During this 15th anniversary month of MAP Professional Development Inc. (or, 15th MAPiversary, as we call it!), I am sharing 15 of the countless lessons learned over the past 15 years. Yesterday, I offered 5 things I would do exactly the same if I started my business over right now.
Today, I share 5 things I would do differently:
1. Worry Less.
As a new business owner, I constantly felt the need to prove myself and would agonize over details and swirl in indecision for the smallest things. Focus on building your experience rather than worrying about whether you appear ____________ enough (you can fill in the blank).
2. Trust Myself More.
Theodore Roosevelt once said comparison is the thief of joy, and I tend to agree. Learn to focus less on the ‘shoulds’ and what everyone else is doing, and focus more on trusting yourself. As my mom used to say, any decision made in love will not steer you astray.
3. Hire A Coach Sooner.
From the beginning, I enrolled in seminars, joined groups, attended conferences; all contributed to my growth, but nothing helped it skyrocket like working with a coach. I’ve hired dozens of them since. Recognize that you don’t have to go it alone, and nothing compares to the high level support of a trained, experienced professional fully invested in your success.
4.Less “Niche,” More “Ideal Client.”
Even though the business gurus said I must, I could not for the life of me figure out my niche market. I’ve coached entrepreneurs and financial planners and CEOs and academicians and firefighters and about every industry in between – where could my niche possibly lie? Then one day I focused on who my ideal client was instead – qualities, characteristics, and so on – and lo and behold the dilemma was solved. I’m grateful to now work with Meaningful Achievers every day.
5. Reach Out For Help.
For too long, I believed if I just put my head down and got to work, I could figure everything out. I shortened my learning curve drastically when I started admitting I didn’t have all the answers. Whatever your path, you don’t have to go it alone.
As you look back over your career or business, what is one thing you would do differently today? Feel free to share your thoughts below or on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter!
Last week, I posted a few significant changes that have occurred since we first opened the doors to MAP Inc. in 2003. (If you missed it, feel free to connect on Instagram or Facebook and look for the photo above!) When asked what I’ve learned in these last 15 years, two words come to mind: A LOT. It’s amazing what owning a business teaches you about yourself, your adaptability, and life in general!
Throughout this week I will share 15 lessons learned in these 15 years in business, plus a worksheet to help you glean lessons from your own past experience, too. This exercise has prompted great reminders for me, and I hope these ideas support your personal and professional development as well!
5 Things I Would Not Change If I Were Starting Over In Business Today:
1. Start With Purpose.
In 2002, I had no plans to become an entrepreneur. I hardly knew what the word meant.
In 2003, I opened MAP Professional Development Inc.
I knew very little about how to start and operate a business in 2003…but I knew why I wanted to. Get the necessary business/professional training, but let your strong purpose and high vision fuel you. I still review that vision and purpose daily.
2. Stay Open To Possibility.
When I first opened the business, I hardly knew coaching existed. Now, coaching is the primary focus of my work!
Allow “This or something better” to serve as a mantra in your goal-setting process.
3. Trust The Gasp (aka, Invest In Quality).
While writing the check to attend my first conference, I literally gasped at the amount. I have done so many more times over the years when investing in coaches, certifications, and the like.
Trust the gasp – seek quality and experience. Investing in your own professional development helps you serve clients deeply, profoundly, and to the absolute best of your ability.
4. Support Others.
Ever since the beginning, MAP Inc. has supported others with similar values and purposes: Pencils of Promise, Reach Out & Read, First Book, the Malala Fund, Reading Is Fundamental, and Dress For Success, to name just a few. They are doing amazing work to educate, teach literacy, and brighten our world, and it’s such an honor to support their efforts.
Don’t wait until you have a surplus to start supporting the meaningful work of others. Help others make a difference while you work to make yours.
5. Focus On Community.
Whenever I feel a bit uninspired, I meet with a coaching client or connect with the ASPIRE Success Club or enjoy a speaking engagement and I am instantly transformed! If you are reading this and have worked with me in some capacity, thank you. You have brightened my life and I wouldn’t be here without you.
On the blog tomorrow: 5 Things I’d Do Differently If I Were Starting Over In Business Today!
Imagine training diligently in a sport, day after day, for over half your life. Then, earning a spot to compete in the Olympic games.
What must it feel like at the starting line of that event?
Anyone else feel like they’d be a nervous wreck? Yet Olympic athletes typically look collected, determined, and ready.
They’ve done the work. They’ve sought help, opened themselves up to coaching, practiced extensively, and prepared both physically and mentally. By the time they reach that starting line, they’re taking all that preparation and focusing it toward the task at hand.
It’s exhilarating to watch.
This week, practice hard and/or perform confidently.
If this is a ‘practice week’ for you – whether at work, school, athletics, or elsewhere – give it your all.
And if this is ‘race week’ for you – breathe deeply, stand tall, and trust in all the work you’ve done.
This month’s Do What You Love! newsletter featured an article sharing 15 lessons I’ve learned in MAP Inc.’s 15 years in business. I’ll be sharing many of them via this blog over the next couple of weeks as well.
But amid all those lessons, one concept underlies and overarches everything? The power of purpose. I have worked with thousands of people and I have seen how people with a sense of purpose tend to:
Focus their energy on doing good in their families, organizations, community, and the world.
Connect their roles and actions to the “bigger picture.”
Set meaningful goals that stretch them and contribute to the greater good.
Lead by positive example, engagement, presence, and compassion rather than feeling the need to harm, manipulate, or cause fear.
Feel stronger, more aligned, and honoring their core values.
I am heartily committed to helping more and more people uncover their purpose and live, work, and lead in meaningful ways as a result. If this speaks to you or a group in which you’re involved, let’s talk. I’ve got some hefty goals and this year will be a game-changer.
What else have you noticed about people with a great sense of purpose? Share your ideas below or on Instragram or Facebook!
Originally posted on Facebook and Instagram on Feb. 15, 2018. Reposted here by request for easier sharing.
I’ve rewritten this post 5 times. I can’t quite seem to fully capture what is going through my heart and mind. Maybe you can relate.
This afternoon I bundled up and went for a walk. I couldn’t stop the tears when I saw those flags at half-mast. I then witnessed a mom and her young daughter trudge through the snow and completely replenish one of the ‘free little food banks’ we have around town.
Two people taking action. Making a difference. Putting their care out into the world, sending a message, doing what they can to ease another’s burden.
I do a lot for the causes I believe in, but I could do more.
I speak up for the values that matter most to me, but I could speak more.
How about you?
We cannot just say things need to change, we must BE the change. Starting where we are, with what we have, in honor of what matters most.
Maybe that means replenishing a food bank. Funding a nonprofit that brings communities together. Running for political office. Joining a group committed to a higher purpose. Thanking a teacher, service provider, first responder, child. Acknowledging a kindness or speaking up in the event of an unkindness. Supporting a leader who stands for what is right. Looking people in the eye, engaging in meaningful dialogue with an open mind and heart, sharing our gifts even when it feels difficult to do so.
Whatever that means for you, are you willing to take an action?
I am. I am more committed than ever to setting a positive, purposeful ripple effect in motion. I promise to keep you posted.
Near the end of my walk, I spotted this leaf. Maybe I’m seeing what I want to see, but to me, it looks like a heart. Scarred and imperfect, but standing out nonetheless. We can all take our scarred hearts and imperfectness and prompt some beautiful change in our world. Who’s ready?
As I sat next to the Dalai Lama I could feel in his posture and his body language the power of a leader. I remember how strongly and tenderly he held my hand the first time we met. His kindness did not in any way diminish his power, a valuable reminder that compassion is a feature of strength, not a weakness.
Douglas Abrams, The Book Of Joy
Coaching Tip of the Week:
I just finished reading The Book Of Joy, a beautiful book in which Douglas Abrams captures a week of dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I have been savoring this book for quite some time.
A few chapters after the above quote, Abrams writes, “Even if leadership requires a show of strength during moments of crisis, our humanity is defined equally, or perhaps even more, by our weakness and vulnerability.”
This week, be kind.
You never know what one simple gesture of kindness – a smile, a compliment, a moment of connection – can do for someone you didn’t even know was suffering.
You know how every once in a while (and maybe far too infrequently) someone will say, “Thank you – your thoughtful comment / action / Facebook post / kind gesture made a difference!”?
In most cases, for every one person that says thank you, there are dozens – if not hundreds – of others who think the same thing, but for whatever reason don’t say it.
Be kind, and trust in the ripple effect of your kindness.
Happy MAPiversary! We turn 15 years old this week! And to think it all started with the Meaning & Purpose publication, pictured here!
Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing highlights, giveaways, lessons learned, embarrassing trivia, insights and more from 15 years in purposeful business. If you’d like to join us, be sure to check your email as well as connect on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! (All @ChristiHegstad)
But in the meantime, and always, please take my above words to heart.
This week, remember that you make a difference.
Whatever your title, experience, education level, number of followers on social media, income level, or anything else – your work matters.
Your life holds great purpose.
YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I’ve dedicated the last 15 years of my professional life spreading this truth, and I will continue to do so as long as I have a voice!
THANK YOU for an amazing 15 years that could not have happened without YOU! And do be sure to watch our posts and emails this week – if nothing else, I think you’ll get a chuckle! 🙂
We’ve come a long way! And I am grateful for YOU. Each and every one of you.
Planning when, where, and how you will take the actions needed to reach your goal is probably the single most effective thing you can do to increase your chances of success.
– Heidi Grant Halvorson
Coaching Tip of the Week:
And there you have it: one-step wisdom from one of my favorite researchers in the world of goals!
Once you’ve gained crystal clarity on your goal, uncovered the purpose behind it, and broken it down into manageable pieces, you are well on your way to meaningful achievement.
But make sure you follow through with the crucial step of scheduling.
This week, schedule up to 3 inspired actions.
As you look at your Goal Breakthrough Map, choose the first 1-3 small actions that will get it started.
Pull out your planner and assign those actions to specific days this week. Block the time needed to complete those 1-3 tasks.
When the blocked time appears, honor your commitment like you would a doctor’s appointment.
