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http://www.makeworkplay.co.uk/ Copyright © 2011 MakeWorkPlay. All Rights Reserved.

1

Aligning Your Talents To The Work You Love

To Do So You Can Step Up - Step Out

And Still Have Time To Play

When We Share

Poet: Unknown

When we share laughter, there's twice the fun;

When we share success, we surpass what we've done.

When we share problems, there's half the pain;

When we share tears, a rainbow follows rain.

When we share dreams, they become more real;

When we share secrets, it's our hearts we reveal.

If we share a smile, then our love shows;

If we share a hug, then our love grows.

If we share with someone on whom we depend,

That person becomes family or friend.

And what draws us closer and makes us all care,

Is not what we have, but the things that we share.

http://www.makeworkplay.co.uk/



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2 About this guide

This is a free guide packed full of value, wisdom and learning which can be freely distributed

to other individuals who are interested in becoming self employed as a passport to work that

really matters. The information cannot be materially altered in any way or aspects copied

and republished without the prior written consent of the author .

Disclaimer

The author and publisher of this guide makes no specific reference to, or guarantees, of any

stated income levels.




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3TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 Who Am I?

Chapter 2 The Playing Field

Chapter 3 Playing From A Ten

Chapter 4 The 3 Key Things That Keep Us Off the Pitch

Chapter 5 Adopting A Winning Mindset

Chapter 6 Meet Some Other Players In Free Enterprise

Chapter 7 Conclusion




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4 INTRODUCTION

Wake up.....The World Is Changing

I guess you didn’t need me to tell you this – right!

You know this instinctively, you see it, you hear it and you definitely feel the impact of it everywhere.

Your reaction to these changes will no doubt depend upon whether you see the opportunities

they present you or whether they’re d elivering crisis in your world right now.

Maybe they’re threatening your current way of life, the work that you do or you’re general

levels of contentment, well being and your financial livelihood.

Whether we like it or not, change is constant.

We’re all constantly evolving along with our environments. Our cells in our bodies are

constantly dying and being recreated. Our energy field expands and contracts according to

our emotional state .As humans, we now know that we each have the capacity to build new

neural pathways and networks in our brains, irrespective of our age so it is never too late to

learn new tricks.

We have, therefore, unique capacity to transform our lives should we desire by slowing down

to review what we want and changing our perspective and the lens from which we see our

reality.

If we want to thrive in life rather than just merely survive and being forced to react to

circumstances then we need to learn to navigate our way through this change and , better

still, be able to convert crisis into opportunity, turn endings into new beginnings and make

change our friend . We need to take a quantum leap into living the kind of life we truly desire

for ourselves and our families.




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5Work is a fundamental part of our lives after all, most of us are spending in excess of forty

hours a week engaged in some type of work activity. It should be a deeply enriching

experience where we find meaning and purpose to our existence and where we get to

employ our creative talents to best effect to discover, grow and evolve and become the best

possible version of ourselves. Work should also be about providing deep connection and

belonging for all of us. If work brings us financial freedom and riches well that’s a bonus but

millionaires and entrepreneurs don’t start out with that as their primary focus.

This guide is intended for individuals who are looking for a better way, individuals who

would rather have control over their own circumstances and who want to earn a living doing

work that they love and work that really counts whilst still having time to play. I’ll categorise

these people as the self employed, a broad term that loosely captures a growing spectrum of

individuals from freelancers, independent contractors and consultants , micro entrepreneurs,

sole traders and partners to small business owners.




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6People everywhere are waking up to the realisation that we all have a calling in life, a

purpose and a reason for being. It’s an inner knowing or voice deep inside of us nudging us

to follow an alternative path, to listen to our hearts and to put aside our doubts so we can

come fully alive, find our voice and uniquely express ourselves and experience all that life

has to offer.

It is my greatest hope and intention that this guide will inspire you to act in some way and

perhaps challenge conventional wisdom so you are able to find the courage to create the

work you love to do. Some of you will be half way there already and all you need is a little

more encouragement to take a leap fearlessly into the unknown and perhaps a guiding hand

to assist you on your way.

For others the changes may be far more significant and downright scary so you will need a

clear plan for transitioning from employee to entrepreneur .You’re going to need more social

proof that it’s possible to not only survive but positively thrive without the monthly pay

cheque .That way you can finally find the courage to turn your back on work that is draining

every last bit of life force out of you and unleash your passion within to restore balance,

inspiration, creativity and contentment.

Some of you may have been thrust into the world of self employment cruelly without that

freedom of choice. In order to swim with the tide you need direction, structure and that

success mindset along with a reassuring voice to inform you that you can positively make it

and excel.

‘ When you are thr ough changing, you are through’ - Bruce Barton

I aim to help each of you find your way so you too can be self reliant, self employed and

break all the rules.

Be Unstoppable!

Kath Roberts

This rebel has a cause!




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7CHAPTER 1

Who Am I?

Here is my story.

I don’t want to use this guide to obviously self promote or only to convey how wonderful it

is when you find work that matters because , like anything in life that’s worth having there is

some adjustment and pain along with a need to stretch outside that comfortable zone that

we all get accustomed to from time to time.

I’m really interested in focusing on how I might be able to help you make the leap into self

employment easier and what you should expect when you get to the other side so you can be

better prepared. That aside, I know that it helps to understand other people’s stories in

reconciling our own experiences and beliefs.

Any practical advice and wisdom offered within this guide comes from my own experience

and a multitude of others who have been kind enough to reach out, share and lend a

supportive hand on the journey. My journey continues to evolve as I grow, adapt and learnnew tricks. I’m not one of those serial millionaires that tell you how easy it is to set up

multiple sources of revenue and I trust that as you read this and perhaps, should you decide

to connect with me, you’ll find me deeply honest and authentic about what’s involved.

I think I’m pretty well qualified to talk about what makes work worthwhile and understand

the day to day and often harsh realities of operating at a senior level within a large

corporation. I experienced firsthand my own shift in thinking but only after a major dose of

burnout , corporate bollocks and some life defining moments. I went through a period of

being paralysed, stuck in the grip of this dissatisfaction with my work but not able to lift

myself enough to face the courage I required to let go and progress forward. I rationalised

my need to stay with a rather idealistic belief that my people needed me and I was somehow

making a difference. I now realise that I wasn’t helping myself by taking care of my own

needs and was, therefore, hardly helping others when I was not hundred per cent motivated

by my own environment or work.

Additionally, I spent thirteen years; the coincidence of the number is not lost on me, working

for an international recruitment business. Those years were filled with frontline knowledge

regarding the changing nature of work and how to get the best out of people through

coaching and talent management. I was at the forefront of the growth in temporary and




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8interim recruitment services throughout the early nineties. At the time, there was the same

resistance to change that the Internet brings today. Most hiring Managers were hesitant to

recruit contractors initially. Those that found themselves out of a job during that particular

recession fell into contracting and temping more by circumstance than any burning desire.

Of course the market grew and took off as the demand for supply grew through

globalisation and skills shortages and there began a prolonged period of economic growth

and nearly a decade or so of the war for talent. During these years, I witnessed candidates

positively embracing the idea of more flexible employment and a changing perspective of

employers who began to see the advantages of a contractor’s experience, variety and

breadth of cultural exposure.

I saw employers devise grand schemes to entice and retain employees, the introduction of

‘pick and mix’ benefit schemes, career sabbaticals, flexible contracts and remote working to

hang on to great employees. The overriding philosophy, however, was still one of control and

command tactics with a few exceptions. I grew tired of hearing the words ‘our people are the

business’ s greatest asset’ from both my own employer and that of my clients when, in

reality, I was witnessing leadership practises that fell far short of a more humane ,all encompassing and enlightened perspective. Ultimately the bottom line came first and people

were dispensable assets everywhere.

During all of these years, working primarily within the professional recruitment space,

recruiting Accountants and Lawyers for the Private and Public sectors and a multitude of

professional firms, one thing remained constant. Candidates who loved their work they did

were very much in the minority. Whilst many enjoyed the specialist nature of the work itself

they were frustrated by a culture which didn’t meet their needs or align with their values or

an ineffective boss or a multitude of other factors such as travel pressures, peer group or just unmet feelings of value, recognition and worth for their considerable efforts.

