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People need to feel that they are in control…so when they think they are being sold to, they will say No...and if you accept their “No” and give them permission to say “No” as many times as they like, then they feel safe and in control. The word No can also be hidden.  It might not even be the word “No” that you hear…it might be a variation of “No”…and you need to be on guard and listen for these verbal clues.  Clues such as; I need to talk to my boss, my partner, my wife etc etc I don’t understand it. I can’t afford it. I don’t think I need it It’s not what I want I don’t need it now I think I need a different version …and so on. When I hear the word “No” I like to push back a bit. And by listening to this podcast you will learn how to do that. 

Why is it that words can have such a dramatic effect on human behaviour? Well you only have to go back 2 million years because it’s your 2 million year old reptile brain that controls virtually everything you think about and therefore every action you take following that thought.  Your 2 million old brain is constantly alert and on the lookout for problems. It especially likes anything that can potentially cause you danger and this means that many people live in a constant state of fear. I’m sure you’ve heard of the acronym F.E.A.R. which stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. Montaigne the great French philosopher (1533 – 1592)  said “He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears” but I like his most famous quote:  ”My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened” Even in the bible over 2,000 years ago there is a quote in Job 3:25 that says “That which I have feared has come upon me.” The very act of thinking about something can make it happen or bring it into being. William James the father of modern psychology  (1842 – 1910) said  that “That the greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” That’s crazy isn’t it? Thoughts travel faster than anything in the universe…and you will all have examples of that.  A thought can travel so quickly in your own brain from thought to action or a thoughts can spark your hormones into releasing chemicals that either inspire you or deflate you. So years and years before "The Secret" or before anyone “bought into” the idea that thoughts are things….and thoughts most certainly ARE things….we see many of the great thinkers in life acknowledging that as being true. So, if thoughts are things and thoughts alone can make things happen, then the use of words will allow  your thoughts to affect someone else’s brain. We are, after all, just moist robots, programmed by language. (Before we get into the 9 Phrases That Create Immediate Action,  I want you to remember one crucial thing; that whenever you start something new, something for the first time, you will not be very good at it. That doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you use these as and when you can.) These came from a great book by Chris Voss entitled: Never Split the Difference - Negotiating as if your life depended on it.  I thoroughly recommend it to you. 1. “Is now a bad time to talk?” 2. “Have you given up on this project?” 3. “How am I supposed to do that?” 4. “What does it take to be successful around here?” 5. “My name is Ray.  What’s the Ray discount?” 6. “Your offer is very generous. I’m sorry that just doesn’t work for me.” 7. “I don’t see how that would ever work.” 8. “Why would you ever do business with me?” or “Why would you ever change from your existing supplier, they’re great.” 9. “It seems like you strongly value the fact that you’ve always paid us on time.” Or “It seems like you don’t care what position you are leaving me in.”

Foundations. Very important for without them you cannot build anything meaningful.  And if you do build something without strong foundations then you run the risk of it all eventually falling down. Here are 3 examples where stronger foundations can make a significant difference. 1. Studying for a degree: A 2010 study by a collection of five Canada-based psychology professors found that of students who register for a four-year university degree programme, 25% drop out before completion - the root cause being a lack of vision and goal-setting. In an attempt to improve this statistic, the study helped students through a four-month goal setting process, with their results showing a significant improvement in academic performance in comparison to students who did not partake in goal-setting. 2. Unexpected windfalls of income Take the lottery winner who becomes an overnight millionaire or even multi-millionaire…according to BBC Capital it’s a sad fact that within 3-5 years lottery winners are twice as likely as ordinary people to declare bankruptcy and within that same time frame over 35% of them do just that…over a longer timeframe even more fall by the wayside. 3. Starting a business. Unfortunately, the statistics for new business owners are even worse. According to the CBI in the UK 60% of businesses fail in the first 3 years. “According to Investopedia, the four most common reasons why small businesses fail are a lack of sufficient capital; poor management; inadequate business planning; and overblowing their marketing budgets - all of which have either direct or indirect ties to a company’s vision statement and their goals.” So if foundations are so important, why don’t more people make an effort to work on them? The answers I get most often are: 1. I don’t know what to do 2. I have no time to do things like this 3. Other things take priority What that tells me is that either what you’re doing is not a priority in your life or you are working outwith your values…you might not even know what they are or if you do, you won’t know what you values are. Which is ironic because the first of the 9 Foundations is Values.  What are yours? You not only need to do these and find out, but you ought to be able to reel them off to anyone who asks..at least reel of the first 5. So the 9 Foundations of a solid business are: 1. Values – as the founder – what are yours?  Find them at www.DrDemartini.com 2. Vision – Do you have a clear picture of the purpose of your life?  If not, spend time setting one out and have fun doing it. 3. Pick the most ordinary business that fits both your values and your vision 4. Constantly Improve that business. 5. Listen to your customers – get to know them better than anything 6. Respond to what your ideal customer tells you 7. Set the highest standards 8. What’s Your Story?  Why do you want to do this? What motivated you? 9. Live the story every day

