Default or Design? 3 Mindset Shifts to Unleash Your Passion-fueled Success

February 20, 2010 By Gina Bell 5 Comments

default or designWow! Can you believe it’s almost the end of February? Are you feeling restless? Have some of your New Years Resolutions or grand intentions for your success fallen away?

Let’s get you back on track…

Here are three essential shifts that will motivate you to gain the clarity and focus you need to influence and enjoy a more positive direction in your life and business.

(Note: A willingness to be completely honest with yourself is absolutely critical.)

1. Default to Design!

Are you letting life happen to you? Have you clearly defined your goals and how you’re going to achieve them?

It’s time to wake up! You are in the driver’s seat! You are the Captain of your destiny. You CAN create your life – the way you really want it! The true breakthrough lies here… Realizing that YOU are the key to creating more success and happiness in your life is the very first step.

2. Confusion to Confidence (Develop Your Authentic Vision):

Often new entrepreneurs make the mistake of jumping into business with both feet before putting a lot of thought into what the end destination may be. It’s like going to the airport, hopping on the next available plain, hoping for a tropical destination and ending up in Alaska versus taking the time to schedule the appropriate flight and accommodations related to the tropical vacation you were dreaming of. Hope is not a strategy.

To eliminate confusion ask yourself: What are your dreams? What matters to you? What does success mean to you? What do you really want for your life? What is your why – why did you become an entrepreneur? And dig deep on this one… If there were no barriers to your success and tomorrow you could wake up to the life and business of your dreams, what would that look like?

Be as specific as possible when you answer these questions and remember… the answers must come from YOU not from what success looks like for someone else such as a “celebrity guru”.

3. Become MINDFUL of Success (Develop Success Awareness):

“Nurture your mind with great thoughts for you will never go any higher than you think.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

When you are mindful and aware it means you are actively attentive, and deliberately keeping something in mind.

Clearly define what success means to you and keep it in front of you. You could do this by creating a vision board or vision story or simply keeping a journal that you reference on a regular basis. The key is to be mindful of your authentic dreams, desires and destinations so that you are always moving towards them.

Become a student of success; read; learn; find a coach or mentor; surround yourself with successful people; listen to audio programs; immerse yourself in the idea of success and you will begin to see success all around you.

As Mahatma Gandhi said… “Be the change you want to see”.

So what do you want your reality to be like? Begin crafting it today through new choices, positive intentions and purposeful action.

And, if you’re really serious about 2010 being the year you astound yourself with big leaps in your business think about what you are willing to do to make that a done deal. The Equity-Rich Women Online coaching programs may be the catalyst you need. They’re devoted to success-driven women who are ready to experience a new level of momentum.

You can read about them here: http://www.ginabellinc.com/erw

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles, Quotes to ponder Tagged With clarity, confidence, Default to Design, Gina Bell, Mindset Shifts, Online Success, success driven women online

Women in Business Online: Don’t Just Do It… REALLY Do It!

January 17, 2010 By Gina Bell 8 Comments

gina bell inc - women in business online-1If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll recognize the title of this blog “Don’t Just Do It… REALLY Do It” as one of my success mantras.

I rarely do anything for the fluff factor. My goal – always – is to fully engage and take action like a pro.

So you wont be surprised that this quote caught my eye the other day (grin).

“After all is said & done, a lot more will have been said than done.” ~ Author Unknown

It got me thinking about how often this is the case. How knowing what to do doesn’t necessarily = actually doing it.

So I want to challenge YOU – the amazing success-driven women in business online that I love to motivate – to pay very close attention to the possible disconnect between your goals and the actual steps you take to achieve them.

Let’s take it one step further, and I hope you’ll play with me on this by commenting below…

What is one purposeful thing you can do this coming week to take it up a notch? To do something better or bigger than ever before or to do something you know you should do but have put off?

Dreams don’t become reality on their own… so let’s start building that bridge between your dreams and your dreams come true! Need I say more?

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P.S. “Don’t just do it, really do it” is just one of my success mantras. Join me for a free tele-series where I’ll reveal my “equity-rich” philosophies that will get you thinking bigger and doing more than ever before!



Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, Quotes to ponder Tagged With Equity-Rich Online, Online Entrepreneurs, Online Success, up level your success online, women in business online

My Favorite Lesson of 2009 is “Go Pro!” What’s Yours?

