The first day of July is less than a week away, which means we’re approaching the year’s halfway mark.  Now is a good time to ask how you are doing with your goals.  Have you made any progress?  Have you outlined your plan?  Have you committed yourself to abounding success?  Will you reach your goals by the end of the year?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, let me ask you a thought provoking question.  What is getting in your way of achieving your goals?  When you set goals with good intentions, you may face unexpected obstacles along the way that throw you off course.  Without a clearly defined plan, it may be challenging to get back on the path to success.

What are your obstacles? Is it time, money, change in focus, unexpected family matters, health issues, or lack of energy?  All of these can demotivate you, and keep you from following through with your plan.  Believe me…I know.

It’s imporant to stay focused on your goal, no matter what obstacles you face.  By being focused, the solutions to your obstacles may suddenly become clear in the process.

Take a look at the top 1 to 3 obstacles that may be getting in the way of achieving your goals.  With each obstacle, identify three possible solutions to each issue.  Might these be new subgoals to help you reach your destination?

If you are struggling with the solutions to your challenges, have a brainstorming session with family members, friends or a mastermind team.  Think of any and all possible solutions no matter how ridiculous they may seem.  When brainstorming, you may find that one idea sparks another, and another, and, well, you get the idea.

It is important that, when brainstorming, you are surrounded by people who are positive and uplifting.  Those who have their own preconceived ideas or negative attitudes, will serve no purpose and will only create more challenges for you. Engage yourself in the harmony of other thought leaders.  Remember, you are the average of the 5 people with whom you spend the most time.

To reach your goals for 2010, I encourage you to stay focused and address any obstacles you may have that are getting in your way.  This will not only help you clarify your goals, but will help you identify solutions that will allow you to move forward.

Have a Grand Day!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

Do you enjoy having time for yourself? What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Do you even have “free” time?

You may find that you neglect taking time to relax and to enjoy time away from work, chores and the requirements of daily living. That’s because it often takes a conscious effort to set aside quality time to do what it is that rejunvenates you. That might be sports, reading, meditating, crafts, painting, walking, exercising, playing the guitar, or whatever you prefer doing duriing your “me” time.

Make no mistake that “me” time doesn’t always have to be all about you. It might include spending time with family and friends as well. There are some steps you can take to set aside some personal time for yourself:

1. Decide on what it is you want to do. What is it that you have been wanting to do for a long time, but can never find the time to do it? What is it that makes you feel relaxed, energized or motivated again?

2. Determine the benefits of this activity. Is it relaxing? Is it energizing? Does it promote good health or reduce stress? Does it exercise your mind? Does it help you practice a talent? Does it allow you to spend more time with the ones you love? List all the benefits and how it will help you gain clarity on other aspects of your life.

3. Determine what is getting in the way of you doing this activity. Is time, money or other priorities?

4. Now determine what are the negative aspects of not taking time for yourself. What are you missing out on, or what are the impacts of neglecting yourself? Do you have more stress in your life? Do you have health problems? Does your family feel neglected, too? Have you lost your sense of humor?

5. Decide how much time per day, week or month you want to spend on this activity. If it’s going to your favorite cabin in the woods for a weekend, then you may decide on one weekend per month. But, if it’s reading a mystery novel, you may decide on an hour a day. It doesn’t matter how long the activity. It just matters that you identify the time it takes so you can plan accordingly.

6. Now, plan it! If this is an activity you want to do on a daily basis, find a time when you may be least productive and use that time to rejuvenate yourself. If it’s an activity that you want to do with your family, or one such as escaping to a cabin in the woods, plan your intentions and make time to do it. Write it down in your calendar. Make a commitment, just like any goal, to take time for yourself and reap the benefits.

When you take time for yourself, you are actually creating opportunity and improving your productivity by clearing your mind of negative thoughts and rejuvenating your spirit. You will find that you will be more productive in your daily routines when you take time to relax and enjoy life.

Now, I invite you to take time for yourself and identify what you are going to do to rejuvenate your spirit!

Have a Grand Day!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

Money will match your mindset.  Change your mind and you can attract money now.

~ Dr. Joe Vitale

I just finished an amazing book by the legendary Dr. Joe Vitale (AKA: Mr. Fire).  Dr. Vitale, author of many books including Zero Limits and The Attraction Factor, and star of the hit movie, The Secret, has recently released his newest book, Attract Money Now.