In a world of sameness, in a world of competition, in a world where there are similar products, budgets and resources, how come some people struggle and others seem to breeze through attracting customers and cash with ease? Successful people and businesses know what to say and the order in which to say it for maximum impact. Could You…? I’m not sure If It’s For You… Are You Open-Minded? What Do You Know About….? How Would You Feel If…..? Imagine If…. When Would Be a Good Time…? You Have 3 Options Two Types of People If, Like me…. Most People….. 3 Things To Do Now 1. Print off The List – Keep it close and start using it 2. Check Through Your Marketing and make adjustments 3. Use the Words Every Day – in a conversation, in an email or in new social media posts that you put out.

You may already believe you’re the actually the best at what you do. Especially if If you’re a man (for this tends to be how most men think) you will think that you are better than average at most things – driving especially. But chances are, you’re not. Chances are, you’re settling in, settling for “it will do”, getting along, doing the best you can in the circumstances you’re in. There are challenges and things are tough.  They’re tough for everyone.  But as they say you can make progress or you can make excuses but you can’t make both. When I said that to some of the 1-2-1 clients I talk to each month, it prickled a few egos and there was a bit of push-back.  Which is good in a way as it usually means that progress will be on the other sde of a breakthrough. But it’s actually quite amazing when I ask this or talk about this,  how quickly people will metaphorically stand up and defend not just the status quo, the way things “are”  but the inevitability of it. We’ve been taught since forever that the world needs people who join in and who are followers, not just leaders. Not everyone can lead, can they? We’ve been taught that fitting in can be a lot better for us than standing out,  (I’m thinking of the first year in High School here) and that good enough is just that…it’s good enough. Which might have been fine in a previous time.  It might have been fine if your anonymously working for a company.  It’s certainly fine if you work in the public sector – I know many people who work in the public sector and they are almost actively encouraged to do the basics or even less - … but that doesn’t work so well in the private sector. It certainly doesn’t work so well if you’re self-employed in what is in effect a winner-takes-all world. So what to do about it? Provide value at fair exchange.  Then leverage it. Anyone, anyone who has done well in business has provided value at fair exchange.  If they didn’t, they wouldn’t make any money.  It’s as simpe as that. So if you’re going to do it….do it well and you will be rewarded accordingly. And if you’re going to do it well, do it better. The way you become the best in your world is by quitting the stuff where you can’t be the best. Delegate it out.  Leverage it. That leaves you the resources to invest in getting through the slump and the drag in time towards becoming the best. It’s that simple. Stop doing what you’re not good at and concentrate on what you are good at. All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. Join us on Facebook. You can also get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack and on Instagram email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

