It seems like everyone thrives on letting others know how busy they are. Whether that is true or not, we seem to associate busyness as the norm. Anything less and you are tagged as lazy or a slacker.

The harder you work the more others notice. The longer hours you put in the quicker you join the path to advancement.

However, while there can be truth found in these ideas, too many people battle fatigue and burnout because they’re afraid to be passed by and passed over.

The downside in this way of thinking is while you may be racking up the hours your creativity suffers. Instead of presenting fresh and new ideas, we continue to roll out the same old thing with just another paint job and description slapped on it.

The secret behind fresh words and new ideas is your ability to rest.

Taking time to unplug, get away, put down the smartphone and walk away from a screen has a natural way of rejuvenating the mind. It’s nature’s medicine to giving you fresh eyes on the roadblocks you may face.

If you discipline yourself to live by a calendar and work from a list, do yourself a favor and schedule time to rest. No multitasking or peeking at email, shut down and walk away.

If you can do it right now, start. If not, put it on your calendar and make it a weekly event.

The next time someone asks you how are things, tell them, “your resting!” It will become your favorite response that you give all week.

There’s a common response I hear when I ask people how their day is going. Can you guess what it is? Did you say, “I’m not getting anything done that I planned on getting done.” In other words, implying that their day has been one interruption after another.

Not only have I had days like this, but I’ve had weeks where it seems like I’m in constant reactionary mode.

I’ve also watched people get angry, stressed, as well as take it out on others just because things didn’t go as planned.

The other day I was having a conversation and someone said, “It seems like nothing gets to you.” While that idea is completely untrue, I’ve learned to not hold on to distractions long. At the end of the day, I can’t change the cause, but I can change how it impacts my behavior.

The greatest skill that you could learn is to quickly make adjustments on the fly.

Here are just a few things I take into consideration when I encounter something I didn’t plan for:

1. The end results outweighs my temporary feeling of discomfort.
2. It’s not personal… Sometimes things just don’t workout.
3. Deal with it ASAP and keep moving.
4. Condition yourself that things won’t go as planned and you will need to make adjustments.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t feel overwhelmed at times, but being organized and in control of my schedule as much as possible allows me to adjust on the fly without little damage.

Whatever time management system works best for you, make sure you’re leveraging it to its fullest capacity. Be proactive about your schedule and workload and last but not least, the more organized you are the easier it is to adjust quickly.

If I can do it, so can you!

The path to fulfilling our goals are never roads where everything comes easy. It usually takes sacrifice of some kind.

If you’re going to excel, it will cost you!

It doesn’t matter if you’re launching a business or trying to eat healthy and get in shape, there will be sacrifice on your part.

Unfortunately, there are somethings you may not know in advance, but when it occurs you’ll need to make a decision; do I quit or sacrifice and move forward.

The price can be high at times. Everything of value will require sacrifice from someone.

It could cost you:

• Time
• Friendships and relationships
• Friction from family
• Money
• Jobs and Networks
• Opportunities

With everything we achieve there’s a price. If we’re willing to sacrifice and pay the price, then we move closer to achieving the end results.

It’s really up to you. Are you willing to endure a little pain and discomfort? If so, carry on and enjoy the journey.

The biggest setbacks I commonly see are when people are starring in the face of change. Whether it’s unexpected or they just run out of options, when you force change on someone their whole turns upside down.

The biggest fear of change is usually not knowing what will happen next. Unsettling routines, changing locations and making someone expand beyond their known world spells disaster for many.

But, why? What is it about change that stirs an array of emotions and fears?

I discovered when change forces me to do things differently I usually wish I would have made the changes sooner. The thing that I feared the most becomes the thing I’m most grateful for in the long run.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we know that making the change will be the best for us moving forward. The simple key is silencing the “what ifs” and making it happen.

The are no quick tips or twelve steps. Say, yes! Then quickly put action to what you’ve been avoiding.

Why fight it? It’s time to make life happen!

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, establish an exercise program or develop a daily writing habit, creating habits can be a frustrating endeavor. Usually what we do is start off with great levels of energy and determination. We make lists, block out time, buy new gear all with the hopes of finally accomplishing the challenge that we have created.

We bite off big chunks at a time with hopes to do it better and faster than anyone else has done; even though we’re trying to break a cycle of habits that has taken us years to establish.

Unfortunately, we are defeated before we even get out of the gate and begin to see any results.

A few years ago, after letting my eating habits get out of control, I decided I needed to make a change and lose weight. Over a decade of making bad choices, I had allowed myself to put an additional 5–7 pounds a year on my frame.

I knew it would be difficult, but the smartest thing I did was accept that this would not be an overnight success. It would take time, hard work and a goal. However, the goal that I set was so small I knew I could accomplish it. It wasn’t my final goal, but I knew if I could lose two pounds a week within less than a year I would be at my final goal. Within seven months I met my goal, felt like a million bucks, as well as convinced myself that anything else I decided I wanted to do, I could make it happen.

If you’re trying to create smart habits consider:

1. Pick just one thing. Failure is inevitable if you try to do too many things at once.
2. Start small and celebrate small victories. Two pounds a week, writing 500 words a day all add up if you commit to staying the course.
3. Find an accountability partner. I have discovered when I share my goals with others they seem to always show up on the days I need a little encouragement.
4. Track your progress. Use a smartphone app or have a calendar that you use that will serve as a visual reminder and motivator.
5. Keep moving towards your goal. Accept the fact, that there will be days you come up short. However, your commitment to the final goal should outweigh a setback or bad day.

Everyone of us have the power to make things happen, to create healthy habits and make a difference.

Start small, do it day and keep moving!

The hardest challenge for anyone trying to make something happen is to slow down. I’m not talking about slowing down for the sake of doing things at a slower pace, but making sure you are present in every moment.

It’s so easy to be distracted that we seldom digest each moment and conversation that we encounter. We’ve been programmed that the moment someone starts talking, we rush down rabbit holes of our own thoughts thinking about what we should do next. We are quick to speak while listening takes a back seat.

