HELLO, my name is BLOG!

My Problem With Cell Phones

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:45:00 +0000

According to a recent report from the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, our country has three 327 million mobile phone subscribers, but only 315 million people.

Proof positive that our insatiable desire for human connection will always outweigh our unstoppable desire for technological consumption.

Smartphones are awesome, but the fix we get when we use them to reach out and touch someone is the addiction.

It’s physiological. As mammals, acts of human bonding cause our body to excrete oxytocin. This chemical reduces fear and anxiety, which increases empathy, trust and cooperation.

Who needs cocaine when we can get high on connection?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Who did you connect with today?

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For the list called, "21 Things I Learned While Spying on Myself" send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012-2013!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

We Are What We Share

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:09:00 +0000

We are what we share.

Just look at the last thing we published, posted, profiled, updated, uploaded, streamed, liked, tweeted or clicked.

That’s it. That’s us. That’s who we are, whether we like it or not.

And because the web never forgets – because the web is forever – we better be careful what we put out there.

A Georgia teacher got fired for posting videos of binge drinking.

A Buffalo congressman resigned after his shirtless pictured surfaced online.

A Cisco employee lost her job for publishing negative comments about her position.

A British juror was dismissed after disclosing sensitive case information on her profile.

Everything matters. Everybody’s watching. Everything is a performance.

Which isn't that hard to do, if the character you're playing is you.

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What did you share today?

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For the list called, "11 Ways to Out Market Your Competitors," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting

scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012-2013!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Are You Big Enough To Be A Target?

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:25:00 +0000

When someone plagiarizes us, we shouldn’t send a subpoena.

We should a thank you note.

Creative piracy is a compliment. It’s a reminder that we're worthy copying. And it’s validation that we're big enough to be a target.

It’s also part of the job description. Everybody steals from everybody everywhere. They always have, and they always will. That doesn't make it okay. But there’s not much we can do to stop it, and there’s even less we can do to prevent it.

Instead, let’s make peace with this reality. Let’s abandon our scarcity mentality. And let’s err on the side of generosity and sharing.

We shouldn’t worry about getting back at people.

We should worry about getting back to work.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is your work stealable?

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For the list called, "52 Random Insights to Grow Your Business," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012-2013!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Nametag Manifesto -- Chapter 7: The End of Hesitation

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:49:00 +0000

"Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”

That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.

My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.

And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.

This is my manifesto:

7. The End of Hesitation
If everybody wears nametags, we lower the threat level.

People are skeptical and looking for a reason not to trust us. And in world driven by fear, anything we can do to verify ourselves immediately is always worthwhile.

But with nametags, we don’t have to start with a negative balance when meeting people. There’s no deficit position. With every nametag, we take another brick out of the wall. We just give ourselves away and watch the world relax. We’ve disqualified ourselves from people’s fear.

As an act of generosity, nametags relax already overloaded brains, pamper people’s memories and free up our heads to focus on what matters. Nametags change the interaction with homeless people, beggars and other marginalized members of society.

Now, people have an easy opening. A chance to engage. A reciprocal and instant connection that increases the chance of getting helped, donations and care. Everyone becomes someone who needs no introduction.

Nametags are the invitation for personalization. They’re the ultimate human shortcut.

If everybody wears nametags, no more mistrust, no more skepticism and no more terror alerts.

# # #

You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What's your manifesto?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "10 Ways to Help Your Customers Know You," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Does Your Presence Induce Productivity?

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:06:00 +0000

Presence is a powerful motivator.

If we want to inspire the people around us to do great work, the smartest thing we can do is dig in our heels and start cranking out great work of our own.

That way, we lead by example. We influence through infection. We demonstrate trust in each others' sovereignty. And we create a space that supports a mutual commitment to individual passion.

Eventually, through our quiet energy, through our focused action and through our unquestionable commitment, we make other people more productive by virtue of our very presence.
Because the reality is, anybody can get things done.

But only a true leader can sit down next to us, not say a word, do what they need to do – and then somehow, at the end of the day, our work gets done too.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do people experience themselves around you?

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For the list called, "11 Ways to Out Market Your Competitors," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

New website go live this week?

Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on spreading the word!

Cartwheels Should Tell Us Something

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0000

The night I ended a four-year relationship, I slept like a rock.

I felt guilty. Like I should have been more devastated, more disturbed, busy counting dots on the ceiling, tossing and turning until the sun came up.

