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....