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As kids, anything seems possible.  Those around us tell us, “the sky is the limit!” and we believe them.

But then somewhere along the way there’s a shift.  The adults start herding us toward “realistic” goals.  They see our talents or the areas we struggle with or our physical limitations and tell us which dreams aren’t achievable.  Then we accept it.  We choose a path towards a particular job or profession.  We accept that dreams end as we grow into adults.

Really?  Is growing up about accepting reality and giving up on the dreams we held so passionately as children?  Or should we strive to ignore those who expect us to accept “realistic” dreams and instead grow into bigger dreams and make a difference in this world?

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Could you use a little motivation to get you started off this week?  Here’s a video with great quotes from Napoleon Hill.

If you like it, check out YouTube user OnlineMotivator to find more inspirational videos with quotes from other great minds like Winston Churchill, Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, and many others.

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Would you like to listen to this post? CinchCast audio is just above the related posts, sharing links, and comments at the bottom. Look for the purple play button.
Ever feel like the woman on the left – biting your nails nervously when you think about running your own business?  Good thing you stopped by today, it’s a Tuesday pep talk!

Personal and business get so intertwined when you’re a solopreneur – personal progress IS business progress and growing as a person is required to grow your business…

My greatest challenge in business isn’t marketing, or my technical services, or writing… it’s doing the work to be a better, stronger, bolder version of myself and to have faith and confidence that I’ll succeed.

So if you find it challenging, too, know that you aren’t alone! And you can do it.

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It’s worth it to do whatever you can to build a business others can become fans of.  Why?  Because fans are LOYAL.

My husband is a football fanatic.  In 11 years of marriage I think the best gift I gave him was tickets to a Steelers playoff game for his birthday.  He had to fly from Alaska to Washington, DC, drive several hours to Pennsylvania, and make quite a trek to get there.  But I’m sure he’d say it was 100% worth it.  And if the Steelers hadn’t won that game he’d still have been thrilled to be there because he’s a loyal fan.

What’s your favorite sports team? Favorite place to shop? Favorite restaurant to eat in? Favorite author or actor? What is it about those people and places that makes you love them?

Take some time to consider what it is that makes you a fan of the companies, products, services and people that you’re always raving about, and then figure out how you work that into your own business and build your fan base.

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This week I took the kids and flew to Anchorage (that’s the “big city” for us Alaskans) where we celebrated my Grandmother’s 80th birthday with her. She’s had a very long life and it was wonderful to spend some time together with so much of my extended family in one place.

Then I got the news yesterday that a wonderful lady I knew online had passed away. I’d known Denise Willms for years – she ghostwrote articles for me, helped me with press releases, and I did website design and hosting for her. She was a wonderful person, full of kindness and she always inspired me. I can hardly believe she’s gone.

It’s been one of those weeks where I realized that life is so unpredictable. We never know whether it’ll be 80 we make it to… or whether we’ll leave the world much sooner than seems fair.

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Today I want to share a fantastic video from Stanford University’s Entrepreneurship Corner that offers a great look at how to think more like an entrepreneur.  (Thank you to Shel Horowitz for sharing this video with me.)

Thinking outside the box.  Changing the rules.  Not allowing yourself to be limited to by the “means” you’ve got.  Check it out.  Then think about the problems or challenges you’re facing in your business and try to look at them from a different perspective.

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If you’re a law of attraction / positive thinking fan, you’ll like these cards I created a while back. Each card has an inspirational quote at the bottom and space on the top for you to write down your tasks to complete and then things that you need to allow/trust the universe to bring you.

Just click here to download free. No opt-in required.  The link is to a ZIP file which contains three PDF files.

If you’re not into Law of Attraction don’t panic – you don’t have to download these, and I rarely post about these sorts of topics.  I’m still analyzing a lot of stuff in my head, to be completely honest.  :)

If you’d like, you’re also invited to sign up for the mailing list (top right corner of the page) and get even more great free stuff from me including worksheets, checklists, and special reports, and then weekly business articles from me. Or connect with me on Facebook using the box on the right side of this page.

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A couple of weeks ago I was reading on Michele Scism’s blog and ran across a video with some great ideas about staying motivated. If you struggle with staying motivated, you’re not alone!

Here are some great suggestions from Adam Urbanski on how to keep yourself going when you hit those tough moments where you want to give up (or, turn off the computer and crawl behind your couch and hide…)

I pin up note cards on my bulletin board, and keep a folder on my computer that has screenshot images of nice things people say about me online or via email. It definitely helps on the challenging days. If you don’t have a “Fans Folder” or positivity file yet, you may like this post I wrote last year on how to create one to help you through those confidence crises we sometimes run into when we run our own businesses: http://michelleshaeffer.com/handling-a-confidence-crisis-with-your-own-positivity-file-2/2009/02/17

What do you do to stay motivated? Please share your tips in the comments!

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When I was in 4th grade I got my hair cut in a short bob.  By 6th grade my hair cut required the stylist using clippers it was so short on the sides and back.  So when I decided to grow out my hair, it wasn’t a one month kind of goal.

A few years later my hair was waist length.  It’s not a gigantic goal, but it is more impressive when you know that I worked as an espresso barista at a hair salon during this time period.  Every day the talented stylists would give women gorgeous haircuts.  And there I was… watching it all… wavering… LOL

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