Subscribe Feed (RSS)Lesson 2 Discussion
December 2nd, 2008 by marniepehrson | Filed under Lesson 2.We’ve set up this section for you to discuss your experience with Lesson 2: Gaining Clarity and Vision in Your Business. Please post your questions, comments or “aha moments” here. We’ll be monitoring this section closely for the first hour right after the call, so you can post and get very interactive feedback from both of us and other participants. Of course, feel free to post here anytime… even long after the call is over. 
- Phil & Marnie
Tags: branding your brilliance, discussion, radiant branding
Hi everyone, really enjoyed the class today and hearing what each of you discovered from lesson 1’s exercise. When I did exercise 1, my core desire was to feel a connection to God, other people, and to connect them with each other. So, what I’m doing differently is looking for more times/places/ways I can feel that connection with God, myself and others, and help other people experience that connection with each other and their Maker.
I’m working on this exercise from lesson 2 about other businesses I’m in. Typically I say I “highlight truth and talent” or “help talented professionals deliver their message online.”
Here are more possible business descriptions:
A facilitator of “aha moments”
A people connector
Creating platforms of inspiration
From a spiritual perspective, Jesus said “the kingdom of God is within you.” I enjoy helping people find the kingdom within… and I don’t have to be the person who does it. If I can introduce someone like Phil who helps people do that, I’m every bit as joyful about the experience.
Not sure any of these are the best answer. Many of you know me… what business would you say I’m in?
Marnie, thank you for posting your own example. As I stretch and flex with these new ideas, it helps to see how others have experienced these exercises.
I only know you from these calls and reading one of your ebooks (the one about getting more done in a nanosecond…
From that, I’d say you’re also in the business of helping people express who they truly are, and having a heckuva good time doing it!
Now, I get to do this for myself…
Harmony
I wanted to mention an a-ha I had while on the call today when you were speaking of not feeling threatened. The thought I had was the feeling of threat must be why the current marketing paradigm has a military goal of target, capture, retain, etc! So when we are in the flow and feeling connected, peace, etc., we simply cannot feel threatened because we know we are a flower! We have all we need to find fulfillment and those external necessities will be given us in the perfect time and way. So in the emerging marketing paradigm, there is no threat!
Just a thought….
I would just echo what RossAnne just shared. And I think it might be why this process seems challenging at first. We are so conditioned to “do” and achieve, that the thought of being okay seems threatening. It leads to thoughts like “Then what will I do with myself?” “What purpose will I serve”" and “What will motivate me?” etc. So we unwittingly buy into this notion that we need stress, obstacles, missions, goals, etc. to motivate us. If that were true, then it would make sense to ask for more stress, more goals, more challenges and more obstacles in order to be really motivated. Yet we know it doesn’t work that way. We’re usually at our best when we’re comfortable in our own skin. It’s just fear saying we won’t “make it” if we relax. And is that really true?
The theme I kept hearing today was the desire to connect — to other people, to God, to ourselves. When we are connected, we feel our best. And out of that feeling comes a desire to share and serve others. So in the emerging marketing paradigm, there is a sense of connected to the whole. We are not isolated fragments struggling to fend for ourselves. We are interwoven and both giving and receiving support. There is a sense of mutualness. And this desire to connect, to benefit the whole, to serve, to see others thrive, etc. replaces the former motivations. And the freedom is that no one can take that away.
RossAnne made a request about the blog post I mentioned last class… the one about “finally getting my own advice.” You’ll find it here…
http://blog.puretungsten.com/i-finally-get-my-own-advice-its-all-about-the-end-benefit/
It just goes to show that this clarity issue is an ongoing process. Marnie can vouch for that. But with each “ah-ha!” things get a little easier. I hope you are all having a great week and look forward to next class.
It seems that most of the callers already have a business, which they are refining/defining. But I am looking at a new way of sharing my gifts, and haven’t quite found the exact channel I want to work in. I feel like I could use more personal feedback from you, so that I can figure out the best format to share myself. Can I hire you for a consultation?
