Pursuit of Passion

Had an interesting conversation a few days ago with a group of friends about pursuing our passions in life. There is a lot of talk, examples, and success stories of people quitting their job to pursue a passion and I love reading that kind of stuff. But an interesting point was brought up during our conversation that I haven’t seen addressed as often. Here it is:

What do you do if you have the driving feeling to do something different, something great, and/or something new but you don’t know what that is? In other words, you feel like you should be pursuing your passion, but you don’t know what your passion is.

I thought this was an interesting question. When it was brought up, I realized I have felt some variant of this at times in my own life.

How about for you? Have you ever felt driven or anxious to do something but not known what that something is? Is this a common feeling? How did you overcome it? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Self Imposed Deadlines

For as long as I can remember, I have had a lot of ideas swimming around my head. Even as a kid, I was amused by things around me that got my mind going. To call me curious would be an understatement. And while I am forever grateful for my curiosity, it can make execution difficult. Add being a perfectionist to the mix, and you have a perfect cocktail for a lot of dreaming and not a lot of doing. I know I am not alone in this. I talk to others on a regular basis who face the same struggle—I believe it is at the core of human nature. Some call it fear of success, some call it fear of failure, and I have even recently heard it referred to as the lizard brain. Whatever you call it, it is real, but it is only as strong as we allow it to be—which sounds nice, but is sometimes easier said than done.

I have been very blessed in my life to have some incredible experiences. All in all, I am a very lucky man. But as I look back on my life, I can distinctly see the mental barriers that slowed me down or even stopped me from pursuing certain opportunities. I look back on my past with a sort of fond determination. Fond because I am full of gratitude for where I am, and determination because I am always striving for more. It is a delicate balance—one I am working everyday to achieve.

There are several tools I use to help fight the blocks and overcome the nebulous cloud of ideas floating around my brain, but there is one in particular I am especially excited about and want to share here. I recently organized a small group of close friends to form a creative consortium of sorts. We meet every week on a weekday morning. The group is designed to serve three purposes.

1) Give each of us a platform to share our ideas and crystallize them into coherent thoughts. And I mean ANY idea. So far we have discussed everything from Sketch Comedy and Comic Books, to E-commerce and sales efficiency and beyond.

2) Use honest feedback to decide which ideas are worth pursuing. This is the weeding out process. After we empty our brains out into reality, we start picking the best ideas.

3) To execute, or as Seth Godin puts it: to ship. Through the group, we impose self deadlines and we actually report our progress to the group each week. On top of that, each week one of the group members has the chance to present and discuss their most exciting ideas.

I am very excited for where this might take us.

Guest Appearance on Job Club Radio

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to talk with Robert Merrill and Jennifer Armitstead as a guest on their weekly Job Club Radio podcast.

I had a great time. We discussed my recent post about lying to yourself, and how the concept applies to personal and career development. If you missed the live show, you can listen to it on demand on Blogtalkradio. Please feel free to come back and share your thoughts here in the comments.

Focus and the future: America’s Public Transit Dilemma

After spending a couple of years in Europe, I realized just how limited the public transit network is in the US. Some cities are better than others, but overall we are pretty behind. This is especially true in regards to interstate travel. In recent years, as energy costs have continued to rise, this issue has been pushed to the forefront of American political and environmental debates. So what happened? Why did America spend its time, money and energy building cars and roads while other nations focused on rail, bus and subways? The answer is simply really, it was a matter of choice.

In the post WWII era, America’s focus was clearly based on the belief that cars were the future of transportation. And they (cars) did become the future of transportation, because that's where the focus went. Get it? America believed cars were the answer, so accordingly, we built factories that built cars, started business to repair the cars, and built more roads etc. Our reality is a literal result of our focus, our energy and our actions. Other nations took a different approach. At varying levels, they chose to focus on building railroads, buses, and subway stations.

So here we are today, and after years of focusing on the car, America is struggling to catch up with other transportation infrastructures. Were we wrong to assume cars were the future? That’s a hard question, because we can’t know how everything would have played out, and I don’t think we need to know. But I believe there is an important business and life lesson here: The things we focus on today will become our reality. Accordingly, it is vital that we ask ourselves the following questions:

“Are there things I am focusing on today, that I will regret in the future?” and “What am I failing to focus on now that I will need in the future?”