It’s also why we approach our meals the same way. Make it quick, eat it fast and move on. Seldom do we take the time to slow down, chew slowly and savor each ingredient that has been melded together to create an edible representation of the one who has prepared it.

If you’re a parent it shows up more than we want to admit it happens. Our children approach us and we listen only to fire off an answer so they’ll move on… We really didn’t hear them and they knew we weren’t listening.

Where are we off to that it’s so hard to savor each moment?

What do we miss out on just by going through the motions?

The only person we fool is ourselves. Our coworkers know when were not engaged. Our families can spot it a mile away. The clients that we work for can tell when we’ve checked out.

What would your next meeting, luncheon or family event look like if you:

• Put away your phone.
• Laid down your pen.
• Made eye contact with the individual who was speaking.
• Listened to every word.
• Paused before your decided to speak.

What would happen is you would experience what it is like to savor each moment.

I’ve decided that instead of always looking for the next best thing, that I will savor each moment and appreciate the encounters that present themselves on a daily basis.

You should join me!

source

With the constant push that says faster is better, I’ve decided to embrace the slow web. The rapid advancement of technology and the plethora of information that is available can be overwhelming if you choose to remain in front of the worldwide fire hose. I realized that there had to be an alternative and that’s when I stumbled across the idea of the slow web.

The slow web is basically not the fast web. The slow web allows you to be in control of when and how you embrace the web. At the end of the day, you’re spending more time living and enjoying life instead of consuming someone else’s life. It’s savoring every moment that you’re living, being present and being OK with it.

It’s embracing the fact that you’re not missing anything.

The Day I Pulled the Plug

During the holiday season when I had time to interrupt my normal routine, I began thinking about the crazy idea of decreasing my online and social media consumption. The ideas ranged from completely going off the grid to only engaging when it depended on the needs of my clients.

What I ended up doing was:

1. I deleted over 550+ RSS feeds from my RSS reader.
2. I unsubscribed from any eNewsletter that I no longer was reading or was no longer relevant.
3. I reworked my approach to social media and how I would use each platform.
4. I committed to leaving my phone in my pocket or in a different room while eating any meal.
5. I also recommitted to investing my time in reading more books and if possible books that required me to not use a screen.
6. I scheduled time daily to walk away from any screen and meditate, think and plan.
7. I also began practicing the importance of being entirely present in the moment whether I’m in the office or spending time with family.

The Results

What I’ve noticed over the past 30 days is a greater degree of focus, as well as thinking and living life more proactive.

I’ve added 20 feeds into my RSS reader, but what I’ve chosen to read seems to be focusing less on “how-to” and more on content that challenges me to be a better person, Dad, friend and writer.

The newsletters that are making it into my inbox is content that I sit down with a cup of coffee or tea, read, pause and contemplate before I move on.

Another thing that I’m doing is hitting refresh every Monday morning. What I mean is if I haven’t read it in 7 days, I’ll probably not read it at all. So every Monday I clean out my inbox, my RSS reader, the iOS app I use to save articles to read throughout the week (Pocket).

The greatest breakthrough is I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. If it’s breaking industry news I seem to find out.

Ultimately, the web has slowed down. I’m consuming and engaging on my own terms. I’m thinking about quality when it comes to social media and less about quantity.

I’m enjoying the moment… Every second, every conversation and every sip of coffee.

If you’re looking to play it safe, blend in with the crowd and never stick your neck out, then don’t ever expect to make a difference. Coffee shops and boardrooms are filled with conversations on how you can play it safe, don’t upset anyone and hope for the best.

I’ve tried this approach. I’ve read their books and followed their outlines… It doesn’t work. The only thing it leads to is frustration and fear.

Fearless

As a kid, I was fearless! Tell me I couldn’t do something and you just poured fuel on my fire. I conquered my own fears and learned to do new things when I went with my gut instead of everyone else’s opinions.

However, as I got older I encountered more opinions and the wisdom of armchair experts on what I should do, how I should act and how I should approach opportunities.

Unfortunately, many have chosen an easier life, a life without guts and a voice that has been drowned out by the noise of the masses.

The truth is what’s inside of you someone needs. The idea that you’ve sat on someone is waiting for its arrival. There’s an audience waiting for your book to be published, your business to be launched and your music to be produced. It won’t be easy, but until you do it you’re always going to feel like something is missing.

Do you have any guts? If so, make life happen.

Are you an insider? If you are, someone is looking for you. They’re hoping you are the one that will help them launch their dream. The behavioral pattern seems to be, if they bug you enough you’ll finally come through for them.

Thanks to social media and technology you can attempt this strategy 24–7. A smartphone and an account on every social media platform known to man easily becomes the weapon of choice. And so the vicious deception begins.

We begin to see more time being spent investing in building a platform than we see someone mastering a craft and sharing something of value to an audience. Tools and quantity trumps quality.

Having a shipping mindset is great, but what you ship should make me want more. When I’m finishing consuming what you’ve offered I should be compelled to share it with my friends. It should create a memory, an idea or thought.

If I move on without a connection then you grabbed my attention, but didn’t offer me anything of value.

Real Jewels are Usually Hidden

Tucked away on a side street behind a McDonalds sits an abandoned restaurant that appears to be the remains of a fast food chain that has gone belly up. However, as you approach the building the dimly-lit parking lot reveals curtains draped over the windows and an open sign in the window.

As you walk inside the restaurant the room is clean, the tables are set and a friendly face welcomes you to their place of culinary creativity. It’s an experience that you have no idea what you’re about to encounter.

It wasn’t until this happy Korean couple placed the sides in front of me and delivered the best daegu stew that I have ever eaten, did I realize that real gems are often hidden. They have mastered their craft and by looking at the tables around me they knew how to attract an audience.

Stop looking for a break and start mastering what you do. Create with passion. Make adjustments and edits. Take pride in your product even on days when your audience is just a few. Share with your friends until they start sharing with their friends. It’s the secret recipe… It’s the break you’re looking for.

