Tag: really long lists

98 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur

Consider the phrase, “Everyone is an entrepreneur.”

Do you think that’s a valid statement?

I don’t.

Not entirely, that is.

See, I don’t think everyone is an entrepreneur. However:

I DO believe everyone could benefit from having entrepreneurial thinking.

HERE’S WHY: The term “entrepreneur” comes from the French word, entreprendre, which means, “to undertake or manage some task.”

Notice it didn’t say anything about business. Or commerce. Or websites. Or running your own cupcake store.

Just a task. Just something you do. Work related or not.

So, next time you find yourself managing some task (which I imagine happens fairly often), keep these 98 entrepreneurial thoughts in mind:

– – –

1. Never stop asking, “What’s next?” When you finish one project, activity or endeavor, celebrate and then move on to the next one.

2. In January, ask yourself, “How could I spend ZERO money this year?”

3. Recognize that the only person who can make you get up, get out of bed and go to work is YOURSELF.

4. In the customer’s eyes, YOU ARE the company.

5. ASK YOURSELF DAILY: “Is what I’m doing right now consistent with my #1 goal?”

6. Speaking of things to do daily, you must market yourself every single day.

7. Ideas are your major source of income.

8. Finish this sentence: I wish there was a _______ so people wouldn’t have to ________.

9. Invest money; don’t spend it.

10. Recognize that most people do not know who you are or what you do. You need to educate them. Everyone who knows you should know what you DO, what you’re DOING and what you’ve DONE.

11. Pioneer in obscure areas.

12. With every new experience or accomplishment, ask yourself, “Now that I have this, what else does this make possible?”

13. If you’re the only employee, you need to set healthy boundaries. Because if you don’t set them, other people will set them for you. And then they will violate them. And that will set a precedent that it’s acceptable for other people to do the same. REMEMBER: Boundaries are saviors. For more, watch this NametagTV episode on boundaries!

14. ASK YOURSELF: “Is this an opportunity, or an opportunity to be used?”

15. Figure out what you know that other people find valuable. Then enable them to buy it from you.

16. Figure out why your competitors get more attention than you.

17. You are not your customer.

18. Don’t be stopped by not knowing how. Knowing why is enough. Just go. You’ll figure out the how later. Launch and learn!

19. Don’t be so in love WITH or so close TO your idea that you can’t see its weaknesses. Ask objective outsiders.

20. When you get stumped, experiment with every known fragment of your answer.

21. Make creativity your daily (er, hourly) practice. Don’t make it something you just “turn on” every once in a while. Creativity is an attitude and a lifestyle. Not a weekend warrior thing.

22. ASK YOURSELF: “Is this the most prudent use of my time right now?”

23. Operate on multiple planes of consciousness. Take on various roles of the artist, the mechanic, the CEO, the janitor and the customer service rep.

24. The more you learn, the more valuable you are.

25. The more imitable you are, the less valuable you are.

26. Diversity is equity. Are you a one trick pony?

27. Refuse to discard hunches. Your gut is smarter than you think.

28. Think ridiculously big thoughts.

29. The only way to become more successful is to get BETTER at what you do and/or, to do MORE of what you do.

30. Learn to juggle.

31. Duplicate, clone and multiply yourself. Find a way to deliver value without actually being there. Access isn’t presence.

32. Figure out at what point you’d rather grow your business than make money.

33. Figure out at what point you’d rather make a contribution than grow your business.

34. Ask yourself how YOU can do it before asking how it’s already been done.

35. Study your own discovery process.

36. If everybody loves your idea, you’re doing something wrong. Stop trying to please everybody. Stop trying to be so well rounded. Stop trying to appeal to the masses. Pick a lane, narrow your focus and start polarizing some folks. It won’t kill you. There’s a LOT of potential customers out there.

37. If everybody says you’re crazy, you might just be onto something.

38. If you’re not pissing off (some) people, you’re not doing your job.

39. If nobody’s trying to steal, copy or parody your idea, it’s probably not that good.

40. If you can’t explain your idea to a five year old, it’s not simple enough.

41. If you can’t explain your idea on the back of a business card, it’s not simple enough.

42. If you can’t explain your idea in eight words or less, it’s not simple enough.

43. If people aren’t talking about your idea, it won’t spread and therefore, won’t be successful.

44. ASK YOURSELF: If someone was going to pay you $1000 an hour, what are the questions they’ve got to ask you to get their money’s worth?

45. Make sure you are being stretched and forced to grow. Daily.

46. One of the most difficult things for an entrepreneur to do is press The Off Button. To (not) check email at 10:30 PM, for example. What about you? Are you addicted to email?

47. Going solo can become a vortex. So, be careful to walk the line between being immersed and submersed. REMEMBER: Tread, don’t drown.

48. Be the one with the most information. You will win.

49. Tooting your own horn is acceptable and necessary. Blowing your own horn? Not so much.

50. ASK YOURSELF: Are your friendships, relationships, and your emotional life suffering as a result of this task?

51. Everything you do should lead to something else you do. Make sure your ideas have movement value.

52. Continually develop options and answers. This will make the solution easier to find.

53. ASK YOURSELF: How can you do the work once and benefit many times?

54. It’s a tough road, being on your own. Sustaining ambition, commitment and dedication will be your biggest challenge. So, you better build a solid support system of multiple mentors, mastermind groups, loved ones, colleagues and other valuable relationships.

