Rivers, lists and someday is today

Cathy’s gone for a few days on a mini-retreat and if you know Cathy you just went WHOA! because you know she doesn’t do retreats. But nothing Earth shattering. By “mini” I meant just her and a friend.

I’m with her though, not at her retreat but with the whole retreat thing….not for me either. Yet, as I wrote this, I remember it was at the only retreat I’ve ever been to (1990) where I heard Dr. Chris Thurman speak on his book “The Lies We Believe” and my life was changed. Seriously. There have been a small handful of books that have made a profound difference in my life and this is one.
 
I recently finished up the study of John Maxwell’s book “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” (it is also in that handful) with a lunch and learn group.

This is my 11th time through the 15 Laws with groups of people but it’s by far the most meaningful. Not just because I’ve come to each time through different than times before, which is true, but because we took our time (1 law/chapter per week) AND the group has been very engaging.

The last lesson was on The Law of Contribution; Growing Yourself Enables You to Grow Others. John talks about being a river, not a reservoir, questions that identify who can encourage us, being grateful, not letting stuff and people own you, and to keep growing you need to keep giving.

The chapter also talks about success being defined as sowing, not reaping.

Tim Hawks, my pastor at Hill Country Bible, is leading us through a series of sermons the past few months titled “Life to the Full,” “Waiting for Someday,” and now “One Mission.” They’ve been about Rivers, Someday is Today, and Generous Giving….at least that’s what I’ve gotten from them........

.......contributing, living abundantly, being purposeful and having the right mindset.

Back to Cathy being on a retreat…..when your spouse leaves for a few days, does she/he leave you a list of things that need to be done? I’m not talking about honey-do stuff, but a checklist for each day: feed Bubba x amount, Cats x this and x that, fresh water in dishes………?

Cathy does. And you know what? I love it. I don’t have to think about what I need to do because I have a list and you know what else? I’m much more likely to get things done. She’s managing me! Now that’s a lesson out of another great book, E-Myth – every visionary needs a manager and the visionary’s life becomes a better flowing river.

To that end…..make today someday and live life as an abundance filled river,

Some things I just do..everyday (even if I miss a day)

I ran across an old blog post that reminded me of some changes I've made to my Daily/Everyday To-Do List.

There are certain things I need to do everyday, though I do miss a day here and there.

1. Journaling; authentic style
2. 5-10 minute review of yesterdays calendar, emails and phone log. I do this with a pen in hand expecting to remember things about interactions/engagements with people
3. Emails to people I've met recently. Note - I normally wait 2 or 3 days after meeting them for the 1st time (see Stop-Wasting-Handshakes resources for more detail)
4. Add/Update to database (CRM)
5. 15 minutes of social media posting. Schedule post for the day, week and month. Retweet/share post of those in my spheres of influence
6. Write 5-10 minutes of a blog post. 
7. Look at today's calendar, flagged emails and tasks
8. Add to To-List; no more than 6 real to-do items for today 
9. Emails

And I'm now prepared for the day.

These are not all habits, but choices I make to eventually develop habits and build myself out in front of my business so I can have the freedom to live life and not live "in" my business.

Quick tips on blogging

Last night's Stop-Wasting-Handshakes Mastery class was about writing and sharing content across multiple platforms. Primarily, Blogging and LinkedIn's Long-Post Publishing. Content is essential.

Here's some quick tips (from the not-so-quick class) for writing Blog posts you can easily share on other platforms such LinkedIn and Facebook -

1. Keep posts to 200 - 300 words. Break-up longer posts into parts

2. Keep sentences and paragraphs short.

3. Use bullet points

4. Use numbered lists

Keeping everything short allows easy reading and easy sharing.

Responses vs Answers, and old friends

I love hearing from old friends and one showed up in my inbox recently. Roy Whitlock replied to a blog post I wrote about roadblocks and blindspots where I stated “Perfectionism or Getting ready-to-get-ready (anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you learn to do it well).”

Now, to begin with, I can see Roy walking into my office and asking “I understand getting past roadblocks - but how does one find one's own blind spots? For example, #10 - how do you determine the point where "Getting Ready" becomes "Getting Ready to Get Ready"? And if something is worth doing, isn't it worth doing well? Won't doing it poorly start to reflect on your service delivery?”

Roy and I used to have some really good conversations. LOL……As to his plethora of questions (he never had just one and I’m surprised he only asked about one of my points)….here’s my response  -

There's them dang roadblocks

Why is sustainable influence such a strange and elusive event?

Pure and simple....roadblocks, and/or blindspots. There's them there things that get in the way.