Do this week and after week and – voila! – you will accomplish your purposeful goal with purpose and ease!
As you set your goals, do you also anticipate possible obstacles and how you will address them?
This can prove a proactive and important component of your action plan. When your mind wants to say “Quit” or “It’s not worth it,” you’ll have pre-designed strategies to move through the difficulty.
This week, add a section to your goal planning template.
You can simply call it “Potential Obstacles + Ways To Overcome.” List a few blocks you suspect might appear – perhaps based on past experience or future guessing. Dwindling motivation, lack of time, and uncertainty about how to proceed are common ones, if those prompt thoughts for you.
Then, record 1-3 ways you can overcome each block.
Turn to this section throughout your goal pursuit as needed!
For further help with this, check out my free training opportunity below!
Share your thoughts below or on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter! And if you’d like a free training to handle 5 sneaky barriers to your goals, sign up here before this Friday!
When I was in college, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, and several other NBA stars took on the basketball world at the Olympic games. Nicknamed “The Dream Team,” these well-known players showed up with the goal of bringing home the gold. And with hard work as well as the support of coaches, trainers, fans, and more, The Dream Team did just that.
What goal could you accomplish with your own personal Dream Team?
Whenever I embark on a Bold Goal (a regular occurrence), I make sure I have five people/groups in place. Consider recruiting them for your Bold Goal Dream Team, too:
1. Inspiration Group
More than a standard networking group, an Inspiration Group surrounds you with like-minded people who want to see you succeed. The ASPIRE Success Club is a great example: Each member declares a Bold Goal toward the start of the year, then updates us on progress at our monthly meetings (and even more frequently in our online discussion forum) so we can offer ideas, provide encouragement, and cheer them on.
Ideally, your Inspiration Group will gather around a common purpose and offer a structure that ensures time is respected and well-utilized. Look for possibilities in your industry, community, or the area of your goal, such as a writing group through your local library (or join us in ASPIRE !)
Some ASPIRE Success Club members celebrating at a summer Garden Party!
2. Mastermind Group
While larger groups have their place, a small, intimate Mastermind Group provides an even higher level of growth. I have been in several masterminds over the years and imagine I always will be! We meet regularly, share wins and best practices, and each member gets time in the “spotlight seat”: they present an issue or challenge they are experiencing, then everyone else brainstorms, idea-shares, or even solves the problem. It’s really kind of magical!
Essentially, the premise is this: Each of us is smart individually, but when we put our brain power together, we essentially create a third mind – a ‘master mind’ – that is even better. I always find that to be true and leave each mastermind session feeling light and empowered!
One of my current mastermind groups. We have met monthly for 3 years!
3. Accountability Partner
You know how it goes: You decide to wake up early every morning and go for a run. You do great for a few days, then the snooze button becomes more appealing and you start talking yourself out of your goal… unless you know your neighbor is on the sidewalk waiting to run with you. That friend = accountability partner: You make a commitment, she makes sure you’re honoring it.
While I have a coach (see #4) for my professional goals, I love connecting with an accountability partner to keep other intentions moving forward. Right now, for example, I am in the midst of a health goal; I know what I need to do and how to do it – I just need someone to check in weekly to make sure I’m actually doing it. My sister and I are currently accountability partners and so far we are both rocking our commitments!
My current accountability partner. If only all our check-ins took place on the beach!
4. Coach
I’ve been a certified coach for many years and still always have a coach myself. Nothing compares to the power of a trained, experienced professional coach to provide objectivity, serve as a high-level thought partner, hold the space for growth, and move you forward! While the groups I’ve mentioned have definitely elevated my business and life, it was when I hired my first coach that I truly saw my results skyrocket. I’ve hired countless coaches over the years since!
Each coach is unique in their approach and style, so I always think about what I most want to gain from the experience and then find the coach I believe will best help me get there. I have invested a hefty amount of money, time, and energy into coaches and will continue to do so, as little else brings such a significant return on investment! If you’re considering hiring a coach, check out these 5 questions so you can make a sound choice.
My current coach and I typically meet by phone but enjoyed an in-person session recently!
5. YOU
As you already know, YOU are the common denominator and key ingredient to your success. You have the gifts and strength to accomplish what matters most to you. Do what’s necessary to build your confidence, believe in your abilities, create a foundation of positivity, and design an action plan that moves you forward with intention, purpose, and delight.
Seek the support of the above four people for help! You can do it – but you don’t have to do it alone. See here and here for a few more thoughts.
You got this!
Your Next Inspired Action
Various friends and family members can certainly support you, as can other goal-specific professionals (therapists, professional organizers, personal trainers, accountants, and so on). Just make sure you have the objectivity and expertise of your Bold Goal Dream Team in place, too! To support you in this, download this Bold Goal Dream Team worksheet.
Brainstorm possibilities, narrow in on the best ones, then start building your Bold Goal Dream Team. Watch your results improve and the entire process become more fun, too! Let your team support you in turning dreams into goals and goals into reality.
THANK YOU for an amazing 15 years that could not have happened without YOU! And do be sure to watch our posts and emails this week – if nothing else, I think you’ll get a chuckle! 🙂