What is a slump and why do we need to get through it? A slump is a general malaise.  A feeling of being down in the dumps.  Unable to shake off a feeling of lethargy.  Lack of energy.  “Valley time” as it can sometimes be called.  The valley is the look of the graph if you were tracking say, your energy, a fall in sales calls made, a drop in effort.  You might normally be trundling along at an energy level of 7 out of 10 but now it’s 2 or 3 on the same scale…yet you know that sooner or later you’ll get back up to 7 or even higher. You might nomally make 10 calls a day now you’re making none! You may send 20 emails and now it’s 3 or 4…and those are the ones you want to send.  The ones you don’t want to send or the people you don’t want to contact…well, those unsent emails or unmade calls are piling up in your head and adding to the burden. You are failing to move forward.  You are static.  Not in motion. That reminds me of something you all ought to be reminded about.  The Rules of Motion. Sir Isaac Newton the great mathematician and physicist  - who was born about 12 miles away from where I’m recording this  at Woolsthorpe, Colsterworth a few miles south of the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, Middle England - was famous for his 3 laws: Newton's Three Laws of Motion Newton's three laws of motion may be stated as follows: Every object in a state of uniform motion will remain in that state of motion unless an external force acts on it. Force equals mass times acceleration [  ]. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Another way to describe the first law is: An object at rest, remains at rest unless something acts on it. Another quote popped into my head:  If you want something done, give it to a busy person. In other words, when you’re in a slump…or at rest…you need some external force or action to get you going.  Busy people don’t need this force as they are already in motion. This is the motivation you need, this is the kick-start, the prod. Get things done now and your memory of the lockdown in the years to come, will be a good one.

Are You Really an Entrepreneur But don’t be under any illusions, being an entrepreneur is not easy…but it is fantastic. I can honestly say that right now in 2020 it’s probably the best time ever to think about working for yourself. For being entrepreneurial. This is truly an entrepreneurial age. Here are 6 reasons why: 1.  It’s never been easier to start-up a business or to offer a service 2.  It’s never been cheaper to start up a business 3.  Information and guidance is everywhere, free on Google if you need it 4.  Massive amounts of money have been invested in infrastructure to make things easy for you. The internet. Payment portals. Challenger banks. Fiver.com. Upwork. Affiliate opportunities through eBay and Amazon and hundreds of thousands of other companies. 5.  Huge incredibly cheap distribution and supply chain networks 6.  Massive free or very cheap marketing systems such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn where you can zero in and target your ideal customers anywhere in the world And it’s going to get better. Here are another 6 reasons: 1. Population is growing all over the world…especially at level 3 and 4 where they can afford to buy goods and services online. 2. People are living longer. 3.The internet is getting better and more security is in place to keep your data and money safer that ever before and it will get better. 4. Future technological advances in the internet of things and Artificial intelligence will open up even more opportunities. 5. Innovation is encouraged more than ever. 6. Access to funds from Crowdfunding and cryptocurrencies is growing And the number of people wanting to learn about all of that is growing as more and more people realise there is no job security anymore. So are you really an entrepreneur? Could you handle the downside? Because if you can, the upside is pretty good…and it's getting better! Join the Skill Stack Facebook or Instagram Groups.  Contribute.  Ask questions.  Invite answers. Join us on Twitter @theskillstack Go back and listen to some of the other podcasts.  They all have notes and all have action points of useful things for you to do. To quote a great 20th century thinker, Joseph Trumpeter. "Do not wait for the gales of creative destruction to wash over you." Download the Skill Stack e-book 22 Doomed Industries  and make sure that when creative destruction does come, you are not left shocked, swimming without a costume on and no lifejacket.

Future Shock is a 1970 book by the futurist Alvin Toffler, where he defines the term "future shock" as a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. The shortest definition for the term in the book is a personal perception of "too much change in too short a period of time". This Shock can have a detrimental affect unless you're prepared for it. For those who can cope…. We are in the age of innovation. So what does this require of you? Simple. 1. Accept that massive change is here and don’t get upset by it.  It is neither good nor bad it simply IS.  Do not be frightened by it but at the same time don’t get too excited.  Work on your mindset and retain balance. 2. Talk more to people who understand this is happening. Get in community with similar people.  Join masterminds and groups of people who want to progress.  This will help you feel balanced and not alone or isolated. 3. Make a plan.  Whatever you are doing now take a long hard look at it.  Are you creating value?  Will you still be kept on by your employeer or will your services still be in demand?  If not, or if you think not, you need to plan changes now.  (bear in mind that with furloughed staff and an apparet recession on the horizon, most employers will be looking to cut back on their biggest expense…staff!)  You need to be in a position to remain because they can’t do without you, or you need a lifeboat in the form of your own business. 4. Are you upskilling?  Have you looked at the skills that will be required? I’m guessing that by listening to this podcast (or reading this book) that you have a desire to make some changes.  You need to innovate and make your own skills become vital and in demand by your customers…to do that you need to learn how to market properly and sell your services so that you are in demand and have a steady stream of new clients. 5. Work on the skills you need on a daily basis. Remember it’s not about developing a skill 100% it’s about incremental increases in a set of specific skills that will help you the most. 6. Take control of your financial future.  Have you worked out your own financial targets? Do you know what is required to meet them? 7. Get a strategy in place to implement your plan. Whatever you do, switching off this Podcast and carrying on as before is not an option. Join the Skill Stack Facebook Group.  Contribute.  Ask questions.  Invite answers. Go back and listen to some of the other podcasts.  They all have notes and all have action points of useful things for you to do. To quote another great 20thcentury thinker, Joseph Trumpeter. Do not wait for the gales of creative destruction to wash over you. Download the Skill Stack e-book 22 Doomed Industries  and make sure that when creative destruction does come, you are not left shocked, swimming without a costume on and no lifejacket.

