Today’s update comes in 2-minute video form, recorded at the end of a long Labor Day weekend -- perfect for getting all caught up after our relaunch.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2fJ9bIWS-w

If you can’t watch the video, here’s a short summary:

1. Back in July, we soft launched a project I’d been working on for a few years: Imagine More University. And last week, we made some big upgrades that I want to share with you.

2. Meet our team. Chelle Yarbrough is our Chief Technology Officer and Director of GeekSchool. Pat Bell, our resident HR guru, heads up Career School. And Jessica Pedraza has come on board to teach our new Evernote class.

3. If you’re planning to make a job transition, in the midst of one already, or need help landing that dream job, Career School can help. From informational workbooks to personalized guidance to comprehensive online courses, Pat has the resources you need to make your job search successful.

4. With our newest class, Evernote Expert, we’ll take you from introduction to organizational guru in just 4 weeks. Based on Brett Kelly’s fabulous Evernote Essentials eBook, the class will show you how Evernote can streamline your life.

5. GeekSchool is now available in 3 separate modules: Productivity, Social Media Tools, and WordPress.

6. At Imagine More University, our goal is to provide relevant, easy-to-use learning tools that help you achieve your dreams. And we’d love to know how you think we’re doing with that.

—--

It’s been a busy summer around here, but we’re all doing what we love. Wherever you are, I hope you are too.

In our quest for the ultimate career, we attempt to package our skills and experience in such a way that convinces a potential employer that we are The Perfect Candidate. We ask ourselves, “What are they looking for?” or “What does their company need?” Many times we try to retro-fit ourselves into their definitions of a “perfect candidate.” But like a great shoe that is just a half size too small, sometimes we just aren’t the right fit.

If the traditional job search process is not working, now what?

Instead of letting a company’s job opening define what you have to offer, why not work it from the opposite direction?

• What are you looking for in a new career?
• What environment creates an atmosphere for you to offer your very best?

Focus on interviewing companies instead of feeling that you’re at their mercy.

It starts with understanding what you have to offer.

• Do you believe you are a great candidate? Why is that?
• What have you accomplished for previous employers that could benefit a new company?
• What results have you delivered?
• What are your career strengths?
• Can you be a game-changer or linchpin for their organization?
• Are you able to communicate that with credibility and good examples?

Admittedly, it is an employer’s market. They have thousands of candidates to choose from today. But companies are attracted to individuals who know what skills they have to offer and the confidence to go after it within the right boundaries. Don’t think that’s possible? Then you haven’t heard of Susan Lewis. She changed the rules and decided  to go “boss-hunting.” Her strategy worked, and you can read all about her journey on her blog.

So how can you get started?

First, get past the typical interview responses of “I think I can grow here” or “I am a hard worker.” Approach employers with quantifiable data and examples like, “I can improve customer satisfaction results based my previous experience when I . . .” or “My ability to motivate my staff to exceed company sales goals resulted in  . . .”

The perfect interview situation is a business deal. Both individuals come to the table with what they can offer and what they want. Your goal is to share the mutually beneficial deal in an interview situation.

Operate from a position of strength versus an overwhelming need. The results will amaze you.

Several years ago, my pastor shared a message about how God sometimes talks to us in stereo when there’s a point he needs to get across. That thought resonated with me, and there have been a few times since then when I felt like that was happening.

One of those times is this week. I’m wrapping up three of the toughest months I can recall, in almost every way possible. A friend told me on Tuesday, “You’re weary. You can just see it.” And I think that’s true. There’s a part of me that just wants to go to bed for a few days.

But I know I can’t do that. We’re very close to a major breakthrough on nearly all of our projects right now. Throwing in the towel (even temporarily) wouldn’t be honoring the sacrifices my team has made all this time – or the doors of opportunity that God has opened for us.

And just in case I wavered, the stereo turned on . . .

Speaker #1:

On Sunday, Pastor Bil spoke on the power of positive thinking. Among other points, he reminded us of Romans 8:31

. . . If God is for us, who can be against us?

He also reminded us that as long as we’re following God, we can follow our dreams too. After all, he’s the one that put them there. That certainly quieted the internal debate within me about whether my projects and goals were “reasonable,” particularly when not all of them were fruitful right away.