Many of the candidates I had met had fallen into these careers for the wrong reasons but

appeared to put up with a less than acceptable existence and bury the dream of following

their passions due to an overwhelming feeling that the reality was just not possible.

This overriding contagious disease of conformity to the rules and norms of society and work

cultures is destroying the spirit of many a worker. I resolved to change my own life and in

doing so have become deeply passionate about my vision to inspire others to find work that

really matters, imbued with meaning, purpose, fun and creativity. I now think it’s time to




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9 forget work life balance and adopt work life integration. Above all, I began to appreciate

what stops people from taking the leap. The rational excuses are never really the

fundamental real reasons for halting personal growth and progress and a desire to make

sacrifices for sake of the family often leads to resentment and eventual collapse.

Emotional and spiritual reasons lie at the heart of this stagnation and dull acceptance and

resignation to put up with one’s lot, knuckle down and accept it. The prospect of an exotic

holiday and the satisfaction that you have the material wealth to bring temporary relief is

rationalised as being enough to curb any desire of running away.

I realised a long time ago that we’re very complex creatures. Work can’t be separated from

home no more than the mind can be separated from the body and the soul. Integration is the

key to unlock the potential that exists in all of us. We first have to recognise our wholeness

which generally, though not in all cases, occurs at midlife.

Life can be a comedy in more ways than one. We all have our

very own soap operas and I know of no one who has the

perfect existence. We all experience some physical, relational,

professional or psychological changes during our middle years.

I would classify this process typically beginning from thirty five

years through to fifty five years of age, sometimes even later.

During this period we may go through an unhappy marriage,

affairs or divorces, anxiety which may have no clear source,

dissatisfaction with career or job, depression, disillusionment and even despair.

Each of us is unique so some experiences will be more intense than others with full blown

crisis and meltdown emerging whilst others may just experience a general shifting of

attitudes, feelings and behaviours. It is often conveyed as a feeling of emptiness and

numbness that is deep, often unexplainable and often life changing.

During such a period it is normal to review personal identity, values and life and work goals.

Spiritual questions which are often left ignored begin to rise to the surface of our

consciousness. We undergo a transition process where there is a restlessness to return to our

real natures and transcend the boundaries or our ego personality.

‘Midway upon the journey of

my life I found myself in a

dark wood, where the right

way was lost’ - Dante ‘The

Divine Comedy’




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10

We reflect on an important aspect of the self, perhaps the loss of freedom and the loss of

ideals and dreams and at the very heart of this aspect is the loss of who we were supposed

to be. Our social conditioning, gender, family life, workplace culture, have determined what

characteristics are acceptable and in doing so

we’ve lost aspects of our true selves to fit in and

get on.

Midlife provides a classic crossroads to reflect

on what we have become and to ponder what

direction we want our second half of our life to

take. Often letting go of our egos is incredibly

difficult hence we grip tightly to everything we

have or have become. We can struggle to give

up our view of ourselves and our world even

though it doesn’t serve us anymore. Our soul is striving for expression and often that

threatens our well ordered neat life and sense of identity we have created for ourselves.Under these conditions letting go enables us to become all that we are supposed to be yet

this is frightening in the extreme.

Midlife is our wakeup call and mine came very promptly around my late thirties. I was a

classic achievement oriented workaholic who had measured my existence up until that point

by what I had outwardly achieved and the wealth and respect that my status had brought in

society. All very shallow I know but coming from a working class background with four

siblings I hadn’t grown up in a household where money was free flowing. My parents had

always worked hard and my saving grace from a similar existence was education.

I am fairly conventional in the sense I’m degree educated and followed a similar existence to

the majority in getting a good job and working my way up the corporate ladder. My family

upbringing had left me with a strong work ethic and a rather false belief that you have to

work incredibly hard to get on in life, to compete with everyone else in a marketplace where

good jobs are hard to come by. My upbringing also influenced by belief about wealth

creation , the philosophy ‘that money doesn’t grow on trees’ again reinforcing a perception

that acquiring anything is incredibly difficult. I have now come to place greater stock in the

concept that it is not how hard or long you work it is how effective you are being and how

‘See, what you're meant to do when

you have a mid-life crisis is buy a fast

car, aren't you? Well, I've always had

fast cars. It's not that. It's the fear

that you're past your best. It's the

fear that the stuff you've done in the

past is your best work’ - Robbie

Coltrane




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11complete you feel. If you have a mindset of difficulty and scarcity then effectively that is

what you tend to see.

The work enabled me to afford fancy restaurants, sports cars, wonderful holidays and

designer clothes. I’d reached a very commendable standard in my career being the first girl

on the UK board of a very testosterone fuelled competitive sales environment and I was

rather proud of myself.

On the upward ascent I hadn’t paused to reflect onwhether it was the kind of environment that would fulfil

me or whether they were the kind of people that would

enrich my work experience.

I was passionate about my work and loved nothing

more than seeing my people grow, develop and prosper.

I had variety, intellectual challenge, and a six figure

salary and bonus package along with all the benefits

that you associate with a board level remit.

Life turned increasingly bleak, no amount of working, partying or spending could pacify the

empty numb feeling that I began to experience. I filled my days with permanent busyness to

drown out those soul-searching questions. I began to suffer with anxiety, a result of energy

depletion and became increasingly withdrawn and paranoid sinking into quite dark

depressive moments which I drowned out by drinking my way into an increasingly downward

spiral.

During this period self doubt grew stronger and I can only describe it as one of the lowest

points in my life where I lost control, made poor decisions and became rather bitter and

angry .I’m not that comfortable even sharing now because when I reflect back to that time it

fills me with horror of the person I had become.

It was also a turning point though, a journey back to my real self and as I let go of the

trappings of everything I had become and devoted my days to quality time with my family I

began to experience a deeper more spiritual side. My introspection and reflection enabled

me to listen more intuitively to my own soul wisdom. I began to realise that my devotion to

my career had developed me into a fairly one dimensional personality and there was far

more aspects that needed to be satisfied.

‘We buy things we don’t

need with money we don’t have to impress people we

don’t like’

Dave Ramsey -The Total

Money Makeover A Proven

Plan for Financial Fitness




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12I knew that my life had to change and all my previous values and illusions of work no longer

served me. I needed greater individual expression, more autonomy and balance to really live

and work in a way that was more true to the person I was becoming.

I also began to appreciate that investment in experiences are far more rewarding than

having the latest gadget or designer must-have. Experiences stay with us.

I now understand that this is a fusing of head and heart and an open heart leads one down

the road of a desire for greater connectivity and compassion for self and others. This type of wisdom fuels the courage we need to get unstuck and to get active doing the type of

purposeful work that brings the greater meaning and fulfilment we all need.

So these days I focus on helping individuals discover their innate talents and passions rather

than purely skills so they can be whole, balanced and unstoppable and breakthrough and

breakout from self limiting beliefs and roles than no longer serve them.

I know that many people never get this breakthrough and in settling miss out, in my opinion,

on the chance for a richer second half. I hope that my story and this guide will help you see

that anything is possible and we’re all far bigger and infinitel y more powerful than we can

ever imagine.

How to Use This Guide

It would not be fair of me if I didn’t consider my potential audience properly when pulling

together this material. Given that most of you reading this are likely to be overworked

employees right now, short on time, highly distracted, potentially stressed and adept at

speed reading I have provided a short summary at the end of each chapter of the key points

and considerations. So if you want you can skip the main chapters though I warn you that you may miss some hidden gems.

I also offer some personal reflection questions and signposts at the end of each chapter with

space for your notes. This enables you to take the process deeper to encourage thought,

contemplation and intended outcomes from you. When we write things down it can have a

magical impact in shifting our perspective. Vocational work needs time to come to fruition,

for thoughts and ideas to simmer and build and then we create the necessary momentum for

forward action. Thoughts without action are merely wishes which often turn out to be

regrets in later life. Let’ s get started!




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13CHAPTER 2

The Playing Field

There is absolutely no doubt about it the nature of work is changing brought about by

political, technological, social and economical factors over the last fifty years or so.

Let’s examine each of these in turn;

Political

Life today, whilst not always perfect, is radically different from that of our ancestors. Here in

the Western world it is easy to knock democracy, the current political systems and parties

and to take the right to vote for granted. Advancements following the Second World War

have accelerated improvements in the workplace including equal opportunities and workers

rights legislation to protect minorities and different groups and to reduce working hours,

improve working conditions and establish minimum rates of pay.