During the Lockdown, many millions of us have been using Zoom and Skype and Google Hangouts and Microsoft Teams - plus other video conferencing tools...many for the first time! I've been using Zoom for a few years now and here are some tips for using it more effectively. If you’ve ever joined more than three people on a Skype or Zoom conference call, I hope you’ll appreciate these tips, and perhaps use them and share them. If you don’t pay for Zoom some of the features might not be available but most of them will be. But chances are that you are using Zoom in some kind of work environment, so it pays to be as professional as you can Remember The Skill Stack is not about being excellent at any one thing…it’s about having a variety of useful skills for the 21stCentury to give you the edge over your competition and to make you a better person.  This will give you more confidence, create less stress, make you happier and in turn a more valuable member of society…which will also eventually filter through into more cash in your bank. 1. Sit close to the screen. Your face should fill most of it.  Keep slightly to the right or left…not exactly in the middle and leave an inch or so showing over your head. 2. Your name. When you’re logging in, Use your name properly or your name and location so that when you talk and people can see, then know who you are and where you are. 3. Changing a setting. The default Zoom setting is to show the full screen face of the person talking.  Change this to show everyone. 4. Microphones and Headsets. Use an external microphone or headset. 5. Consider Krisp.ai if you ever have background noise issues such as dogs barking or kids upstairs or if you’re in a public place.  Krisp (with a K) is noise-cancelling software and it’s free. 6. Mute. When you’re not talking, hit mute. If you’re on mute, press and hold the space bar and you can be heard. 7. Eating. Don’t eat during the meeting.  It’s ok to drink tea or coffee but don’t slurp.  And remember that mute button. 8. Listening and engaging. When you’re on mute during an audio call, you can do whatever you want. But when you’re on mute on a video call, you need to act like you’re truly engaged. Nod your head. Focus on the screen. 9. Your Phone.  If you have to use your phone whilst on zoom, lift it up and use it in front of you below the camera. 10. Lighting. Don’t sit with the window behind you. A little effort on lighting goes a very long way. Test it out beforehand. 11. Talking. When you’re talking, spend some time looking at the camera, not the screen. You’ll appear more earnest and honest this way. 12. Time. When you’re talking, go slow. No one is going to steal your slot. 13. Walking. Don’t walk if you’re using a phone, it’s very off-putting for others as they get distracted by the movement…but also…you run the risk of walking into someone or something! 14. Background images or setting. If you have a green screen it’s a good idea to use it and to use a bespoke, non-Stock images of your own. 15. Leaving. If you have to go to the toilet or answer the door, let people know in the Chat box…send a message to everyone to say you need to drop out for a minute. 16. Hosting. If you’re hosting a zoom session, it’s a good idea to send out an agenda and a start and finish time. All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. You can learn more at: www.TheSkillStack.com For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

Knowing how to communicate effectively is the key to any relationship. Whether you’re giving a presentation at work, working out a disagreement with your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend (significant other) or just having a chat with a friend, knowing how to articulate your ideas—and listen to those of others—is crucial. But although we spend a lot of our time talking to each other, emailing each other, Whatsapping, texting, mesaging and posting, that doesn’t mean we necessarily get our point across or hear the other persons point as they intended. Communicating properly can be surprisingly challenging. So there we go, 11 things to remember: 1. Learn to listen and learn to read to understand 2. Pay attention to body language 3. Watch how others communicate in different settings 4. Don’t be afraid of a bit of silence 5. Use confident language 6. Ask questions 7. Find common ground even in an argument 8. Know what you’re talking about 9. Changing the Subject?  Bridge into it 10. Make people feel valuable 11. Relax All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. You can learn more at: www.TheSkillStack.com For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