But when I woke up the next morning, rested and relieved for the first time in weeks, my body sent me a memo:

You made the right decision.
Cartwheels should tell us something. Whether we quit a job, end a relationship or walk away from a lousy situation, if our legs are flying through the air, odds are, we’re on the path of truth.

Guilty or not, we still have to appreciate the rightness of every experience.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do you need to let go of?

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For the list called, "58 Questions about Questions," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

When In Doubt, Move In With Your Parents

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:38:00 +0000

After I graduated college, published my first book and ran out of money, I made a crucial career decision.

Time to move back in with my parents.

For two years, eight months and twenty-nine days, to be exact.

Not that I was counting.

But they were cool about it. They even charged me rent, which I thought was solid parenting move. Every month, I paid them the amount of never getting dates.

Seriously. As if wearing a nametag wasn’t bad enough. Ever tried seducing a woman while your mom is yelling from upstairs to ask if you want asparagus with your salmon?

Dial tone.

I used to tell girls, "Yeah I have these two roommates. Older married couple. Super nice. Kind of look like me."

Fail.

But apparently there’s name for this trend, we’re called boomeragers. After a period of living on our own, young people choose to cohabitate with their parents to save money, cope with economic downturns and eliminate any possibility of a social life whatsoever.

It wasn’t always good for business. I remember one particular speech I gave to a large financial company. When I finished, the audience gave me the first standing ovation of my career.

It was a beautiful moment that I’ll never forget.

Until my client walked up to me, shook my hand and said, “Good thing you’re not still living with your parents, huh?”

Right.

So there was always an asterisk with every win. This subtle undercurrent of not-enough-ness that kept me from feeling completely successful. And I knew that until I moved out on my own, until I let go of that security blanket, I would never be okay with myself.

But I’m not complaining. I never regret a single day living at home. I was grateful to have parents that loved me and who were willing to disrupt their empty nest lifestyle to support me as I started my career.

They're not good parents, they're heroic.

And when I started earning enough to move out, they lovingly helped me pack my bags.

What more can a kid ask for?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who's got your back?

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For the list called, "11 Ways to Out Market Your Competitors," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

New website go live this week?

Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on spreading the word!

Creativity Isn’t About What We Create

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:41:00 +0000

I’ve been playing, composing and performing original music since I was twelve.

And yet, despite natural talent, despite evolving confidence, despite explosive creativity and despite flowing support, it wasn’t until last week that I finally found the courage to release my music publicly.

That’s twenty years.

Twenty years of winking in the dark. Twenty years of being selfish with my art. Twenty years of dodging any form of feedback, believing that the theater of the mind is better. Twenty years of hiding my history behind a vault, keeping my feelings to myself, singing in corner, hoping to God nobody would walk in on me.

Until I couldn’t take it any more.
I realized that had I lost touch with a part of myself. A part that was too essential to my makeup to ignore. A part that had a voice that couldn’t go unheard.

By not sharing my music, it didn’t really exist. By refusing to make my pain public, the scars could never fully heal. By not giving myself permission to express that side of my heart, there would always be a part of me that was still hiding from the world.

So I finally got over myself and shipped.

I released four different albums, recorded at four different stages of my life.

I took a stab into the unknown, threw myself blindly into the impossible and braved the gaze of the whole world, with teeth poised to bite into the fruits of my courage.

And it paid off instantly.

Not because people noticed. Not because fans downloaded. Not because I plan to go on forty city tour. But because the moment I saw those songs live, naked to the world in all their imperfect splendor, there was a piece of me, a piece that waited in the wings patiently for twenty years, that finally exhaled.

Creativity isn’t about what we create.

It’s about who we become by sharing what we create.

We did not come here to bury our music.

Save the shovels for the gravediggers.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What art are you hiding from the world?

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For the list called, "31 Questions to Test Your Listening Skills," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Treehouse And The Skyscraper

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:54:00 +0000

I had an idea for a treehouse and ended up building a skyscraper.

Never saw it coming. Never saw myself as much of an architect. But as I lean over the ledge and let my eyes tumble down the side of the glass, all the pieces fit.

This edifice, this thing that I have built with gallons of blood and sweat and whatever bodily fluid was required at the time, isn’t just some project, some arbitrary eruption.
It’s a public index of my values.
It’s a tree on which the fruit of my bravery hangs.

What’s strange is – and I never thought I’d say this, but – twelve years later, I think I would be okay letting the city crumble to the ground.

