Tag: kicking your own ass

Who are you creating art for?

Some artists create art for fame.
Some artists create art for money.
Some artists create art for awards.
Some artists create art for getting laid.
Some artists create art for recognition from critics.
Some artists create art for recognition from other artists.
Some artists create art for people who don’t appreciate it.
Some artists create art for the needs and wants of a certain target market.

Here’s what I think:

I THINK … when you care the least; you do the best.

I THINK … when your stakes are lower; your results are higher.

I THINK … when you create for the wrong reasons; you become a dishonest and gluttonous artist.

I THINK … when you create for the right reasons; the world starts paying attention.

I THINK … when you detach from outcomes and just concentrate on the components; you win.

You know, “journey, not destination” stuff.

SO, THAT’S THE BIG QUESTION: who (or what) are you creating for?

I believe that we, as artists, have a few options:

Create for … YOURSELF
Because you love to create.
Because it makes you happy.
Because you can’t NOT create.
Because it’s your calling, your purpose.
Because it’s just something you like to do.
Because sometimes, the theater of the mind is better.
Because it’s your release, your meditation, your spiritual connection.

Create for … THE SAKE OF CREATING
Because creating is healthy.
Because creating is necessary.
Because you’re an artist, and that’s what artists do.
Because making something out of nothing is totally cool.

Create for … THAT WHICH ENABLED YOU
Because usefulness is worship.
Because you have been given a tremendous gift, and to utilize that gift is to honor the giver.
Because God, The Muse, The Higher Power, The Source, The Divine Light or whatever you call it, deserves it.
Because your creative talents came from something bigger, stronger and more powerful than you, and it’s time to give back.

Create for … NOTHING AT ALL
Just because.

I think Dr. George “Running Guy” Sheehan said it best:

“If you are doing something you would do for nothing – then you are on your way to salvation. And if you could drop it in a minute and forget the outcome, you are even further along. And if while you are doing it you are transported into another existence, there is no need for you to worry about the future.”

SO, HERE’S THE DEAL: if you create art, that makes you an artist. Period.

Eliminate the word “for” from your vocabulary.

You don’t need to create FOR anything. Or anyone.

Just create. That’s it.

Grant permission to your authentic voice to sing as loud, as silly, as creative and as original as it wants.

Because usually, that’s when the best stuff comes out.

AND BEWARE: people might not like your work. People might not even care about your work. It might not sell. It might not be as good as your other stuff. It might not be the right time for that particular piece.

Many forms of negative resistance are standing by to throw themselves at you.

So, it only makes sense to detach from outcomes and just CREATE.

For you.
For the sake of creating.
For your Source.
For nothing at all.

Because, even in the worst case scenario; you can always say:

“Whatever. I liked it.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who are you creating art for?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Read Hugh’s ebook NOW. That’s what inspired me to write this post.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

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21 ways to get (really) good at writing

1. You get (really) good at writing by writing a lot.

2. You get (really) good at writing by being willing to suck at the beginning.

3. You get (really) good at writing by reading good writing.

4. You get (really) good at writing by reading bad writing.

5. You get (really) good at writing by studying the architecture of pages.

6. You get (really) good at writing sharing your writing with people who are smarter than you who rip your writing apart.

7. You get (really) good at writing by reading everything Julia Cameron has ever written.

8. You get (really) good at writing by writing for the sake of writing, instead of writing for money, fame, increased traffic or sales.

9. You get (really) good at writing by writing every day.

10. You get (really) good at writing by doing your Morning Pages.

11. You get (really) good at writing by (not) planning and just writing.

12. You get (really) good at writing by blogging.

13. You get (really) good at writing by regularly expanding and challenging your creativity.

14. You get (really) good at writing by becoming a better thinker.

15. You get (really) good at writing by discovering your voice.

16. You get (really) good at writing by writing about stuff you like.

17. You get (really) good at writing by learning how to addict yourself to writing.

18. You get (really) good at writing by posting your work on the Web and letting the world be your editor.

19. You get (really) good at writing by observing the world through your creative filter.

20. You get (really) good at writing by not making a big deal about writing.

21. You get (really) good at writing by recognizing that procrastination isn’t about laziness, it’s about fear.

22. You get (really) good at writing by posting a sticky note on your computer that says, “What did you write today?”

23. You get (really) good at writing by posting a sticky note on your computer that says, “Is everything you know written down somewhere?”