The quickest way to recall family memories is to sit down and eat food from a recipe that has been past down throughout the family. Alter the recipe, and someone will let you know that it doesn’t taste like the recipe’s originator.

You can also travel to another country and become intoxicated by new tastes and new smells. Upon your return, your search begins to recreate that moment and find someone that can duplicate the flavors that opened the door to a whole new world.

When we don’t know how to create we often settle to duplicate.

Creating is birthed out of experience. Duplication happens by following a recipe.

A creative piece that is inspired by the original artist will take on the settle characteristics of the artist or chef. It’s not quite the same. Somethings may be missing, while other ingredients could have been added… It’s an interpretation, a representation by the artist.

When we try to duplicate, we trade our own creativity for someone else’s. We want our creative work to look and feel exactly like the original creation.

Recipes are like shortcuts. It doesn’t involve any experience. For the must part, if you can follow the instructions you can duplicate what others have done. However, what keeps many from really moving the needle is they become happy with duplicating rather than creating.

There was time I became a professional collector of recipes. I hoarded tips, blog posts, articles, videos and podcasts with intentions of duplicating the recipes and reproducing what others have created. Secretly I was hoping if I duplicate enough, perhaps I would experience the same success.

However, while recipes can teach fundementals, copying someone else’s recipe has never made anyone an award-winning chef. It’s only added another number to the long list of copycats.

As we begin the new year, make a pack with yourself to become comfortable in your own skin. Forget about all the recipes and begin creating what’s inside of you. Experiment. Struggle, Fail and then start over until your work sounds like you and looks like you.

When you showcase what you’ve cooked, produced, written or developed it’s your recipe… It’s you! It will be how other’s remember you because it has your mark written all over it… It’s your masterpiece.

Let’s face it setbacks are normal. As a matter of fact, a timely setback could be the best thing for you. However, the challenge is whether you’re willing to use the setback to your advantage or let it knock you completely off course.

One of the challenges that I put out for myself at the beginning of the year was to be intentional about everything. How I approached life and work needed to be more choice driven versus a constant state of reactionary events.

One of the things that was extremely important was my approach to my communication platforms: this blog, social media, my newsletter and a list of new projects that I had mapped out to be released later in the year.

One of the decisions I made was the importance of a weekly publishing schedule. Not only was it good to have a weekly routine, but also it was good to provide a consistent flow of new articles. The challenge became can I produce daily content?

Like a racehorse, I shot out of the gate with a goal and determination to daily reach the finish line and for months it brought great joy to daily reach the goal.

However, I noticed about eight weeks ago I would miss a day or two and would chalk it up to busyness, family responsibilities or whatever seemed appropriate for the day. Then a few weeks ago it was as if everything came to a screeching halt.

While I’ll keep the gory details to myself, I had hit a break wall of resistance. It would be great if I could blame someone, but this resistance was internal – a war between my past, present and future. It was bigger than just keeping a daily publishing schedule; it included every facet of my approach to my life goals and business ideas.

For a few weeks, I set all projects aside. I needed answers to figure out how to approach this temporary setback.

Setbacks are Opportunities in Disguise

No one plans a temporary setback. For the most part, we are driven by our own desire to win. Goals, quotas, to-do lists and the always dangling carrot reward incentive we use to keep us moving at a steady pace. So the thought of scheduling a setback is completely out of the question.

However, setbacks are opportunities in disguise if you can recognize what’s going on. Entrepreneurs identify this as pivot moments; the moment when you realize it’s time to make an adjustment, tweak the product, cut features, add features or even zero in on specific area of the market.

If you can embrace a setback, you can come away with greater clarity, laser-like focus, not to mention a new found determination to birth your product, book, business or whatever goal you’re trying to accomplish.

One of the things that I recognized was I needed to take a few days and completely switch up my routine, alter my media inputs, shut off the information fire hose and walk away from the way I’ve been handling social media.

I’ve been in this place before and I was eager to see what would come out of this personal pivot moment.

Leave No Stone Unturned

After a few days without the influence of external clutter, I went back to the drawing board. I went back to the original blueprint that I had mapped out at the beginning of the year. I reviewed my strategy. I combed over my key performance indicators and then took time to ask myself the hard questions. You know the ones that make you feel naked and brutally honest with yourself.

When you overturn every stone, it’s only then can you assess your current status and only then begin to move forward.

One of the things that you’ll notice as you begin to do your own personal and internal gardening is locating where weeds have started to sprout up. You discover where some voices have become too loud and influential. You’ll also notice other relationships that have been silenced that need to be invited back to the table. Over the course of time you’ve developed habits that have steered you away from your goals instead of driving you towards them.

Embracing a setback doesn’t mean you’re starting over, it’s your “aha moment” that wants to point you in the right direction.

Clear the Path

The greatest joy of a trail rider is the discovery of a new path, a new route, a new course of adventure. When I was a kid finding a new trail was my version of hitting the lotto. It was a new opportunity to explore.

However, it was quite common a mile or two into the trail that you would discover the unexpected. Often times, due to lack of upkeep, you would come across a place in the trail that was blocked by brush, failing branches and sometimes the occasional uprooted tree laying across the trail.

When we came across this situation we had three choices that we were presented with: 1. Turn around and go back home. 2. Remove the brush or 3. Alter the path.

Of course, going home was never an option. We had to find a way.

When confronted with a setback, quitting should never be the first option. This is your time to move forward with a new energy and determination.

Let me say that nine out of ten times we cleared the path or altered the path. It was the only option as a young explorer.

When you’re faced with your own setback you may need to stop everything you’re doing and remove the crap that’s been self inflicted and has sabotaged your forward progress.

Setbacks are great opportunities to clear the path. They provide you the time to be able to remove the distractions and resistance that you’ve encounter as you’ve tried to accomplish your goals. If you’re willing to embrace the temporary delay, you’ll be surprised what definition can come for the next leg of your journey.

