Getting Ready for the Unstoppable Women Challenge

Unstoppable Women: Achieve Any Breakthrough Goal in 30 Days
by Cynthia Kersey

Want to secure a promotion, write a book, go back to school, lose weight, set up a business? Whatever the goal, Cynthia Kersey's new book, Unstoppable Women, can help readers achieve it. Based on the same principles that Kersey has taught in her training programs for such companies as Tupperware®, Mary Kay®, and Jafra Cosmetics®, the book shows how to identify a goal, create a winning mind-set, and break the goal down into daily actions that will lead to success.

Each day, a reader discovers a new characteristic of an unstoppable woman. And for inspiration, she'll read the true story of a woman who possesses this quality. She will then learn how to apply these skills to her own life-creating unstoppable success in just 30 days.
Writing about Kersey's bestselling first book, Unstoppable, Millard Fuller, founder and president of Habitat for Humanity International, said, "It will inspire you to live more passionately and pursue your heart's desire with more conviction. You'll discover how to break through obstacles and get what you want in life."

Chapter 1

Are you ready to join the ranks of hundreds of women who have taken the Unstoppable Women Challenge and successfully achieved a breakthrough goal in just 30 days, making their lives richer and more satisfying in the process? If so, let's get started!

Like anything in life that's worthwhile, the successful completion of the Unstoppable Women Challenge requires a bit of preparation, and that's what you'll be doing in the upcoming section, which should take about 90 minutes to complete. The first step is to identify a breakthrough goal that will excite and inspire you. In the next few pages, I'll walk you through an easy and fun process for doing just that. Then I'll help you break down your goal into a series of daily, manageable steps that will make change seem natural and energizing.

Consider the payoff: When you accept and complete the Unstoppable Women Challenge, you are building a foundation that will impact virtually every area of your life. Think about it. If you could make one change or create a single result in just 30 days, do you think you could build on that success and do it again? Absolutely. The Unstoppable Women Challenge helps you create the tools and momentum you need to tackle any new project or dream you have.

Don't be intimidated by this process. Hundreds of women from all walks of life have successfully completed the challenge, and their results were nothing short of miraculous.

UNSTOPPABLE WOMAN SUCCESS STORY "As a mom with two small children, I didn't think it was possible to be able to juggle my life and my kids and move forward with my career. I thought I'd have to put my career on hold until my kids got older. I had hit a lull until I heard about your program. "After hearing the stories about other unstoppable women who had accomplished so much, I felt it was possible for me as well. I committed to taking the Unstoppable Women Challenge, and I set a goal to increase my sales revenue by 25 percent in 30 days, the first business goal I had identified since having children. If I achieved it, I would qualify for a trip to Vegas, which I was very excited about. "The Challenge helped me prioritize every step that needed to be done and how to get into action. I got up 1V2 hours earlier every other day to plan out the day. And I discovered that when you have a plan, you're prepared for those unexpected moments of time and can use them to cross a few things off your list. I have a TV and VCR in my car, and if I had to wait to meet a friend and had 15 minutes, I'd pop in a movie for the kids and make sales calls on my cell phone. And finally, to get further insight into achieving my goal while raising a family, I interviewed a woman in my business who was very successful and also had two small children. "In just 30 days, I exceeded my sales goal and won the trip to Vegas. Never in my life have I felt this incredible about myself as a business person. I've shared so much of what I have learned from the Challenge with family, friends, and team members—all of them are thoroughly convinced this has had a true impact on me and my business and are certain that things will never be the same. I'm sure they're right!"     —Barbara Amato

The Unstoppable Women Challenge can be used for any type of goal—business or personal, big or small. And while not every dream— such as getting your diploma or starting a business—can be achieved in 30 days, in that amount of time you can make significant progress that propels you forward, putting you on the path to success.

For example, even though she didn't have any business experience, Sarah's dream was to start a small catering business. Rather than be overwhelmed by the task, she broke her goal down into a series of smaller goals: research the catering industry, take a business course at the local community college, develop a business plan, and so on. The first 30 days, she researched the catering industry. After six months, she finalized a business plan, raised her capital, developed her menu, identified her base of customers . . . and, for the first time in many years, was excited about her life!

Then there is Janet, whose goal was more personal. Janet spent 20 years pursuing her career, and after retiring, she realized she and her adult son were nearly strangers. Instead of living with regret, she acted: She devised a 30-day plan to renew her relationship with her son. She did it step-by-step, arranging lunches and casual dinners where they could talk. She made a point of listening when he opened up, and she took the time to learn about his job and the things he liked. Over the 30 days, they grew closer as the barriers between them began to come down. Her effort was noticed by her son, and it created a bridge for a closer relationship.

The Unstoppable Women Challenge can be used as a model to achieve any goal or dream—personal or professional—whether it takes one day, one year, or ten years to achieve. It is designed to jumpstart you into action. If your goal is a long-range one, once you've completed your first 30-day challenge, simply redefine your goal for the next 30 days and continue.

To get ready for the Unstoppable Women Challenge, you'll need to complete the following four steps:

1. Identify what you want to achieve—breakthrough goal.
2. Convert your breakthrough goal into a 30-day goal.
3. Learn how to plan your daily "one step."
4. Identify a way to help another woman along the way.

Step One: Identify Your Breakthrough Goal

To create a breakthrough goal, think about what really excites you. It should be something that will literally propel your life, career, or relationships to the next level: running for a school board position, losing those unwanted pounds, pursuing a new career, or spending more time with your family. The size of the goal doesn't matter. It's the passion you have for your goal—and your unstoppable spirit in reaching it—that counts.

The results realized by the women in this book prove that the Unstoppable Women Challenge can transform your life as well.