(Side note: Pastor Bil has an incredible new book coming out next week called I Dare You To Change. I’ve ordered my copy, and I certainly recommend you get one too.)

Speaker #2:

On Monday, a package arrived for me. I hadn’t ordered anything lately, so I was a bit surprised. It was an early edition of Chris Guillebeau’s new book The Art of Non-Conformity. Everything inside of me smiled. I’ve met Chris once (at SXSW), and we talk via Twitter occasionally. In his writing, I feel I’ve met a kindred spirit. Finally someone that can communicate what I’ve felt for two decades.

One passage in the book felt like it picked up right where Pastor Bil left off:

Fear begins with an undefined worry, a voice in the back of your head that says you’re not good enough, you won’t succeed with anything big or significant, and you might as well give up and stop trying to stand out. The implied message is, “Who are you, anyway?”

That phrase – or it’s sister, “Who does she think she is?” – inhabits my mind way more often than I’d care to admit.

Speaker #3:

During my prayer time yesterday, God gave me replacement thoughts. Subtle, but powerful:

“Whose is she, anyway?” or “Who does she think her God is?”

I can’t pretend I’m out of the weeds yet. But I know I’m back on the right track, taking small steps toward my dreams every single day. I may be tired, but the “Can Do” on my wrist reminds me to keep going.

Do you ever wonder, “Who are you, anyway?” What keeps you moving forward?

Win/Win All Around!

During the last several weeks, I’ve needed to learn some new skill sets – and fast. I’ve also asked many members of my team to do the same. And when we regrouped recently to review our current projects, a concept I’d been tossing around in my mind came to life.

I’m convinced we really are wired to have natural preferences for different activities. In other words, what I view as work, someone else sees as play – and vice versa. Not play in the sense of goofing off, but play in the feeling of joy or “flow” while working on that type of task.

And we can really multiply the effectiveness of our teams when we recognize that principle and put it to work. Let me give you some examples I’ve encountered just in the last few weeks.

• I like people, but large groups don’t energize me. But Pat Bell, my good friend and our new Director of Career School, is a natural relationship-builder. She loves meeting people, getting to know them, and finding ways to help each other. In her first weeks on board, she established several key relationships that I would have never even thought of – and enjoyed every minute of it.
• I sometimes let administrative tasks linger on my to-do list too long. Things like adding new contacts to an email list, or reconciling members across two systems, or making minor tweaks to a website. But we now have several interns on our team that can knock out these projects in no time. One project I’d put off for days took less than 8 minutes to complete – 8 minutes! And the young employee was thrilled to learn something new.

As you go about your week, think about what feels like work – not in the sense that it is challenging or hard, but in the sense that you really don’t enjoy doing it even after you’ve conquered the learning curve. Then think of the rest of your team. Is there someone that naturally enjoys tasks of that nature? Or do you even know? Maybe toss the project out at a team meeting and see if anyone is eager to snatch it up. You might be surprised at the “secret skill-set” of some on your team.

You’ll have eliminated some “work” for you, and given them an opportunity to “play.” That sure sounds like a win-win to me.

Crazy as it sounds, I think the answer is yes. I say that because I think I’ve done it.

Here’s what I think happens:

I get behind on a project, but I’m still able to complete it before the deadline. Woohoo! My adrenaline and dopamine (the feel-good chemicals in the brain) surge. I like that feeling. It mimics the high of thrill-seeking activities such as a roller coaster. Consciously or sub-consciously, I decide that I want to repeat it. So I start leaving less and less time to complete projects, testing whether I can perform under the gun. Many times, I can – and I get hooked on the adrenaline/dopamine surge that follows.

Much like Pavlov’s dogs salivated when a bell rang, my brain learned to salivate from procrastination, seeking the high that would soon follow. Quite simply, I have trained myself to procrastinate.

But here’s the best part:

If I have trained myself to procrastinate, that means I can train myself to stop.

Much like I have trained myself to not need caffeine by avoiding it almost entirely, I can stop the procrastination cycle by avoiding it too. My personal development coach, Jonathan Mead, suggested I create a mantra and repeat it to myself dozens of times a day. We picked: “I like having things done early.” It’s also pasted very prominently on my computer screen.