We have moved from the class bound society to the classless society where the provision of

education for all has brought about greater mobility and standard of living for a significant

proportion of the population. Whatever shortcomings and inequalities that still exist and we

know they’re still out there; it is a marked improvement from the nature of work pre

Industrial age and through it.

Political changes encourage greater individual powers as society recognises the importance

and emergence of a greater desire for self government, freedom of choice and speech, alongwith more flexibility and choice and less reliance upon a beaurocratic state.

At the same time this is coupled with an increasing knowledge and awareness that many

want to contribute to a better way through free enterprise, fair trade, respectful ecology and

servant leadership.




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14The next logical stage from this is the increasing evolvement of human consciousness where

individuals everywhere open up to their true being and identity, in other words their whole

selves. They are able to work in a way that incorporates the body, the mind and the spirit

with no separation from who they truly are and what they believe in. This is the work we love

to do; it is inspired passionate and creative work. Currently, this is the exception to the norm

with only a minority of people who would truly say they are living their purpose and engaged

in meaningful work. This is the work that matters because in following this path we wake up

to the realisation that we can influence the world one person, one family at a time and indoing so, The World responds to us.

We change our surroundings pr ecisely because we’ve changed. We’ve stopped looking

outside of ourselves for that fulfilment and happiness and we’ve become that change in

action.




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15The happier and more engaged in our work we are the greater our impact, in terms of our

ability to affect others positively. When we’re doing the kind of work we love, we stop

searching and we start being.

Technological

Rapid advancements in technology have created dynamic yet chaotic change. The Internet is

still only seventeen years old. Constant advancements have created entirely new sectors

supporting the Internet and facilitating ways of doing business online. The work of technology has released jobs and costs from the corporate sector and continues to do so,

increasing job insecurity and uncertainty as more routine tasks are replaced every month

that goes by.

We have all witnessed firsthand the information overload of the knowledge age brought to

us as a result of all these new technologies. But it is precisely this information and

technology that is creating opportunities everywhere for individuals looking to capitalise on

this. Solo entrepreneurs, freelancers and stay at home types now have access to faster

broadband access and cheap technology offering them the same competitive advantages of big business. There are no longer any barriers to entry other than the ability to learn, some

relatively low investment costs and the ability to adapt to these new technologies, to think

differently and more broadly about future employment options.

Social

Our society today is diverse and we need to respond by treating people individually. A ‘one

size fits all’ policy will not work in society at large or in the w orkplace evidenced by the

growing dissatisfaction of people everywhere.

The workforce is aging and we are all living longer and need to consider the prospect of

working longer. There is no such thing as a job for life these days and the average twenty-

something is likely to have at least fourteen career changes by the time they reach

retirement age.




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16There is no such thing as a typical family anymore. People marry later, if at all. Relationship

types are more fluid and family composition changes more frequently over the life time.

Women are significant contributors to household incomes with increasing numbers sole

breadwinners often creating increased tension at home and a corresponding increase in

stress, burnout and depression from the challenges of trying to do and be it all.

Loneliness is a growing and worrying trend.

Improved living standards and media output have created increasing expectations with thevalues of acquisitiveness, materialism and a belief that you must compete to get on in the

world where resources are scarce.

Many people are turning their backs on this type of outdated philosophy and choosing a

different way, an improved quality of life, a chance to slow down and achieve more, a

chance to acquire less but have far more. Downshifting is on the increase with many

reporting increased happiness as a result of reduced hours of working, career changes or

stopping work altogether.

Work life balance has taken centre stage

with constant debate amongst employers

seeking to retain talent against the back

drop of our busy manic world,

information overload, family and

individual needs, responsibilities and

desires.

The explosion in social media, a

technological development in itself, hasgiven rise to increased online

connections. Whilst there are many that

would debate the quality and depth of

these social connections, these platforms

offer the very real prospect of engaging

with like-minded individuals and building

social movements ,communities or tribes

extensively and quickly, due to the viral nature of communication which have not really been

fully appreciated until now.




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17It is time to move the subject matter on to work life integration. When we are able to carry

out the work we love to do, invariably we make better partners and parents. Our home lives

become more harmonious as our waking days do not become filled with horrendous

commuting pressures, guilt complexes from being away from our children and the kind of

fulfilment that only really comes from being your own boss and having complete autonomy

over how you choose to create your day and spend your time. Self reliance and financial

freedom builds a positive mindset, a healthier body and a happier spirit.

Economic

Globalisation has completely transformed the nature of work. Increasing competition drives

a 24/7 culture as well as downward price pressure and correspondingly high redundancy

levels and change management/restructuring programmes.

The recent economic recession has put further pressure on those who have remained in

traditional employment often fulfilling the roles of several employees and lacking the

necessary experience or support to deliver what is required. In this climate there is little

wonder that absenteeism has shot up as more and more people succumb to burnout and stress.

Morale, motivation, engagement and retention remain priorities for managers and leaders

short of talent and exposed to an increasingly knowledge centric environment.

Unfortunately, the shortage of emotionally and spiritually intelligent leaders only serves to

compound this problem.

Whilst a few enlightened employers are able to make the leap to recognising that people in

the knowledge age make the real difference and thus are thinking differently and more

creatively on how to address employee needs, the majority still treat people as a dispensable

asset on the balance sheet, eroding further any real loyalty to a brand and inciting the more

entrepreneurially inclined to walk free.




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18Summary - key messages

We live in an ever-changing universe with the pace of change accelerating. We can

choose to be in control of that change process or we can let fear hold us back and

become victims of change that is thrust upon us.

With every crisis is opportunity and we stand at one of the most important times in

history where we have, for the first time, irrespective of class or significant wealth, the

chance to break free from the outdating practises of the Industrial Age and work how we

want, when we want and wherever we want. Most importantly we can work for

ourselves without the major constraints that were once apparent to setting up business

on your own.

Information and knowledge are valuable commodities that can be traded online globally

and relatively easily.

The explosion of social media acts as an enabler to support small business and the self

employed get their message out and connect with their kind of people eliminating a

feeling of isolation that, sometimes, working for your self can bring.

The corporate sector and big business is under increasing competition where a survival of

the fittest mentality puts a sharp focus on performance and productivity, creativity and

innovation.

Workplace norms and culture, in the majority of cases, actually erode productivity and

creative thought. There is a lack of emotionally and spiritually intelligent leaders acrossbusiness that are able to inspire, connect and engage individuals consistently.

Talent management best practise appears to have been primarily focused on measuring

behaviours and reinforcing competitive cultures rather than deeply understanding an

employee’s intrinsic motivators for working.

Ask most employees in today’s modern workplace and the majority would sacrifice pay

and financial rewards for more time.




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19 Downshifting is on the increase with reported levels of increased happiness.

The workplace in general, despite initiatives to tackle improved work life balance is

characterised with longer hours, less resources, a lot more stress and generally less

support .Most well intentioned employee initiatives to improve morale just don’t work.

Most employees end up distracted, frazzled, fried and disillusioned.

As our basic needs get taken care of with improved living standards we look for greater

belonging, purpose and fulfilment within our work. The desire to do something that’s

bigger than our selves becomes an increasingly important requirement. We seek mastery

as well as variety and responsibility, support and feedback. This is conducive to healthy

self esteem, personal growth and maximising our potential. Those who desire greater

control over their own destiny look increasingly inward to resolve these questions.

Engagement in our work is about going with the flow not driving harder. It’s about

bringing about the conditions under which people can work more effectively and self employment is meeting this need head-on for those that want more from their work.

The body, mind, spirit connection of a worker cannot be ignored. True engagement with

the work we love to do connects all three areas creating inspired and creative thinking, a

healthy body and a free spirit. A house divided cannot stand. A person divided by the

same token cannot function fully.

The big difference today is consciousness is evolving. More individuals are waking up to

the fact of the importance of work as a means to create, connect and fulfil one’s purpose. Individuals are more determined to do something about it without being

controlled by it because they are free spirits with imagination and value to offer.