As long as we come home together.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you afraid to let go of?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "26 Ways to Out Brand Your Competition," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Own your breath, nobody can steal your peace

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:27:00 +0000

Success morphs into failure when it comes too fast, too early and too abundantly.

I learned this the hard way when I was twenty-six and my left lung collapsed.

It’s called a pneumothorax, which is a fairly common incident among young, tall men in their late twenties. And although the doctor said it was sporadic, I chose to tell myself a different story. A story that would teach me a lesson I’d never forget:

When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace.

Develop a healthy relationship with your breath. While money loves speed, velocity creates stress, and stress kills people.

You have to honor what stops you. And if nothing stops you, stop yourself.
Otherwise, you’ll never get over yourself.
Otherwise, you’ll become a victim of your own conviction.

It’s amazing how quickly humility shows up when you’re incapacitated in a hospital bed for six days with a tube in your chest whacked out on morphine experiencing multiple anxiety attacks.

Interestingly, it was my left lung that collapsed.

Directly underneath my nametag.

Who knew a sticker could be so heavy?

Maybe it's not a nametag -- it's an anvil.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How's your breathing?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "21 Things I Learned While Spying on Myself," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Nametag Manifesto -- Chapter 6: The End of Dishonesty

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:55:00 +0000

"Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”

That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.

My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.

And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.

This is my manifesto:

6. The End of Dishonesty
If everybody wears nametags, untruthfulness becomes extremely difficult.

We’re all lie detectors. Instead of manipulating the way other people see us, now, what we see is what we get, despite our best efforts to obscure the truth.

We’ve returned to a world without a backstage. We’re always going to be known for what we’re about to do. And as such, we start choosing smarter.
Now we can stop racking our brains trying to remember what we told and to whom. Now we can use our brains for more creative and valuable functions. Like listening and sharing and connecting and feeling.

If everybody wears nametags, no more dishonorable action, no more lying and no more aliases.

# # #

You are now ready for chapter seven.

You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What's your manifesto?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "10 Ways to Help Your Customers Know You," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Gift that Costs Nothing, But Changes Everything

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:48:00 +0000

It costs nothing to encourage.

It’s gift we can give to anyone, anytime, anywhere, and change them forever. And it’s our responsibility to be dispensaries of encouragement to everyone we meet.

Let us give people permission to do something great. Let us throw people over the other side of the wall. Let us provide the spark that grows into an inferno. Let us take people’s hands and push them into the fire.

Let us give people a front row seat to their own genius. Let us believe in them more than they believe in themselves. Let us help people fall in love with themselves all over again. Let us leave people altered, refusing to let them stay where they are.
That’s encouragement.

A gift that costs nothing, but changes everything.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who did you encourage last week?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "10 Reasons Your Business Doesn't Really Exist," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

What happens when we make a decision?

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:01:00 +0000

There’s nothing harder than making a decision.

Decisions mean commitment, and every commitment has consequences.

But even though we’d rather dwindle indecisively for an eternity, artfully creating excuses why something won’t work, persistently telling ourselves stories about why we wouldn’t deserve it if it did work, eventually, we have to decide. We have to set a drop-dead date, cut the ropes and run.

Otherwise we waste our time trying to figure out whether the move is right. When the reality is, if we don’t commit, we’re always wrong.
On the other hand, what happens when we make a decision?

Everything.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you waiting for?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "8 Ways to Out Question Your Competitors" send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Portrait of a Modern Career

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:58:00 +0000

It’s tempting to covet other people’s careers.

Especially when we see them doing things we’d like to be doing.

But the reality is, we can’t have another person’s career any more that we can have another person’s hair. Their history, their trajectory and their motivations are theirs and theirs alone.

Even if we did try to copy their path and plug our variables into their equations, we’d still come out with a different result. Like taking Pemberton’s recipe for Coke and mixing it ourselves, we’d always produce our own unique flavor of soda. Every time.

But that’s the beauty of the modern career: It’s the river we can’t step in twice.

With global shifts in economics, technology, culture and population, there are as many career paths as there are people to take them. No two are exactly alike.
And if we want to support each other in our mutual endeavors, we need to greet each other’s careers with affirmation, not envy. We need to treat each other’s careers as a source of inspiration, not frustration.

That way, instead of bastardizing our life into a cover song of another person’s music, we craft our careers into the limited editions that they were meant to be.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Whose career do you covet?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "19 Telltale Signs of the Perfect Job," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

What's Your Relationship Bandwidth?

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:19:00 +0000

People come in and out of our lives everyday.

