ings that will show up in your life.

3. Surround yourself with people who are playing a bigger game than you.
There is a saying, 'Your income is the average of the five people you are surrounded by.' If you stay in your comfort zone, your revenue and results will stay there too. Invest in mentors, programs, and seminars that will give you access to people playing a bigger game. Even one idea that comes from someone with a different mindset can pay off in spades. Every time I hang out with people whose game is bigger than mine I leave

I was talking to a friend of mine who had invested in a very high end coaching program last year. As I was asking him about his experience and what incentivized him to invest in his growth he said, 'I knew if I really wanted to take my game to a whole new level, I had to do things VERY differently. Even though the coaching was good, it was surrounding myself with 8 other people that were challenging ME to play the game full-out that was the payoff.' This is a guy who consistently generates a high six to seven figure income each year.

It got me thinking about how I played my game in 2006. I already surround myself with people playing a bigger game every year. I have a mastermind group who constantly challenges me to think bigger. But what specifically did I do that helped me double my income this year, get asked to speak at multiple conferences and produce three new programs?

Here are my 'Ten Insights to Playing a Bigger Game'

1. Be ruthless with your time.
Whenever I'm coaching a client or giving an interview, people ask me my secret to accomplishing so much. It's ruthless time management. I only say yes to things that align with my goals, values and high payoff activities. It may sound harsh but it's what works. Two opportunities I said no to that were hard but lightened my load: letting go of running the networking group in Los Angeles and turning down an all expense paid trip to Australia. Both generated revenue - but neither aligned with my 'criteria' for success.

2. Focus on what you DO want.
I've manifested everything from a dream trip to Europe to attracting speaking opportunities and powerful marketing alliances. It wasn't always that way. Years ago I would ruminate about what I didn't want. I use a few tools to keep my brain power focused on what I want more of. I have a written business and marketing plan, well-defined goals and I even have a vision board in my office. Earlier this year I added a 5 Series metallic grey BMW to the board. It's the same one that I drove into my garage right before Xmas. When you focus on what you want more of (instead of the problems, obstacles and challenges) it's amazing all of the good things that will show up in your life.

3. Surround yourself with people who are playing a bigger game than you.
There is a saying, 'Your income is the average of the five people you are surrounded by.' If you stay in your comfort zone, your revenue and results will stay there too. Invest in mentors, programs, and seminars that will give you access to people playing a bigger game. Even one idea that comes from someone with a different mindset can pay off in spades. Every time I hang out with people whose game is bigger than mine I leave

ot me thinking about how I played my game in 2006. I already surround myself with people playing a bigger game every year. I have a mastermind group who constantly challenges me to think bigger. But what specifically did I do that helped me double my income this year, get asked to speak at multiple conferences and produce three new programs?

Here are my 'Ten Insights to Playing a Bigger Game'

1. Be ruthless with your time.
Whenever I'm coaching a client or giving an interview, people ask me my secret to accomplishing so much. It's ruthless time management. I only say yes to things that align with my goals, values and high payoff activities. It may sound harsh but it's what works. Two opportunities I said no to that were hard but lightened my load: letting go of running the networking group in Los Angeles and turning down an all expense paid trip to Australia. Both generated revenue - but neither aligned with my 'criteria' for success.

2. Focus on what you DO want.
I've manifested everything from a dream trip to Europe to attracting speaking opportunities and powerful marketing alliances. It wasn't always that way. Years ago I would ruminate about what I didn't want. I use a few tools to keep my brain power focused on what I want more of. I have a written business and marketing plan, well-defined goals and I even have a vision board in my office. Earlier this year I added a 5 Series metallic grey BMW to the board. It's the same one that I drove into my garage right before Xmas. When you focus on what you want more of (instead of the problems, obstacles and challenges) it's amazing all of the good things that will show up in your life.