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20

Personal reflection-call to action

To what degree is your current work addressing all you’re needs-mental, emotional and

spiritual?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Do you have a best friend at work? (People with a best friend in work are seven times more

likely to be engaged in their work)

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Do you hold anything back of your authentic self at work, in terms of personality, beliefs, and

values?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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21Does your work inspire you, uplift you and enable you to be creative?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Do you feel cherished and valued in your work?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Does your work make a difference?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Does your work enable you to live a balanced life with time for health, relationships and self

too?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Give your current role marks out of ten and make a note of what prevents it from scoring a

ten.(For those of you who are already at a ten, congratulations now how will you ensure it

stays that way?)




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22What is holding you back from the work you would love to do?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Detail the 5 key issues in priority order.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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23CHAPTER 3

Playing From a Ten

When we have embraced the work we love to do then we have a far greater chance of

becoming exceptional in our field and that doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to be

super celebrity status or world class to gain attention and make a decent living and still havetime to play.

We have an opportunity to really stand out, shine our light and be extraordinary. When we

allow our uniqueness to come through we find there is no competition here because there is

no one else quite like us. It’ s a far cry from that land of mediocrity, the place of the masses

carving out an average existence on the corporate treadmill.

‘There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one

you are capable of living’ - Nelson Mandela

In this chapter we’ll examine why passion and purpose matters and how we can move

ourselves closer to being at the top of our game.

Passionate people are contagious, they draw people in like a magnet and their positivity

spreads uplifts and inspires everyone. Contrast that for a moment with the drained, hagged,

negative worker who is constantly moaning about how crap everything is and counting

down the days to the weekend and the years to the retirement . Now that’s a crowd clearer

for sure!

Equate passion with energy, heartfelt stuff that flows freely, easily and gracefully topping up

our tanks physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Passion quite simply aids well-

being.

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you’.

Oprah Winfrey




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24Passion is the fire in the belly, the spring in the step, the light in one’s eyes and that massive

grin on the face. Are you getting this?

Passion is all about being fully alive and kicking with something to shout about. Passion

must be felt deeply from the heart and when it is there is no stopping the momentum that

follows. Now if that’s not a reason to find the

work you love to do then I don’t know what is.

Passion and purpose make ideal bed fellows. If

passion provides the fuel then purpose provides

the direction, think of it as your own internal

compass guiding your life. Purpose is our life’s

work, our very reason for being.

Translating purpose and passion in action.

Think Job and what do you associate it with?

You have a job description, written by someone else, with a defined set of tasks and

responsibilities along with an agreed set of competencies to carry out the role.

You have a job title and someone to answer to.

You have a monthly salary in return for a contracted set of hours, which realistically

turns out to be far greater than you signed up for.

You’re paid to compete with your colleagues because you’re compared with them

and ranked accordingly.

Mondays are not so great, Fridays are fantastic, countdown to the weekend.

You can quit your job.

You can get laid off at any moment.

The buck doesn’t stop with you.

We must have a theme, a

goal, a purpose in our

lives. If you don’t know

where you’re aiming, you

don’t have a goal. My goal

is to live in such a way that

when I die, someone can

say, she cared - Mary Kay

Ash




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25Think Career now - how does this differ?

A career is a line of work, a specialty like being a Lawyer or an Accountant.

A career takes professional training, lots of it generally.

The emphasis is on progression upwards though latterly more sideways with

continued personal development and growth.

The perception is considerable work autonomy and engagement in creative and challenging work. The reality sometimes meets or exceeds these expectations but

frequently falls short and very rarely sustains an individual throughout their entire

working life.

The word ‘career’ is actually taken from the French word meaning racecourse which

probably explains why many people feel like they are going round in circles on the

career track!

Think of purpose as a vocation, a calling.

It is something you can discover but you must listen for it.

This kind of work lasts a lifetime, there is no retirement.

Its authentic work which provides our unique place in the world.

It comes naturally and not something you train at or a skill you learn.

You create your own personal development plan.

There is no set time to work you decide when and how much and losing track of time

whilst living in the now is a frequent occurrence.

Your values are aligned.

Your work is totally integrated with your life.

It is a way of life.

You get paid for using your natural gifts and innate talents.




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26 It is all about legacy where you can look back on the journey and feel that you have

made a difference.

Reconnecting the flow

The first step you need to take is to slow right down. Flow loves balance and balance is all

about being centred, calm, carefree and curious. It’s about paying attention to the present

moment where all possibilities exist.

Try telling that to someone who is frazzled and fried. Perhaps that is you right now, if so,

you’re train of thoughts might be running a little like this....yes ok what’s your point, can you

be more succinct, I’m manic. This is a little heavy for my concentration right now; I can’t

cope with all these questions.

Forgive me I don’t mean to sound patronising or preachy I merely wish to get the message

hammered home that I get it because I too was once like this, getting annoyed and irritable

at the smallest of things such as my computer not working fast enough.

It’s a sure sign we are in survival rat race hell but worst still we’ve become anesthetised to it,addicted to the competitive stress and that need to prove that we are exceptionally busy

people. Busy responding to emails, busy phoning everyone, being busy for busyness sake,

we’re indispensible right ?.

Being seen to be important but, in reality, carrying out

routines that are hardly truly valuable.

The busy society breeds a ridiculous no win path to addiction,

divorce, breakdown, depression and disease. The busyness

drowns out those difficult and challenging questions that keep

popping up. That’s your soul by the way getting awfully

assertive.

Balance is not about compartmentalising our lives and

designating set times each week for work, play, kids, etc.

Balance is about being in tune with our inner voice. It’s about

a head/heart alignment and that is what brings the peace and contentment and the inner

power to fly.

If you’re interested in

balancing work and

pleasure, stop trying to

balance them. Instead

make your work more

pleasurable’ - Donald

Trump




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27Values matter

Values are often deeply buried within our subconscious which is one of the reasons that we

appear to struggle to easily identify and articulate them. We certainly don’t give them a

good deal of daily reflection and overlook them at the expense of goals until we come up

against a life defining moment or we end up feeling violated in some way due to someone’s

behaviour towards us. These moments jolt us into action and create a reaction in us and a

vivid memory so that when such values get tested again we know what matters and what is

important for us.

Goals are far too often focused on achieving to acquire status, wealth and external power

whereas values tend to get us thinking about behaviours and how we want to be. They are

character forming and soon become the building blocks to authentic success.

When we slow down to assess what we value then we find our true path to the work we love

to do more easily. Let me explain;

If you value creativity and innovation there is no point slogging

it out in a conservative yet successful business in the hope

they’ll change, they won’t . If you value independence and

complete autonomy with your work there is no point operating

within a restrictive and controlling culture because it will

eventually drain you.

Values may change and develop over time. The older we get

the more interested we get in being healthy and financial security can often get more

important.

Values , therefore, point us to making the right choices for us and provide us with the clarity

to have the courage to speak our truth even if that might mean we face difficulty, isolation,

ridicule and an alternative path.

Values set the spirit free because they transform our behaviour and here lies the real seat of

our power. When we live from our values and act in accordance we’re in harmony and full

alignment and it is from this place that inspiration can flow

Your work is todiscover your

world and then

with all your heart

give yourself to it -

Buddha




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We can stand out from the crowd when we’re doing the work we love and fulfilling

our purpose because we can be uniquely ourselves and there is no competition.

The work we love to do calls for passion and purpose.

Passionate people are magnets.

Passion is heartfelt energy flowing freely through us which is both, attractive,

contagious and uplifting.

Purpose provides the direction, think of it as your very own moral compass and

reason for being.

Jobs have many limitations but you can pass the buck. Careers often have you going

round in circles whereas a vocation makes you come fully alive.

To connect or reconnect to your passions you need to slow right down.

Going slow is very unfashionable in our busy world where being busy is often

projected as being effective yet rarely equates to being so.

Balance is an important aspect of getting in the flow. It is not about separating work

and life in equal proportions it is all about a head/heart alignment-think integration

and wholeness.

Values count because they teach us the importance of being first then acting in

accordance with what we value so pointing us to make right choices in identifying the

work we love to do.

Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievements of one’s

values’ - Ayn Rand




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29Personal reflection -call to action

What has brought you the most fulfilment and happiness to date?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

At what point in your life have you felt most committed?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

What or who are you tolerating?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Who are your key role models?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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30

What values are these role models known for?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

List your top 6 values?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How do these values fit with your current work?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How productive are you each day?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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31If you had all the money in the world and no fear what would you most like to do?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

In your specialism and Industry what could you do better that would fulfil a need?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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32CHAPTER 4

The 3 Key reasons that keep us off the pitch

In this chapter we’ll take a look at the most common fears that hold us back from the work

we love to do and how we can learn to overcome our self sabotaging behaviour.

Fear of Failure

We all fear the unknown, one of the reasons why we resist change so much. The survival of

our species has depended upon being able to quickly scan

the environment for any change that might have

signalled potential danger so it could be avoided, at all

costs, if possible. As a consequence, we are

fundamentally danger oriented and when anything new

arises in our world we will quickly look to see how it might

present a risk. When it is perceived as threatening, we

avoid or resist it. Resistance can help keep us safe but at

the same time can block our progress and potential if we

fail to spot the opportunity or more positive aspects of

that change. Coping with the ongoing nature of change

requires resilience. This gives us the strength to confront

our resistance and push forward no matter what.

Resilience enables us to bounce back from any setbacks

and provides the energy to solving our problems, confronting our challenges and overcoming

any obstacles.

So pursuing our dreams requires a mixture of courage and resilience.

We all have a limited supply of this resilience energy and we all have to replenish it as it gets

used up. With this energy depleted you experience the symptoms of burnout or depression

and everything looks dark and impossible.

History will judge you and

as the years pass you will

ultimately judge yourself

in the extent to which you

have used your talents

and gifts to lighten and enrich the lives of your

fellow man. In your hands

lie the future of your

world and the fulfilment

of the best qualities of

your own spirit - John F

Kennedy




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33So it makes

sense that we need to keep our

energy levels high in order to thrive and face

that which we most fear. Doing so requires

that we make time for all aspects of our life

and spend quality moments doing what we

enjoy as well as what brings a sense of

accomplishment as you’ll recall from

chapter two, passion for our work combined with a balanced life makes our heart sing

and keeps us in this high energy state with a

positive can do attitude. To the workaholic

who has neglected their self care and

become cut off from the full aspect of life’s

pleasures the resilience aspect is likely to be

very low.

Low resilience equals high resistance. When we learn to listen to that resistance and

understand the information and its message we’ll be in a far better position to make the

changes we need to in life. In this sense resistance can be helpful in so much as it gives us

that information and builds up the energy within us again. The longer we ignore it the more

opportunities we’ll be presented with to learn these lessons. The phrase ‘resistance is futile’

comes to mind here.

Are you beginning to see how it is so easy to fall into the trap of the corporate treadmill

existence?

The harder you work the less you seem to accomplish and the greater the pull to do more.This affects your health and relationships as you get sucked in to more and more time

working, travelling, and thinking about the challenges maybe neglecting your health and

well being. Meanwhile, before you realise it you’ve become withdrawn, turning down

opportunities to have fun.




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34

‘Young players need

freedom of expression to

develop as creative players.

They should be encouraged

to try skills without fear of

failure’ - Arsene Wenger

As your energy reduces, your attitude turns increasingly negative and you become

increasingly irritable and frustrated, stuck in your situation. Procrastination sets in along

with self doubt and you may even adopt addictive practices to numb the emotional distress.

It becomes a downward spiral where you begin to lose self confidence and devalue your own

abilities. In this state you’re hardly in the best position to make the best choices for yourself,

its survival mode and in this state changes are often thrust upon you.

It is only when the pain has become too great or crisis occurs that we are forced to rethink

our work. A life threatening illness, a family bereavement, a broken relationship or loss of job

become life defining moments to stop and review what’s happened and how the hell it

happened.

So we must learn to lean into the resistance and face that which we most fear. Taking action

builds motivation and it can precede motivation. We have to learn to take responsibility for

all of our experiences in life and whilst we can’t be responsible for everything that happens

to us, we can be responsible for how we react to what happens to us.

That way we don’t fall victim to blaming the system, the economy or our family

circumstances for having to put up with our unsatisfactory

existence.

Examine your fears, what truly lies behind them. Are they

legitimate reasons for doing nothing or are they merely

excuses?

Is it the fear of failure or the fear of being different and not

following the majority where you fear ridicule for thinking

differently or fear of isolation and rejection for followingan alternative path?

This is not to be underestimated, as humans we’re social creatures and we want to fit in. It is

easy to see how we become socially influenced by the peer group we hang out with.

Fear affects everyone at some point in their lives, high achievers included because the more

successful you become the more reluctant you often become to try new things for fear of

failure or loss of what you may have acquired.




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35Carol Dweak in her book ‘Mindset: The New Psychology of Success’ suggests there are two

mindsets, fixed and growth. If you believe you have an innate ability to do something, or not,

you have a fixed mindset. If you believe your ability is based on how hard you work and how

much you learn about a skill or topic you have a growth mindset.

Fixed mindsets don’t deal with failure very well. When they hit barriers it calls into question

their ability to succeed at all. The doubt sets in and eventually this results in them giving up

completely. Growth mindsets see failure merely as an opportunity to learn and eventually

succeed.

Fear of failure keeps us small and stops us growing. In personal development terms you’re

either growing or dying. Playing small means treading water which whilst safe eventually

leads to boredom, mundane patterns and habitual sameness.

We all have the ability to change our thought patterns to impact our behaviours and actions.

Whilst the feelings and emotions of the fear don’t necessarily change how we deal with it

does.

Embracing our fears requires stretching outside our comfort zones. Being safe, comfortable

and ordinary doesn’t get extraordinary results. Once we face that which is most difficult we

expand and stretch and can never go back to our previous position. The reality is never as

bad as the original thought as the acronym goes Fear is actually false evidence appearing

real.

A final word on fear. When we stop to notice

what is truly holding us back it is often the clue

that is being given to take us to where we really

need to go, it is generally what we really want deep down. That’s why it’s so scary but the

thought of looking back on life and regretting the

shots you didn’t take is far worse.

A lack of know-how and a

false belief that following our

passions won’t support the

lifestyle we desire.




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36 A lack of know-how and a false belief that following our passions won’t support the

lifestyle we desire.

We often come up with a whole list of excuses that stop us fulfilling our real desires. Here are

a few of these;

I don’t have enough experience yet .

I’m not entrepreneurial.

It’s not the right time to start my own business, the economy is awful.

I don’t have any clients.

I’m not that creative.

I’m not confident enough.

I wouldn’t have the first clue about designing a website or how to go about it.

If the desire is great enough then there is always a way. We all have to keep learning and

adapting to grow and that is exactly how we’ve achieved what we have to date. Consider

how you managed to acquire the knowledge and skills you have to date. The more thought

we give to identifying our innate talents and how we might go about creating a business

around the work we love, the more opportunities, people and resources will be made

available to us.

Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes, extroverts, introverts, loud and proud, calm and

serene and we all have the potential for creating when we allow ourselves the indulgence of

focusing upon an idea and learning to back ourselves and belief in our own ability.

I think part of the problem comes from the image we have in our heads of what

entrepreneurs are and we tend to associate that term with high profile figures like Richard

Branson, Bill Gates and the like. This is misleading and enough to put the fear of god into

anyone about the thought of exciting a career and company. There are also fewer female

role models out there which doesn’t help matters though this is changing and a significant

number of women are leaving the workplace to set up business for themselves.




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37‘When a person really desires something, the entire universe conspires to help that person

to realize his dream.’- The Alchemist

It is human nature to focus on what we don’t want rather than give our attention, time and

contemplation to what we do desire. A common issue is also that many people are not really

sure what they want and thus only really focus on want they don’t want because they never

step outside their busy lives to reflect upon these questions and then wonder why thingshave a bad habit of happening to them. Energy follows thought so invariably what we thing

about we bring about.

The more internal your mode of control then the greater your desire to control your own

destiny. This internal restlessness will show itself in a number of ways but you’ve got to be

alert for the signs.

Self awareness and self discovery are essential to identifying your unique signature gifts. This

is the starting point to identifying work that matters. This can then be built upon by

analysing what knowledge and interests you have and, of them, what you do that is second

nature and fills you with joy.

