Become skilled

Become skilled in areas that will push you ahead. But be picky about which skills you hone.

You don't want to be well-rounded. Well-rounded only means mediocre in a plethora of categories.
You want to be sharp.

Image by Vlado

Focus on things that are: (1) Difficult to do, and (2) in high demand.

If you do this, the economy won't have you looking for jobs. The economy will have jobs looking for you.

Believe it or not, people still get job offers in a down economy. Why's that?

Because the people who are looking for jobs don't have skills.

Be relevant

If you aren't relevant, why do you spread your ideas? 

Answer: You probably don't.

Attention is so difficult to come by, so precious, there is hardly anyone spreading non-relevant  advice. 

There is such a huge tsunami of information out there, most (even the free stuff) is extremely timely and relevant. 

So be relevant or be silent.

Plug your ears

Know who you shouldn't listen to.

Here's the test. If they aren't (or won't soon be) where you want to be, disregard anything they have to say on the subject. No matter how good intentioned they may be, they obviously don't understand how to get there.


You might just be better off doing the opposite. Let's use olympic swimming as an example. If I want to be an olympic swimmer, I'm not going to listen to my mom on how to get there. Because she's not an olympic swimmer. I'm going to listen to Michael Phelps. Same goes for success.

If this person is telling me to go to school and they're $100,000 in debt, I probably shouldn't listen to them  if I want to be successful. If Bill Gates tells me to go to school however, I should probably get my a** to class. (Sorry, I had to.)

Just remember that while they may have good intentions, plug your ears when (in my case unsuccessful) people give you advice.

4 ways to be productive (on the go)

Being productive is hard to do when you are constantly moving. Being mobile can really put a damper on your productivity levels. If you'd like to enjoy and be productive, you just follow these tips.

Mark a certain time - When you have Wifi is ideal, because you (likely) won't have it all the time. Focus on the times that you do.

Touch it once -  I totally stole this from the ultimate sales machine by Chet Holmes. The principle still applies and I believe that you could benefit from it. Whenever you start something, you finish it. This way you only touch it once. (i.e. don't check your twitter while your working on that term paper.)

Attack the most important things first - Of course. If you don't have time to work on that ebook, you certainly don't have time to check your email.

Focus on downtimes - Rather than feel guilty for not getting to tracking your finances while you're on that roller coaster, feel guilty during the layover between flights. Much more gets done.


If you do these four things, you'll end up with a lot more finished when you have to move again. Or get on that flight. Just remember to have fun.

Because sometimes having fun can be the most productive thing that you can do.

Steve Jobs: The Diamond Cutter

Steve Jobs was more of a diamond cutter than all-out revolutionary innovator.

Why's that, you ask?

He didn't really come up with much first. He saw things in the wild, perfected them and sold them to the mass market. The mp3 player was out long before the iPod. The tablet computer was with us some ten years before the iPad. The cell phone came before the iPhone.

He saw diamonds in the rough, cut them into rare beauties, and sold them. He read the words that weren't on the page. He (and his team) had the foresight to see what was coming and create it. That's why they never relied on market research.

He said, "It's not the consumer's job to know what they want."

So true.

Estimate Accordingly

Whenever estimating anything, there's probably going to be (a few) variables that you aren't considering. Also, since people don't often estimate unimportant things, you're going to want your estimates to be as accurate as can be.

I utilize this little trick whenever I estimate anything, and I can't tell you how many times it has saved me.

I always estimate against myself. I put on the most negative point of view I can, and I use the 20% rule. The 20% rule goes like this; "Since every variable cannot be taken into account, one should add 10% to every figure against them, and subtract 10% from every figure for them."

Basically it goes like this.

Let's say I'll need $500 to go on a trip. And I have $500. Good, right?

Maybe. But to be sure, your calculations should go something like this.

Instead of saving $500, I should save $550. Instead of having $500, I (act like) I have $450. So, I should end up with $600.

In simpler terms, just add 20% to every expense.

Now, 20% doesn't sound like much, but in many cases that's all it takes to hedge against disaster.

