Daily Inspiration 10-11-12

"When you're in a situation, you can complain about it, you can feel sorry for yourself, you can do a lot of things. But how are you gonna make the situation better?" -- Marjane Satrapi I loved this quote above as soon as I saw it. Marjane had another one that adds nicely to this one where she says, "We can only feel sorry for ourselves when our misfortunes are still supportable. Once this limit is crossed, the only way to bear the unbearable is to laugh at it." I totally get that and have crossed that line many times.   To add even more perspective to this, Khalil Gibran gives us this gem: "Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."   I had a couple thoughts in the last few days that I wanted to share. One is that some people like to complain. There may be many things going on, maybe going awry, or maybe more on their plate than is comfortable. I know the feeling. As we complain about those things, feeling sorry for ourselves is a natural response. I think that this is essentially what a complaint really is when you take the make-up off it.   As we complain, we need ears to hear it, otherwise it is a burden, or at least that is how it feels. Yet there is a better way to release that burden but some are not yet ready to release it because that requires us to stop complaining, and act, or I should say, counter-act by focusing on what is okay or good rather than what is not okay or bad. It is so true as Khalil says that it is how our mind looks at it, not what is actually happening.   The other thought was feeling sad about circumstances that we may seem to have no control over. Some think that is a natural thing for us to do, and I would agree that it is something that is quite common, and most would call it normal behavior. Yet, I have found that unnatural, and even unhealthy. I think that this is another way that we can feel sorry for ourselves and the fact that so many see it as normal, they then gladly feel sorry for you and empower your continued sadness. One payoff is the attention.   I could give you an itemized list of so-called problems I have all around me in my life, and yet I know that my list would pale to some other people and their list, so I think we all run into these things called problems, but how we deal with them can be quite dramatically different. As Marjane Satrapi says, "But how are you gonna make the situation better?"   The way that I find most effective for me is to focus on what I am thankful for, what I love to look at, what I love to do. I deal with the issues when they absolutely have to be dealt with and not before. I have stopped fretting about them so much and if I give them attention early, it is very short lived. In other words, I look at them differently. I don't call them problems so much as just what is and I accept that somehow I brought this into my life and try to find the value in it rather than the harm.

Feeling Sorry For Myself Cannot Be Solved From Outside Myself, Only From Within.   Spread Some Joy Today--Turn your life around by choosing different and better feeling thoughts.

Daily Inspiration 10-10-12

"I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it." -- Groucho Marx   Movies are one of my regular pleasures and I especially love good documentaries. I found one night before last on Netflix that I could watch instantly on my computer. The movie is titled, Happy. It was a study on being happy, who is and why around the world. I think it was masterfully done and I completely lost track of time watching it. By that, I would have to say I highly recommend it. If you don't have Netflix, you can watch it for a few bucks on Amazon.com, and probably other places as well. Check it out. I think you will enjoy it and it will make you happy too.

Happiness Is Being Happy. Duh. . .   Spread Some Joy Today--Share your happiness by wearing it on your face and body language. No one will miss it.

Daily Inspiration 10-9-12

"Put off anything you don't need for launch. Build the necessities now, worry about the luxuries later. If you really think about it, there's a whole lot you don't need on day one." -- Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson from the book, Rework As I was reading another very short 2 page chapter in the book, Rework, I loved the idea of this chapter title, Launch Now! or Get It Out There. It reminded me of a story I heard many years ago that I've never forgotten that goes along with this idea.   The story I heard many years ago was brilliant. It still is. They built an apartment complex with several buildings and they built the buildings and necessities, yet they purposely left out the walkways to and from the buildings and other areas such as laundry rooms. They wanted to see what the traffic patterns that people chose themselves. After several weeks, the patterns were obvious, and so they built the walkways accordingly. What an interesting way to do something.   If you think about it, there is no way that anything could actually be completely finished prior to launch, and even if that were possible, it would not be long before upgrades are needed, new features, or other adjustments. Nowadays they call those version 1, 2, 3, 4 5. They just launched the iPhone 5 and I'm sure it is quite different from the iPhone 1.   In our business, we began. We learned as we went. We got better. We changed the way we did things. We ended up changing our entire approach and business model, and began again anew. Since that renewed beginning, there have been several improvements and changes, adding features and benefits and more. I'm sure there will be many more to come in time.   I think it is a good approach to give it your best shot that you have at the moment and be ready to make changes and adjustments. Stick with flexibility and a willingness to change, while continuing to move forward. Yet the real key is to get it out there, or to get moving.