We often fail to spot what is under our very nose in terms of our natural abilities because we

don’t think about them as they are automatic. This is also often why we can dismiss our

passions as fun and enjoyable but not necessarily something we could ever make money out

of or create a business around.

So many people make the mistake when starting out of completely ignoring their talents and

following what others might be doing. This is one of the crucial building blocks to laying the foundations of a long term profitable and fulfilling business.

When we are fulfilling our passions in life then we don’t have the same tendency to cram our

life with stuff we don’t need and spend for the sake of it to top up our happiness tank,

momentarily. This is often a tell tale sign of someone who is running away from an

unfulfilling existence. So the life we have created is not always the lifestyle we truly desire.




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38We’ve already covered the fact that passionate people are contagious and attractive. When

we are deeply authentic, which only truly

happens when we are whole we have the

capacity to connect on a far deeper level

with human beings. Passionate people have

a far greater chance of selling anything and

thus being successful. The key aspect here is focusing on one’s strengths and aspects that

bring enjoyment and finding others to assist with what doesn’t come natural.

Passion for our work means we‘ll have the commitment to do whatever it takes to succeed. If

it’s not important enough then we’ll just stop pursuing it when the going gets tough. When it

matters we’ll do whatever it takes.

Whilst there are no guarantees in life that wealth follows once we’ve created t he work that

we love, there is a far stronger likelihood and direct correlation that in time it’s possible to

earn far more than you did in your day job.

I don’t have the financial means to quit my job and create my own business

It was once the case that setting up on one’s own carried a lot more financial risk and

investment than today. Some traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ businesses still do carry a

significant financial outlay but the new economy brings appealing and low investment

alternatives.

In our new online world with there are no limits to customers or virtual communities with

desires for services and products. Knowledge and information can be traded. I won’t repeat

what I have already written about in chapter 1 for danger of sounding like a stuck record but

you don’t need cash to get started you need imagination and support to cultivate and grow your idea!

There are many sites on the internet that offer free websites and blogging platforms. There

are a multitude of social platform tools and free forums to access markets and customers

and supportive networks that can guide, assist and promote you with no cost.

Most households these days have broadband access, a computer or laptop and a phone.

What you spend on increased usage in electricity working from home you’ll save on all those

aspects of not having to hold down a job, like excessive commuting costs.

‘Find people who play at what you

have to work at’ - Anonymous




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39 A word on timing

Not that I have ever taken this advice on board myself, nevertheless I am advocating it to

you. Planning your exit is important where possible. A transitioning process from employee

to entrepreneur is the better option if you have large monthly financial commitments or you

are the main breadwinner. That way you can build up a client base by working on your

business in the evenings or weekends and work on eliminating any debts whilst building a

financial reserve fund. Six months is good, twelve months is even better. Recognise though

that it is incredibly

difficult to devote the

energy and commitment

to starting a business

when you are holding

down a full time

responsible role.

All of this depends upon

your personal circumstances and degree

of caution but there are

numerous examples of

entrepreneurs who have

generated income

relatively quickly because

they needed to and there

total focus and energy

went into this. Ultimately it is all about the commitment you make to yourself, often when

we have no plan B or fall back we make things happen.

I think the majority of people who’ve made the leap to working for themselves will say the

hardest aspect is actually making the decision in the first place but once that commitment is

in place there is no turning back.




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Fear is natural and human, building resilience assists our capacity to cope with it.

Resilience gets topped up through living a balanced life not being a workaholic.

Getting stuck is a result of energy depletion and affects mood and attitude.

It is human tendency to act only when the pain is too much or at crisis point but being in

control of the opportunities is far better for our health.

Take responsibility for how you react to what happens to you and lose the ‘victim’ tag.

Examine what’s really behind the fear -excuses or legitimate reasons.

Develop a growth mindset open to learning.

Change your thoughts.

Action sometimes precedes motivation to kick start the process.

Fears are often the clues to where we really want to go.

Focus on your desires and people, opportunities and resources show up to assist you.

Focus on what you want-unwavering crystal clear intentions.

Slow down to contemplate what you want.

Innate talents are not skills so are not always easy to spot but crucial to business-building

success.

When you are passionate about your work it is easy to lead a simpler existence.




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41

Money tends to follow the work that

you love to do.

You don’t need to know how to run

everything; you need to outsource what does not come natural.

You don’t need money to get started,

you need imagination.

‘I believed in myself. I never imagined myself as just an ordinary player’ - Imran Khan

What we really want to do is what

we’re really meant to do. When we

do what we are meant to do, money

comes to us, doors open for us, we

feel useful and the work we do feelslike play to us - Julia Cameron




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42Personal reflection-call to action

Take some time to examine your fears, what is truly behind them?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Who is in control of your life?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How are your thoughts assisting you?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How are you topping up your resilience energy?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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43If you had no fear what would you most want to do?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

What comes natural to you that you don’t have to think about?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

What interests fill you with joy?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Are your finances in great shape, if not, why?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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44CHAPTER 5

Adopting a winning mindset

If you’ve grasped the importance of identifying a clear purpose and generating a business

around your passions, strengths and values you’ re half way there. The other fifty percent is

really all about programming your mind for success with a clear vision and daily action.

Any business takes time to gain traction and build relationships; quick fixes and miracle

success stories rarely exist. Most people’s overnight success can be attributed to years of

experience building, tweaking and perfecting. It is easy to get fixated on achievement and

success where you can pressurize yourself into feeling you are running out of time especially

if you have been in a high stress, high powered role.

What we focus on is critical. An entrepreneurial mindset requires unwavering faith, self

belief and absolute confidence.

There is a significant shift that needs to take place when transitioning from corporate land to

working for yourself so you can remain true to the motivations behind setting up on your

own and not resenting the very business you have built because it takes all your time and

energy. The task of creating your own income is not the same as having a monthly salary,irrespective of seniority of job role. One needs to prepare for both fluctuations in income and

the ability to build a long term sustainable pipeline, preferably multiple sources of income.

The functions of running a business, the skill set, can be more easily acquired and specialist

help can be sought but you are ultimately responsible for adopting and building a winning

mindset and setting a clear vision for yourself and to attract others. Continued investment in

personal development, therefore, is essential but this can easily be neglected at the expense

of tasking.

‘It is a terrible thing to see

and have no vision’

Helen Keller




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45You must first win the game in your head before you can manifest the results you may be

looking for in your businesses. This unwavering faith can be tested against the backdrop of

isolation, without an immediate team and infrastructure around to spark off and provide

daily support.

Self discipline, persistence and commitment are necessary components along with an ability

to adapt quickly and follow one’s own instincts and gut level decision-making. As you set

your own hours and plan your own time it is important to find a structure that works for you

without succumbing to working 24/7 and falling into the habit of doing everything.

This can be tricky for some who have been accustomed to operating in a hierarchical culture

with established routines and processes of working and striking out on one’s own with a

clean sheet of paper and total freedom can lead to procrastination and paralysis without a

clear vision, strong convictions and focus followed up by daily action and review.

It is easy to fall into the trap of attempting to learn everything first before starting out and

thus always preparing to launch or jumping in too quickly without a degree of clarity of the

general direction. A potential pitfall is falling into developing a product that you think will

sell without having identified whether your target clients actually want them.

When you generate your own income you need to learn how to promote yourself and

develop the ‘expert’ authority tag. From day one you must start to think and act like a

winner by focusing on where you are headed rather than where you’re starting out. The key

is not to wait for permission to step up and step out. Consistency is important here both in

terms of brand message and quality and quantity of PR undertaken. Marketing is definitely a

skill that can be developed over time if you are clear of what you stand for and what makes

you unique.

Measuring your effectiveness and outputs is crucial and it is definitely about working

smarter not necessarily harder as well as playing to your strengths and investing in the

necessary expertise like a coach to keep you accountable and on track.




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46Training the mind starts with these steps:

1. Visioning-Where am I going?

This is about identifying the clear desire and requires connecting to our imagination and

creative power. We all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves and a very big

reason to get up in the morning which is far more than becoming a wage slave. Having a

clear vision of your life and work will help you stay focused when the going gets tough.

2. Goal-setting/clear intentions

Formulating goals clearly in the present tense ideally and written down acting as if we have

already achieved them. This helps the subconscious mind over time align with the conscious

mind. There is a focus here on the be-do-have principles which is all about building that

belief in our heads so our actions over time align, eliminating poor habits and negative

programming and conditioning the mind with

what seed we have planted.

