Are You Committed to Change?

Whether you like it or not, each of us are in a constant state of change. In fact, everything on the planet is in a constant state of change, from the smallest acorn to the biggest mountain range, constantly shifting with the unfolding of time.

Actively trying not to change or attempting to keep things the same as they've always been is one of the most futile battles that you can ever embark upon. It's a game you simply cannot win no matter how hard you try.

Given the fact that change is inevitable, the question you need to ask yourself is 'do I actually want to be an active participant in my own change process?' I mean, do you really want to have the ability to consciously influence the outcomes of your own life? Or would you prefer the alternative of being constantly shaped and influenced by your environment?

Below are three simple ideas that will help you take a much more active role in your own change process.

Prepare your mind for change.

It is very important that you provide your mind with very clear signals that a change process is about to commence. When you mind accepts that change is about to unfold for you it will be far less likely to try and resist or sabotage your desired advances.

One of the best ways to help you move forward is to actually prepare the ground before you begin to try to move forward. For example, if you would like to immerse yourself into a regular fitness program, one thing you might do is buy yourself a new pair of trainers. You haven't actually done any exercise yet, but you have sent a very strong signal to your brain that your training program is about to commence.

Make the first step as easy as possible.

When your mind is prepared and willing to accept change, you then have to start implementing the change. I think the best way to begin any personal change program is by making the first step as easy as possible.

Often we resist change because we have built it up in our minds to be much bigger task than it actually is. So rather than building an unsurmountable wall of expectation around you, try and find ways to make the first step as easy to take as possible? Also try and make that first step as enjoyable as possible.

If the first step on your new journey is an enjoyable one you are going to be far more inclined to want to take the next step.

Reinforce the change until it becomes a habit.

Once you have commenced the change process it is then critical to continually reinforce the change until it becomes a habit.

At some level, I believe that we are all creatures of habit so why not use this to your advantage and actually go about installing and reinforcing positive habits that will take you to where you want to go in life.

You know you can do it!

Deep down I think we all know that we have the potential for doing much bigger things than we are currently doing. And to get from where are to where you want to go you have to embark upon a change process.

If you prepare your mind for change, begin your journey by taking small but enjoyable steps and then reinforce the change until it becomes a habit, you'll be well on the way to transforming your life in the most remarkable way.

Geniene Burchett Interview

I met Gen for the first time around 4 months ago and oh boy did she leave an impression upon me.

On first meeting we had an amazing conversation that focused upon Gen's all consuming project to help bring love, compassion and inspiration to children orphaned by the Tsunami. After over six months of extensive fundraising, I am happy to say that she is now in actually in Sri Lanka making it happen.

Gen is an incredibly special person, doing extraordinary things in the world. She really inspires me and a get I feeling she just might inspire you too....

Geniene Burchett Interview.

Damien: What inspired you to leave your home in Brighton, United Kingdom, to work with Tsunami orphans in Sri Lanka?

Geniene: I have always loved children and have always tried my best to help others.
I was looking for a way to blend my creative skills with my passion for helping people. Travelling to Sri Lanka to help the Tsunami victims just seemed to be the perfect match. The Sri Lankan people have had to endure incredible trauma caused by this huge natural disaster. Many people have no remaining family left with which to rebuild their lives.

It has been amazing to bring smiles back to the children of this beautiful country.

Damien: You arrived in Sri Lanka in early February what have been your first impressions?
Geniene: It has certainly been challenging to witness the devastation.
One camp I visited was on the edge of the ocean Kaharva. This particular camp really affected my feelings. Witnessing the complete devastation and the remainders of peoples livelihoods and properties smashed to pieces with only foundations remaining is hard to accept. Some homes still haven't had the rubble removed and there are no signs of it being cleared. All the way along the coast there are permanent reminders ...white strip flags of sympathy, grave yards and broken homes.

Each time I look out at the sea, I can't imagine how these peoples lives have been affected and destroyed by something so calm and beautiful. The image of this massive wave overturning this lovely landscape and beautiful Sinhalese families and communities tears me up inside.
The children are so content and it surprises me every time I see such big smiles and laughter, for what they have been through.... a true inspiration to everyone. Deep down I am sure the pain of their memories causes them much sadness...But still they shine on and make the best of what they have.

Damien : What do you hope to achieve while you're in Sri Lanka and how long do you plan to stay?

Geniene: I am hoping to stay in Sri Lanka for 5 months. It is such an inspiringly beautiful country and the people are extremely hospitable. I have made many new friends on my journey so far and am sure Iwill make many more.