55. Execution is probably the biggest secret to all successful entrepreneurs. How do YOU turn your ideas into action? And how long will it take? Those are the big entrepreneurial questions.

56. Be careful not to spend all your time talking about your new idea. Sometimes an entrepreneur will talk the energy out of an idea then and have nothing left for action. Be careful.

57. How much could you be charging for that?

58. How often does perfection keep you from starting? Because there’s never going to be a “right” time. Just when you get there, “there” disappears. Just go, man.

59. Constantly upgrade your qualifications. In what ways are you currently obsolete?

60. State your fee confidently and then shut up. He who talks next loses.

61. Another trait of successful entrepreneurs is the ability to notice things. Trends, patterns, anomalies and the like. This helps you recognize opportunities. What are YOU noticing?

62. What’s your “currency?” Because it might not be money. It could be time with your kids, for example. And you need know what your currency is before undertaking any new endeavor.

63. Your calendar is your inventory. Protect your days.

64. You are what you charge. (Refer back to #60)

65. Listen to everybody or listen to nobody.

66. Find out where you suck. Then decide whether you need to improve in that area or hire someone else to do it for you.

67. Entrepreneurs take risks. Period. And NOT taking risks is an even BIGGER risk. So, you must learn to love your zone of discomfort.

68. Don’t say, “That’s impossible!” Instead, ask yourself, “How can I do this?”

69. Think about what you’re BUILDING, not just what you’re MANAGING.

70. Being an entrepreneur is all about freedom. Freedom to be yourself. Freedom from corporate politics. Freedom to work in your PJ’s all day. Freedom to leave work early and go to a movie on Tuesday afternoon. Freedom to do what you want, when you want it and how you want it. Freedom to lay on the couch in your pajamas all day while writing on your laptop, drinking Fennel Tea and listening to Morphine – and calling that “work.” (Hypothetically, of course.) Is what you’re doing TODAY creating more freedom TOMORROW?

71. Don’t accept the same type of assignments and clients you worked with two years ago. That means you haven’t grown much.

72. You aren’t a salesperson, a businessperson or a service provider. You are a resource. An expert. A trusted advisor.

73. Look into the future and examine what the type of people who do what you do often become. Then ask yourself if that’s the type of person you want to become.

74. Deliver insight, not just expertise.

75. Learn the rules so you know how to break them effectively. NOTE: Consider googling the rule first, just to make sure it’s not illegal.

76. Always think of yourself as self-employed. Even if you work for some huge corporate monolith. This type of thinking will help you take greater ownership and personal responsibility over your job.

77. Sell people on YOU first. Then sell them on your idea.

78. There is no finish line. You’ve never arrived. Instead, you constantly expand your skills and abilities to add more value to your self, your services and your products.

79. Be like the sharks, which start dying when they stop swimming. See, they have to ask themselves, “What’s next?” because they can’t eat, breathe or breed unless they stay in motion.

80. Screw up. Like, a lot. Love your mistakes, because mistakes reveal individuality. Also, find a way to incorporate mistakes into your work. Make them mindfully. REMEMBER: Mistakes are springboards.

81. Don’t attach yourself to a business plan. In fact, consider not even HAVING a business plan! You’d hate to limit yourself.

82. Having a MARKETING plan, on the other hand, isn’t a bad idea.

83. Having a cool company name goes a LONG way. So please, for the love of God, don’t use something unoriginal and generic like “Daniels & Associates,” “Got termites?” or “The Hagel Company.” Nobody knows the name Daniels. You don’t even HAVE any associates. And that trite “Got milk?” ripoff is about 14 years too old. You can do better. Have some fun. Get a cool company name. Good lord!

84. If you’re the kind of person that constantly needs certainty, your entrepreneurial road will be really, really rocky.

85. Being an entrepreneur isn’t a characteristic or a personality trait. It’s a way of life, a type of attitude, a style of thinking and a pattern of behavior.

86. Learn to kick your own ass, because nobody else will.

87. Focus on creativity, not efficiency. (If you want a list of the 10 best books on creativity you’ve never heard of, email [email protected] and I’ll hook you up!)

88. Don’t just think about leveraging what you have. Think also about what else you could do with what you’ve unexpectedly landed with.

89. Figure out what types of people you need to listen to, as well as what types of people (not) to listen to.

90. Criticism comes with the entrepreneurial territory. Learn to accept or discard it; or even sometimes, embrace it. And find out where you suck.

91. Questions are the most valuable resource you have. Ask lots of them. Daily.

92. As an entrepreneur, you get paid according the amount of value you deliver, not the number of hours you put in. Which means 90% of success isn’t seen. Which means you will work your ass off, and most people will only see that final 10%. Ouch. Better make sure it’s good.

93. Invest your money; don’t spend it.

94. Take your core business, build a wall around it and then go be the best.

95. Don’t waste your time dealing with potential customers and partners who (clearly) don’t know how to value you yet.

96. Define your optimal workday and workweek. Stick to it.

97. In a commoditized market, the key differentiator is service.

98. In a commoditized market, customers are just going to pick the best choice. So, if you’re not going to be the best at what you do, why even bother?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your three best practices for “thinking like an entrepreneur?”

