Pat Mussieux's Blog (84)

“I don’t know what I want.”  So, how can I set any goals? I have been hearing that over and over and over as I speak at different events for women in business.

In my signature keynote, I speak about ‘7 Steps to Growing Your Business By Getting Out of Your Own Way!”  That content is only useful to those who DO know what they want and are stuck, in some ways.

I have always been very good at setting goals. In this article, I will…

“I’m scared to death!”  Have you ever felt that way as you grow your business? I know that many of you look at the ‘successful’ entrepreneurs and tell yourselves that it’s easy for ‘them’.

Are you kidding me?  I do hear that a lot when people learn that I’ve taken my business from sub-zero to multiple 6 figures in less than 4 years – but easy? NO! It’s downright scary most of the time. I have come to like feeling scared because it means I am having a…

“Nothing is happening!”  I have been hearing this from so many entrepreneurs, from all parts of the country. My response right back is ‘What are YOU making happen?”

Success isn’t a magic pill. There is no magic wand.  It is hard work, a daily effort, a full time job!

Here’s what I think is happening for many of you. Keep reading and see what applies to you.

1) Social Media. I keep hearing many of you say…

I trust that all of you have had the opportunity to read the phenomenal book “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway!” by Susan Jeffers.  If not, then you need to get your hands on a copy today. It will become a live-saving reference as you grow your business.

All of us have experienced fear at some point in our lives.  What is interesting to me is the way we often confuse fear with the feelings of panic. They are very different.

Recently, I saw the movie…

Feeling a little ‘blah’ these days? Stuck behind your computer, not sure what to do next? This seems to be the time of year when people are feeling a little down – or stuck – or have some ‘paralysis analysis’. Is that you?

I believe that businesses have cycles, just like people do.  And, as a result, things aren’t always UP and FABULOUS and AWESOME. They just aren’t. That’s ok – but what do we do about it and how do we get past…

Ladies, stop comparing the inside of you to the outside of someone else! Seriously! This was one of the best pieces of advice I ever received from my mentor and coach, Lou Tice, many years ago. Stop it!

I am convinced that there would be many more millionaire women business owners if they would all stop and recognize some of the stupid mistakes they are making. And how do I know this? Because I’ve made them all myself!

Over the past few…

How many of you are out there, on your own, re-inventing the wheel?  When is the last time you read a good book – and learned from some of the ‘masters’?

I am reading all the time. I heard an interview with Bill Gates this morning, actually, and he said that he reads each night for a full 2 hours. That’s impressive. That’s what the ‘masters’ do!

There was an article recently in Forbes magazine – “Top 10 Career Lessons from Powerful…

How many of you keep telling yourself that you have no money? That happens a lot at this time of year!

One of the TV shows that I watch regularly is Dragon’s Den (the Canadian version of the U.S. show, Shark Tank). I enjoy it this year because one of the investors is David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber. I love that book!

One of the key principles in that book is to pay yourself first. Well, for many of you, this may…

How often have you attended an event and found that you were totally overwhelmed and under-prepared? I see it happen all the time and it makes my heart sink because, seriously, those are missed opportunities that you will never get back.

There are many large, and valuable, events scheduled around North America (and the world, for that matter) that are a gold-mine of opportunity when it comes to learning and networking. Attending these events is one of the best ways to…

When you tell people what it is you ‘do’ in your business, do they understand anything you’re saying? Do YOU even know how to clearly articulate the message?

“All meaningful and lasting change starts with you and then works its’ way out’ is a great quote from my mentor, Lou Tice. It is no different when it comes to getting the word out about the work you do and the transformation you create.

It all starts…

‘Without a vision, they will perish!” – So True. But without ACTION, the vision will stagnate (or, worse yet, frustrate the heck out of you!).  While many of you are spending the time and energy creating great Vision Boards for 2013, without following through on the next 2 critical steps: Action and Accountability – the likelihood of achieving your goals is minimal.

So, I want to keep this simple this week.  Here’s what I…

What is the #1 question asked weekly by ‘Mr. Wonderful” – Kevin O’Leary?

Who really chooses the winners of the Mirror Ball on Dancing with the Stars?

 I do watch TV on a regular basis and I’m not ashamed to admit it. These days, it seems like it’s a bad thing to watch TV – but that all depends on WHAT you are watching and why.

It’s a weekly ritual for me to watch ‘Mr. Wonderful”, Kevin O’Leary,…

Do you ever think that YOU are the only one challenged to find new clients? I know that many of you feel that way, and on a daily basis. And for many of you, that’s your one and only and biggest challenge when it comes to growing your business.

On my recent trip to Zimbabwe, mentoring and teaching women entrepreneurs on ways to grow their business, I came to realize that we are more alike than different! In discussions with these women, we learned about their top 3 challenges – and…

Did you ever think it would be a ‘cake-walk’ to have your own business?  I ask the question because many people think this way! “I’ll just start my own business, enjoy what I do, make money and…………retire rich and happy”.

Well, back up the truck! While, on the surface, it may seem easy and fun to have your own business (and there ARE many times when it IS easy and fun), it is a lot of hard work – it takes certain qualities and characteristics to pull…

Do you have a dream – for your life, for your business? I dream all the time – the downside, in some cases, is that I did not put a time frame to each dream. I was in Chicago this week and finally got to visit Harpo Studios – a long-time dream of mine – the sad part was that Oprah was no longer there!

Have you had that happen with any of your dreams? The reason I want to write about this is because, sadly, I have spoken with many entrepreneurs who have not created a dream for their…

When was the last time you felt fear about something in your business? Have you ever really thought about where/how that might be holding you back? One thing you need to know is that we ALL feel fear about one thing or another but, as Susan Jeffers writes so eloquently ……’feel the fear and do it anyway’!

Most often you will read articles about fear and how it gets in the way of your success.  My approach is different in that I want you to reframe that…

A quick nod of heads – how many of you are working Moms? How many of you feel overwhelmed, unsupported, misunderstood, exhausted and discouraged? And, simultaneously, as you work in your own business, how many of you feel elated, passionate, ‘on purpose’, celebrated, validated and rich?

I want to salute you! I really do! In North America, on the second Sunday of May, we celebrate Moms.

I want to share some of the…

How often have you read a great magazine and realized that every article spoke to you? This doesn’t happen to me all the time but, recently, the issue of SUCCESS Magazine had that amount of great content.

I love to read and SUCCESS magazine is one that I would recommend to all entrepreneurs. There is an overwhelming amount of information available these days – it is critical, as busy entrepreneurs, that we stay focused on what ‘matters’, on what is…

Do you ever have days when you feel like you just won’t make it? I can remember waking up some mornings, thinking – wondering – pondering – WHEN will IT ever happen? Success, that is.

As a woman in business, do you ever feel overwhelmed, with the sense you’ve got to do it all yourself? Well, then you are just one of many. Seriously. You are not alone.

The thing is that you have got to start doing things differently to achieve different…

Have you ever paid big bucks and taken the time/money to travel and attend high end events? And then you get home, with a HUGE binder of notes and handouts – put it on a shelf somewhere – and get back to the jungle of life and your business?

Of course you have – we all have! But what good does that do? In today’s article, I want to share some simple steps that I take to ensure that I get a return on my investment. Try them – you’ll like them.…