24. You get (really) good at writing by journaling every day.

25. You get (really) good at writing by admitting that writing is the basis of all wealth.

26. You get (really) good at writing by remembering that if you don’t write it down, it never happened.

27. You get (really) good at writing by making lots and lots of lists.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How did you get (really) good at writing?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Finish this sentence five times: “You get (really) good at writing by…” Post your answers here! I’m trying to get the list up to 500 so I can create a free ebook called “500 Ways to Get (Really) Good at Writing.” (Full credit will be given for all contributions.)

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

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On being unarguable

I was walking down the Las Vegas Strip one day when I saw the coolest t-shirt of all time.

A teenager was wearing it. The front was emblazoned with the New York Yankees logo.

Right above it in big, bold letters, it said: DO THE MATH.

It took me a second, but eventually I figured it out.

See, you can talk all you want about how much you hate the Yankees.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS: if you really sit down and do the math, you’d realize that the Yankees are clearly one of the greatest organizations in sports history.

Which makes them unarguable.

Undisputed.
Undeniable.
Unquestionable.

And this doesn’t just apply to sports, either.

In business, your goal is to become unarguable.

With your IDEAS.
With your BRANDS.
With your RESULTS.
With your COMPANY.

See, when you’re unarguable, THREE things happen:

FIRST … you disarm customers of their preoccupations.
This leaves them nowhere to go except in your direction.

SECOND … you prove to customers that you have a track record of success.
This reinforces their confidence in working with or buying from you.

THREE … you remind yourself that haters, naysayers and other forms of resistance can say all they want, but nothing can take away the fact that YOU are successful.
This just makes you feel good!

Interestingly, the word “argue” comes from the Latin arguere, which means, “to make clear or demonstrate.”

So, that’s what’s so powerful about being UN-arguable.

The value is self-evident. No explanation needed.

Now, it’s also important to note another thing.

The New York Yankees originated in 1904.

But they didn’t win their first World Series title until 1923.

That’s almost two decades.

Two decades of NOT being the best.
Two decades of NOT being unarguable.

For The Yankees, it was two decades of paying dues.

See, being http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifunarguable isn’t something you just “decide” to become one afternoon.

Anyone or any company that wants to be referred to as unarguable must do a few things:

PAY their dues
That means sucking for a while in the beginning.
That means taking the time (and paying the price) to uncover your unique voice.

ENDURE the criticism
That means ignoring it if it comes from ignorant sources.
That means embracing it if it comes from validated sources.

OBSESS about it
That means projecting unquestionable commitment.
That means eliminating the words “finish line” from your vocabulary.

STICK it out.
That means choosing to do the brave thing by staying in the longer line.
That means having the patience to compound thousands of little activities.
That means becoming the best at what you do by not quitting while everyone else falls by the wayside.

Pay, endure, obsess and stick. That’s how you become unarguable.

OK, one final point.

Being unarguable isn’t for everyone.

Only the dedicated, committed, and (oftentimes) crazy individuals need apply.

However.

If it IS for you, and if you ARE willing to pay the price, here’s what you can expect:

People will still resist you…
People will still not like you…
People will still say whatever they want about you…

…but in the end, when they do the math, they’ll either:

1. Smile and embrace you, or
2. Curl up and realize they can’t do anything to you.

Because, like ‘em or not, you gotta respect the Yankees.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you unarguable?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best example of someone (or something) that’s unarguable!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

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Be willing to suck in the beginning

I’ve been writing books since I was 21.

But, I didn’t find my true author’s voice until I was about 25.

It comes with the territory. Whether you’re a rock star, a artist or a business owner, you’ve got to “get the shanks out.”

LESSON LEARNED: be willing to suck in the beginning.

Dare to do it badly.
Seek progress, not perfection.
Spend some time paying (or playing) your dues.
Invest some sweat in creating work that isn’t very good.

Because when you do, here’s what happens:

After a while, say a few years or so, you start to get good. You begin to discover your voice, your groove, your unique style, your “thing,” your sound, your approach.

And eventually, once all the shanks have been disposed of, you start to ROCK every time.

Not that you don’t mess up. Or make some junk here and there. Or create something that isn’t amazing. (Even U2 writes a weak song every once in a while.)

The point is:

Because you paid the price, you developed patience.

Because you developed patience, you got the shanks out.

And because you got the shanks out, you made room for the good stuff.

REMEMBER: your most valuable ideas, projects, notes and words are just DYING to come to the surface.