Those are tough questions, because we can’t see the future, and in order to move forward, we have to make decisions, set goals, and work hard to achieve them--but there is always value in taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture.

You can't lie to yourself

It is pretty difficult to lie to ourselves. Darn near impossible. Sure, we can lie to friends, neighbors, coworkers and even family—in fact, some people are pretty good at it. But we can’t lie to ourselves, because no matter how clever our words, no matter how persuasive our argument, we know the truth. Try and tell yourself you don’t know the truth, and it just complicates things even more.

This is what I attribute to that eating feeling you get when you are not living up to your potential. When you are sitting in front of the TV instead of writing a chapter in your book. When you are surfing the web instead of setting goals. Sleeping in instead of working out. Wandering aimlessly, waiting for the next idea to come around instead of creating a strategy. You know what you should be doing, but you aren’t doing it. And as much as we like to deny it, that is a conscious decision. So you get that pit in your stomach, that nagging feeling in the back of your mind. I have never met anyone who likes that feeling. I know I don’t. The interesting thing is that despite how bad we hate it, so many of us put up with it for so long. We look for ways to ignore it, to justify it, or to delay it, but those solutions aren’t permanent and neither is our relief.

The only real solution is to stop hiding and start doing.

LaunchUp: The Entrepreneurial Rock Concert

There is something magnetic about people pursuing their dreams. Not just thinking, hoping or wishing, but actually making the dream a reality. This is why I love being around other Entrepreneurs and start-ups. The energy, the excitement, the fire, the positive goal driven mentality—it’s all, well, awesome. I could literally sit and listen to Entrepreneurs tell their story for hours on end. I love hearing how the idea was born, how it moved from their brain to paper or prototype, and how they overcame obstacles. In a less mystical way, I also love hearing about the business plan, their launch strategy, and long term goals. Seriously, in many ways, hearing this kind of stuff is better than a rock concert. This is why I was naturally drawn in by the LaunchUp Events.

If you live in Utah, and you don’t know what LaunchUp is, you really should take a look. In essence, it’s a room full of passionate people listening to Entrepreneurs and start-ups share their dream turned reality. And it gets even better, because after each young company presents, the group engages in Q&A and the whole event wraps up with break-out sessions in every corner. Launch-up is great because not only do you get to bask in the energy of Entrepreneurial greatness, you get to be involved. You can offer advice, insight, or even financial support. I dare anyone to go to a launch-up, truly get engaged there, and then leave not feeling challenged and inspired. The energy in a room full of entrepreneurs is invigorating, it’s contagious, and if you live in Utah, it’s right at your fingertips. I give my endorsement with one warning, however, attending a LaunchUp is the gateway drug to pursuing your own dreams, so be prepared to have your fire stoked and your passion ignited. And like all great gateway drugs, LaunchUp is free.

(Disclaimer: I am not connected to LaunchUp.org in any way. This is not a paid endorsement, just me sharing something I think is great. Also, I don't do drugs, never have, never will. I don't need that stuff to get a rush on life. My reference to gateways was for emphasis and a tongue in cheek joke, nothing more.)

Is industry experience really a deal breaker?

From my time spent in the recruiting field and as a job seeker, I often came across open positions that REQUIRED a certain number of years is a specific industry. For example a software sales position would require 5 years experience in a software sales role. This often left me scratching my head. I can understand there are certainly some jobs where this is very relevant (think Surgeons), but is industry related experience really a deal breaker? Yes, I see the logic here, someone from the industry might have a shorter learning curve, they might bring relevant best practices, and they will speak the lingo—but does that automatically make them a better candidate? This logic is especially concerning to me in the realm of business, sales and marketing.

Here are some reasons why someone without industry experience might actually be a better candidate. This list assumes the candidate is otherwise qualified, meaning they understand how to build a brand, write copy, make a sale, or manage a team (depending on the specific needs of the hiring company)

1. Varied experience brings varied ideas: Sure, it takes some time to learn an industry, but that guy from consumer goods, might just have some incredible cross over ideas for your non-profit.