It Doesn't Go Anywhere Until You Ship It.   Spread Some Joy Today--Take it easy. Laugh a lot. Relax.

Daily Inspiration 10-8-12

"Guitar gurus say, "Tone is in your fingers." You can buy the same guitar, effects pedals, and amplifier that Eddie Van Halen uses. But when you play that rig, it's still going to sound like you Likewise, Eddie could plug into a crappy Strat/Pignose setup at a pawn shop, and you'd still be able to recognize that it's Eddie Van Halen playing. Fancy gear can help, but the truth is your tone comes from you." -- Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson from the book, Rework. Yesterday, I took another quote out of this very short chapter in the book, Rework, titled, Tone Is In Your Fingers. Yesterday it was about how some people are obsessed with technology ignoring substance or content especially as it is related to websites and other Internet properties. But, these few sentences above preceded the previous quote from yesterday, spoke to me a bit differently.  I could relate to this quote immediately because I play the guitar and have for a long time. I've seen good players who can come in and pick up a piece of crap instrument and make it sound good, while they make a good instrument sound spectacular. Part of what I related to here was that I'm glad I learned on less quality instruments that were good enough to tune, but not so good they made me inflexible or able to make my sound work in lieu of the better instrument. At the same time, it is amazing what a better instrument will do for a player when they get one. I'll never forget starting to play bass guitar after playing a six string guitar for many years and I had a very inexpensive instrument that wasn't that easy to play, but I made do with it and it worked out okay. Then, the time came when it was time to move up to a better instrument and it was almost miraculous how I instantly became a several layers up better player just from that ease of playing that fine instrument. But, the key to that was that this would never had happened without the previous instrument. How I relate to this in business and in other ways in life is to go with what you have and do the best you can with what you have to work with. Find your sound. Find your tone. Develop the skills, and the knowledge of doing what you do as only you can do it. Then, in due time, the need and opportunity will come together to bring you to the next level where you will soar as you never imagined. Your skill and knowledge will leap several levels all in one fell swoop. You will be joyous in this and at the same time, you will find a whole new appreciation for what has gone before--for the things that taught you and challenged you, created, and fine-tuned that tone, and for the learning process, and even the extra work that went into all of it.

Rock On With Your Bad Self! In Appreciation, Of Course. Spread Some Joy Today--Gratitude unlocks the burden of work to become merely preparation for the best that is yet to come.

Daily Inspiration 10-7-12

"It's tempting for people to obsess over tools instead of what they're going to do with those tools. You know the type: Designers who use an avalanche of funky typefaces and fancy Photoshop filters but don't have anything to say." -- Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson from the book Rework. We run into this frequently where someone is enamored with flash artwork on websites, moving things, buttons that make noises when you scroll over them, extravagant design work, all with little or nothing in the way of content about their business and what and how they do it, and they're confident that this will make the difference in their being on the web, getting found and making an impact. I like to remind people that the highest traffic site on the entire web is the most plain site there is: Google.com.   I was just watching some of the X-Factor TV show tonight and seeing some spectacular staging, lights moving about, and I'm sure the fire explosions are coming soon, but if the act on the stage doesn't have the talent and the presence and the connection, it is all just hot air and lights.   It's a proven fact that on the web, content is king. The more you have to say, the easier it is to get found. It can be structured in a lot of ways, but it is the content or the substance that makes the difference. The web is all about information first.   A lot of people don't know that you can have tons of content that is not included in the navigation buttons, yet is very searchable. We recommend adding a page a month or something like that where it is constantly expanding. The benefits are enormous.   It's all well and good to have an attractive website. Making sure there is substance along with that is the best advice I can give.

Great Questions: Who? What? When? Where? How? And Don't Forget: Why?   Spread Some Joy Today--by praising people in various ways. 'Hey, Great Job!' That's a good start.

