Growing up as one of four kids with a single mom often left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked really hard at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table, but even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I watched others and I tried to determine what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I promised myself that I would never struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve hand-picked my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 10: Choose Your Mentor. Hang On Tightly.

Most people know that they should have a mentor, but they don’t know how to land one. I currently have a few different mentors and have had many over my life and career. As I got older, I realized that a mentor is someone that you want to get guidance from, but you also need to deliver something back to, in return.

One of my mentors just liked to leave “footprints in the sand,”; he wanted to impact younger generations and that’s why he loved giving advice and direction. Another mentor of mine is someone that I wanted to help me, but I didn’t think he had the time to do it. I knew his schedule and would call him early in the mornings when I knew he was alone in the office. I would bounce things off of him, then always ask, “Is there any way I can help you?” One day, he realized that I could help him understand some of the challenges that his female employees had and how he could better communicate with them. As such, I brought him value.

Communication is key with a mentor. You need to stay on their radar and make them feel interested in you. Sharing your fears, asking direct questions and letting them know what you are working toward and how they can help are all good ideas.

No busy professional wants to be contacted by someone who says blindly, “Can you mentor me?” That sounds like a daunting task and can mean so many different things! Every mentor in my life didn’t even know they were my mentor until they were fully vested in me: They knew my goals, my struggles, my interests. We formed a personal connection and then I began seeking them out as a mentor. By then, it was too late for them to back out!

Now I have an arsenal and team of people I can call on for direction, support and advice. And that feels good. Whether they’re helping you succeed at work or in life, find a mentor who is interested in helping you be the best you can be.

The post The Must-Have Mentor appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up as one of four kids with a single mom often left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked really hard at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table, but even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I watched others and I tried to determine what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I made sure that I would not struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve hand-picked my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 9: Ask for Help

Starting out in business, I did not want to ask anyone for help because I thought I would appear weak. Unfortunately, it took me years to figure out that I need to ask for help. No one is expected to know how to do everything and frankly, the most confident leaders are collaborative in nature. They’re looking for multiple people to jump in on projects and work together! There is no need to go it alone—in work or in life. 

We are all better when we have other perspectives and ideas to bounce against our own. My best presentations occur after I show my team what I’m thinking and then they make changes. When you start asking for help, you see that you are truly becoming strong and that others will enjoy that you are leaning on them. It always blows me away that there are so many great people that want to help me and feel good about doing it. I never saw it when I was younger because I never asked. Asking for help has helped me be successful every step of the way.

Don’t wait. Ask for help today.

The post Help Is Not a 4 Letter Word appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up as one of four kids with a single mom often left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked really hard at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table, but even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I watched others and I tried to determine what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I made sure that I would not struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve hand-picked my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 8: Let Email Hold You Accountable

Everyone is very busy. This transcends cities, professions, religions and various lifestyles. Communication is a major key to success in life and at work, but sometimes communication fails. When people are overly busy, they miss things. I have spent my career doubling back on emails to ensure that I don’t miss things, so communication can continue smoothly.

Email is my accountability and communication tool for work and life. When I don’t get a response on something, I often send an email using the “send receipt” verification that reads clearly in the end, “If I do not hear back from you on this, I will understand you have agreed to the above.”  That always gets a response! After an important meeting, I recap the notes and action steps so everyone is on the same page. That way, if I haven’t seen the plan executed in two weeks, I can circulate that email and ask each member to respond with an update on our agreed- to plan. 

When you work like this regularly, very few balls get dropped and it naturally improves communication. Let email be an easy tool to help you achieve success and stay on top of things!

The post Execute with Email appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up with a single mom with four kids often left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked really hard at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table, but even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I watched others and I tried to determine what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I was certain that I would not struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve gathered my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 7: Be Clear & Direct in What You Want.

In order to succeed in life and business, you need to know what you want and be clear and direct in asking for it. This may sound simple, but unfortunately I see women every day who are not clear in asking for something. In fact, they never actually give a direct ask! Communication is critical in business and in life. If you are not clearly identifying what it is that you want and asking the right person for it, you will not get it. Then, you will become frustrated. 

Often times I hear people say, “Well, they should have known that I wanted that promotion. I’ve been here for years!”  or,  “I am so upset I didn’t get that project. Doesn’t everyone know I love events?”  The only way that anyone will know what you want is if you ask directly and frequently.

Meet with your boss regularly to review your goals and give specific asks. For example, “I am interested in the next promotion that becomes available. What do I need to do to prepare now? What doubts do you have that I would not be the right person for that role? Are you willing to help me advance?” 

Ask direct questions and continue asking them until you get a direct answer. It’s a direct path to achieving success in life and at work.

The post Get Clear & Be Direct appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up as one of four kids with a single mom left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked extremely hard at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table, and even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I watched others and I tried to figure out what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I knew that I would not struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve gathered my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 6: Find Your Passion. Then Pursue It. 

Identifying your passion may seem like a strange bit of advice when you are young and entering the workforce, but your elder peers will understand the importance. Early in my career, I didn’t know that passion was important— or relevant— to a career, or in life.  I thought I worked for a paycheck and to ensure I never had to struggle like my mother. I was wrong. 

Ideally, work should be something that taps into your passion and allows you to make money simultaneously. This is real, and it really is the answer for those that are unhappy at work. If you don’t like what you do everyday for your job, you need to discover what your passion is and pursue it. Even if you can’t quit your job today, at least you can begin to work toward your passion, which will help you feel better and create a plan to get yourself there in the future. 