3 .Daily visualisation

Focus the mind on the goals in hand .Run the script

as a movie in your head over and over. Feelings

and emotions build the intensity of the desire and

accelerate the manifestation process.

4. Plan then take daily action

An outline business plan defining your unique

proposition, a clear market niche to target, amarketing plan and brand strategy and daily

actions to focus on whilst keeping in mind the longer term vision. Plans can change so it

should be a work in progress. It is important to stay flexible and adaptable having a structure

but being open to change course as ideas develop fully and market knowledge enables you

to identify different options from the original plan. Content should be about providing great

value and relationship building, serving first.

Each day taking small steps forward and celebrating small victories and remaining focused

on our own game.

‘One reason so few of us

achieve what we truly

want, is that we never

direct our focus; we

never concentrate our

power. Most people

dabble their way

through life, never

deciding to master

anything in particular’

Tony Robbins




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475. Peer Group Support

Removing yourself from any negative influences and people in your life who have a vested

interest in keeping you small. Whilst they believe they are protecting you from

disappointment or failure with your best interests at heart they are more likely threatened

by your development and changing perspective. Those that have no real motivation in

breaking out and doing what is necessary will think you’re a freak. They don’t understand

what or why you’re investing your energy in what you’re undertaking and they’ll drain you.

Master-minding with like minds is crucial to keeping

you moving forward and in the right frame of mind.

6. Modelling Success

Identify and network with people who have been

where you’re trying to get to who will support y ou,

collaborate and promote you. This will accelerate your

learning curve. Increasing one’s social capital can be

the difference between success and failure. Those that

adopt a winning mindset find and cultivate the

relationships conducive to assisting them with where

they need to go.

7. Reinvention

There is always room in all markets for new players

with a fresh perspective provided you do your homework. Original thinking and alternatives

can be market leading but there is also no point reinventing the wheel for reinventions sake.

8. Make time to play

Whilst working from your strengths and passions should increase energy flow rather than

deplete it, over time and especially as you become more successful it is easy to fall back into

the trap of overworking at the expense of other aspects of life. So the key is to have fun

whilst working whilst still having plenty of time to play. Time out provides an outlet to gain

further inspiration and to recharge. This is entirely possible when your business is systemised

to save you time, energy and money. Outsourcing is a vital area to release you from

becoming a work slave to your business.




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48Key summary messages

Self belief is everything. It builds self confidence.

There is a mindset shift from employee to working for yourself which starts with

getting comfortable with recognising you create your own reality.

Continuous learning and personal development is crucial. The specialist skills aspect

of running a business can be brought in, outsourced, traded or learned.

Coping with isolation can be a problem.

Self discipline, persistence and 100% commitment is required when you set your own

schedule.

Being decisive and taking daily action is imperative.

Learn to self promote.

Measure effectiveness not effort.

Mindset training starts with knowing where you want to go and where you are now,

clear goal setting, daily visualisation and surrounding yourself with positive like-

minded individuals.

Model success until you get there. Focus on the be-do-have formula.

Make time for play through outsourcing and systemising so you benefit from starting

your own business..




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49Personal reflection – call to action

What’s your vision?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Have you researched your niche?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How will you differentiate your offering?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How are you feeding your mind for success?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________




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50Who are you accountable to?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Vision is not enough; it must be combined with venture.

It is not enough to stare up the steps; we must step up

the stairs – Vaclav Havel




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51CHAPTER 6

Meet some others players in the free enterprise

This chapter is not about taking my word for it but hearing other people’s journey’s into

working for themselves and finding work that really matters. There is plenty of social proof

of people who have found a way to integrate their work lives with their home lives and turn

their passions into profits whilst making work play.

AB KUJER

Motto in life-'You meet who you need.' 'Creativity

takes you to places you have never been before'.

Reasons that led to self employment and work that

matters.

I knew when I was 8 that the teacher was wrong and Iwas right. I always had my own vision on things and had

too many conflicts with teachers or managers that did

not like to hear another opinion. So at the age of twenty

two I started my first business and did my own thing. It

worked out pretty well. I was right after all.

AB’S BUSINESS

JuniorSenior is my hub from where I work for a broad variety of clients that use our

experience for building a brand, teaching people how to deal with change, new business

development . www.jr-sr.com/home

Advice to those starting out

Focus on priority. Do things that you can do in two minutes straight away. Check your mails

only three times a day; not every minute. Don't let others distract you. Stay open for

opportunities but remember you do not have to accept them. Listen to that voice in your

head called instinct. Treat everybody the way you would like to be treated. Give more then

you receive; at the end you will have a happy balance in life.



http://www.jr-sr.com/home




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52VICTORIA HENSON

Motto in life-‘That which does not kill you makes you

stronger’.

Reasons that led to self employment and work that

matters

I have never been good at being told what to do. As a

school teacher I had a pretty free reign as to how I taught

my kids as long as I stuck to the curriculum but in the

corporate sector it was a different story and I didn’t

handle it well. Then, when one boss continually put down

my ideas but then implemented them as her own, I knew

my role was not one of a follower. I left the corporate

world only 12 months after entering it and started my own consultancy. That was 20 years

ago. I loved teaching however, just not in a classroom and not kids. Now I combine teaching

and marketing from the comfort of my own home. It ’s pretty good.

VICTORIA’S BUSINESS

“Where cooking is simplified and recipes demystified” and my Bite Size Cooking brand’s

motto is “Food fundamentals in digestible portions”.

I am a multimedia producer who specialises in online education, specifically food and

cooking. As well as my own websites I also strategize for and educate clients on how to

create and manage their online content, specialising in the development of seamless

multimedia content production schedules.

www.victoriahansen.com www.blackbookcooking.com www.kitchngirl.com

Advice to those starting out

I have learned the importance of first knowing what you’re good at and not so good at and

how to hire reliable, inexpensive and diligent people to d o the stuff you’re not so good at to

give you the maximum freedom to execute work you love and that is the most profitable use

of your time. Where ever possible, it’s then about creating systems that almost run them.

The more organised you are, the more time you have to do the stuff that makes the money.



http://www.victoriahansen.com/


http://www.blackbookcooking.com/


http://www.kitchngirl.com/






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53 JEREMY LOCKE

Motto in life-‘Be inspired to take action’

Reasons that led you to self-employment and work that

matters.

A burning desire for creativity without compromise or

committee. In 2009, having studied a number of highly

successful information publishers and marketers I realised that

this was a business opportunity I wasn’t going to allow to pass

me by. I wanted in, not out. Sure, I wanted freedom from

corporate bureaucracy, mediocrity, politics, micro-thinking and

life in slow motion like so many others but it was more to go towards an exciting opportunity

than to get away from any negativity. After looking around at many alternative options I

realised that “entrepreneurship” was the only way forwards that would allow for my

constant ideals – a commitment to ultimate quality at accelerated speeds and stimulating

variety in the pursuit and delivery of great marketing.

I have to admit this was also coupled with a hunger for a better lifestyle. More time with my

wonderful family and three (soon to be four) young children, coupled with the direct

financial rewards and the potential to be better paid for one’s endeavours and successes,

rather than disproportionately benefitting bosses and shareholders. It feels natural, having

enjoyed an intense range of learning experiences in my career leading marketing initiatives

for FTSE100s, FTSE250s, small businesses and start-ups that I now want to share what I

have learned whilst also putting my skills to good use.

JEREMY’S BU SINESS

I created Executive Action with my belief in the power of inspiration as the foundation of

great action. In particular, inspiration I want to deliver through fantastic information

products and learning experiences designed to inspire busy executives and entrepreneurs to

do just that - take great action.




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54This started by putting 15 years of direct, hard-earned marketing experience into a tested

and well-proven 5-step series of templates – creating a supremely high quality toolkit called

The Sales Accelerator that took over a year to construct.

It’s a product that can be instantly used to launch and re-vitalise your services to speed up

sales. Its true value is the discovery of “knowledge as you go” putting years of practical and

professional know how straight into the user’s hands in a way that can be instantly acted

upon, without the need for prior marketing experience. This saves hours of work completing

planning, building propositions, adding branding, creating communications and running

campaigns, creating a direct line of sight straight to the result – more sales.