Many don’t realize that Dr. Vitale was once homeless and feeling very helpless.  It was then he learned valuable strategies to change, not only his way of thinking, but his life.  His mind shift would prove to transform his finances from poverty to prosperity in a very short amount of time.

I don’t want to give away all the details of this inspirational book, except that it is worth its weight in gold.  I sat down and read it in its entirety last evening, and it was truly amazing!  Now, I have read and watched The Secret many times and continue to use both as ongoing sources of inspiration and motivation in every aspect of my life.  (If you haven’t read or watched it, I encourage you to do so.)  Attract Money Now takes the Law of Attraction strategies and hones in on Dr. Vitale’s 7-step process for attracting wealth and prosperity into your life, while highlighting his real-life stories to prove his methodology.

Attract Money Now is an absolute winner and a must read for all who want to change their life by tapping into the secrets of attracting money.  You will not be disappointed…I guarantee!

Now, I have to warn you.  The book is not cheap.  As a matter of fact, it is completely free if you sign up to receive the downloadable e-book version.  Dr. Vitale’s generosity is truly amazing, and he is providing an opportunity for everyone to tap into his secrets for FREE!

To get access to this amazing book, go to: http://www.attractmoneynow.com and enter your name and email address for instant access to this treasure.  There are additional nuggets you will find throughout this gold mine, so make sure to read it all!

Have a Grand Day!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

~ Dalai Lama

Values are personal or professional beliefs that are important to you.  Values are what drive you to do the things you do.  They come from your personal experiences, your family and your culture.  Your family and cultural values come from how you were raised.

You may not be fully aware of your values – they may lie in your subconscious.  However, once you have identified your primary values and have implemented them in your life, wonderful things will begin to happen.

When you identify your values, you may find that they are very much in line with your personality type, your strengths and your roles at home, at work and in the community.  They are also what drive you to make decisions in your day-to-day life, and may guide you to choose certain occupations or ventures.

Let’s say that freedom, honor, leadership and patriotism are key values in someone’s life.  These are the driving forces behind their goals and ambitions. They may find that a career in the military is very appealing to them because it focuses on their core values.  On the other hand, someone who feels education, family, safety and success are important values, they may find themselves home-schooling their children or grandchildren.

A person’s core values are what is important to them, and not everyone shares the same set of core values.  That person’s family and cultural values may be quite different than the next person; therefore, their decisions in life will be based on different expectations.

Now, I invite you to go to my website at http://powerdrivetosuccess.com/Values.html and review the list of values.  Then follow the instructions on that page to identify your top 5 core values.  See how they relate to your goals, dreams and current responsibilities in your life.

To Your Success!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

How do you stay focused on your goals?  Sometimes it can be a challenge when your life is filled with distractions, which is the case for most people.  It is almost an art form to be able to tune out distractions and keeping a clear head when life is filled with the demands of family, work, home, school and general daily living.

There are some important steps to staying focused on your goals and staying on task.

1. Decide what you want in life.  Whether it is a better job, financial security or health and wellness, you must determine your ultimate desire and connect with your purpose and passion.  What is it that inspires you?
2. Schedule your time for optimal efficiency.  What time during the day are you most creative or most energetic?  How can you best utilize that time to get the most accomplished?  Schedule other mundane tasks during your down time.  It is also beneficial to coordinate with others (at work or at home) time when you are available to assist them.  Communicate your time with others to avoid being interrupted during your productivity time.
3. Determine what daily and weekly tasks you need to complete in order to stay focused on your goals.  Writing down and scheduling your tasks into your calendar can assist you in keeping on track with your goals.
4. Believe in yourself.  What steps do you need to take in order to empower yourself to accomplish your goals?
5. Stop the negative self-talk and remove yourself from negative situations.  Replace them with positive daily affirmations and positive influences or inspirations.  Read motivational or inspirational quotes and books to help you stay positive.  Associate yourself with positive people who will support you and believe in your.
6. Never lose sight of your dreams.  Imagine your dreams of which you need to focus. Ask yourself how badly you want to see your dreams become a reality.
7. Connect with people who can help keep you accountable for your goals.  When you check in with someone to report your progress, you are much more likely to stay focused on your goals.  Think about who you can work with to help you achieve your goals?  What positive people in your life are available to assist you in achieving your dreams?
8. Stop procrastinating.  If this is an issue, determine why you are doing so.  Ask yourself what is holding you back from moving forward.  Then make a commitment to reach your goals.
9. See your goals in front of you daily.  Are you reminding yourself frequently of what it is you want? Can you see your goals in front of you?  Visualizing your dreams will help you stay focused on your goals.
10. Develop daily habits for success? Are you doing things consistently every day so you can achieve your goals?  It takes roughly 21 days to develop a habit, and when you develop habits related to achieving your goals, you will stay focused and on target.

