What is the Most Inspiring Book for You?

I recently posed the question, "What is the most inspiring book for you?" to members of Linkedin (www.linkedin.com). Here is what they shared, in no particular order. Enjoy!

1. The Present; The Secret to Enjoying Your Work and Life Now by Spencer Johnson
2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
3. Discovering the Inner Self by Dr. David A. Phillips
4. Customer Satisfaction is Worthless; Customer Satisfaction is Priceless by Jeffrey Gitomer
5. The Bible
6. Winners Never Cheat by Jon Huntsman
7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
8. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
9. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
11. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
12. Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? by Michael J. Sandel
13. With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen B. Oates
14. The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer
15. The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
16. A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
17. Spiritual Growth by Sanaya Ramon
18. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
19. The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldnatt
20. The Measure of a Man; Twenty Attributes of a Godly Man by Gene A. Gertz
21. As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
22. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
23. The Greatest Secret in the World by Og Mandino
24. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
25. A Course in Miracles by Foundation for Inner Peace

What is the most inspiring book for you?

Career Transition: Strategies for Staying Focused

Transition can be an exciting adventure. It can be revitalizing, refreshing and renewing. It can also be stressful, draining and frightening when you are facing uncertainty and confusion about the future. It can be difficult to see opportunities when you are gripped in fear and focused on what is missing or what may go wrong. Finding ways to manage the process can help you feel more in control of your situation and focused to move forward.

Working with clients to reinvent themselves and find new employment in this crazy economy is very rewarding. Helping a former corporate executive take steps to launch a new firm, a former sales professional retool to follow his dream to become a chef, and a mother of three young children leave the rat race to start a business that will allow her to spend more time with family have all been extremely satisfying.

What I'm finding is that, in a world where job security no longer exists, more and more people are looking for alternatives to traditional employment. More people are starting their own business as a way to build something for themselves, to gain control over their financial future, and to create a lifestyle they truly enjoy.
The internet opens a wealth of options for virtual self-employment, connections and business building activities that can help catapult your career to the next level. Home based businesses and network marketing are options that typically have low startup costs and come with proven success systems to follow.

Whether looking for employment, going to the next level in your current job, or starting a new business, here are six tips to help you with your next career move:
1. Be positive. A positive outlook will help you stay motivated and able to see possibilities that you might otherwise miss. Know that something good will happen as long as you are on the path and focusing on the positive.

2. Keep it simple. Put together a plan and begin taking consistent action every day. Stay focused by keeping your eye on the goal and following your plan.

3. Work your network. When a door is unlocked, it is easier to open. You may have a gold mine at your fingertips through existing contacts. Ask them for referrals and introductions.

4. Be open to new ideas. If you are willing to look at new possibilities, you will likely be amazed at what shows up. Be open to ideas that may lead you in the direction of your next career.

5. Make your self-care a priority. Going through change takes energy, clarity and focus. Building time into your schedule for exercise, eating well and getting enough rest is important to your overall stamina and well-being.

6. Express gratitude. Give thanks each morning for the gift of a new day filled with potential new beginnings. Focus on what you can do and appreciate what you have. What we appreciate appreciates.
Schedule your “Discovery Session” now!
Get started right away with an initial session at no charge designed to put you on the path to success. Call to schedule your “Discovery Session” and get started to take yourself and your business to the next level!

Web: www.SmoothSailingSuccess.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/execlifecoach

Blog: www.SmoothSailingSuccess.blogspot.com

Success doesn't have to be a Struggle

Success doesn't have to be hard. Going for a BIG goal doesn't have to be difficult, draining and drudery. What if you could go for your goals in a way that was fun and energizing? What if you could make your dreams come true in a way that was easier and more effortless? What if you could enjoy the journey to success in a way that inspires and delights you?

If you would like to explore how coaching may support you in going for your goals and making your dreams a reality, schedule your Discovery Session now and get started enjoying your success.

Beauty Tips by Audrey Hepburn

For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his fingers through it once a day.

For poise,
Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anybody.

Remember: if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find One at the end of your arm. As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

by Audrey Hepburn

Smiles are contagious

Smiles are contagious. It's no myth... it's biology.

Scientists have shown that seeing a smile triggers an automatic response in our brains which causes us to smile, too (a phenomenon known as "facial feedback"). This response in turn creates positive emotions.

—"Facial Efference and the Experience of Emotion," by P.K. Adelman and R.B. Zajonc (1989).

Are you smiling yet?

Are you getting in the way of your success?

