Month: November 2008

How to be a Smokin’ Hot Piece of Brain Candy

One of Edward DeBono’s most underrated books is called, How to Have a Beautiful Mind.

In the opening he states:

“As you get older, physical beauty tends to fade. But beauty of the mind is independent of age and can actually increase with wisdom and experience.”

LESSON LEARNED: Don’t be eye candy; be brain candy.

Eye candy is an idiom of physical attractiveness that means “someone with high visual appeal, yet little or no substance.”

Think Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in The Fast & The Furious.

Think Cameron Diaz, Lucy Lu and Drew Barrymore in Charlie’s Angels.

Those movies were easy on the eyes. Fun to watch. No brainers. Mindless entertainment.

In other words, they didn’t exactly stimulate your, um, cerebral cortex.

Brain candy, on the other hand, is a less common term. When you google the phrase, about a million hits come up, but few point to an actual definition.

In that case, allow me to define it…

Brain candy is an idiom of psychological attractiveness that means “someone with high mental appeal AND significant substance.”

Here’s how it works:

Brain candy is more ENDURING.
Because when you’re 65, your butt won’t look so hot.

Brain candy is more ATTRACTIVE.
Because it actually takes hard work; not just money, genetics and clothes.

Brain candy is more EQUITABLE.
Because it makes you, your brand and your organization more valuable every day.

Brain candy is more MARKETABLE.
Because customers will pay LOT of money for you to rock their (mental) world.

Brain candy is more APPROACHABLE.
Because when you’re aligned with smart people, you look smart. And that IS sexy.

Brain candy is more MEMORABLE.
Because while physical attractiveness captures someone’s EYE for a few minutes; psychological attractiveness capture someone’s BRAIN and HEART forever.

To see these principles in action, I’ve created a list of some of my favorite people who are, in my opinion, brain candy. (Not that these people aren’t pieces of EYE candy, too. But for now…)

NOTE: These people are in no particular order. I’ve sorted them alphabetically. Each of them is just as hot as the other 😉

Smokin’ Hot Pieces of Brain Candy

1. Adam Kreitman – www.wordsthatclick.net

2. Alan Weiss – www.summitconsulting.com

3. Andy Sernovitz – www.andysernovitz.com

4. Angela Leib – www.angelalieb.com

5. Arthur Scharff – www.presidentscouncil.biz

6. Bob Baker – www.bob-baker.com

7. Don the Idea Guy – www.dontheideaguy.com

8. Eric Maisel – www.ericmaisel.com

9. Harlan Hodge – www.harlanbhodge.com

10. Jane Atkinson – www.speakerlauncher.com

11. Jeffrey Gitomer – www.gitomer.com

12. Joey Reiman – www.thinkbrighthouse.com

13. Karen Hoffman – www.theideacoach.com

14. Kirsten Carey – www.orangetree123.com

15. Lois Creamer – www.bookmorebusiness.com

16. Matt Homann – www.thenonbillablehour.typepad.com

17. Robbin Phillips – www.brainsonfire.com

18. Seth Godin – www.sethgodin.com

19. Viki Diedrich – www.limitedadditionsgallery.com

20. William Jenkins – www.jenkinsedex.com

Mmm … brain candy … delicious.

REMEMBER: Eye Candy eventually loses its flavor. Brain Candy stays sweet forever.

Take that, Vin Diesel!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Are you eye candy or brain candy?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “10 Ways to become a Smokin’ Hot Piece of Brandy Candy,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

[email protected]

No time to write?

Can’t finish that book?

Dog ate your last article?

Come to the St. Louis Writing Marathon!

No excuses. Just writing. All day.

I promise it will be the best $20 you’ll spend on your writing career all year.

Learn more at www.writingmarathon.com!

NametagTV: Pushy vs. Persistent

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LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you being pushy or persistent?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “20 Ways to Make Your Customers More Comfortable,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Satisfaction not enough?
Customers not telling their friends about you?
Want to learn how to deliver unforgettable service?

Buy Scott’s new book and learn how to get your frontline IN line!

Pick up your copy (or a case!) right here.

What are you a student of?