2. Industry Recycling: This is when the same people jump from company to company inside a certain industry. This is especially prevalent inside smaller markets and smaller industries. Recycling can lead to burn-out, failure to innovate, and just plain poor hiring decisions. Loyalty becomes a serious issue as well.

3. Sometimes it’s time to get out: In my experience, a good portion of active and passive job seekers and not only looking for a new desk, they are looking for a new challenge—often that means a new industry, but they are stuck in a catch 22. People inside the industry can’t get out because they don’t have experience elsewhere, and people who want to get in can’t for the same reason. As a result, people often take jobs out of desperation or because they feel like they don’t have other options—not exactly an ideal situation for employee or employer.

4. They come from the competition: In many cases this can be good, but only if the competition is beating you and you need their ideas to succeed. If a company is seeking competitive parity with its competition, using their ideas is a good strategy, if the company wants competitive advantage it might want to look elsewhere.

We hear a lot of terms being thrown around with 2.0 tacked on the end, Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, Sales 2.0 etc. How about recruiting 2.0? I am not just talking about the tools companies use to recruit, I am talking about the way companies think about recruiting. Innovation towards greater efficiency and results should be a goal of every department—including HR/recruiting. Making a shift in thinking like this would be hard, it might be risky, and it would require change; but I am pretty sure I heard somewhere a time or two that great companies do that kind of thing.

Did I miss anything? I would love to hear your arguments for and against the industry experience requirement.

Greatest Personal Sports Triumph

I am a sucker for sports. I have never been an elite athlete, but I love playing just about every sport I have ever tried. I think it's the challenge of competition and overcoming your own weaknesses. If you fit somewhere in the category of sports lover, you will really enjoy this blog post I found which invites the readers to discuss their greatest personal sports triumph. I have already commented, and I would love to see what you have to say as well (if you do comment there, please comment here too so the rest of us can go read and enjoy.) For some reason both of the stories I told there result in the receiving of a nickname. I am open to theories on what that means, if anything...

The blog was introduced to me by Tim Walker. Go check it out for yourself (If you don't know who Tim is, you really should, he is great)

(On a side note, I also tend to cry during sports movies at the most inopportune times)

Does your Brand tell a story?

A brand is more than a logo. It is more than clever commercials, low prices, or memorable mascots. When done correctly, a brand is just a few steps away from a living, breathing organism. The more tangible your brand, the more likely your customers are to connect with it, emotionally. When consumers make a connection with a brand, loyalty increases, word of mouth evangelism spreads and your sales rise. If you want your brand to stick, it has to tell a story. That story must be compelling and consistent.

It must be compelling

Think about it, behind every great book, TV show, or movie is a great story. Chances are, you are in love with your significant other because of their story. I am not talking about a history, that’s different. A story has feeling, it has emotion, it has driving purpose, a protagonist to root for, and an antagonist to fight against. Your brand’s story must be compelling because it’s your identity. Your brand should drive decisions throughout the organization from the products you develop to the people you hire and more.

It must be consistent

For a good example of the importance of consistency, check out a blog post by my friends at Sprout Marketing. Consumers are not stupid. If your messaging does not match their experience, they will quickly notice and will likely become disenchanted. Or even worse, they will stop believing you. If you are a hotel, and your advertising promises a restful stay, your check-in process better be stress-free, and your beds must be comfortable.

It must be told well

A great story told poorly is not a great story. Ever heard two different people tell the same story or joke? Each account is a very different experience. Nuances in timing, body language and voice inflection (just to name a few) dramatically change the effect. In your company, the way you tell your brand’s story is just as important as the story itself. This is true externally and internally. Externally, you tell your story through advertising, pr, word of mouth, product design, pricing strategies, and customer experience. Internally you tell your story through things like management style, working conditions, training, and compensation. Don’t ever fool yourself into thinking you can simply ignore this. You cannot avoid developing and sticking to a brand by simply not branding at all, because in the meantime you will develop some sort of brand. And just like that last sentence, the brand you create will be disjointed, confusing, unlikable and unmemorable. I can’t imagine any business owner would want those adjectives used to describe his company.