Step aside and let success find you. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Often, the biggest roadblock to your success is you. As much as we would like to point to something or someone else for our failure and inability to achieve our most cherished goals, at the end of the day there is really only one place to look if you want to break free and create your best life now.

When you are blaming people or circumstances outside yourself, you become a victim, powerless to make changes that will improve your life. Taking responsibility for your success puts you in the driver’s seat where you can then take action from an empowered position.

Karen is an excellent example of someone standing in the way of her own success. A talented, successful pharmaceutical sales professional with over 10 years of experience, Karen had career aspirations that were going unrealized. Her dream had always been to open her own spa, but the dream had faded as she worked to climb the career ladder and sustain the lifestyle she had created. Old, worn out, limiting beliefs were holding Karen back from creating a life she truly loved.

By the time Karen called me to coach with her, things were rapidly changing in her world. She was losing her job due to downsizing and was concerned about finding another position. Fear was holding her back from moving forward. Blaming the company, the economy and other outside factors for her situation only held her captive and unable to take focused action.

We began with the steps outlined below to support Karen in creating an inspiring future. Rather than remain stuck, we put together a strategy to get into action and make powerful change to move forward.

Here are ideas for getting out of your own way:

1. Take responsibility for your life. Decide that you will take charge of your future and stop blaming outside circumstances. You are the only one who can change your outcomes.

2. Be present in the present moment. Rather than fretting about what is past or worrying about what may happen in the future, focus on being in the present moment and take full advantage of it.

3. Do your best and let it be. Stop overanalyzing your performance and constantly criticizing yourself for not having done better. Trust that you are doing the best you can and acknowledge yourself for that.

4. Express gratitude. Stop focusing on what you lack and be appreciative for what you have. What you appreciate appreciates.

Schedule your “Discovery Session” now!
Get started right away with an initial session at no charge designed to put you on the path to success. Call to schedule your “Discovery Session” and get started to take yourself and your business to the next level!

Resume Workshop: Everything You Need to Make the Right First Impression

Resume Workshop: Everything You Need to Make the Right First Impression

On Thursday, August 6 and 13 from 7-9pm, join me at Paper Emporium in Coral Gables to learn how you can prepare and present an effective resume. In these two sessions, you’ll learn keys for designing a resume that sets you apart from the crowd and attracts the attention of top employers. Discover how to highlight your skills, play to your strengths and brand yourself for success!

All participants will receive Crane’s booklet, Guide to Writing an Effective Resume as well as free layout and proof of your resume. In addition, Paper Emporium will print your resume free of charge with the purchase of Crane’s Resume Kit. Sign Up Today 305-445-7090.

Re-Invent Yourself

Would you like to re-invent yourself? Add a little more fun and pleasure to your life? Be who you really are instead of who you think you should be?

Would you like to reconnect with your passion? Dust off those dreams and create something new?

It takes courage to reinvent yourself, to step out of the familiar and be willing to try something new. Fear keeps most people from ever getting started. Not seeing “how” to make a change holds most people back from taking the first step. Martin Luther King said, “You don’t have to see the entire staircase, just take the next step.” Trust that the way will be revealed as you start to create a new outcome.

Many people have come to me recently for help reinventing themselves. Some are being forced to change in order to find a new career. Others are being proactive and taking steps to make changes that will free them from confusion and overwhelm to create a better future.

Amazing results can take place when you make changes in your life. I recently reconnected with one of my passions – dancing. Dance was an important part of my life growing up; some of the happiest memories of my childhood are of dancing. Many of the most valuable lessons I learned came from my dancing experience – discipline, commitment, practice, and the joy of success.

As an adult I had not danced nearly enough. A little disco in the ‘70s, a little salsa when I moved to Miami, some zumba at the gym, but overall way too few experiences to nourish my spirit and feed my inner dancer!

A few weeks ago, I ventured out to a dance studio and ended up at a ballroom class. Interestingly, it has been a life changing experience. A few of the things that have been happening since that first evening….. I met amazing Russian teachers who are true masters; I’ve made several new friends, learned a little cha-cha, foxtrot, waltz and tango - and met a phenomenal dance partner! Other amazing things seemed to have started happening since I stepped out to dance. I’m attracting new clients more easily, I’ve been asked to speak at several events, and a family misunderstanding that had lingered for several months was resolved with love and respect. Coincidence? Perhaps. I think not.

When you are living your life in a way that makes you feel alive, vibrant, happy, and fulfilled, you show up differently. Your performance at work is different, your relationships are easier, you like yourself more, your perspective shifts, and life is more enjoyable. Are you ready for a change? What will you do to reinvent yourself?