Here's 22 Roadblocks that's keeping you from being a better influence:

Coincidences? Not when you're trying to become more aware

"You must know yourself to grow yourself."

- John Maxwell

That's the statement John uses to introduce his chapter on THE LAW OF AWARENESS.

This book has been a big part of my growth the past two years, and this chapter has probably caused the biggest gulp. Being aware.

I wasn't planned (by me) that this is the chapter we studied this week in our Leadership lunch & learn...many at lunch on Tuesday were also in an Empowerment Mentoring lesson on Monday night. The lesson was Authentic Journaling.

I didn't plan it, but getting into the law of awareness is a perfect follow-through after a deep dive into authentic journal.

Choice #1 - I’ve got to choose to have the right mindset

#ChooseToThinkBetter

To improve my “mindset” I ask questions and practice disciplines around I. M. P. A. C. T. 

Ideas. What new ideas am I having? Where are the ideas coming from? Are they from God? Is the Holy Spirit prompting me, or are the ideas from doubt, fear and self-limiting beliefs?

Meditation. I pray.

Purpose. What’s my purpose? Am I practicing my values? (Do you have your values written down...ask for my values worksheet). I’m purposeful about every event I attend, every appointment, every email, every marketing piece. I’m purposeful about giving, learning, sharing, gaining, etc. I practice “being present.”

Action. There’s a time to plan, a time to pray and a time to act. Even God told Moses to quit praying and start moving.

Conquer. Conquer those demons. Conquer those self-limiting beliefs. I can’t long outperform my self-image. What am I saying when I talk to myself? As a child of God, I was made in His image. I put on the Armor of God and fight the demons head-on!

Transcribe. I journal. Not just a diary type chronological thing, but authentic journaling. Getting the random chatter out of my consciousness so I can gain a deeper sense of awareness into my other-than-consciousness. “The danger isn’t in what we don’t know but in what we know and aren’t aware.”

To that end......choices break habits.

Fish! Philosophy by Lunden, Paul and Christensen

This read can easily change your life. IT CAN BE A GAME CHANGER. Friend and co-worker Mary Reynolds gave me this book in 2006 or 7. During an Empowerment Mentoring lesson last year I was struck with how familiar the contents of the lesson seemed.

I'd remembered receiving the book and had assumed I'd read it, but couldn't remember the contents. Thus, it was quite surprising when I realized some of the points of the lesson were right out of FISH!

When I started telling Cathy about it, she had that look. You know, THAT LOOK. The look that she can't believe I'm saying what she's hearing. Oh, I'd mentioned I was going to run up to B&N to buy the book.

7 Reasons to Stop Perfectionism

Not a perfect list.....

1. Perfectionism keeps you from getting things done (causes procrastination)
2. Perfectionism wraps you up in unnecessary details
3. Perfectionism doesn't allow you to use your natural talents
4. Perfectionism causes you to compare yourself with others
5. Perfectionism causes a constant state of stress
6. Perfectionism stops you from taking risks
7. Perfectionism stops you from being a better you

To that end....

Stay Engaged

What do you do with all those business cards you received at the last convention you went to?

Go to www.StopWastingHandshakes.com to learn how to stay engaged.

I find it curious that I choose to just read this book through without a pen in hand. (was that an Adler thing?)

This is a new author for me, but it was recommended by Michael Hyatt. I think it came through the Platform University. Though it could have been a Facebook post Michael made (Ha. There's that FB working again!).

Now for the re-read, with a pin this time. Lots of important points I practice now, but I want to get better at. Some of those are..

Killing Marketing's Most Dangerous Enemy

Procrastination is marketing’s most dangerous enemy

- Jay Conrad Levinson


One of the most common characteristics of a procrastinator is the procrastinator’s ability to rationalize why he or she procrastinates. Certain personality types could possibly tend to procrastinate more than others but even the most driven “D” will put things off because of fear, pain or over commitment.

People procrastinate for many reasons:
• Lack of competencies
• Task is too complex
• Can’t get everything done
• Want it to be “perfect”
• Lack of motivation
• Fear of failure
• Fear of success
• Distractions
• Can’t prioritize

What do you say when you talk to yourself? Here are some common conversations with procrastinators –

Success

When we decide not to give-up, put-up, or shut-up...when we decide to persist, not to quit...when we keep-on-keeping-on, hanging in there, trying it again and again and again...no matter what mistakes, wrong turns and bad decisions...whether we're treated good, bad or indifferent...when we keep moving towards what God's called us to do......it's during the trying and difficult times that we develop the characteristics that make for

SUCCESS.

repost from Practicing Christianity blog

Thinking In The Box

My struggle with goal setting

I've said "I hate setting goals" and I do....long-term goals.