Daily Inspiration 10-6-12

"Pour yourself into your product and everything around your product too: how you sell it, how you support it, how you explain it, and how you deliver it. Competitors can never copy the you in your product." -- Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson from the book, Rework. In our company, we now have several years of experience of talking to and working with business owners and managers from about 80 types of businesses. Most are small businesses, and some are medium sized. In addition, prior to this experience my team members and I have had a lot of other business experience.   Based on all of that, we feel that we have the knowledge and expertise to suggest better ways to succeed in a crowded market. And, in every single case, without exception, it is as the quote above states: to pour them into their product, service and everything that surrounds that. As that is done and the better that is done, there is no longer any such thing as a competitor.   I don't know where business people get the idea that it is a good thing to look corporate and impersonal. To me, that is a turn off. When I look at a website and cannot find any people on it, that is a site I want to close and move on. Whether it is a car dealer, a body shop, a restaurant, a bicycle shop, a flooring center, a dentist, doctor, funeral home, accountant, or life coach, if the site doesn't reflect people, or I cannot see people, I don't feel so comfortable.   The best way to set yourself apart is to be a part--make yourself an integral part of what you do and how it is done. Talk about your team and how special they are. Show off their wonderful human faces and names. Show their phone numbers and let people call. Show them stories, video. Show them what is special; what sets your business apart from the crowd, and it is most likely going to come down to the people who work there, or answer the phone, take your order, handle a complaint, and more.   Another thing. If the company has history, show it off. Talk about the history, get people into the heritage of your business so they can expand or have a connection with it and the people they will eventually interact with.   One of the best things to help in this has been facebook. Businesses are beginning to really see the light in exposing more on facebook than ever before. I'm seeing what were once ultra conservative companies beginning to loosen up and share photos, stories, and also to interact with other people from around the globe.   If you want to show how you're different, better, cool, great, then pour yourself and your people into it and it will make a big difference. Just think how Dave Thomas put Wendy's on the map.

Open The Blinds And Let The Light In   Spread Some Joy Today--Enjoy your weekend! It's a perfect time for it.

Daily Inspiration 10-5-12

"Cease to inquire what the future has in store, and take as a gift whatever the day brings forth." -- Horace From Wikipedia: Quintus Horatius Flaccus (8 December 65 BC - 27 November 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.   The more I think I am becoming more enlightened by studying such modern day guru's such as Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer and many more, the more I see that these new thoughts are not very new. When I see this quote above by Horace who died in 8 BC, over two thousand years ago, it is even more clear to me that I'm not only on the right track, but the wisdom is ancient.   As I travel lately experiencing things within my family I never dreamed of, starting a business at age 58 five years ago, and a long list of other thoughts I won't bore you with, I find more reason and more peace in learning to live right now, this minute, and allow the future to be what it will be--but not only that, but to allow the present moments to be what they are without any concern that they should be something different.   I know it sounds kind of airy-fairie, and it is not anything of the sort, but living like that doesn't mean that decisions aren't made, that preferences are not born and accepted, or that change doesn't take place. It doesn't really change any of that. All it does is take the stress or the unhappiness or feeling bad part out of the equation. It just means feeling good, finding better feeling thoughts and going with that flow rather than doing what I love to call, swimming upstream. Resisting the way things are is swimming upstream. Feeling bad is swimming upstream. Wishing things were different is swimming upstream.   There is no resignation in this at all. It is acceptance as if I created it on purpose. If I find it is not to my current liking, I can change it easily enough by finding better feeling thoughts about it. That moves the needle and smoothes the way.

I Love Ancient Wisdom. It Circulates Nicely And Allows Itself To Be Reborn, Rephrased, Renewed.   Spread Some Joy Today--Why not? Why not you? Why not now?

Daily Inspiration 10-4-12

"Instead of outthinking the competition, it's worth trying to outlove them. Everyone is working hard on the thinking part, but few of your competitors worry about the art and generosity and caring part." -- Seth Godin The biggest part of my sales and sales management experience comes from the auto business at dealerships. All that I worked with over many years were very focused on competition on many levels. There was the other manufacturers other than your own, then the same manufacturer at other dealers within a certain geographical area, and then internal competition also had many levels. It is still much that way today in dealerships all around the country, and the world for that matter.   They are tripping over themselves trying to outthink the competition and almost no one in comparison is trying to outlove. Truth is that they both produce results and so it isn't easy to try to convince the competitors to stop competing and make their own. Just like on the surface it may seem that we can do without the arts in school and so have allowed much of that to disappear. Yet, it does matter in both areas and it will matter in the future too.   When it is all about the money, it is easy to allow that desire, or that drive to overshadow everything else. Tom Peters tells us to innovate and find new avenues for customer service, to become the exception to the rule instead of the rule. Few will rise to that call, yet they that do will find the rewards in it, and it doesn't require a sacrifice of the money, but not worshipping it either.   We make these decisions at every level in our lives and our businesses. I would certainly not want to tell anyone the way for them, I can only know the way for me. My only hope in stating any of this is that it be a reminder of the power that we all have to decide what is best for us. I know that is loving for me. I'm clear on that. My best to you on your own choices and that they are that clear to you.

