Author: Christy Smallwood

My Inner Badass

My Inner Badass

Recently, I did something powerful. I stepped away from the noise, the pressure, and the constant doing to spend a few days at a retreat focused on clarity—clarity for myself, and for my business.

We breathed. We connected. We shared parts of ourselves that don’t always get air.

We did an escape room where I figured out a crazy-complicated puzzle on my own—and for a moment, I felt unstoppable. Like all the best parts of me were firing at full strength.

And then came the moment that will live in me forever:

We each wrote down the blocks we carry—the beliefs, the fears, the old stories—and pressed the tip of an arrow to our throats. Tiffany, our facilitator, braced the other end.

And then I walked through it.

I broke the block. With nothing but my own forward motion.

That arrow cracked… and so did something inside me.

But clarity comes at a cost.

Because when I got home, I had to do the hard things that clarity demands.

I had to make painful decisions—decisions that protect the vision, but break the heart.

I had to have devastatingly hard conversations. I had to let people go.

I had to face the fact that the dream I’m building isn’t just beautiful—it’s brutal.

And then, my body hit the wall.

After chiropractor, physical therapy, dry needling, emotional release, and soul-deep bravery, I just crashed.

So here I am: on the other side of the arrow.

Tired. Tender. Real.

But also… still moving forward.

This isn’t the end of the story.

This is the middle.

And in the middle, we rest.

We cry.

We break and rise, sometimes in the same breath.

And we remember:

I am the one who walked through the arrow.

I am the one who makes the hard calls.

I am the one who gets back up.

Again. And again. And again.

And so can you, my friends, because there’s a little badass inside each of us. 

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Definiteness of Purpose – A Journey of Discovery and Growth

Christy Smallwood talks definiteness of purpose, a Napoleon Hill concept
 

 

In a world filled with distractions and daily routines, finding your true purpose can seem like an elusive quest. Drawing inspiration from timeless success principles and personal growth strategies, this guide will help you navigate the path to understanding and embracing your life’s purpose.

 

The Power of Definite Purpose

Success is not about grand, unattainable goals, but about creating intentional milestones that align with your core values. Inspired by Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich,” the concept of a “definite purpose” is about being intentional and committed to your personal growth. It’s not about having a single, overwhelming life mission, but about creating meaningful, purposeful steps that move you forward.

 

Claiming Your Purpose: The First Bold Step

Owning your purpose requires courage and conviction. Think of it like claiming the last piece of chocolate – it’s yours, and you’re unapologetic about it. This means:

  • – Recognizing your unique potential
  • – Believing in your ability to create change
  • – Committing to your personal journey

 

Listening to Your Inner Voice

Your soul speaks to you through intuition, gut feelings, and quiet moments of reflection. To truly understand your purpose:

    • – Create space for silence and meditation
    • – Pay attention to your inner guidance
    • – Trust the whispers of your intuition

 

The Transformative Power of Sacrifice

Sacrifice isn’t about giving up something fun – it’s about letting go of comfort zones that no longer serve your growth. For me, this meant eliminating self-doubt and embracing a new mindset of possibility and potential.

 

Key Sacrifices to Consider:

– Negative self-talk

– Limiting beliefs

– Unproductive habits

– Fear of failure

 

Practical Action Items:

1. Spend 15 minutes daily in quiet reflection

2. Journal about your dreams and potential purposes

3. Identify one comfort zone to step out of this week

4. Create a list of personal values that guide your decisions

5. Develop a growth mindset that embraces challenges

 

Finding your purpose is a continuous journey of self-discovery, intentionality, and personal growth. It’s not about perfection, but about progress. By claiming your path, listening to your inner voice, and being willing to sacrifice what no longer serves you, you can create a life of meaning and impact.

 

Your purpose is not a destination, but a dynamic, evolving path of personal transformation.

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The Best Thing About Having A Plan

The Best Thing About Having A Plan

Did you ever watch Scooby Doo?  Remember Fred Jones?  His motto was “the best plan was to have a plan.”  Out of all the Mystery Inc. gang, Fred was the one to make most of the plans.  He was the strategist of the team. That did not mean the others COULDN’T plan, it was simply Fred’s gift.  Fred lived for the next trap idea to catch the bad guy.  The others, even though they had different gifts, rarely tried to solve the mystery without a plan.  

 

A plan, no matter how haphazard, is still better than no plan at all if you are working to accomplish something like a goal…or solve a mystery. In fact, it’s necessary. 

 

The best thing about having a plan – is to have a plan. 

 

A plan gives focus and forward movement to accomplishing something.  What does that look like and where to start for an EFFECTIVE plan? Start with your VISION of what you are working towards. What will it look like for you in a day if your vision were reality?  What do you want?  A thriving business?  More engaged team members? To dominate with market share? A vacation where you can unplug for real? What does that look and feel like for you?

THEN…set the goals that help bring your vision to life.  If you’ve never wrote out a plan towards a goal, an easy start is using S.M.A.R.T. methods: 

  •  
  • Be SPECIFIC…not just “I want to lose weight,” but “I will lose 18 pounds.”
  • How are you MEASURING the momentum?
  • Is it ATTAINABLE?  Can you really accomplish getting 18 pounds off?
  • What are the RESOURCES you need?  We forget to keep track of the stuff involved in working toward a vision.  Now, traditional models include the question of “is it REASONABLE?”  For me, attainable and reasonable are enough alike that I simply combine the two and focus on the resources I need to make it happen.
  • What is the TIMELINE?  By what date do you want to have your vision to come to life?
 