Start today

If you don’t know your brand’s story, it’s not too late. Start developing it today. It’s more than a mission statement—but that’s a start. It has to have emotion and compelling reasons for people to be associated with and do business with your company. And remember, make it compelling, make it consistent, and tell it well.

What Twilight can Teach us about Marketing

Say what you want, the Twilight films have been a huge commercial success for Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the phenomenon. Recent reports claim the Vampire vs. Werewolf saga’s latest release, New Moon, has raked in over $280 million domestically with some sources suggesting a worldwide haul of over $450 million. With numbers like that, even the harshest critics would have a hard time arguing the commercial success of the films. And the best news for Summit is there are at least two movies left in the franchise.

Twilight’s success, however, has not come without some opposition. Husbands and film critics everywhere are smearing the characters and plot line in a whole host of creative ways. (Here are some examples: 1, 2, 3.) Though creative, the naysayers don’t even put a dent in the Twilight machine. In fact, many of the self-proclaimed haters will inevitably end up in the theater along with everyone else. (I saw it just a couple weeks ago with my wife).

And while it is been center stage lately, this polarization between raving fans and adamant critics is not unique to Twilight. We see it all the time in the marketplace. If you bring a successful product to market, or create a recognizable brand, you can be certain you will have opposition. Not just competition, but real, in your face opposition. This is the lesson we can learn from Twilight: You cannot please everyone, and what’s better, you don’t have to.

Know your consumers, know what they want, and then deliver it.

Seth Godin is giving away an E-book

Seth Godin, author of multiple best-sellers is giving away a free e-book. This is good news, but what makes it even better is that the e-book is stuffed with ideas from people like: Dave Ramsey, William C. Taylor, Tony Hsieh, Guy Kawasaki, Gary Vaynerchuk and MANY OTHERS. It’s an incredible group of thought leaders from all over the spectrum…and it’s FREE.

I am so excited about this that I wanted to share it with all of you. The format of the book is similar to Godin’s “Small is the New Big” in that each page is a separate idea/topic. I really enjoy this type of format because it allows for easy, controlled consumption of a single idea leaving you with plenty of time to consider what is being presented and how it will apply to you.

Check out Godin’s blog post about the book—he provides a link to download the book, or you can directly download it here. And feel free to share it.

Best of 2009: Books for Business Owners

Inc.com has released their list of “The Best Books for Business Owners of 2009.” Here is the list; you can also see it on Inc.com along with a brief blurb about each book.

• “Getting to Plan B” by John Mullins and Randy Komisar
• “Trust Agents” by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
• “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell
• “Early Exits” by Basil Peters
• “Poorly Made in China” by Paul Midler
• “Exploiting Chaos” by Jeremy Gutsche
• “How the Mighty Fall” by Jim Collins.
• “Shop Class” as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford
• “Clever” by Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones
• “Crush It!” by Gary Vaynerchuk
• “Change by Design” by Tim Brown
• “Borrowing Brilliance” by David Kord Murray
• “The Match King” by Frank Partnoy
• “I Love You More Than My Dog” by Jeanne Bliss

I haven’t read any of them yet, but after reading the blurbs my interest was piqued by several.

Whuffie Bank

Last week, as part of the Tech Crunch 50, a new company called Whuffie Bank was launched. When I first read the name of the company, I thought it said Whiffle and that got me really excited—if it has to do with Whiffle, it's all right by me.

Its not Whiffle, though, its Whuffie, check our the article from Tech Crunch here

Essentially, the Whuffie bank is a sort of social media currency that people can earn by doing great things online. It's a pretty unique idea, but it will have to become widely accepted in order to have the impact the foudners are hoping for. I would also be interested to see what they will do to prevent fraud (setting up dummy accounts and giving yourself Whuffies). Here is what the Whuffie Bank founders have to say:

It’s a sad fact of life that many of the most insightful and helpful people on the web (and in real life, for that matter) aren’t financially rewarded for their efforts...The Whuffie Bank...wants to fix this by launching a new currency that rewards people for their positive contributions on the web.

