Affirmations Create Accountability
- August 17th, 2008
- View Comments (15)
For the longest time I have not been able to create an affirmation for myself. I have heard time and time again that having a daily affirmation or mantra will help one to reach her goals. I could never get behind it. I think I was stuck in this vision that affirmations are a little cheesy and cheery and don’t sound like anything I would say. Many I have seen, heard, and read feel like cheers or pep talks and I’m not good at those. I have on posted on my sidebar that sounds like a rhyme and a cheer. It’s good, but it’s not something I can get in the habit of saying daily. There is also the dreaded suggestion of recording oneself saying the affirmation and then listening to it repeatedly such as in the car. That kind of thing gives me the creeps for some reason. Then, I attended a workshop with my NSD back in April. My opinion and understanding of an affirmation was transformed.
There came a point during the workshop when we were asked to write and affirmation. Now, with my then opinion of affirmations I did not write much. She did make some suggestions that I had not really considered before. She said envision your goals and where you expect to be once you reach them and put yourself in that position. In other words, envision yourself in the place you want to be and make that your affirmation. She also said think about things we aren’t in the habit of doing that we want to be in the habit of doing and make those part of the affirmation. I suppose I didn’t have a crystal clear picture of what I wanted so I didn’t have much to write. Some women volunteered to read what they’d written once our time was up. That was when I had my “AHA!” moment.
One by one each woman read her affirmation. Some were more creative than others, but some were so simple that it made me see the real point of affirmations. For example, one woman simply described the course of her ideal day. She said (and this is paraphrased because it’s been months since I heard it), “I wake up every morning at 5:00 a.m. I embrace the day and I get right out of bed and shower and get dressed. I exercise and I eat a healthy breakfast with my family.” I think she even described her healthy breakfast. She then went on to describe the course of her day including not just her Mary Kay activities, but her daily interactions with her family. It wasn’t sing-songy or cheerleaderish. It was real! This event made me view my goals differently and approach my goal setting and plan of action more seriously and with more intent!
Goal setting is a multi-dimensional process. The first step is to have goals. Goals are the map. They are the destinations we want to reach. Affirmations are the route. You really do have to have both. I never realized this before. The affirmations I was hearing and reading in the past seemed like a lot of fluff and puff. You do NOT have to be a poet or creative writer to create your affirmation. You just need to know your goal and then hatch your plan. Affirm your plan by making the affirmation your regular dialog about your goals. You don’t need to necessarily tape record yourself saying a silly mantra that isn’t really you to begin with. It can be as simple writing down your six most important things for the day and reading them to yourself in the morning before you get started. When you talk to people tell them what you’re doing in your business. Make that your affirmation.
Here is what I mean. My BIG GOALS for this Seminar year are the following:
- Queens Court of Sales
- Career Car
- Director
I’ve narrowed it down to three so I don’t get overwhelmed. My monthly goals are:
- $3000 retail sales (backed with $1000-$1500 wholesale order)
- 30 new faces
- 10 interviews
My weekly goals are:
- $1000-$1400 retail sales
- 2-3 group appointments (7-9 faces)
- 2-3 interviews
My daily goals are:
- $200 retail
- 5 booking attempts
- 5 new leads
My affirmation should tell a story of how my daily actions right now are going to get me to my destination in July 2009. It doesn’t have to rhyme. It doesn’t need to sound like a cheer. I don’t even need to record it and listen to it. My affirmation is repeated by me when I write here on this blog. It’s repeated when I talk about it to my friends and family. It is repeated again when I call my customers and tell them what I am working toward.
So, here is a very rough draft of my affirmation:
I am going to call my customers and leads daily (not the same people of course) during my lunch hour because I am most productive then. I will wake up at 5:00 a.m. so I am ready for each day. My image is always well kept so that I am never too embarrassed by my own appearance to talk to someone. When I make five attempts to schedule appointments each day I have at least 2 on my datebook that night.
I think when I am finished making it perfect for me I will post it on one of my pages. Who else has an affirmation?
Stumble It!
Tags: Affirmations, Daily Affirmation, Direct Sales, Focus, Goals, Taking Action, Vision, Work At Home
Darla
beepink
Shades of Pink
Stumble It!
AMAZING post!!! You really got me thinking. I always had the same feelings about affirmations that you have had but what you said makes sense. Our goals are VERY similar!!!
Okay so here is what I have so far but again it is a very rough draft:
” I rise early each and every day so that I am ready to embrace the day. My imaga is always appropriate and sharp. I will not meet a stranger and be afraid to share this amazing product with them. I will call 5 customers and/or potential booking clients every day. I will provide excellent customer service to my customers.”
That is all I have for right now. What do you think?
Shades I will think on this today as I don’t have one and like you and MKHeart kind feel a little funny walking around I am a director hehehhehe. Although that is were I want to go. Anyway. I will think on it and when we get back from town I will write it down. Have a GREAT DAY
Very good post. You touched on an excellent point. Most people that succeed, at anything, can visualize themselves doing it. The key is to keep that image in your head.