My aim is to bring a smile to each and every person I meet to show them unconditional love and kindness..... with a lot of faerie sparkles too! If I get smiles from people I am with then I know that I have achieved what I am supposed to.

Damien : Now I understand that you did extensive fundraising for over 6 months in order to make your trip a reality. What activities did you get up to and how supportive have you found people to be?

Geniene: I did various fundraising activities. It started off with a small idea by doing a sponsored silence! The more support that people offered the more silence I committed to! I ended up doing a 24 hour silence!

Other fundraising activities included, putting on a club night in my home town... I organised and collected over 80 items from local businesses in Brighton to hold an on line auction... I also painted a doctors surgery to cover my flight and insurance.

Damien : What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome in order to make your dream a reality?

Geniene: My biggest challenge was raising enough money so I could purchase art materials.
I was working full time in a nursery school and part time with young carers project some evenings and weekends. Combining this with fundraising and social life was pretty full on!

Damien: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your journey so far?

Geniene: Wow being here is just amazing ... challenging but very satisfying! To hear families stories and to see broken homes is very hard to accept. It is hard to appreciate and understand how these people really feel.

To see a smile I have made on an beautiful orphans face is just warming and quite overwhelming for my heart. To know that I am bringing the smallest bit of joy to these people is a very rewarding and fulfilling. Makes the dream to come here and help seem absolutely perfect.

Damien: What are some little things that people can do in their daily lives to help make the world a more compassionate place?

Geniene: My motto is to always treat others how you would like to be treated and to always act kindly towards others. It makes a real difference in peoples lives and it has the added benefit of making you feel good as well! If you treat others in a good way the kindness will always come back to you ten fold!

Damien: What advice would you give to other people aspiring to make a difference in the world?

Geniene: Just go for it! If you have an idea to help others all you have to do is take the steps to make it happen. Fear is what holds us back - BUT DON'T LET IT STOP YOU!
I've found that if you are aspiring to make a difference in the best possible way - it will happen. Trust you can make it happen and it will unfold before you.... I started off with a dream a year ago. I began with very small steps. Those small steps have built big bridges and now here i am helping others.

Be Brave.... if you start it you'll be amazed at how many others want to help you build the bridges!

Damien: Do you think anyone can live an inspired life?

Geniene: Yes I do! Many people that I have met along the way have said they are unable to live their dream because of commitments and responsibilities. I do understand that it may be harder to make a true dream come true like mine and I appreciate that I am lucky to have no such ties. The only true tie I believe is being a parent or a carer. Otherwise it's the fear inside of us that's stops us from achieving who we can really be. Fear of change and or failure.
I left my job, home and boyfriend to live my dream. If it is something you are really wanting to achieve while you are here in this lifetime then your partner will 100% support you. Don't miss your chance, you only have one!

Everyone is able to help in a small way; that's how big things happen! I had lots of help from large donators, to a child giving 20p for a face painting, it all helps and we CAN all make a difference! But you're the one who has to make it happen for you!

Michael Breen Interview

Michael Breen is one of the UK’s leading authorities on Neuro Linguistic Programing. He is a man of great presence with an incredible ability to discover and innovate. He is well known for his work with Richard Bandler and Paul McKenna revolutionising the design and delivery of NLP training in the UK.

His vast experience of applying the techniques of NLP to business have enabled him to develop a set of unique programmes designed to enable you to get the most out of your work life....

The Interview with Michael Breen

Damien: So Michael, tell me what exactly is NLP?

Michael: NLP is not a thing, it is a set of ideas and techniques and approaches that people find useful. NLP is a set of heuristics, rules of thumb, empirically derived, that allow you to look at human behavior in a useful way. NLP looks at how behaviors are created, maintained and changed. This is how NLP can lead to change in an individual, a group, or a business. The hardest thing for people to get is that NLP is not one thing. The real thing to learn with NLP is that it is not an academic research subject, it is not about complication. NLP is quite straightforward, the tricky thing to learn in NLP are to get the attitudes, the methodologies, into your behavior so you can do them effortlessly. It is an attitude to ongoing learning. NLP is the discipline of disciplines; it is a discipline that studies how to learn and change human behavior. NLP is about excellence, it not about best practice, excellence is not about what everyone else is doing rather it is about excelling. If you want to exceed in any area NLP certainly has the tools to help but you will not get there by copying the tools of yesterday.