I like where they are coming from, and I agree with the first line especially, but I am uncertain on how an intangible karma currency will reward people financially.

What do you think? Good idea? Will it work?

Being Googled

The internet is becoming more transparent. This I know. And there are books being written and seminars being taught on how to build your personal brand online. It's no secret that your name will be searched by potential employers, vendors, sales people or even dates. I search my own name on a regular basis to make sure I know exactly what others will find when they do the same. This makes sense to me, I search other's names before and after interacting with them. Its not stalking, its getting to know someone better in a social media, internets kind of world. So why did it feel so strange to SEE my name being searched by a complete stranger?

Let me explain. Today I spent a few minutes on the phone with a potential vendor. As part of our conversation, he offered to show me their product via the GoToMeeting software--For those of you unfamiliar with GoToMeeting, the software essentially allows the user to “show” their desktop to whomever they want through the gotomeeting website--. About 5 minutes into the presentation, I noticed something interesting in the search box of his google toolbar...my name. Although I should expect that he might have searched my name, it took me off guard to actually see it on the screen. This really drove the point home —ANYTHING YOU PUT ON THE WEB CAN AND WILL BE SEEN BY COMPLETE STRANGERS. I've got nothing to hide, but there is a certain sense of vurnerability that comes from actually seeing someone search your name.

The Relationship Between Brands and Consumers

Today I had the opportunity to attend a short seminar put on by M2 Results. The topic was branding, and I had several great epiphanies. PLUS I won an Ipod. Thanks M2!

During the presentation/conversation, I had the following thought:

Friends are our friends because we are emotionally attached to them. Because they provide a benefit in our lives, and we can trust them. The same is true with the emotional aspects of a brand. Why are Mac-aniacs so forgiving when the new Mac Book Air has poor battery life or when their iphone breaks? Because Apple is their “friend”. Sure, sometimes friends make a mistake, sometimes they let you down, BUT they are your friend. You forgive them. They have invested in you, and you in them.

Customer loyalty is one result of a well built brand. Like a group of close nit friends, Apple customers feel connected to the brand, and they almost immediately accept anything Apple puts out because Apple has demonstrated that their consumers can trust them. On the flipside, however, if you let your friends consumers down too often, they may start to reevaluate your friendship and look for the kid with a bigger trampoline or a boat.

The Five Minute Rule

Sometimes, despite our best efforts to remain positive and solutions oriented, our anger, frustration or apathy get the best of us. Often it is a perfect storm of all three. In times like this, it is hard not to be negative or complain. Sometimes, some people just need to vent. This reality does not refute the idea of remaining positive in the face of adversity. In fact, ignoring the “bad stuff” that happens to us is not a good idea. Plus, it’s probably not healthy. A far better way is to recognize events for what they are, and then actively choose what type of effect we will ALLOW it to have on our life. By doing this rather than ignoring realities, we actually increase our capacity for actively choosing the meaning we place on events in our life. Like just about everything else in our lives, we get better with practice.

The Five Minute Rule is a simple tool for practicing the art of focusing on the good rather than the bad. It’s easy to complain, and if we are searching for them, there are plenty of things to think and feel negatively about. For example: how often is our first morning conversation in the office about “how terrible traffic was on the way in?” It may seem little, but we are constantly training our minds how to think and act. Starting your day(s) with a bad attitude sets a dangerous precedence, and can make it increasingly difficult to change your attitude later.

The Five Minute Rule helps to greatly reduce negative thinking. It works like this: if you are going to be negative; if you are JUST TOO MAD to be positive; if you’ve had enough, and you NEED to vent; that’s fine. You now have five minutes to get over it. You might need less, you can’t have more. It is important that you stick to five minutes. If necessary, find a clock or a watch with an alarm and set it. Seriously. Mentally and/or vocally announce when your five minutes start and stop. When your five minutes are up, you are not allowed to think, act, or talk negatively. That’s not to say you can’t talk about the event(s) that set you off in the first place, but after five minutes, its time to start changing the way you think about the events and the amount of focus you give them.