But sometimes, you might need to dig through a few layers of junk to find them.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you willing to suck in the beginning?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Go through a stack of old creative work and find something that was TERRIBLE. Post it on your bulletin board as a reminder.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

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Corny doesn’t mean ineffective

Yes, all that positive attitude stuff is TOTALLY corny.

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

I say:

Believe in whatever makes you more focused.
Believe in whatever makes you more motivated.
Believe in whatever makes you more productive.

Because if you have a negative attitude, all the nametags in the world won’t make you more approachable.

Which means:

It’s about your thinking.
It’s about your questions.
It’s about your responses.

So, here’s a quick list of what to say (and what NOT to say) so you can attract more people, more business, more ideas and more opportunities into your life:

1. If someone says “No!” the next word out of your mouth should be “Next!”

2. Don’t say, “Ouch!” say, “Ah-ha!”

3. Enjoy, don’t compare.

4. Don’t say, “What’s going to happen to me?” say, “What can I do?”

5. Don’t say, “What if I can’t?” say, “How can I?”

6. Next time someone challenges your attitude by saying, “Don’t you ever worry that…” say “No!” no matter what.

7. Whenever something happens to you (good OR bad) ask yourself, “Now what else does this make possible?”

8. Also ask yourself, “What do I have to become to get all that I want?”

9. Next time someone tells you that something you created SUCKS, smile and say, “I respect your opinion of my work.”

Sure, stuff like this is corny.

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Does corny mean ineffective?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Make a list of three corny techniques that work for you.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

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What are you doing TODAY to increase your freedom TOMORROW?

Let’s talk about freedom.

BUSINESS freedom.

That’s what entrepreneurs want more of, right?

Right.

JUST REMEMBER: business freedom is something that needs to be EARNED.

Here’s a list of eight ways to do it:

Freedom comes from FOCUS.
If you’ve carved out a niche, a narrow slice of the market, you will earn the freedom to charge a premium and be selective about your client base.

THE KEY TO FOCUS: become THEE, not A.

Freedom comes from WRITING.
The best way to learn something is to write it. So, if you’re constantly writing down your ideas and thoughts, you will earn the freedom to speak both extemporaneously AND intelligently about them.

THE KEY TO WRITING: writing is the basis of all wealth.

Freedom comes from READING.
How many books did you read last year? If you’re constantly exposing yourself to great books, you will earn the freedom to carry on an engaging conversation with almost anyone.

THE KEY TO READING: learn how to read a book.

Freedom comes from REPUTATION.
Your reputation sells you when you’re not around. By carefully creating, improving and reinforcing it, you will earn the freedom to work less.

THE KEY TO REPUTATION: consistency.

Freedom comes from EXPERTISE.
What do you know more about than anyone else in the world? When you can answer this question, you will earn the freedom to work alongside ZERO competition.

THE KEY TO EXPERTISE: become a thought leader.

Freedom comes from POSITIONING.
When you position yourself in a unique way, you will earn the freedom to (not) have to sell so much; and instead, get business to come to YOU. You will shorten your average sales cycle and customers will self-qualify.

THE KEY TO POSITIONING: be That Guy.

Freedom comes from SELF-EVALUATION.
When you know exactly who you are and what your uniqueness is, you will earn the freedom to insist upon being yourself.

THE KEY TO SELF-EVALUATION: your philosophies and policies.

Freedom comes from HARD WORK.
Paying your dues means working hard, smart and long. For a while. And eventually, you will earn the freedom to (not) have to work so hard, or at all.

THE KEY TO HARD WORK: um, hard work.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you doing TODAY to increase your freedom TOMORROW?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best technique here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

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Why I love trashcans

A few months ago I was giving a speech to a group of hotel employees in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

I told them about the first day I started wearing a nametag (November 2, 2000)…

On that day, I exited an on-campus seminar and noticed everyone throwing their nametags away.

So, I decided to leave mine on, just as an experiment.

And for ONE day, the response was so overwhelming positive, that I decided to leave my nametag on permanently!

As you can see, it ended up working out pretty well. I somehow managed to make an entire career out it!

That was 2,494 days ago.

Anyway, after the training session was over, a young guy approached me and chuckled, “Dude, isn’t it crazy to think that your entire career came from something you saw in a trashcan?”

Huh. Never really thought of it like that.

Which is kind of funny.

I guess some people look into a trashcan and see trash.

While other people look into a trashcan and see opportunity.

What about you?

When you look at the world…

Do you see garbage?
Or do you see gold?

Do you see waste?
Or do you see wealth?

Do you see junk?
Or do you see joy?

