The Best Hacks I have Found for 2022...

I am big into finding ways to hack any system. For example, when I found out Mailchimp had upgraded their services and now offered a tool to allow you to test different subject lines before you send your emails out, I was all in! The problem is that most of us are swimming in our small pools, and we aren't exposed to new information. We spend time around the same people in the same industries, limiting our access to information. Add to the issue that we live in the nosiest world ever, where we are met with thousands of messages, ads, posts, and newsletters a day; it is challenging to find the information we need when we need it.

Side note - as I am typing this my newest tool keeps correcting my punctuation which I so need! If you don't have Grammarly yet, download it now and you can thank me later! It fixes your grammar while you write posts, emails, and documents and it is a lifesaver! No editor is needed :)

But before I get into more tools that you need this year, I wanted to share something that happened last night. What I am about to share with you has become the most important hack I have ever learned in life.

Last night I put my son to bed and turned on Netflix. Netflix told me I would like a new documentary that had just come out so I clicked on it. Thank you, Netflix! Turns out there is a documentary about Kanye West that just dropped this week. It is about his life and coming up from Chicago starting with nothing but a mother that believed in him and a talent for creating beats. The documentary follows him as a 19-year-old young man with braces to NYC where he doubled down on himself and went all in trying to make it big in the music industry. I love movies like this. Anything that shows a true story of someone coming from nothing making it in the industry that they are passionate about is my kind of show.

Turns out the only way he was able to make money at first was by creating beats and hooks for other artists so he became known as a producer. As many of us know too well, once you become known as something others don't want to let you out of that proverbial box and they want to keep you there where they are comfortable. Kanye wanted more and had a vision of becoming one of the greatest rappers alive. Unfortunately, no one else in the industry shared his vision. Watching as Kanye held his vision and faced countless no's and rejections inspired me so much! At one point when he still didn't have a record deal and no one would recognize him as a rapper he declared that he was over there working on his Grammy acceptance speech while everyone else was talking about where they were going that weekend. His vision was crystal clear even though no one else shared it.

I can so relate to this. After I got fired I had no idea what I was going to do next and I didn't have a clear vision for my future. The key in those moments is to keep showing up, taking action, and moving forward. Slowly your vision will emerge and mine did just that. I held a vision of becoming a successful author and no one shared that vision with me. In those moments it is critical to first and then reconnect to that vision in as much detail and feeling as you can. What you think about you will bring about.

Here are the steps that helped me during a hard time that this documentary reminded me of:

Fire Your Villains in order to set yourself up to take off!

People will not always support you. Those are not your people.

Listen to the one voice that counts, Your Own!

Double down on you and your dreams. Life is too short to not live up to your potential.

If success was easy everyone would have it. Keep taking massive action to move your vision forward.

Get clear on your vision and hold it close. Like Kanye did, write the Grammy speech long before you get the record deal.

Lean on those that support you and encourage you in your low moments but also be your #1 cheerleader.

Only you know what is possible for you. Just because something wasn't possible for others doesn't mean it is not possible for you.

Focus on getting the one YES and let go of the no's.

Remember that we don't have control over most things but we are in control of our thoughts. Keep them positive and hold your vision close every day. Before you know it, that vision will become your reality.

Now if you haven't read my TWO books yet, I would love for you to check them out now!

Yes, TWO books that are mind-blowing to me. My first book Confidence Creator which is a compilation of my lowest moments and how I leveraged them to create confidence and how you can too! My new book Overcome Your Villains which is my powerful 3-step process to overcome any adversity in business or life.

Sharing another powerful hack, if you don't already have Canva please download it now. This is how I make all of my posts for social media and it is so easy to use! You can elevate your social game in an instant and no this is not sponsored by Canva. I have a lot more tools and hacks for you this week on the podcast.

I saw down with Allison Walsh to discuss the top tools anyone in business needs this year to get ahead. Allison is a writer for Forbes and gives us all the behind the scenes on every hack and tool that is out there help us cut the line and go for more. Click here to listen now!

Creating Confidence Podcast with Heather Monahan

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Please let me know your best hacks or tools to get ahead!