Setbacks Don’t Always Equal Failure

If your view of a setback is failure, then you’ll never be able to leverage what you’ve learned to this point. Failure encourages quitting. Setbacks should encourage readjustment. Failure invokes the idea that you’ve done something wrong. Setbacks are indicators of things that you are missing.

What I’ve learned over the past few weeks has catapulted me into the next phase of my master plan. Things that didn’t make sense a few weeks ago, I now have a new perspective.

Not once did I think I failed. I knew that there was a piece that was missing and because of it I lacked the horsepower to move at the pace that I had hoped for.

Moving Forward

With new perspective and insight, come new processes and new ways of doing things.

For me, it was an eye-opening moment to move forward in building my publishing initiative. All it took was a small setback to bring clarity to this site, my newsletter and a couple new projects that are right around the corner.

Are you in the midst of a setback? What have you learned? What are you doing to move forward?

Take a few days off. Shut off all the technology. Unplug from social media (trust me they’ll be there when you get back).

Do something you wouldn’t normally do. For me, I overdosed on movies. For you, it will probably look different. Whatever you choose, embrace it and don’t feel guilty about doing it.

One of things that I did after I cleared the cobwebs was I decided to go back to the drawing board. I pulled out all my notebooks over the past few years and charted the progress, as well as areas where I’ve went off track; the information was priceless.

It was at that point, where I began to clear the weeds and recommit to my plan for the year to be intentional about everything I was a part of.

With fresh perspective, a great level of insight and renewed energy, I’m pretty stoked about what’s coming done the path.

If you are currently in the midst of a setback, don’t panic… A little rest, fresh eyes and a new found determination could be exactly what you need.

If you enjoyed this, please sign up for my weekly newsletter!

image courtesy of OregonDOT

One of the things that I’ve learned is to continue to remember that the current step is preparation for the next step. It’s not the final destination, but just part of the process of taking me to where I want to be.

It’s the part of the journey that seems to never end, but without it you’ll never end up where your dreams, goals and plans are taking you.

It’s vital to embrace the current place, learn what you can, as well as keep looking for the perfect timing to take the next step.

While it seems like you’re going nowhere, It’s always good to define what you’ve learned in past steps, identify what you’re currently learning all while keeping your eyes open for any possible quick course changes.

Embracing the phase is part of the process. Without it you’ll abort your future and will eventually return because you didn’t learn the things you needed to learn.

Each phase has it’s challenges… Embrace it quickly so that you can move on.

What are your fears? What keeps you from completely selling out and embracing your current place on your journey?

If you enjoyed this feel free to sign up for my newsletter where I share valuable insights to excel in life and business.

image courtesy of Dan Gratton

I find for me to be productive and effective I work better when I approach my day with bit-size pieces instead of diving headfirst into a never ending list of to-do items.

In addition to client work and personal responsibilities, there are seven core building blocks that I need embrace everyday. When I’m able to do these things I notice a greater level of happiness, forward thinking and creativity.

When I’m not able to practice these core building blocks it can become so easy to feel stuck, unproductive and moving backwards instead of forwards.

My daily building blocks include:

1. Writing. When I stick to my guns and write on a daily basis not only does it provide value to you the reader, it also provides a platform to express my ideas, thoughts, insights and convictions. Read Michael Hyatt’s book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World
2. Publishing. There’s one thing to write my ideas and insights, but without publishing them and putting myself out there, the chances of achieving a list of life goals will never happen.
3. Connecting. At the core of any successful individual, you’ll discover someone that understands the value of others. As part of my yearly goal of being more intentional about everything I do, I have a plan in place to make sure I’m connecting with others on a daily basis.
4. Reading. While I love to read, this is a daily building block that takes dedication. It’s so easy to put it off for later. However, as I have built out a daily writing schedule, I also have built into my day small time blocks where I read books, articles and blogs that inspire, challenge me, as well as educate me and will move me forward in my own business initiatives.
5. Play. It’s so easy to become so busy that you never take time to play. For me I find rejuvenation by watching a sporting event. Other times, it’s some form of exercise. However, I’ve noticed if it’s not planned it never happens and I’m learning a life without play puts you on the fast track to burnout.
6. Reflection and Rest. As a thinker, you’ll find me somewhere at the end of the day reflecting on the positive things, the areas I could have done better in and making notes on what needs to take place to move me forward and get me closer to my goal destinations. I’ve also learned that I’m not a late night person. I prefer rolling out of bed extremely early and getting a jump start while others sleep. Knowing that, I know how much sleep I need and I protect my rest like you would a commodity. It’s what makes me tick and I know what happens when it’s ignored.

What are your daily building blocks? What are you doing daily that is moving your forward and closer to you goals?

You’ve read my list. Now go make yours and not just another list, but a group of defined building blocks that you can commit to and be intentional about.

If you enjoyed this feel free to sign up for my newsletter where I share valuable insights to excel in life and business.

image courtesy of Eran Sandler

The worst feeling that anyone can experience is the feeling of feeling stuck. While this may not include the facts, convincing yourself that you’re stuck puts you in a mindset that you never think there is a way of escape.

Usually the thought of being stuck shows up in relationships, as well as your take on where your career is headed.

The inability to move forward is most often accompanied by the idea of not knowing what to do next. Because you don’t know what to do, the feeling of being stuck takes center stage.

I’ve learned from first hand experience that the more you focus on being stuck, the more you become tangled in a mental web that starts spinning out of control.

I’ve also learned that if you’re willing to relax and take the emotional piece out of the equation you increase the chances of seeing a way out.

To get unstuck it takes finesse and technique.

Growing up in the northern part of the United States I was quite familiar with waking up to large amounts of snow. However, unlike the southern states that experience a few snow flakes, when it snowed that world around you still went on without any reservations.

As a new driver the right of passage included not only knowing how to drive in the snow, but also mastering the right techniques if you ever veered off the beaten path and became stuck. It required patience, skill and knowing when the right time was to put the pedal to the floor board. If you mastered all three, then what seemed like a setback only lasted a few minutes and you where back in route to your destination.