Some stick around a few minutes, some stick around forever.

And what’s amazing is how much they can impact our life, even if they’re only part of it for a short while. Strangers on the bus, neighbors down the street, roommates for a semester, lovers over the summer, guests at a hotel – when we meet someone we like, someone who brings us to life and makes us feel better about ourselves, part of us is frustrated that they can’t be in our lives for a longer period of time.

If only we’d met one year earlier, we think.
If only we’d done a better job staying in touch, we think.

But that’s the wrong attitude. That’s the scarcity mentality that doesn’t serve us.
Instead of fantasizing about what life might have been if that person was still living down the street from us, instead of kicking ourselves for not being better friends, let’s be thankful we were lucky enough to have had a relationship in the first place. Let’s honor the place that person had in our history instead of apologizing for not being better at returning phone calls.

Because despite our best efforts – even despite our hyper-connected society – it’s hard to stay friends with everybody. There's only so much social bandwidth available. Some relationships have an expiration date, and we have to learn to be okay with that.

It doesn’t mean we’re insincere people.
It doesn’t mean we’re bad at relationships.
It doesn’t negate the good times we had together.

It just means that life happens. People get busy.

With the population nearing seven billion, this minor transgression is certainly forgivable.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who do you need to thank for being in your life?

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For the list called, "7 Ways to Out Leverage Your Competition," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Nametag Manifesto -- Chapter 5: The End of Social Conflict

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:43:00 +0000

"Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”

That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.

My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.

And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.

This is my manifesto:

5. The End of Social Conflict
If everybody wears nametag, the awkwardness goes away.

The cost of interaction approaches zero. We feel more comfortable engaging because we have nothing to lose. Never again do we have to work down the hall or live down the street from people – for years at a time – without knowing their name.

It’s simple: Conflict leads to uncertainty, which leads to anxiety, which leads to avoidance.
But with nametags, the ice is never not broken. Guesswork is a thing of the past.

Now, all first impressions are good impressions. We’ve sidestepped the entire spectrum of social awkwardness that stems from not knowing people’s names. And this frees us to focus on the conversation at hand – instead of the silent dialogue of self-consciousness.

We never have to wonder who anybody is. We can connect faster, better and truer.

If everybody wears nametags, no more shyness, no more avoidance behavior and no more social blunders.

# # #

You are now ready for chapter six.

You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What's your manifesto?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "10 Ways to Help Your Customers Know You," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Are You Forcing Intimacy or Accelerating It?

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:05:00 +0000

It’s not enough to just be amicable strangers.

I want to be friends with everyone, all the time, everywhere, forever.

That’s just me. I don’t have to warm up to people. I don’t have to get to know someone before we connect. I don’t have to wait until we’ve hung out six times before I start opening up.

I just jump right in. I reveal myself quickly, openly, honestly and respectfully. I don’t make small talk – make big talk. Immediately.

And most of the time, others reciprocate. People appreciate the willingness to cut the formalities and start connecting for real. With the exception of occasional weird looks, most people are cool with it.
The nametag is merely the entry point. The spark. The signal. And while it’s nothing grandiose, it’s proven to be a strong enough lever.

It doesn’t force intimacy – it accelerates it.

Not by false identification. Not by pretending to be everyone’s best friend. Not by memorizing a few pieces of personal information.

But by reducing the distance between people.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you do that?

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For the list called, "153 Quotations to Inspire Your Success," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Only Thing We're Waiting For

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:39:00 +0000

We have all the ideas we can handle.
We have all the support we can get.
We have all the tools we can use.

That's not the problem.

What we lack is the initiative. The capacity to execute. The willingness to stand naked before the world and give it our best shot, even if we fall flat on our face.

What we lack is the will to make the decision, right now, that we are going stop sitting on our hands and go, go, go.

That's the currency. That's the scarcest resource we have.

In a world where we have everything we need to begin, the only thing left, the only thing we're waiting for, is permission.
What's hard is, nobody is going to give it to us. They can't. Only we can give it to ourselves.

But what's neat is, nobody is going to stop us either. So in that moment when we decide to act without restriction, to listen to our deepest desires and plunge into the burning heart of uncertainty, it's surprising how few people stand in our way.

Forget about the idea – it’s all about the “I did.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you waiting for?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "27 Affirmations to Prepare Yourself to Listen," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Problem with Compartmentalization

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:59:00 +0000

How do we balance it all?

It’s not just productivity, creating environments free from distraction that open up our capacity to start and finish what matters.