So, I took a day off last week to relax, recoup and reenergize.

At about 10:30 AM, I walked up to the patio tables at my favorite Starbucks. The air had a fall crispiness that made me smile. It was sunny and smelled like leaves.

I had a few books with me, along with my Pilot V5 Precise, the greatest writing pen I’ve ever used.

I sat down with my Orange Spice tea next to two guys and a dog.

The dog’s name was Oscar. He was a Boxer/Great Dane mix.

One of the guys looked over to me, noticed my books and asked, “So, Scott, are you a student?”

“Yep,” I said.

“Really? What school do you go to?”

“School…?”

“Yeah. You know, Wash U, UMSL, SLU?”

“Oh. Yeah, I don’t go to school.”

“But you said you were a student, right?”

“Right.”

He looked confused.

“I guess I didn’t realize you had to attend school to be a student,” I said.

He smiled.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you a student of?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “23 Ways to Learn a LOT at a Really Young Age,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Who’s telling their friends about YOU?

Tune in to The Marketing Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on spreading the word!

11 Things Every Entrepreneur Needs to Find

You are a Finder.

It’s non-negotiable.
It’s ingrained in the territory.
It’s part of the job description.

So, you need to get good at finding things. For example:

1. Find a way. One always exists. Even when you’re tired as hell, broke as a joke or completely out of ideas. How many answers are you willing to accept?

2. Find economic buyers. Everyone else is a waste of your time. And time isn’t something you’ve got a lot of. Figure out who signs the check and give ‘em a pen. Are you playing to the wrong audience?

3. Find everything tasty. Even if you’re uncomfortable. Even if you’ve never had it before. Practice intentional discomfort and give it a try. Cognitively restructure everything you do to find inherent novelty and deliciousness. How can you make this into something awesome?

4. Find inspiring people. Hang with them. Watch them. Listen to them. Ask them questions. Note the things they say and do. Note the type of people they ARE and then emulate away. Whose thinking inspires your own?

5. Find opportunity everywhere. It’s there. You just need to look harder. And when you find it, you need to leverage it. Better, stronger and smarter than anyone else. What is today’s creative opportunity?

6. Find the doors. Wedge your way in. Be smart. Suck in your stomach and squeeze your way through. When was the last time you entered a new market?

7. Find thought bridges. Connect seemingly unrelated ideas. Notice ancillary answers, anomalies and other creative sparks. How are you finding relationships between everything?

8. Find uncontested space. Set up camp, put a stake in the ground, raise a flag and declare to the world, “This is MY house. Come near at your own risk.” And if some punk creeps a little too close, release the hounds. How are you being The Only?

9. Find your cause. Otherwise you’re slaving away for nothing. You need a calling. A cause. A higher purpose. A validation of your existence. The best part is, once you’ve got that tasty carrot dangling down through the depths of your heart, the work you do becomes twice as exciting, yet takes half the time to get done. Have you fulfilled the demands of your calling this week?

10. Find your part. It doesn’t matter if you’re the lead, an extra, singing in the chorus or a tree. Your part is essential. Have you determined your fundamental leadership role?

11. Find your woodshed.. Sneak out there every night. When the dogs are asleep, when your wife is out cold, when your kids are passed out. Fire up the lantern and get to work. Finish as the sun comes up. Then sneak back into bed undetected. What inspires your persistence and determination?

Find. Find. Find. Find.

It’s an entrepreneur’s favorite verb.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What did you find this week?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “15 Ways to Out LEARN Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Running your own business?

Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on spreading the word!

13 Random Thoughts on Passion I Couldn’t Hold in Any Longer

“When passion is involved, the rules change.”

That sentence is NOT a scientifically proven fact.
That sentence is NOT a Wikipedia entry.
That sentence is NOT a statistic.

Good.

I don’t believe in statistics. Statistics prove NOTHING. Statistics are fabricated pieces of bullshite that people manipulate to make themselves look better.

I believe in EXPERIENCE … because it is founded upon TRUTH.

And truth is currency.

“When passion is involved, the rules change.”