Damien: How has the implementation of the principles of NLP personally affected your life?

Michael: NLP has had many affects, at the simplest level it has shown me how to understand and operationalise the relationship between goals motivation and achievement and just this alone has had a powerful affect on my life. I have been going at it for over 20 years and when I reflect on the main impact in my work and in my personal life the greatest impact of NLP has been that I now have no worries. I do not have the time, the interest, the inclination or the need to worry. This has freed me to be on the lookout for the unknown, and what is unknown that is worth knowing.

Damien: You've been fortunate to not only train with Dr. Richard Bandler (one of the founders of NLP) but you've also worked along side him. How has he influenced your work?

Michael: In the early days I was taught how to work with language in a very superficial manner, NLP was then a very programmed approach, for instance if a client asked a certain question then you say a certain phrase. It wasn’t until I worked with Richard that I began to appreciate the power of language in order to both be able to really comprehend what was happening inside someone’s head, what must be so if what they say is so, what can’t be there, and how to work with that to change their mind. It was with Richard that I learnt about the magic of changing one’s mind with intent for both fun and profit. Curiously enough when I learnt to change my own mind more effectively I discovered I got better results as a persuader. I have learnt to change my own mind by applying the Meta Model to my own thinking processes. Learning how to change my own mind has helped me to change other people’s minds. I admire Richard’s constant questioning, his seeking and finding connections between things that do not seem connected at first glance.

Damien: You were the first to run a NLP Practitioner course specifically designed for business. What inspired you to do this?

Michael: When I started to work with NLP to some of my clients and noticing the effect it was having on them I thought it would be a good idea to take NLP as far as I could take it. The decision to become an NLP trainer was one of pursuing my learning. I was having a conversation with Richard Bandler in 1995 and somebody had told him about some of the things I had done with some of my clients. Richard asked me if I was teaching some of that stuff. I said I wasn’t and he said why not and so the NLP Business Practitioner course was born.

Damien: So how is this course different from what other people are teaching?

Michael: What I am teaching on that course are a handful of tools derived from NLP and a few other sources which allow you to contextualize the NLP material in such a way that the entire lot is open and available to you but more importantly the cognitive tools that I teach and the way that I have organized the Meta Model and the way that I teach it allow you to become far more intuitive but not in any sort of mystical way. I am talking about understanding in terms of how logic works, and inference works, to be able to know what must be behind somebody’s statements and what can’t be there. This will enable you to ask much better questions, come up with better processes, trouble shoot, direct, supervise, coach, and manage far more effectively. I have been teaching this course for a long time now and I know that the tools really work. On this course I teach the patterns that lie behind techniques, so what happens is that people take those patterns and come up with their own approaches. I think that is far more valuable to an individual than just copying someone else’s approach or taking the output of somebody’s programming. I teach people how to think, how to see and how to communicate in such a way that they will never feel stuck again.

Damien: Having personally experienced your NLP training, I have to say that you have an extraordinary ability to engage and captivate audiences through story telling. How did you develop this gift?

Michael: I am so tempting to follow that up with……..well Damien that reminds me of a story but it would be too cheap so I will tell you an anecdote instead. When I was young I wanted to an actor and so I trained extensively in the theatre. By the age of 23 I discovered that there were only a few things I wanted to get out of the theatre and I was not going to be spending much time doing them. My family owned businesses and I recognized at that early stage that I was not cut out to be somebody else’s employee and I decided that I would only pursue things that I would gladly pursue as hobbies for my business. That I would never allow myself to get into a rut, or the rut of I’ll do it because I have done it. That I would go with my heart essentially.

Sometimes if I am in a flippant mood I would say that I was looking for a way to be paid for being me. In the course of doing that as you might imagine I have had a non-linear career path, and in the course of this I have been exposed to a lot of extra-ordinary, wondrous and weird and bizarre situations.

I have hung out with top politicians, celebrities, royalties, Tibetan Lamas lots of different people. I have got to see the big games and the little games. That has let me hook up with people from many backgrounds. By using anecdotes and stories and telling them in an engaging way it makes it possible for someone to really engage with me and the ideas I am presenting in a direct and emotional way.

Damien: What kind of challenges do you help your business consultancy clients overcome?