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share them here!

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

Just starting your own business?
Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on leveraging your ideas!

68 Things Employees Never Want to Hear Their Manager Say

1. Better luck next time.
2. Can I see you for a second?
3. Close the door.
4. Conditions were different when I said that.
5. Discussion is over.
6. Don’t bother me right now.
7. Don’t bring me problems; bring me solutions.
8. Everybody’s doing it.
9. Get out!
10. Guess what I’ volunteering you for?
11. Here, you handle this problem. I’m busy.
12. Here’s what you’re doing wrong.
13. I can’t help it if it’s your day off.
14. I don’t care if it’s your day off.
15. I don’t have time for you right now.
16. I don’t want to hear it.
17. I know it’s a holiday, but…
18. I know it’s Saturday, but…
19. I know it’s your day off, but…
20. I need to have a word with you.
21. I need you to do this.
22. I never said that!
23. I’m not the problem, you are.
24. I’m right, you’re wrong.
25. I’m too busy to listen.
26. If you could go ahead and drop off those TPS reports, that would be grrrrreeeeat.
27. If you have anything to say, keep it to yourself.
28. In case a bus hits you, I want to make sure you and Karen are inter-changeable.
29. Is this YOUR bag of drugs?
30. It doesn’t matter.
31. It was political.
32. It’s not my fault; I didn’t know the law.
33. Merit didn’t have anything to do with it.
34. My mind is made up.
35. No, I don’t understand and I probably never will.
36. Nobody will know.
37. Oh, we’re finished.
38. Some you win; some you lose.
39. That’s horrible! Do it over.
40. That’s how it’s always been done.
41. That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.
42. The schedule is already made up.
43. There’s no problem.
44. Those are breaks of the game.
45. Try paying attention to what you’re doing.
46. We aren’t the problem, they are.
47. We’re replacing you with this robot…
48. We’re right, they’re wrong.
49. We’ve already tried that before.
50. What’s your name again?
51. Who the hell is responsible for this?
52. You brought this on yourself.
53. You can leave now.
54. You can’t go to church – you have to work.
55. You don’t really feel that way.
56. You got into this mess, now you get out of this mess.
57. You haven’t worked here long enough.
58. You putz; can you do ANYTHING right?
59. You should have known better.
60. You’re fired.
61. You’re not allowed to say that.
62. You’re not educated enough.
63. You’re not living up to your potential.
64. You’re not ready.
65. You’re wrong.
66. You’ve got a looooong way to go before we give you any new responsibilities.
67. Your office chair didn’t show up so you’ll be sitting on orange crates for the next two weeks.
68. You’re going to do it because I say you’re going to do it. Now move!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s on YOUR list of things employees never want to hear their manager say?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your list here!

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

Tired of waiting for employees to come to YOU?
Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on how to stick yourself out there!

19 Ways to Build Buzz about Your New Website

Oscar Wilde once remarked, “The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about.”

So. Who’s talking about you?

Well, if you’re not happy with your answer, perhaps these practices, ideas and suggestions will help spread the word about your new website:

1. FIRST THINGS FIRST:Build remarkability into your ideas before they go public. Are you (already) worth making a remark about?

2. Give it away. If you want it to be viral, (some) of your content HAS to be free. What are YOU giving away?

3. Stop writing. Nobody’s going to read all that copy. Think images, not words. And keep it clean and above the fold. How are YOU using video?

4. Harness the power of ITunes. They have AMAZING marketing and reach a LOT of people that might not ever GO to your site. Podcasting – audio or video – is the key to reaching new audiences via web 2.0. How many people’s IPods are YOU on?

5. Use Digg and Delicious. Screw Oprah. Digg and Delicious are WAY more powerful (and a LOT less annoying) than her. Also, if someone comes to your website and doesn’t know what Social Bookmarking tool are, forget about it. Let the techies and bloggers who DO know what those buttons mean to use them to spread your message. Stop trying to educate the people who don’t “get” social networking. It’s not your job to convert them. Do people Digg you?

6. Use RSS. This is the PERFECT tool for building your permission asset. How many subscribers do YOU have?

7. Make it easy to share. Include boxes and buttons for link sharing, i.e., “Send this site to a friend” and embeddable HTML tags for videos, playlists and pictures. Are you making your website really, really easy to share?

8. REMEMBER: It’s not how many people come to your site, it’s WHO comes to your site. Eyeballs are overrated. So don’t get caught up in traffic, hits and the like. Are you focusing on the number of eyeballs or the RIGHT eyeballs?

9. People. Find raving fans that have big mouths, market to them and then get out of the way. How many fans do YOU have?

10. Build suspense. Whether you use an ezine, RSS feed or blog, have a countdown during the final month before launch. Build anticipation. For example, you could use a screen shot to drum up interest at the end of each blog post. Does anyone even KNOW about your new website?

11. Humor wins. Think about the last time you said or heard someone say: “Dude, you’ve GOT to check out this website!” More than likely, it’s because somebody, somewhere, was funny. What’s humorous about YOUR site?