The choice is yours. The attitude is yours.

After all, choice and attitude are about the only things in this world you can really control.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When you see people, what do you see?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best story of “seeing the opportunity in the trashcan.”

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

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Credit will find you

DID YOU KNOW…
That Einstein’s Theory of Relativity sat in his mind (and his notebook) for ten years before it saw the light of day?

DID YOU KNOW…
That Marcian Hoff’s Intel processor took about eighteen years to come to fruition?

DID YOU KNOW…
That Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, waited twenty-seven years before collecting ANY royalties on his patent?

DID YOU KNOW…
That Bob Gundlach’s groundbreaking xerography technology didn’t hit the market until eleven years after the idea was conceived?

LESSON LEARNED: credit will find you.

Which explains why so many artists, inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs tend to be as patient as they are creative.

It comes with the territory.

After all, fortune doesn’t favor the fidgety.

However.

Credit doesn’t happen “just like that.”

See, credit will find you IF:

o Your material is brilliant and unique and cool and uses a creative, new approach.
o You’re constantly working hard, smart AND long.
o You’re committed and consistent.

I think Bob Gundlach (the Xerox machine guy) puts it into perspective pretty well:

“Yes, it took over a decade before my product hit the market; but it’s gratifying to know that three billion images a day are now made by my process.”

Stick it out. Experience The Dip. Patience pays off.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you in it for the long haul?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Buy Seth’s new book The Dip: short, sweet, life-changing.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
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Make a name for yourself here…

23 (more) ways to speed up your learning curve

It doesn’t matter how young you are.

It doesn’t matter how inexperienced you are.

You can still learn a LOT at a young age.

Because, as Indiana Jones said, “It’s not the years; it’s the mileage.”

If you want to rack up your “Melon Mileage,” consider these 23 ideas. I’ve been living and working by them for years:

1. Read lots of books. Highlight, underline, take notes and annotate. When you’re done, recopy those notes onto a Word file. Then save them in a folder called “Book Notes.” Refer back to them regularly. And never loan those books to anybody. Start with one book per week.

2. Google everything. Ideas, people, YOURSELF, information, companies, competitors, trends and the like. Do it daily.

3. Ask smart people smart questions. In person, via email, online and ESPECIALLY when you’re in the audience during a speech. Have a handful of smart, open-ended toughies ready to go for any occasion. My favorite example: “What was the biggest mistake you made in your first year of business?”

4. Take notes. Listen closely to (and write down) those smart people’s answers. Keep those ideas in a separate folder called “People Notes.” Refer back to them regularly.

5. Screw up. Big time and small time. Keep a running list called, “Things I’ll Never Do Again.” Consider partnering up for this exercise. Regularly share your list with a safe, accountable person.
6. Daily appointments with yourself. Take this morning time for reflection, journaling, meditation and thinking. This quiet time will help you listen to your intuition, which will enable you to learn more about yourself. Do it for at least 15 minutes, and do it ever-single-day.

7. Be uncomfortable. Understand, step out of, expand and LOVE your comfort zone. Daily. Because you can’t learn when you’re comfortable. Also, ask yourself, “What three situations make me the most uncomfortable?” Make it your goal to intentionally involve yourself in ONE of those situations over the next 30 days. (As long as it’s safe, legal and appropriate.)

8. WRITE. Chronicle, journal, blog, diary, (whatever … just WRITE) your thoughts, experiences, feelings, emotions, philosophies and concerns. Daily.
9. Just do stuff. Don’t talk about it. Don’t plan. Don’t take lessons. Just go. The best way to learn how to do something is to DO that something. Action is eloquence.

10. Make lots of lists. Best creativity tool EVER.

11. Eclectic education. Once a month, go to Borders. Buy a cup of coffee or a brownie. Spend an hour or two reading every magazine on the rack. Especially ones you wouldn’t normally read, i.e., Tiger Beat.

12. Hang with super smart, cool and creative people. Ask yourself, “How smart are the five people I spend the most time with?”

13. Find out where you suck. Because that’s the only way you’re going to get better.
14. Learn how you learn. Visual? Aural? Kinesthetic? Take a personality assessment if you have to. Anything to identify your learning style. This will help you better educate yourself in the future.

15. Mentors. Three types. Directly, through an official program like SCORE. Casual, with a colleague, friend or advisor. And indirectly, via books, audiotapes and online content. Mentors are GOLD. And don’t forget to take lots of notes!

16. Motivate your melon. How many books on creativity did you read last month? How many courses in creativity did you take last year? Train your brain. Daily.