I have a vision for my over all life, not just Mary Kay. I visualize myself graduating with my Master’s. I visualize the steps I need to get there.
I had a great response but my dumbass kids are acting out! Damn kids. Anywho, visualize yourself doing it. You can do it.
I love affirmations.
Excellent post and I’m rooting for you! I think we all need a goal or mantra to stay focused. I practice Yoga, so daily my mantra is to live in the present and be fully aware of what is happening today, not tomorrow or yesterday. It helps calm my crazy mind!
Hey thanks, Michelle! Ah, I need to put yoga back into my routine. It makes such a huge difference in my mental process! I know exactly what you are talking about. Thanks for the reminder!
Very nice post. Also, I’ve always believed in this line, “Keep moving forward.”
Thank, Laarni! That is a great sentiment.
Wow! I am so glad I stumbled onto the site today, its been a little while since I peeked in! I have been in MK for 7 years and have never been able to do this (visualize, set goals) in any part of my life, much less my business. It’s like I had a mental block or something. I figured something was wrong with me, that I couldn’t do it. Now I see that I have been going at it all wrong. Thanks so much for that post! I have some big goals I want to achieve this year as well. They are:
1. Red Jacket by end of Sept. (no business associates at this time)
2. Career Car by end of Seminar year
3. Be my Director’s very first offspring director, and accomplish this by the end of this new Seminar year.
Thanks again! Will share my affirmation when I have more time…
I agree. The sidebar daily affirmation is like a daily self-induced pep rally or cheer as you referred to. Cute as it is, it just rolled off my lips with the sisterhood at meeting night, but did little for me afterwards. No real meat and potatoes. I am connecting better to what you’re saying Shades. I know I will write an affirmation now that will be of value to me and serve to make me accountable. I like the realism. I doubt seriously…no, that’s not true… I know for a fact that I would not have given this thought if you hadn’t written this post. I’m very glad you did, thank you so much! I will be working on my affirmation over the next couple of days.
mkheart, I think you have a great affirmation so far!
Bren, can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Jennifer, isn’t that just always the way?
Donna, good to see you back! I’m so happy this post has helped all of you!
Pink Biz, thank you so much.
I’m off to my meeting now. I have at least one guest confirmed!
SHADES OF PINK said: “Goal setting is a multi-dimensional process. The first step is to have goals. Goals are the map. They are the destinations we want to reach. Affirmations are the route. You really do have to have both.”
PINK BIZ says: May I please post this particular statement over on my site to preface (with credit to you) under the page heading My Daily Affirmation? I would love to do this Shades as a reminder to me. Thanks in advance for your consideration. The part you said about.. you really do have to have both.. was what did it for me. Thanks for phrasing it this way and making an impact on me. I began to draft my affirmation a day or so ago. Ok, so I’m working on my affirmation today. The entire morning I had jotted down points I knew I had to write about. I had purposely devoted the morning to accomplish a draft. Late morning I checked my email and a yahoo group Pink Consultant had sent out an email with 8 steps on reaching a goal (originated from a health ezine). Anyone receive this? Reading this, it had most all the pointers I had made note of and wanted to incorporate into a final draft (what fate today!). SOO, I did just that. I drafted and finalized my daily affirmation which I hope doesn’t read like a carbon copy. I am so glad I created my own daily affirmation and linked it for you to read. Reading it daily will remind me that you gave me the encouragement to put it together. I am thrilled to give thanks to you!!!
Bless you for all that you do for others.
MK Hugs Shades!
http://pinkbiz.wordpress.com/my-daily-affirmation/
GOOD MORNING!! Ok I have been thinking and have come up with somethings.
When my feet hit the floor in the morning I will give Praise to my Lord. I will ask Him for His favor in all that I do. I will make an effort to find the good in everyone that I come in contact with (sometimes this is a hard one for me). With my businesses I will work it to His Glory. I will realize that I am worthy of having a successful business and I will work towards that. As I am working towards that goal of the Red Jacket and Director I will help those along the way that want to work this business too. I will be a RED JACKET by the end of Setpember and moving toward TEAM LEADER and then DIRECTOR. I will treat everyone the way that I want to be treated and I will use the Golden Rule in all walks of life. I will remember that the tongue can speak life and death and I choose to speak life into my life and speak life into those that I come in contact. And I will say again that I will realize that I am worthy to be successful in this business and in everything that I do. Ok I can see myself driving my a CADI and having a team that is not only deep however it is wide too.
So there you go I know it is long.
Have a GREAT DAY
That is BEAUTIFUL Pink Bren! I love your affirmation. Giving thanks unto the Lord in all that you do! Saying a prayer and sending blessings your way as you work toward your goals. We work, HE rewards!
Bren, that is an excellent affirmation. It is concise and it says what you are striving for. Mine is long, too.
Perfectly OK. It paints a picture of your goals and sets a path to follow. GREAT WORK!
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