It’s not just structure, building regiment and blank time into our schedule that allow us to alternate between focus and freestyle.

It’s not just energy, expanding our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bandwidth so we can support the exertion life requires.

It’s not just permission, refusing to addict ourselves to preparation, planning, perfection, proficiency and permission.
It’s not just identity, knowing who we are, what we do and why we matter, so decisions are easier and quicker.

It’s not just commitment, jumping in with both feet and playing for keeps so discipline becomes a non-issue.

It’s not just persistence, relentlessly ignoring voices that don’t matter and feedback that isn’t helpful to our journey.

It’s not just diversification, allocating our creative attention to a broad range of symbiotic endeavors.

The big win is when we stop with the boxes. When we realize that living a logically divided, perfectly compartmentalized existence isn’t sustainable or realistic.

That way, everything is everything, all the time, everywhere.

And there’s nothing to balance.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What boxes do you need to eliminate?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "26 Ways to Out Brand Your Competition," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

We Have to Say Thanks Before We Say Goodbye

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:43:00 +0000

Saying goodbye is always sad.

Then again, it’s not as sad as having nobody to say goodbye to.

And so, during times of transition, we have to give thanks before we say goodbye. Because if we were lucky enough to have amazing people in our lives, they deserve to have their names put up in lights before we move on to the next chapter.

To those who believed in us when we didn’t believe in ourselves, we say thanks. For me, that would be people like Dixie Gillaspie, Rodney Mueller and Harlan Hodge.

To those who helped us become the people we were meant to be, we say thanks. For me, that would be Jeremy Nulik, Adam Kreitman, Steve Hughes, William Jenkins, and Arthur Scharff.
To those who were unfair with their love when we didn’t deserve it, we say thanks. For me, that would be Scott Sandler, Lisa Klempert, Shep Hyken and David Kugman.

To those who unlocked doors that we didn’t even know there was a key for, we say thanks. For me, that would be Matthew Homann, Ria Sharon and Derek Weber.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I love you all, minus zero, forever.

Truth is, this isn't really a goodbye.

More like, see you before you know it.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who do you need to thank today?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "15 Ownership Phrases That Payses," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Let me give that no thought.

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:40:00 +0000

We shouldn’t have to talk ourselves into opportunities.

It’s more exciting to just say yes, and then ask what it is.

That’s how I’ve run my business since day one: I don’t have a target market, a positioning statement or an elevator speech. Instead, I make myself highly yessable by positioning myself as a resource who does a lot of different things for a lot of different clients through a lot of different media.

Some commission me for writing projects. Others book me a speaker or on-camera talent. Many retain me as a mentor. Plenty hire me as a content provider. And others bring me in as a strategic planner or small group facilitator. It all depends what the client’s needs are.
Either way, when an opportunity for new work comes in, my gut response is to say:

“Let me give that no thought.”

And I don’t see this approach as spreading myself too thin, becoming a jack-of-all-trades or lacking focus. In fact, it’s the exact opposite.

Instead of telling people how to consume my work, I let them target me. Instead of demanding that people come do my thing my way, I meet them more than halfway. And instead being stringent about what I do, I just focus on who I am, and let the marketplace fill in the blanks.

Just seems smarter.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you afraid to say yes to?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "8 Ways to Out Give Your Competition," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Nametag Manifesto -- Chapter 4: The End of Human Commoditization

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:22:00 +0000

"Everyone should wear nametags, all the time, everywhere, forever.”

That’s my thesis, philosophy, dangerous idea and theory of the universe.

My name is Scott, and I’ve been wearing a nametag for past four thousand days.

And after traveling to hundreds of cities, a dozen countries, four continents, meeting tens of thousands of people, constant experimentation and observation, building a enterprise and writing a dozen books in the process, I believe, with all my heart, that the societal implications of wearing nametags could change everything.

This is my manifesto:

4. The End of Human Commoditization
If everybody wears nametags, it’s impossible to put each other into boxes.

We no longer have to address each other by a label, job, condition, color, ethnicity or role. We simply say the name and honor the truth instead of degenerating into depersonalization. We unite through personhood, not position or preference.
Nametags enable a greater sense of comfort, connection and humanity in our relationships. They remind us to treat people like people. They enable us to make a name for ourselves before anyone else gets a chance to.

Our answer to the question, “What do you see when you see people?” has changed forever. Now, we see humanity before statistics, personality before position and individuality before industry. We stop viewing certain people as a separate category of people, and start seeing everybody as a member of the same family.

