Tag: scott ginsberg

What’s Behind Your Brand?

A few years ago I gave a speech to a group of individuals with disabilities.

I was terrified. I thought the message would go completely over the heads. And I assumed that their intelligence level would keep them from understanding me.

I was wrong. They loved it. Best audience I’ve ever had.Afterward, a young man from the front row ran up to me with a huge smile on his face. And although his mental condition made it very difficult for him to speak, he placed his hand on my chest and said:

“It’s not the nametag; it’s the heart behind it.”

Just because someone is broken doesn’t mean they can’t teach you.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is your heart behind your brand?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “11 Ways to Out Google Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

What Audiences Want

People don’t want to learn.
People don’t want to work.
People don’t want to change.

They want to feel. They want to laugh. They want to be entertained. They want to be reminded how alive they are.

They want to watch your expression of a truthful metaphor for life. They want to see you think and feel the things they can’t express for themselves.

And they want to sit back, relax, watch you perform your special brand of magic, forget about life for a while, disappear into the experience and co-create a moment that lives in the hearts forever.People don’t want more ideas.
People don’t want more tactics.
People don’t want more information.

They want blood. They want tension. They want humanity. They want convergence. They want self-revelation. They want stories that shake them.

They want universal human emotions that disturb them. They want to find the pulse of life in what you say. They want to respond to their own experience – not just yours.

And they want to watch narrative arcs that inspire them because they see a part of themselves reflected your human mirror.

Prepare your material accordingly.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do your audiences want?

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

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

The Truth About Discipline

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to wear a nametag every day.

But it does take discipline.

Not much. But enough to accumulate. Enough to carry over to bigger pursuits like writing, meditation and exercise.

That’s how discipline works: When you commit yourself in small, non-threatening venues where the effort requirements are lower, you make it easier for yourself to win at something bigger.

It’s kind of a side door approach, but it works. Ask any high school coach. Students who play on a sports team tend to achieve higher academic scores than those who don’t.

Because their discipline multiplies. Their minds are already conditioned for consistency. And once practice is over, all they have to do is change gears.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What micro discipline you start today to pave the way?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “134 Questions Every Salesperson Should Ask,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

A Young Artist’s Guide to Playing for Keeps, Pt. 15

You’ve chosen an uncertain path.
You’ve adopted an inconvenient lifestyle.
You’ve embarked upon an unconventional journey.
You’ve felt the voice inside you growing more urgent.
You’ve committed yourself enough so you can’t turn back.

IN SHORT: You’ve decided to play for keeps.

This is the critical crossroads – the emotional turning point – in the life of every young artist.

I’ve been there myself, and here’s a list of suggestions to help you along the way:1. Feeling is the agent of fame. At a recent panel discussion, filmmaker and podcaster Kevin Smith put it perfectly:

“People will value you in this life if you can think or feel something for them they can’t express for themselves. If you can deliver something people can’t find on their own, they will be willing to support you because they identify with you. Feel everything. That’s your superpower. Never deaden your empathy.”

That’s the cool part about being an artist: You can always rely on your own feelings as a valuable source of raw material. Next time you encounter a feeling you’re afraid to have, sit with it. Make friends with it. And exploit it in the service of your audience. By expressing the feelings that are yours and yours alone, people will recognize them as their own too. What feelings are you famous for having?

2. Heighten your consciousness. I’ve practiced meditation every day of life since I was twenty-two. It keeps me sane, keeps me creative and keeps me connected to the divine. And while I’m no expert on the topic, here’s what I’ve learned: First of all, meditation is cheaper than worry. I’d rather create a mental pause than waste my imagination sweating over something I don’t even care about.

Secondly, meditation isn’t a technique. It’s not something you accomplish – it’s something you practice. And lastly, the goal of meditation isn’t to get more ideas – the goal is to make the container bigger. That way, ideas are more likely to fall. If you’re never explored some kind of meditation practice, start today. You will never be the same. Your art will never be the same. When was the last time you sat quietly and engaged with your higher self?

3. You are what you charge. Harlan Ellison has written over one thousand short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays and essays. In a recent television interview, he shared the following insight:

“The only value for me is if you put money in my hand. You better cross my palm with silver, because I’m supposed to be paid every time I do something. Sure, I’ll sell my soul, but only at the highest rate. Because I don’t take a piss without getting paid.”

When it comes to pricing, share it publicly. Set a precedent of value. When it comes to charging, state your fee confidently – then shut up. He, who talks next, loses. And when it comes to collecting, never feel guilty about asking for your money. If you delivered the work, you deserve the cheese. Who are you still afraid to send an invoice to?