December 31, 2009 By Gina Bell 25 Comments

Earth DropletMy favorite lesson of 2009 is “Go Pro”. The underlying premise is the concept of living in the moment or as Eckhart Tolle brought to the world in a big way – The Power of Now.

Now is reality. The past is over and can’t be re-done and the future hasn’t happened yet.

The only real power we have is right here and now.

Moment by moment we create the reality that unfolds. It sounds deep but it really isn’t. The decisions I make and actions I take NOW impact the future I experience.

The idea of “Go Pro” simply means that in each moment, whatever it is that I’m doing, I’m going to do it with my full attention and to the best of my abilities.

If I’m writing an article, all my energy and focus and effort will go into writing the best article I’m capable of in that moment. If I’m making a sandwich, same thing. If I’m talking with my daughter, I’ll listen with all my energy and focus (I say listen because she does 99% of the talking – she’s 17 he he).

Think about this for a moment… what reality would you experience if moment by moment you invested fully, no holds barred, completely engaged and present?

You’d be surprised how often the mind wanders away on us and I don’t know about you but I’d rather be living in the present to the very best of my abilities than stuck in my head replaying the past or worrying about the future.

Each time my mind tries to wander (and it always does) I’ll notice it and bring my attention back to fully engage in what I’m doing.

I’m taking this one with me into 2010 and beyond too because it’s really more of a way to be and do rather than a single lesson to be learned. Big thanks goes to @marieforleo and her Rich Happy Hot Virtual Mastery program.
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“Most people treat the present moment as if it were an obstacle that they need to overcome. Since the present moment is Life itself, it is an insane way to live.” ~ Eckhart Tolle
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So, what’s YOUR top lesson from 2009 that you’re taking with you into 2010? I’d love to know. Post your comments below.

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Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles, Quotes to ponder Tagged With Gina Bell, go pro, live in the moment, Online Success, power of now, top lesson of 2009, women in business online

Authenticity Boosts Your Marketing Fun-Factor & More!

December 18, 2009 By Gina Bell 2 Comments

I love this quote by CJ Hayden author of Get Clients Now!

mask1“The more you become honest, direct, and authentic in all of your marketing, the more appealing selling will be to you, the more effortless it will become, and the more success you will ultimately achieve. …most business results from building relationships, and how can you develop a relationship with someone when you never reveal who you really are?”

Action Step:

Think about the elements of your business. Look at the structure, your programs, the words and copy, who your target audience is. Look at it and ask yourself… is this “me”?

One of the biggest traps entrepreneurs fall into is the comparison trap where they’ve compared and copied because they think it’s the right thing to do versus their own way or, they’ve become start-struck by the business and lifestyle of a celebrity guru.

When this happens authenticity gets thrown out the window and we start to create from comparison mode or we try to “model” the success of others which may not be authentic to us.

Again, think about your business, really place it under a microscope and write down 3 ways that you can start to breath honesty, conviction and authenticity back into it now. You’ll be amazed how this magnetizes your marketing and fuels your passion.

And… if you REALLY want to give your marketing a motivating kick-in-the-pants join me for the next Get Clients Now! Marketing Action Group starting January 19th.

Filed Under FREE Articles, Marketing Wisdom, Quotes to ponder Tagged With authenticity, Get Clients Now! Marketing Wisdom, Gina Bell, Online Marketing, Originality, women in business online

Get the FREE eBook What Matters Now? By Seth Godin

December 14, 2009 By Gina Bell 11 Comments

I had the pleasure of waking up to this gem in my inbox.

What Matters Now eBookWhat Matters Now?
By Seth Godin

The ebook features more than seventy big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year.

From bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert to brilliant tech thinker Kevin Kelly, from publisher Tim O’Reilly to radio host Dave Ramsey, there are some important people riffing about important ideas here.

My own important idea, theme for 2010 and riff today is “Originality”

You saw me get on my soap box earlier this year with the How Does She Do It? Tele-Series. We explored the comparison trap as it relates to business and how our tendency to seek external validation along with a follow the leader approach to model the success of celebrity gurus can be a slippery slope that sabotages confidence and authenticity.

