Ever Better Today

Have you ever noticed how your perspective on life, business, and social interactions can dramatically change just because of the color of your skin?

The color of your skin doesn't define who you are, but it can have an impact on your life and perspective

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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Here are some of the disadvantages of having a different skin color in society I observed throughout the years:

• Underestimated educational abilities.
• Others will look at you with great skepticism.
• People might think you're doing something terrible.

Shockingly, even today, some white people think they are better than other races. It's time to break the silence and stand up against racism with books like White Rage I discovered recently. It's about how racism has been used in the past to divide people and create conflict, but it doesn't have to be that way! I definitely recommend that book!

While there's nothing wrong with being a darker shade of brown, having darker skin would definitely play up the exotic element. Why not be the fairest of them all? It's time to break the color barrier at work and in our society

Now, what has the color of your skin taught you? I'd love to hear your story!

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

How do you respond when you ask a question and don't get an answer?

When you don't receive a "yes" or a "no" do you assume it's a maybe? Do you assume you did something wrong and it's a "no"? Do you assume a "yes" is coming?

The Ladder of Inference is a model that describes how our minds work when faced with uncertainty.

Do you tend to climb a positive or a negative ladder of inference? Most of us lean toward the negative

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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Ladder of Inference

This is a model that describes the steps that we take, mentally, to reach a conclusion and then take an action.

Here are the "rungs" of the Ladder of Inference from a negative perspective…

Selected Reality

This is where you are selecting the "facts" that work best for your situation and your beliefs.

Interpreted reality

Based on those selected facts, you add negative meaning to the situation or to that silent response you are experiencing.

Assumptions

Here you are assuming that the silence means "no" based on your interpreted reality and that your proposal will be rejected by your client.

Conclusion

In this rung, you convince yourself that silence equals a no!

Beliefs

Now your assumptions which became your conclusion are set in your mind as a belief. However, you haven't checked the facts and if you had researched further or given it more time, you may have identified a different situation.

Action

Now you take action based on your negative belief. Perhaps you reach out to your client with a nasty note and cause unnecessary turmoil. Oh my!

Here's how to use the Ladder of Inference in a positive way…

• Recognize that a silent response might mean they are reviewing your proposal and need more time.
• When you're in limbo, stop yourself from taking a negative mental journey by taking positive actions. Consider reaching out to others, networking, contacting potential clients, or exercising.
• Reach out to someone whose opinion your respect to get a broader perspective. This will help every time!

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

Have you played Wordle? It's a game published by the New York Times where you try to identify the "word of the day" in six turns or less.

I'm taking on a challenge from my "Wordle friend" to use today's word in a sentence. And of course, I'm taking it a step further and creating a podcast around it. Today's word…

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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What does "Agape" mean?

1. Agape love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another.
2. Agape is a choice. It is a state of mind, a way of being with yourself and others, a way of being in the world.
3. Agape requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return. The love that we never expect, the kind that makes us vulnerable.The love that fills our hearts with joy, happiness, and peace.

Agape can also be read as agape - as in… I was so astounded that my mouth was agape!

Agape reminds me of Agapi Stephanopoulos, a speaker, author, and facilitator with Thrive Global. Agapi, whose sister is Ariana Huffington, is Greek and I wonder if she was named after agape love. Check out her books including, Unbinding the Heart - A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity, and Unconditional Love and Wake Up to the Joy of You: 52 Meditations and Practices for a Calmer, Happier Life.

Wordle is a fun and easy way to keep your vocabulary fresh with a new set of letters to discover.

Now it's your turn, what is your favorite word?

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

Inventors are always considering how to create a new service, product, or concept. This helps businesses and people to evolve.

Do you consider the future when planning for the present?

How can you cultivate an inventor mindset?

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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What does the inventor mindset mean?

1. Inventors constantly think about creating something new.
2. Inventors think ahead and have a "treasure trove" of ideas and projects they can tip into in the future. Always consider the future when planning for the present.
3. Inventors look for new clients who use their services in different ways to stay creative and continuously consider expanding the scope of their work.

Thomas Edison said, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Considerations for research and development:

• When you are actually doing research, it's not goofing around! Find a balance between current work and future potential.
• When you feel that inventing something new is a waste of time and not worth it, don't give up! Continue to do research and learn as you go. Eventually, you'll discover something that generates revenue, changes the marketplace, and gives you satisfaction.

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

How do you handle a NO? It's a matter of attitude!

Know that NOs are a part of life and adopt a mindset of using it to your advantage or be continuously disappointed. It's your choice.

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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Robin De Wind covered a wide range of news stories for television in the Rochester, NY area for 25 years. Now, she creates written, video, and audio content for businesses and non-profits. As a reporter, she was used to handling NOs and uses that mindset to grow her business today! Learn more here!