4. Don’t find inspiration – beguile it. With the right lens, the right posture and the right filter, inspiration will seek you out. All you have to install new awareness plans. I learned about this process from obscure book on creativity called Playful Perception, by Herbert Leff. He defines an “awareness plan” as a procedure or mental recipe for perceiving and thinking about the world around us.

Here are my favorite examples: Contemplate special contributions each thing makes to life. Envision what’s going on inside everything you notice. Regard whatever you’re doing as a game. See things as events and not objects frozen in a moment of time. And view everyday things as if they were art exhibits. By changing the way you experience the world, you position yourself to receive a never-ending flow inspiration. Are you waiting for the rain or turning yourself into a lightning rod?

5. Juggle multiple threads of work simultaneously. The best thing my mentor taught me was to think modular. To create in chunks. To work on several projects at once. And to shift between them as circumstances dictate. That’s why I’m always writing five books at once. Not because I’m unfocused – but because I’m creating thought bridges, subconscious connections and unexpected integrations between seemingly unrelated ideas.

Yes, it requires self-control. Yes, it requires belief in your own capabilities to organize and execute. But as I learned from Realizing the Impossible, “The best artists have shit on their shoes. They’re running around in the middle of everything, they can’t settle down, they can’t shut up and they can’t quit fidgeting with everything.”

Cartoonist Hugh Macleod calls this way of life crofting. Someone who never does just one thing. Lots of balls in the air. Lots of different directions. Never waking up and doing the exact same thing each day. Not always the highest paying, but fun and rewarding as hell. How many plates are you willing to spin?

6. Art without point of view, isn’t. Your art needs to do something beside decorate a wall. As an artist, your job is to declare a different way to think about living. As an artist, your purpose is to reorganize the world in ways that are more just. As an artist, your obligation is to express what you feel strongest about. And as an artist, your goal is to signify the spirit of the times by telling stories of the voiceless.

Otherwise you’re just a fad with legs. In the words of legendary film composer and music producer, Hans Zimmer: “A good score should have a point of view all of its own. It should transcend all that has gone before; stand on its own two feet and still serve the movie. A great soundtrack is all about communicating with the audience, but we all try to bring something extra to the movie that is not entirely evident on screen.” How will you avoid the inevitable downward spiral to commodity?

REMEMBER: When you’re ready to play for keeps, your work will never be the same.

Make the decision today.

Show the world that your art isn’t just another expensive hobby.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you committed with both feet yet?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “52 Random Insights to Grow Your Business,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Why I Would Make a Terrible Criminal

“But if you wear a nametag all the time, doesn’t that mean you have to be nice to everyone?”

That’s the point.

Wearing a nametag paints me into an accountable corner.

And that it makes it very difficult to be disrespectful to people. Especially strangers.

I’m reminded of a nightmare I had about seven years ago.

In the dream, I had murdered someone. I was on the run from the cops. But for some idiotic reason, I thought it would be a good idea to stop for a Slurpee.

Rookie mistake.When I approached the counter to pay, the cashier was watching the news. And sure enough, on the screen was a picture of me, my nametag and a graphic that said, “Convicted Killer.”

It didn’t take long for him to put two and two together. By the time I walked out of the store, cop cars, officers, helicopters and Tommy Lee Jones were waiting to take me in.

So much for my career as a criminal.

Fortunately, wearing a nametag is a construct. It’s something I put in place that limits me to only practicing positive behavior. It takes away all my choices. And it permanently positions me in a situation where acting in accordance with my values is the only plausible course of action.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What structure could you install to bankrupt bad behavior?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “11 Ways to Out Google Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Eight Things You Never Have to Do

“Love is never having to say you’re sorry.”

This phrase originated in the movie Love Story, but has since been modified, satirized, patronized and reorganized through dozens of movies, songs, television shows and other popular art forms.

I wonder if there are other things we never have to do?

In business, in life and in love, maybe there’s an entire line of thinking based on this idea.

From my column on American Express Open Forum, I’ve developed a list of eight examples:1. Generosity is never having to keep score. I recently dropped my laptop. Right on the asphalt. Completely dented the corner of the screen. But when I took it into the Apple store, they were unexpectedly generous.

First, the guy at the genius bar told me he once dropped his laptop too, but down an escalator. Second, he agreed to send my computer to the repair center that day. Third, he let me back up my data in the store before I went home.

