{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Overcoming FEAR by Listening to Your Heart","description":"Welcome to Episode 5 of Grow For It!  This is a podcast for business owners, managers and professionals.  The goal is to give me a chance to work in the space between your ears \u2013 you know, on your mindset \u2013 to help you to focus on the things that really matter to your success. I want to enable you to concentrate on pursuing your vision, setting meaningful goals and engaging in the day-to-day activities that will have the biggest impact. Thanks for joining me and investing a few minutes of your time.  This episode deals with one of my favorite consulting topics. We\u2019re going to consider reasons you should Harness the Power of Listening to Your Heart as a method to overcome FEAR. In episode 4, we touched on several ways to use your financial metrics for business planning.  We talked about the importance of focusing on net margin dollars, as opposed to top-line, gross revenue.  Since this podcast deals with your mindset, today we\u2019re going to explore \u201cmotivation.\u201d  If you\u2019re ready, Let\u2019s Grow For It! You may recall we\u2019ve spent the last four episodes discussing vision, goals and a few tactics.  Now, let\u2019s come back to a very basic question.  It\u2019s related to your vision.  \u201cWhat\u2019s Your Motivation?\u201d Think of your career (maybe even your life) as a book.  When you get to the end of the last chapter, will it have been worth the read? Some of the best business coaching discussions I\u2019ve had are those during which we pushed back from the conference room table and explored the question:  \u201cWhy Are You Actually Doing This?\u201d Some of the answers I\u2019ve heard amazed me. Guiding a client through this unpacking of his\/her answer is an incredibly interesting process. Some of the most rewarding moments are when you see that lightbulb turn on.  It doesn\u2019t happen automatically.  I have to be able to reach that point with my client where he\/she feels safe enough to be vulnerable. I continue to be surprised by how many people allow their dreams to be confined or ignored, simply out of FEAR. \u201cWhat would my colleagues think?\u201d \u201cWould my family support my decision?\u201d \u201cDo I really have what it takes?\u201d Over the years, I\u2019ve met and worked with some incredible people who\u2019ve dealt with these issues and found a way to break through. There\u2019s my friend, Matt Maudlin, in Indianapolis.  He runs Memo Marketing.  He does terrific work in marketing and strategic planning.  I really admire the way he executes. There\u2019s Mark Palmer over at Oohology.  We\u2019re former competitors.  We\u2019ve worked together.  We\u2019ve been friends for years.  He\u2019s one of the most creative guys I know. There\u2019s Neil James, owner of Rain Marketing + Consulting in the San Diego area.  We\u2019ve worked together for years and now collaborate on multiple projects.  He\u2019s one of the most genuine people I\u2019ve ever known.  I can\u2019t tell you how many hours we\u2019ve spend working through business issues together. Then there\u2019s John Black in Louisville.  I met this guy several years ago.  He has a corporate gig, but is an entrepreneur at heart.  I love watching how he balances all of it and still has time to be a great dad and husband. What each of these guys did, and continue to do, is to follow their dreams.  In doing so, they\u2019re finding fulfillment.  They\u2019re carving out niches.  They\u2019re contributing with the talents they were given.  It\u2019s inspiring to watch. So, let me ask you these important questions:  When was the last time you took a break to simply dream? Once you did, were you able to capture it? More importantly, are you taking steps to pursue it? When we dream, we give our heart room to speak.  Our hearts are so much more powerful than our brains.  It\u2019s your heart that can overcome the logic of why you can\u2019t or shouldn\u2019t.  Our hearts are what makes it possible for us to say, \u201cYou know what?  Maybe I can!\u201d That\u2019s the inflection point.  It\u2019s a core theme of any of marketing superstar, Gary Vaynerchuck\u2019s keynotes addresses and Q&A sessions. Listening to your heart gives you the chance to dream.  The motivation to take a chance.  The belief that you really do have what it takes.  Listening to your heart, gives you the courage to step beyond FEAR. Don\u2019t let fear be a roadblock to your life, your vision, your success.  