Bonus Session - Feeling Lazy? Here's What To Do About It. In this unusual time. More people are staying at home in lockdown.  Some people have to work from home whilst many others have the "luxury" of doing nothing. I don't know about you but I would much rather be working from home that doing nothing! But here's the thing, people are not lazy, they are just uninspired and need an objective, a target, a goal. They need to be moving towards something that inspires them. This lack of energy is caused by mucscles being under-utilised and energy stagnates. Sleep inertia can also cause you to feel lazy during the day.  This sleep inertia is caused by sleeping longer. We no longer need to get up and commute, so more time in bed.  We can stay up late. But all of that compounds and will lead to sleep inertia which can lead to you wandering around your home in a hypnagogic trance - almost like a teenager! So what do you do if you can't concentrate?  If You struggle to work at home>  If you're feeling tired all the time? I spoke to people who have worked at home for years and asked them these questions.  The answer is Routine.  Get into a routine. A good routine and stick to it. But that aside, here are 6 other things that you can do to stave off the lazy feelings and yo cure sleep inertia. 1. Workout 2. Go out 3. Do something for someone 4. Get creative 5. Plan something to look forward to 6. Make a nutritious meal All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. You can learn more at: www.TheSkillStack.com For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

The following statement is often attributed to the famous scientist Charles Darwin: It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. Adaptability as a skill refers to the ability of a person to change his actions, course or approach to doing things in order to suit a new situation. ... It encompasses being able to effect changes in a course of action with smoothness and timeliness, without any major setbacks. Adaptability means being open to ANY new challenge or changing situation, regardless of your background and skills, and refusing to place preconceived judgments on the challenge or presume it's something you can't handle, or won't like. As a differentiating value, Adaptability means ability to change and maintain effectiveness in a changing environment. The critical ingredient to adaptability is remaining effective when everything is changing Often confused with Survival of the fittest. Darwin uses the phrase "survival of the fittest" in chapter four of his groundbreakng book “On the Origin of Species” to describe the process of natural selection. But he did not coin the phrase. It was borrowed from English philosopher Herbert Spencer, who first talked about survival of the fittest in his Principles of Sociology. The world is changing rapidly and that’s down to Four things: Abundance, Asia , Automation and AI The first 3 were extensively written about by Daniel Pink in his 2006 book “A whole new mind” – The newest addition is AI · Abundance: prosperity has allowed westerners to fill their lives with material goods but not fulfillment – the search for meaning and happiness goes on. · Asia: workers from Asia are taking over the role of knowledge workers. · Automation: any job that is dependent on routines can be replaced or reshaped by technology: eg computers that can program other computers; medical diagnoses that can be done online by patients  * AI: This is the branch of computer sciences that emphasises the development of intelligence machines, thinking and working like humans. For example, speech recognition, problem-solving, learning and planning. To be able to be adaptable we will need six essential aptitudes; he calls them the Six Senses: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning. For the list of jobs in the future, Click on this link:  Jobs of The Future It’s the mindset skills that make up the larger portion of required skills in the future. Having them makes being adaptable easier.  Having a variety of useful skills makes you mentally more able to cope with change. All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. You can learn more at: www.TheSkillStack.com  For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

How To Get More Done In A Day First of all, leverage as much as you can.  But here is how to control your day to get the most out of it and to let you get on with your core skill/profession. 1. Wake up at least an hour earlier. 2. Make a daily to-do list. 3. Do the hardest things first. 4. Clear your desk. 5. Exercise in the morning. 6. Write out Your Routine 7. Focus on one thing at a time. 8. Start saying “No” more often. 9. Get enough sleep. Get good sleep 10. Keep your emails organised. 11. Shut off social media. 12. Read emails and documents properly. 13. Schedule chunks of uninterrupted time. Pomodoro 14. Put your headphones on….or in 15. Meditate before starting work. 16. Eliminate meetings. 17. Make 60-second decisions. 18. Outsource everything. All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

