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All I Need To Know

July 8, 2010 in Career & Work, Life, Misc, Success with 1 Comment

There seems to be a point when we believe our need for coaching, mentoring, and the acquisition of new knowledge are no longer needed in our lives.

We’re adults now. We know everything we need to know. Why would I need any help? I’ve put in my time.

Coaching? Why would I need a coach?

This of course, brings up the obvious question, why do sports teams need to be coached?

After all, these are guys and girls that have played the sport their entire lives, they’ve reached the pinnacle of success – the pro-leagues, - and yet they are still constantly under the wings of professional coaches and leadership.

Of course teams are different from individuals, right?

But…

Why would Lance Armstrong need a coach to improve his cycling?

Why would the manager need a coach to improve his management skills?

Why would the brain surgeon need coaching on learning new brain surgery techniques?

But us regular folk – we’re beyond that, right? We finished school. We got our degrees. We got drafted into the real world. We’re pros now.

But we’re driven by our egos. We believe it’s easier to look strong, stand up tall, and put on a smiley face, than it is to resort to asking for help.

Seeking help has been typecast in our society as a sign of weakness. We’ve gone and made it almost embarrassing. We’d rather just muster on and try to do it ourselves.

Before Tiger’s “issues,” he was often used as an example by coaches about the importance of continued coaching and training. Tiger is adamant about constantly improving his skills. He was never beyond learning from his coach. He could always learn from his coach, or even other golfers. Tiger was known to practice for hours and literally BEG for his coach to point out an issue with his swing, or his stance, or his grip.

He obviously could have used coaching beyond his sport, but that’s beyond this post :-)

Here’s my take on it.

When you’re willing to accept that there IS a lot more to learn, you can drastically improve your skills. A coach can actually teach you something, or point out your flaws or help you with where to focus your  practice time. That’s when you’ve entered the professional league.

Seeking help, guidance, and new knowledge to become bigger, stronger, faster, is the ultimate sign of strength. The real pros always know there is someone better out there who can teach them a thing or two.

So ask yourself, what league are you in? Pick one.

The Pros or  the Amateurs?

Chugga Chugga Choo-Choo

July 6, 2010 in Career & Work, Success with 1 Comment

Stay up tonight, flick on the TV, and check out all the amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities on the infomercials.

I’m being sarcastic.

Infomercials about money-making opportunities, to me, represent a speeding one-way bullet train.

  • The train has limited seating.
  • It’s only staying at the station for a short time.
  • The price keeps going up the longer you wait.
  • There are lots of other great people are already on the train, even celebrities like Chuck Norris!!!
  • This train can change your life.
  • You’ll reach the final destination earlier, we guarantee it or your money back.

My advice is to skip the train. Let it go on by. Don’t get on.

When an opportunity presents itself that looks like the over-capacity speeding bullet train, and these trains don’t just show up on TV; they show up in the stock market, real estate, and business opportunities, to mention a few. I suggest you save yourself some grief and let it go on by. These trains almost always get derailed just out of the station.

There’s a far more reliable train coming along shortly. It’s just a slower ride.

You might just need to listen carefully….

July 2, 2010 in Books, Career & Work, Life, Linchpin with 2 Comments

This is for the passion seekers. I was in the middle of writing another post, and then I read this. This is for those of us still asking the questions or wondering:

How do I know if this is really my passion?

Where do I look for my passion?

I’m not sure what I’m really passionate about.

Check this out.

“You might be thinking, “How do I know what I’m good at?” All you have to do is listen and learn. Listen to the environment and other people. Pay attention, because they’re trying to tell you what you’re good at all the time. It’s in you, but there’s also feedback—the world is trying to tell you who you are. There are signals. It’s all a big mirror of your own soul. If you feel wonderful when you read a sentence in a book and somehow get goose bumps, that’s the world trying to say, “That’s you!”

