“Action without Vision is a Nightmare.”
The hard truth is that if you don’t create your life, someone else will create it for you. Yes, sometimes s*#t happens that leads to experiences we didn’t plan for, and some of those experiences become defining moments in our lives. But, there are plenty of other moments that WE define and drive based on our mindset and the actions we take. Stop letting life happen to you and start making it happen for you.
Some tips on defining what you want:
1) Write a bucket list with 100 things you want to do before you die.
2) Define the lifestyle you want in every major area of your life (Career, Family, Relationships, Health, Spirituality, Recreation etc.).
3) Define your talents and your passion. Have an honest conversation about what your talents are and what they are not. Discover areas where you can apply those talents to meaningful work that inspires passion inside you.
4) Share these outcomes with everyone you know.
“Vision without Action is a Daydream.”
Too often, we’re all talk. It drives me nuts to hear someone say, “I’m gonna…I want to…One day I hope to…” What are you doing right now, in this moment, to take action to make those things happen? Each day, you’re either a day closer to your vision or you’re not. It’s your pick. Taking action on an idea is the only real way we discover whether or not the idea works. Spend less time talking, planning and deciding how you’re going to do something. Spend more time defining a clear vision and taking action that will help you learn and push you towards your outcome.
Nightmares keep you up at night. Daydreams waste your time. Define what you want , and start living the dreams that matter.
If you haven’t heard about Crush it Gary Vaynerchuck’s book that comes out October 13 you need to catch up and pre-order your copy today.
Gary V is my business idol and as the unofficial Mayor of this Community I’d like to recommend that we read the book together then support and energize each other to apply our talents to more meaningful work.
We’ve pre-ordered about 30 copies and will give out a few to members of this Talented Community. To get in on the drawing to get a free copy join in this discussion and tell us.
1. What is your talent’s passion?
2. How can TR and this community support you in “Crushing It”?
Read more about Gary here or learn about his new book, Crush It! here.
The Talent that leads us through the 21st Century will master these 2 things:
1. Control of their own attention
2. Capturing the attention of others
In Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book, Outliers, he claims Work Ethic 2.0 is Control of Attention and states that
“Control of attention is the ultimate individual power. People who can do that are not prisoners of the stimuli around them.”
Work Ethic 2.0: Attention Control Commentary:
“A person who works with total focus has an enormous advantage over a workaholic who’s “multi-tasking” all day, answering every phone call, constantly checking Facebook and Twitter, and indulging every interruption.”
In an age where distractions seek you out, where everyone has ADD and the next generation is popping Adderall like it’s Vitamin C, how can this not be true?
BUT, there is something that’s going to be an even bigger factor than having total focus. That something is having the ATTENTION of others.
In today’s world, having the ATTENTION of others is priceless. We are exposed to over 3,000 advertising messages per day and, in the middle of all that noise, we’re receiving real-time e-mail notifications and IMs, we’re reading tweets on Twitter, we’re checking the latest status updates on Facebook, we’re getting requests to connect on LinkedIn, our phones are ringing off the hook with personal and business calls, we’re replying to comments on blogs, having meetings, and watching breaking news, all while co-workers are tugging on our sleeves.
In today’s world, the ones who have the ultimate influence are the ones who can attract the attention and the talent of others.
In his book, Crush It, Gary Vaynerchuk talks about NOW being the prime time to cash in on our passion. He talks about how eyeballs are shifting to the Internet, and that the people who will call the shots are the ones who have the attention of those eyeballs within their niches. And, FYI, TR has ordered several copies of Crush It to give out to members of our community.
For the longest time we’ve said, “Content is king.” For the longest time, gatekeepers determined the content and the market set the price for it. Soon, that situation will be reversed. Soon, the people who attract the attention of the group (niche) will tell the content creators what the group wants and will set the price.
When I think of this, Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR immediately comes to mind. She is engaging and captures the attention of the HR community. She is positioning herself to be a very wealthy lady one day…
Capturing the attention of others is about engagement.
Today, I’d like to start a discussion about ATTENTION and ask the questions..
What are the things that engage YOU and capture your attention?
On a flight last week, I was sitting next to a boy and a girl who were both in their mid twenties. The girl noticed the “start-up magazine” in my bag, pointed to it and said to the boy, “Hey, have you heard of this magazine?” It was an obvious and awkward moment where I knew she wanted me to ask, “Do you have a start-up? If so, what do you do?” So.. I asked, she enthusiastically said, “YES!“ and then, blushing, said “OK. Here’s my spiel.” Her “partner” winked and gave her a look that said, “You go girl. You’ve got this!”