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Here's how to control your response when you get a NO…

1. Consider NO, slammed doors, hang-ups, or insults from others as a definitive response that helps you to move forward. This is better than silence!
2. When you get a NO, always smile, say thank you and move on to another potential target.
3. When someone gives you a "no," that doesn't determine your future. It's an opportunity to get a "yes" from someone else and create a new connection.
4. Don't expect a "yes" every time. Prepare yourself for a "no" and imagine how you'll handle it.

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I challenge you to think about how you respond when you get a "no."

What's your best possible reaction?

If you haven't already, listen to Episode 83 for tips on how to say NO to manage your time, commitments, and comfort level yourself!

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To learn more about working with Ever Better send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

Saying YES is one of the easiest things to do in our society, but saying NO is one of the most powerful tools you have.

My challenge to you is….what can you say no to?

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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Here's how to say NO….

1. When someone asks you for help, consider your options. Do you have the time and energy to provide the assistance? Dare to be honest if this would jeopardize your plans.
2. Think before you say yes. When you say "yes" you shut the door on another opportunity.
3. When someone asks you to get involved with something, take your time before answering. Pause before saying Yes! Come up with a response that is natural to you and practice it with a friend or in front of the mirror.

Some responses you could consider practicing when you don't want to say NO yet…

• "Let me think about that"
• "Can I get back to you on that?"
• "I'll check my schedule and let you know."
• "I have a few other things pending, and I'm not sure about my timeframe. I'm not sure about my availability in the next week. Can I get back to you?"
• "No, I don't have time for that. I'm sorry! That sounds awesome. I just have another thing that I'm committed to doing"

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

When you're considering a significant decision, take the smallest possible action first. Your insights will follow your actions.

Don't be pressured by other people's timelines. Take the time to learn about yourself and the situation before making your final decision.

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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Here are some examples of major decisions that should only be made after taking small actions to gain significant insight.

• Leaving a full-time job
• Getting divorced
• Starting a business

Here are actions you can take:

1. Carefully consider your situation. Journal and reflect on the pros and cons.
2. Seek insights by consulting with people who have dealt with similar situations. They might be friends, family members, coaches, employees, lawyers, investigators, or therapists.
3. Study and learn more about the topic related to the decision you are considering. Perhaps take classes again at a community college or a free online course through Coursera.

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Be gentle with yourself because if you're talking about a major decision like leaving a full-time job, starting a new business, getting divorced, or getting into a new relationship, only you can decide when you have enough information. Move at your own pace.

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

What tasks have you been putting off?

To find someone to assist with all kinds of projects, check out TaskRabbit.

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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Reasons to use TaskRabbit…

1. They can hand pictures on walls, assemble furniture, and even do yard work!
2. In my experience, employees are efficient. They bring their own tools, are skilled in the tasks, and clean up after themselves.
3. The service is fast. If you're procrastinating, consider getting help and finally cross that task off your list!
4. Bringing someone to your home might be risky. I recommend choosing those with five-star reviews and plenty of experience.

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Listen to Episode 80 for other productivity options. If you've used TaskRabbit or another platform for productivity, let me know so that I can share the information with other listeners!

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

If you have too many tasks on your list or you're looking for a new way to bring in clients, check-out Upwork and Fiverr.

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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How to use Upwork and Fiverr to get help with a project…

1. Use the search box. Type in a short phrase that represents the skills you're looking for. Ex: "graphic design for social media posts." Be as specific as possible!
2. Review first then choose. Before contacting someone, look at their ratings and review. Look for people with four and five-star averages and their experiences using the same platforms that you do.
3. Take a risk but do background checking. If you're looking for legal services, you might consider Upwork or Fiverr. But remember, you're taking a little bit of a risk. Do some extra research and look them up on LinkedIn and see if they have their own website.
4. Hire someone who specializes in the task. When you have a specific task in mind, look for a virtual assistant or someone with other specialized skills who has the experience you need.
5. Do a cost-benefit analysis for yourself. Look for individuals who have a rate that works within your budget. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for!

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If you've used Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, or any other platform, let me know! I'm always looking for more productivity tools to share.

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

What is financial security to you?

Think about where you stand from a financial security perspective.

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I'm Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let's jump in!

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What does financial security really mean to you? It has a different definition for everyone.

1. Financial security can involve having enough money week to week to pay your bills.
2. Financial security involves having savings to use for enjoyment or unfortunate situations.
3. It could mean funding your 529 accounts for education expenses. Or, having enough money in the bank to pay for two months of living expenses.
4. It could mean having diversified investments and generating enough income to continue making investments. This could involve investing in other businesses, real estate, stocks, bonds, or maybe even crypto.

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Consider this is you already financially secure but sacrificing a healthy lifestyle to chase greater levels of income? If so, consider the implications of how you choose to spend your time. Think about your health, relationships, and long-term impacts. Could you be enjoying your life more?! If so, start making changes!

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To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here