They’re humans, just like us. In fact, they are us. And we are them.

If everybody wears nametags, no more judgmentalism, no more hierarchy and no more robbing people of their humanity.

# # #

You are now ready for chapter five.

You can read The Nametag Manifesto, in full, for free, right now, here.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What's your manifesto?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "10 Ways to Help Your Customers Know You," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Brandtag 002: Class Is The New Quality

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:18:00 +0000

"Our job is to buy other people’s mistakes and remarket them as opportunities." --Mark Ginsberg, President, CWC Inventories.

The company a long and prestigious history in the closeout industry. Frank Ginsberg, a discount retail pioneer, founded the original business in 1973. He made it possible for manufacturers to rid themselves of problem inventories quietly, without fanfare and affect to their mainstay distribution channels. Now, nearly four decades later, Closeouts With Class remains a global leader.

I sat down with their team to build a Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade. This case study will dissect their award-winning philosophy, culture and approach to human interaction:
"Closeouts were historically thought of as junk," they said. "But everything we have is gorgeous. Even though we never fall in love with our own inventory."

"The only thing classier than our products is our people," Frank said. "Their excitement makes customers want to buy, and their commitment gives customers confidence to buy again and again."

"We're not paralyzed by the fear of failure," Frank said. "When you believe in the business, you overcome everything. Besides, the first hundred years are the hardest."

Whether it's a recession, a flood, a shift in the industry or a lost palette of goods, CWC knows that you can't eat like an elephant and poop like a bird.

"Because we're willing to share in almost every direction, we build a bridge to our competitors," Jim said. "We keep them in business. And by treating them like partners, they become a power source. If it was just us, it would be hard to survive."

According to Mark, "We wanted the typo in there to make sure our customers didn't think we were perfect."

"A few years ago, part of our warehouse collapsed and flooded after a big storm. I was the lucky one who go to dive down under six feet of water to unplug the drain," Tom laughed.

"When we share a personal side of ourselves," Bruce said, "it makes customers want to pay us. If you want them to spend, you’ve got to bend."

"Do us a favor once and we'll be loyal forever," said Jean. "We've had employees make sales from the nursery home and receive commission checks from the grave!"

"There’s no job too menial for anybody," Jerry commented. "Every gear matters to the whole package. Independent we’re fine, but together we’re fabulous."

"We've never sacrificed integrity for profit," Frank said. "Class is a word we've earned by live up to it in each and every transaction."

Big thanks to my client, Closeouts With Class! Their Brandtag Identity Collages currently hang in their front hall, board room and show rooms.

Their mission is clearly more than a statement.

LET ME ASK YA THIS...
How classy is your service?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
To learn more about creating a Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusade for your organization, download the workflow at www.brandtag.org!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Brandtag Strategic Planning Crusades: Make Your Mission More Than A Statement

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:28:00 +0000

What happens when we know we who are?

Everything.

Decisions are easier. Because we know what really matters. Postures are sturdier. Because we know what we stand for. Interactions are warmer. Because we know how to relax. Relationships are healthier. Because we know who to look for.

Risks are smarter. Because we know what we’re willing to lose. Transitions are smoother. Because we know how to flex. Failures are faster. Because we know what rekindles our fire. Commitments are stronger. Because we know why we stand for it.
That’s the upside of identity.

Knowledge isn’t just power – it’s the engine of more.

Thanks to my design team, Chris from Simplifilm and Tennyson from Rog Designs, now anyone in the world can download an overview of The Strategic Planning Crusade.

2012 is the year of the Brandtag.

And if you're ready to make your mission more than a statement, I'm your man.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What's your nametag?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "8 Ways to Out Give Your Competition," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Never Curse An Emtpy Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (hellomynameisscott) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Our desire to perform is not reason enough for people to hire us.

If we’re not willing to do the work to sell the act, if we’re not willing to dedicate as much time – if not, more time – to finding an audience for the act, it doesn’t matter how good we are. It doesn’t matter how much we love it. We’re still winking in the dark.

We can't curse an empty calendar. After all, we alone control the amount of work we do. We alone determine how busy we are. If we’re not happy with how our schedule is shaping up, we ought to spend less time voicing our excitement for the work, and more time verifying people’s investment in the work.
That’s the only way we get the chance to do what we were born to do.

Because somebody, besides us, believes.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How does your calendar for 2012 look?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "157 Pieces of Contrarian Wisdom," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Writing, Publishing, Performing, Consulting
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!