When I constantly hear people telling me how ‘lucky’ I am to have had the opportunity to take a trip around the world, first class, on a private plane – for free – it actually makes my blood boil a bit. You see – luck had nothing to do with it. This all came about because of some tough life decisions I made a few years ago – resulting in good fortune to this day – and the trip around the world is just part of the story.

I was blessed with the most amazing father-in-law that anyone could ask for. When I separated and divorced a few years ago, leaving my marriage with virtually nothing, he put a (healthy) deposit on a new condo for me so that I would have a roof over my head and a safe place to live. A few years later, I sold that condo and made my major move across the country to begin a new life. The money from that condo was intended for a new home in my new city – my father-in-law’s intention, and I was going to honor that.

What happened next was totally unplanned – a travel brochure fell out of a magazine I was reading – and, as I browsed through the information (saying to myself: ‘I wonder what kind of rich people take trips like this?!”) I began to think – wait – if I went on this trip, I would be able to check off 8 travel destinations that were on my vision board.

Risk – use a good amount of the money that was intended for my new home in my new city.

Benefit – take the trip and 1) finally enjoy some travel that my ex-husband had no desire to do with me; 2) check off 8 items from my vision board!!!; 3) meet some amazing people on a travel adventure that I could only dream of (actually, I didn’t even know those kinds of trips existed!); 4) build my sense of self-worth which took quite a beating in the separation/divorce process………and so much more

This was a no-brainer! Take the trip! Was it an easy decision – NO! All the usual ‘junk’ came to mind (which is what gets in the way of most of u s making decisions that, in the end, are the best ones for our business and for our lives) –

1. What would people think? (that’s a big one, isn’t it?!)
2. How would I be able to enjoy the trip since I had NO pocket money at all?
3. What would I come back to? (I had just moved, had no clients – no contacts – no nothing!)
4. Who did I think I was? (negative self-talk)

I took a deep breath, took that first trip as a paid passenger, wrote an amazing blog (for family and friends – it took on a life of itself!) – gave all my photos and blog entries to the travel company for their marketing purposes (they asked) – and then, karma! I was invited back on future trips to blog and help lead the tours.

So, what’s the message? Was it luck? NO!

It was having clear goals (my travel vision board)

It was making a tough decision (to spend that money)

It was taking a risk (having moved to a new city – no clients – no income)

It was belief in myself – and holding on to the dream!

(and so, you may be wondering – what happened when I got back from that first trip? – I took another risk, made a decision and hired a high-level coach to help me take quantum leaps in my business – and that decision also paid off!)

How does this translate to your business? You have opportunities presented to you all the time – YOU get in your own way. Stop with the excuses (“I have no money; I’m making ‘enough to get by’ – I don’t need more; ‘it’s too far’, “I don’t have a babysitter’; ‘I have to check with my husband’ – on and on and on it goes.) I hear the excuses all the time.

Are you in business or are you playing around with a hobby? If it’s a hobby, then do yourself a favor and go get a job – work the hobby on the side. If you are truly IN business, then get some help – you can’t do it alone – none of us can.

Make a decision NOW so that 2012 will bring about different, and better, results for you.

Please share your thoughts!