(Think Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty… but, for business.)

A woman in business online who embraces originality rarely falls into the comparison trap. This is because being original requires creativity, innovation, honesty, self-acceptance and caring enough about what you really want (and knowing what you really want) to stake your claim, to stand out, to be remarkable and to take action!

Download the eBook now and enjoy! It’s totally free and if you love it… share it! (Sharing can be as simple as clicking the tweet me button at the top of this post)

download-button-pink

So, what important idea do you want to share going into the New Year? I’d love for you to post them below :)

P.S. You can read Seth’s original blog post here.


Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, Quotes to ponder Tagged With Comparison Trap, Gina Bell, IAWBO, Originality, Seth Godin, What Matters Now, women in business online

I Am Me (A Guide to Being Authentic and Original)

November 8, 2009 By Gina Bell 9 Comments

fragile handle with careWhenever I find myself feeling stuck in comparison mode, like I need to move faster, do more, do better because I’ve compared myself to someone else and in my mind I’ve fallen short and self-doubt sets in…

When I find myself being pulled by external obligations and expectations…

And, when I feel scared to step forward and simply do something “my way”, I turn to the incredible quote by Virginia Satir (below) to remind me that it’s absolutely our natural truth to be authentic and original. And, it’s absolutely okay to need a reminder once in a while. After all, we are human ;)

I am Me.

In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me.

Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine, because I alone chose it.

I own everything about me: my body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or myself. I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes. Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me. By so doing, I can love me and be friendly with all my parts.

I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects that I do not know — but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and ways to find out more about me.

However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically me. If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought, and felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is unfitting, keep the rest, and invent something new for that which I discarded.

I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me, and therefore, I can engineer me. I am me, and I am Okay.

~ Virginia Satir

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, Quotes to ponder Tagged With Authentic in Business, Authenticity in business, Comparison Trap, Genuine, Original, Originality, women in business online

Discover Your Authentic Life Telesummit – November 16 to 20

November 4, 2009 By Gina Bell 1 Comment

libertàA few weeks ago Kimberly Englot, CEO of Authentic Self Personal Development invited me to be an expert for the “Discover Your Authentic Life” event.

I said yes right away and once I learned more about the topics we’d dig into during the series I got REALLY excited to be involved! These interviews are really going to spark some breakthroughs!

Here’s the scoop…

12 experts, all successful women in business and life (completely living according to their authentic intuition), teamed up for this project and each of us will share candidly and from the heart, our experiences with:

  • Living (and doing business) authentically,
  • the crossroads that made us finally decide enough was enough and follow our hearts,
  • how living this way has created more opportunity, and allowed in more happiness…

All from the perspective of how you can “Discover Your Authentic Life” too! so that you can be happier

We’re sharing our own experiences, lessons learned, and mistakes made, and cross-roads we had to meet first. As well as what works best so that YOU can discover your own authentic self and live your authentic life!

The calls are heart-warming, genuine and humorous too. You‘re really going to love them! It sounds fantastic doesn’t it? And that’s not even the best part… The best part is you can listen to the calls – F.R.E.E. when you register at http://snipurl.com/gbdyal

Here’s one thing I know for sure…

You don’t have to stay unhappy. You can have wealth and success, AND still be a great person! This event will empower you to see challenges on the horizon and navigate them with ease, because you’re doing it from a success mindset, not fear!

Take the step right now, to discover your authentic life with this FREE series http://snipurl.com/gbdyal

~ Gina xo
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Gina Bell,
Founder & President of IAWBO

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, News and Events, Polls and Surveys, Quotes to ponder Tagged With authentic self, Authenticity in business, Discover your authentic life telesummmit, Gina Bell, Kimberly Englot

Gain Marketing Wisdom From This ’80’s Vintage Commercial

August 19, 2009 By Gina Bell 4 Comments

calgonDo you remember the “Calgon, Take Me Away!” commercials from the 80’s?

They were awesome (giggle) and are a great example of a company that totally understands the emotional hot buttons of their target market.

When a busy, overwhelmed woman watched these commercials they could literally picture themselves in it! I did! And I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve said (or thought) “Calgon take me away!” in a moment of overwhelm or frustration! My mom used to do it too! LOL

It’s been over 25 years and I still remember and relate to this commercial.