How to Get Anyone to Take Action in 6 simple steps. 1. Limit their options - not too many choices.  They need to believe they are in control. Remember the analogy of the jam in the supermarket or my wife shopping curtains.  Less is better when it comes to getting someone to take action. 2. Set Deadlines - Any task will contract or expand depending on the time given. Let people know they must act NOW! ... or within a very short timeframe or they will lose the offer.  This acts the same as when we are told we can't have something; we tend to want it more and also remember scarcity.  The human desire for something increases when there is less of it. 3. Use Isaac Newton's law of inertia.  Objects in motion tend to stay in motion; get them to do something.  Something small can lead to something bigger. Buying something for a small price can lead to buying something from you of a higher price. 4. Another useful law is that of expectation.  People will do what you expect if you do it with confidence.  "Follow me"!  "Go there" especially if you walk off in that direction. 5. Watch how people process information.  If you want People to do something, make it easy.  If you want to discourage them, make it sound complicated.  My son taking out the recycling is a great example. 6. But wait...there's more!  The add-on is a great way to get someone to do something...and add on can increase sales by as much as a third. IN fact any small additional benefit for taking action now will always go down well. So that is it.  6 Steps. But always remember the number one rule when it comes to getting someone to do something for you or with you - they ideally need to like you and also trust you, so use their name as often as you can. Whilst you're here, there is an offer for the next 3 days only. Go to the website as join the Skill Stack and you will get 6 weeks worth of direct 1-2-1 coaching with me...not my team...me.  But wait! That's not all.  I will show you some simple ways to earn back 10 times the cost of the programme. But this is only open to the first 10 people who join in the next 3 days. Go to the site.  Do it now! www.TheSkillStack.com All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

How To Make Quick Changes. You are not the problem.  Your approach to the problem is the problem.  This is a system and process flaw not a personal one. It’s true what employers say, people don’t work…systems work.  People don’t fail. Systems fail. Michael Gerber has been saying this for years in his seminal book: The E-Myth – Why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it. I first came across this over 20 years ago. It was brought to my attention by a group of accountants called Ran One (Results Accountants network) This is a mindset changing book and the suggestions in it do work. So in order for you to make changes, you need to adjust your mindset – and it’s easier than you think. Bear in mind that this makes no distinction between starting a behaviour or quitting a behaviour. Between good habits or bad habits…and there are certain things that apply across the board when it comes to changing. 1.  Stop critisising yourself – it’s not you… it’s the system you use (or don’t use) 2.  Take any challenge you have and break it down into small steps. (like eating an Elephant…one bite at a time) 3.  If you do make a mistake, recognise it, own it, learn from it and move on. When you follow a simple system you will get quick wins.  There will be times when you say to yourself “Hey this really works!”  That’s important.  It’s important that you celebrate these wins as that will reinforce the behaviour and you will want to do more. So keep score.  In your phone, in a book or in a Journal, make a note of coincidences and times when you catch yourself making the small changes necessary. 1.  Stop beating yourself up it’s not your fault. This is a process error not a human one. 2.  Take very small steps and measure what you are doing…after all it’s not the mountain that holds you back, it’s the pebble in your shoe! 3.  Celebrate the wins. Some of the best changes are made when 3 things come together. 1.  You actually really want to make the change – you are willing - make sure that you do 2.  You have the ability to make the change.  You can actually do it. You are not physically prevented 3.   Something must make you do it. Reminder If you have any questions or want to ask me about anything in this podcast, you can join the Skill Stack on Facebook or in Twitter @TheSkillStack or you can email us directly; info@theskillstack.com or if you would like to discover the power of accelerated personal growth you can sign up to the Mindset, Training and Strategy modules at TheskillStack.com Once again, thank you for listening and I’ll hope to talk to you again on the next episode which is Episode #34  - How to Get More Done in a Day And remember; “The greatest investment you’ll ever make is investing in yourself.”

