The Secret Ingredient to Success

The Secret Ingredient to Success

by Belinda Ellsworth

 

The Secret Ingredient to Success is (drum roll, please…) a schedule.

 

It’s true. It’s not glamorous, but it’s absolutely true.

 

I grew several Million Dollar organizations and my Training business while I was raising a family—that included crazy kid schedules, carpools, family struggles, a painful divorce and then the restructuring of our family life to create healthy, stronger relationships.

 

None of those things made my career convenient—and regardless of whether I had to kiss a skinned knee, get kids to a little league tournament , turn in the month-end orders or be on stage in front of thousands of excited women—there was one thing that helped me get what needed to be done, done: a schedule.

 

When I ran into a hostess who wanted to book a party, I knew that I was available for parties a week from Saturday. When my hairstylist wanted me to book my next appointment; I knew that Wednesdays were my day for personal errands; when a young woman I was mentoring wanted to schedule a weekly call, I knew that Monday mornings are when I hold my coaching calls.

 

Many of us got into this business because of the flexibility of the schedule—but the key is remembering that while you can work the schedule that works for you, the fact is that if there’s a schedule, you’re more likely not only to succeed, but to enjoy yourself while you do so!

 

It’s a little like the saying, “You can succeed in this business part time, or full time, but you’ll never succeed in your spare time—because you don’t have any!”

 

A schedule makes sure that nothing (ok, very little) drops through the cracks. When your feet hit the floor in the morning, you know what’s on the agenda: “It’s Monday morning—I’ll have my cup of coffee and make my mentoring calls. Then a light lunch while I phone my hostesses. I’ll enter the weekend’s orders and get my bag ready for the party tonight. Once I pop the frozen lasagna in the oven, I’ll pick the kids up from school.”

 

I teach the basics of scheduling and time management in my notebook, The Power Hour. But for most Success Express subscribers, the Power Hour for Leaders is more helpful.

 

Leaders have a layer to their businesses that requires more than just a phone call or two to another team member—often, you are responsible for helping new recruits begin to master the skills they need to succeed, and helping newer leaders master the habits they need to grow teams of their own.

 

Those responsibilities are incredibly rewarding; in fact, they are my favorite part of this business!

 

But, they also add a whole new layer (or two or three) of tasks that must be fitted into the week—and a schedule allows for that. The Power Hour for Leaders has all the components—checklists, organizational tools, even labels-- you need to easily manage your business as a leader, in just an hour a day. It’s helped literally thousands of leaders get their businesses on a continuing growth cycle. Of course, if you prefer to create your own system, I suggest that you begin by making a list of all your personal business tasks and all your leadership business tasks, and categorize them, then get them on your weekly and monthly calendars.  

 

Here’s a great tip: as you’re training your new recruits, teach them those Power Hour secrets of building their businesses in just one hour a day. Most likely, they feel as if they’re constantly working and never achieving anything, or they feel as if they’re never really working because they’re not sure what to do. By showing them a system for organizing contacts, coaching hostesses and following up with customers on a set schedule (set, of course, by them) they’ll see that there really is an effective system.

 

One thing I have discovered is that to be able to enjoy time off, you have to make your work hours as effective and efficient as possible. A schedule helps you do just that!