Fourth, they returned my computer to me two days faster than they promised. And fifth, they didn’t charge me a dime. No questions asked. I was speechless. Just when I thought Apple was all style and no service, they delivered.

Just when I thought Apple was all hype and no help, they delivered. That’s the thing about generosity: It’s not corporate scoreboard. It’s not something you can choreograph. You just dance in the moment and respond to the now need. How are you giving yourself away?

2. Class is never having to apologize for transparency. 37Signals uses their company blog as a direct conversation between developers and customers. Not to shameless promote the website, but to solicit feedback on their user interface. That’s class. Not to bother people into buying from them, but to keep customers abreast on programming changes in real time. That’s class.

And not to hawk the new software programs, but to explain the motivation behind the changes to their existing ones. That’s class. They also give virtual tours of their design process, display screen shots of the revised versions of new layouts, and even host streaming question-and-answer sessions between users and the actually founder of the company. That’s class.

No wonder their users are so fanatical about the company. How much loyalty are you losing by being opaque?

3. Faith is never letting fear have the last word. Fearless is just a word for people who are afraid to be human. Personally, I’m scared all the time. Not just of clowns, spiders and reality television – but scared that my art will be rejected. Scared that my business will fail. Scared that nobody will care what I have to say. Scared that my ideas will stop coming to me. And scared that I’ll wake up once day and realize I don’t matter anymore.

The good news is, I’ve learned to be okay with that. I’ve accepted fear as a normal part of the life experience. And I’ve learned how to change my relationship to it. Now, instead of trying to ignore it – I bow to it. I make friends with it. Then, I overwhelm it with faith. Faith in myself, in my resources, in my abilities, in my support system and in humanity.

Ultimately, scaring yourself for the right reasons is the gateway to personal growth. And even though being scared means being uncomfortable, uncomfortable people are the only ones who ever change the world. Are you still trying to scrub your world clean of fear?

4. Commitment is never having to discipline yourself. At a recent art fair, I had the chance to meet one of my favorite cartoonists: Paul Palnik. I shook his hand. I thanked him for his work. And I told him never to stop making art. His response was perfect, “I have no choice – it’s who I am.”

Think Palnik has to discipline himself to draw every day? Not a chance. Because he committed. With both feet. And that’s exactly what happens when you decide to play for keeps: Commitment deletes distraction. No matter how slammed you are, there’s always time for the non-negotiables. No matter how overextended you become, you still create space to execute what matters.

The hard part is the prework. Taking the time to sit down and actually map out what matters. But it’s worth it. Because you can slog through anything if you know why it’s important to you. What if you made a list of a hundred reasons why you do what you do and kept it in your wallet?

5. Freedom is never having to bury your desire. I once worked for a client who blocked Internet use at their office. Completely. From everybody. And the saddest part was, they were a sales organization. And their two hundred employees – most of whom were under the age of thirty – had no online access.

Which I certainly understand from the perspective of productivity and security. Nobody wants their employees wasting time when they should be making sales. But these people are cold calling all day. Without online access, they can’t google their customers. Without online access, they can’t conduct research on their competitors.

Without online access, they can’t leverage social media as a listening platform. And without online access, they can’t take advantage of all the available tools to nurture their relationships with existing customers.

If you want your people engage at work, don’t let the feeling of formality keep them from communicating freely. Is your office a prison or a playground?

6. Confidence is never having to say you’re cool. If you have to tell people you are, you probably aren’t. And if you have to tell people you aren’t, you probably are. That’s what I don’t understand about social media: People are so insecure about their own value that they need to embed a graphic that points to the button that asks strangers to like them.

Yet another pointless online pissing contest I refuse to participate in. I’m sorry, but popularity is not a substitute for truth. If you have to interrupt me with an email that asks me to like you, we’re done. On the other hand, if you’re awesome, people will know it. Being amazing never goes out of style.

The Beatles never had a fan page. The Beatles never had to tell people to “like” them. They just worked tirelessly to rock people’s faces off, and they changed the world forever. Are you spending money trying to make people like you, or investing emotional labor trying to make the world better?

7. Love is never asking people edit themselves. Several years ago, I conducted a workshop with the identity company, Brains on Fire. Since then, I have yet to come across another company who more epitomizes love. As their founder Robbin Phillips suggests, “Be famous for the people who love you and for the way you love them.”

In my experience, the best way to love people is to let them express themselves. Without restriction. Without resorting to code. And without having to look over their shoulder. After all, nothing disengages people quicker than interfering with the expression of their individuality.