Phil,
Another great call! Thanks so much! I thought of another example to share. When we had a home built in Arizona several years ago, we used a builder who had a reputation for finishing their homes on time. They had a really efficient system for building homes.
There was another builder who took a lot longer to build homes (most of the homes they were building sat for months at a time with no work being done on them). Yet people who used the other builder were more comfortable with them because they weren’t comfortable with a house going up in 4-5 months; they felt like their home was built better because it took longer (even though the extra 3 months it took their builder was time when the house sat idle with no work being done on it).
For us, the efficiency was more important because we were moving from out of state and living in an apartment while the house was being built — we really did not want any delays in the building of the home!
I had an a-ha the other day as I was thinking about my pivot point and what I’m really about. I realized I have shifted from seeking income and money, to a desire to live my soul purpose and connect with others and what I can do for them! I then realized that I can confidently price my products and services to the true value I see them offering and feel secure in receiving what I ask for! Huge shift for me!
Thanks for another great call today! I feel blessed to be a part of this class and love what I am learning. You truly create environments to thrive!
Phil,
I really appreciate that you have put together your life experiences in such a way that it enhances ours. Doing this with a group of women who are open and ready to learn along with me is very helpful as well. Thank you all.
I am just wondering how I can implement these principles in my coaching. I want to help others shift in this way when they are ready. Do I send them to you or do you have other suggestions?
In coaching, the thing I have been teaching my clients is to become more clear about who they are and that everything will become more clear for them when they do. Now that I have these new shifts in my own thinking and energy I feel like I have been leaning my ladder against the wrong building. I can’t coach in the same way I have been. What do you suggest? (By the way, it’s all your fault!! Thank you.)
Love,
Renae
Hi Alisa,
That is something interesting to observe… how people’s expectations color their experience. Here you have a contractor building quickly and efficiently, and yet potential customers might be suspect of the quality. Without examining that, the builder might think he or she needs to perform better, and therefore build even faster! And the loop intensifies. So this is how we sometimes create self fulfilling results. Great example.
RossAnne,
Like the MasterCard commercial says, some things are truly priceless. The desire/motivation to acquire and gain is so insidious, it’s easy to get caught up in it, even when we think we are aware. The beauty of your statement about connecting with others and asking what you can do for them, is that you have something really solid to build on, something foundational, — no one can take away your desire or ability to connect. You can wake up and connect each and every day.
One of the things I practice that helps set my frame of mind is to begin each morning asking “What does this day need from me?” Something about that phrase puts me in a more giving and “others-centric” (vs. self centric) perspective. When I ask myself that question, I sometimes get “have lunch with your six year old,” or “help your wife with her volunteer project.” Let to my own devices, I tend to turn the day into a checklist.
Ranae, We are all leaning our “ladders” against something! What this class is about is looking at the things (identifications) we use to hold our ladders up. If you see that the thing(s) you have your ladder up against is not stable, then you are free to move your ladder to something else, something more solid. And what a beautiful thing to share with your clients… something transformational from your own experience. Who better to show them this process than you! Can it be disorienting at first… yes. But the results are far worth it.
Judy- Feel free to call me. I’m sure we can work out an arrangement if you feel that would be beneficial to you. It might also prove helpful to simply sit with these questions for a while and let them work on you. After you’ve soaked for a while, things will sometimes hit you out of the blue with such clarity, it’s like “Wow! How obvious is that!” And you’ll know because you will feel much lighter, like a load has been lifted.
Another fabulous insight. I will definitely be asking myself that question!
Phil,
Thanks for your great calls! I realize I’ve been quiet (I mute out so my kids won’t be disruptive) and haven’t posted on here at all yet. I don’t currently have a business that I’m actively promoting, but after listening to you on “Mondays with Marnie,” I felt compelled to sign up for this class when it was offered.
I’m enjoying the information you’re presenting and it’s starting to sink in.