Oh, I've taken the classes, read the books and practiced the disciplines. 

Here's my problem, two problems....

1. somewhere along the line I got stuck in the S.M.A.R.T. Goal setting model. Yet, all goals CAN'T be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic AND timely. Seriously. Think about it. 

2. What about getting out-in-front of God? I tend to start running down a path and then begin asking God to bless it. That doesn't work.

Thus, I have goals but they're short term. Today, tomorrow, this week. When I'm not out-in-front too far, the slow down isn't as painful and the smart stuff works. 

And I spend less time licking my wounds of failure and more time growing ahead of where I'm presently at...."I'm increasing what I can presently increase, my present."

And THAT increases the overall impact of the short term goals, which feeds the growth that fuels my dreams and the vision becomes clearer and clearer.
 

To that end....


Danny L. Smith, (512) 773-6528 

SWH; Is it Marketing, or Leadership. Both?

Staying in contact with people you meet, is that good leadership, or a marketing tactic? Can it be both?

There are more questions than answers...the answers are in the questions!

I have to ask...what is your mission? Your purpose?

My mission statement includes "....make a difference." To make a positive difference one must connect well and connecting well takes time and effort.

Building relationships can be difficult, even down-right hard.

I meet a fair amount of people; what difference am I trying to make? What's the depth of the relationship I trying to create?

Lot's of questions.......short time to write this post.

Comments?


ps...this stems from a Facebook post by Kary Oberbrunner that encouraged me to not confuse people with my marketing message - to have one frequency.

Stop-Wasting-Handshakes....is that marketing, or leading? Both? Confusing?

Worth working through?

Danny
www.StopWastingHandshakes.com



 

Stop Wasting Handshakes - Part 2, in the present

I ended the previous Wasted Handshakes post with a simple process of sending emails to people I've met.

The post also mentioned I input their name into a database. The buzz-word for a database of contact information is CRM (contact relationship manager). I've written about CRMs in other posts and will come back to that in the near future, but remember this....

......you really should keep some sort of database.

It doesn't have to be fancy...for years I used nothing but business cards glued or stapled to a worksheet in a 3-ring binder (I'll come back to that 3-ring binder and the worksheet also).

This is email simply let's them know it was good to meet them...you're NOT selling anything.

It normally simply says..."It was good to meet you and hope to see you again soon."

The signature lines include

- my name

- my job title

- my phone number

- at least one link that lands on the platform/website I want them to land on. LinkedIn is perfect for this purpose.

At this point, if you're making choices to stop wasting handshakes, you've sent an email, input the basic info into a database and have a process to follow-up in the next couple of weeks.

Now....have you received any emails from people you've met in the past week? If so, be sure you've responded to those emails. You don't need to say anything more than "you're welcome" or "thank you," whichever is appropriate. This isn't the time to start selling just because someone has reached out to you.

My experience is that only 3 in 10 people will actually respond to an email I've sent to a new person I've met.

Warning!! Don't get your feelings hurt if you don't get

any responses back. Remember....this is a process

YOU control and you can't control others!

A good source tool is John Maxwell's, "Everyone Communicates, Few Connect." Following John's suggestions is a great way to Stop-Wasting-Handshakes.

To that end........stay tuned for the next part of what I do to stop-wasting-handshakes.

Wasted Handshakes, looking backwards - Part 1

A question poised to the group by Michael Hunter at a Netstorming event was something like "why do people come to networking meetings to just meet, shake hands and there's no follow-up"

My experience shows most people network to sell. Let's say I meet you, an IT guy, and I don't need IT right now, nor do you need a mortgage loan, nor a home listed, nor a.........right now. Thus, we both move on around the room shaking hands, collecting cards, smiling, nodding and wondering "what's the use." And it all starts over again tomorrow at yet another networking meeting. Yes, there might be a one-to-meeting scheduled.......might, probably not. Even then, there's very little relationship building. I'll resist the urge to compare the way most people attempt to network the same way many men go to bars; each are trying to pick up a sure thing (I resist the complete analogy..LOL).

Successful networking is based upon marketing, NOT selling. The basics are this -

1. I come to a networking event with a marketing mindset. My purpose is to start developing relationships through a series of events (processes I control) to draw attention to the benefits I offer, and I know this is going to take a long time.

2. When I meet someone, I begin asking them questions about their industry, what product or services they offer, what brought them to Austin, etc. My purpose is to start a relationship and if the original questions lead into discussions about Family and Hobbies, we have more to talk about. Many times the questions lead to assistance I can offer in terms of information or other needs.....but they probably won't even know that, at-that-time.