The Five Minute Rule can be difficult at first. Especially if you have built your reality around attaching negative thoughts and emotions to a majority of the events that take place in your life. When used correctly, however, the Five Minute Rule can have a significant impact on your life, your family, or your office/team. Imagine working on a team without negativity—how much more could you accomplish?

Try the Five Minute rule, and please feel free to share any thoughts, feelings, or experiences you have as a result.

Linkedin Question: Sales Strategies

Question from Linkedin:

How to make that sale....I'm in search for great tips on sales
strategies.

My Answer:

This is a broad question. Here are a couple of thoughts.

1) Believe (not pretened to believe--there is a difference) that your
prospect will really benefit from what you are selling and then paint a picture
for them of what their life will be like with your product.

2) Be confident in your ability to sell the product and your prospect's
ability to buy.

Confidence and product conviction are absolutely essential.

What do you think?

A thought on Confidence and Control

How often during the course of a day do we give others control of our lives? The key word in the previous sentence is GIVE. Our lives are literally made of millions of decisions and we are making them constantly. The decisions we make will ultimately affect our perception of things and in turn that perception will become our reality.

For example, imagine you go to a party with a camera. As you walk in, you look to your left and see a room full of people dancing, drinking, and breaking a lamp or two. You take a picture of the party-animals and show it to a friend later. What will be their perception of the party? The answer is obvious. That party was crazy! Now go back to the same party. In another room you see a couple making out in the corner. You take a picture, and now your friend thinks the party was steamy. One more picture, this time of the room where you see a couple of guys just lounging around listening to some Pink Floyd. Now your friend is thinking that party was pretty laid back or even boring (maybe your friend isn’t a Floyd fan, but then you gotta ask yourself why he is your friend--another topic for another time)

The point? We choose what we focus on. And in turn, we are personally responsible for shaping our reality.

Now a more practical application: You go out to present to a potential client and walk away empty handed. Before you move on to your next presentation you have a choice to make. What kind of effect will I allow this experience to have on me? When I go to my next appointment will I GIVE the last client control over how I feel? How I act? How I present? How I close? If you do, you might as well not even go to the next appointment because you are wasting the client’s time, and yours.

Why am I not Selling Anything?

While working in direct sales, I had the opportunity to help new sales people improve their results. Many of those I worked with were trying sales for the first time. Whenever someone was struggling, we would bring them in for some personal coaching. The coaching session consisted of 5 issues we had identified as the key reasons they wouldn’t be selling very well. I believe these are also relevant outside of the direct sales arena. Here they are:

1) Not doing enough appointments/calls
2) Not doing sales calls with the right people
3) Don’t believe in the product/price etc.
4) No confidence in their ability to sell.
5) No confidence in peoples’ ability to buy

What issues have kept you from achieving the results you want in the past?

Is Social Media the 'New Marketing'

About two months ago, I chimed in on a Twitter-conversation (twitversation?) about this:

Thought of the day: Marketing is no longer about "psychology", but rather
"sociology". Sociology is the new Psychology.

The conversation that ensued was interesting. (Check it out here. You can use the “show conversation” tool on my tweets and any of the others to see details) The discussion was a good representation of the friction between ‘old-school’ marketing pro’s and social media evangelists.
Is social media changing marketing? Sure. Technological innovations have a tendency to do that. But I am not convinced that social media is “the new marketing”, rather it is a branch of marketing. The reality is that consumers have always communicated with each other. Networks are not new. The change is in the way we communicate, isn’t it? Social media has made it easier for people/companies to communicate that maybe wouldn’t have before.
An article on emarketer.com addresses this issue as well. Is anyone surprised when they read this?

“Because online social networks do not capture the real social graph,
tapping into those extended, real-world connections are important for
marketers.”

Of course conversations happen offline as well! Yes, social media
offers a dramatically new and exciting way for companies to communicate with
consumers and vice versa, but the principles of ‘old school’ marketing still
remain true, and marketing and media are not synonyms.