Sometimes questions impress me. A question's like an offer to think, to contribute, to give another a gift.
Too often I find myself wanting to make bold statements, even commands. You have to do this. you ought think about that. It's imperative we follow these instructions exactly.
But then I wonder how much more interesting this could be, if instead of telling I tried to ...
Opportunity's a beautiful thing. Especially when you see it on the calendar, months before it arrives.
You get to look forward, to know exactly when that pitch will occur. So you prepare. You practice. You excitedly pack your things the night before. Leisurely sauntering to the airport, you fly out right on time, ready for that pitch, ready to knock it right out of the park!
But opportunity isn't a ...
The floating deadline's so easy to keep putting off. The deadline floats and we so easily push it back. Push it back. Push it back.
And it feels so simple cause we never have to climb aboard and actually get the thing done. We just keep pushing, and the project keeps floating along on the calendar.
And yet the pushing's a lot of ...
I hear stories of the refugees, and my heart sags. How can we let this happen. Why can't we offer them food and a roof.
And yet friends are standing up for my safety. We can't let them in. They'll bring problems along. And they're completely right too. We've built so much. How do we share without risking it all might be taken away.
The issues grow complex. I'd happily take in a ...
The holidays seem to offer two states of mind. The responsibility of shopping. The warmth of a gift.
And oddly one usually comes out of the other. But why so much responsibility. Why not more warmth and cheer. And yet the list goes on and on, seeming to grow longer every year. So many nieces and nephews and co-workers and catalogues. And my kids just keep adding so much to their lists. And what on earth could your mother want that she hasn't already bought for herself? How should I know what my dad might like...
And so many questions leave me so insecure. It's too hard and maybe even silly buying so much for others who've already bought so much for themselves.
And then I think of those who lack. Kids going to bed hungry. Parents stressed for their pain. Refugees fleeing terror only to learn they've brought it along.
And maybe this year doesn't have to be about buying. Maybe it's simpler. Maybe it's just a bit of time. Perhaps instead of time at the mall, it's time over coffee. It's time on the phone. Who do I care for and how can I show it. Could it be this simple; should I give it a try?
And you're lucky to already have so much wisdom inside. You know friends and relatives like the back of your hand. And the gifts you can't wrap could become the most valued. For when you let life slow and truly sit in the Present with another, you both become the Gift.
Your audience doesn't always understand why they love you.
For instance, you might sell Lamborghinis. And I, of course, would love to buy one of your products for myself. But I don't really want a tiny, uncomfortable car that gulps gas and breaks down all the time. What I really want is to go fast and feel cool. I believe your incredibly cool car will help me get to those exhilarating feelings. Odds are, being smart with your business, you'd know it too.
I might not even care about the drive. I'm still stuck in the same traffic after all. I buy for that moment the lane clears, and I get to floor it for a few moments. I buy for that moment I arrive at the party, where everyone watches me step out of that incredible machine.
Like most great products, there's more than one benefit we get to enjoy.
Have you ever noticed how food tastes better in fancy decor? Or the way lighting in a night club sets just the right mood? How is it a car's outside design can possibly affect my experience as I drive? As I drive, I'm only able to experience the inside of the car, and yet to most of us the outside design is even more important. Driving a comfortable car that's just ugly or dirty, it's like watching a movie without any mood music, or celebrating Halloween at high noon. The whole thing feels quite queerly off.
Everything you build, you build it for us. But our experience extends beyond your product itself. We even enjoy parts of the experience we may not be able to see. Can you separate out all the feelings I get to enjoy, those obvious ones on the surface, of course, but also those resting down where my own mind can't see?
Think to the future. What are your dreams. I'd love to hear more. If you could run any business, build any product in the world, what would it be? What would you sell?
Most importantly, what would I and your other customers love about it most?
Can't wait to hear more. I read and respond to every email. Your note will be one of my favorite parts of the week. Dreams are special. Especially when new businesses are involved. This is your dream. What would you sell?
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Of course that only works if you also have sugar. This is why forward motion takes time. You can hone your skill, become the best. Your lemons are perfect, yet you still have to wait for the sugar to arrive.
The key is to keep hustling. While you're waiting for sugar, keep making more lemons.