The Hands-Off Manager – Steve Chandler & Duane Black

The weird thing is, this entire book is giving me goose bumps.

Enjoy the weekend.

Power up the DeLorean – Charge the Flux Capicitor

July 1, 2010 in Business, Career & Work, Life with 0 Comments

Younger Dr. Emmett Brown: [running out of the room] 1.21 gigawatts? 1.21 gigawatts? Great Scott!
Marty McFly: [following] What-what the hell is a gigawatt?

~ Back to the Future – 1985 (quotes from IMDB)

I’m not exactly sure why Doc Brown and Marty McFly popped into my head this morning. I don’t get it. Sometimes, I wake up with these ideas and it’s easy to put my fingers to the keyboard. I was thinking about the DeLorean, time travel, and the future. Here’s what got me to thinking.

A few years back, I worked in an organization that thrived on lunchtime board meetings. We routinely spent our lunch hours discussing the problems, failures, and breakdowns of past board members and employees of the organization.

We discussed the things the organization had attempted or tried to do in the past, and usually failed. We’d use those failures to discuss the future, and how to move forward, making sure we wouldn’t make the same mistakes again.

“The last board tried implementing a similar strategy three years ago, and it failed miserably” or “Back in 2004, they tried giving away free pancakes as a promotion, and it was a total nightmare“.

We became fearful about the future. We froze up. Nothing new or groundbreaking ever was accomplished. We didn’t want to make the same mistakes again. Everything about the future became scary and unpredictable.

Of course, Doc Brown and Marty rarely dwelled on the past. What happened, happened. They were more interested in the future. But they knew that everything that happened in the past had a direct effect on the present or future. They knew the devastating effects of changing the past. After all, the past is what created the future. Doc always stressed the importance of never making changes to the past.

Did you get all that? In a nutshell, when applied to the above scenario at the organization I worked for, the past is what brought the organization to its current state. The act of dwelling on the past was really a waste of both precious time and resources. We had no DeLorean. We didn’t have 1.2 gigawatts of power to go back and change things or alter the “present.” So why even discuss it?

The better option would have been this:

“OK – The free pancake promotion in 2004 was a flop. What can we learn from that campaign? How can we make it better this time around?”

In the short time I was in the organization, I realized what a debilitating effect dwelling on the past could have. Instead of learning from past mistakes, and making adjustments moving forward, we allowed those mistakes to scare us away from trying something new, something risky, or something unpredictable. We rarely looked into the future, and when we did, we did it with scared and timid eyes.

It’s the exact same thing in your personal life. No amount of dwelling on the past is going to change things. You simply won’t be able to muster up enough power (1.2 gigawatts) to go back and change things. And yet, we constantly allow the past to shape us moving forward. We allow the past and our personal failures to scare us away from trying something new, something risky, or something unpredictable.

After all was said and done, Marty finally began to understand that the choices he made now, and in the present, would have such an effect on his future.

I can’t stress enough the importance of putting your one month, one year, three year, five year plans down on paper.

Where do you want your business to go?

What’s your vision for your business?

How about your personal life.

How much money are you making?

What kind of car (DeLorean) are you driving?

What do your friends and family look like?

Where are you working?

When you create a detailed plan for the future, you’ll be more inclined to make choices and decisions now that will take you where you want to go.

Of course, there’s always one other option.

You could make no plans at all, set no future projections, and make no future goals. You could fly by the seat of your pants and allow the failures of the past to scare you into doing nothing.

The problem with taking this route is if you make one wrong mistake, you’re pooched. Next thing you know, you’re sitting in your car at the local mall waiting for lighting to strike the clock tower at exactly 10:04…. Good luck with that.

No Fun – Worst Job In The World.

June 28, 2010 in Career & Work, Life with 5 Comments

I heard someone say recently, and I quote, “my job is no fun. I literally have the worst job in the world.”

Now we can almost all assume that by reading the above line, and not even knowing exactly what that person’s job is, or who that person is, they don’t really have the worst job in the world.

