We were lucky to catch up with Robert A. Lane recently and have shared our conversation below.
Robert, so great to have you with us and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with the community. So, let’s jump into something that stops so many people from going after their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. We’d love to hear about how you dealt with that and persisted on your path.
No matter what you do, especially if it is something creative, there will always be haters and nay-sayers. Remember, the problem is with them, not you. Usually it is jealousy or their own insecurities or even their own laziness that they have to come to terms with so they project that onto you. Finger pointing is easy. Being accountable takes more work and these people don’t want to do it.
There is one policy I follow and it is this – who cares what other people think. In my book “Lights, Action YOU!” I wrote a chapter that dives deeper into this concept. Basically, we are constantly bombarded with external influences. Even though we want to be appreciated or seek approval, true approval comes from within. And the bottom line is to believe in yourself, visualize success and trust your instincts.
I created a catch phrase that is my mantra when it comes to persisting and crushing the nay-sayers. “I am who I am, I do what I do, and I am not ashamed of it.” I say this with a positive mindset, not in a vindictive way. It doesn’t matter what other people think as long as I am true to myself and am focused on my goals.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am an Audiobook Coach & Producer. I specialize in helping published nonfiction authors turn their book into an audiobook that they narrate in their own voice. I not only work with nonfiction writers but also coaches, entrepreneurs, educators and poets who have published books. I created an audiobook coaching program called “Your Book Your Voice” which is a do-it-with-you program taking the author from setup and preparation of their own recording space to learning the fine art of voice over and narration to publishing their audiobook on Audible, Amazon and Apple by the end of the six week course.
My coaching journey started almost four years ago after spending thirty-plus years working in the entertainment industry. I worked in production and also spent many years on the corporate side of the business. I started my own audio post production company called RRP Studios where I did mixing, music composing, voice over and sound design for film and tv. After I left the industry, I started Robert Lane Coaching and became a mindset & career coach. In addition, I did speaking engagements for big and small corporations across the country. I still keep RRP Studios in operation to this day.
Last year I published a book called “Lights, Action, YOU!” where I took my experiences working in the entertainment industry and tied each story to tools, techniques and lessons I taught in my career coaching program. The idea was not to write just another self-help book but make it a much more enjoyable read with the stories I told. The book did hit #1 best seller in several categories on Amazon when it was published. The book is available as an ebook, paperback and audiobook.
I was approached by several authors who wanted to turn their book into an audiobook but didn’t know the right steps to take. This was a growing need so I decided to create an audiobook coaching program to help these authors. I created the Your Book Your Voice Audiobook Coaching Program and added this course to Robert Lane Coaching.
The authors I work with crafted great books in their own unique style. It’s crucial for them to narrate their own audiobook so they can tell their story the way it was meant to be heard. There are a lot of moving parts in making an audiobook and that’s where the Your Book Your Voice audiobook coaching program comes into play. The goal is to make the process easy and hassle-free by providing the recording equipment they need, doing all the audio post production editing and getting the final audiobook published for them. Their only concern should be doing an awesome and compelling narration.
Many authors I’ve worked with thought they didn’t have the voice to do a great narration due to lack of confidence but that changed very early into the program and this new-found confidence stays with them for the rest of their lives. I purposely keep the program limited to eight authors at a time so I can give each one the attention and guidance they deserve throughout the program.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first quality is learning and developing mindset skills. Mindset is really important. There are some entrepreneurs who dismiss doing mindset exercises and feel it’s a waste of time and you should only focus on the work. I disagree. Mindset is extremely important. Start with some simple affirmations about yourself and your business. Put them in present-tense. You can say things like “I am successful.” “I am a leader.” “I am exactly what my clients need.” Go over your business plan and your life purpose daily. These should be written out. Meditate to help you get grounded and focused. You don’t need to spend a ton of time on mindset work but do it until you FEEL it and most importantly, believe it.
The second quality is self-discipline. Just do the work. Buckle down and do it. Successful people don’t shy away from hard work. Most people see the glamorous end result but don’t realize or forget how much work it took to reach those goals. Remember, an idea is just an idea until you implement it. Don’t let fear stop you or use fear as an excuse. Just go for it. If you succeed – great! If you fail, that’s ok. Learn from the experience. Dig deep and find out why it didn’t work. This also ties back to having great mindset skills that not only keep you positively focused but help you through tough times so you remain motivated.
Finally, connect with people who do what you do (or something similar) that have been successful doing it. Pick their brain and learn from them. Again, don’t be afraid to reach out to these people. You’ll be surprised how much they are willing to help you. Get involved in a mastermind group. Ask as many questions as you need. The wealth of knowledge is priceless.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
In my experience, I have found that the number one reason for feeling overwhelmed is lack of time management. We all have our list of things to do but what happens is that list becomes very long and impossible to complete. Our intentions are good but the problem lies in trying to complete a huge list which is unrealistic.
When someone says they don’t have enough time, that’s actually a false belief. The truth is we do have time. Here are a couple of strategies I’d like to share with you from my book that can help you manage your time better and not feel so overwhelmed.
First, do a time audit. Keep a detailed log of everything you do on a typical day from the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep. This is a 24 hour a day audit to track everything, even the hours you sleep. Do this for three days., Once your audit is done, analyze the data. You will discover patterns and things that you do that take up a lot of time. You will also see which things you do are high priority and which are not. You will be able to see where you can be more productive and efficient.
Another great strategy is limiting your to-do list to the five most important things you need to accomplish for that day. By keeping your list short, you will inevitably complete your list the same day. If you still have time in your day after you complete your list, you can add more things as long as they can be completed on the same day.
Once your list is set, do the hardest thing first. I call that task the “ugly ogre.” This is the one project that is the most difficult and may take up a lot of time but if you do the “ugly ogre” first and get it off your plate, the rest of the list is so much easier.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Once you refine your time management skills you can be just as successful as any of the most successful people in the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.
robertlanecoaching.com/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/robert.a.lane/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ robertlanecoaching - Linkedin: https://www.
linkedin.com/in/robert-a-lane/ - Other: “Lights, Action, YOU!” (Book on Amazon): https://amzn.to/
3Ly833t
- Other: “Your Book Your Voice” Audiobook Coaching Program: https://bit.ly/
yourbookyourvoice
Image Credits
Robert A. Lane
