Does the idea of standing up in front of a group of people and having to think on your feet, well, freak you out a little? Or does not knowing what to expect make you just a wee bit uncomfortable? My guest today is a friend, colleague and co-conspirator who has helped me take steps to increase my confidence in these situations and more. Leif Hansen is an experienced coach, seasoned … [Read more...]
You Miss Every Shot You Don’t Take
How long does it take to build a business, or do anything at which you want to be successful? It depends on how many shots you're willing to take. My business development action plan includes some activities that are well within familiar territory: Write blog posts and articles. Produce podcasts. Coach clients. Give presentations. It also includes stuff that feels unfamiliar and a little scary: … [Read more...]
The Dangers of Being Home Alone
A friend and I try to walk in the morning twice a week. This morning, she wasn’t able to join me, which I didn’t know until after I’d already stepped out into the chilly air. It was tempting to turn right back around and go back home, get my jammies on and snooze just a *few* more minutes. Instead, I walked. And thought. And took a few pictures of pretty fall colors (the main image for this post … [Read more...]
Why Improv is Scarier than Death
When I took a speech class in college, I learned a new word that I loved to say: extemporaneous. I loved to say it, and what it meant scared me to death. To be extemporaneous means to ad lib - to speak (and presumably, to speak intelligently) without a chance to prepare, at the drop of a hat. Another Merriam-Webster definition says "happening suddenly and often unexpectedly and usually without … [Read more...]
Fearbashing with Patty K.
Do any of these things sound familiar to you? You’re smart, capable and want to make a difference You have fears: of rejection, of failure, of success. You worry about what other people think. You’re held back by lack of confidence. If you said “Yes!” to even one of those statements, you’re in the right place. My guest in this episode of The Introvert Entrepreneur is Patty K. Famous … [Read more...]
Leadership & Animal Wisdom with Rachel Dexheimer
There is an emerging field called Biomimicry, which is a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. The central premise is that nature, which is imaginative by necessity, has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with. Animals, plants, and microbes are the skillful engineers. They have found what … [Read more...]
Business Success Secrets Revealed
Have you ever thought that if you had just the *right* filing system, life would be easier? Does the thought of firing a client seem too scary for words? Do you hold on tightly to ideas and the way things “should” be? Do you give too much away? For many entrepreneurs, the answer is YES! to all of the above. This episode shines the spotlight on the stories and experiences of 13 introvert … [Read more...]
What To Do in the Event of a Fire
Stay calm. Don't panic and Don't quit! Be prepared... if you have an escape plan and adapt to the emergency, you greatly increase your chances of survival. ~Guest Information Book, Skamania Lodge, WA As I read these words, how to elaborate on them escapes me. They stand alone, perfectly. They strike me as even more profound now than they did when I read them earlier this spring. This advice … [Read more...]
Rules, Schmules!
[Prefer to listen instead of read? Click here for the audio version!] Last night, I had one of those dreams when I'm back in school and haven't gone to a certain class most of the semester (usually history or math), and it's finals time. Except this time, there was a twist. I wasn't so concerned about my classes. Instead, I had two different children come up to me and ask me to donate to a … [Read more...]
No Introversion, Denied!
How often do you find yourself saying, "Part of me wants to this, but another part of me wants to that"? This and that might be stay home or go out, order dessert or "be good," find a new job or stay put. And how often does saying or thinking that way leave you more than a little frustrated? That internal tug-of-war actually serves a powerful purpose in your life. There are literally parts of … [Read more...]