Here are some ideas:
1. Try a new haircut. Maybe a new hair color? How about a new fragrance?
2. Rearrange the furniture. Paint a wall. Clean out a closet – get rid of everything you haven’t worn for a year!
3. Leave work earlier. Get out of the office no later than 6pm!
4. Invite a new friend for lunch. New friends are everywhere if you are open to meet them – they shop at your grocery store, have kids that play with yours, share similar interests. Reach out!
5. Reconnect with your passion. For me it was dancing. What is your passion?
6. Laugh every day – often!
7. Explore a new profession. Research. Talk to people doing what you’d like to do to learn more.
8. Try something outside your comfort zone – scuba diving, a cooking class, karate, acting, singing.
9. Find your inspiration and plug into it. Make it a part of your day, every day.
10. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small.

Coach Morgan on Comcast Newsmakers

Tune in to Comcast Newsmakers in South Florida to see my interviews poolside at the Seminole Hardrock with Spero Canton!

Watch the two segments on Coaching and Goal-Setting on Comcast Cable in South Florida and on CNN Headline News.

Click here or go to http://www.smoothsailingsuccess.com/audio.shtml.

Super Size Your Sales

We are all sales people in some form or fashion. Whether it is selling someone on your favorite restaurant, movie or music – or selling your sweetie on a date, relationship or marriage – we are all selling all the time.

Why then do we get so hung up on marketing our products and services - and making sales? Why are there so many who struggle with sales and so few who seem to reach the highest levels of success?

Did you know that the difference between those who sell a little and those who sell a lot is usually a matter of degrees? Those who super size their sales simply make a few more calls, work a few more minutes each day, and focus a little more on their goals.

What if there was a way for you to make some shifts that would take your sales to the next level? What if there was a way to make selling easier and less stressful? Would you be interested in making some changes?

Jack, a young accountant, is a perfect example of someone who was not a super salesman but was willing to make some changes to grow his business. He and I began coaching together when he contacted me about expanding his portfolio. His objective was clear. He had been given a directive by his management – bring in a specific amount of business by year-end or he would no longer be needed.

Jack was ready to get to work. We began exactly as I do with all my clients, by dealing with the obstacles that were holding him back - things like clutter, papers that need to be filed or shredded, nagging financial pressures, and lack of work/life balance.

Next, Jack defined the goal he wanted to reach. He clarified the goal in specific detail including revenues, type of client, income, position, lifestyle and more.
Then he went to work on his pipeline. It was important for Jack to have a source of contacts for new business. He developed a list of potential clients and together we identified ways he could connect through professional and social networks.

Lastly, Jack and I developed a clear action plan that would keep the focus and attention on generating business even when he was busy and distracted with the myriad of daily activities. Most importantly, coaching gave Jack the accountability to stay focused and on track.

Are you ready to take your sales up a notch? Are you ready to do something differently to generate more sales and take your income to the next level? What will it take for you to reach – or exceed your goals? What if you were to set an outrageous sales goal that stretched your imagination toward new possibilities for yourself and your business?

Here are my top 4 tips to Super Size Your Sales:

1. Get clear on your goal. Until you have defined your goal in detail, it is just a wish. Get specific about what you want to accomplish. What is the end result? Is it a sales figure? An income or commission level? Think about what you want to achieve and write it down in detail.

2. Get your pipeline filled. If your goal is to close business and make sales, you will need to connect with many people. Filling your pipeline is a dynamic and continuous process. Become aware of people and opportunities to connect so that you are continually adding to your pipeline.

3. Get focused on your plan. How will you reach your goal? Without a clear plan of action, it will be difficult to stay focused and on track to move forward. Create a plan, get focused and do something every day for your dream.

4. Get an Accountability Partner. Ask someone to be your success partner to keep you accountable for reaching your goal. Find a mentor, buddy – or hire a coach - to guide, challenge and inspire you. Any journey is easier and more enjoyable when shared with a trusted partner.

Are you ready to super size your sales? Now is the time to go for it.

Schedule your “Super Size My Sales Strategy Session” now!

Get started right away with a strategy session designed to put you on the path to sales success.

Call 305-856-1566 to schedule your “Super Size My Sales Strategy Session” and get moving toward the success you want now!

Is coaching for you?

Do you want to....

• Achieve a big goal?
• Make a change?
• Get clear on your next steps?
• Take your career to the next level?
• Eliminate the struggle and enjoy life more!


Schedule your complimentary “New Year Strategy Session” to see how coaching can help you make it happen in 2009!


Email PatMorgan@SmoothSailingSuccess.com or call 305.856.1566.