Tim Ferriss' new book

So, you guys all know that crazy 4 Hour Workweek/4 Hour Body guy? Well, his name is Tim Ferriss (two s') has a new book on Amazon that I think should be checked out. I am pre-ordering a copy, and you should too.

In everything this phenomenal man does, he breaks everything down to the core and tests everything. He's a world class tango dancer, Princeton guest lecturer, and just a great all around guy. He's one of  the smartest, classiest, most creative people I've ever come across.

Ladies, I think he's taken, so sorry.

(Also I may or may not be getting a Kindle Fire from this post, so keep that in mind. As you should too, by going to the link, here, and posting on Facebook)

Enjoy

Enjoy yourself for one day. Just do everything you want today. Not everything you should do, or everything other people expect of you. Just everything you want, whether or not you can afford it. Even if it scares you. Because you should.

If you don't enjoy it, don't do it today.

Watch sunrises, take a walk, laugh, get lost, exercise (if you like & if you don't, don't), climb a tree, or make a connection with someone.

Just enjoy yourself today. You deserve it.

Be the Man

Instead of utilizing someone else's program, make your own. Don't buy a franchise, create one. 

Instead of being the middle man, be the Man. Why?

There's more money in it, and more publicity.

Sure, it's harder to create McDonald's than it is to buy a McDonald's franchise. But that's also why it's better and more fun and more profitable.

So go out, be the Man, and start creating.

Lessons learned from Carlos

Carlos Slim Helú is the world's richest man by Forbes' last count. There's a reason for this. He focused on an emerging market.

Carlos didn't just have shares in emerging markets. He owned the market. Mexico's telecommunications is dominated by one man. That man does very well because of it. Therefore, rather than trying to start a small photo shop in Iowa, you should find something that's already successful in America and take it somewhere else.

When you start a business in an emerging market, it's like a boat and tide. The tide is the economy, and the boat is your business. Even when your business isn't growing too much, the economy is. When the tide comes in, all the boats rise, including yours.

You can call the shots in another country much easier than the US. You could control a monopoly in India, and command your industry there.

Unscripted (& genuine)

How unnerving is it when you call the customer support line and you get a recording? How much worse does it make the situation when they tell you how "important" your call is to them?

It's scripted, fake, and automated.

Why is it so annoying when you get a recording? Because it's not genuine. If your call was really that important there would be a real person to handle it. And not one of those low paid call center people. An executive. Maybe the CEO.

Now I'm not saying that the CEO should answer all the phones, (it wouldn't hurt) but why not do whatever you can in your business to make a true, lasting connection? What if you did that where others couldn't (or wouldn't)?

Never build a product

....without a market. Test first.

That small piece of advice could save you a world of trouble in the future.

Ship unprepared (if you must)

Whenever you're in a situation you don't like, but are afraid of getting out of, set a date. And move on that date. Or quit on that date. Just make sure you have a date and something to keep you accountable. If things are prepared for you to move or whatever, great. If they're not, still do it.

You'll grow more, learn more, and be better if you ship unprepared.

You are alive

Tragedy can be wonderful for your happiness levels. It brings you back to the basics, snaps you out of a sense of normalcy, and really makes you realize what you've got. 

My friend once got hit by a semi truck when he was driving his Impala. He says that it was the worst pain that ever hit him; his car was totaled and he was pretty banged up. But it was one of the happiest times ever, too. While he was barely conscious in the emergency room, all he could think was, "I'm alive! This is awesome!" 

What if we lived everyday like that? We woke up and thanked God for just being alive. 

What if we just lived without worry because we made it this far? 

Why you should write an ebook

All monetary gain involves a transaction. Even when you work, you're giving something for money. Your labor. Therefore, if you don't like your job, change your commodity.

As long as it's something others want, you can make money giving it to them. Take an ebook for example. If there is relevant, useful information (that people want) in your ebook, you can make money selling it on your blog. Or facebook. Or personal website. Therefore, your new commodity is your writing and ideas. That's much better than clocking in to give up 8 hours of your life. It's also very scaleable. If you sell 2 or 200 you do the same amount of work. Except at work one would take you 5 minutes to make and the other 5 whole days.

That's why you should write an ebook. This way we get your ideas and you get income. Everyone is happier.