Leave people liberated. Let them live their brand and stay loyal to themselves. Create a safe place where individual creativity can shine. Petition people to inject their personality into everything they do. What kind of love will you become famous for?

8. Creativity is never having to grow up. Instead, it’s about growing younger. It’s about “escaping adulthood,” according to artists Kim and Jason Kotecki. Here’s how: First, dare to be dumb. Master the art of not knowing. And try getting lost once in a while. It’s good for the soul. And if you don’t know where you’re going – nobody can stop you.

Secondly, reengage your playful spirit. It’s attractive, it’s relaxing and it’s more enjoyable to be around. Besides, there’s nothing that can’t be taken lighter. Even the serious issues. Third, build a reservoir of positivity. Say yes to life. Especially when it would be easier, cheaper and more convenient to say no. That’s where creativity lives.

And lastly, build enthusiasm into small moments. Your energy is your greatest asset. Speak with passion or risk being unheard. Just make sure your energy is supported with truthfulness. Otherwise you just passionately incompetent. How creative do people remember you as?

REMEMBER: The characters were right.

There are some things you never have to do.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your care quotient?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “5 Creative Ways to Approach the Sale,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

What My Nametag Taught Me About Anonymity

I once met a cowboy on the Dallas airport shuttle.

He asked if I knew I was still wearing a nametag, and said I wore it all the time.

“I’d hate to wear a nametag all the time,” he smirked, “because then I’d have to be good.”

That was the moment I learned a lifelong lesson:Anonymity is the death of civility.

In person. Online. Over the phone. In the mail. Doesn’t matter.
As a person. As an organization. As a brand. Doesn’t matter.
In your personal life. In the business world. Doesn’t matter.

When you’re anonymous, there’s no verifiable identity.
When you’re anonymous, there’s always something to hide behind.
When you’re anonymous, there’s a constant invitation for selfish behavior.
When you’re anonymous, there’s more incentive get away with bad behavior.
When you’re anonymous, there’s less people watching to modify your behavior.

Two famous studies come to mind.

The first comes from a 1976 issue of The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Concealed scientists observed thirteen hundred children during trick or treating. The variable group of children was given an opportunity to steal candy.

What did their research prove?

Significantly more stealing was observed under conditions of anonymity.

Interesting. Would you steal if people couldn’t see your face?

The second study was conducted in 1970 by famed social psychologist, Philip Zombardo.

He wanted to see how physical anonymity lessened inhibitions. He dressed New York women in white coats and hoods. They were asked to give electric shocks to unknown patients.

Of course, the shocks weren’t real, but the fake nurses didn’t know that.

What’s interesting is, only half of the nurses were given nametags for their lab coats. But the women who didn’t wear nametags actually held the shock button twice as long as the ones who did.

Interesting. Would you inflict pain on a stranger if she could read your name?

Sign your work.
Take a stand for your identity.
Give people the priceless gift of security by letting know whom they’re dealing with.

Otherwise, you retreat into depersonalization and namelessness. You take less responsibility for what you do and say. And civility goes out the window.

As technology accelerates, as population increases and as face-to-face interaction decreases, the temptation to engage from a place of anonymity is greater than ever before.

Resist it.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you anonymous?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “11 Ways to Out Google Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

NametagTV: The Scaling Fetish

Not everything was built to be bigger.

Some things are best left unscaled.

Otherwise you end up with a bloated, unapproachable brand that people ignore.

BUT THAT’S THE PROBLEM: Organizations are treating scaling like fetish.

Computer networks, I understand. You have to expand to cope with increased use.

But when it comes to the human side of business, when it comes to treating people like people, keeping things small is more profitable in the long wrong.

Today we’re going to explore a lit of things you can’t scale:1. You can’t scale interaction. Engage with swift responsiveness, nonstop gratitude, unexpected honesty, exquisite playfulness and loving unfairness. Those aren’t just interactions – they’re social gifts. And they change the recipient. Are you in business to sell a product or to become known for a unique way of interacting with the world?

2. You can’t scale art. As soon as you bastardize something into a system, a process or a factory, it stops being art and starts becoming a commodity. Not everything can be comfortably quantified. And what can’t be measured, matters. Are you trying to compartmentalize something just to preserve your sense of control?

3. You can’t scale yourself. Why would want to? Small means nimble. Small means you can engage with customers directly and personally. Small means you can respond to changing needs immediately. And you can take risks without the pressure to remain tragically predictable. Are you aiming for bigness or greatness?

