Unapologetic for being organized (and driven)

Mr Fredricksen from Disney Pixar UP
Last night using iPhone (screen capture) while watching UP in our Family room.

 

Unapologetic for being organized (and driven).

And you should be too. Never let anyone convince you your dream is too big, or too much work.

A specific post inspired what you’re reading now.

Why?

It was the gut reaction comment written to Bob. Sharing it now to capture the spirit of today’s five posts – no guts, no glory:

 

Thank you Bob, you are kind and generous to take time out to read and comment. People are very busy.

Eventually, close friends and colleagues will learn about the fees, but no one will ever remember the six years of working two jobs seven days a week, traveling, staying healthy, spending $80k on 72 months of operating expenses for the first six years, not making a dime (on the second job, my only job now), and never paying myself any salary, ever.

No one will ever know the countless times the thought of quitting seemed like the educated and practical choice.

The only thing more remarkable than the speaking fee is the indomitable will to make a difference.

Have an awesome weekend.

Luck favors the determined.

Next Blog

Big, epic failures are great catalysts

YuGiOh Tournament
Last weekend at YuGiOh Tournament. He inspired, and inspires, the prolific writing.

 

So yeah, it’s pretty insane.

And to be clear from a business perspective, this blog is unrelated to my speaking mission.

But seriously then, why blog so prolifically?

Well, i began blogging on April Fools Day 2009 as a 100-day self-imposed writer’s boot camp.

Driven by the realization that a book i had promised to write 30 years prior hadn’t had it’s first sentence written yet.

Ouch.

Big time.

Epic ouch.

The catalyst was driven by a fatherly desire to leave a trail for our son (then 8) in case something bad ever happened to me.

Shhh, here’s an epic secret. Prolific writing makes me a significantly different (and better, imho) speaker.

Next Blog

It went from one-minute to 20+ in a heartbeat

Mile High Montessori School, Denver
Last week in Denver on a 10-miler.

 

Mile High Montessori School, Denver

 

It went from one-minute to 20+ minutes in a heartbeat.

In a rare opportunity to catch our son’s teacher in a casual, relaxed moment, we went from the typical cursory conversation to her asking all about last week’s Denver trip.

Had texted her the photo above, in real time, during a 10-mile run through town.

What was incredibly stimulating were her questions. Which comes as no surprise, because she is an attorney by trade.

Rarer still, someone’s ability to challenge my thinking. LOVE when that happens.

It inspires me to remember that’s my most important differentiator amongst a sea of ‘professional speakers’.

.lead .differently

Next Blog

Sales is a stereotypically slimy business

Daniel Pink speaking at Authority 2015
Daniel Pink, best selling author, was the opening conference speaker.

 

Daniel Pink presentation
Change can be good. It can also be bad.

 

Daniel Pink presentation
The response is brutal.

 

List of negative sales stereotype words
This is the world of sales from the buyer’s perspective.

 

Are my thoughts organized enough?

Are my key points clear, concise and compelling?

In two hours we finish our call from yesterday.

My fees are above average. Some would say they’re high.

My value proposition, priceless.

Does the entire conversation coming out of my mouth on the other end of the phone (to the buyer) sound like a value proposition or an expense?

This is yet another example of how organization is way more than managing the stuff in our closet, drawers, and file folders.

Next Blog