When you think your stuck, overcompensating to fix one problem could land you in another situation that is worse then the situation you’re trying to escape.

Here are a few techniques that I use when it seems like my world has come to a screeching halt.

1. Ask the hard questions. To get out of a bad situation I need to know how I got there. What decisions did I make to put myself in this place. Do I know when, where and how.
2. Know where you’re headed. It’s always good at this point to reassess your goals and personal purpose and mission statement. The goal is not to just get unstuck. The goal is to get back on the right road that leads to reaching your goals.
3. Don’t panic. The worst thing that anyone can do is panic, overreact. and put themselves in place that’s worst then what they’re trying to escape. Remove the emotion and proceed.
4. Look for opportunities. There are sometimes that you can’t just make quick changes and everything is better. There are times when it takes a strategic approach that includes weeks instead of minutes. In this case, look for ways that you can leverage where you’re at. Brush up on your skills. Learn. Read. Explore.
5. Understand timing. Kenny Rogers (yes, I’m referencing Kenny Rogers) in his song “The Gambler” sang, “you’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run.” Embrace timing and move quickly and with confidence. Have a destination. Don’t just move to move.

If you think you’re the only one, think again. Everyone has some point in their career and relationships felt stuck. You’re not alone, but you do have what it takes to get back on track and fulfill your purpose.

Don’t panic, just keep moving!

image courtesy of Jayme Frye

If I close my eyes, I can instantly be taken back to any given night to the house I was raised in and the sounds that filled the air. At the core of my family’s persona you could find music… And there was never a moment when music couldn’t be heard.

I’m sure the influence came from my mother who as a teenager had her own radio show and self-produced and published her own album in the 60’s. However, it wasn’t just the music it was the sounds that would fill the air when a kitchen full of family would burst into perfect harmonies and the room would be filled with energy.

The emotional hook wasn’t what they were singing, but it was in the sound. Yes, the sound of an alto, a soprano, a tenor and sometimes a baritone. It was magic that you can’t really explain, you had to experience it.

The harmonies were the chemistry that held the words together.

Chemistry First

Our recent history is littered with bands and musical performers who created great music, but due to lack of chemistry canceled tours and went silent for years. As fans, we only cared about the music, but a band without the right chemistry will only last for so long.

When assembling a team, we usually look for the same things everyone looks for; We comb over resumes, we sit through interviews, we seek out references and in some cases even turn to personality indexes to gleam any useful information. However, while those things can get a person in the door, the real question is, “can we work together?” Are you a good fit for our team. Beyond what you do, I want to know if you join our team would you add another layer of harmony or would you be that one person that consistently sings off key?

Skills can be taught and learned, chemistry is something you either have or don’t have.

Is the Process All Wrong?

I wonder sometimes if the process is all wrong. We bring people into conference rooms, we ask them random questions hoping to get a nugget of information that gives us insight into who they are, but we never really get to know the individual.

They usually put up a good fight, dressed in clothes that aren’t required for the position with hopes to impress you and sell themselves all at the same time.

What would happen if all interviews took place at social gatherings after hours with the entire team. It’s purpose wouldn’t be to impress or sell, but talk and see if there are any harmonies that just naturally begin to take place. If there’s chemistry, the conversation becomes more formal. If not, our teams had a great night of fun and team bonding…This couldn’t be bad could it? I mean teams that really have figured it out work well together both on and off the clock.

Putting the Right Team Together

Great teams are not just about talent. If that’s the case, then every pro sports team that bought the best players available would be world champions every year. However, it’s usually the team that no one thought they could who figured out a way to develop great team chemistry and sprinkle in talent and hard work. It’s usually this type of team that steals the center stage and creates memories that money couldn’t buy.

What are you looking for as you assemble your team?

Do you know the pieces that are missing? Can you identify what layer of harmony needs to be added?

Can you risk adding an addition to your team that consistently is going to sing out of tune?

Success isn’t achieved alone. It takes a lot of individuals working for the same cause with hopes to make something better. Your success will determined not how great the idea is, but how tight your team sang in harmony.

If you enjoyed this article, take it one step farther and share with you networks on Facebook, Twitter and Google +.

image courtesy of Brandon Giesbrecht

When I talk to people about work and their career I’m surprised by the responses that I hear. You would think the conversations would be dominated by the desire for more money or a more prestigious title, but when you boil it down they are looking for a chance to do what they love and love what they do. What they are looking for is that place where they can find happiness at work.

The problem arises when we think happiness comes from outside sources. Promotions come and go, the more you earn, the more you spend, and the dream job isn’t always what you thought it was going to be. If your happiness rests upon these things, you’ll never feel fulfilled and you’ll always be looking for the next best thing.

Happiness comes from the depths of who you are and it impacts the things around you versus the other way around.

When your work is affected by this dynamic, your outlook on what you do changes and the level of happiness and fulfillment rises.

If you expect the new thing to always produce happiness, you’ll embark on a journey that never has an end, as well as you’ll never reach the expectations that it promises.

Finding happiness at work starts with a change of how you think until it impacts how your work.

Here are a few things that you can begin doing immediately that will affect the level of your happiness.

Doing great work – One way to find happiness is to do great work. Push yourself to excel no matter what others around you are doing. Be the best at what you do!

Having pride in what you do – In addition to doing great work, take pride in what you do. Half-ass, half-baked projects will never bring happiness and getting by only goes so far. Have some pride in what you do and create with excellence.

Never stop learning – Make a commitment to yourself to never stop learning. Don’t settle for outdated and old ways of doing things. Push and challenge yourself to learn and then incorporate them into your work-flow.

Make others around you look better. Another way of finding happiness at work is not always thinking about yourself. Look for ways that you can help others excel. Promote someone else’s work and learn to find happiness when others taste success. At the very core of people that are happy, you’ll find individuals that have mastered the art of giving.