I know from when I used to watch TV and would occasionally catch an episode of “Dirty Jobs,” that there are far worse jobs, and far less fun jobs, out there.

Unless, of course, this girl was really an Alaskan crab fisherman on break in Ontario? I might have missed that part.

Here’s my take on it.

If your job isn’t fun, you must quit.

I’m not talking about singing and dancing in the workplace type of fun. I’m talking about “making a difference – making a contribution” type of fun.

Deep down, you do actually know the type of fun I’m referring to.

The type of fun when you finish a job and actually get something out the door.

The type of fun you experience, because of the autonomy, you get to make your own decisions.

The type of fun you experience is when you see a problem and find the solution.

In the variety of stuff I’ve been reading lately, there’s a clear lesson repeated over, and over, and over again.

It’s that the extrinsic rewards that might come from a “job well done,” such as more cash, or a bigger bonus, aren’t really what you’re really looking for. It’s not really what’s motivating you.

Admit it.

The problem is, you have to keep slugging away because you have bills to pay, credit card debt, and stuff to buy.

Bummer. Because if you could get rid of the stuff that’s forcing you to keep on slugging, you might be able to find a job that’s actually fun.

And if you can’t find that job, you could create one.

As much as you want to believe that more cash and more money might be what you’re looking for, you’re most likely fooling yourself.

Stuff as a motivator is short-term. It’ll get you through life though, but you’ll always be missing something.

Now don’t get me wrong. I LOVE new toys just as much as the next guy, but if you’re telling people you’ve got the worst job in the world, it might be time to start looking at what’s really keeping you there.

Just saying…

——————————————————————-

P.S. I’ve got a simple request.

If you like this post, or know someone who might benefit from reading what I’m saying, please pass it along. You can do this easily by the buttons below.

If you use Twitter, consider ‘re-tweeting’ this post.

If you use Facebook, consider clicking the “like” button.

If you use eMail, consider sending this to a friend.

If you agree, disagree, or have something to say about this post, please leave a comment. Join the conversation.

Thanks, Noah

Smurf Cash

June 21, 2010 in Career & Work, Fun Stuff with 4 Comments

Can you really make money doing what you love, or by following your passion?

What if the thing you love is something like The Smurfs?

smurf.jpg

Gary Vaynerchuk was the first to talk about building a business around the  Smurfs. He makes a great point. Here’s my take on it.

If you LOVE the Smurfs, you know every episode like the back of your hand, have a collection of Smurf dolls, secretly have a crush on a Smurfette, and paint yourself blue every Halloween,  you could easily monetize this passion

But here’s what most people miss about what Gary’s is saying.

After Gary made his comment, hundreds will rush out in a mad frenzy to create Smurf websites. They will register domain names, build blogs, and create forums. They’re looking for a quick cash fix.

Dump a little gasoline on the wood and hope your matches aren’t wet.

Unfortunately, this will almost always fail.

The one who will win is the one I mentioned above. It’s the one who comes across Gary’s vision and finally realizes what needs to be done with his freakish Smurf obsession.

The Smurf tribe is already out there looking for that knowledgeable and passionate person to lead them. They won’t be fooled by false leaders, posers, and fakers. They will see through it. They can smell it from a mile away.

And when you really think about it, it’s actually quite simple.

Pick the thing you love most in life, and just do it. Your tribe might just  be sitting around, anxiously waiting for you to show up.

In The Club

June 14, 2010 in Career & Work with 7 Comments

Did you get all your work done on Friday? If not, you’ve got my permission to work on it again today and tomorrow.

Over the weekend, I spent a good six hours slow-cooking a pork shoulder on the BBQ. The result was a delicious and mouth-watering pulled pork sandwich that was enjoyed with friends over a few glasses of wine.

During the time I spent caring for my BBQ, I did a little reflecting on the past few years of self-employment.