12. Get ‘em at hello. Two seconds. That’s about how much time you have to convince someone that your website is worth telling her friends about. So, make sure it passes “The Cubicle Test,” i.e., If somebody walked by her coworker’s workspace, would she stop in tracks and say, “Hey, cool! What website is THAT?”

13. THREE WORDS: Other people’s traffic. What joint ventures are YOU working on?

14. Purpose. Don’t make it a website, make it a destination. Assure that people will actually stick around for more than 60 seconds. Make it community based and interactive through message boards, comments and other social networking tools. Keep the feedback loop constantly flowing. How frequently do people come BACK to your website?

15. Story. Make sure your site has a tab, box or content page that includes “Your Story.” After all, that’s all marketing is: storytelling. Because people don’t remember ads, they remember stories. NOTE: If possible, make “Your Story” a video. Let people see you doing what you do. Let people get to know you as a person, not a professional. What’s YOUR story?

16. User generated content. Enable customers to contribute and participate. Allow them to create their own profiles, accounts and usernames. Create a forum where they can discuss, share and upload their own pictures and videos with other users. They will take ownership of your website as their own and tell everyone they know. How are you giving your visitors a piece of the pie?

17. Simple. Simplicity is better, quicker, easier and most importantly, what customers crave. Could your website be explained to a five year-old?

18. Revisitability. Update new content at LEAST once a week, if not daily. This will bring people back again and again. REMEMBER: Websites are like newspapers – nobody wants to read them if they’re two years old. So, consider embedding a blog into the homepage. It works! If I had to do it again, my website and blog would be the same thing. When was the last time you updated YOUR content?

19. Ask yourself three questions. “What’s remarkable about my website?” “Why would someone come to (and stay at) my website for more than 60 seconds?” “Why would someone tell her friends about my website consistently?” Be honest. Are you evaluating your website objectively?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your #1 tip for building buzz about your new website?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your secret here!

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

Who’s blogging about YOUR website?

Tune in to The Marketing Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons to get people talking about YOU!

18 Myths about Creativity That Are Holding Your Inner Artist Hostage

MYTH #1: Creativity is about making something out of nothing.
REALITY: Creativity is about making connections between existing things.

MYTH #2: Creativity is something you DO and HAVE
REALITY: Creativity is something you ARE.

MYTH #3: Creativity is about making the material come to you.
REALITY: Creativity is about unblocking the flow of what’s already there. (For the best way to relieve artistic consipation, read this.)

MYTH #4: Writer’s block is the greatest enemy to creativity.
REALITY: Thinker’s block is the greatest enemy to creativity. (If you want to avoid Thinker’s Block, read this.)

MYTH #5: There is an official “process” to creativity.
REALITY: There are many processes to creativity, each of which has many different layers.

MYTH #6: Creativity comes (primarily) from hard work and (partially) from inspiration.
REALITY: Creativity comes equally from forcing yourself to create AND harnessing inspiration when it crosses your path. (Read more on The Paradox of Inspiration.)

MYTH #7: You can teach people to become more creative.
REALITY: You can ONLY teach people how to harness their inherent creativity AND create an environment that fosters creativity. (To create that environment, check this out.)

MYTH #8: Creativity is a skill.
REALITY: Creativity is a skill AND an attitude AND a lifestyle AND a thought process AND a way of being.

MYTH #9: Creativity is about getting your “one big idea.”
REALITY: Creativity is about constantly having lots of ideas, big and small; good and bad.

MYTH #10: Creativity is something you apply to your work.
REALITY: Creativity is something you apply to EVERYTHING, as it is a way of approaching and encountering the world.

MYTH #11: Creativity is about thinking.
REALITY: Creativity is about thinking AND listening AND observing AND watching AND surrendering AND noticing patterns AND combining AND asking AND plucking AND scanning AND receiving.

MYTH #12: Creativity is something you control.
REALITY: Creativity is something that you received from a higher power because you selflessly listened and surrendered to it.

MYTH #13: Creativity comes from chaotic, unstructured, non-linear thinking.
REALITY: Creativity comes from chaotic, unstructured, non-linear thinking COMBINED with small touches of occasional structure.

MYTH #14: Creativity is something you just turn on when needed.
REALITY: Creativity is a muscle that gets stronger with increased use and must be practiced as a daily non-negotiable that is as regular and normal as breathing.

MYTH #15: Creativity is about completing specific pieces.
REALITY: Creativity is about contributing to a lifelong body of work. (To see some HOT bodies – of work, that is – read this.)

MYTH #16: Creativity is about coming up with lots of ideas all the time.
REALITY: Creativity is about maintaining a healthy balance between idea creation AND idea judgment.

MYTH #17: Creativity is about making something nobody else has ever made.
REALITY: Creativity is about giving people new eyes, not new landscapes.

MYTH #18: The purpose of creativity is to make stuff.
REALITY: The purpose is to grow your soul.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s holding YOUR Inner Artist hostage?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called “The 10 Best Books on Creativity You’ve Never Heard Of,” send an email to [email protected] and I’ll gladly motivate your melon 😉

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

Tired of waiting around for new customers?
Tune in to The Entrepreneur Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on getting them to come to YOU!

13 Killer Sales Questions Your Competitors Aren’t Asking

Questions are differentiators.