Excel where you’re at… Don’t always be looking for the next great thing. – It’s easy to get into the habit of always looking for the latest and greatest. It’s also easy to settle in and just go through the motions. Commit to yourself that you will find ways to excel where you’re at, to do great work, to take pride in what you do, to never stop learning and to make the team around look great as well.

At the end of the day, happiness isn’t a thing or a utopia that can never be reached. It’s quite simply a change of thinking and then let that thinking affect how you choose to live.

image courtesy of Amitabh T

Every time I’m updated with news briefs, I’m certain to hear how bleak the current status of the job market has become. One step forward, two steps backwards seems to be the latest wave that we are riding.

Within the fibers of these updates, there are also stories of where veterans of the workforce have been let go and in some cases younger talent assumes their role.

Now matter what the current forecast on the job market looks like, there are also 5 things that can have a lasting impact, as well as a potential derailment to your career.

5 Things That Can Derail Your Career

A Think You’ve Arrived Attitude – The moment you think you’ve arrived is the day you invited others to come take your job. As a matter of fact, when you feel like you’ve reached this point you’ll need to push harder, work harder, create better ideas, as well as continue to produce your best work.

Refusal to Learn – As someone who considers myself a lifelong student, I really struggle when I see people avoiding the opportunity to learn. They become comfortable in their current status and refuse to push themselves to learn and stay on top of their craft. Lack of education isn’t just reserved for poor public learning institutions and whether or not someone receives a college education, the moment you stop learning is the day you begin shaving days off of your career.

Unwilling to Network – The foundation of any successful career isn’t just what you know, but who you know and who knows what you know. Did you catch all of that? Life and business flow too fast to not have a network that you provide value for, as well as you receive value in return. The quickest way to find yourself alone on the street corner is not having a network that you’ve worked. And by the way, you shouldn’t wait until you need someone to start building your network. Start connecting today both online and offline.

Playing the Wrong Game – While lone rangers always seem to work well in the movies, we are in a era were collaboration is key to building and shipping ideas. The know-it-all usually doesn’t do well and their reputation usually proceeds them. The game of the day is teamwork and collaboration; Embrace it and excel.

Setting the Accelerator to Coast – This can be the most deadly because it’s so easy to not detect it until someone points it out. It’s an attitude that produces just enough. The coaster employee never looks like their slacking, but they’re never going above and beyond. They’re comfortable and have set themselves up to be passed over by someone who’s willing to learn and hustle.

Commit to Excellence

Making a personal commitment to excellent can be that internal fire that will cause you to commit to continual learning, networking and giving 110%. Look around, it’s not always “the guaranteed to succeed guy” at the top, it’s usually the person that outworked, out-networked and out-hustled their coworkers.

You’ve invested a lot to get you where you currently find yourself. Don’t let a few bad decisions derail your future.

image courtesy of Loco2

Some days it looks like you’re moving in slow motion. Other days it looks like your running in circles instead of moving forward.

Keep Moving

You’ve spent hours working on a project and it seems like you’ll never finish. Deadlines are approaching and the end is nowhere in sight.

Keep Moving

You spend hours writing, editing and publishing your work, but the online traffic hasn’t poured in yet. It’s OK.

Keep Moving

You’ve worked your butt off, stayed late, came in early and you’ve wondered if anyone has noticed. Maybe they have, maybe not, but don’t stop!

Keep Moving

You’ve invested time, sweat and more money than you want to admit to birth your idea into a viable product and you wonder how it will be received. It’s OK to wonder, but it’s not OK to stop.

Keep Moving

It seems like everyone is advancing in their careers and you’re wondering when it will be your turn. You’ve thought about throwing in the towel. Don’t give up now!

Keep Moving

You’ve tried everything you know to do, but nothing seems to be working. Learn from what hasn’t worked and readjust.

Keep Moving

Whenever we wrestle with timing and the unknown it’s always easy to question and wonder why. I’ve learned the hard way, but if you stay too long in this place of personal mental assault it will halt all progress and stop you dead in your tracks. That’s way I’m adamant about the importance of “keep moving.”

There are times to rest and reflect, but in the moment of self-doubt you can’t stop. You have to keep moving.

If you enjoyed this article, take it one step farther and share with you networks on Facebook, Twitter and Google +.

image courtesy of Adam Foster

Being able to look ahead, navigate your course and accomplish the goals you’ve set in motion is a process that many embark upon, some reach and there are those that will cruise through life in the never ending spinning circle.

The moment that you take the step of a visionary or a dreamer you begin living life in the future. Your view is three months down the road, one year down the road… You stand at the door of forecasts and projections.

The Curse of the Dreamer

The biggest prey for any visionary or dreamer is looking so far ahead that you don’t notice the opportunities that are presented to you everyday. Often times, the dreamer has mapped out the perfect situation in the perfect time and when all this falls into place the dream will become reality.

The challenge with this way of thinking is that you never have the perfect scenario and the dream is never reached.

“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right” – Napoleon Hill

Living in the holding pattern keeps you from opportunities, relationships and insights that you could gain by cutting the cords of fear and going for it. When you put action behind your ideas, you begin talking about what you’re doing, when others hear what you’re doing it increases the chances of an invitation into their network.

Dreamers come and go. People want to connect with doers.

Here are 5 things that you can do right now, today!

1. Put action behind your words. No more waiting.
2. Begin looking for the opportunities that present themselves to you everyday.
3. Look for ways that you can leverage your current situation. There could be opportunities in your current job or relationships if you look around and don’t get so caught up in looking ahead.
4. Don’t waste time. You only have this day and 24 hours once. Make it count. Learn. Connect. Do.
5. Start talking about what you’re DOING. Dreaming is easy, anybody can do that. Start talking and sharing what you’re making happen. You’ll be surprised what begins to open up for you.

Someday, maybe never happens and the reason why is because there’s no commitment. Commit to your vision and dream. Put action behind it and don’t get caught up in the someday, maybe syndrome.