That’s what’s been on my mind a lot lately: Passion. So, I wanted to share 13 ideas on the topic of passion. In no particular order, with no particular agenda:

1. Channel your passion. Into your job. Into your family. Into your life. Into everything. Think of yourself as a conduit. A catalyst. Find a way to embed passion into the pavement that leads the way to wherever you’re going. You’ll arrive there faster, better, with more fun and by your own design. Where are you channeling YOUR passion?

2. Convert your passions. Into a job, a cause, a mission, a movement or a purpose that gets you out of bed thirty minutes before your alarm goes off. Transform that which lights your heart and soul on fire and leverage it in the service of others, of the world, and of God. What gets you so excited that you can’t WAIT to get out of bed in the morning?

3. Express unqualified passion. You don’t need a degree. You don’t need a certification. You need to have love and longing and LIGHTNING in your heart. Because the world cannot resist a man on a mission. And there is nothing more attractive, more approachable and more beautiful than a person exploding with passion. What comes OOZING out of you that inspires others?

4. Have secondary passions. It’s OK to have more than one passion. Maybe one is your job, one is your solace and one is your service to your community. It doesn’t matter. Have as many passions as you want. It doesn’t matter WHAT you’re passionate about; it only matter THAT your passionate about something. What three things do you HAVE to do every day?

5. Have sweeping passion. Don’t be afraid to say, “My passion is PEOPLE,” or “My passion is helping others,” or “My passion is humor.” Cool. It doesn’t have to be something specific. Make it broad. Make it bold. Make it huge. Allow sub-passions to formulate on their own. What generalities get YOUR blood flowing?

6. Let passion prioritize. Passion makes decision making easier. Use it as your barometer, your compass, your map and your walking stick. Let passion lead the way. Organize your life around your passions. Ask yourself what your top three passions are. Then ask yourself what your top three activities during your week are. See if they’re aligned. If not, no worries. That just means it’s time to re-prioritize. How are YOU using your passion in your decision making process?

7. Make passion palpable. So obvious that you don’t even need to tell people what you passion is. So unarguable that it’s assumed you’re completed obsessed and driven by it. There’s no question in people’s mind about what flavor of Kool-Aid you’ve been chugging all day. What is it about you that you can’t help but NOT do?

8. Mobilize your passion. Use it in the service of others. Give it wheels and legs. Think of it as the coal powering the locomotive of your life. Stop watching TV. Get off your ass and get off to the races, whatever races are needed to move closer to the validation of your existence. What is it about you that you can’t help but not BE?

9. Passion creates fire. In your heart. In your eyes. In your body. In your soul. What’s more, the fire created by passion is SO contagious, it unflinchingly burns and chars and smokes everything it its path – yet in a good way. The type of fire you never want to douse. The type of fire you gladly watch with joy as the light and heat soaks your being. What types of flames are YOU emitting?

10. Practice with passion. How you play is how you practice. Period. Not just for sports, but also for any action you’re preparing for. Whether you’re in a hotel room in Columbus the night before a HUGE speech; sitting in your rental care in the parking lot of a BIG customer, ready to close that sale; or whether you’re sitting in the bathroom stall going over your vows before you tie the knot … practice with passion. It’ll make your final performance a cakewalk. How are you inserting passion into YOUR preparation process?

11. Reawaken your passion. Maybe it was overshadowed, blocked or buried somewhere along the way. Maybe your inner choir of vicious voices – comprised of parents, teachers, religious leaders and siblings – put your passion to bed. Fine. Get over it. Wake that sumbich up and announce to the world, “Guess who’s back…!” Whom are YOU ready to make look like an idiot?

12. Remain passionate despite. Despite the haters. Despite constant failure. Despite having no idea what hell you’re doing. Despite ANYTHING. Suck it up. Keep the flame of passion burning voraciously for as long as you’re still breathing. Do that, and the spirit of your passion will remain alive forever, even when you’re six feet under. What will YOU be buried with?

13. Suffering breeds passion. From great suffering comes great awakening. So, next time you go through something really terrible, really big or really ugly, remember that the suffering you’re experiencing is the gateway to something awesome, something enlightening. You may not know it at the time, and it may take a few months or even years until you realize it, but never forget that beautiful flowers can still grow in a pile of manure. What is this atrocity teaching YOU?