4. You can’t scale unity. Forcing employees from ten different countries to wake up in the middle of the night and attend a webinar just to meet budget is an insult. And it’s not the same, either. Outsourcing the human function fails. Do you need to conduct another sterile, boring and impersonal meeting with the people who matter most?

5. You can’t scale connection. If you want your interactions to reduce the distance between people, to enhance the personal bond you have with them, go analog. At least some of the time. Look people in the eye and talk to them with your mouth. Face to face is making a comeback. Will you hop on the bandwagon?

6. You can’t scale intimacy. Love is not something we do to each other love is what is present when there are not two. If you want touch everything around you, if you want secure a spot in people’s head, lead with your heart. Be touchy feely. It never goes out of style. What do you usually choose instead of love?

7. You can’t scale soul. Bringing intense humanity to the moment requires a deployment of naked personhood. It’s risky. It’s vulnerable. It’s scary. But that’s the only experience people will use to form an impression of you: How they feel about themselves when they’re around you. How much soul equity do you own?

8. You can’t scale contact. Sending mass emails makes people feel small, unseen and nonessential. Plus the obsession with open rates will drive you crazy. Instead of spamming the world, start a blog. Post daily as if you were having a conversation with to one person. The people who matter will find you. What did you write today?

9. You can’t scale charm. Magnetism pivots on the fulcrum point of better. It all depends on how you leave people: Alive? Believing? Breathless? Confident? Elevated? Faithful? Honored? Infected? Refreshed? Relieved? The choice is yours. When you walk out of a room, how does it change?

REMEMBER: If size mattered, the dinosaurs would still be around.

Scalability is highly overrated.

Stay small and win big.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do people experience you?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “66 Questions to Prevent Your Time from Managing You,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Mentor
[email protected]

Sick of selling?
Tired of cold calling?
Bored with traditional prospecting approaches?

Buy Scott’s book and learn how to sell enable people to buy!

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

Awesome St. Louis Couple Takes Relationship to Next Level By Relocating to New York City

St. Louis, Missouri (PRWEB) August 30, 2011 — After a fateful meeting on Match.com one year ago, followed by a blissful year of dancing, singing and cooking, local lovers Brittany Barton and Scott Ginsberg have decided to their take talents to New York City to pursue their dreams.

“I am certain of two things,” said Barton, 26, “That our relationship is the foundation of our lives; and that New York is pretty much the most awesome city in the world and totally wants us to live there.”

Ginsberg, 31, was equally gushy. “I’m pumped, man. We’re committed, excited, a little scared, and ready to combine our lives and grow together. We believe the opportunities of living in The Big Apple could change us forever. And even if we don’t stay there permanently, even if we have to let the city crumble, we’re sticking together. The relationship is bigger than anything.”

As an urban planner, historic preservationist and sustainability geek, Barton is thrilled to surround herself by the gorgeous New York landscape. “I have a lust for rust,” she writes on her popular blog, Susty Life, “and after spending the last four years working in the non-profit and conservation field, it’s time to devote my efforts to my lifelong passion: Urban landscapes. What better place than New York City?”

Ginsberg, an author, speaker, publisher and nametag aficionado, also relishes the career opportunities this transition will provide. “If you’re an artist, New York is the place to be,” he writes on his award-winning website, HELLO, my name is Scott! “And since my enterprise is portable, I can’t wait to watch how the energy, buoyancy and constant stimulation of New York influences my writing and grows my business. Plus the pizza is really good.”

Scottany’s transition won’t be an easy one. The move will tax their patience, test their relationship and call upon their greatest resources to make it work. Between Scott renting his condo and Brittany getting a new job, much work has yet to be done.

But they are actively soliciting support, help and networking opportunities from their friends and families. Barton and Ginsberg are welcoming suggestions, recommendations and career opportunities from anyone with connections in the New York area. If you know of something or someone who can help with their journey, please contact Scottany immediately.

Start spreading the news.

Contact Information:
Scott Ginsberg
314/374-3397
[email protected]

Brittany Barton
901/351/6110
[email protected]

###

How to Live Like a Rationalist, Part 2

Few ideas in history have been more widely repeated, debated and dissected than the following three words:

Cogito ergo sum.

This was the philosophy of Rene Descartes. I think therefore I am.

THE GOOD NEWS IS: I am not going to attempt to debate this philosophy.