Staying focused requires a clear understanding of your purpose, goals and dreams.  By having a plan or strategy, you are more likely to stay focused so success comes naturally.

My challenge to you is to use this 10 step process to help stay focused and achieve your goals.  For more information on how to put this strategy in place, I encourage you to go to http://bit.ly/powerdrive.

Have a Grand Day!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

Power consists in one’s capacity to link his will with the purpose of others, to lead by reason and a gift of cooperation.

~Woodrow Wilson

It is almost a necessity, when setting and achieving success with your goals, to have some type of a success team in place.  Building relationships, whether in the form of a team, a mastermind group or just having accountability buddies, is essential to your success.

One of my favorite books on setting goals is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  Originally published in 1937, this timeless classic is the epitome of what it means to make a commitment to action. Hill’s book that was written to read over and over again, because of the value of its content and the processes involved in achieving success.  Each time you read it, you will get more value from it as new ideas emerge in the “Thirteen Steps to Riches.”

In his book, one of the 13 steps to riches is building a mastermind group.  He defines a “Master Mind” as:

Coodination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.

The concept of the mastermind group, which has been around for hundreds or even thousands of years under various names, is as essential in personal development as it is in business.  This concept allows people to gather together in a common forum (in a meeting place, by phone, or over the Internet) to share issues, brainstorm ideas and contribute to the overall goal of the mastermind.  A mastermind can used for starting a business, parenting your children or grandchildren, remodeling your home, planning your retirement, organizing an event, getting into shape or just keeping on track with your goals.  Mastermind groups are multi-purpose, multi-functional and valuable to any goal you desire to achieve.

The intent of the mastermind group, is to draw energy from each member of the group since the energy of two or more people is greater than just one.  Hill’s analogy is that of a battery, and how there is more energy with many than just one.  There is significant strength in numbers, no matter what your plan or your goal.

I compare the mastermind group to geese flying in formation.  I am sure that at some point in your life, you have heard Lessons from the Geese, by Dr. Robert McNeish. If not, I encourage you to do so.  It is an example of how important working together for a common goal can be, even for geese.

To Your Success!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

P.S. If you are interested in being part of a coaching or mastermind group, please complete the very brief (6 questions) survey by following the link below.  It will only take a few minutes, and will be helpful in determining the need to provide you with access to such a group.

http://bit.ly/MastermindSurvey

That’s my gift. I let that negativity roll off me like water off a duck’s back. If it’s not positive, I didn’t hear it. If you can overcome that, fights are easy.

~  George Foreman

Dealing with negative self-talk can be a real challenges.  We all have those little voices in our heads that prevent us from accomplishing our goals.    It’s worse than listening to dream stealers; those people around us that constantly discount our ideas.  The unfortunate thing is that our negative self-talk often comes from our dream stealers.

Do you hear yourself saying any of the following?

• “I can’t do that.”
• “Who am I kidding?”
• “Everyone is going to think I’m crazy.”
• “No one is ever going to buy into that idea.”
• “I’ll never live up to those expectations.”

If you constantly give in to your negative self-talk, you will never accomplish your goals.  Henry Ford was right when he said, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.”

When you are consciously aware of the negative self-talk that goes on in your head, you are more likely to be able to change your thoughts into positive ones.  So, what negative self-talk do you hear yourself saying?

My challenge to you is to turn every negative thought in your mind into a positive one.  So, instead of saying, “I can’t do that,” you are going to say, “I have a big challenge ahead of me, and I am going to do everything in my power to make it happen.”

Instead of saying, “No one is ever going to buy into that idea,” you are going to say, “When I find the right person to buy into my idea, it will be a huge success!”  Get the picture?

Happy Thoughts!

Kay Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.

~ Denis Waitley

As we start winding down  toward the end of the 2010 Winter Olympics, we are inundated with talk of winning – who’s got the gold, the silver and the bronze, and how many medals each country has earned.  There is an art to winning, and it’s not just athletic ability.  It’s about having the mindset to win.

Many of these athletes have dedicated their lives to reaching the Olympics, and have even stated it was a childhood dream.  It became their passion and their focus.

In order to achieve success, the athletes worked long and hard, as their parents did, driving them miles and miles to attend daily practice, balancing work and family and dedicating their time and money to provide them with opportunity.  That indicates commitment, perseverance and habit.