Dancing To A Different Drum. . .   Spread Some Joy Today--Decide to have the time of your life tomorrow and enjoy every little thing as if it were brand new.

Daily Inspiration 10-3-12

"Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in." -- Napoleon Bonaparte I receive several daily email pieces with quotes and some of them come at the perfect time and say the perfect thing and I find that simply amazing. The quote above came just in time because I had been thinking for several months about some changes that I felt needed to come about, but they weren't pleasant to deal with. This fact caused me to think more and more to try to make sure that I wasn't acting prematurely or without good reason, or in making changes more than need be.   I'm sure we all want to make the best decisions possible and often as a result may tend to think on them longer than is really necessary. I do that on significant changes and I know it all works out, but sometimes I think I could certainly be quicker at the task. But, I've also learned that it is what it is and it comes when it comes and that is okay and needs to be okay. I certainly don't want to look backward in regret of having not decided soon enough, so by accepting it for what it is, that takes the heat off.   As it was, this quote reminded me that there is a time for thinking and a time for doing. So I elaborated and calculated, considered and weighed, made peace with my potential decision, then I stopped thinking and acted immediately. It still wasn't pleasant, but I believe it to be the best course of action for the whole. That's enough. It doesn't need to be more.

Time To Get On With It.   Spread Some Joy Today--Give an anonymous donation to a worthy cause. Maybe it is a neighbor, church member, friend, or just some stranger.

Daily Inspiration 10-2-12

"As a teenager I was so insecure. I was the type of guy that never fitted in because he never dared to choose. I was convinced I had absolutely no talent at all. For nothing. And that thought took away all my ambition too." -- Johnny Depp    For all those out there who have had doubts, if this quote above doesn't inspire you, what will? It just goes to show that we are all so similar sometimes, and yet so many overcome and become super stars.

Our Own Image Of Ourselves Rules. Change The Image, Change The Outcome.    Spread Some Joy Today--I think it's time to treat yourself, don't you? You may have good reason, but you don't really need any.

Daily Inspiration 10-1-12

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." -- The Bible, Acts 20:35   I was thinking about giving tonight, and how that is such a large category and there are so many ways to give. That led me to some quotes about giving and many of the ones I found say that to give is to receive and giving opens the way for receiving, the law of the harvest is to reap more than you sow and then one from Saint Francis of Assisi who said, "For it is in giving that we receive." That's all good, of course, but it wasn't quite what I was thinking about. Then I found this from Rainer Maria Rilke: "This is the miracle that happens every time to those who really love: the more they give, the more they possess. . . ." The others were good, but this one resonated with me. I'm not thinking about what I might get back or whether it might be tenfold or a hundredfold, but only the way I feel when I give and how by giving I become more that I was without looking for it. It's just there. That is the best. Another one that resonated with me is from my mentor, Jim Rohn: "Nothing teaches character better than generosity." Yes, I agree.

Just Because. . . What A Great Reason!    Spread Some Joy Today--Give your love away. There's an unending supply, and no point in holding on to it.

