Newsletter #2: Two biting words and how to avoid them

I’m guessing you’re the type of person who can brush off insults or unkind comments fairly easily.

You’re of a certain age, experience and wisdom level that you know those comments say more about the giver than the receiver. Besides, you just don’t care for other people’s BS anymore. Because you’re focused on doing the long, hard slog of pursuing your potential at work and in life.

But I bet there are two words that would stop you in your tracks.

If someone you respect took you aside and said gently …

“You’re unreliable.”

Ouch.

That would bring on a bout of nervous diarrhea for me, faster than I could hope for a hole in the earth to open up and sink me into it.

Why is reliability so sacred to self-improvement types like us?

It’s an essential indicator of maturity and integrity. Being unreliable shows an integrity gap—an excruciating sight in the mirror. Unreliable people aren’t respected, aren’t trusted and soon become irrelevant—because you just can’t count on them.

Fortunately, we’re free-thinking individuals living in a democracy, so we’re well-equipped to be as reliable or unreliable as we can stand.

To be honest with myself—and now you—I haven’t always been reliable, especially in life. But if you’ve known me a while, you’d probably be surprised by this.

Because reliability is now one of my most endearing traits.

And once I decided to become more reliable, it wasn’t complicated to do.

Here are the 4 things I do to keep it comfortable looking in the mirror:

• Say no when I can’t do something, or I don’t want to do some unnecessary thing.

• Show up when I say I will.

• Take care of my adult responsibilities at work and home, even when they’re boring and I don’t wanna.

• Figure out (and put in place) systems to make essentials easier.

Now, you’re probably a NICE person. And nice people sometimes have a hard time saying no.

Saying no more often helped me become a reliable person because I stopped over-stretching my precious, natural resources. Like time and energy.

If you’ve noticed your reliability factor declining, try saying ‘no’ more often.

Ever notice this is where people end things, with a jaunty suggestion and no actual helpfulness? I won’t do that to you!

Instead, I want you to have the same simple and effective scripts I learned from the amazing Ramit Sethi.

To decline a business proposal and/or personal invite from a friend or family member:

• Thanks for this invitation. I’m flattered! Unfortunately, I’ve got my priorities set for the year and this just doesn’t fit in. Again, thanks for thinking of me.

• That sounds really fun and interesting, but I’m going to pass so I can focus on a couple other things I really want to do [this week, this month, insert time frame here].

[Here’s where you can read Ramit’s article on saying no without being a jerk (and where these scripts are from.)]

Now even if you’re unlikely to be stung by those gut-wrenching two words mentioned up top, you may not be saying no as much as you’d like to.

And you might not want to practice when the stakes are high.

That’s why I’m inviting you to a poetry slam, sometime next week on that day you really are free. Would you like to join me?

Reply back to let me know. Those tickets are going fast and we wouldn’t want to miss it.

Until next time, keep on truckin’,

Andrea

PS: According to this article on Copyblogger, copywriting clients are “desperate” to find copywriters with the “underrated trait” of reliability. But you don’t have to be desperate like them … because you already know I’m here to help you when you need it.

**********The quote of the month**********

Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.

-Edsger Dijkstra

**********Marketing tip of the month**********

Quick guide to video production

Video production is becoming increasingly popular in business due to engagement with prospects, increased conversions on landing pages and the popularity of YouTube.

Sounds great but what if your team or business doesn’t have any video experience?

Take some small steps to discover what video can do for your business and how to produce video content with ConvertKit’s Creator’s Guide to Video Marketing.

Source: Tradecraft by ConvertKit.

The benefits of lunch club

Eating with other people is better for our health than eating alone. More fun too. Even so, more than half of Canadians eat lunch alone.

Besides being fun, eating together can boost productivity and working relationships according to a Cornell University study.

Next time you look out at your team, hunched over sandwiches at their desks, ask yourself if it’s time to do something different. Like maybe you start a weekly ritual of breaking bread together in the lunch room. But remember—as a manager, don’t ask your team to eat lunch with you every day. They need their space from you.

[NOTE: the worst thing about being a freelancer is always eating lunch alone.]

Stat source: The Globe & Mail, HR in Asia.

**********Good vibes**********

Sometimes, going after we want seems too hard. But we just gotta keep on keeping on. Here’s Les Brown reminding us—in just 4 minutes—to pursue the greatness within.

Click here to listen to this pep talk laid over movie snippets.

I teared up a bit.

**********My 60-second commercial**********
I'm an executive ghostwriter, specializing in benefits, leadership coaching, corporate wellness and employee assistance programs (EAPs).

I work with executives and executive coaches who have big hearts, are driven to help others and never open a conversation they're not willing to close.

My clients are straightforward, ambitious, humble, hilarious and I never have to wonder what they're thinking because they say what they mean and mean what they say.

Most of my clients come to me through referrals.

If you're a tough-love executive or executive coach who would benefit from the kind of work I do, please get in touch:

andrea@redsailwriters.com | 647-502-3187 | ca.linkedin.com/in/andreabassett

Let's talk about these thought leadership projects in 2021:

• Newsletters | White papers + e-books | Ghostwritten articles

• Workbooks to supplement corporate training

• Business book ghostwriting (fall 2021, early 2022)