Instead, I’ve adopted Rene Descartes’ formula and developed a few rationalist philosophies of my own: (read part one here!) 1. I teach therefore I sell. Teaching means introducing your customers to new things. Helping them feel more connected to the front edge of culture. Teaching means sending a continuous flow of education. Expanding the customer’s thinking, growing their knowledge base and stretching their brains.

Where’s your classroom?

Stop giving sales pitches and start delivering lesson plans. Treat customers as students who attend your class, not as people who pay your commission. How are you positioning yourself as a teacher?

2. I embody therefore I lead. There are four ways to influence people: Through what you think, what you say, what you do or who you are. If you truly want to lead, aim for the latter. Turn your life into a walking translation of the vision you hope to create, and people will follow.

Close the gap between your onstage performance and backstage reality, and people will follow. Make the message you preach the dominant reality of your life, and people will follow. What do people hear when they listen to your life speak?

3. I mirror therefore I elevate. Most of we do has no witness. And our lives go unnoticed if nobody takes the time to notice, reflect and affirm our truth. That’s why it’s so essential to be a mirror, to be a stand for people’s greatness.

When you give them a front row seat to their own brilliance, you give the priceless gift of visibility. You give them something they can’t see for themselves. And if you’re lucky, they change forever. That’s how you elevate someone. What’s your strategy for leaving people better?

4. I focus therefore I respect. Multitasking removes you to another place. It annihilates the present moment and it always disrespects somebody. Plus, it’s clinically been proven to lower productivity. The problem is, it’s become the new normal. We’ve plunged into an ecosystem of interruption, and there’s no turning back.

But here’s what you can do: Become a living statement of focus. Stop searching for something better to interact with. When you’re with people – really be with people. Give them all of you. Nothing could be more respectful. Who are you accidentally disrespecting with this action?

5. I publish therefore I resonate. In addition to being a writer, you’re also a publisher. Not because you work in a skyscraper. Not because you wear fancy suits. And not because you have big meetings with important people. You’re a publisher because you make things public.

And if you’re smart enough to build a platform rooted in respect, permission and value, you will never again have to worry about winking in the dark.

Your voice will always be heard. But only if you have the will to ship. Only if you make the commitment to pressing the publish button, every single day. How many bylines has your name accumulated?

6. I shove therefore I love. To shove is to applaud someone’s risk, elevate someone’s hope, disrupt someone’s inertia and provoke someone’s decision. To shove is to give someone a permission slip, kindle someone’s awesomeness and deliver someone’s encouragement. To shove is to help someone fall in love with himself, show someone what he can’t see for himself and believe in someone more than he believes in himself.

And to shove is to disturb someone into taking action on what matters, to adamantly refuse to let someone stay where he is and to call someone on the carpet when mediocrity descends.

In short: To shove people is to love people. You push them to be brave. Others did it for me. And I pay forward the favor all the time. I bet someone in your life could use a good shove. How many shove moments have you overlook?

7. I disrupt therefore I inspire. A great leader evokes emotion. She interrupts the quiet, unsettles the peace and upsets the mental landscape. A great leader makes a ruckus by asking disturbing questions instead of placating the masses by mindlessly accepting answers.

The hard part is, all of these things are unreasonable. But that’s the whole point. Nobody ever changed the world by keeping their head down. Success requires crazy. Heaps of it. Put your teaspoons away. If you really want to change the world – break out the shovels and start stockpiling insanity. When was the last time you went looking for trouble?

8. I contribute therefore I matter. Insignificance is a terrifying proposition because the human need to feel valuable to the world runs deeper than anything. Fortunately, you don’t have to do something gargantuan to matter.

Maybe your contribution is being a consistent source of possibility for your family. Maybe your contribution is being an anchor of hope for your employees. Maybe your contribution is being an unconditional servant of truth for your readers. Nothing against ending world hunger. But never overlook the value of mattering in your own backyard first. Whose world are you necessary to?

9. I burn therefore I beguile. Influence is easy to overcomplicate. Changing hearts and minds isn’t about power persuasion and body language manipulation. It’s simple: People need to see that you are possessed. They need to feel the flame every time they interact with you. And they need to walk away better, infected with something that wasn’t there before.

Instead of attending another seminar on the power of nonverbal behavior, take a page from Richard Pryor’s playbook: Set yourself on fire. People will come from miles just to watch you burn. Do you interact with flaming intensity?

REMEMBER: You don’t have to live in 17th Century France to be a philosopher.

Consider writing your own rationalist list.

Make Descartes proud.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you rational enough?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “11 Ways to Out Google Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

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