At best, fear should be a speed bump causing us to slow down and to consider the path.  But fear should NEVER prevent us from embarking on the journey. Greg Blakemore is a friend, colleague and client of mine.  We\u2019ve known each other for about 10 years.  Greg handles complex construction projects such as hospitals, data centers and other commercial developments. One of his motivations is to actively get involved with missions and supporting others who do that kind of work.  It\u2019s where his heart is.  Greg\u2019s been involved in Bosnia for over 20 years.  Last year, Greg approached me with an idea to develop a company that could operate in the healthcare space for underdeveloped or struggling countries. We spent several months developing and launching a business.  We both traveled to Zenica and Sarajevo Bosnia to deploy it.  During our two-week trip, we met with US Embassy officials, a mayor, a few other Bosnian politicians, and the head of a local medical school (who just happened to be the former President of Bosnia).  We trained a few people on the technology and deployed the assets.  To date, the small start-up has performed over 1,000 healthcare assessments in the local community.  We\u2019re now exploring options to deploy in Bulgaria and Costa Rica.  My friend is a highly talented operator in the construction industry.  He\u2019s earned a stellar reputation.  But what really lights a spark in his soul is the work he\u2019s able to do for the people in these struggling parts of the world.  That\u2019s an example of listening to one\u2019s heart.  It\u2019s how Greg is going to ensure that his final chapter will be worth the read. Let\u2019s discuss a practical exercise.  Once again, I\u2019m asking you to take out a sheet of paper.  For this one, you\u2019ll want to find a quiet space. Close the door to your office, go find an empty conference room, or maybe just grab a cup of coffee early one morning at your kitchen table. Now, on your sheet of paper, I want you to begin writing down your dreams.  What to do REALLY want to accomplish? What are those secret goals you keep to yourself? If you could do ANYTHING else, what would it be? Don\u2019t try to list them in a column.  Write them in various places on the paper.  Life doesn\u2019t usually move in an orderly fashion, anyway. You may just have a word, or a phrase to describe it.  It might be a mental picture.  Whatever it is, capture it. When you\u2019re finished.  Put down your pen and step away for a couple of minutes.  Go get a glass of water or warm up your coffee. When you come back, start connecting areas of convergence.  Draw lines between the things that are somehow connected.  Are you beginning to see a theme or a pattern?  You might be surprised by what you see.  It may be the first time you\u2019ve seen this type of clarity.  Maybe FEAR was clouding your vision. So why did I devote an entire episode to Motivations and Dreams?  Here\u2019s the connection I want you to make.  Motivation and Dreams come from the heart.  They should be the underpinnings of your vision.  It doesn\u2019t matter whether it\u2019s the vision for your business, for your role in someone else\u2019s company, or for your life. Your heart has to be in those things you\u2019ve decided to devote the majority of your time pursuing. You need the courage and the belief that you have what it takes.  You\u2019ll find a way to get help along the way.  You\u2019ll have the strength to keep going in the face of one of our most powerful of all emotions\u2026FEAR. Is fear holding you back from pursing a dream?  Would you like to work through it?  Would you like to change your roadblocks into speedbumps?  I believe I can help.  This is your life\u2019s work.  As I asked at the beginning, when you finish your final chapter, will it have been worth the read? I\u2019m Jim Ray.  If you\u2019d like to explore this or other business topics, reach out to me on my website at JimRayConsultingServices.com.  You can also connect with me on my business Facebook page, JimRayConsultingServices.  If you\u2019re ready to begin listening to your heart and overcoming your fear, Let\u2019s Grow For It! Thanks for taking a few minutes to listen.  Can I ask you a favor?  If you liked what you heard, would you please go to iTunes and give today\u2019s episode a 5-Star Rating and a review?  Your comments will make it easier for others to find this podcast.  Thanks in advance for your help.  Now, go follow those dreams! 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