When passion is involved, the rules change.

That’s what my experience has taught me.

Stick yourself (and your passion) out there. TODAY.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Does your calendar reflect your passion?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “”86 Passion-Finding Questions to Discover What You Love,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Hire Scott to speak at your next company meeting and he will show his nametag tattoo on stage! No extra charge.

Book The Nametag Guy here.

Two questions that made me laugh OUT LOUD

I collect questions.

At current, my database contains about five thousand of them.

Some I read in books.
Some I overhear in conversations.
Some I just come up with out of thin air.

And, regardless of their origin, the best part about collecting questions is that initial moment when you first come across one that profoundly penetrates you.

Because you’re never the same again.

Questions make us bigger. They’re bridges. They’re fuel. They contain energy. They invite dialogue; enlist introspection and ensue honest appraisals of our personal Truth.

And SOME questions are so powerful, so confrontational and so thought provoking that they actually cause a physical reaction. You might gasp, drop your jaw, nod your head, or even say, “Wow…”

These physical cues are windows into our worlds. They help us pinpoint and excavate what’s REALLY going on inside our heads.

Me? I tend to laugh when I see great questions. Almost as if to say, “Touche, sir. A fair and noble inquiry indeed!”

This happened to me the other day…

I was compiling some notes from a recent NametagTV module when I came across two questions that literally caused me to laugh – out loud. That’s how moving they were.

The first question was:

What are you doing that makes NO sense at all?

I CRACKED up. Absolutely hysterical.

And not because the question was, like, Ha-Ha Funny; but rather that the question made me realize, “Wow, there is so much stupid crap I’m doing in my life right now that makes NO sense at all.”

You gotta love questions like that.

And then, not five minutes later, another question made me laugh out loud:

What consumes your time that isn’t making you any money?

I chuckled to myself in that shifty-eyed, collar loosening, “yikes,” sort of way.

“Wow,” I laughed, “I wonder what daily activities I could ditch because they’re not producing any income?”

Yeah. That is just HILARIOUS…

So, that’s why questions are – in my experience – the most important things in the world. Here’s why:

A question SENDS you off to the races. Stretching your mind into unexpected, unencumbered territory. Challenging your soul to expand and grow and mature. And the BEST part is, once you’ve asked a question, once your mind has danced with that little beauty for a few songs, your mind never quite returns to its original size.

A question FORCES you (and others) to confront yourself. As if to say, “Alright. Cut the shit. Let’s honestly assess what’s going on here. Let’s hold ourselves – and each other – accountable for our actions.

A question FUNCTIONS as that little nudge, push, tipping point or last straw you needed. Helping you to surpass that threshold level of understanding that so desperately tried to hold you back. Helping you meet your own eyes in the mirror and confront yourself.

A question CRACKS open a new world. And all it takes is one. One question – either something you read or hear or write (or even accidentally utter yourself) – that makes you stop dead in your tracks, freeze the moment and say, “Wow. Now THERE’S a good question.”

A question ENLISTS your creativity. It’s impossible to be asked a question and NOT start looking for an answer. The human brain simply can’t resist. The good news is, when your mind is fixated on finding a solution; new ideas and possibilities start coming out of the blue. Almost like the universe KNEW you were looking and granted permission to your unconscious mind to go on a manhunt. Er, question-hunt.

A question can FORGE a path. Asking the right questions is the ONLY way to uproot Truth. Your words are mental machetes that clear the cabbage out of the way. And when I say “cabbage” I mean things like denial and procrastination. Fear and motivation. If you drop the right question at the right time, and you’ll slowly create space to see the entirety of the landscape.

A question VISUALIZES ideal conditions. You inspire people to paint a compelling, detailed picture of the desired future and make meaningful strides toward it. You also empower people to speak FROM the future so they can look back to identify the steps that led there.

A question PREDICTS the future. It lets you imagine the road before you have to travel it, discarding any maps that don’t go where you need to go. You enable people to act as if the desired changed already imagine what they need to become in order for their goals to manifest.