Daily Inspiration 9-30-12

"Problems are just exaggerated situations, most of which do not yet exist." -- Albert K Strong   Life has a way of giving you what you need, not necessarily what you want, or at least it may appear that way. Sometimes these needed things come in the form of lessons, enlightenment, maybe even pushing me off the edge into some sort of decision and action. Ever have enough to fit in a 9"x12" envelope, but all you have to put it in is a number 10 envelope? Or, as it is often said, you have 20 lbs of stuff and only a 5 lb bag. Well, you get the idea. What is the most common response or reaction to this situation? It's called being overwhelmed. It's more than you can deal with even though God said (or at least someone said that about God) He wouldn't give you more than you can handle. Well, I was thinking about that today. I certainly have enough for a 9"x12" envelope and I can so relate to the number 10 part not being enough, yet what can one do with that situation? Being overwhelmed is the same as being paralyzed, so that won't work. Thinking happy thoughts doesn't seem to do it either. Then I thought that it is just the way I am viewing it that causes that whole problem scenario to develop. If I view these issues as problems, I am creating a scenario, or a short mental movie of the possible ramifications, which in this movie are assured to be unpleasant.   This led me to consider why these things are problems to begin with. They are just things, or situations, or circumstances. If I wasn't attached to them emotionally, they wouldn't have any power. It would just be what is, even as obvious as that seems. Sort of like the air is and the ground is and they clouds are and the wind blows and such. It is only the energy I assign to it that causes what is to be a problem. And, it is only my calculating how many problems I don't have immediate solutions for that creates that thing called being overwhelmed.

Problem Solved. There Isn't A Problem.    Spread Some Joy Today--Never say, 'how are you?' again. Try, 'are you rocking your world today?' Way better!

Daily Inspiration 9-29-12

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." -- Dr Seuss   I have often found myself wanting to help; to help someone else from a place that doesn't appear to me in their best interests. I've often wanted to help so much that it affected me negatively. Some people call that caring, and I call it manipulation. What I have found mainly through the hard knocks of many trials at being a helper is that I need to be a lover instead. But, not the kind of lover that is often tied to this arrangement. I have never heard or read any one say it better than Dr Wayne Dyer. He said that "love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care about to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you." Jesus said it so much shorter and beautifully as well when He said to "love your enemies." In all the years of trying to help others more than they wanted to help themselves, I've learned to do that just for a very little while, then let them, or rather, allow them to do as they choose for themselves and not to insist or expect that they do anything that would satisfy me, or that I expect. Just love them where they are and what they've chosen, even when they claim to not have chosen the circumstances they are in, or if they blame external parties for their situation. It's interesting that when I stand back and really watch, it is absolutely obvious that it is a personal choice for them. I have a big heart and want to help but it isn't very effective at achieving that objective--or at least, the way that I would want to see it be effective. I've tried that in business as well, and the best thing that I can do is just to love them where they are and not do anything more than that (after my initial heartfelt efforts, of course). I don't see it as resignation, or abandonment, or not being compassionate. Instead, I see it as healthy for both of us. If I were to remain disappointed in their choices, it wouldn't really be love. Unconditional love seems hard at first, but once I truly understood the concept of it and was willing to stand on that and be good with it, all that changed. . . for the better.

I Would Love To Have The Same Love In Return For My Own Choices. . . And Consequences.    Spread Some Joy Today--Now it makes more sense to love yourself FIRST.

Daily Inspiration 9-28-12

"Resumes are ridiculous." -- Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson from the book REWORK When I first turned the page and read this heading on page 210 of REWORK, I screamed to myself, 'YES!' Having been in a position to interview and hire a lot of people over a lot of years, I hated resumes and gave them almost no notice. I always thought they were a joke. Like people actually do all that stuff they put in there and do it in that manner? Right. And, oh by the way. . . they're looking for work! Jason and David go on after the heading to say, "We all know resumes are a joke. They're exaggerations. They're filled with "action verbs" that don't mean anything. They list job titles and responsibilities that are vaguely accurate at best. And there's no way to verify most of what's on there. The whole thing is a farce." That is said so well and I am in total agreement.   I remember people telling me that I had to have a resume and I think I made one once, but no one paid attention to it either. There is a whole industry built around writing resumes, choosing the right paper, fonts and layout. Heck, in the movie Legally Blond, Reese Witherspoon had the perfect, scented resume. . . and pink if I remember correctly.   What's worse than a resume to me is employers who seek them, want to see them, or heaven forbid, make decisions based on them. Just talk to them. It's pretty simple stuff. At least you might be able to pick out the BS from the facts a little bit because it's pretty certain it's almost all BS on the resume.   Not only have I never hired anyone from a resume, I've had a few positions in my time and not once was I hired from a resume, nor even an application. What a concept.

Nothing Beats Talking Face To Face.   Spread Some Joy Today--Send out a Thank You card to someone you're in appreciation of. What a treat it is to get one. Make sure it's in your own writing.