With prospects.
With customers
With total strangers!

So, if you want to become That Guy – and if you want to own the MAXIMUM amount of mindshare in your customers’ minds – start by asking better questions.

Now, by “asking BETTER questions,” I mean:

Asking dangerous questions.
Asking disturbing questions.
Asking dumb questions.
Asking guiding questions.
Asking judicious questions.
Asking killer questions.
Asking challenging question.
Asking penetrating questions.
Asking smarter questions.
Asking unexpected questions.
Asking upside-down questions.
Asking well-crafted questions.
Asking well-timed questions.

AND I PROMISE YOU: If you ask questions like THAT, your customers will form an impression of you as someone who is creative, intelligent, observant … and has BIG ears.

That will ENABLE them to buy from you.
That will ENTICE them to come back to you.
That will ENCOURAGE them to tell their friends about you.

Sound good?

Cool.

So, I suggest you start by making a list called “Top Ten Most Common Questions Asked by a Salesperson in My Field.”

Whether it’s during a sales presentation, over the phone or at a networking event, identify the types of questions every other salesperson just like you is asking their prospects.

Examples might include textbook, unoriginal questions like, “How much are you currently spending on…?” or “How happy are you with you present suppliers?”

HERE’S WHY YOU DO THIS: Knowing what questions your prospects are used TO and tired OF being asked is a powerful sales weapon.

Because now all YOU have to do is NOT ask those questions!

(Well, that’s not all you have to do.) You ALSO need to keep an arsenal of killer questions yourself. And those questions need to be easily accessible.

So, that leads to the next step: creating another list.

Title this one, “Killer Sales Questions My Competitors Aren’t Asking.”

Think of the best, most creative and most original sales questions you’ve ever used or heard.

Questions that made customers smile.
Questions that caused customers to stop in their tracks.
Questions that enabled customers to share their needs and wants.

MY SUGGESTION: Spend a few hours searching through your notes, old emails, training manuals, on Google and in the books of your personal success library for the BEST questions you can find.

Over time, edit, update and review your list regularly. Keep it handy on your laptop, bulletin board and in your briefcase. (Or, if you want to be supremely dorky and O.C.D. like me, type out your best questions on a laminated card and keep it in your wallet for easy access.)

THE POINT IS: Cherish that list. It will become a powerful tool for differentiating yourself that will only get stronger over time.

And it will help you make sales forever.

And soon, people will be asking YOU for YOUR best sales questions!

Now, you probably noticed that the title of this article was “13 Killer Sales Questions Your Competitors Aren’t Asking.”

Well, I am a man of my word.

So, to finish up today’s post, I’m going to share my personal list with you.

NOTE: These questions were purposely left incomplete.

I did this so YOU could individually tailor these questions to your industry, customers and products.

So, think of them more as “prefixes” to your own unique questions. Fill them in however you wish. And feel free to use and share them with customers and coworkers today!

13 Killer Sales Questions Your Competitors Aren’t Asking

1. How are you making it difficult for your customers to…?
2. How are you making it easy for your customers to…?
3. How many customers are you losing by…?
4. What are the benefits you’d like to see as a result of…?
5. What are the bottlenecks in…?
6. What are the three biggest mistakes being made by…?
7. What do you think makes the difference between…?
8. What excuses are preventing you from…?
9. What one word do you want customers to use when describing…?
10. When someone comes to your website, what’s the ONE thing…?
11. When someone walks into your store, how do you want them…?
12. When was the first occasion you noticed…?
13. When was the last time you actually…?

REMEMBER: Questions ARE differentiators.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your #1 killer sales question your competitors aren’t asking?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your question here!

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

How many unsolicited referrals did YOU get this week?

Tune in to The Sales Channel on NametagTV.com!

Watch video lessons on enabling customers to buy!

It’s never too late to…

A few months back I wrote a post that encouraged readers to complete the following sentence:

“It’s never too early to…”

The responses were AWESOME. And I wanted to keep that same spirit alive in today’s post by asking you to complete the exact opposite sentence:

“It’s never too LATE to…”

Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

It’s never too late to … be happy!
It’s never too late to … change old habits.
It’s never too late to … be who you might have become.
It’s never too late to … become creative.
It’s never too late to … build a customer-focused organization.
It’s never too late to … call inactive accounts.
It’s never too late to … call off the firing squad.
It’s never too late to … call someone you love.
It’s never too late to … get an education.
It’s never too late to … get healthy.
It’s never too late to … get rich.
It’s never too late to … get your brain in shape.
It’s never too late to … go after your dream job.
It’s never too late to … go green.
It’s never too late to … have a happy childhood.
It’s never too late to … heal.
It’s never too late to … learn how to communicate.
It’s never too late to … learn.
It’s never too late to … love a computer.
It’s never too late to … move for health.
It’s never too late to … organize your finances.
It’s never too late to … procrastinate.
It’s never too late to … save.
It’s never too late to … start exercising.
It’s never too late to … start learning something new.
It’s never too late to … start over.
It’s never too late to … start singing a brand new song.
It’s never too late to … stop smoking.
It’s never too late to … succeed.
It’s never too late to … turn your life around.
It’s never too late to … write that book you’ve got inside you.

It’s never too late.