Do something that could explode, get huge, and make you rich.

Persistence

"Energy and persistence conquer all things."
- Benjamin Franklin


The first time you rode a bike did you give up after you fell the first time? Did you say, "Well, this must be impossible..."


Or did you get back up, only to fall again?


How many times did the cycle repeat until you got it? How many failures for that one glorious success?


The same applies to life. If you don't get it the first time, change something. Or work harder. Or ask for advice. Just don't give up. 


When you give up you have a failure rate of 100%. Remember that next time you think about quitting.

6 reasons passive income rocks

Do you absolutely love your job? Would you do it without getting paid? If you answered no to either of those questions, you need passive income. Passive income is basically money you don't have to clock in for. You do have to start something that creates this for you, though.  A monetized blog, an ebook, real estate, or dividend paying investments can all do this for you. Here's some reasons this is awesome.

Time freedom - This is the ultimate freedom. This is freedom many people don't get until retirement (or ever). What do you want to do now? Go do that. Because you can. Whether it's playing Call Of Duty MW3 24/7 or riding the wave of your life (everyday) you can do it.

Location freedom - Be anywhere you want to be. If you'd rather be backpacking across some mountains in Tibet, you can be on the next plane there. This is huge. Work from wherever you want.

Lasting impact - Every bit of time and energy you put into passive income projects pays out in the long run. You're not working toward a paycheck, you're working toward freedom. You could also be paid for the next 15 years if you do this well. If you do a good job at work you might get a 50 cent raise.

Money all the time - Whether it's a bull market or you're sleeping, you're making money. When you go out to eat, you make money. When you play video games, you make money. Whatever you do once you've got some passive income flowing, you make money at. Nice, right?

Whatever you want - Be whoever you want to be, go wherever you want to go, and do whatever you want. From now on, life truly is what you make it. So get out there and live your dreams.

Diversification of income - You are free to work on the next project. You don't have all your eggs in one basket. They're in 9 baskets. And you're working on the 10th. If one of your income streams stresses you out, you don't need it. Cut it out.

These are just a few reasons why gaining passive income could be one of the best financial (and personal) decisions you might ever make. I do hope you'll consider it, because you'll not only have a more fulfilled life, but the value you create with you're new product or ebook will (likely) help the rest of us out. So thanks in advance.

Survival

Knowledge is one of the most important (and powerful) things known to man. Wisdom (applied knowledge) is doubly so. It will not only make you more effective at everything, but it helps you survive. Survival is it. That's what you should know before learning anything else. Take a class on it, or read books. Just get a basic knowledge of how to survive in different situations.

Why is survival so important? Because you can't do anything else unless you survive. You can't learn. You can't repent. You're done. It's over. That's why it doesn't matter what you must do, SURVIVE.

At all costs just make sure you're still breathing when the dust clears.

Optimize everything

When most people begin work on their product or service, they generally have at least one leg up on the competition. Their bike is faster, they'll mow your lawn for half the price, or they have a prettier vase.

Maybe they're missing the point. Getting by with a C+ when they are no doubt worth an A-. Think about it. If one thing is enough to drive people to your product, what would happen if you optimized everything? How much more value can you pack for the same price (or less)? Can I change a line of code so that email says someone's actual name instead of "Valued Customer"?

Imagine what kind of effect it could have if you made every step of the way with your company faster, easier, or more fun.

Speak their language

If I'm selling things to single moms, I'll use different terminology than if I were selling things to computer programmers. I would use much less technical language, and I would focus more on the feeling than the benefits. (They would probably be different products, too.) 

Also, focus on what a service does for them. Like "I will organize your car!" instead of "I'm really organized!" Because they won't make the connection between you being organized and that being a skill. Same goes for when you're trying to get a job. Résumés are essentially flyers for you. They should not only reflect who you are, but what you can do specifically.

Tools vs. Operator

The operator always matters more than the tools. Remember to sharpen your skills before you sharpen your knives. If that's your tool. But for most of us, it's our computers. Or smart phones. So, rather than having the fastest computer, have amazing prioritization. Or effort. Just have something that comes from you, instead of your environment. Because that changes.

