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1. Health comes first. 2. Press the off button. 3. Drink more water. 4. Take breaks every 50 minutes. 5. Do breathing exercises. 6. Don’t let anyone monopolize your time. 7. Read more fiction. 8. Take off a Monday or Friday here and there. 9. Write on day one, edit on day two. 10. Ignore the 10; stick with the 90. 11. Age only matters if you’re a cheese….

So, I was hoping to have this AMAZING year-end post that (a) wrapped up everything I learned in 2006, (b) left you with a poignant point to ponder or (c) was really, really funny. But I got nothing. It’s been the busiest, craziest, most fun and most educational year of my life. And I’m tired. However, before I call it a year, I wanted to share one final story….

A surprisingly great resource for all things approachable is Cosmopolitan magazine. (My appreciation for this publication started this time last year when I wrote the quiz on approchability.) In their December 2006 issue, there’s a great article about group dynamics at parties. Perfect content for the holiday season: • It’s easier to break into larger groups because they aren’t as cohesive. • Trios are often reluctant to accept a…

Perhaps the folks at David & Goliath were right. I was googling “how to approach” and “approach tips” last night, and I couldn’t help but notice something: Most of the hits were articles about seducing, picking up and getting numbers from women. Actually, they weren’t even articles. Most were one page sales letters or extended pictches for seduction ebooks, 6 CD or 12 DVD attraction kits, workshops and the…

A is for ATTITUDE B is for BREAK PATTERNS C is for CONSISTENCY D is for DISCIPLINE E is for EVOLUTION F is for FRIENDLINESS G is for GOOD WITH NAMES H is for HAPPINESS I is for IDEAS J is for JOY K is for KNOWLEDGE L is for LAUGHTER M is for MUNDANE N is for NAMETAGS O is for OFF BUTTON P is for PAINT YOURSELF…

You gotta love the opening scene of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. The former presidential candidate takes the stage, PowerPoint clicker in-hand. His famous Global Warming Slideshow appears on the enormous screen in the background. Thousands of bright-eyed college students anxiously await his opening remarks. The applause fades. The crowd falls silent. And the first words out of Al Gore’s mouth are, “Hello, my name is Al Gore, and…

On the shelves of my father’s library, I recently found a book called Dare to Live, by Joe D. Batten. First published in 1966, this was one of the first titles in Batten’s extenstive leadership library. Over the decades, Joe went on to accomplish great things in the world of “Tough Minded Management.” He was also Ross Perot’s mentor. Can I finish? He was also among the first professional…

I had a chance to catch up with Oregonian Tim “Gonzo” Gordon this week. We chatted about nametags, speaking, writing books, mentors, and the “weirdness” of the Rose City. NOTE: I’ve been slacking on the podcasts lately, so it’s nice to finally post another audio clip. Enjoy! Gonzo Podcast #54 LET ME ASK YA THIS… Do you think there varying types of “weird people” out there? * * *…

A is for ATTITUDE B is for BREAK PATTERNS C is for CONSISTENCY D is for DISCIPLINE E is for EVOLUTION F is for FRIENDLINESS G is for GOOD WITH NAMES H is for HAPPINESS I is for IDEAS J is for JOY K is for KNOWLEDGE L is for LAUGHTER M is for MUNDANE N is for NAMETAGS O is for OFF BUTTON P is for PAINT YOURSELF…

Nope, it isn’t “marketing.” Wrong, it ain’t “credibility.” And no, it’s not “Oprah.” The most important word in any author’s vocabulary is: platform. Here’s what that means: • A platform is what helps sell books • A platform is the way you reach readers • A platform is your expertise on your book’s topic(s) • A platform is a network of notoriety and exposure • A platform is how…