I'm just back from a few days in Busselton, Western Australia where I took time out to support a girlfriend who was competing in her 9th Ironman. If you're not familiar with the Ironman Triathlon it is a three disciplined event, consisting of a 3.8km (2.4mi) swim, 180km (112mi)  bike ride & 42km (26.2mi) run.

I personally haven't done an Ironman since 1998 or a smaller distance tri since 2004, and the last actual Ironman I watched, was my husband's last race in 2002. So after nearly ten years of being out of the 'scene' a lot has changed in relation to equipment and technology, as you would imagine.

What hasn't changed is how important it is to 'do the work' instead of relying on the 'latest craze'.  So how does doing an Ironman relate to your business?

Firstly, you need to work smarter NOT harder.  When you train for a race like an Ironman, you do need to make sure you do your required training.  Your coach will show you, in the peak section of your training, that doing quality rides that are longer than the 180km, and some runs that hit over the 30km mark are important to getting the miles in your legs. But you also need to make sure you allow for the recovery sessions, the weeks when you are doing less miles and allowing your body to rest and recover. 

It's the same when you run your business, you really do need to plan your recovery time.  This may be lighter weeks planned into your diary so that you can catch up on items that are outstanding.  A long weekend away from the business, where you are able to catch up with your family and friends. 

Challenge yourself in 2012 to be clear on the number of hours you want to work each week, and put strong boundaries in place to work these hours only.

Secondly, don't rely on the latest and greatest.  Trust YOURSELF!  Watching the race, I saw a lot of amazing bikes out there (and yes, I've seen my next new racing bike :-)), as well as running and swimming technology.  But believe me, this may help you in the short term and it may make you 'feel good', but at the end of the day, it is YOU who decides whether you are going to have a good or bad race. 

It's what's inside you that counts - that belief in your own ability, that belief that you can do this no matter what. That no setback is going to derail you.

I remember when I raced, that the flat that needed to be changed quickly, is only a flat tyre, it's not the end of the race.  That the pain you feel in your legs, and the negative self talk in your mind, that begins at the half way mark of the run, is just what it is - pain and your mind trying to derail you - nothing more.  No compression socks are going to change that!

What's important is how you respond to this pain, that's what makes the difference.  How do you respond to setbacks in your business, or in your life?  Do you acknowledge them for what they are, make the necessary changes, and then move forward.  Or do you allow them to take over and dictate to you what you do next?  It's an interesting question...

Thirdly, make sure you have the right information and don't listen to every person and their dog.  My girlfriend had a goal for this race, and that was to qualify for Hawaii again.  For her to do this, she had to win her age group or if she didn't do that, then hope that she would get a 'roll down'.  She knew her top competitor and what her strongest leg was, so I was given the role of letting her know where this competitor was at all times! 

As my girlfriend came off the bike, she was leading her age group.  When I saw her in the first lap of her run leg, I let her know that the other competitor still wasn't off her bike, so she had a good lead.  The run leg for a four lap event, so it was easy to know where everyone was. When she came around for her second lap, she was slightly flustered and said that someone had seen the other competitor out in front of her, so could I find out how much in front she was.  So to cut a long story short, the other competitor wasn't in front of her, but was in fact an hour behind her.  But because of the laps, others where getting confused and passing this information on.

In your business, find the people you trust and listen to them.  Don't get caught in the grey noise of everyone out there.  Yes, there maybe time when you have to change your focus and direction, but do this when you have the right information. Your business is fluid, and you need to be able to respond to change according, but don't do it as a knee jerk reaction.  Look at what's not working, and then identify your best course of action. Don't go it alone, have your support team around you, and ask that they are there for you 100%, through the highs and the lows.

So in 2012, when you do your Ironman, know that I will be here for you, cheering you on from the sidelines!

Oh & yes, my girlfriend not only won her age group and a spot to Hawaii, but she also came in 20th overall in the females!  Not a bad day at the office...

Last week, we looked at your overall list building strategy to building a quality list.  So in today's article I would like to share with you five ideas around how you can do this.  This isn't an exhaustive list, but it gives you some ideas on how to get started.

Idea 1:  Develop A FREE Value Add Offer.

This could be a report, e-book, or video that provides something of value to your clients.  Once developed, you can then post this onto your various sites, using a landing page for people to subscribe to. 

Idea 2:  Article Writing.

Focusing on the area of your niche.  When written, use these articles by posting them onto your blog and social media pages.  Upload them to be published on the various f*ee article directories that are available, as well as submitting them to the print media for publication into your niche magazine.  Using your author bio to bring them back to your f*ee offer landing page.  Additionally, why not do some guest blogging by connecting with others within your niche, and offer to write an article for their blog, with a back link back to your landing page.

Idea 3: Forums.

Identify the key forums where your idea clients hang out, and add value to the conversations.  You can also use these  forums as a place of research to see what your ideal clients are looking for in ways of products and services. When you're ready to sell your new products, you can send people to the specific landing page.

Idea 4: Social Media.

Where is it that your ideal clients hang out?  Is it on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin or YouTube, or is it all four?  Either way take time to set up an account on one of these Social Media sites or all four, and grow your list here.

Idea 5: Advertising 

There are so many different ways that you can advertise, and now a days it doesn't have to be expensive.  Set a budget for advertising, identify the best places to place your ads, and then set up a campaign that sends clients to something you have of value. 

What are some of the ideas you use to build your list?  We would love to continue this conversation, so please feel free to share them with us on our blog or Facebook page.