For the first few years, I would seriously question myself and wonder if I had made the right decision.

I’d say things like, “I should’ve been a teacher”, or “I should’ve been an advertising executive”, or “I should have gotten a job somewhere in marketing.”

I questioned if I’d made the right decision. Should I stick with entrepreneurship and make a go at things on my own, or take the safe route? Should I just settle for a career with less risk? Did I really make the right choice?

But then about two years ago, something clicked. I stopped questioning my decisions. I realized that while my path might not be as clear-cut as I’d like it to be, I’m on the right path. I’ve realized that as often as I veer off the path, I’m still heading in the right direction.

And then just last night, I was reading a book by Jeffrey Fox called “How to Become CEO – The Rules for Rising to the Top of Any Organization” and he confirmed what I’d come to realize over the years.

Those who belong to the “should’ve club” will never rise to the top.

Fox says, “the “should’ve club” is boring. The members never get cut…They never miss a shot at the last second. They don’t make any waves.”

Fox stated that we don’t want to belong to the “should have club”. Avoid the “should’ve club” at all costs. He suggests that during the odd occasion you realize you probably shouldn’t have done something, there will be 10 times when the results show you that you actually made the right decision.

I blogged back in November about “Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda” type of people. My thoughts and opinions haven’t changed since then. I now simply have a way to categorize the different types of people.

Fox ends by saying, “No Guts, No Glory.”

Which club do you belong to?

Take The Afternoon Off

June 11, 2010 in Career & Work, Life, Misc, Success with 2 Comments

I’m giving you permission to take the afternoon off.

If your boss is upset, tell him I gave you permission. Go ahead. You can leave now.

I punched out ten minutes ago.

And if you absolutely can’t physically leave your place of employment, I’m giving you permission to mentally check out of your daily job early today.

Go ahead. Close your email. Log off of Twitter. Shut off your computer. Turn out the lights. We don’t want any more interruptions.

Excited?

Bummer, because I’m going to need you to come back to work. I’m going to need you to come back to your real job.

Your real job is the rest of your life. Your real job is the next five, ten, twenty years of your actual life. Your real job is not the place where you go between the hours of 9 a.m and 5 p.m.

Here’s your duties for the rest afternoon:

Dream about the next five years of your real job.
Fantasize about the next five years of your real job.
Plan the next five years of your real job.
Set goals for the next five years of your real job.
Figure out how to achieve these goals, dreams, and desires over the next five years of your real job.

I need all of this done before 5 p.m. Oh, and I’m going to need you to work on the weekend too, because we need you to start implementing this immediately.

It’s already late. We need you to make this your top priority.

I know – I’m terribly sorry. I know you wanted to watch Dateline tonight, but I really need you to get started on this immediately.

I’m Building an Ark.

May 27, 2010 in Career & Work, Life, Misc with 5 Comments

My parents were on to something.

Being named Noah in 1980 meant my parents were on the cutting edge of coolness. The name was still largely reserved for the ultra-religious families, but it was starting to make the transition to the side of cool. The name hadn’t yet reached the ultra-mainstream popularity it has now.

My parents are religious people and I’m sure I was named Noah for religious reasons. I still think they were going for the coolness factor.

Growing up, I bore the brunt of all-things-religious jokes. Some people would call me Moses. People would constantly ask where the Ark was or if and when the flood was coming.

Anyone named Noah knows that the “Ark” jokes will never end.

Throughout my life, I’ve also received countless “Noah’s Ark” theme related gifts. I guess we like to associate people and their names with other people sharing the same name.

The funny thing is, the story of Noah’s Ark has always resonated with me personally.

And now, many years later, I’m actually building an Ark. Seriously, it’s true. And I’m working on my Ark as we speak.

Each day when I write this blog, I feel like I’m adding to the construction of my Ark. Cut a few boards, hammer a couple of nails, do a little work on the interior; it’s coming along rather nicely if I may say so myself.