If you enjoyed this article, take it one step farther and share with you networks on Facebook, Twitter and Google +.

image courtesy of Desgaster

If you’ve spent any time online, it doesn’t take long to build a network. Add that group to the people you’ve connected with offline and with hard work and a little time you can put together a pretty nice network.

If you don’t take the time to nurture your network, your connections become stagnant. You no longer provide value to them and to your network you’re just a face with a name.

The last thing you want to do is send out a “can you help me” email to a network you’ve not taken the time to nurture.

There’s not a week that goes by where I don’t receive a request via email, Linkedin, twitter or Facebook from someone I haven’t heard from in a long time with a request to buy something, support something or promote something. I’ve even had a few individuals give me a verbal lashing when I didn’t respond in a timely manner to their request.

Keep in mind folks, networking is a two-way street… If you provide value, you get value in return.

If you’ve allowed your network to grow weeds and you’ve become out-of-touch, here are a few things you can do to reinsert life into your community of names and faces.

1. Be honest with yourself and your network. It’s OK to say, “I’m sorry for not staying in touch.” People will want to reconnect if you’re willing to show that your human and they mean more to you than just a contact source. Remember, if they feel like you’re trying to sell or self-promote, you’ll weaken the chance of reconnection.
2. Put your network contact first. If you’re trying to reconnect, it’s not about you. You want to know what’s going on in their world, what they’ve accomplished and then if the timing is right, how you can help.
3. Have a system in place that you commit to using to stay in touch. Networks are work and if you don’t manage them they’re irrelevant and nothing more than just a list of names and contact details. Different people require different attention, but make sure you have a plan in place to stay in contact. It could be something as simple as an email with an article that you think they’ll enjoy. There are others that you’ll want to make sure that you’re connecting with face-to-face.

The secret to maintaining a network is being intentional about providing value on a regular basis.

Now it’s time to go to work. Open you address book. Look at your social media connections. Identify 25 people that you really want to connect with over the next 12 months and start over. Start listening again. Start providing value and methodically work to be visible on their radar again.

If you enjoyed this feel free to sign up for my newsletter where I share valuable insights to excel in life and business.

_image courtesy of Pascal Charest

Every morning, rain or shine I stumble out of bed around 5:30, shower and out the door by 6:00. I jump in my car, some days completely awake and other days desperately in need of my first cup of coffee.

It’s all for a purpose; it includes my desire for continual self-education and a commitment to writing everyday.

As I walk in the door of my favorite coffee shop, it could remind you of an episode of Cheers. The staff welcomes me with smiles and tells me my order, as they wait for me to confirm. Somehow the smell of the freshly brewed coffee and the sights and sounds stimulate my desire to learn and unlock the creative energy to write.

It’s all part of the plan; to learn as much as I can and then share my experiences about I’ve learned. My goal is to build an audience, a community, a tribe that resonates with what I share and then in return shares it with their friends.

It Takes Time to Build an Audience

It seems like everyday stories flood the web about the latest person who followed this guy’s plan and built a six-figure blog in 6 months. While I don’t discount their success, their stories are never the norm. Most people that are emulated and adored online spent years in hiding with trickles of traffic to their site. However, while they were in the land of the unknown they learned how to hone their craft. It made them a better writer and a better communicator. They discovered their voice and learned the do’s and don’ts of Internet marketing.

It wasn’t wasted time, it was strategic time.

Don’t get impatient when it seems like no one notices… If you’re going to create an empire you’re going to need a deep and solid foundation.

At one point in my life, I was an extremely impatient person. I hated to wait, as well as for someone to tell me, “No!”. In time, I’ve learned to analyze more and practice a lifestyle that includes rhythm and reduce the quick starts and sudden stops.

Develop Your Skill Set as You Build an Audience

There are things that you can do as you build your audience and develop a community. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Find Your Voice: It takes time to develop you voice and not just parrot what others are saying. Learning to be confident in your thoughts and opinions ever if they go against the grain can take time. Write until you’re comfortable in your own skin.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice: You can never practice enough. Practice your communication approach. As you’re trying to find your voice, experiment… Don’t lock yourself in to just one way. Begin to see what sticks and what attracts and what drives away.
3. Become Efficient in Marketing Your Ideas: Learn how to include email, social media, SMS, webinars, eBooks and offline events into your communication strategy.
4. Experiment with additional communication platforms besides your blog. Play with video and audio. Not everyone will connect with your message via text. Some only get what they can see. Others connect when they hear. Experiment and see what happens.
5. Persistence…Don’t give up easy. I started my first blog in 1999 and I’m just as committed today as I was then. I’ve learned a ton. I’ve made stupid mistakes, but I can credit a few big wins because I’ve invested the time in building a platform. If you want to build an audience be consistent and stay committed.

At the end of the day, you have to enjoy what you’re doing. If you don’t enjoy it or you think it’s just a get-rich-quick scheme to make it big on the Internet, you’ll become extremely discouraged when the you’re living in the land of pennies and you had aspirations of big money.

Enjoy. Learn. Write. Produce. Publish. Experiment. Don’t Give Up!

Your audience it out there… It just takes time for them all to arrive.

image courtesy ofErich Ferdinand

Your existence on the planet is because you have a story to live out and tell. It’s what makes you unique as you develop your plan and begin to build out your idea. It’s why you’re the only one that can build your story into your product and business.

An idea without a story provides no way for your customer to connect.

Stories create an emotion that invokes a connection that makes me want to purchase and belong. It’s bigger than just a simple transaction of currency for a product, my purchase makes be feel part of a something that is bigger then I am. It’s an entrance into a community.

Products without stories find their way into your local dollar store, short shelf life and no chance for premium status.

As I look around me, I have an Macbook Pro, an iPad, an iPhone, a cup of coffee from my favorite local coffeeshop… They each have a story that supersedes their products. It creates an emotion, a feeling, it’s a story that I can connect with and a story that I want to be a part of.

What Story are You Telling?