 

Once you have your S.M.A.R.T. goals set, then develop the plan to accomplish the goal.  Being S.M.A.R.T. allows for a focused, efficient plan that doesn’t have to be arduous and complicated.  In fact, the simpler the better because there are plenty of unknown variables in life that force us to adjust.  A resource you need may not be available in the timeline you desire so you have two choices – find a new resource, or adjust the timeline.  The plan can be flexible.  The vision stays the same.  To bring our vision to life, the best plan is to have a plan. 

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6 Rules to Strategic Planning

6 Rules To Strategic Planning

In all my years of facilitating strategic planning for organizations, businesses, and teams, there are some things I’ve learned that work for a high-performance-type level of experience. One that everyone enjoys and the finished product of a plan is not only implemented, but the enthusiasm grows exponentially throughout the community.Here are 6 “rules,” guidelines really, that set you and your group up for success with a super strategic experience:

 

#1 – Get out of your normal environment

There is a point we hit a natural rhythm of status quo. When we are in a status quo state, we settle into comfort zones. In comfort zones it’s hard to think creatively, to get a vision that’s bigger than our comfort zone. So, to start to think creatively, get out of your normal surroundings. Going to a space where things look different – especially getting out into nature where there are no walls – helps you see different so you can think different.

 

#2 – Don’t put limitations on ideas

When we have an idea, 85% of the time it’s a really safe idea. Whatever happened to opening the gate to the opportunity our imagination can offer when engaged and unleashed? Don’t limit the idea. A hundred years ago, who would have thought we’d be walking around with a palm-size device that connects us to the world with sound and moving images. Let your imagination loose.

 

#3 – Learn who are the squirrels and ducks on the team

Squirrels may seem random, but they have fun while being productive. Ducks line up in a row and follow the leader. Know your team. What are their strengths and where do they fit? Do they think randomly or in logical order? Get a variety of thinkers to help you think bigger. Alone in your business? Join a Mastermind group.

 

#4 – Get a facilitator

You can’t think of everything on your own, you need a different perspective to your ideas, and you need help staying on track to a finished point. A facilitator can help bring all ideas together to formulate a solid plan. A facilitator doesn’t bring ideas to the table, they simply put all the ingredients together to make the cake.

 

#5 – Have fun

Put some fun energy into the process. If that means going to a park to play for a short time to generate some energy, do that. If it’s putting on some fun music and dancing around the room, do that. 

 

#6 – Be strategic

Think it through before you do. Every great plan needs a review process before implementing. Are your core values prevalent? Have you planned to scale to capacity enough for growth? What did you NOT think about that still needs to be included? Have you considered how the plan affects everyone surrounding you? Before implementing the strategy, look at the whole board to see all the pieces and moves available. Once you’re confident and excited about the plan, go forth and conquer! 

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4 Steps to Customer Journey Mapping

4 Steps to Customer Journey Mapping

Customer Journey mapping has become more than a buzzword, it’s an effective tool to learn about how your audience becomes referring clients.

Most companies have sale teams that use sales funnels that determine how to determine qualified leads and move their behavior along a line of activities to become a client. There are also lots of digital sales funnels out there that know how to get you to continue to click through a series of options to ultimately hand over your credit card in exchange for a product.  

A customer journey map, succinctly put, maps out the entire series of touch points your clients experience with you from start to finish – including their first impression.

Why is this important?

When you know the route(s) your ideal client has taken to get to you, you can focus on providing more efficiency within that route. Providing better content that resonates with your ideal client is a “no-brainer,” but placing specific content along the route that allows that same client to take a faster course is one example of using a customer journey map strategically.

“So how does one go about creating a customer journey map,” you might be thinking to yourself. It can be as simple or as complicated as you like. I like to keep it simple. 

 

#1 – Know Your Client

Like your best friend. Go beyond basic demographics and get into their heads. What do they do on Sunday afternoons? What food do they keep in the fridge? Where is their favorite restaurant? What hobbies do they enjoy? Ask all the questions and seek all the answers to get a clear picture of your ideal client. This process is creating a Persona.

 

#2 – Take Inventory

What marketing touch points do you have in place now? Include everything from email signatures and business cards, to Google business page and website. 

 

#3 – Track The Data

Online analytics tools are amazing to be able to show you who’s doing what, when, and for how long. This kind of reporting is thorough. What about all the traditional ways like TV, Radio, and Networking? Take the time to map out what you are doing and how it affects client on-boarding (or items purchased in the store). For example: You place a short commercial on TV about a 50% item in-store. You see an up-tick of online and in-store traffic. The 50% item has an increase in sales, but not as much as planned. However, overall sales have increased a lot more than expected. This means it worked – increased awareness created increased traffic that increased sales. The TV commercial was the start of the journey, but if you aren’t including it in the data you’ll dismiss the effectiveness.

 

#4 – Design The Map

Remember, I like to keep things simple, so I have a four-phase journey that incorporates different methods:

      • Look at Me! (Get their attention)
      • Do you like me? (They decide they like me enough to keep going)
      • Now they need me (determining those points of need and when those decisions get made)
      • Buy Me (on boarding new clients)

I use a content strategy that fits within the customer journey map to determine key activities to focus on for my marketing and sales efforts. Using this tool keeps my work efficient and my clients sign-on faster because it makes more sense for them.

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