Think about it. Let's say a corporate middle manager has a top of the line HK416 fully automatic, and a Navy SEAL has a semi automatic .22LR. And for some dreadful reason they want each other dead.  Who's gonna win the battle?

Navy SEAL all the way. He could've done it with a pencil.

Debt can make you rich

Debt is a disease. You know this and I know this. But it can make you rich if you understand it well enough. Now I'm not telling you to get into debt for some investment, because that would be silly. What I'm telling you to do is this: use debt payment principles to pay yourself.

In debt situations, the lender does way better than the borrower. Why? They give money now for more money later. They mortgage now for the future. The borrower, on the other hand has it quite different. They mortgage the future for now.

Voraciously cut costs, sock away 20% right off the bat, and start on the smallest investment you want to make. Since you aren't in debt, this will be easier and you will see a direct return for your money. Rather then just seeing money go out the window you realize you're mortgaging now for the future, which will be epic if you keep this up.

Ship now

"Those who don't make mistakes work for those of us that do." -Henry Ford

Ship now. While there's still bugs, problems, and the color isn't quite right. If you have a product and ship it when everything is just right, you lose your edge. Someone has already done it by now, and it's (probably) better than what you have. 

Release a beta. Let people know you need feedback and be ready to change. Be prepared to toss out 7 months worth of code. Is it painful? Yes. Did you learn? Yes. 

Don't be afraid of mistakes. 

What do I want?

“If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” - Jim Rohn

That single question can (and will) change your life if you understand it and truly want to get to the answer. Don't take into consideration your previous obligations or what people expect of you. Write it down. You can burn it later if you really want to. But know what you want.

Once you know what you want, understand that you can achieve it. Know that nothing is impossible. Make a list of actions you can take now to get you closer to it. Nothing worth doing is easy.

Go. Do the actions and get on the path to living your dreams today. Right now is all we ever have. Reading time is over.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the most important things you can do for you and and your body. It boosts brainpower, enhances sleep, makes you more energetic and lowers stress. All you have to do is move. Run for 10 minutes a day. It's not a lot, but it could easily snowball into much more. You don't need a ton of exercise equipment, either. You'll start feeling more alert, awake, and alive. You'll probably even lose weight. But that's not the point. It'll make you more productive and capable of accomplishing your goals.

Change

Things will change. You probably won't be doing what you are right now in 10 years. You might not even be in the same industry. That might be the most freeing (or scary) thing you've heard this year. Nothing stays the same forever. Everything is constantly in flux.

If you account for change, know that it will come, and move with it you will do just fine.

Adversity breeds innovation

Look at the people in jail. They'll make a rope that can hold a 180 pound man with toilet paper. 


I would even go as far as to say that artificial adversity drives the same result. If I need to have a paper done by 3 hours from now, I will have it done.

Create an environment of adversity. You'll get more done, faster and smarter.

Relish obscurity

Make mistakes while you're small. It's better to upset 30 people than it is to upset 3,000 people. So be excited you're still a small, agile one man operation.

Rebel Manifesto

(This is probably one of my most passionate (and long) posts ever. Please take the time to read it, then after subscribe to my mailing list.)

America was built upon rebellion. If our founding fathers hadn't rebelled, we would still be under the service of the queen. We might even have funny accents. But that never happened. We are (still) the greatest nation on planet earth.

This one goes out to the rebels. The revolutionaries. The geeks in cold basements building the next dynamic change in technology. The radicals who stay out late tagging overpasses. Those who couldn't bear to listen in school. The oddballs who did what they loved and let no one stop them. This one's for you.

You never liked rules, and you always did your own thing. Preoccupied with your own pursuits, you never really did well in school. Teachers, parents and other (well meaning) authority figures never understood you. They wrinkled their brows and whispered (or said aloud) you were being lazy when you dropped out (or didn't go) to college. They wondered what you were doing with yourself as visions of you staying with your parents playing Call Of Duty until you were 45 danced in their head. They gave you detentions, made you go to your room, and lectured you about a college degree to keep you in line. But you were never the best at listening to unsuccessful people. So you didn't.