The Worlds Largest Work from home experiment This is the World’s Largest “Work from Home Experiment” People who are optimistic about the future will win. Let’s think about Fear for a moment.  Fear is just a seed.  It must settle in your imagination as it can produce nothing without imagination + or – (positive or negative and it gets magnified) If I take a look in your garden 3,6,9 months from now I can clearly see what seeds you have planted. If you hold on to fear it will seriously impact upon you. Play this game with patience. Not fear. Feel the fear and do it anyway and be very careful of your emotions around fear as they will actually increase your chance of becoming ill.  Fear creates stress hormones and they will reduce your bodies ability to fight off infection.  Your immunity will become compromised.  Do not let it (fear) take hold. Who Needs help right now? Who has a problem? 1. People who currently have a problem are employees working from home with kids. 2. Companies struggling to keep staff productive. 3. Entrepreneurs lacking digital processes. Who has the potential to Grow?   Think about all the companies who have massive potential.  Online anything really! So remember, Money does not disappear in a recession it changes hands. What Resources are available to you?   What subscriptions are you keeping?  If you're keeping them, so is everyone else. Strategy – Checklist – What gifts, skills, talent, knowledge and expretise could you digitise to help others? How did you reach your goals or overcome adversity in the past? Money goes to people who solve meaningful problems. – Strategy – What Pulled You Through? What is Important to you? Tactics – Do what you love? Think about your daily MMA's Money Making Activities – KRA's Key Result Areas – HVA's High Value Activities – DMO's Daily Method of Operation Remember to keep up a routine and follow the routine.  It's not discipline you need it's a routine and accountability. More on that in the next episode. All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

Mindset and Strategy - Coping in a Crisis So coping in a crisis. It’s important that we all do our bit.  Play our part in being part of the solution and not the problem. So COVID-19 - Some Wise Words - Mindset and Strategy - Coping in a Crisis Okay for those of you who have been listening to The Skill Stack Podcast for a while you will know that I am very keen on mindset. In fact The Skill Stack starts with 12 modules on mindset then 12 modules on training then 12 models on strategy and how to put the training into practice. So let’s get into some things to help you cope and some ways to quickly implement these coping mechanisms. The way we feel at the best of times is triggered by outside events. And that can and does change how we act. And the way we act can then reinforce how we feel.  It’s a spiral that we need to watch out for and break out of. You cannot control the situation but you can control your reaction. What will you learn today? Who will you teach? Here is what I’m going to teach. Coping in a Crisis. So here we go:  22 Tips for Coping in a Crisis; 1. Don’t Panic – Breathe. Stay Calm. 2. Reactions – Everyone reacts differently 3. Right Now Is the Worst Part 4. There will be Good Parts 5. Routine – Establish one early and stick to it. 6. Meals – Take the time to prepare them 7. Privacy – Let each person have their own space 8. Exercise -  regardless of age – do it 9. Drink – Alcohol, tea, water – everything in moderation 10. Stocking Up – Food yes but don't forget things like lightbulbs, toothpaste, toothbrushes and washing power. 11. Transport-  Bicycles are best 12.Connect -  Keep in touch with people. 13.Help For Others - Help friends and your local community. 14.Medicine – have the basics to hand 15.Arrange Help for You.  Ask for it if you need it - there are no prizes for suffering in silence.  www.Mindstore.com is brilliant and start to follow Jack Black Mindstore on Facebook for some great tips, advice and videos on mental health. 16.Restrict Social Media Time 17.Limit Your News Exposure 18.Expect More Change 19.Small things can make a big difference 20.Sense of Humour – Don’t lose it and seek it out where you can. 21.Underlying problems don’t go away. 22.One Day This Will Be Over The main thing is, be kind to yourself and others.  You’re feeling anxious and stressed, that’s millions of years of evolution and is a coping mechanism. This time though, you are not alone in this crisis.  You are not alone in feeling this way…millions of others are as well…but millions of others are also working to fix things on your behalf. You need to do your bit.  You need to ensure that you are part of the solution and not part of the problem. Remember that running away from your problems is a race you will never win. And if you do one thing…just one thing…of all the things listed in this episode….make it that you prepare a routine.  Write it out. Follow it.  Make sure others in your family follow one as well. Put up little post-it notes around your house with the routine and the timings on it and follow it to the letter.