3. Surround yourself with people who are playing a bigger game than you.
There is a saying, 'Your income is the average of the five people you are surrounded by.' If you stay in your comfort zone, your revenue and results will stay there too. Invest in mentors, programs, and seminars that will give you access to people playing a bigger game. Even one idea that comes from someone with a different mindset can pay off in spades. Every time I hang out with people whose game is bigger than mine I leave

's ruthless time management. I only say yes to things that align with my goals, values and high payoff activities. It may sound harsh but it's what works. Two opportunities I said no to that were hard but lightened my load: letting go of running the networking group in Los Angeles and turning down an all expense paid trip to Australia. Both generated revenue - but neither aligned with my 'criteria' for success.

2. Focus on what you DO want.
I've manifested everything from a dream trip to Europe to attracting speaking opportunities and powerful marketing alliances. It wasn't always that way. Years ago I would ruminate about what I didn't want. I use a few tools to keep my brain power focused on what I want more of. I have a written business and marketing plan, well-defined goals and I even have a vision board in my office. Earlier this year I added a 5 Series metallic grey BMW to the board. It's the same one that I drove into my garage right before Xmas. When you focus on what you want more of (instead of the problems, obstacles and challenges) it's amazing all of the good things that will show up in your life.

3. Surround yourself with people who are playing a bigger game than you.
There is a saying, 'Your income is the average of the five people you are surrounded by.' If you stay in your comfort zone, your revenue and results will stay there too. Invest in mentors, programs, and seminars that will give you access to people playing a bigger game. Even one idea that comes from someone with a different mindset can pay off in spades. Every time I hang out with people whose game is bigger than mine I leave

powerful marketing alliances. It wasn't always that way. Years ago I would ruminate about what I didn't want. I use a few tools to keep my brain power focused on what I want more of. I have a written business and marketing plan, well-defined goals and I even have a vision board in my office. Earlier this year I added a 5 Series metallic grey BMW to the board. It's the same one that I drove into my garage right before Xmas. When you focus on what you want more of (instead of the problems, obstacles and challenges) it's amazing all of the good things that will show up in your life.

3. Surround yourself with people who are playing a bigger game than you.
There is a saying, 'Your income is the average of the five people you are surrounded by.' If you stay in your comfort zone, your revenue and results will stay there too. Invest in mentors, programs, and seminars that will give you access to people playing a bigger game. Even one idea that comes from someone with a different mindset can pay off in spades. Every time I hang out with people whose game is bigger than mine I leave

ings that will show up in your life.

3. Surround yourself with people who are playing a bigger game than you.
There is a saying, 'Your income is the average of the five people you are surrounded by.' If you stay in your comfort zone, your revenue and results will stay there too. Invest in mentors, programs, and seminars that will give you access to people playing a bigger game. Even one idea that comes from someone with a different mindset can pay off in spades. Every time I hang out with people whose game is bigger than mine I leave with a golden nugget - and it's paid off in the thousands!

4. Take BIG risks.
One attribute that separates strugglers from the outrageously successful is the willingness to take big risks. Not just any risks though - calculated risks! These are the risks that you have to say 'Oh boy, here I go' and take a BIG GULP! I call it the scary factor. If it's not scary, you are probably aren't playing big enough - just like your income. I've taken my share of big risks this year. Some paid off, some didn't. But the ones that do far outweigh the ones that don't.

5. Dump what doesn't work (quickly)
Sometimes things just don't work out. I learned this year that if not's fun, isn't profitable or is taking up 80% of my time (instead of 20%) then its time to make space for something better. I dumped a lot of things that didn't work well enough this year. My insight: make the decision quicker. It costs me my sanity, money, resource time and lots of missed opportunities to hang on to something that doesn't work. Trust your instincts and always let go of a great idea that isn't panning out. It's like a dead leaf on a house plant - it keeps taking nutrients and energy but doesn't produce.

Stay tuned for Part 2 coming in two weeks! I'll be sharing 5 more of my most powerful insights.

© 2007 Melanie Benson Strick, Success Connections.