What story are you trying to communicate? How does your product make someone feel or is it just another widget?

Your story should be part of your brand.

If you know who you’re trying to reach, you’ll understand the pain points of your audience. When you understand what your audience craves you now have a story to tell and a product or service for them to connect with.

As you continue to map out your ideas, develop them and move forward. Think about the story that you will tell. because people don’t connect with products and widgets over a long period of time without a story.

Your Story is not a Sales Pitch, but it Will Generate Sales

Your story isn’t a sales pitch, it’s the human side of your business. It puts a face to a logo, depth to a product and an emotional hook for the consumer.

Your story is the why, the how, the when and the where.

It’s why you become a fan of writers, bloggers, athletes and business leaders. You read and consume what they produce, even when they have an off day and they are no longer on top of the popularity pedestal. It’s because somewhere you connected with their story. It left an impression and a feeling.

It’s how consumers separate you from every other product or service.

It’s when they connected with you or your product for the first time.

It’s where it happened and how it made them feel and the desire to make a visible transaction.

Your story is just as important as your product or service. Make it memorable and think creatively how you can tell it to the customers you’re trying to reach.

If you enjoyed this feel free to sign up for my newsletter where I share valuable insights to excel in life and business.

image courtesy of umjoandone

As hard as you may try, you can’t really make someone think a certain way. I know we can provide information that presents a better understanding of our product or service, but the final opinion rests in our customers hands.

Each day you and I witness an onslaught of messages. Some try to inspire, others attempt to sell and some messages are just there to make us aware. What we do with these messages is really up to us. We have the choice to engage or reject.

The ultimate goal of the marketing and advertising mavens is to grab our attention so that we can experience whatever they’re pitching at that moment. If they can get our attention, it increases the chances of you and I experiencing their product or service.

If this experience is positive it should create a memory and this is where the magic happens.

Memories Last a Lifetime

In 2003 I spent time in Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy. No longer did I need to look at magazines and movies wishing I could travel and explore. I was there! In each country I was able to collect my own stories, but there were a few instances that a memory was created that has impacted me for the rest of my life.

Words and images created a dream. My dream created a determination and these destinations created a life-lasting memory.

Your ultimate goal should be to have a product or service that when someone experiences it for the first time, they want to tell their friends.

If your product or service doesn’t create a memorable moment, you’ll be forgotten in a sea of words, messages and pitchmen.

So this means if your product is crappy or half-baked you increase the chances of people having a negative experience. However, if your message is backed up by a great product and you’ve created an environment for a memorable experience, your new customer will want to tell their friends.

This is why I buy coffee from Starbucks and purchase my tech gear from Apple… I like the way the experience makes me feel and the memory it creates.

Don’t invest time in a killer product and then go cheap on the consumer experience. It’s all part of the process of taking ideas and creating viable businesses.

Build. Launch. Create Memories

image courtesy of Camdiluv

In our quest to chase our dreams and live out our passions, at the end of the day our idea should be able to put food on the table and clothes on our back. If it does this, we can live out the freedom and flexibility that all of us desire.

Unfortunately, ideas that won’t solve problems and doesn’t provide benefits to the buyer will leave us chasing a carrot and never experience the freedom we’re trying to obtain. Unless of course, we inherit a large chunk of money or we win the lottery.

What Should I Build?

The most common thing I frequently here is, “I know where I want to end up, but I just don’t know how to get there.”

When you begin to look at the very core of doing business it’s all about exchange. I have a product or service that I can provide for you and the benefits it provides causes you to excel, feel better, look better etc.

What you build should be able to generate revenue, but people should also want to buy what you’re offering. Building something that no one wants will be devastating no matter how great of an idea you think it is.

As you begin to build out your idea, ask yourself:

1. Will people or businesses pay for this?
2. How will I get paid?
3. Is there anything like my product already being sold?
4. What benefits will my product or service provide that will set me apart?
5. Is this a one-time purchase or could I sell my product or service multiple times?

Once you can define if you have a valuable idea that people will pay for, it’s now time to start building, testing your idea and seeing how consumers buy and engage with what you’re offering. There’s no need to spend thousands of dollars if you’re just a one man band, do a test run, sell what you’ve built, make adjusts and then fire off round two.

As long as you’re building what people want to purchase, you’re on your way to having a viable business. Keep in mind, no matter how cool your idea appears unless there’s an exchange (your idea/product for cash) you don’t really have a business.

Stumbling into Success

I’m always intrigued by the success stories of small business owners. When I have the opportunity to ask, a lot of times their stories include, “we didn’t originally plan to end up here, but as we launched we discovered this is what our customers were looking for… We kinda just stumbled into success.”

There are things you’ll never learn about you and your idea until you start. Don’t worry about failure at this time. Ask yourself if it will generate revenue? Build it out. Test your idea. Make adjustments. Rinse and repeat!

Time to build!

If you enjoyed this feel free to sign up for my newsletter where I share valuable insights to excel in life and business.

image courtesy of Fred Scharmen

Believing you can do anything is a great place to start, but if that’s where you stay you’ll master collecting thoughts and never build anything.

Idea generation, planning and laying out the processes and time-lines are all part of the routine, but your idea doesn’t really start to take shape until you begin putting skin on it and start building.

I want to let you know that you don’t need anything else. You don’t permission. You don’t need to refine the process anymore. You don’t need to continue to wait for a large chunk of money.

The only thing you need to do today is start building.

As one that can get so caught up in the details, the details are worthless unless I can build what I define.

Look around you. Look at your book shelves of all the books that are filled with step-by-step tips and tricks of everything you need to do. Look at the people that even in bad economic times have launched their ideas and now have a revenue generating business.

The difference between their stories and yours is that they decided to start.

You’ve circled the wagon long enough. You’ve lived too long in the land of would of, could of and should of…. It’s time to start.

It’s time to build.

If you enjoyed this feel free to sign up for my newsletter where I share valuable insights to excel in life and business.

image courtesy of Di Bedard