I think that’s freakin’ BRILLIANT!!

As Peter F. Drucker says:  “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him/her and sells itself.”

The question to ask yourself is… do your products/services sell themselves? If not, how can you relate so well to your audience that they believe you understand them better than they know themselves?

Sounds like a challenge doesn’t it? But, the end results is *SO* worth it. Just think, your target audience could be talking about your products and services 25+ years from now. That would be wicked cool don’t you think?!

Oh, and in case you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, I’ve shared one of the commercials below.  (And, for those who do… enjoy! tee hee!)

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles, Quotes to ponder Tagged With emotional hot buttons, Gina Bell, marketing, marketing focus, marketing goals, niche, target market

Do You Need A Believability Makeover? Your Ability To Ask For Help May Be A Clue!

August 12, 2009 By Gina Bell 5 Comments

“You’ve got to ask. Asking is in my opinion, the world’s most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness.” ~ Self-made Multimillionaire and Philanthropist, Percy Ross

Young Business WomanA big challenge faced by many entrepreneurs is feeling alone and isolated. And often, the isolation stems from the limiting belief that we should be able to figure out the challenges we face – on our own.

Not knowing the answers is frustrating, it makes us feel inadequate, like a failure. The new question I want you to consider is… are these feelings & thoughts based in reality? Are these thoughts true?

Some years ago I listened to a tele-class with Stephanie Franks, author of The Accidental Millionaire where she talked about this limiting belief that we should be able to figure it out on our own.

If you remember being in school, during exam time, students were required to complete the exam alone, in silence. The expectation was that we should know the answers or be able to figure them out – on our own.

If we dared to ask a fellow student anything concerning the exam it was a no-no and viewed as cheating. Our teachers didn’t encourage us to work in groups or “mastermind” with students who were top of the class.

These experiences impact our belief systems and as entrepreneurs a belief that once served us well and kept us out of the Principals office no longer supports our success.

And here’s another example I was reminded of just tonight by Billionaire business owner, speaker, coach & mentor Anne McKevitt… (google her she’s amazing!).

The average person… okay, 99.9% of people are aiming for middle ground, taking baby steps and playing it safe. Think of your childhood and how often parents and adult role models told you to “be careful”. That advice may have served you as a child (key word = may) but, as an adult and moreover an entrepreneur, playing it safe is keeping you small!

Your belief system has years of background stories just like these ones. Sculpted and molded through experiences, our culture, influential people and more.

If you’ve caught yourself doing things that sabotage your success or, not doing things to support your success and you can’t figure out why, start to listen to your inner voice.

Our beliefs influence our thoughts, dictate our habits, affect our decisions and ultimately create our results/reality.

Are you living a reality that you love?

If not… it may be time for your believability makeover ;)

~ Gina xo

P.S. My Believability Makeover Program is getting a makeover of its own! The easiest way to ensure you are notified the moment it becomes available is to subscribe to my “Fun Fame and Fortune e-Mentorship” by entering your name and email in the box at the top right of this page.

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles, Polls and Surveys, Quotes to ponder Tagged With beliefs, believability, believability makeover, Gina Bell, limiting beliefs

A Success Principle From… Alice in Wonderland

August 12, 2009 By Gina Bell 6 Comments

alicewonderlandAlice laughed “there’s no use trying” she said. “One can’t believe impossible things.”

“I dare say you haven’t had much practice” said The Queen. “When I was younger I always did it for half an hour a day. Why sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. “

I absolutely love this quote. I love this quote because it so perfectly demonstrates how perception, opinion, beliefs and perspective impact an individual’s outlook.

If you look at the difference between Alice and the Queen, every single decision, every action that is taken would be entirely different.

Alice doesn’t believe in impossible things and the Queen believes in possibilities after possibilities.

So, here’s some food for thought. It’s obvious who is living in a bigger world… how about you? When’s the last time you challenged the impossible?

By the way, did you hear about Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland coming soon? I CAN’T WAIT! (Here’s the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiPR6kA4_iU)

Alice in Wonderland is filled with gems, nuggets of wisdom that apply as much to adults (if not more!). Do you have any favorite children’s books that have offered life or business lessons?

I’d love to hear about them.

~ Gina xo

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, Quotes to ponder