I now deliver fast-track enterprise and executive coaching programmes to embed this

approach consistently across teams and individuals. In fact, even before its official launch,

The Sales Accelerator System has already been adopted by several UK outsourcing

companies.

As an unforeseen consequence, by popular request after several public speaking

appearances, I am now also augmenting this with a course for busy executives to learn how

they can quickly prepare inspiring, passionate and professional quality presentations and

instantly develop PowerPoint that gets the “wow”.

Author/Coach, The Sales Accelerator

Founder, Executive Action - online at www.theexecutiveaction.com

Advice to those starting out.

Seek a mentor that inspires you to act. Start now with what can be done today… download

Richard Branson’s books (all of them) and turn every spare moment into a chance to learn

from a master entrepreneur. Take his advi ce: “Screw it, just do it!”

F or those who’ve already started down the path, I recommend one thing above all. It is

something I live by and regularly speak on, a quote from perhaps America’s foremost

business philosopher Jim Rohn where he stated: “Don’t bring your need to the marketplace,

bring your skill”. That’s an instruction both about what to do and what not to do. I help

people and companies bring their skill. It’s how ‘selling’ can be replaced with ‘buying’. I

highly recommend you take his advice – and whatever you do, take action.



http://www.theexecutiveaction.com/





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55DAVE THACKERAY

Motto on Life-Live one, love the other. They're

interchangeable.

Reasons that led to work that really matters.

After 18 months of waiting, my ex-girlfriend and I finally got the

green light from the Australian High Commission to emigrate.

We spent three months travelling round India, doing charity

work and discovering Buddhism. Then we made the move. I

lasted less than two weeks.

DAVE’S BUSINESSES

An instant-win communications company - www.WordAndMouth.com.

A digital radio system marrying social media with internet broadcasting for exhibition and

conference organisers creating massive exhibitor excitement and engagement -

www.ThePodcastGuy.com A dribble of small business inspiration courtesy of my own site: www.DaveThackeray.com Advice to those starting out.

Never stretch yourself too thinly. Always align yourself with those who fill in the gaps and

compensate for your weaknesses. Model yourself on those who inspire you, constantly. Be

true to yourself, always.



http://www.wordandmouth.com/



http://www.thepodcastguy.com/


http://www.davethackeray.com/







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56 JOHANNA BAKER-DOWDELL

Motto in Life-‘Stop thinking, just do!’


I finished working full time a few weeks before my first son, Noah,

was born. Whilst at home with a newborn I started freelancing for a few clients and then that grew into more and more work and I

realised I had a business. I registered the business name after

attending a networking event in October 2007 and haven’t looked

back since!

JOHANNA’S BUSINESS

Our writing and PR consultancy will tell your business story through media releases, promote

your expertise in articles, outline your solutions in case studies and much more, throughcarefully crafted words and publicity. Writer and PR consultant Johanna Baker-Dowdell

started Strawberry Communications in 2007 to help businesses tell their story. Strawberry

Communications is based in Launceston, on the Tamar River, Tasmania, but servicing clients

all over Australia (and sometimes the World).

Strawberry Communications

Strawberry Communications generates amazing publicity!

www.strawberrycommunications.com.au


As my business has grown from a part-time operation a few hours a week to full time with

virtual consultants I have now realised the importance of systemisation of work load and

tasking. I have learned the value of having great systems in place and wish I had spent the

time doing this when it was smaller rather than having to go back now and review the best

ways to get things done. Having said this, the experience is a good one because it makes you

question why things are done a certain way leaving you open to potentially better options.



http://strawberrycommunications.com.au/

http://strawberrycommunications.com.au/


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57LESLEY-ANNE HORNBOGEN

Motto in Life - ‘ Do what you have to, to get the result! ’


I was made redundant just before I turned 50. Although shocked

at first I have never looked back. I knew I didn’t want to have towork for anyone other than myself and with my experience as a

PA set up On The Go as a Virtual Assistant in November 2007.

LESLEY- ANNE’S BUSINESS

On The Go provides on-line secretarial and social media services. These include spreadsheets,

presentations, word processing, audio digital transcription, mail merge, database

creation/cleansing and network research. Maximising the business opportunities that Social

Media provides On The Go has the knowledge and expertise to set up and maintain your

social networking activities on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. On The Go is based

in Wiltshire, UK – however, being virtual, provides on-line services worldwide.

On The Go – for people on the go!

www.lesley-anneonthego.com


Network – network – network! I built up On The Go entirely through networking for the first 18 months. Make sure you know the areas of work you want to cover. When you first start

out it is easy to take on all work that comes your way and although you are capable of doing

it, actually, some of it may not be what you want to do. Remember you work for yourself -

therefore it’s your choice as to who you work for and who you don’t. Good luck



http://www.lesley-anneonthego.com/




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58CHAPTER 7

Conclusion

If you’ve got this far then I salute you for investing the time to digest and reflect but the final

question has got to be what will you do with this information?

I have attempted to demonstrate that we live in an exciting moment in history and we have

for the very first time a real chance of breaking free from the unsatisfactory and unfulfillingexistence of trying to balance work and home and hold down a job or career to being able to

integrate them seamlessly. In doing so we can follow our own path to work that really

matters and that we love to do whilst still having time to play.

Overwhelming opinion suggests that the majority of individuals in society want to work less

hours and I ‘m sure you’re one of them. I think this is both a result of unsatisfactory and

unfulfilling work but also as a result of a desire to have more family time.

When we opt to do work that really matters and that we love we;

End up happier, more engaged and enthusiastic.

Passion for our work keeps us healthy and full of vitality.

Allows us to use the creative potential we can all access.

Gives us a far greater chance of standing out, becoming an expert because there is

no competition being you.

Feel fully connected because we’re working alongside people who are like-minded.

A chance to delight customers with our magnetism.

Improve our chances of wealth creation.

Integrate our family life with our work

Have more fun and still have time to play.




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59

Generation Y are increasingly reluctant to sacrifice their quality of life in exchange for being

married to the firm/job having seen the impact of holding down careers on their parents.

Entrepreneurs come from a wide variety of backgrounds these days driven by a desire to

improve something and a purpose which goes beyond them. The more individuals that take

this path the easier it becomes for those that follow.

When we have complete freedom to work from home or where we desire with total

autonomy over our work design and schedule we take satisfaction to an altogether new

level.

Combine this aspect with purposeful work then we are well on the way to thriving in life.

If we can be balanced individuals, body, mind and spirit we are capable of remarkable and

extraordinary creations. Employers who are able to recognise

this aspect are in the minority and as businesses grow, rules and

regulations tend to overlook and restrict these freedoms.

We‘re all meant to grow and evolve and the advent of change

brings these possibilities. Midlife is a critical transition point

where we rediscover the person we were supposed to be.

Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself. Learning to

let go of old patterns that don’t serve you is the fastest way to

evolve. Nature abhors a vacuum, so when we learn to go with

the flow of life rather than resisting it we stretch beyond what

we ever thought possible.

There are pitfalls on the road to running your own profitable

business. If you don’t learn to focus on the right things and gain

the support you need you can flounder and end up feeling equally as dissatisfied as you did

in your job. Smart folk reach out and connect with those that have been where they want to

go. They understand the importance of continual learning and that a successful business has

strong foundations, a clear and compelling vision, systems that work and they intelligently

measure their progress.

Coming together is

a beginning.

Keeping together is progress. Working

together is success -

Henry Ford




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60If you would like to be rescued from the work you do to discover your true talents and

formulate a plan of how you can turn your passions into profit and be remarkable then

please get in touch as I would love to assist you further.

For more free and paid resources please visit:

http://www.makeworkplay.co.uk/free_life_coaching_tools and download the 7 step

formula.

To connect with me directly drop me an email at [email protected] .

If I have inspired you to take action then that’s a great starting point so please leave me a

comment at my Blog and Facebook Page. If you’ve enjoyed this material you might like my other

blog. To get more tips and tricks on how to be unstoppable click here - personal development.

This rebel has a cause!

http://www.makeworkplay.co.uk/free_life_coaching_tools


mailto:[email protected]






http://www.facebook.com/MakeWorkPlay



http://www.alchemy4thesoul.com/blog








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