It’s a little speech that people involved in networking are supposed to
have prepared and memorized in answer to the question “And what do
you do?”  It’s called the elevator speech because it is supposed to
be so clear and short that you can say it in less time than the
span of an elevator ride and people will have a good understanding
of what it is that you do, or what services you offer.  This opens
up the next step in the conversation.

If it is a “good” or effective elevator speech, people should be
saying “Tell me more . . .”, or “How do you that?”  And you are off
to engaging in a conversation with someone that may be interested
in getting to know you better - or at least long enough to know if
what you have to offer is of any interest to them.  The purpose of
the elevator speech is to engage the right people in behaviors that
will lead to you getting what you want too - - i.e., setting an
appointment, getting a request to send information, and so forth.

If it is an ineffective “elevator” speech, you will know
immediately because you will see people’s eyes glaze over, or the
response might be a very polite, “oh, that’s nice . . .” dropping
the tonality at the end because they really have no clue about what
you are talking about.  End of conversation.  End of any
possibility that people will be interested in you, let alone what
you have that may be of benefit to them.  End of any further chance
of any of the steps that move both of you along the path to a
win-win deal.

Personal affirmations are like little elevator speeches that you
give to yourself to help you along the path of engaging in the
responses that give you a win in life or in business.   The wrong
self talk can stop you dead in your tracks.  Negative self talk is
like an ineffective elevator speech.   The right self talk however,
or affirmations, will propel you forward.  If having a few
affirmations at the tip of your tongue is not something you are
currently doing, please start now!  The right affirmation at the
right time will push or pull you forward to the actions that bring
you success in your life and in your business.

I’ve just ran across two very powerful affirmations that I want to
share with you.  The first is from Matt Bacak, a young entrepreneur
that has accomplished amazing results in his short 29 years.  Last
year he made nearly $4 million in gross revenues.  He uses this
affirmation when he is learning something new.  In the information
age and with the speed of change, that’s almost every day!  His
affirmation is “It’s easy.  I like it”.  

Now, imagine hitting a learning curve that is so steep it looks
like a brick wall, and now tell yourself - - - “It’s easy.  I like
it”.  Notice your mindset change, your attitude change, the fears
dropping away, your shoulders and jaw relaxing, the added depth to
your breath, and maybe even a little smile coming to your lips.  

Even if you know that what you are learning is difficult and
complicated, your attitude has changed.   Just replacing your self
talk of “it’s just too hard - - -I’m overwhelmed” to your new
affirmation of  ‘It’s easy . . . I like it’ gives you a whole new
way to distinguish, see,  identify, observe, notice, understand,
comprehend, become aware of, or realize and make sense of what was
blocking you just a moment ago.  At the very least, it gives you a
renewed sense of energy or enthusiasm that helps you keep going on
your learning path. How good is that?

Now here is one from Dr. John Demartini.  He got it from his
mentor, Dr. Paul Bragg.  “I am a genius and I apply my wisdom”.  It
totally changed his life, taking him from a school drop out to the
man we know today.  And you can use that same affirmation to pull
you along the path to success.  I truly believe that every single
person has a unique genius that if recognized and applied would
totally change their future.

I use the power of affirmations to sustain the mindset changes that
clients achieve in their very first coaching session.  I have my
clients print out an affirmation uniquely designed just for them
and they agree to read it and memorize it and use it every day
until it becomes a habitual mindset. This has been very rewarding
and powerful.

What affirmations can you use today?  Ask your friends and family
members or coworkers if they use affirmations and what is working
for them.  Look some up on the internet, or use a quote you love.
Then, when you hear that old negative self talk that brings you
down, immediately replace it with something affirming.  When I
catch myself in negative self talk, I playfully slap myself on the
forehead and say “I could have had a V-8!”  You remember the old
commercial.  And I laugh and immediately replace it with an
affirmation that works for me.  Make it fun.  You will be glad you
took the effort.