The act of blogging for me is a personal one and part of my daily Ark construction duties. It’s been enlightening, over the past few months, to strike up a routine of blogging on a daily basis. It’s changed both my life, future outlook, and my mental clarity tremendously.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s often a struggle. Each day, the lizard rears his ugly head and I engage in a brief struggle. Usually, I can overcome. If I get the lizard pinned down, then sometimes I’ll write two or three posts in one sitting.

And even though I’ve suggested that the act of blogging is a personal one, it’s also become my primary outlet for sharing things I’ve wanted to say about business, marketing, and entrepreneurship. These are the three things I’m extremely passionate about.

As of just a few months ago, I maintained both a personal blog and my corporate business website. That was the website that shared all the types of services my company of one had to offer. The corporate site is now gone, and that website’s domain name has been forwarded to this one.

My business card used to carry the information about my corporate business and it’s more professional name. Now, my card simply contains my name, a link to this blog, and my phone number.

I’ve stopped worrying about the endless pursuit of making more and more cash and to focus more on doing work that’s important and things that matter. I’m working on creating products and information that will inspire both people and businesses to grow and make positive changes.

There’s not room for everyone on my Ark, but there’s room for a few, if you want to hitch a ride..

And, if you’re not ready to climb on to my Ark because you’re still unsure about my construction abilities and worried there might be leaks, then for heavens-sake, start building your own Ark ASAP.

Don’t end up extinct like the dinosaurs.

The real reason the dinosaurs became extinct.jpg

Bury it Alive

May 7, 2010 in Business, Career & Work, Creativity, Getting Things Done, Linchpin with 3 Comments

I had this idea for a local mashup of an offline/online web business a few years ago. It was a killer idea. I had seen startups in bigger cities offering a similar type of service with amazing success.

I dumped a ton of sweat, tears, and money into this business.

I spent days working on the code and modifying things until they were perfect. Everyday, I’d pay a coder to work with me and make all the desired little tweaks and changes that were required.

Every month I paid expensive hosting bills to keep the pending service a float.

I had business cards designed and printed.

I created window stickers and had them printed at the local print shop. When I arrived, weeks later to pick them up, the colors were all messed up and they looked like crap. So, I called a bigger and much more expensive company in Toronto and had them done right.

I worked with some very talented and pricey copywriters who helped me tweak the copy and helped me with sales information to promote the service.

I worked endlessly on developing a targeted list of potential contacts and businesses that could use the service.

I paid a boat load of money to print and prepare all the  letters and sales information I would mail to the businesses.

I hand delivered the letters to the post office and paid the postal fees.

I had dreams of grandeur that my phone would ring off the hook for the next two weeks.

I Shipped.

The phone never rang. Actually, it rang a couple of times, but people either didn’t get what I was offering or they simply weren’t interested.

I followed up with many and explained that I didn’t want their money. They could use the service for FREE. They still didn’t get it. Many claimed that their customers didn’t use the Internet…

None of the businesses knew how hard I had worked or how much money I’d spent preparing this service.

None of them knew how many late nights were spent slaving over this idea.

Nobody cared.

I was in a state of denial for a few months afterward.
I kept pushing the service and trying new things. I believed my idea would work and could help businesses grow.

Maybe my offer was no good. Maybe I used the wrong type of font in my sales letters. Maybe I needed an army of sales gurus.

But then one day, something clicked.

I realized that I had shipped.

It was a total flop. The letters were mailed. The site was finished. The work was done.

My next move was easy.

I went to my closet and tossed out 1000 business cards.

I threw away 5000 expensive double sided stickers.

I emptied over 500 glossy brochures into our recycling bin.

I allowed the website hosting bill to come and go without being paid.

I buried that sucker alive while it was still gasping for air. After that I went for a long walk outside and enjoyed the fresh air.

As Stephen Pressfield says in The War of Art, Rest in peace, mother&#^er.

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