What are YOU waiting for?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Finish this sentence in five different ways: “It’s never too late to…”

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your lists here!

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

…only 5 more days until NametagTV.com goes ON AIR!

7 Ways to Prime Your Brain for Constant Creative Insight

OK, so, you want to be more creative.

You want to become a Thought Leader.

And you want to make REAL changes in the world.

Right?

Cool! You sound like my kinda guy. (Or gal.)

So, here’s the plan. Because before you start changing the world, there’s something you need to do first:

Prime your brain.

See, the word “prime” actually means just that: FIRST.

As in, “The First Step of Creativity.”

SO, THAT’S THE SECRET: Before you start concocting the next great business idea, your first move is to motivate your melon.

Here’s a list of seven practices to help you prime your brain so new ideas will start flowing like water!

1. Maintain an expectant frame of mind. Before sleeping, exercising, brainstorming or any other extended periods of heightened creativity, first take a few minutes to invoke The Muse. Focus your thoughts and expectations on receiving insight. Try affirmations like:

o “I am creative.”
o “I have many ideas.”
o “I am a brilliant artist.”
o “I am willing to create.”
o “I love to play with everything.”
o “I am flourishing with creativity.”
o “I am confident in my creative work.”
o “I am a receiver for creative inspiration.”
o “I have a constant flow of interesting and creative ideas.”

2. Make space in your own mind. For something to enter, your mind must first be empty. So, here are four ways to take a Mental Dump:

o Morning Pages: This stream of consciousness method of journaling is life changing AND life clarifying. Learn how to do them here.

o Exercise: Every single day for at least 20 minutes straight. See, with every bead of sweat you release, more space in your mind is also created. Learn more about solvitas perambulatorum here.

o Walking: Now, although you (could) put this under the category of exercise, taking regular walks – even if it’s just around the block – is a form of moving mediation. It clears your mind and fills your body with fresh oxygen. Plus it’s fun.

o Meditation: No, you don’t have to levitate. You just have to relax. In fact, the word “meditate” comes from the Latin meditatus, which means, “to contemplate.” So, whether it’s TM, focused breathing or your Daily Appointment with Yourself, this practice will be the most effective way for making space in your own mind.

3. Operate on multiple planes of consciousness. Prior to engaging in any activity – whether it’s reading, writing or attending a seminar – consider the various lenses through which you could view that activity. Let experiences change you. This will make your mind actively prepared to observe what your eyes see.

For example, let’s say you were reading a book. Consider reading with these three types of eyes:

o Superficial Eyes: You don’t need to read every word. You don’t need to listen to every line. You don’t need to understand every concept. Just get the key ideas. Figure out the ONE thing you’re supposed to be learning. And when you’re done, think (and rethink) about how it applies to your life.

o Academic Eyes: Observe other people’s styles, vocabularies and voices. Then, think about your own writing style. Pick out little things and trends you noticed from other creative people and adapt them to your own work. (Notice I said, “adapt,” not “steal.”)

o Creative Eyes: Highlight or underline a key passage. Put the book down. Make a list of all the reasons, examples, ideas and stories that come to mind when you apply that idea to your own life. Save that document in its own folder. Come back to it later and expand on what you read.

4. Perpetually hunt for insight. Inspiration is ENDLESS and EVERYWHERE. Anyone who ever claims, “I can’t find any good ideas!” is either lazy, stupid or not looking very hard. So, the secret is to maintain an attitude of curiosity, exploration and expectation … in everything you do. To be constantly scanning.

So, when you’re hunting for insight, ask yourself Filtering Questions like:

o Isn’t that interesting?
o What else is like this?
o What does this have to do with me?
o What’s the Universal Human Emotion?
o How are these issues related to each other?
o How does this have to do with my expertise?
o How could I use this as an example in my work?
o What did you (just) learn from this experience?
o How is this a symbol or example of my expertise?
o How does this fit into my picture of the universe?
o What’s the key idea here, regardless of the context?

5. Write it down! If you’ve read this blog before, you probably know my philosophy on this topic: Writing is the basis of all wealth. And if you don’t write it down, it never happened. So, when it comes to priming your brain, writing is your BEST friend.

See, The Page clarifies, organizes, and best of all, it doesn’t judge you. It just listens. So, if you have a big meeting, conference call or discussion coming up, consider taking fifteen minutes the MORNING OF to write out your thoughts. Voice complaints, ideas and annoyances, even “things NOT to say.”

Oh, and remember to make lots of lists, kind of like this.

6. Soften your eyes. This is more than just a practice; it’s a philosophy. And it’s not just physical, it’s mental and spiritual as well.

See, if you want to prime your brain, you need to slow down and notice the novelties of life. To studying ordinary things intently. To make the mundane memorable and be mindful of your surroundings. Here’s how to soften your eyes:

o You OPEN your mind. This means your optical guard lets down. Which means you’re less likely to neglect key opportunities. Which means you’re more willing to accept multiple perspectives. Which enables you to have more creative thoughts.

o You OBSERVE patterns quickly and frequently. This enables you to make connections between seemingly unrelated things. Which enables you to notice things and give them names. Which enables you to have more creative thoughts.

o You ORGANIZE your thoughts with ease and comfort. This helps you filter them through your personal theory of the universe. Which makes them YOUR unique ideas and theories. Which makes them easier to spread.