UNSTOPPABLE WOMAN SUCCESS STORY "I am 53 years old and was not confident about my understanding of money or my ability to be in control of my finances. I've always wanted to do something about it, but I didn't know how to take the first step. "The impetus came when I decided I wanted to take singing lessons. I had pushed aside a childhood dream to sing and dance, and now I suddenly wanted to be true to myself. I've always found time for everyone else but me. I decided now was my time. I knew I'd have to get my finances in order before I could justify spending money on lessons. "I thought the Unstoppable Women Challenge would be a great program to help me gain control of my finances. My 30-day goal was to write down my expenses every day to get a handle on how I was spending money. A secondary goal was to educate myself about finances and investing. "The results have been amazing. I established a budget and follow it daily. I no longer spend money without thought, and I record every expense. And as important, my spending habits have changed. Before each purchase, I ask myself, 'Is this going to take me closer to my goal or away from it?' "I have saved enough money to take weekly singing lessons and am auditioning for the Sweet Adelines, an international group that incorporates singing and dancing into their performances. I am reinvigorated about my life and feel more in control of my finances and my future. I'm not just working, but developing my creative side as well. And I'm having a lot of fun!"     —Beverly Blair

A.   Do a reality check.

To help identify what you really want, first assess your life as it is today. What's working? What's not working? What areas do you want to improve? The exercise below will help you assess eight key areas of your life. On a scale of 1 to 5, with a 1 meaning that you need a lot of improvement and a 5 meaning that you need no improvement, rate yourself in all of the following areas that apply to you:

PHYSICAL		FINANCIAL
___ Appearance-I look my best ___ Overall health ___ Fitness level ___ Healthy diet ___ Regular exercise ___ Optimal weight ___ Flexibility ___ Strength training ___ Enough energy to do what I need        to do each day		___ Current income level ___ Good credit ___ Balanced budget ___ Current savings ___ Current net worth ___ Level of debt ___ Clear investment strategy ___ Financial security ___ Enough money to do what I        want, provide for my family,        travel, decorate my home,        support causes I care about, etc.
PROFESSIONAL		PERSONAL
___ Passionate about my career ___ Advancing in my industry ___ Growing professionally ___ Challenged by my work ___ Doing what I want to do ___ Expert in my field ___ Performing at a level of        excellence		___ Have fun in my life ___ Take great vacations ___ Travel to places I want to go ___ Take time for myself ___ Live in a nurturing environment ___ Love where I live
RELATIONSHIPS		MENTAL/EMOTIONAL
___ With my family ___ With my spouse ___ With my children ___ With my parents ___ With my siblings ___ Romance-involved in healthy,        growing relationship ___ Great friendships ___ Mentors to learn from ___ Spend my time with people        I love and care about		___ Personally growing and learning ___ Not easily angered ___ Happy, whole, and complete ___ Fear does not control my life ___ No unhealthy addictions-smoking,        alcohol, drugs, etc. ___ Live with gratitude ___ Feel loved and supported ___ Practice forgiveness
SPIRITUAL		GIVING BACK/LEGACY
___ Actively growing spiritually ___ Regularly pray/meditate ___ Involved in a spiritual community ___ Expanding faith ___ Regularly express love to others ___ Live in peace		___ Contributing time to others ___ Donating money to causes I care        about ___ Feel like my life matters ___ Making a difference ___ Clarity on my life's purpose and        passion ___ Actively support a cause I care        about

B.   Identify three areas of your life you want to improve.

The next step is to review the ratings to determine which of the eight areas need the most improvement. Choose the three most important areas that you'd like to work on. When choosing your top three areas, consider what change or improvement would make the most significant difference in your life, providing you with satisfaction, energy, and momentum. Maybe you're at a point in your life where your health or giving back is more of a concern than finances or your career. Or perhaps you're in the prime earning time of your life and taking your career to the next level would make a huge difference in your and your family's financial prosperity. List the top three areas you'd most like to improve:

Getting Ready for the Unstoppable Women Challenge 15

1. _________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________

C.   What do you really want, and what are you no longer willing to settle for?

Now it's time to really start dreaming. For each of the three areas you've identified, let's explore further what you'd like to change, improve, or achieve. Put yourself in a mindset of complete faith and optimism. Ask yourself the question, "If I knew I could not fail and had no limitations, what would I want for my life in these top areas?" Don't judge if it's possible or worry about how you'll make it happen. Just dream.

If, after going through the list, you're still struggling to identify what you really want, ask yourself the question, "What am I no longer willing to settle for in my life?" Be completely honest. Think about all the areas in your life that you've settled for less than you deserve. What do you believe would make your life better?

In a moment, I'll ask you to write down your answers to these questions. But first, read through the sample chart completed below. The examples listed are responses from various people when they asked themselves the same questions you're now asking. (To give you ideas in each area, the entire chart has been filled in, though you will want to focus on your specific top three areas when completing your own chart.)

After you've done some brainstorming and considered any ideas sparked by reading through the responses of other people who have gone through the Unstoppable Women Challenge, photocopy the blank "What Do I Want?" chart on page 302 or copy the column heads in your planner or notebook. (For a complete set of Unstoppable Women Challenge forms, go to UnstoppableWomen.com.) Then write down your hopes and dreams in each of the top three areas you'd like to improve. To provide further insight, answer the question, "What am I no longer willing to tolerate or settle for in my life?"

© 2005 by Cynthia Kersey. All rights reserved. No Part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

About the Author

Cynthia Kersey's first book, Unstoppable, was published in 13 languages. She is president of Unstoppable Enterprises, Inc., and her Unstoppable Foundation provides tools, resources, and funds to disadvantaged women and children throughout the world.