But they were wrong. You made the right choices all along. Following your gut and what you wanted out of life paid off one hundred fold. Now you're rich, powerful, and loved. You always knew you'd make it, because you worked at it every single day. They call you artists, and finally recognize you for what you're worth. Priceless. And those same people who tried to keep you in line, are now taking credit for you're success. They say that they made you who you are today. Apparently, they took your unshaped, misguided mind and molded it into one driven for success.

Now they're wrong twice. 

Thank you for doing your own thing, and helping the rest of us out while you were at it. Thank you for studying what you wanted in school, rather than what the rest of the class was. Thank you for being you. Fighters. Zealots. Romantics. Those who stood up when others sat down. You've made all of our lives better with what you built, did, or said.

I didn't know about this picture before I started writing. But I love it.

Thank God For Rebels.

What do I do now?

How do you make decisions? It seems to me that most or my (major) decisions fall into a safe/risky split. Derek Sivers says you should take the uncomfortable choice. I agree. You'll never be stuck wondering what could've been. Think about that next time it's between going to college and traveling the world.

5 ways to find your love

It's important to find what you love. To do it unapologetically. Because only when you really do what you want are you in your element. Here's 5 ways to find just what that is.

Experiment - Change something. Figure out what you like. Figure out what drains you. Fill in the blank, "I feel free when I ________" and maximize your time doing that and minimize the draining activities.

Go somewhere new - Classic. If you don't like where you are, move. Then make a list of why you like the new place better.

Read/Write - Read something you like and agree with. Then read something you don't like and don't agree with. Because that's the only way you grow. Through uncomfortable circumstances/ideas. Then write a manifesto about why you agree with one and not the other. Or about horses. Just take a stand and create something about it.

Watch the sunrise - Wake up early, go outside and smell the air. Almost everything is quiet, calm, and charming in the morning. Remember (and keep) that calmness as you go through your day. It makes you think about things you never considered when you were busy. Breathing and thinking is all you have to focus on.

Believe in yourself - Trust yourself. Know that if you find something "impossible" that's what you should go for. Because it's likely possible. Human flight (with landing) wasn't possible in 1902. But in 1903 it suddenly was. Why? Because someone figured out how to do it. You and I know their names 108 years later because of it. So do the impossible.

Life should be simple. 

Why not to follow directions

When you bake something or complete an assignment, what do you do? Follow directions, do what you're told, and keep your head down. There is something that always feels right about following a plan someone else laid out. Following directions gets you a safe, predictable (and generally mediocre) result.

There are places you should follow directions, such as the battlefield or the hospital because following directions (usually) keeps you alive at these times. But unless it's a life or death situation, you don't need to follow directions. They were made by someone else, not you. Only you know what you need and how you need to get there.

Make you're own map. Take a risk. Not a big one at first, of course. But a tiny risk will make it easier to take a bigger risk. The last time I was baking sugar cookies, I didn't follow directions. Could it turn out horrible? Yes. But it could also turn out brilliant. So I decided to do it my own way.

I put two eggs in the mix, when I saw some chocolate chips, so I threw them in. Eventually it snowballed into a concoction with a fiber one bar, a peanut butter granola bar, and a pack of (crushed) mini oreos. I baked it about one and a half times as long as it should've been. But they turned out fantastic.

According to the directions, I did everything wrong. I put in too many eggs, baked it too long, put it in the wrong type of pan, and put in too many different ingredients. But according to the people who tried some, I did everything right. So who are you trying to please? A piece of paper that tells you what to do, or the people you care about?

So use discretion with directions.

Ideas rule

  Ideas are amazingly powerful, whether virtuous or destructive. The idea that humans can fly gave Orville and Wilbur Wright (and the world) the airplane. The idea that one certain people is better than all others started the holocaust. It all comes down to the idea and what you want to do with it.

  Ideas are the basis of everything the human race has accomplished. They are the point at which imagination meets innovation. Magic to reality. It's your job to move them from mere thoughts to set in historical stone.

  You have them, too. You might forget them, but you do have them. Write them down. All of them. Buy a (pocket sized) notebook, or text them to yourself. Just get them onto something (a little) more permanent. Then, comes the most important part.