I’ve also rededicated myself to morning exercise. I get up and move for at least 30 minutes – every day. No matter what. Anecdotally, I knew that I could think better after a run. But I recently read a phenomenal book that put all the pieces together. Spark by Dr. John Ratey (affiliate link) explores the revolutionary new science about the effect of exercise on the brain. Essentially, exercise is needed for much more than a healthy body. Your brain uses it to beat stress, sharpen your thinking, lift your mood, and boost your memory. The book begins with a case study from Naperville Central High School in Illinois. The impact of exercise on these kids is simply astounding – and I’m not talking about their health – it impacts their ability to learn.

I can confirm that his research is incredibly true for me. It’s been about a month since I’ve read the book. I’ve only missed exercising 3 days, and I feel better than I can remember. I can write and produce content again. My moodiness is greatly decreased. I can focus on one project for a longer period of time. I’m still me, but an improved version.

If this sounds familiar and you think you might struggle with procrastination too, consider training yourself to stop. Interrupt the cycle as often as you can. And get moving.

What do you think?

I have to admit. I absolutely love the Matrix Trilogy of movies. The futuristic look at how we’ll eventually be dependent on computers was a thrill and a shock and… oh, wait. I need to check my email. I’ll be right back.

…

OK, I’m back. Where was I? Oh, yes. The complete dependence on computers that’s coming in the future.

I hate to break it to you. The future is now. The irony is not lost that I am the Chief Technology Officer of a company. I am as wired as the next geek-in-heels. I have 3 laptops, 1 MacBook Pro, Two wireless hubs, a guest wireless network for company visiting our beach house so they don’t suck my bandwidth, a media server for our extensive DVD collection of movies so my daughter going off to college can watch (what else?) The Matrix Trilogy remotely. Netflix is wired to my server, as is Hulu.com and I don’t even have cable or satellite, but I can pretty much watch anything on demand. My iPad is on backorder. I have a Windows Smartphone, and a Blackberry as does my husband and both our 18 year old and 15 year old daughters. I text them to wake them in the morning. They send me video during the day of funny things they see or do. We sometimes have entire conversations and no one says a single audible word. And we’re in the same room.

We use GPS for driving directions, restaurant suggestions and business tips. I tweet, and update my Facebook status on average 3 times a day. I use Foursquare and I’m the mayor of at least 10 locations, with more than 319 checkins. Oh, that reminds me, gotta check in Beach Marker 9, where I’m writing this.

Done. Still the mayor. Whew.

My point is this. We are wired. We are dependent. Technology is supposed to be a tool and not our master. This post is a little off-topic as a tech-tip, but after a full summer of building websites, launching the Imagine More University, YouSchool, GeekSchool, and generally staying completely tethered to the Matrix, let me suggest the following.

Schedule one day to unplug. To leave the phone at home. To let someone else be the mayor and to not tweet, post or update. Set the autoresponder on your email to “unplugged” and take one glorious holiday from technology.

One day. To recharge your batteries. Before you become a battery like the future humans in the Matrix.

Oh, I can rationalize each “incomplete” with a perfectly logical explanation. But deep down I know that I didn’t do some things simply because I was scared.

So, the best birthday present I gave myself was a promise: a promise to not let fear stand in the way of my dreams anymore. Ironically, that statement itself is a little scary when I say it out loud. Holding back at times feels safe, but the regret sure burns later.

And while I’m trying to practice this in every moment of my life, some big things over the last month certainly stand out.

#1

I’m perfectly happy on an airplane, but get me on a ski lift or at the top of an arena, and it’s not pretty. I don’t know the clinical symptoms of an anxiety attack, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had several of them. My heart races, my hands sweat, tears flow, and I’m generally immobile. So when my husband informed me that he’d booked a canopy tour on our trip to Puerto Rico, I was less than thrilled. Then some part of me decided that this would be a fitting first challenge in my “No Fear” year.

So I did it. 90 minutes in the canopy of La Marquesa Forest in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Zipping from platform to platform on nothing but a couple ropes. I even bought the shirt. (And I didn’t have to use it to wipe my tears.)

Here’s the deal: I was terrified. The 45 minute wait on the first platform took everything I had. But I did the first one. And then the second. By the time the eighth one was over, I was much more relaxed. I could actually enjoy the stunning views.