She gave me their scripted pitch as if she’d rehearsed it 100 times in the mirror. I had flashbacks of feeling how she did in that exact moment. Except my flashback was from a time more recent than you think. They told me that they both recently graduated with MBAs and, after six unsuccessful months on the job market, decided to start a business.
It’s happening with everyone. Baby Boomers aren’t retiring. They’re starting businesses. Gen-Y’rs are graduating college only to be disappointed by the lack of opportunity within the job market. And X’ers are
having early mid life crisis’s like I did and wondering “Am I missing out on something here? Should I be opting out of corporate america and chase my dreams?”
I’m having these conversations every day with friends and people in my network, including people from all age groups. This certainly has become the cool trend.
As I approach the anniversary of my first year as a full-time entrepreneur and reflect back on the highest of highs and lowest of lows, I wonder: Do some of these people have what it takes? Starting your own business doesn’t always work out like the Facebook fairytale. I’ve learned that if you don’t have a ton of cash you have to be resilient as hell, that you must have a strong network and a boatload of Social Currency built up with that network (thank you @unmarketing), and you have to be willing to push yourself so far out of your comfort zone that it sometimes makes you want to throw up.
Not everyone’s cut out for it. In fact, maybe most people aren’t cut out for it.
What do you think?
Does entrepreneurship require a certain DNA? If so, what’s the profile?
If you have experience in entrepreneurship, what tips would you give someone starting out?
Amanda Hite
A few weeks ago, Laurie Ruettimann wrote a blog on Punk Rock HR asking the community to provide tips for job seekers on how to get the job. My advice was to approach getting the gig in the same way you would attempt to get into an exclusive club.
Here’s an example from my “clubbin days”.
I remember the first time I tried to get into an exclusive event. We’d just left a Prince concert and heard that he was planning on stopping by a certain club after the show. He was hosting a “private party” in one of the VIP rooms there.
My friends and I were hell bent on going.
When we arrived at the club, there was a line of people (each one of them, pitifully desperate to get in) that wrapped around the building like a Six Flags ride. Unless you were on the guest list or could afford to slip the doorman a grand or two, you didn’t have a chance of getting in.
I realized in that moment that I had two options:
1. Convince my friend to flash the bouncers.
2. Make such a favorable impression on someone who was “already in” that they’d bring me in through the back door.
My friend said, “No.”
She, like the rest of the crowd, started kissing up to the doorman and begged him to let us in. That didn’t work. It usually never works for most people. And, she’s definitely not “most people”.
I happened to notice that the dude who performed a keyboard solo during the concert was near the back door and was in the process of getting bombarded by a group of girls. Almost instinctively I confidently walked over and, shouted, “Ladies, please step away and let this gentlemen through.”
They all assumed I worked at the club.
I took his arm, led him away from the crowd, and we began walking toward the back door. Afterward, I looked up and said, “I don’t work here you just looked like you could use some help,” and then started to walk away. He grabbed my arm and said, “Hey, wait. That was really cool. What’s your name?”
I told him my name. And he invited me in.
I think you should approach getting a gig the same way. Don’t waste your time on the doorman and don’t follow the crowd. Work to deliver a big favor/impression to that person who is “already in” and can get you in the back door. And, never flash the bouncer.
If you haven’t noticed that we’re going through major changes right now, you’re living on another planet.
Some of the changes are hard to stomach like our economy and employment situation .
Other changes, like the ones happening on the technology front, make me feel like I just won the lottery…like the fact that I can run my business from my iPhone.
“It’s not the strongest or the most intelligent of species that will survive, but it’s those who are most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin
I realized this as a kid, when my family moved sometimes as often as every 3-6 months. While constantly changing schools and having to always make new friends sucked, I discovered it came with a few advantages.
Like getting a boatload of second chances.
For example, in the 2nd grade, I peed my pants during recess and was made fun of by the whole class for the rest of the school year. But, when I changed schools in the 3rd grade, no one ever knew about that and I had a clean slate. I was the best break dancer in our grade which officially made me the coolest kid in school.
I learned a long time ago that when you’re responsive to change, you usually end up ok. .