 Take action. 

Pick one

Next time you have a great deal to finish in a small amount of time, remember that you don't have a clone. You can't do it all at the same time, so you'll need to stop trying.

You can't get more than one item finished at any given time. While you sit there spinning your wheels and thinking, nothing gets done. Just pick one. The scariest, most important one should be done first. Get to it.

Just begin

Whenever I have major writer's block (like now) I just start writing. When you start with reckless abandon as to where this is going, a strange thing happens. You're mind starts working to take you where you want to go. I can't plan things very much because the planning becomes paralyzing. With too much choice and too little time, I'm stuck not doing anything. And that's the worst action of all.

8 ways to be nicer

Kindness is one of the most powerful forces known to man. You can accomplish anything, and you need others to help with everything. So you'll have to learn to communicate, respect others, and get along.

Here's 8 ways to help you be nicer (and happier)

Give An Unexpected Gift - It's hard to overestimate the power of an unexpected gift. It can mend relationships, bring people closer, and make you both happier. It doesn't have to be huge, and the effects are immediate and apparent.

Smile - A sincere smile creates an instant bond, even between strangers. It's like instant acceptance, almost as if to say "I don't know you but I like you" (without being creepy) Try it.

Pay Someone A Compliment - Compliments are wonderful. Just make sure it's sincere.  "But what if I don't like anything that person does? How am I supposed to compliment them sincerely?" You ask. If I look hard enough, I can find something I like in everyone. Just be willing to find it.

Ask Something Unexpected - Rather then asking "How are you?" because that elicits a fake and preloaded response, ask something like "How's your day going?". It works wonders to get people to make a genuine connection.


Remember Names - This is one of the most overlooked (but important) things ever. If people aren't important enough for you to remember their names, you're (almost) better off ignoring them in the first place. Rhyme it with something, keep a notebook to write it down, or put it in your phone as fast as you can. Just remember it. They do notice when you forget their names and it's the worst for both of you. Also if you do forget and don't want to make it awkward by asking their name, try this trick. Ask how to spell their name. It's very effective.


Help Someone In Need - See that guy working who's not quite getting that box into that truck? Help him. It might make a world of difference in that instant (or day) that he really needed. Just remember when you were in a situation like that and a stranger came out of nowhere to help you. Be that stranger.


Be Honest - 100% honesty isn't common. It never was. Neither was 75%. 50% was for a time, but no longer. Strangers lie on average 3 times within meeting each other. Average married couples lie in 1 out of every 10 interactions. Just be honest. It might hurt now, but you will be better for it later. (Also people remember when you told the truth in that tough situation.)


Forgive Instantly - Not in a week. Not in 24 hours. Now. Remember when you screwed up and were forgiven. There's absolutely no use in holding a grudge. All you do is hurt yourself. So let it go, smile and move on. Try not to even remember it.


Get your sister something for no other reason than she wants it. Smile at a stranger, and tell them how much you like their shoes. Ask that clerk how her day's going, and remember her name for next time. Help that child get the door open. When your boss asks you if it was you that accidentally threw away his TPS report, tell the truth. Get out there, live, and forgive.

Testing. one, two, three

Always remember to experiment. 

The smallest blog posts are sometimes the most influential.

Sometimes you need to focus on one area, such as different fonts.

Just note the times when you're in your element, and replicate that.

This is too hard...

"It's too hard to write something epic everyday. I'm taking today off." Is it really? Or are you afraid or too tired or too lazy? Why don't you start something to where you are responsible to put something thought provoking out everyday?

That's why I started this blog. I was reading Seth's Blog about a month ago, when he said that no one gets talker's block. Why? Because they do it everyday. They ship. Therefore, I decided to ship everyday with this blog. Does it take time? Yes. Is it annoying some days? Yes. That's precisely why I do it. Because if it were easy absolutely everyone would do it.

Send me the URL of the blog or essay or response this caused, if any. I would love to see it.

Stay Startup

Older companies (tend to) become slow, not able to pivot easily. Somewhere along the line, they lose that magical element of startups. They refuse to do new things, refuse to try and fail, or refuse to move operations. It's understandable. They're trying to continue doing what worked in the past, thinking things are still the same. Except the world changes, and they can't keep up.