7. Become a Suspender. Suspend your self. Suspend your agenda. Suspend your preconceptions. Suspend your preoccupation. Suspend your views.

See, when you are willing to watch things in a detached way, you actually see MORE by striving LESS. If you’re also willing to learn something new (and NOT be obsessed with what you already know) there’s no limit to the amount of ideas your brain might attract!

So, strive to maintain openness to possible thoughts outside of what you already have. Become a suspender.

– – –

REMEMBER: You make a living off your ideas. They are the ancestors of your success.

So, if you want to become a creative powerhouse, a recognized Thought Leader and an agent of REAL change in the world, start by motivating your melon!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you prime your brain?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called “49 Ways to become an Idea Powerhouse,” send an email to [email protected] with “Idea Powerhouse” in the subject line, and I’ll send you the list for free!

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

…only 7 more days until NametagTV.com goes ON AIR!

28 Ways to Challenge People’s Assumptions

Some people are full of BS.
Some people make assumptions.
Some people are nothing but talk.
Some people speak without thinking.
Some people use invalidated, vague, baseless arguments to prove their points.

Your job is to challenge them.

To (not) blindly accept everything people say.

To spot hidden assumptions and avoid mindless acceptance.

You do this for two reasons:

1. YOU gain clarity on their motives, intentions and beliefs.
2. THEY gain an opportunity to restate, reform and rethink their ideas.

Your best tool is to use an ICY Question, which stands for, “I Challenge You.”

Here are seven examples of common situations and dialogues where you can use them:

THEM: “I never thought I’d say this, but…”
YOU: “Why did you never think you’d say that?”

THEM: “I can’t do that!”
YOU: “Why not?” or “Says who?”

THEM: “Well, they say that…”
YOU: “Who’s ‘they’?”

THEM: “So, is this your full time job?”
YOU: “Yes. Why do you ask?”

THEM: “I’ve been calling you all week and I’d really like to get together to talk about a business opportunity!”
YOU: “What is your positive motivation for wanting to meet with me?”

THEM: “I heard/read it was terrible…”
YOU: “Who’d you hear that from?” or “Where’d you read that?”

THEM: “I dunno, this seems pretty expensive?”
YOU: “Compared to what?”

– – –

BONUS! 21 (other) ICY Questions examples include, but are not limited to:

1. How did you arrive at that?
2. How do you measure that?
3. Is that always the case?
4. So?
5. What do you plan to do with this feedback?
6. What stops you?
7. What would happen if you didn’t?
8. What’s (really) bothering you?
9. What’s your point?
10. When did you decide this?
11. Why?
12. What’s your proof?
13. How do you know that’s true?
14. Where’s the evidence?
15. Are you sure that’s true?
16. Why do you believe that?
17. Can you prove it?
18. Why did I receive this email?
19. Why do you think that happened?
20. Why is that so important to you?
21. Why was I put on this list?

Ultimately, the whole reason ICY Questions work is because they break people’s patterns.

Which catches their attention.
Which causes them to stop and think.
Which causes them to clarify their remarks.
Which causes the REAL motives and beliefs to surface.
Which causes you to better understand where they’re coming from.

So, as EA Sports says, challenge everything.

Challenge irrational thoughts.
Challenge programmed knowledge.
Challenge people’s positions.

If you want to be more approachable, start by being more challenging!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you challenge people’s assumptions?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your three best ICY Questions here!

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

…only 8 more days until NametagTV.com goes ON AIR!

15 random thoughts and the people who inspired me think them

This week I’m back in good ol’ Cincinnati, working with my friends over at The Hyatt Regency.

It’s always good to be back. Reminds me of college. Things like Skyline and WEBN bring back fond memories. Sigh…

Anyway, today I wanted to try something a little different: a bunch of random thoughts PLUS the “thought inspiration” behind each one.

Just in case you were wondering where I come up with all this stuff.

Enjoy!

– – –

1. Always think on paper. (Inspired by reading a lot of Mihaly.)

2. Art comes through you, not from you. (Inspired by eating lunch with Bill Jenkins.)

3. Customers become comfortable when YOU are comfortable. (No idea where this one came from.)

4. Do everything creatively. (More Mihaly.)

5. Do experiments everywhere. (Sparks of Genius – really neat book.)

6. Everything communicates something. (It’s fun to look around at the world and ask yourself, “Now, what is THAT communicating?”)

7. Foster customer activity. (From reading Chip’s stuff.)

8. Help people get beyond their misconceptions. (Yep, more Chip.)

9. Let experiences change you. (No idea where I heard this one.)

10. Other people who do what you do have already miseducated your customers. (Doesn’t that suck?)

11. Premature organization stifles creative generation. (Ah, the wonderful world of Distributive Cognition!)

12. Recognize threats to your ownership. (Really fantastic book called Ordering Your Private World – all leaders MUST read this.)

13. The goal is to get them to learn it on their own. (Teaching really DOES sell.)

14. The listener controls. (Man, that’s really a neat thought. Thanks Mark!)

15. There’s never a perfect time. (Because, obviously, SFKA.)

OK, that’s it! See ya tomorrow.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What (or whom) inspires your thinking?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share five random thoughts, and how you were inspired to think them.