You're waiting for sugar and life gives you poop. Crap! You can't make poop juice. But you can use it to grow bigger lemons.
And that day you finally find the sugar cane, you're ecstatic. While everyone else griped as their lemons turned mold, you kept growing and honing what little you had. And the day that sugar arrives you're suddenly set. The whole world stands queued just to get a small taste of your best lemonade.
The crowd is a blanket. Comfortable and safe. It feels so great to stay warm in the midst of that crowd. There are people to enjoy and danger feels so far away.
Inside that warm blanket, we all see the same things. We feel the same warmth. That shared perspective so friendly and safe. But that same blanket makes it hard to move, to see, to explore.
But some few love adventure, and learning new ways. Willing to leave the blanket behind, they step out into the cold. Where challenges race through the wild. Where the winds of change can chill to the bone.
And once you've left that blanket behind, you learn to make fire, discovering ideas and building opportunity. The blanket's long gone, yet you dance through the wild, surrounded by new light. And the crowd gives a whoop as you choose to return, with new gifts and the power you've grown to offer us all.
The moment she started crying, I could feel it in my gut. The pain was shared. Youth is such a roaring light. We're drawn to it because youth holds so much ...
I don't know what this blog is about
But with your help we can figure it out
Like popcorn popping in my mouth
I woke up today to find all these words were rushing ...
The crowd is comfortable. It's always warm in the middle of the crowd. There are people to enjoy, danger can't get to us, and everybody knows how good it feels to feel like we belong.
But when I stand in the middle of a crowd, all I can see is people. I can see how those around me think and feel, I can join in and take part. But I can't see much further. The world beyond the crowd is so far away. And that's where the opportunity is.
For those who choose to influence never stand in the middle of a crowd. They get to the edge, where they can see the outside world, yet still understand the crowd's mindset. And it's on this outer edge where new ideas occur. Feel free to step out. Enjoy the fresh air. And then return, showing us how to do something new.
There will always be those moments you don't have time to think it through. Sometimes you've just gotta let 'er rip. That's why you prepare so much now, so you can catch that opportunity the moment the spotlight arrives.
I hope you like this tiny example of spontanaeity.
I made the gravest mistake one can make with a mic. I'm onstage. But everyone's turned away, no longer interested. And it's all my fault. Last weekend, at a backyard pool party, a friend brings his band. It's all just for fun. Plenty of drinks and laughter. They call out my ...
You've just joined the world's coolest club. Congrats!! Now, how do you help it to grow?
HOW TO GROW CLUB MEMBERSHIP
Growing membership in your club (Rotary, PTA, a Co-working tech hub, etc...) is a lot like growing interest in ...
Last week I wrote about Teflon brands. Think K-Mart, McDonalds, Microsoft, Tom Cruise... In the old days they were everywhere. Impossible to ignore. Impossible to implore. They moved inexorably on their own path.
No matter what we might feel, they controlled the ...
In the old days we created Teflon brands. Huge, shiny brands with all the rough edges carefully sanded down. They slipped easily into our pockets and onto our shelves. Think Budweiser, McDonalds, Chevrolet, Tom Cruise. Big Epic. Worldwide. And all relatively boring. They succeeded by ...
Imagine an ad for Hampton Inn. A beautiful mom dives into the pool. Her kids laugh in the water. A handsome dad stands above, practically beaming with ...
I left feeling a little bit guilty. Eleven days on vacation, detached from my desk. Seven of those days I wouldn't even have internet, or a cell phone. The world could end and I wouldn't even know...
Then the vacation hit. We climbed aboard an Amtrak train. Two and a half days of forced relaxation with nothing but books, scenery, and a...
My sister-in-law was so excited. What a cool angle to promote health in the community.
In Minster, OH you can ride your bike without a helmet. It's not required. Kids do it all the time. If your kid's caught on the street without a helmet, nothing will happen. And this is normal in most of the Midwest.
But here's the twist. If your child actually is wearing their bicycle helmet on the streets of Minster, the police will be chasing them down and...
You already offer incredible solutions. Some are simple. Others might require complex components. The tricky part is explaining complexity in simple terms. The key is offering a simple "Takeaway" - a short memorable few words into which we can