17. Grill yourself. Pretend you’re on an interview. Ask yourself tricky questions like, “Who can hurt me the most?” and “If everybody did exactly what I said, what would the world look like?” REMEMBER: questions are the basis of all learning.
18. Bedtime Brain Boosting. Keep a stack of index cards and a Sharpie next to your bed. Every night before you hit the hay, think of ONE lesson you learned that day. Jot down a few words on the card. Keep them in a pile. Then, once a month, lie in bed with all your lesson cards. Take a few minutes to review everything you’ve learned.

19. Quotations. Any time you hear a great quotation, movie line, proverb, psalm or old saying, write it down. Keep a running list called “Quotations” and file it in a folder next to your “Book Notes” and “People Notes.”

20. Teach. Other that writing, teaching is probably the best way to learn. Share your notes, ideas and lessons learned with others. When you pass your wisdom on, you learn it better yourself. Teach via writing, blogging, speaking, talking or mentoring.

21. Talk. Conversations are laboratories. People are libraries. So, exponentially increate your activity level. Especially with diverse individuals. And maintain an expectation that you will learn at least ONE thing from every person you encounter.

22. Unlearn. Make a list of ten childhood assumptions taught by your parents, teachers and faith leaders … that ended up being totally bogus. Use affirmations and self-talk to reprogram yourself. REMEMBER: part of learning is also UN-learning.

23. Extract. Lessons from others, that is. For example, any time someone tells a story, follow up by asking, “So, what lessons did you learn from that experience?”

Now.

You probably noticed a few commonalities among the items on that list.

Namely, “writing” and “daily.”

Guilty.

That’s because writing is the basis of all wealth. (Gitomer)

And that’s because you can’t change your life until you change something you do daily. (Maxwell)

SO REMEMBER:

It doesn’t matter how young you are.
It doesn’t matter how inexperienced you are.

All that matters is that you’re willing to learn.

And if you follow even a handful of these suggestions, in no time you’ll start hearing people say, “How did you learn so much at such a young age?”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How did YOU learn so much?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your list of secrets here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
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Make a name for yourself here…

What’s YOUR On-Deck Donut?

Remember little league?

Of course you do.

Remember the on-deck circle?

Of course you do.

Remember the On-Deck Donut?

Wait. The what?

The On-Deck Donut was created in the 1950’s. This piece of heavy rubber-like material usually weighs a few pounds. Batters swing with it during warm-up in the on-deck circle.

Its original purpose was for a hitter to swing it to loosen and strengthen up. He would then take it off and the bat would magically feel lighter.

This is also known as “deceleration training.”

Interestingly, baseball magazines and message boards support an entire science around these donuts.

According Tim Nolan, creator of the Procut Hitting System, On-Deck Donuts serve several purposes:

o To build arm muscle strength
o To increase bat speed (up to 8 mph)
o To psychologically “quicken” the batter’s swing
o To make the chances of getting a big hit greater
o To increase the amount of power put into the swing
o To make the player’s bat feel lighter during the game
o To release pent-up tension in their arms and shoulders
o To condition muscles to react faster and exert force quickly

So, it’s way more than just a piece of rubber.

It’s a tool.
It’s a ritual.
It’s an essential practice for performance improvement.

HERE’S THE THING: whether or not you actually play baseball, you can still warm up your PROFESSIONAL performance with an On-Deck Donut of your own.

Stay with me here…

Let’s say you just started your new job as account executive.

And you’ve been assigned the client from HELL.

They’re high maintenance, impossible to get a hold of, and worst of all, impatient.

So, during the whole project, you’re thinking, “Why did I get stuck with these jerks? This is SO not worth it!”

Not so fast, Babe Ruth.

HERE’S THE PLAY: think of this pain-in-the-butt client as your On-Deck Donut.

Sure, they’re a little heavier and harder than what you’re going to face in the future.

But that’s good! Because:

You’re quickening your thinking.
You’re strengthening your patience.
You’re conditioning your mental muscles.

AND THE BEST PART: every other client from here on will seem easier to deal with.

Because you’ve already warmed up, prepped your body and psyched your mind.

THAT is how winners play. THAT is how homeruns are hit.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s YOUR On-Deck Donut?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Think back to the worst client you ever had. Consider how that experience paved the way for future business.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Are you a friend of The Nametag Network?

Read more blogs!
Rent Scott’s Brain!
Download articles and ebooks!
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Make a name for yourself here…

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