I don't have to tell them right now because I trust my process.

3. I have a process I control. That process includes how I handle business cards; mine are in my shirt pocket (not in my hand), theirs go into my right. I write notes, in front of them, on the back of their card.
 

Many times, I don't even give a card because the other person didn't even ask for it. Again, I'm ok with that because I trust my process. My business card, along with all the others they have shoved at them will be dropped aimlessly in the trash...I'm sorry, in a desk drawer anyway.

4. These cards stay in my right pocket, even changing pants, until I get to my desk. They are then put in a SPECIAL spot on my desk.

5. At some point in the next 2 to 3 days....NEVER the same day, I will -

a. put their name in my database and
b. send an email thanking the person for the visit.


This is part One. In the next post I will go deeper into my process and experience and what I will continue to do to try and NOT have wasted the handshake.


To that end....

Danny

512-773-6528

www.StopWastingHandshakes.com

Don't just habit your day away

Motivation gets you going, discipline keeps you growing  (from the Law of Consistency). I looked this morning to see what I'd be covering in a Lunch & Learn today, and you know.....things happen for a purpose and I don't believe in coincidences.

Before I read the lesson, I was in a blah blah mood. Going through the motions, not motivated. Dragging. And then, just reading that title (and having read/taught this chapter 8-10 times), and in a heartbeat, the thoughts about goals vs growth, motivation vs discipline came on and BAM!!
 
Great chapter. My favorite.

Discipline keeps you growing (and going I guess?). Discipline...choices....discipline is about making choices to off-set habits; choices of hope, growth, widening my SOI, thinking into my results.....choices. Make choices, stepping out of my comfort zone....understanding that the fear of change isn't real, but only a product of my conditioning..

Discipline, making choices, understanding, stepping out.

To that end....make choices, don't just habit your day away.

I love these kind of calls....

I love these kind of calls..

“Danny, I just signed a contract that I would not have gotten if I hadn’t been in your program and decided I was tired of wasting handshakes.

Heck, until I took your program I wasn’t even aware that I was wasting them!”

Choice #10 - Hope

Choice #11 - Clarity and Simplicity

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

Posted in Reading Blog: Click here

Hope and tasks; a strong combination.

What causes me to miss goals?

You're correct if you said 1. Not putting In the Time, bad Attitude, lack of Skill, not enough Knowlwdge and/or a Style problem.

Or, if I have these T.A.S.K.S. in order and just didn't have HOPE. 

Hope overcomes the real obstacles. With hope I have a sense of victory and will drive through the doubts and that subconscious gremlin that's doing everything it can to shut me down.

With HOPE I can

- find the Time

- improve my Attitude

- develop the Skill

- improve my Knowledge

Thinking before circumstances

So much truth in this.....

"Men are anxious to improve circumstances yet unwilling to improve themselves, they therefore remain bound." - James Allen in "As A Man Thinketh" 

I see a lot of new processes, systems, techniques and gadgets (circumstances)...but as another wise man said.., 

"If we don't spend at least as much time improving our thinking as those processes, systems, techniques and gadgets, we'll wonder about our lack." 


#ChooseAheadOfOpportunities

Why do businesses fail?

When we start are business, we're excited, we have dreams...we're at a certain place. And we start running. 

And our business is behind us. 

We're out in front, leading. 

Over time, the natural tendency is for our business to catch up with us. 

Eventually, if we let it, it will surpass us and we will struggle to keep up. If we even can.

But our business needs us to lead. It needs us to run out in front. Without the leadership, both will fail. But we can't lead if we aren't growing, building.

To lead well...to truly lead, we must build our selves out in front. We must grow at a faster pace than our business. The business person's success is dependent on his or her personal development being in a constant state of increase.

Our PERSONAL development must stay ahead of our business in order for it to be successful.

To that end....

Danny

512-773-6528

www.ImpactInnerCircleMastermind.com

Laying it all down...thinking about September's paycheck

I know, it's not all about money, but some things are.

1.      How much are you going to make on your September paycheck?

2.      Where do you “think” that business is going to come from? 

Think about that…what RESULTS do you want?

Think into those results with I.M.P.A.C.T....

What IDEAS do you have about getting those results?

MEDITATE (pray) on your ideas, the results you want.

PROPOSE QUESTIONS to yourself about the choices, behaviors, actions, causes and circumstances that could bring about those results.

ANALYZE/ACT - how it’s work for you in the past. What did you do right? Wrong? What needs to change? Do something even if it’s wrong (anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you can learn to do it right!)

CONQUER the gremlins! We all have them. What negative talk to you have going on in your head? What are you saying when you talk to yourself? Fight the demons..the gremlins!