How To Sleep Better and Wake up Fresher Do you or anyone you know, have sleep "issues"? It's a very common problem and one that I can say used to affect me badly...but for the last 20 years I have slept soundly every night and woken up at the same time every day without an alarm clock.  Here's how I do it and the good news is that you can do it as well. It is usually fear of something that stops us from falling asleep or if we wake up in the middle of the night, it can be the fear of something that keeps us awake and keeps our mind "spinning". On the two-day courses I have asked people to use these techniques (called the pathway to sleep - created by Jack Black at Mindstore.com) to get a good night sleep and wake up fresher. Here is the pathway to sleep. 1. Create a house in your mind. Ideally in the country. Make it as big or as small as you like. You design it. It's your ideal house. 2. Within the house create a room, a big comfortable bedroom called the sleeping quarters. Make it as luxurious as you wish. 3. In the room have a big comfortable bed and at the end of the bed have a wall with a huge clock face on it for setting the time to wake up. 4. When you go to bed at night and prepare for sleep, visit this house and enter the sleeping quarters. Sit on the bed and take 3 deep breaths. 5. In your minds eye, look at the clockface on the wall and see the hands move to a time when you want to wake up. Make it 06:11 or 06:43  It doesn't have to be on the hour or half hour. (Do NOT use an alarm clock as back-up!) 6. Fall back into the bed. Take another 3 deep breaths. Relax from head to toe. Each time say, "I am falling into a deep, deep sleep".  So Relax my head - I am falling into a deep, deep sleep.  Relax my face - I am falling into a deep, deep sleep...and so on all the way to your feet and toes. 7. Wake. Check the time and laugh because It Only Works!! Now 7 things ti remember from the podcast 1. The brain can only process one conscious thought at a time so use positive self-talk when facing up to your fears 2. Fear exists only in the mind. Take action and step into what you fear and you will discover it no longer exists. 3. Do away with your alarm clock and set your own opportunity clock in your mind within your sleeping quarters 4. Use the Pathway to sleep every night and you will get better at it and your quality of sleep will improve. 5. Take advantage of waking up early to get up, go for a morning walk or read a motivational book. (If you don't normally do this, put a note beside your bed as a reminder. 6. Keep a notebook by your bed to record ideas that come to you. 7. Take a note of your dreams to harness more of your creative capacity. All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

Dealing With Judgement 8 simple steps to deal with judgement 1. Keep it in perspective 2. Know The source.  If they don’t know you personally, don’t take it personally 3. If it’s useful feedback, learn the lesson 4. Are they judging you or are you judging yourself? 5. If You are being judged – why? See Number 3…learn the lesson 6. Focus on what matters to you, not someone else 7. Realise when it’s time to leave….sometimes you just need to block people 8. Shift Your focus – see the good All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com

Dealing With Overwhelm Understand Exactly Why You’re Feeling Overwhelmed Many of the people I deal with on a  1-2-1 basis, such as clients and Mastemind attendees tell me that from time to time they are feeling overwhelmed by running their business and by Life in general! It doesn’t matter whether your business is brand new or 20 years old, whether you are young or old...there are many things to juggle as a business owner, as a mother, father, brother or sister. You are not alone in feeling this way, and there are some very common reasons why we feel overwhelmed in business and in life: · Trying please everyone (usually, but not always this is a common female trait.) · Trying to focus on or get too many things done at one time – not to be confused with multitasking · Being too optimistic about how much time it takes to do a task (This should only take me 5 minutes!) Yeah right! · Adding too many appointments and projects to your daily or weekly calendar · Not saying “no” to people and projects Notice how all these things are a CHOICE you have made? Every time you make a choice to do too much, you are actually making a choice to feel stressed and overwhelmed.  You can stop this as you are in control. To Deal With Overwhelm 1. Just Say No 2. Clear Desk...clear mind 3. Do What's most important first. Eat That Frog! 4. Do. Dump.Delegate or Destroy 5. Work towards results not for the sake of being busy.  What are your Key Result Areas (KRA's) and Income Generating Tasks (IGT's) 6. Create a Routine 7. Do just 4 tasks a day 8. Admit to yourself that it never ends - but it IS something you can control 9. Celebrate 10. You don't have to get it right but you have to get it going - Perfection will kill you and your business.  Strive to get it done regardless! 11. Action defeats worry.  Get moving. Stop thinking about it. All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: info@TheSkillStack.com