles worldwide). The articles began within six weeks of starting my business and continued for years. There were numerous television and radio segments also. You will have to believe me when I tell you that I had no publicist and did no work to get any of that publicity. Physical work, that is. The work was done on a mental level.

Cruise Control

So when you apply these laws, whether from a purely mental standpoint, or spiritual basis, you are guided to the actions that are necessary because the law has to produce what you have mentally accepted. You are no longer spinning your wheels – you are now on an automatic path to your results and to your success.

You establish, impregnate the thought and feeling of what you want in your deeper mind. You are intuitively guided to DO all of the things necessary for the result. You follow the leads. You do the outer work as you are guided to do. You also ATTRACT all of the things necessary for the result. The result may indeed come without physical outer action on your part or it may require action, but the action will be shown to you. You’re in the flow.

There is a sense of connection to a source of wisdom that knows all the answers and you can tap into that source anytime you want. You will know when to be still and do the mental work and wait and when to take outer action and do the work that results in your success.

The alternative? You work and work and struggle and struggle and you don’t get there. And wonder why you don’t succeed.

So…to pooh pooh the idea of attracting and magnetizing your good, even “out of the blue”, whether in your personal life or your business, just reveals a lack of awareness and a mind that is not open to the infinite possibilities that surround us. It indicates a mentality that is not up with the times or open and receptive to the great discoveries of our times that can further our success.

My point…you can close your mind and limit your ability to succeed. Or you can open your mind, expand your vision to include both the physical/active world and the mental/magnetic world and….be really successful!

Last summer, while on an international flight, I had one of those experiences that started a major domino effect of change in my life. My message came from a simple line spoken by an actor in the featured movie that some of you readers might recognize and went something like, “There’s a miracle in fighting for a dream that no one else can see but you.” Those few words had a huge impact on me and helped me to see and believe in my dream in a revised way. That’s inner vision.

Having inner vision is like owning an extra sense. It goes beyond the obvious, beyond understanding and, sometimes, beyond reason. It is the ability to visualize your dream as a reality and the will and tenacity to make it so. Ask any truly successful person what their secret is and they’ll tell you that they have inner vision, particularly if there were the inevitable rough spots along the way that caused them to question what they were doing and where they were going.

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You know the feeling. Everything can be going along just fine when suddenly, out of nowhere, those feelings of self-doubt start shadowing you. Your inner vision becomes blurred or you may loose sight of your dream altogether. Sometimes just everyday life and not only personal tragedies can knock you off course. Perhaps it’s simply time for a new re-invented version. There is such a thing as out-growing a dream, particularly if you’ve gone through a significant amount of change. This can produce feelings of loss and perhaps failure because it’s never easy letting go of anything that you’ve dedicated your whole being to for a significant amount of time.

The question here is when should you keep holding on and when should you finally let go? Perhaps because of extenuating circumstances—finances, location, obligations, or bad timing—you may need to simply put your dream on hold. This doesn’t mean that you have to give up your inner vision to keep it nurtured and alive for the future. To help spark and ignite your waning inner vision, focus on all the positive aspects of your dream and list how it fits into your ideal of how you would like your life to be in one year, three years, and in five years and beyond. Has your dream grown and changed with you? What adjustments need to be made to achieve your goals? Have you remained open to new ideas and resources? Sometimes fear of change, failure, and the unknown is enough to blind you to the endless possibilities that are waiting ahead or the comfort of familiarity may be causing you to cling to an outmoded idea or attitude that has passed it’s due date. It is unfortunate how some people just refuse to believe that their lives could possibly be any better or different because they firmly think that time and opportunity has passed them by. They impose age limits and barriers on their success and hardly dare to dream at all.

Inner vision is a deeply personal and unique aspect that needs a constant diet of inspiration, imagination, courage, and hope. It can create and keep your dreams alive through controversy and disappointment. It can also provide focus, greatly simplifying your life in the process. People who have accomplished amazing things in their lives could tell you many stories about how many times they felt like failures, had to start over again, shouldered painful criticism or wanted to pitch the whole thing and run away. We may not be born to greatness, but when we have inner vision we can most certainly achieve it to some degree if not the whole. Discovering your dream is the first step. The miracle is in making it real when only you can see it.