This creates a wonderful opportunity for entrepreneurs, in businesses both big and small. As long as they are more plugged in to what people want, they will succeed. They utilize disruptive technology to go forth and destroy the traditional market that the larger company is (currently) serving. In the large business, they have to realize that they will not be serving this exact market in 20 years. Things move too quickly now. You have to stay startup. Always be ready to pivot, changing a new market that is taking over your market. No, I'll take that a step further. You should be the one to take over your own market. 

Be Brilliant

Curiosity, the capacity to learn, and acting upon what you know are the most powerful tools known to man. If you aren't using them, you will be (and are currently) falling behind. Why not be so awesomely, spectacularly original, so amazingly epicly brilliant that people write about you? Or try to meet you. Or ask for your autograph. Be someone like that.

If you aren't remarkable, become remarkable. That's all I can say. It can (and will) be done this year by people who are younger than you and not as smart as you. There are millions of ways to do it. All you have to do is apply yourself to doing it. Move, live, fight, change, read, sing, create, love, write, sculpt, imagine. Just do it, because the world needs you. Not someone else, you. Only you can make your unique contribution and insight. 

                                              Be Brilliant. 

Inspiration Expiration

Inspiration expires fast. It's here one day, while you're ready to take on the world and found some multi billion dollar company, when the next day all you want is sleep. Why? Because you're human. If we could all always do our best work, our best work would just be today's work. It might not even be that good, since someone else's best work is simply likely to be better than yours.

Just know that this won't last forever so you'd better move on it now. All we ever have is now, and today is tomorrow's old news.

Genius is found in simplicity

Simple is always better, more effective, and downright prettier than complex. When you make something simple and effective, it's amazing what you can create. Take nature for example. It's at the peak of simplicity, not needing any more or less for what it does. Every blade of grass, every tree, every wolf, all just live without clutter. It's perfect. 

So next time you design a product, remember nature. Remember that it shouldn't be complex. Recall how streams roll downhill with no power, that flowers rely on the things around them to survive, and how it feels to be in the center of it all. Emulate that in your product.

Feedback vs Discouragement

You should always give feedback, but never give discouragement. Feedback is truly helpful, only trying to help the recipient. Discouragement is never helpful, to either the giver or recipient. The difference? 

Intent.

If I tell you what you're working on sucks, that's discouragement. If I tell you what you're working on sucks but could be much better if you'd change this, that's feedback. Discouragement is final, feedback is always trying to get better. When I give you feedback, I'm on you're side, and I want you to get better. When I give you discouragement, I'm not on you're side, and I want you to stop creating. 

Success Equation

Action + Focus + Perseverance = Success

Action because if you don't do anything you'll be in the same place you are now 40 years from now. 

Focus because if you're thinking about everything and working on everything you get nothing done.

Perseverance because you will fail. It's how you deal with failure that separates you for success. 

(See "Failure" Oct. 14th)

Know the other side

After an argument, silence may mean acceptance or the continuation of resistance by other means. -Mason Cooley 

When you're in an argument, do you just say whatever you can to "win" or are you genuinely trying to get to the truth? Big difference between the two. The first one no one wins and the second everyone wins. If you're trying to win, why? You only win when you both got to the truth, no matter who was right. They are as stubborn and set in their ways as you are, so it doesn't matter if you're right if you can't look at things objectively. Respect the other person's point of view. They might be right.

Here's the test to see if you are right and looking at it objectively. Do you know the other person's side? Can I ask you what they think and have you say it correctly & completely? So when you ask the person who thinks what you just said, all they say is yes? If you can do that, and then prove why that's a wrong point of view, you both just won. But respect is always the key. If you did all of that but belittled them in the process, you both lost. Nothing was accomplished. Especially if you got mad. If you got mad when you were arguing with someone, end the conversation and come back two hours later after you've calmed down. If you can't do that it's your problem, not theirs.

Take an objective look at the situation next time. You don't have everything right; no one does. Take that into consideration next time you're in an argument.