I had an amazing employee call me to tell me that she felt lost. She had a great marriage, wonderful kids and a job on our team that she appreciated for years. But she was bored. I asked her what her passion was and she said she didn’t have one.  I asked her what her superpower was and she said she didn’t have one. That wasn’t true. I already knew that this strong and talented woman had a superpower that involved a pen and writing, and I could see it a mile a way. We discussed three different ideas for her to work on to help her discover her real passion. One week later, she called me to let me know that her passion was writing— not a business proposal, but a book! She is now doing this at night and on the weekends. Her job is paying for her life while she is chasing her passion outside of work. Everyone has a passion. You just need to identify it and then pursue it at work or, if necessary, outside of the office.  The sooner you do, the more successful you’ll be.

The post Pursue Your Passion appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up with as one of four kids with a single mom left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked extremely hard at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table, and even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I watched others and I tried to figure out what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I resolved that I would not have to struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve gathered my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 5: Use Your Superpower for Success.

Figure out what your superpower is and hone in on it. You might be thinking that you don’t have one, but I promise you… you do! Everyone has at least one, and you probably have many. I needed help to identify mine, so I asked people on my team what specific value I brought to them at work. I did the same with my friends and family and pretty soon, I was able to identify various superpowers that I brought to the party!

Once you know that, you can make sure you are using your power every day. I bring solutions, vision, encouragement, communication and I have people’s backs—a superpower they appreciate!

I try to stop myself each day to ask if I have been using my superpowers throughout the day. Most days, I am using them. Every once in a while, though, when you get in a rut you might need to remind yourself to dust off your superhero gear and jump into a role where you can prove your talents and strengths. This will help your confidence to grow and your peers at work (not to mention friends and family) to see your value…a sure step to achieving success.

The post Wear Your Super Hero Gear appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up with a single mom raising four of us kids left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked hard at multiple jobs to keep food on the table, and even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I began to take note of those around me and I tried to figure out what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I made a vow: I would not have to struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve gathered my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set your-self apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 4: Create, Cultivate & Share Those “Crazy” Ideas

Early on in my career, I decided that I was a good sales person and therefore must not be a creative person. This was a limiting belief that I imposed on my-self; it’s just negative self-talk. I am not sure where this came from, if this was something that someone told me or something that I read or dreamed up—but I was wrong.

Just because something may be a truth for someone else does not mean that it has to be your own truth. We are all different and unique! Years later, as my confidence began to grow, I started to notice that creative ideas would come to me in meetings but I was too nervous to share them at first. This went on for a while. One day, I was so frustrated with myself for not speaking up, I blurted an idea out only to find that my boss loved it!

That day changed everything for me.

Today, I am known for being an innovator and agent of change at work. I con-stantly pride myself on coming up with crazy, different, creative ideas. I have a unique perspective and others around me find it very valuable.

Your perspective is valuable, too. A silent person at a table is not highly valued, and may find remaining silent is a huge impediment to success. So share your perspective and your crazy, creative ideas and elevate your personal brand—at work and in life. Don’t wait like I did!

The post Cultivate Your Creativity appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up with a single mom raising four of us kids left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked hard at multiple jobs to keep food on the table, and even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I began to notice those around me and tried to figure out what I needed to do to succeed.

As an adult, I made a promise to myself: I would not have to struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve gathered my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll address in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 3: Get Specific.

Those that deal in specifics seldom fail. Those that deal in generalities seldom succeed. I was lucky to learn this mantra from my first sales job. By giving yourself a specific goal, specific plan and a specific deadline, you not only hold yourself accountable but you also set clear expectations for others on how you operate and conduct business.

Those that deal in generalities seldom succeed and they wonder why. A generality would be to say, “I want to get promoted in the future and I will do that by working hard.” That person will most likely not be promoted.

Dealing in specifics would be to say, “I want to be promoted within one year of taking this position. In order to do so, I will ask for 30 day evaluations and feedback from my manger. I will ask the top producer to mentor me and give me weekly feedback on how I can improve. I will read one book per month that will help me improve my negotiation skills, etc.” Because these specifics involve actionable plans, this person will most likely succeed.

Ask yourself: Are you dealing in specifics or generalities? I deal in specifics to ensure I meet my goals of success—both personal and professional—and so should you!

The post Get Specific About Success appeared first on Heather Monahan.

Growing up one of four kids of a single mom left me feeling “less than” other kids who had much more than I did. My mother worked multiple jobs to keep food on the table, and even as a child I was able to see clearly that some people were successful, while others were not. I began to assess those around me, trying to figure out what I needed to do to succeed.

As I grew into adulthood, I made a promise to myself: I would not have to struggle financially the way my mother had. I decided to outwork everyone and put myself on the fast track for success—in all aspects of my life.

I’ve harnessed my top 10 easy tips for helping you outshine others and set yourself apart for this blog series, How To Succeed in Business and Life. With each tip, I’ll break down in detail how to become more successful in all that you do.

Tip 2: Be Prepared.

In life and in business there are two kinds of people: Those who are prepared and those who are not. Nothing teaches you the importance of being prepared more than having a baby. When you have a newborn, you need to have an arsenal of supplies readily available in case of emergency: Change of clothes, diapers, bottles, foods, spit-up cloths, toys, Tylenol, etc. And when you think about it, why should work be any different?

When you are walking into a meeting, it should not be a surprise event. Always, have a pen and paper with you and take notes. If you are meeting with someone for the first time, do research on the individual ahead of time and be prepared to mention something about them that will get their attention. If you are at a work meeting about the next quarter, do your homework ahead of time. Read previous quarters earnings releases and be prepared to contribute something to the conversation. If you are in a brainstorming meeting for an event, Google similar events the night before and record the best, most creative ideas that you think can work—then share them in the meeting. These simple steps to success make all the difference in the day-to-day.

Set yourself apart from the sea of mediocrity in the world by being prepared…then prepare yourself to be promoted!

The post Leave Nothing to Chance appeared first on Heather Monahan.