If You're So Smart, Why Can't You....

I booked our family vacation and connected with Steve Dasseos at the Trip Insurance Store to purchase trip cancellation insurance independently. Besides getting a great deal on insurance (more coverage than the destination offered for less money!), we talked about business, entrepreneurship, resources, and more.

Steve shared this clip with me of Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the #1 New York Times Bestselling memoir “Eat, Pray, Love,” about the year she spent traveling the world alone after a difficult divorce. The book has been a worldwide success, now published in over thirty languages with over 7 million copies in print. It was named by The New York Times as one of the 100 most notable books of 2006, and chosen by Entertainment Weekly as one of the best ten nonfiction books of the year. In 2008, Elizabeth was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, by Time Magazine.

Elizabeth shares a poignant inspiration that helps recognize how other's fears and your internalized fears stand in the way of your highest goal achievements. I've enjoyed helping my coaching clients and audiences live life to their fullest potential by identifying their limited beliefs, identifying their goals, and creating an action plan to take it one step at a time.

Click here to follow the link to Steve's Blog and scroll down about half way for the video. It's a little long but definitely worth listening too!

If You’re So Smart, Why Can’t You …

Create Systems to Simplify Overload

If you are:

• frequently doing things at the last minute;


• wasting time looking for things;


• forgetting how things were previously done;


• ever feeling overwhelmed or disorganized.

Then, creating systems will help you increase your personal and professional success. Systems provide a foundation that helps you have a regular method or order of doing things. This alone can save an incredible about of time and energy!

An example of a system is your bill paying system. I write the due date on the outside of the envelope of each bill as it arrives and then put them in a organizer in sequential order by my kitchen phone. Twice per month, I go through these and process bill payment. To be sure I don't forget to record bills set-up on an autopay cycle, I write them in my checkbook at the beginning of each month. Others use similar systems that are automated but I've found this system works well for me! Design and follow a system that works for you for each process you have, especially those that recur monthly.

To ease the burden of losing things, have a place for everything and consistently return items to their rightful place.

To save yourself from forgetting things, write them down. Keep organized lists of the things you want to be sure to remember and easily recall. Getting things out of your mind helps to keep your mind clear. The key here is to be diligent and consistent rather than writing things on scrap papers, back of the napkin, or other quick places to jot things down. If you have a smart phone, you can leave yourself notes here. If not, carrying a small notebook where all of your reminders are placed, might also prove helpful.

The good news is that anything you do on a regular basis can be turned into a system that will save loads of time!! Begin by just writing down the areas where you can systemize. Next, pick one area to start with and then implement more as time allows. You will be amazed at how much more flow and focus you will have in your day.