I spoke with one of my sisters right after the call and she’s into the American Girl dolls. She’s been disappointed in them ever since Mattel bought them. The company has changed quite a bit and she doesn’t like it. I had a lightbulb moment–she didn’t care how much the dolls cost, she was buying them for the quality and prestige. Now that Mattel owns them, it seems like just another doll to her and she’s not enthused by them like she used to be.
This is fun to learn and start applying!
Thank you Phil– I am working through my thoughts about what I do, and here is a summary: I help people clear the pathway to living a joyful life in light and love. I do that by teaching and showing them how to create high energy homes (interior designer with emphasis on reading vibrations–science behind feng shui), and also by showing them who they really are, in God’s eyes, which is perfect, by writing books and giving guided meditations to Christ, the master healer. My mission statement is “I celebrate the innocence and perfection that lives within each child of God, and reflect that magnificence in my own being, by knowing my worth, and radiating God’s love with enthusiasm.” Now I need help figuring out how to share this with the world! What is it exactly that I am offering? It is spiritual and physical alchemy, shifting (by removing all baggage) to the highest form of energy in every phase of one’s life. Please help me with clarity! What do you call this?
Melanie, When the light bulbs start clicking on, they tend to do it everywhere. You can see the same incongruent actions in other companies, even big ones. A while back Ford bought Jaguar. Part of the allure of owning a Jaguar is that it was exclusive and a big status symbol. That became harder to convey when Ford owned them.
Another example I read about recently was a soda line called Jones. I’m not sure if most of you know them or not, but they were carried in a number of deli restaurants and smaller chains like Panera Bread. They had a small cult following of loyal consumers. So they did the classic thing… they expanded to the big box stores and went from old fashioned glass bottles to 12 oz. aluminum cans as well. Now there was little difference between them and all the other sodas. So the article was talking about all the people they were laying off in order to salvage the company. The new leadership decided they needed to return to their roots. Or perhaps it could be called their “pivot point!” Thanks Melanie.
Judy- I think you have your answer right in your question… you clear pathways! These may be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. That is where you start to fill in the blanks as you engage your customers. It’s like the example I gave about the women who “makes magic happen.” That’s what she does, and then, once people are interested, she explains the how of how she does it. So in your case, I would simply say “I clear pathways.” And then let that lead into a deeper discussion. See how that fits for you. If it is your “pivot point” you will see that it works in everything you do.
Marnie, for me, what you do is: give me confidence that I can actually do what it is I do-you give me wings, and the wind, and you do it all with such peacefulness, kindness, like it is nothing to you. That’s a gift! Thank you! It reminds me of a time when I was a teenager, and I got my first big ah-ha, a moment of knowing that I could do anything I set my mind to do. And my mother’s response, which I will always remember and cherish–”of course you can. I believe in you.” That’s what you do.
Thank you Phil! I love how that feels! I will let it be with me for this week and see if it blossoms! It really feels exciting having your perspective and encouragement. Many thanks!
That was a great call on Tuesday. And I love the question in your Pivot Point article - what is it about my business that makes my core customers love it, use it, spread the word?
I realize now something I guess I’ve known on the fringes but never really been clear about or acknowledged before.
What makes my core clients love my business is that I offer them simple tools along with my own experience of using them - so they get to watch me doing something - then I distill it down for them so they know how to apply the same tools - which all fits in with my inspiring possibility core desire.
I had an experience a few months ago where I attracted my dream home - something I thought I’d never be able to do - and actually shared the process with some of my clients from the start - before I even knew I could do it (a big leap of faith) - then sold my condo in 3 days - and the result of all that was that it inspired my clients to go for something really big in their own lives - and interestingly I’ve had a few ezine subscribers unsubscribe and tell me they’re tired of hearing about my houseboat. Well I can see now even clearer that they are not my perfect clients
This is very cool - I can see how this makes it simpler to made decisions about where to put my energy - and gives me more of a focus too.
Thanks Philip.
Judy, thank you for your kind words! You truly are amazingly gifted, and I look forward to seeing your brilliance bless the lives of many in a miraculous way!