In every toolbox there are items that you

just can’t do without. When you don't have

the right tools the job is that much harder.

Your business success toolbox is six areas

that I see people neglecting and needing

the most. These ‘tools’ can be summarized

in six words: Reflection, Mindset, Focus,

Network, Goals and Stress. These

represent the essentials for your toolbox.

Your business is a reflection of you. What you

stand for and what you believe finds its expression

in your work. What’s attractive the sign ‘under new

management’? Not that the business is new but the

person who runs it. You must become the person

your business needs. Before you go chasing the

latest fad to grow your business, be brave enough

to ask yourself the hard questions about what

needs to change in you. Get a mentor, join a

program, start something to improve you and your

business will improve.

“We must become the change we want to see.” – Mahatma Gandhi

If your business is a reflection of you, then it is

essential that you create the necessary mindset to

succeed. Your mindset is what you believe, value,

your rules and your behaviours. We have no

problem accepting the need for an upgrade in

computers, software or systems. It’s those with a

magnificent mindset that are leading the way in

front of their competitors in today’s economy.

"An investment in knowledge always pays the best dividends" – Benjamin Franklin

What you focus on is what you’ll get to the exclusion

of everything else. This means that where your

flashlight is pointing will determine what you will see.

Business life has many challenges that pull you in

many directions. You decide what to focus on

moment by moment, day by day. The more you focus

on something, the more your mind will become aware

of and draw in information and resources you need to

achieve your outcome. Decide today what your focus

will be, write it down as an intention and experience

how differently your day unfolds.

"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."

– Oliver Wendell Holmes

Your network builds your

reputation, facilitates sharing of

resources and ultimately refers

clients to you. That’s the order it

happens in! Quiet often we want

the referral before the reputation

and resources. Relationships

are built over time, so create a

realistic expectation for you

when networking.

When you meet people at

events you need to forget about

selling and focus on connecting.

Be genuinely interested in the

person you meet because

remember, we buy from people

we like. Follow up after the

event with an email or phone

call within 2-3 days. Let people

know how much you enjoyed

chatting with them and ask

them if they’d like to meet for a

coffee. The better you connect

with someone the greater the

chance of them remembering

and calling on you when they

need your services.

"It's not the mountain we conquer but ourselves“ – Edmund Hillary

Most professionals and

business people I meet don’t

set goals. We may not know

how, nor understand the

process, and we’ve probably

tried it before with little success.

I teach people to set S.M.A.L.L

goals—specific, measureable,

as if you’re there, loving it,

leading to your vision. Set a

small number of goals per

quarter, and word them in this

way: It is (specific date), and I

have (achieved something

measurable), and (as if I’m

there) I feel (loving it) and

(leading to my vision). Here’s

an example: “It is the 31

November 2013 and I have 5

new clients I’m working with for

6 months and I feel like I’m

making a difference, adding

value and creating a business

that changes lives!” Following

this formula and keeping it

simple, you should have a

small list of goals that inspire

you and lead you toward the

vision you have for your life

and business.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it” – Abraham Lincoln

GOAL SETTING FORMULA

IT IS… (SPECIFIC DATE),

AND I HAVE… (MEASURABLE ACHIEVEMENT),

AND… (AS IF I’M THERE)

I FEEL… (LOVING IT)

AND… (LEADING TO MY VISION).

"People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals – that is,

goals that do not inspire them“– Tony Robbins

Stress in business life comes in

different forms from being excited

to being distressed. It can also

have nothing to do with your

business if things are not going

well at home. We can do many

things to lower our stress levels

from exercise to journaling to

medication. The one thing you

won’t hear much about is

understand your ‘hot buttons’. The

expression describes your reaction

when your values are

transgressed. Your values are

emotional states you want to

experience on a consistent basis.

When your values are trespassed

or transgressed, it triggers your

defence mechanisms, or, your

fight or flight response. We have

‘rules’ around how we meet our

core values. A client whose value

was organisation wasn’t aware

that her rule was that everybody

had to meet her standards. When

she changed her language

around her rule, letting others off

the hook, she began

experiencing far less stress in her

life. Her husband thanked me!

"If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never

think a negative thought." – Peace Pilgrim

You can make every aspect of your life

magnificent by using what’s in your

toolbox. I encourage you to put into

action one thing you’ve learnt to get

your mind focused on the result you

want. Remember that the longer you

wait for your future, the shorter it will

be—so start today!

"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.“ — Napoleon Hill

Claude Arganaraz is Director and Principal

Coach at Magnificent Life Coaching. He

loves working with individuals and teams

to achieve their goals while living lives that

are balanced and magnificent! You can

download his other EBooks from our

website. You can connect with Claude on

LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR