The French Cuffed Fool and The Meat Department Dummy

Posted By miked on March 11, 2010

Two short stories in this week’s article will prove a simple point. Certain answers are not always obvious to us. Maybe it’s the whole “forest for the trees” thing, who knows?

Two short stories in this week’s article will prove a simple point. Certain answers are not always obvious to us. Maybe it’s the whole “forest for the trees” thing, who knows?
I once heard, marketing wizard, Dan Kennedy tell a story of how he arrived in a far-off town for a speaking engagement only to discover that he had his favorite French cuffs, but no French cuffed shirt to put them on. Since wearing his suit and tie with no shirt was not an option he headed out in search of a “french-cuffed shirt.” Every clothing store he found was either closed or did not carry the shirts.
He was getting frustrated and was thinking, “What kind of jerk-water town is this, no French-cuffed shirts anywhere? Unbelievable!” Finally he spotted a Walmart in the distance and figured he’d give it a shot.
He found a clerk wearing one of those big yellow smiles and asked  her if the store carried French-cuffed shirts. The answer came back, “no!” At this point Kennedy was getting angry and muddled something under his breath. The clerk then asked him if everything was OK. Kennedy then explained to the clerk that needed a French-cuffed shirt to go with his suit because he forgot his back in Arizona. The clerk then said, “Sir, we don’t have French-cuffed shirts, but we have plenty of button-down shirts that will look just fine with your suit. Why don’t you just buy a new shirt?” As you can imagine this was a “duh” moment for this marketing wizard.
My recent “duh” moment…
My wife teaches a Zumba class on Saturday mornings at “C-Steps” in Tilton. She takes Julia with her and Marissa stays with me. After a little lounging around Marissa and I head out and take care of the grocery shopping for the week.
Most weeks I pick up some ground-beef. My careful stats revealed to me that two pounds is plenty. One thing that had been bothering me recently is the fact that I could never find a “two-pound” package so I’d get exactly the amount of meet we need. As I stood there and looked at the packages I saw some that were close to a pound and the others that were a tad over three pounds. Then I saw my chance to rectify this problem.
In front of my eyes was a surely competent meet department employee. So I asked him, “How come no two pound packages?” He very politely explained that based on the process and how the machine worked – two pound packages just did not make sense. Then, being a “master of the obvious,” (which, unfortunately I am not) he said; “Just get two one-pound packages and you’ll have your two pounds.” “I think I’ll do just that, thanks!!” Talk about a “duh” moment!
So what can we draw from these two stories? That “Marketing Wizards” and Authors are stupid? Of, course that conclusion is arguable based on the above facts! But the real lesson here is the simple truth that what is obvious to someone else may not be so obvious to you. What is obvious to you may not be so obvious to me and what is obvious to me may not be so obvious to you.
I see this truth play out every day in my life and business. I seek out answers from people I know have them. And when I work with business owners I constantly help them make obvious (to me) improvements in their businesses.
The Lesson…
Keep your mind open because the minute you think you have all the answers is exactly the time you need to slow down before you get hurt.Two short stories in this week’s article will prove a simple point. Certain answers are not always obvious to us. Maybe it’s the whole “forest for the trees” thing, who knows?

I once heard a marketing guru tell a story of how he arrived in a far-off town for a speaking engagement only to discover that he had his favorite French cuffs, but no French cuffed shirt to put them on. Since wearing his suit and tie with no shirt was not an option he headed out in search of a “french-cuffed shirt.” Every clothing store he found was either closed or did not carry the shirts.

He was getting frustrated and was thinking, “What kind of jerk-water town is this, no French-cuffed shirts anywhere? Unbelievable!” Finally he spotted a Walmart in the distance and figured he’d give it a shot.

He found a clerk wearing one of those big yellow smiles and asked  her if the store carried French-cuffed shirts. The answer came back, “no!” At this point he was angry and muddled something under his breath. The clerk then asked him if everything was OK.  He then explained to the clerk that he needed a French-cuffed shirt to go with his suit because he forgot his back in Arizona. The clerk then said, “Sir, we don’t have French-cuffed shirts, but we have plenty of button-down shirts that will look just fine with your suit. Why don’t you just buy a new shirt?” As you can imagine this was a “duh” moment for this marketing wizard.

My recent “duh” moment…

My wife teaches a Zumba class on Saturday mornings at “C-Steps” in Tilton. She takes Julia with her and Marissa stays with me. After a little lounging around Marissa and I head out and take care of the grocery shopping for the week.

Most weeks I pick up some ground-beef. My careful stats revealed to me that two pounds is plenty. One thing that had been bothering me recently is the fact that I could never find a “two-pound” package so I’d get exactly the amount of meet we need. As I stood there and looked at the packages I saw some that were close to a pound and the others that were a tad over three pounds. Then I saw my chance to rectify this problem.

In front of my eyes was a surely competent meet department employee. So I asked him, “How come no two pound packages?” He very politely explained that based on the process and how the machine worked – two pound packages just did not make sense. Then, being a “master of the obvious,” (which, unfortunately I am not) he said; “Just get two one-pound packages and you’ll have your two pounds.” “I think I’ll do just that, thanks!!” Talk about a “duh” moment!

So what can we draw from these two stories? That “Marketing Wizards” and Authors are stupid? Of, course that conclusion is arguable based on the above facts! But the real lesson here is the simple truth that what is obvious to someone else may not be so obvious to you. What is obvious to you may not be so obvious to me and what is obvious to me may not be so obvious to you.

I see this truth play out every day in my life and business. I seek out answers from people I know have them. And when I work with business owners I constantly help them make obvious (to me) improvements in their businesses.

The Lesson…

Keep your mind open because the minute you think you have all the answers is exactly the time you need to slow down before you get hurt.

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Protecting Your Identity

Posted By miked on March 8, 2010

On today’s radio show we talked about a whole lot.

But my main guest, Sue Moulton shared a bunch of easy to apply and easy to remember tips for protecting your identity.

George, a producer here at WSMN, shot a quick 8 minute video while he was also doing his best to keep the show running smooth!

So take a sec and watch the vid.

You won’t believe some of these horrifying facts about ID theft!

Tips for protecting your identity

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More Small Business Networking Tips

Posted By miked on February 23, 2010

When done right, networking can be a very effective part of your overall Martial Arts marketing mix.
Sometimes there’s a lot of mystery surrounding “Networking”
“Which Groups Should I Join?”
“How Often Should I Go?”
“Do I Need an Elevator speech?”
Yesterday Tim Roberts of Business Network International joined me in the studio as a guest on my weekly radio show.
Tim is an essential part of running their 1700 member organization that spans 3 states here in New England.
Tim covered…
The Mistakes Business Owners Make When Networking
What Networking IS and What it IS NOT
The Right Mindset for Effective Networking
We shot a quick video while we were on the air.

When done right, networking can be a very effective part of your overall Martial Arts marketing mix.

Sometimes there’s a lot of mystery surrounding “Networking”

“Which Groups Should I Join?”

“How Often Should I Go?”

“Do I Need an Elevator speech?”

Yesterday Tim Roberts of Business Network International joined me in the studio as a guest on my weekly radio show.

Tim is an essential part of running their 1700 member organization that spans 3 states here in New England.

Tim covered…

  • The Mistakes Business Owners Make When Networking
  • What Networking IS and What it IS NOT
  • The Right Mindset for Effective Networking

We shot a quick video while we were on the air.

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Bad Things Can Happen to You

Posted By miked on February 18, 2010

Quick Disclaimer! Don’t read this week’s article if you won’t take the time to pull the valuable and realistic “success lesson” out of it. Don’t read it if you’re “appalled” at the title. Don’t read it if you’re going to take my words “out of context.” Finally, I speaketh from experience because I’ve been burned in the past too!
Now that I’ve got your attention…
As I’m writing this most Newspapers here in the Granite State are covering the alleged “Ponzi Scheme” surrounding the closed Financial Resources Mortgage, Inc of Meredith. 500 people lost somewhere close to $80,000,000.00!
I’ve been following the story a little and talking about it on my weekly radio show in Nashua. I feel really bad for the good people who got wrapped up and lost there life savings to New Hampshire’s Bernie Madoffs.
“A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to separate investors from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned. The Ponzi scheme usually entices new investors by offering returns other investments cannot guarantee.  These returns are either abnormally high or unusually consistent.
The perpetuation of the returns that a Ponzi scheme advertises and pays requires an ever-increasing flow of money from investors to keep the scheme going. The system is destined to collapse. “
I think the key words there are “entices” and “abnormally high.” Now, what did dad and mom tell us? “If it’s too good to be true….” What, would psychologists tell us? They’d insert their tobacco pipe and observe the “enticing” brought upon an irrational descision that exploited their key emotion of greed. Am I calling anyone greedy? NO! (Remember my disclaimer!). But greed is a powerful emotion that lives in all of us.
Positive and Negative Emotions
The fact is there are positive emotions and negative emotions. Negative emotions are useful.  But too much of any one particular negative emotion can be dangerous depending on the situation. A little fear keeps you alive, too much keeps you stuck. A little greed can make you financially free and enables you to help others. But too much….
The Illusion of Invulnerability
There is a mindset that thinks: “Bad things happen to others, bad things don’t happen to me.” Psychologist call this “The Illusion of Invulnerability.” It too, can be dangerous. The reality is bad things happen to everyone! But, not everyone responds the same way. Some people respond positively to bad situations. These people are the ones that “fall down nine, get up ten.” They’re the ones who come out stronger and wiser. And they’re the ones who Sinatra sings about; “Each time I find myself flat on my face, I just pick myself up and get back in the race!”
Bad things will happen to you and so will good things! So make the best of the good times and pull the valuable wisdom from the bad.
And as one of my favorite authors, Robert Ringer, says; “Look out for number one!”

Quick Disclaimer! Don’t read this week’s article if you won’t take the time to pull the valuable and realistic “success lesson” out of it. Don’t read it if you’re “appalled” at the title. Don’t read it if you’re going to take my words “out of context.” Finally, I speaketh from experience because I’ve been burned in the past too!

Now that I’ve got your attention…

As I’m writing this most Newspapers here in the Granite State are covering the alleged “Ponzi Scheme” surrounding the closed Financial Resources Mortgage, Inc of Meredith. 500 people lost somewhere close to $80,000,000.00!

I’ve been following the story a little and talking about it on my weekly radio show in Nashua. I feel really bad for the good people who got wrapped up and lost there life savings to New Hampshire’s Bernie Madoffs.

“A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to separate investors from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned. The Ponzi scheme usually entices new investors by offering returns other investments cannot guarantee.  These returns are either abnormally high or unusually consistent.

The perpetuation of the returns that a Ponzi scheme advertises and pays requires an ever-increasing flow of money from investors to keep the scheme going. The system is destined to collapse. “

I think the key words there are “entices” and “abnormally high.” Now, what did dad and mom tell us? “If it’s too good to be true….” What, would psychologists tell us? They’d insert their tobacco pipe and observe the “enticing” brought upon an irrational descision that exploited their key emotion of greed. Am I calling anyone greedy? NO! (Remember my disclaimer!). But greed is a powerful emotion that lives in all of us.

Positive and Negative Emotions

The fact is there are positive emotions and negative emotions. Negative emotions are useful.  But too much of any one particular negative emotion can be dangerous depending on the situation. A little fear keeps you alive, too much keeps you stuck. A little greed can make you financially free and enables you to help others. But too much….

The Illusion of Invulnerability

There is a mindset that thinks: “Bad things happen to others, bad things don’t happen to me.” Psychologist call this “The Illusion of Invulnerability.” It too, can be dangerous. The reality is bad things happen to everyone! But, not everyone responds the same way. Some people respond positively to bad situations. These people are the ones that “fall down nine, get up ten.” They’re the ones who come out stronger and wiser. And they’re the ones who Sinatra sings about; “Each time I find myself flat on my face, I just pick myself up and get back in the race!”

Bad things will happen to you and so will good things! So make the best of the good times and pull the valuable wisdom from the bad.

And as one of my favorite authors, Robert Ringer, says; “Look out for number one!”

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Quick Tips to Get Your Business Moving

Posted By miked on February 11, 2010

This is a clip of an interview I did with Carolyn Choate for Nashua TV 13.

Simple Tips to Get Your Business Moving…

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Some Quick Networking Tips & The Danger of Facebook

Posted By miked on February 8, 2010

I not an expert on networking and have never played one on TV or Radio.
But this week on “Mike D’s Mobilazational Monday’s,” (my weekly radio show on WSMN 1590 in Nashua) I had two guests who run local networking groups.
Their respective groups have grown in recent months.
So Don Daigle & Joanne Randall stopped by the station to talk about effective networking.
This 8 minute video is only a small segment of what we covered, but I know you’ll enjoy and pull something from it.
OH– and One Danger of Facebook you’ll want to listen up for.
And our little blunder at the end!

I not an expert on networking and have never played one on TV or Radio.

But this week on “Mike D’s Mobilazational Monday’s,” (my weekly radio show on WSMN 1590 in Nashua) I had two guests who run local networking groups.

Their respective groups have grown in recent months.

So Don Daigle & Joanne Randall stopped by the station to talk about effective networking.

This 8 minute video is only a small segment of what we covered, but I know you’ll enjoy and pull something from it.

OH– and One Danger of Facebook you’ll want to listen up for.

And our little blunder at the end!

Enjoy…

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Believing & Knowing, Planning & Results

Posted By miked on February 5, 2010

We’d all agree being an optimist is much better than being a pessimist. A mindset that is positive is preferable to one that is negative. I’d like to define optimism, not as some happy-go-lucky, let’s sing “we are the world” together state of being. No way. In-fact, that state of being is a weird disease. How so? It makes everyone sick, except those infected! Optimism is simply a belief and knowledge that things will turn out for the best and that you will be successful in reaching your goals.
Optimists also understand that plans and goals are two different things. Goals are simply the desired destination. Plans are an attempt to map out how you will get there. You can plan all you want, down to the last detail and things will still not go right. Just think about some recent “plans” you made? How many of those plans went exactly the way you hoped they would? If you answered honestly, you’ll probably agree – not many.
Goals are more powerful.
The end result is more powerful than the plans. Think about this scenario. If you hire someone to take care of your lawn and keep your grass trimmed that’s your desired result – your goal. Beyond getting the initial “scoop” and educating yourself just a little on how this landscaper was going to give you the best lawn in the neighborhood, you really don’t care “how.” You just care about the result, the goal!
I did some consulting for a  CPA firm. The owner was so set on how she only charges fifty dollars per hour for on-site bookkeeping services. However, if she ever finished her tasks in less time she would get angry and confused looks from her clients about not “staying the whole hour.” I told her it was all in how she positioned it. I asked her what “results” her clients were after? I went on to explain that if she sells results, goals and desired outcomes instead of an hourly service she won’t have this problem. She agreed because she knew what matters to her clients are results.
It’s easy to be thrown off and become pessimistic when your “plans” get off track. The problem is this reaction can eventually become a habit pattern that is hard to break. If you don’t catch it  early it can lead to you ending up a pessimist without even realizing it. So be careful.
Stay optimistic by focusing on the end result. Your positive attitude will help you discover better plans. Get your ego out of the way. You’re just like everyone else and your plans don’t always work out. But I believe your goals will if you keep at them!
There are two kinds of optimism. One is healthy and the other is dangerous.
Optimism that exists in your mind just for the sake of “existing” is dangerous. Optimism that is left alone is dangerous too. Optimism that doesn’t run side by side with action is the most dangerous of all.
Healthy optimism is backed by action. When you take action toward your goals you end up with belief. More importantly,  you end up with positive knowledge that you’ll get to where you want to be.
So accept the fact that most of the time your plans will go hay-wire. Keep taking action to fuel the cycle of belief, knowledge and action. Then, wash, rinse and repeat.

We’d all agree being an optimist is much better than being a pessimist. A mindset that is positive is preferable to one that is negative. I’d like to define optimism, not as some happy-go-lucky, let’s sing “we are the world” together state of being. No way. In-fact, that state of being is a weird disease. How so? It makes everyone sick, except those infected! Optimism is simply a belief and knowledge that things will turn out for the best and that you will be successful in reaching your goals.

Optimists also understand that plans and goals are two different things. Goals are simply the desired destination. Plans are an attempt to map out how you will get there. You can plan all you want, down to the last detail and things will still not go right. Just think about some recent “plans” you made? How many of those plans went exactly the way you hoped they would? If you answered honestly, you’ll probably agree – not many.

Goals are more powerful.

The end result is more powerful than the plans. Think about this scenario. If you hire someone to take care of your lawn and keep your grass trimmed that’s your desired result – your goal. Beyond getting the initial “scoop” and educating yourself just a little on how this landscaper was going to give you the best lawn in the neighborhood, you really don’t care “how.” You just care about the result, the goal!

I did some consulting for a  CPA firm. The owner was so set on how she only charges fifty dollars per hour for on-site bookkeeping services. However, if she ever finished her tasks in less time she would get angry and confused looks from her clients about not “staying the whole hour.” I told her it was all in how she positioned it. I asked her what “results” her clients were after? I went on to explain that if she sells results, goals and desired outcomes instead of an hourly service she won’t have this problem. She agreed because she knew what matters to her clients are results.

It’s easy to be thrown off and become pessimistic when your “plans” get off track. The problem is this reaction can eventually become a habit pattern that is hard to break. If you don’t catch it  early it can lead to you ending up a pessimist without even realizing it. So be careful.

Stay optimistic by focusing on the end result. Your positive attitude will help you discover better plans. Get your ego out of the way. You’re just like everyone else and your plans don’t always work out. But I believe your goals will if you keep at them!

There are two kinds of optimism. One is healthy and the other is dangerous.

Optimism that exists in your mind just for the sake of “existing” is dangerous. Optimism that is left alone is dangerous too. Optimism that doesn’t run side by side with action is the most dangerous of all.

Healthy optimism is backed by action. When you take action toward your goals you end up with belief. More importantly,  you end up with positive knowledge that you’ll get to where you want to be.

So accept the fact that most of the time your plans will go hay-wire. Keep taking action to fuel the cycle of belief, knowledge and action. Then, wash, rinse and repeat.

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7 Ways To Get Your Small Business Moving

Posted By miked on January 29, 2010

You’ve heard that quote about Gazelles and Lions in Africa right?  The Gazelle wakes up knowing it has to run faster than the fastest Lion – the Lion has to run faster than the slowest Gazelle or one goes hungry and one gets eaten. The point of the quote is to remind us to “get moving!” The New Year brings a fresh opportunity to make things happen. Here are seven tips to get your business moving in 2010…
Develop a Sense of Urgency
A sense of urgency in your business is not about any “hurry, the sky is falling and make hasty decisions out of fear mentality.” Oh  contraire! In the world of successful small business a sense of urgency is about hurrying to make things happen. Hurrying to create products and services to market and sell. It’s about getting your clients and customers the results they want quickly – faster than your competitor can, (Lion or Gazelle)!
A sense of urgency is about being proactive and not reactive. It’s about getting priorities in order. It’s about taking massive action to produce results.
Set Ambitious Deadlines
The greatest time management tool ever invented was the deadline because without it nothing else would ever get done. Something to experiment with this year is raising the bar on completion dates. Remember, getting it done is more important than getting it perfect.
Let go of Waste
Hanging on to old ways of doing things or systems that just aren’t productive anymore will equal a ton of waste. Many companies that struggle in economic downturns are usually carrying a lot of waste in the form of advertising that’s not working or operational procedures that are inefficient and outdated. Don’t believe me? Study just a few of the companies that stood in line for government handouts in recent times! Which is a good lead in to our next tip…
Be Unique In Your Marketing
Are your marketing messages too inwardly focused and egotistical? Do they get lost in the shuffle because there’s nothing unique, fun, new or different about them? In our emerging economy there’s no room for “sameness.” Brain-storm the ways you are different from your competitors and communicate why your differences are of benefit to your prospects.
Get Savvy about Selling
In some circles “selling” has become a dirty word. But the truth is nothing happens until somebody sells something. It’s sad when businesses spend money on marketing to generate traffic to their locations or get their phones to ring and then someone drops the ball or “un-sells” the prospect.
Get back to basics and focus on the little things. Train yourself and your sales staff to ask questions to uncover the desires of your customers. Once you know what your customer wants, show them how to get it. Have regular meetings, role play and study the art of ethical persuasion.
Keep it Simple
To move quickly in 2010 and reach all of your goals a little faster why not adapt an attitude of simplicity? Does anything seem to be a little over-complicated in your business or life? Be honest with yourself and then take corrective action to simplify.
When I speak to groups of business owners I often get their attention and a laugh when I tell them I’m going to share the easiest and most important financial, business and economic principle. They are on the edge of their seats as I tell them as long as they follow it they can’t help but be successful.  “What is it?” they say. “It’s the Chunka Principle!” “Huh?” “The Chunka coming in has to be bigger than the Chunka going out!” Simple, but effective financial advice.
Have Fun
PT Barnum, the famous showman and promoter, said people will spend their last nickel to have fun. Have fun and enjoy the ride this year. Think of ways you can make things more fun and enjoyable for the people around you, including your customers and clients. I’m not advocating “not taking business seriously” just make it a priority to enjoy it this year!
Put these seven ideas into action quickly and I know you’ll move fast toward your goals in 2010. Post this article somewhere you can see it and remind yourself to “make things happen!”

You’ve heard that quote about Gazelles and Lions in Africa right?  The Gazelle wakes up knowing it has to run faster than the fastest Lion – the Lion has to run faster than the slowest Gazelle or one goes hungry and one gets eaten. The point of the quote is to remind us to “get moving!” The New Year brings a fresh opportunity to make things happen. Here are seven tips to get your business moving in 2010…

Develop a Sense of Urgency

A sense of urgency in your business is not about any “hurry, the sky is falling and make hasty decisions out of fear mentality.” Oh  contraire! In the world of successful small business a sense of urgency is about hurrying to make things happen. Hurrying to create products and services to market and sell. It’s about getting your clients and customers the results they want quickly – faster than your competitor can, (Lion or Gazelle)!

A sense of urgency is about being proactive and not reactive. It’s about getting priorities in order. It’s about taking massive action to produce results.

Set Ambitious Deadlines

The greatest time management tool ever invented was the deadline because without it nothing else would ever get done. Something to experiment with this year is raising the bar on completion dates. Remember, getting it done is more important than getting it perfect.

Let go of Waste

Hanging on to old ways of doing things or systems that just aren’t productive anymore will equal a ton of waste. Many companies that struggle in economic downturns are usually carrying a lot of waste in the form of advertising that’s not working or operational procedures that are inefficient and outdated. Don’t believe me? Study just a few of the companies that stood in line for government handouts in recent times! Which is a good lead in to our next tip…

Be Unique In Your Marketing

Are your marketing messages too inwardly focused and egotistical? Do they get lost in the shuffle because there’s nothing unique, fun, new or different about them? In our emerging economy there’s no room for “sameness.” Brain-storm the ways you are different from your competitors and communicate why your differences are of benefit to your prospects.

Get Savvy about Selling

In some circles “selling” has become a dirty word. But the truth is nothing happens until somebody sells something. It’s sad when businesses spend money on marketing to generate traffic to their locations or get their phones to ring and then someone drops the ball or “un-sells” the prospect.

Get back to basics and focus on the little things. Train yourself and your sales staff to ask questions to uncover the desires of your customers. Once you know what your customer wants, show them how to get it. Have regular meetings, role play and study the art of ethical persuasion.

Keep it Simple

To move quickly in 2010 and reach all of your goals a little faster why not adapt an attitude of simplicity? Does anything seem to be a little over-complicated in your business or life? Be honest with yourself and then take corrective action to simplify.

When I speak to groups of business owners I often get their attention and a laugh when I tell them I’m going to share the easiest and most important financial, business and economic principle. They are on the edge of their seats as I tell them as long as they follow it they can’t help but be successful.  “What is it?” they say. “It’s the Chunka Principle!” “Huh?” “The Chunka coming in has to be bigger than the Chunka going out!” Simple, but effective financial advice.

Have Fun

PT Barnum, the famous showman and promoter, said people will spend their last nickel to have fun. Have fun and enjoy the ride this year. Think of ways you can make things more fun and enjoyable for the people around you, including your customers and clients. I’m not advocating “not taking business seriously” just make it a priority to enjoy it this year!

Put these seven ideas into action quickly and I know you’ll move fast toward your goals in 2010. Post this article somewhere you can see it and remind yourself to “make things happen!”

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Get Ready For Course Corrections

Posted By miked on January 19, 2010

After giving a talk at a local club, several people picked up copies of my book for themselves. I’m always grateful when that happens. It actually shows that people are “taking action” on a couple of the principles I talk about when I speak.
Let’s start with those principles before we get to “Course Corrections.”
“Keep Your Mind Open” and “Continuous Learning.” The fact is that you never know when an “AHA” moment can strike. That’s why it’s important to keep your mind open. “Continuous Learning” will often produce “AHA” moments. Or as Forest Gump would say; “Mama says they go together like peas and carrots.”
Unfortunately the reality is “AHA Moments” are still not enough to get you to where you want to be. You need to get in motion and stay in motion. The problem is we (yes- you, me, everybody) second guess ourselves to the point of slowing our own progress or killing it totally. And yes I do it too, I’m not special, I just have a knack for pointing this stuff out. Sorta like Jerry Seinfeld had a knack for taking obvious situations and making them funny. Ahh, the good ol’ days of NBC! Anyway…
I received a call from someone who said very enthusiastically; “Remember me? I’m one of the people who bought a book the other day after you spoke!”  “Yes, how are you and what can I do for you?” He went on to tell me about an idea for a product/business that he had been thinking about for a while. He wanted my help. I told him that on occasion I do offer some by phone or in person coaching sessions. We chatted for a few minutes more to be sure that it was a good fit and then he asked me to put him down for the following week. So that’s what I did.
He called me a couple of days before ( I appreciate the courtesy) and informed me that he couldn’t make the time and was now reconsidering his decision to move forward on his project. At that point all I could do was wish him the best with his project if he ever decides to pursue it.
I’ll be the first one to tell you though experience; most “projects,” as they are first conceived, should die on the vine. There’s nothing more precious than time. Wasting it on something that is not going to happen is a losing proposition. But there’s a fine line…
Most good things start off one way and then end up another way. How does this happen? It’s called “Course Correction.”
Course Correction occurs only after you get going and take a few steps in the direction of your goals. But if you don’t take a few steps no course is charted and no positive corrections can be made.
Think back. How many “course corrections” did you go through to get to where you are today? Are you still correcting? I know I am! It’s OK, because that means you’re making things happen. So take a few steps and correct as you go.

After giving a talk at a local club, several people picked up copies of my book for themselves. I’m always grateful when that happens. It actually shows that people are “taking action” on a couple of the principles I talk about when I speak.

Let’s start with those principles before we get to “Course Corrections.”

“Keep Your Mind Open” and “Continuous Learning.” The fact is that you never know when an “AHA” moment can strike. That’s why it’s important to keep your mind open. “Continuous Learning” will often produce “AHA” moments. Or as Forest Gump would say; “Mama says they go together like peas and carrots.”