Fear of Heights

#2

I’ve wanted a tattoo for several years. Not just any tattoo, but a specific one. I envisioned it clearly in my mind. I knew exactly what I wanted it to say. I knew exactly where I wanted it. But I was scared.

Scared of the needle. (I almost had my daughter naturally because I was scared of the IV.) But more scared of what people might think. What if someone judged me? What if I missed an opportunity because it was there? The endless what-ifs always prevented me from taking the next step.

And then about a week ago, I decided it was time to be true to myself. So with the expert guidance of my sister Jessica and her boyfriend Eric, I walked through the doors of Classic Tattoo in Las Vegas with my design in hand. It was very clean and quiet. Garth Brooks was playing on the radio. Ross was very patient with my questions and didn’t make fun of me for being nervous as heck. It really didn’t hurt that bad, but I was sweating profusely. When I got up from the chair, I had to promise that the puddle was sweat – and not something else.

I love it. It’s exactly what I’ve dreamed of for years. It’s the ideal reminder for me to keep my thoughts positive and focused on God. And I’m okay with whatever people think. (Yep, that’s really my left arm.)

Fear of Needles, Fear of Being Judged

#3

I’ve been an entrepreneur for more than a decade. I love building businesses. I’d say I’m pretty good at it. But there’s one aspect of business that still terrifies me: selling. I’m really not sure why, but I think it’s a fear of rejection.

If I just throw a concept out there and no one buys, it’s not like anyone really said “No.” Maybe they didn’t see it. But if I genuinely and personally ask for the sale and they don’t buy, that’s a Big Ouch. Or at least I thought it was. When we launched Imagine More University last Friday, I decided it was time to get over that one too. (This is actually the third time I’ve launched an online business related to Imagine More, but you probably didn’t hear about the first two. After all, I didn’t exactly sell them.)

We’ve developed two great classes to start with: GeekSchool and YouSchool. Chelle and I are passionate about this information, and we’re absolutely prepared to teach it. The technology Chelle’s designed to deliver the material in an innovative way is simply incredible. We’re going to show people how they can change their lives for 30 minutes a day.

And, you know what, I decided I’m actually going to tell people about it, especially if they’ve taken one of my live classes in the past or expressed a desire for a product just like this. I’m going to ask them to enroll and try it out. I’ve even had my first “no” – from a close friend. It’s ok. Neither of us died instantly. And there’s plenty more people out there to ask.

Fear of Rejection

One month. Four fears conquered. It’s a daily battle, but it feels great every time I defeat another one.

Now it’s your turn: What do you fear?

Do it anyway. (And when you do, let us know in the comments below. You can stay anonymous if you want.)

The Imagine More University’s first semester starts next Monday, July 19th with two inaugural classes. YouSchool is a personal development series designed to finding, finessing and then making your dreams reality. Your dreams – not someone else’s definition of success, or wealth or happiness. It’s the ultimate lifestyle redesign. (For more information on YouSchool, visit this link)

And then there’s GeekSchool.

GeekSchool is a simple, step-by-step, systematic approach to incorporating technology into your business and personal world, buying you back the time you need to really live your life.

Broken down, GeekSchool goes like this:

Each day, you’ll receive a lesson in email. The day’s lesson will consist of a short video, 2-3 articles to read, an assignment to complete and a link to the topic’s discussion forum. Each day’s lesson is designed to be between 15-30 minutes long. No more. The lessons build on one another, and they’re available online as long as you need them – so if you miss a day, you can catch up quickly. It’s designed for busy working folks who need the skills, but not the pressure.

Each week, the instructor will host a live Q&A session where you can come and ask questions, get feedback and reinforce what you learned that week. Think of it as a study hall – where you can ask for specialized assistance and personalized help. That’s what makes it different than other online learning systems.

Quick Lessons – Personalized Support – Practical Topics

——–

Week 1-4 – Organization

Are you barely treading water when it comes to email? Is your task list so long it’s ridiculous? Double booking and missing appointments? Here’s where to start. Weeks 1-4 are your building blocks for efficiency. You’ll learn:

• All about Email programs, Task Lists, Calendaring and how to synchronize ALL your systems together with your Smartphone/iPhone/Blackberry.
• How to effectively and efficiently tame your lists and get things done.
• How to zero your inbox and streamline your communication.
  

