Karen Mitchell Going for the Gold!

I had the pleasure of hearing Karen Mitchell speak at last week's meeting of the Miami Shores Rotary Club. Many of you know that I have been a fan of Karen since meeting her a few years ago at Shake-A-Leg Miami, an organization that provides water sports and activities for people with disabilities.

Karen is an amazing athlete with a big goal. Her dream is to be the first female skipper to represent the USA and win the gold medal in the 2008 Paralympics Games. What a great goal! Based on her record, she is a strong contender to bring home the gold.

Her list of accomplishments is impressive. Here are just a few:

· Top Disabled Female Skipper in North America
· Six Time Winner of Gruson/Milam Trophy for Most Outstanding Female Skipper
· Four-Time Winner of Independence Cup/North American Challenge Cup, making US Sailing History for Winning Four Consecutive Years
· Three Time Winner of Shake A Leg Miami Midwinter Regatta
· Three Time Winner of CRAB Cup
· Awarded Best Female Sailor in Biscayne Bay
· First Disabled Skipper to Sail in the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship and the J-22 World Championships, Key West Race Week & Miami Race Week in J-24
· Placed Fourth in the IFDS Two Person World Championships
· Only Woman to Win the Mobility Cup Single-Handedly

Karen is an amazing woman who has faced, and overcome, many obstacles in her life. From a diving accident at the age of nineteen, Karen sustained a spinal cord injury and became an incomplete quadriplegic. She is also a cancer survivor and, through it all, continues to courageously work toward her goal with unwavering faith. She is truly an inspiration.

Karen needs support in reaching her goal. As you may imagine, sailing is a sport that requires not only a boat, but also equipment and maintenance, just for starters. If you would like to learn more about Karen's exciting campaign and how you can be a part of her dream for Paralympic Gold, visit her website at www.sailingforlife.org.

Oh, and if you are wondering... what are The Paralympic Games? They're the games, immediately following the Olympics, where the world's top disabled athletes gather to compete. The next games will be held in Beijing, China, September 6-17, 2008, with the Paralympic Regatta being sailed in Qingdao, a coastal city 430 miles east of Beijing.

Go, Karen!

The Power of Networking

It was a nice surprise when I received the following article link from my friend, Ed Gorin, president of Gorin Communications and editor of Business Buzz at http://www.miamibusinessgroups.com/. Ed is well-known in the Miami area for his informative, interesting and creative coverage of networking activities in the area. He attended the January meeting of the Miami-Dade Women's Chamber of Commerce (WCC) where I was the guest speaker.

Interestingly, a few months earlier Ed had introduced me to Tamara McKeown, President of WCC, who invited me to speak at the event. That's Tamara in the photo with me. See how networking works!

Networking has been a cornerstone of business development for me. It has fueled the growth of my company and opened incredible doors. It has provided a venue for meeting amazing and wonderful people, many who have become friends and clients through an initial introduction at a networking event. I can't imagine my life - or my business - had it not been for the power of networking.

A few things I've learned through my experience of networking...

Networking works, if you work it.
It is an art, not a science.
People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

How has networking worked for you? I'd love to hear your networking success stories and how you have used the power of networking to build a business, change your life, meet new friends. How has it worked for you?

Expect Success

Did you know that February is International Expect Success Month? What a great time to focus attention on the power of your expectations to create a successful outcome. Expecting success at the beginning of any endeavor not only makes you feel more energized, inspired and ready to take action, but also helps you attract the people, tools and resources you need to be successful.

As we discussed last Tuesday during Power Lunch with Pat, my monthly teleconference where I share tips and ideas for success, your thoughts and attitude shape the outcomes you produce. The universal "law of attraction" is at work all the time drawing to you what you think about and expect.

According to Jack Canfield in his bestseller, "The Success Principles," when you begin to believe that what you want is possible, your brain will actually take over the job of accomplishing that possibility for you."

If you want good things to happen, expect success and work like there is no other option. When you set out expecting success, you subconsciously strive even more to achieve your goals and dreams.

Why not celebrate International Expect Success Month by expecting more success in your life? Here are my tips to help you succeed.

1. Think success from the start. Why would you set a goal or plan to do something thinking about the reasons you will not be successful? Focus your thoughts on all the reasons you will succeed and watch your doubts fade away.

2. Set yourself up for success. Surround yourself with the people, tools and resources that you need to be successful. If your environments do not support you in accomplishing your goals, change them now.

3. Get into action. If you feel stuck and unable to get moving, focus on your most important goal first. Write out three action steps to help you clarify what you need to do next. Decide that you will do at least one thing every day for your goal.

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