Abortion (Steve Jobs)

(You might not like this post. That's fine with me. I also don't write on super touchy issues often, but this came to my mind last night and I thought it was interesting.)

What would the world be like if Steve Jobs never lived? What if he wasn't there to make that once-written  off  tech company into the juggernaut it is today? A lot worse, in my opinion. So, on to the controversial part.

Steve Jobs was adopted. His parents were in graduate school when they had him. What if they decided they didn't want a child at such an early age? What if they had decided to (illegally since it was 1955) abort him? The entire world would be at a loss. We wouldn't have apple, iPods, iPads, or Macintosh computers. I might not be writing this blog because it's on a Mac.

How many Steve Jobs do we abort everyday, every week, or every year? A child is a piece of infinite possibility and potential. What would the world be like if they were here? How much better could life be?

Scared

What are you afraid of? Some of the most damaging fear isn't physical. It's mental. You had that great idea and didn't do anything with it, then six months later you see what you thought of on the internet. You get the worst sinking feeling, and wonder how well the guy who did it is doing.

It wasn't always like this, though. There used to be things that were very smart to be afraid of, as that gigantopithecus in the dark inside that cave would probably rip you to pieces. So, fear was a valuable survival tool back then. Not anymore.

Open your mind

“The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow- witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him.” ― Leo Tolstoy

There is nothing more powerful than an open mind. You can learn, accomplish, and adapt to anything when you utilize what God gave you when you were born. Don't close your mind to new things just because they're different or make you uncomfortable. If you're not busy learning you're busy dying.

Go do something new, learn something, meet someone you would never talk to otherwise. We're all people and we all come from basically the same level. What I mean by this is that people are basically good. If you come from a level where you believe everyone (or even some people) wake up every morning just looking to hurt others, you yourself become cold and paranoid. So give others the benefit of the doubt, and move on when you (rarely) get burned.

Now that doesn't mean you can judge others based upon your perceptions of them or your experiences, because you can't. You don't really know anyone. You weren't there when their dog died, or when they got in that car accident.

So just remember that keeping an open mind is very important. It's often the beginners that come up with the most innovative (and successful) solutions. Knowledge can end up binding you, unless you tame it. Meaning nothing is 100% absolute. If you believe all (or even most) things are absolute, when they change you will be trampled. So live, adapt, change, and grow if you wish to be successful. If not, just do the same thing you did yesterday, everyday for the rest of your life.

The power of exclusion

When you look at the cover of a book and you see "Best Seller!" it instantly gives it a bit more credibility. "Maybe this author knows what he's talking about if all these other people bought this. I'll give it a shot." you say, as you click checkout on Amazon. This is the psychology of the mass. This is why you never see "This book didn't really sell that well..." on the cover. If you know other people didn't do something, you're in turn less likely to do it.

Unless...

Unless you don't consider yourself part of everybody, of "the mass tribe" as Seth Godin puts it. I know people who don't like certain things or brands or whatever just because a lot of other people like them. It's for a sense of individuality that they do this. But what happens when you put all the people who shun well known (but perfectly fine) brands in favor of the smaller, less known alternative that caters to them? What if you market to only these people instead of those in the middle with a house and 2.3 kids? You create zealots. You move people from mere customers to revolutionaries for your company's cause. That's what Apple originally did, and I still feel like I'm fighting the power by typing this blog on an iBook G4.

Seth Godin is full of wonderful insights, and his new book, We Are All Weird, is no different. He writes that rather than trying to be everything to everyone, shun those you don't want. This will polarize the people you do want to your product.

Take Dr. Pepper TEN, for example. I don't usually drink Dr. Pepper, or any pop for that matter, but this is just too appealing. Dr. Pepper did market research that said that men don't drink many "diet" drinks because they don't feel manly drinking them. So, rather than doing what everyone else was doing and marketing to overweight women, they took a new path. They completely excluded women. They state that it has "Ten rugged, manly calories." and the ads make it clear it's not for females. That's 50% of the market that they just shunned. But they polarized the other half. I'm drinking a Dr. Pepper TEN right now because I feel included (and manly) for doing so.


Think of this next time you're marketing a product. You'll thank yourself for it later.