Michael: Part of what I do is problem solving, sometimes I advise, sometimes I coach, and sometimes I act as a resource. If you want to talk problems a new director of human resources in a global consultancy going through a re-branding and a re-positioning of their organisation, they are going through a major cultural change as well. He has no idea how to pull together such a big programme that was going to go across three years. I helped him with that.
I have helped in anything from finding the right psychological help for a director of an organisation that was an alcoholic to designing and delivering training projects helping property developers radically increase their profits. I’m a senior executive coach that works to improve performance. I get various jobs done at a range of levels. I’m the kind of guy you can parachute in and get the job done.

Damien: How can NLP tools and principles make a difference in an the entrepreneurial business environment?

Michael: One of the major things that NLP will do is make you pay attention in a whole different way, there is stuff that you do not know carries meaning and information in it and when you start paying attention to it the world the world changes. The collected body of wisdom on motivation and persuasion alone will keep the entrepreneur happy and productive and increasing in their profitability for years to come.

Damien: What advice would you give to someone considering training in NLP, apart from doing one of your courses?

Michael: Because NLP is so many things, you could train in two different programmes and they will be universes apart. Before you get involved in any NLP training have a really good think around where you are heading, and what you want to do, around what you think you need to be able to do differently once you have done some form of training. Clarify where you are going before you make that decision.

Damien: What memorable mistakes, if any, have you made in business? What did you learn from them and how can they be avoided?

Michael: Mistakes are how we learn; mistakes are a part of the learning process. It is called trail and error. The mistakes I have made are legion but you know the funny thing is a lot of the biggest mistakes I have made I did not realize were mistakes until much later. Cock ups there have been loads but that is not what we are talking about. Other things that I thought at the time were mistakes was actually the universe messing with me in a form of creativity that actually turned out to be the best things that ever happened to me. That is the thing to get about mistakes; it is the long view that counts, it is not about how you feel about something you have done. The word mistake is itself a mistake. There are only activities that we engage in and there are just results. Sometimes we do not like the results but they are just results.

Damien: Are there any other thoughts, insights, or advice for aspiring small business people that you would like to add?

Michael: Cherish your naiveté, use it to try all the things that need to be tried, do not let other people get in your way. Go full blast at the world. Do not be reasonable and have perfect plans, make an offer to the world and see what comes back. You will find your way.

How to Find New Clients!

One of the biggest challenges that most entrepreneurial service professionals face is building relationships with potential new clients. The reason for this, whether you're a financial planner, a coach or any other kind of entrepreneurial service professional is that most people will come to you a little skeptical about whether you will be able to help them or not.

Your challenge is to take your prospective clients from this place of skepticism to one of trust.

Below are three ideas that will help you to achieve this.

Step 1: Connect to your purpose

If you are serious about creating a professional service practice that fully expresses who you are it is essential that you go deep inside yourself and connect with your true purpose.
Being fully connected with your purpose is one of the best ways to develop trust in the eyes of your clients and potential clients.

Think very carefully about what inspires confidence in you? Are you inspired by people who know exactly what they want? Or would you prefer to work with someone who isn't quite sure?
If you are truly on purpose, you will be constantly searching for ways to express your purpose through the people that you serve. If you are not on purpose, you will always be on the lookout for something else.

Step 2: Express your purpose to your target market

Once you have connected with your purpose you need to find ways to express it. Aligning your purpose with it's ultimate expression is one of the most powerful ways to build trust in business.
The way you actually choose to express your purpose can take many different forms, but typically it will be through the products and services that you sell.

When planning your product and service offerings, spend time considering whether or not your product or service is

(a) aligned with your purpose
(b) something your target market want to buy
(c) simple enough for you to deliver to your target market
(d) provides you with the opportunity to create an abundant livelihood

Step 3: Engage your target market through conversation.

So how do you actually get people to buy from you once you are engaged in the process of delivering your products and services to the market place? One of the most effective ways to engage your target market is through converstion.

It is very rare that you will be able to inspire enough trust for people to consume your professional services after one contact. In fact, most marketing experts suggest that you will need at least 7 different customer contact points before your prospect is in a space where they are willing to buy from you. (Examples of contact points include a website view, reading a newsletter, an advertisement sighting, a telephone conversation etc)

Finding ways to engage your audience in conversation, whether online or offline, will help facilitate these customer contact points, raise the trust levels you experience with your prospects and ultimately allow the relationship to form.

The Foundation Stones of Trust

It is important to remember that all good relationships are founded on trust. If you're going to be a successful service professional you need to constanly invest in building up the trust levels with your target market.

If you start this trust building process by connecting deeply with your own purpose, you will not only inspire trust in your potential customers and clients but you will also inspire your own self confidence.