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

…only 13 more days until NametagTV.com goes ON AIR!

38 (More) Ways to Grow Bigger Ears

What’s the secret to Growing Bigger Ears?

THREE WORDS: Constant, visual reinforcement.

So, here’s what you do.

1. Grab a few sticky notes and a Sharpie.

2. Start brainstorming a list of your biggest listening challenges, i.e., “Pause three seconds before answering a question,” or “Don’t ask ‘Why?’ ask, ‘What or How?’”

3. Summarize, symbolize and shorten those ideas into memorable soundbites.

4. Post them around your office, by your phone, in your car, on the door, in the bathroom, on the mirror, or anywhere else you might glance at during the day.

5. Start Growing Bigger Ears!

Now, if you’re stumped for Listening Reminder ideas, here’s a quick list of 38 suggestions to get you started:

– – –

1. L-I-S-T-E-N = S-I-L-E-N-T
Whaddaya know? Same letters! How comfortable are you with silence?

2. 2 ears, 1 mouth
Listen and speak proportionately. This physical feature wasn’t an accident.

3. SHUT UP!
A little harsh, but some people need to hear it.

4. Advice or understanding?
Find out which one the other person is asking you for.

5. WAIT 3 SECONDS.
Let the pearl sink. Think before responding.

6. MAKE SPACE.
Physically and emotionally, to accept new ideas and thoughts.

7. Attention, acknowledgment, appreciation, affirmation.
The four A’s of effective listening!

8. Responses, not answers.
That’s what to look for. Sometimes their body says something else.

9. (L-I-S-T) E-N
The first four letters suggest a great method of note taking. More about the magic of listing here!

10. SAFETY.
Until this exists, the other person will NOT open up comfortably.

11. WHAT or HOW, not Why.
Prefixing your questions with “Why?” causes defensiveness. Depersonalize your words.

12. What happened next?
Think of yourself as a trial lawyer. Lead the witness where she wants to go.

13. TELL ME ABOUT.
Encourages people to open up comfortably, allows them to pace and name the conversation according to their needs.

14. Bite your tongue!
People with big ears have teeth marks on their tongues.

15. NO ADVICE.
Are you giving it when people didn’t ask for it?

16. Don’t add (too much) VALUE.
Contribute AFTER (not during) the listening process. Resist the temptation to hijack the conversation with your own experiences or ideas.

17. Listening, not waiting to talk.
Are you trying to find an opportunity to steal the stage take over?

18. Don’t fix.
That’s not your job. That’s not what they want. That’s not why they came to you.

19. Say what you see.
“I see that you’re really upset.” “I see that you’ve come in an hour late every day this week.” Maintain objectivity so you don’t sound accusatory.

20. NO Agenda.
Listen not to add value, argue, fix, solve;; to make the other person feel better or to look like a good listener. Listen just to listen.

21. Will this comment disrupt or contribute?
Before interjecting, this is a great question to ask yourself? If it can wait, write it down. If not, acknowledge and shut up.

22. Post a picture of a blank tape.
To remind you what you’re there for.

23. Don’t react; respond.
Emotional reactivity is the #1 internal barrier to effective listening.

24. WHAT wants to be said next?
Not, “What do I want to say next?” Suspend your agenda and let the appropriate comment surface on its own.

25. I see, not OK.
It’s positive, empathetic and non-committal; whereas “OK” takes a side.

26. PERMISSION.
Because that’s what people need in order to feel safe to open up.

27. Post a picture of a lake.
Be still like a body of water. As a result, the other person will be able to see their reflection in it, which will lead to breakthroughs of their own making.

28. Problem or predicament?
Problems have solutions; predicaments have options.

29. Take two breaths first.
This is a great technique to practice before answering the phone or opening the door for someone to walk in. Oxygen prepares your body and primes your mind and heart to receive the other person.

30. Ask; don’t tell.
Be curious, not judgmental. Use engaging, generative language. Show the other person that you trust them to develop their own answers.

31. Curious, not judgmental.
Be fascinated, not frustrated. Be a giant question mark.

32. Post a picture of the Rich Uncle Pennybags.
As a reminder to monopolize the listening.

33. Post of a picture of an ear and a heart.
Because listening to someone is a form of loving that person.

34. You don’t own the problem.
Resist the temptation to claim ownership of the other person’s issue by trying to solving it too quickly, offering advice or assuming THEE answer.

35. WOW.
An effective response that acknowledges the other person, shows concern and (minimal) emotion; yet still keeps you fairly neutral.

36. Listening isn’t a performance.
Careful.

37. Full body listening.
Listen with your eyes, arms, hands, fingers, legs; heart, mind and soul.

38. Post a cartoon or a picture of someone with HUGE ears.
It will make you laugh and remind you of this listening philosophy.

– – –

These listening reminders will accomplish three goals:

1. They will REMIND you … of the value of listening.

2. They will TEACH you … to become a better listener.

3. They will KEEP you … accountable to yourself and to the people you serve.

Start growing bigger ears today!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you remind yourself to become a better listener?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best Listening Reminders here!

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

…only 15 more days until NametagTV.com goes ON AIR!

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