To overcome defeat, as they all have at one point or another, they had to believe in themselves and continue their work to achieve their ultimate reward.  That shows attitude, belief and discipline.

To continue down the road that led them to Vancouver, B.C., they had to face the ultimate challenge – the results.  Would their scores be good enough to win the Gold, Silver or the Bronze?  That is the truth. In the truth lies the bottom line:

The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.

~ Vince Lombardi

These athletes, whether this was their first Olympics or their third, will continue to strive for success each and every time.  They won’t give up, they won’t quit, and none of them will fail.  They achieve success by continuing to compete regardless of their medal status.  They will refine their technique, practice their craft, visualize their goals and continue to practice daily habits for success.  They may even return to the grand event in 2014.  That is the art of winning.

To all Olympic athletes, present, past and future, and all of your families, I salute you.  You are all winners!

Now I invite you to watch this brief 3 minute video, “212°: The Extra Degree.”   I hope you enjoy!

To Your Success!

Kay L. Fontana “The Grandcoach”

Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.

~ Thomas Carlyle

As I watch the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. on our television, I am astounded by the sportsmanship, the talents and the abilities of the athletes.  What is even more amazing is hearing the stories of the trials, tribulations and sacrifices some of them have encountered just to get there.  That is where persistence really pays off.

Like any sporting event, there are heartwarming success stories of the gold, silver and bronze medalists, and there are the shocking disappointments of those who did not win.  It’s unfortunate that it has to be that way, but that’s why they call it competition.

Some of the medalists I have seen have tremendous stories of how they persevered to get to the winter games.  One of the female figure skaters had actually left her home country to seek citizenship in another so she could train with the best trainer in her field.  Her birth country called her a traitor.

Some of the athletes arrived with injuries that could have had prevented them from competing.  However, downhill skier Lindsay Vonn from the United States was persistent in her efforts and earned a gold medal despite her bruised leg.

One of the athletes who has a particularly heartwarming story is Men’s Moguls Gold Medalist, Alexandre Bilodeau of Canada.  In the 2006 Olympics, he finished 11th, but later became the youngest athlete to win a World Cup moguls event.  His inspiration behind his win – his older brother Frederic with cerebral palsy, who is also one of his heroes.  It’s no doubt that persistence was a factor leading to his win.

Many of these athletes, like everyone else, have at some point in their careers suffered injury, financial obstacles, broken families or the illness or loss of a loved one; however, their persistence paid off as they arrived to attend the opening ceremonies last Friday which would mark the beginning of a journey of a lifetime.

To Your Success!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

P.S. The death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili in Whistler on Friday was a terrible tragedy and unfortunate accident.  My thoughts and prayers go out to Nodar’s family, friends and fellow athletes.

No great achievement is possible without persistent work.

~ Bertrand Russell

What does persistence mean to you?  The greatest leaders, inventors, scientists, authors, artists, composers and athletes in history were great because they were persistent in their actions and their goals.  They didn’t give up, no matter what others said, or how many failures they had prior to their success.

If Thomas Edison gave up after his first try at the light bulb, credit would have been given to his British counterparts, Frederick de Moleyns and Joseph Wilson Swan who had patents for an incandescent lamp and light bulb respectively.  Edison was persistent and didn’t let his initial failure get in the way of his
success.  In all actuality, his initial attempts were not failures – they were trials that he perfected over time, allowing him credit for the invention of the light bulb.  His persistence paid off.

Many people give up their goals because they have encountered stumbling blocks, obstacles, challenges or failures.  If they had been persistent and moved forward, they may have succeeded in their goals.  They probably would have succeed if they had just pressed on.

One of the challenges people often face, that gets in the way of their persistence, is fear.  Fear (often referred to as False Evidence Appearing Real) creates that self-doubt and negative self-talk that can prevent us from moving forward.  It is self-destructive and serves no purpose.

Think about a time when you were fearful about something and that fear prevented you from moving forward.  If you could have removed all fear, what may have been the outcome?  Would you have achieved a goal?  Would you have succeeded?

My challenge to you is to write down your biggest fears of working toward your goal.  Now, what is the worst thing that could happen as you work toward your goal?  What is the best thing could happen as you work toward your goal?  If the worst thing should happen, what would you do next?  Remember these two quotes:

When life knocks you down you have two choices- stay down or get up.

~ Tom Krause

and

The most essential factor is persistence – the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.

~ James Whitcomb Riley

To Your Success!

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”