See the Vision, and Act Upon It. Habakkuk 2:2-3

For all that I am adverse to megachurches, I love Pastor Craig Oliver's sermons. I watch from home, so I know that what I'm seeing could be last week's or even last year's message. This is fine, they still speak to me. Friday and Saturday I really began to see in my mind how my businessES - yes, plural now - will shape up in the future. The near future. I woke up in the middle of the night with roadmaps, plans, even interior designs in my head.

So what did I do? I jumped up, grabbed my netbook, and typed. Later in the day when more flowed, I poured it all into my notebook (yes, I still have a notebook, like, with a pen). What was once semi-clear but nebulous ideas was now crystal clear. Securing students, planning events, complete website redesigns (including this one) - it was all there. It was like God was clearing all the haze so I could make a plan. He was telling me, it's time.

I believe it started with the revelation that while I am still required to serve, I cannot do so if I cannot pay bills, feed my children, clothe them, etc. It was even ok, I realized, to go out and have a guilt-free good time. I have been giving away so many services for free, that no one could see the benefit in paying for my courses. Thankfully, my on-site workshops continue to be in demand, but you see my point. I've stated for so long that I don't need to be rich that I was almost deliberately sabotaging my success. I finally said to myself, no more. My prices are fair, and well suited to the area and my competition. Self-doubt is a vicious and insidious enemy. Remember, people ask you for help because they need what you know. Ergo, there IS a demand. You. Must. Be. Paid.

Ok, so back to Pastor Oliver. On Sunday he confirmed what I had seen with a passage I will be posting throughout the house for myself and the boys. I give you Habakkuk 2:2-3:

2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 

I teared up. I felt, in my soul, that the Lord had just patted me on the back. Yesterday, I figured out how to manipulate my Linux server, set up all three websites that I'm currently working on, trained our new admin, made major edits to our business plan, and STILL made it out to the movies. Today, I'm still on a roll. I plan to complete all three sites by the end of the week. When I say motivated - let's just say that the struggle to do my life every day will be come more comfortable in the coming months.

I'll be doing more in less time, because I am absolutely committed to shutting it down by 6p. For the two weeks that the boys are home before BigM starts school, I'm not working. I miss them like air. I haven't seen my kids all summer. I can give them two weeks.

Just know that there is never going to be a "right" time. The struggle is long, hard, and dark - but when the time is right, it WILL happen.

Dead Social Profiles Suck.

I'm speaking at the Blackanomics Meetup this Friday, July 9th. I'll be giving a rundown of Twitter do's and don'ts for business - paying particular attention to my pet peeve: the dead profile. What's a dead profile, you ask? It's a profile that is hyped on the company website, where you're encouraged to "connect" with them. Then when you get to their profile you find: a) four tweets, all on the same day, six months ago; b) a million automated tweets from a long-forgotten API; or c) occasional tweets right up until two months ago.

If you're going to lie to current and potential customers about your social media presence, just don't bother. Consider this. Have you ever walked into a store during regular business hours and there are absolutely no associates around anywhere? If you're like me, you turn around and walk right back out, because they don't need your money, obviously. Well, that's the same thing as promoting your dead profile. Please don't do that. Sooo...

To read more about my views on social media, click on over to the ATS Blog, or @ me on Twitter. :)

Perfectionism & Procrastination: They're All Gonna Laugh At You

Are you a perfectionist? Do you have trouble getting things done on time even though you start with plenty of prep time because you want the final product to be, "just right?" Do you think that if your product is even the teensiest bit wrong that they're all gonna laugh at you?


I'm telling on myself today. With each project, I am very worried about making sure I have all the information, investigated all the options, and come up with the best idea. This means that I put off starting the HUGE project until it's almost too lat, then I rush to make sure I produce SOMEthing. This manifests as a series of marathon all-nighters over several days. Frankly, it's exhausting, and I'm tired of it, but I don't know how to stop. I also have trouble delegating tasks, for fear that it will be wrong somehow and I'll have to do it all over again myself anyway. The result of all this? Lost business opportunities. Why? Nothing's done.

I'm only exaggerating a little here. Being the researcher I am, I dug up this article by Gina Hiatt, PhD on The 3 P's: Perfectionism, Procrastination, and Paralysis. Perfectionists - beware, she's pretty blunt about us. Gina urges us to respond to the perfectionist voices in our head with, "at least I'm finishing it." Easier said than done, but I'm willing to try.

This article be Cal Newport at Study Hacks and a later article after he graduated discuss fixed scheduling and productivity had me on a great schedule, energized and productive. Although I drifted away after about a week, I realize that the major factor in whether it works or not is me. I am the one who has given away my time for worthy (and unworthy!) causes. Sooo... who's with me? Don't wait to start your new attitude and fixed schedule on Monday - a holiday, which means you'd have to wait to the Monday after! Go ahead and start today, Friday, and celebrate your big change over the holiday weekend.