Unfortunately the reality is “AHA Moments” are still not enough to get you to where you want to be. You need to get in motion and stay in motion. The problem is we (yes- you, me, everybody) second guess ourselves to the point of slowing our own progress or killing it totally. And yes I do it too, I’m not special, I just have a knack for pointing this stuff out. Sorta like Jerry Seinfeld had a knack for taking obvious situations and making them funny. Ahh, the good ol’ days of NBC! Anyway…

I received a call from someone who said very enthusiastically; “Remember me? I’m one of the people who bought a book the other day after you spoke!”  “Yes, how are you and what can I do for you?” He went on to tell me about an idea for a product/business that he had been thinking about for a while. He wanted my help. I told him that on occasion I do offer some by phone or in person coaching sessions. We chatted for a few minutes more to be sure that it was a good fit and then he asked me to put him down for the following week. So that’s what I did.

He called me a couple of days before ( I appreciate the courtesy) and informed me that he couldn’t make the time and was now reconsidering his decision to move forward on his project. At that point all I could do was wish him the best with his project if he ever decides to pursue it.

I’ll be the first one to tell you though experience; most “projects,” as they are first conceived, should die on the vine. There’s nothing more precious than time. Wasting it on something that is not going to happen is a losing proposition. But there’s a fine line…

Most good things start off one way and then end up another way. How does this happen? It’s called “Course Correction.”

Course Correction occurs only after you get going and take a few steps in the direction of your goals. But if you don’t take a few steps no course is charted and no positive corrections can be made.

Think back. How many “course corrections” did you go through to get to where you are today? Are you still correcting? I know I am! It’s OK, because that means you’re making things happen. So take a few steps and correct as you go.

And Feel Free to Catch The Replay of Yesterday’s Show… “The Future of Local TV”

 
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5 Ways Not To Set A Resolution and A Replay of Monday’s Radio Show

Posted By miked on January 5, 2010

Studies reveal that a good portion of New Year’s Resolutions fail! Why? There’s not enough space to attempt to answer that one here. But one thing I know for certain is that when a “New Year’s Resolution” does not become reality it damages the self-esteem and slows forward momentum toward success. You don’t have to be Dr. Phil to figure that one out. So is there a secret to making a positive change in the new year? Here are five tips for you…

1) Do NOT set a resolution! The secret is to be a goal setter and goal getter all year long. After all, isn’t a new year’s resolution simply a goal to do something, kick a bad habit or fulfill a desire for a better life? Every resolution is set with the strong psychological drive to either move away from pain (those pants not fitting) or move toward pleasure (looking better on the beach this summer).  Turn those desires into goals instead of weak resolutions that are out the door by Valentine’s day.

2) Balance Ambition With Reality . Imagine the new year was limitless. Based on your current situation think of an ambitious but realistic goal. You know what is realistic and ambitious for you – the key is to find the happy median. Not realistic, it won’t happen and you’ll set yourself up for disappointment. Not ambitious, you won’t be challenged and you’ll lose interest.

3) Write it down as if it already exists. The key is to write your goal down in the first person present tense. “I earn $X per month.” “I have a thirty-three inch waist.” I fit into ___ size dress.” Writing goals in this way communicates to your subconscious mind that you are serious about the goal. The key is repetition so do this exercise a few times per week.

4) Set a deadline. Attach a date next to the goal. This again is an area where you need to be ambitious but realistic. And what happens if you don’t reach the goal by the deadline? Just set another deadline, no big deal.

5) Look for clues and take action. Once you start setting goals and programing them into your subconscious mind you’ll become aware of opportunities to reach your goals. It’ll be like when you buy a certain model and color car. All of a sudden “everyone has the same car you do.” No, the cars were there all along – you just notice them more now. The same thing happens with your goals. You’ll notice opportunities that get you closer to them because you made your mind aware. When these opportunities are presented to you the next step is to act on them. Remember, without action your goals will end up like everyone else’s resolutions – gone by Valentine’s day!
This year, set goals and not resolutions!

 And be sure to catch the replay of this week’s show by pressing play below…

 
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