Amanda
to wrap up my birthday week i wake up (after having a great dream about being a vampire) to another day of cloudy skies and rain. yesterday my neighbor was sunbathing on her deck and a week ago my deck was covered in snow. inconsistent weather drives me insane and bad weather makes me cry.
my bff always tells says “you shouldn’t let the weather drive your mood”. dude, it is sooo much easier to slap a smile on your face and when the sun’s shining in a clear blue sky. on my last quick trip to sunny california before my flight out i had an early breakfast along the beach. i noticed the big fat smiles on the faces of the happy, healthy people, running, biking and walking their dogs near by. even the dogs looked happier.
once a year i take a vaca to laguna beach, we stay at the surf and sand hotel and create some of my favorite memories. life seems perfect there. when it’s leaving time i declare i’m moving and stock up on over priced real estate ads.
when the weather here is bad i get mad at myself for not moving in with the palm trees but then i remind myself…
while i haven’t given up on my dream to be a vampire living by the surf and sand. i’m putting it on hold for now. better weather’s coming and boating days at the lake and lunches in the sun at the greene are just around the corner. in the meantime i’m working on a plan to have my cake and eat it too.
this sexythinker is not very emotional but in this blog i’ll share with you my 1 feeling.
we all talk about wanting to be happy. what i think we mean is that we want peace, love and serenity. a state of being that my great grandmother (88 yrs old) appears to have achieved effortlessly.
this past monday she had emergency surgery, breast cancer. the day before, i flew in from los angeles, attended a dinner party in cinci then got up early to drive over the river and through the woods to see her. i never want to take for granted the fact that i still have a great grandmother in my life.
when i arrived the first thing she said from her hospital bed was: “are you ok? i’m so sorry you got lost. let’s get you something to eat you must be hungry.” this coming from a woman who just lost her breast.
when i asked her how she was doing she replied:
“everyone here is so nice, the food here is the best and i’ve had so many nice visitors”.
she had every reason in the world to complain,to feel sorry for herself, but she didn’t and in my lifetime of memories she never has.
my family tells me her finances are low yet they say she still flips out the checkbook when she see’s a charity plea on tv. they also inform me that a neighbor has been borrowing large sums of money from her. i wanted to kick his ass. i went to his house to try but wasn’t home. meanwhile my great grandmother compassionately expresses while she does want her money back, she appreciates his company and the little things he does for her.
recently she’s moved into a nursing home. she raves about the staff, her lovely roommate and how much she enjoys playing the piano in the cafeteria. we both play by ear. i love sharing that and the middle name eileen.
up until now i’ve kept the name a secret. now i’m proud to carry the fourth generation name. i hope i can honor it like she has.
we all search for happiness. the happiest, most loved person i know has taught me you find it by being selfless, giving, abundant and grateful.
she is my hero.
just reclined the chair in seat 5A and powered up the laptop. i hate airports and miss the days when i was able to travel on “the company plane.” but, i love flying. like, a lot. it’s weird.
ironically, something about flying grounds me.
here are a few things i love about my airplane safe haven.
productivity:
no internet. no phone. just me, my thoughts, earphones and laptop. with Web 2.0 comes a lot of noise and distraction. it’s nice to take breaks from it. during those breaks, I get great work done. like the work I’m getting ready to do with Chris on our latest book project. it really sucks that wi-fi will be more accessible on flights now.
flight attendants:
while they’re typically not as hot as they are on TV, there has never been a flight attendant that i didn’t find attractive. i told you: weird. i think it has something to do with how well they stay composed behind a sweet smile in the midst of all the crap they put up with. i always tip them when I order a drink and they always act surprised, then usually give me the rest of my drinks for free.
random people:
commercial travel creates opportunities to interact with a lot of people that i normally wouldn’t otherwise. i’ve sat next to people from all walks of life, from ceos to entertainers, and 6 year olds to a few psychos. i have a rule to interact with each person i sit with, even if it’s brief. sometimes what can i learn or realize is priceless. sometimes i need an exit strategy. earlier this year, i sat next to an airport employee that lives and works in charlotte. she was traveling back from india where she went to visit her husband. they see each other once a year, and have only seen each other once a year for the last 5 years. she made me realize i need to be more grateful for the easy access i have to my family and appreciate having a great, consistent sex life.
on my last flight, i finished a chapter of our book sitting next to a guy who was pretty lame. i stole his pretzels when he got up to go to the bathroom. i’m such a bad ass. this flight, i’ve got the whole row to myself. i’m finishing up this blog and looking forward to taking a nice nap.
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