A question can CUT deeply, yet therapeutically. These are the best questions in the world. They almost make you smile, nod your head and say, “OK. Fair enough. Good point.” These are my favorite questions to ask coaching clients.

A question EMPOWERS others to turn inward. Instead of having all the answers, instead of “fixing” people, you ask certain questions to encourage people to tap and trust their inner resources and figure out the answer on their own. Because you’re a midwife, assisting others in giving birth to their own understanding.

A question ENABLES learning. At the root of the word question is the word quest, which means to SEEK, DESIRE and ADVENTURE. So, questions forward the action. All it takes is one and everything can change. Forever.

A question EXPLODES people’s brains. Because it’s not about the answer but what the answer POINTS to. Ask ridiculous questions that stretch people because what they say will represent something bigger, better and brighter.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What questions did you ask yourself today?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “8 Ways to Out QUESTION Your Competition,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Nobody talking about your business?

Bummer. Perhaps I could help on a more personal, one-on-one basis.

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

NametagTV: When They Want It NOW

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Watch the original video on NametagTV!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are your words demonstrating a sense of urgency?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “6 Ways to Out ANSWER Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Satisfaction not enough?
Customers not telling their friends about you?
Want to learn how to deliver unforgettable service?

Buy Scott’s new book and learn how to get your frontline IN line!

Pick up your copy (or a case!) right here.

Scott Celebrates 8 YEARS of Nametagging!

This week marks my Eight Year Nametag Anniversary.

So I was thinking.

Wearing a nametag everyday is a great opportunity to force yourself to practice your listening skills.

EXAMPLE: The other day I was sitting on the floor at O’Hare, doing some writing.

I would have sat on a chair, but airport outlets are like currency these days, so I took what I could get.

Around 9:30 AM, a short, older woman with a rolling suitcase rushed passed me.

“Hi Scott!”

“Morning.”

She stopped in her tracks. “Um, do you know you’re still wearing a nametag?”

“Yeah, I always wear it.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Every day!”

“Oh, cool. Well, actually, the reason I stopped is because my son’s name is Scott too.”

“Yeah? Another Scott, huh? It’s a good name.”

“He’s such a good kid, too!” she gushed. “Just graduated from Vanderbilt. Got a degree in engineering! And he has a few job offers from several big firms, but he’s not sure which one to accept. See, Scott’s always been the kind of kid who…”

For ten minutes. That’s how long she went on about her son. And who could blame her? That’s what parents do. They brag about their kids.

But that’s not what amazed me.

What was interesting was that this lady was CLEARLY in a rush. And yet, she still stopped to talk to a complete stranger. For ten minutes.

LESSON LEARNED: Listening is so rarely practiced that most people will jump at even the slightest opportunity for a captive audience.

Ever since I started wearing a nametag every day, this happens to me ALL the time.

People just start talking to me.

And I don’t mean like, saying hello or asking for the time or wondering if I have some sort of memory problem.

But REALLY talking.

Sharing their passions. Telling their stories. Going on and on about whatever is on their mind.

Like last week, when the man sitting next to me in the boarding lounge commented on the book I was reading. One thing led to another and we were talking about our respective travel plans. Then, before we knew it, the guy was telling me about his recently deceased wife who had suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Yep. People just start talking to me. And I don’t even DO anything.

Well, that’s not entirely true.

I mean, sure, I have my nametag on. And I’m an approachable guy. But still, I just think it’s amazing how often this happens.

SO, HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

1. How often are you painting your ears into GOOD listening corners?
2. What have you done THIS WEEK to reverse the “poor listener” stereotype of your industry?
3. Where could you SPONTANEOUSLY practice your listening skills?

Next time you’re sitting at the airport, riding the bus or taking the train, before you immediately put on your iPod and tune out the person sitting next to you, think about the potential benefits of tuning IN.

Because you never know, you could be the ONLY one that listens to that person all day.

Here’s to eight more years!

(Of wearing nametags, that is. Not of the current administration.)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you celebrating today?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “57 Lessons My Nametag Taught Me in 2008,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Always about approachability.

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

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