And once you’ve mastered organization using smart tools, you’re ready to tackle the brave new world of…

Weeks 5-8 – Social Media

Social Media can help you grow your business exponentially, or threaten to take over your life if you’re not careful. These lessons give you a great overview of

• How to use Social Media responsibly, without alienating friends, colleagues and potential customers.
• How to build a great Twitter profile and custom background,
• How to find and retain friends and followers,
• How to use the new social currency to let your customers do you talking
• How to gracefully respond to issues.
• What a Facebook Fan Page is and how to create your own customized page complete with video, mailing lists and much more
• How to build your LinkedIn profile for maximum exposure and marketing potential.

And we’re still not done!

Weeks 9-12 – Websites and Blogs

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a key employee, or just ready to gain new skills, these lessons are invaluable. We’ll look under the hood at some successful sites, break down what makes them tick, and show you how you can have the same success. We’ll blueprint your web strategy – whether it’s a full website selling products, or a blog selling yourself. You’ll get no less than 50 great website resources for linking your site to social media sites (without spending double time) and other great free tools for graphics and editing.

In less than 30 minutes per day you can build a site or blog ready for the search engines, and the hordes of customers or visitors you’re wanting to attract.

It’s a technology business plan, ready to execute. So, what’s the catch? It’s only available for the first 100 registrants.

We want to be sure that every participant gets the maximum attention from us.

Class starts Monday, July 19th – and Remember – Registration is Limited.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR GEEKSCHOOL

Have you ever heard about someone successful and tried to model yourself after them? I know I have, time and time again. But I’ve always been disappointed with the results. I’m guessing you have too.

That’s because each of us has a unique recipe for our success, and it requires unique ingredients in unique proportions. What worked for Michael Phelps, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Diane Sawyer and countless other success stories likely won’t work for me or you. We’re different – and that’s a good thing.

So where does that leave us?

While the personal development principles and role models are great, the real key is to figure out how to best apply them for each of us. I’ve started calling it my Personal Success Formula, and it outlines my unique recipe. Over the last year or so, I’ve been consciously experimenting and documenting the results. I’ve also been working with others to do the same.

And this process is the foundation for one of our inaugural classes at Imagine More University – YouSchool.

Whether you want to lose weight, get organized, advance your career, start a business, or experience your very own Extreme Life Makeover, YouSchool will teach you how to discover your very own Personal Success Formula – and use it change your life.

Interested? Visit Imagine More University to learn more.

Image Courtest of AllFaceBook.com

Facebook is simply a fantastic marketing tool. It’s far more targeted than Google and far more engaging. We’ll talk about advertising on Facebook another day – today’s topic is a quick primer of the difference between Groups and Fan Pages.

First of all, my personal prognostication is that Groups and Fan Pages will merge closer together with every upgrade. Most of the features in each are similar, but not the same and my guess is that eventually they’ll be one.

Groups are designed to be collaborations of people that like the same thing. A local little league, film society or a local school board election are all great examples of groups. Generally, they’re not attached to a single business.

Fan Pages, on the other hand, usually are attached to a business. They offer a lot more customization opportunities, especially through the use of FBML (Facebook Markup Language) like the custom page here.

There are two key differences when considering how to maximize the use of a Group or a Page. One is mass messaging and the other is membership restrictions.

Mass Messaging
One of the advantages that a group has over a page is the option to send a message (to the recipient’s Facebook Inbox) to all the members of the group. Fan pages, on the other hand, only allow updates which post into the user’s stream – meaning it’s a little bit of a mystery if they’ll see it for sure.

Membership Restrictions
Another feature of a group is the ability to restrict membership to only those that the admin chooses to include. A Fan Page is open for anyone to “like” – although mean people can be banned later on. We used the “private” feature for our Mastermind Group, which allowed us to use the discussion threads, messaging and other features without worrying that anyone outside the group could see anything.

Last tip – choose carefully. Most of the time there’s no going back. For a more in depth analysis, head over to AllFaceBook.com and read their very clear explanation. It’s a little deep diving, but worth it if Facebook is part of your social media plan.