TRANSCRIBE (journal) your thoughts…your ideas…the results you want.

To that end....

Excuses are like....

Excerpts from Jim Collins' small booklet Good to Great and The Social Sectors...page 28-29

The # 1 best-performing investment in the universe of American public companies (according to Money Magazine) over a 30 year period, 1972 to 2002 was Southwest Airlines. A $10,000 investment in 1972 would have returned more that $10 million in 2007.

Yet, the airline industry remained one of the worst imaginable....Airline executives have habitually blamed industry circumstances.

What if the people at Southwest had said, "Hey, we can't do anything great until we fix the systemic constraints facing the airline industry."?

Think about that...

- the airline industry was thought to be in shambles

- Southwest Airlines literally SOARED during the same period.

Why?

The executives at Southwest had different thoughts.

That's it.

To that end..........


Danny
512-773-6528
www.ImpactInnerCircleMastermind.com

What drives me to be more productive?

Michael Hyatt asked that question on his blog this morning. 

Great question....What drives me to be more productive?

- promises. I've committed to getting something done. 

- deadlines. 

- desires, wants, dreams (I'm barely tempted to say goals....which might be another ponder - why don't goals drive me?)

- innate drive to just do something, even if it's wrong. Mostly start something.

At 59 years old, I'm more aware of finishing and that this starting thing can be a distraction, but not always. 

Michael also asked.....Did you start this week running toward the goal or away from the wolf? 

As I've become more dependent on God, not so much the wolf these days. And, that's something I'm praying, studying and thinking into....to get out of the way and depend on Him. 

To that end.....

Danny L. Smith

512-773-6528

"Continuously successful people choose to build themselves ahead of their business."

Taking small bites

My "focus choice" this week has been #13 - "to take small bites."

- stay engaged in the 6 things

- look for small things to do

- be quick, be bright, be gone

- sweat the small stuff

- think into the results in ways that matter RIGHT NOW

Reflecting back into the week and it's all good. I'm surprised how calm and relaxed I was (am) considering the way some things played out. 

That's not to say that a bit of choice #3, evaluation & correction, won't show some needs, but this was a week I'm glad I wasn't trying some really big things. 

To that end..... 

Danny L. Smith

512-773-6528

"Continuously successful people choose to build themselves ahead of their business."

Everything needs a platform

A good study of marketing will bring about the use of "platforms" in your processes.

The best, the very best, platform is a blog. When people come into your internet world, it's your blog they eventually land on. When someone clicks on your profile in Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest or any other social media, they should land on your very purposeful thought-out platform - your BLOG.

Click to continue reading....

5 years from today

I've mentioned this Ziglar quotes hundreds of times....

"You'll be the same 5 years from today, as you are today, except for what you listen to - who you associate with - what you read."

I don't care who you are....we're all growing in some direction. 

Looking back, I can tell I'm growing well because of where and with whom I'm spending my time. 

With who and what are you spending your time? 

It matters. 

Danny L. Smith

512-773-6528

"Continuously successful people choose to build themselves ahead of their business."

Margins for problems

Margins are the space needed to stay sane.

Sometimes it's not enough to just not add something else to your plate. Sometimes what's already there grows and you have to stop doing something you're already doing.

Confusion, frustration and quit will set in otherwise. Margins. Evaluation. Correction.

Seize the DAY! Go-get-it. PERIOD

You might never fail on the scale I did, but some level of failure is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failure unless you live so cautiously that you might not have lived at all. It which case you've failed by default.

- Best selling author of "Harry Potter" Mrs. J.K. Rowling


...what is most important is that you have to dig deep down, deep deep down, and decide who you want to be. Not what, but WHO.

- Arnold Schwarzenegger

What's my purpose of using a CRM?

The people in my SOI (sphere of influence) is my BIGGEST asset. Thus, the PURPOSE of my CRM is manage my biggest asset.

To clarify....a CRM is a Contact Management System and I personally don't like the term CRM, but it is the most common term for a Contract Relationship Management "system." Maybe I need to coin the term CRMS, or CMS.....I do like to start things.

God's Concern

Two great thoughts shared with me the past few days -

"I contend George Washington's greatest leadership moment was the time he spent on his knees praying." - shared by John P Griffin in his speech at CBLG last week. 

"The key to Jesus' leadership was the relationship he had with his Father." - Blackaby, in his book "Spiritual Leadership"

Two fantastic thoughts, and then I come to this....

"God's concern is not to advance leaders' dreams and goals or to build their kingdoms." page 30, Spiritual Leadership

repost from Practicing Christianity blog

Thinking In The Box