How to be a Sticky Note Superstar

Sticky notes.

Pretty much the greatest invention ever.

Especially when you post them on your:

Wall.
Desk.
Door.
Mirror.
Fridge.
Wallet.
Pantry.
Planner.
Computer.
Dashboard.
Bulletin board.
Laundry machine.

The possibilities for self-motivation are endless!

And even if you’re not a visual person, here are seven variations to become a Sticky Note Superstar!

1. Self-Assessment Questions. If you continuously ask yourself the same few questions every day, you will accomplish more, stay focused and remain motivated. That’s what QREATIVITY is all about.

STICK WITH THIS: “What did you write today?” “Is what you’re doing right now consistent with your #1 goal?” and “Did you make a sale today?” Check out this ebook for a few more suggestions.

2. Goals. Consider your #1 personal and #1 professional goals for 2007. Post at least ten sticky notes all around your home and office. Keep it short and simple, i.e., “Weigh 170 pounds!” or “$10,000 per month!”

STICK WITH THIS: post these two goals on the inside of your wallet, your car’s dashboard, or anywhere else you might look at several times daily. Remember, the key to self-motivation is repetition.

3. Quotations. Make a list of your five favorite quotations. Keep them short, keep them simple and keep them positive.

STICK WITH THIS: bathroom mirrors are great spots for these sticky notes. This will be certain to start and end your day on a positive note. (No pun intended!)

4. Motivators. All it takes is a simple word or phrase to keep yourself motivated. Write something emotional, powerful and visual.

STICK WITH THIS: Put “Yes!” sticky notes everywhere. Also try statements like, “You rock!” and “You are succeeding right now!”

5. Reminders. If you have an important phone call to make, email to send or errand to run, write it down on a sticky note.

STICK WITH THIS: the inside of your front door is the perfect place for a last minute reminder, i.e., “Did you turn the lights off?” Also, your pantry or fridge is a great place to catch yourself slipping, i.e., “How many vegetables did you eat today?” or “Are you REALLY hungry right now?”

6. Current ideas. Creativity requires incubation. If you have a new idea, project or brainstorm that needs constant attention, post a key phrase in a visible spot. Keep your new idea in front of your face and at the top of your mind.

STICK WITH THIS: “How will you improve the Johnson Account?” or “Get more ideas for next week’s staff meeting!”

7. Education. If you’re expanding your vocabulary or learning a new language, sticky notes are the perfect education tool.

STICK WITH THIS: put a single word (and a brief definition) in your wallet or on your desk. If you’re learning a new language, put the translations on items around your house. Great for repetition.

NOTE: these Sticky Note exercises might seem a little cheesy to you.

Just remember: cheesy doesn’t mean ineffective.

ALSO NOTE: your coworkers, friends or partner might think you’re a bit crazy for posting sticky notes all around the house or office.

Don’t let them stop you. They’re either jealous of your success or insecure about their own lack of motivation.

Ultimately, sticky note reminders like these work because:

1. They make you CLARIFY … so your goals are specific.
2. They make you WRITE … and writing is the basis of all wealth.
3. They make you VISUALIZE … what you want and how to get it.
4. They make you ACCOUNTABLE … to yourself and the people around you.

Stick with that.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you a Sticky Note Superstar?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your #1 best use for sticky notes.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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What finish line?

My mastermind group used to meet in a conference room at an ad agency.

The first time we held our session there, I couldn’t help but notice the powerful slogan painted across the office wall:

“What finish line?”

Wow. What a concept, I thought.

Imagine a company with no finish line.

Meaning, they’ve never arrived.
Meaning, they’re always getting better.
Meaning, they’re never resting on their laurels.

No finish line. Cool!

That was a few years ago. But it wasn’t until recently that I started thinking about that same idea again.

So I did some googling. And the following five quotations popped up:

1. In The Artist’s Way, author Julia Cameron says, “Art is never finished. It simply stops in interesting places.”

2. Leonardo da Vicni is well known for saying, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

3. Harry S. Truman in his 1953 State of the Union Address said, “The Nation’s business is never finished. New dreams must replace our old dreams; new horizons must open up; new challenges arise to test us–to test our spirit and our resolve.”

4. John Maxwell once wrote, “If you think you’ve arrived, you’re in trouble.”

5. Philosopher Baltazar Gracian wrote, “Display minimal self-satisfaction.”

That’s the way business is supposed to be.

Neverending. Always improving. No finish line.

Kaizen, as the Japanese like to say.

So, I guess it’s safe to say:

You’re never finished learning.
You’re never finished growing.
You’re never finished thinking.
You’re never finished asking questions.
You’re never finished becoming a better writer.
You’re never finished e-x-p-a-n-d-i-n-g your creativity.

And so on.

There is no finish line.

Just when you get there, “there” should disappear.

Because eventually, people, customers, fans and prospects are going to start wondering, “What have you done for me lately?”

And if you’ve been skating by on one measly past success from decades ago, resting on your laurels…

Not getting better
Not expanding or improving your expertise
Not enhancing the value you deliver

…then your customers are going to assume that you’ve already CROSSED the finish line.

And they’re gonna hire someone else.

Someone who isn’t so complacent as to think he’s arrived.

So, tighten up your Nikes.

Grab a Powerbar.

And take a quick swig of Gatorade.

Because there ain’t no finish line.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When was the last time you created new value?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post the question, “What finish line?” on several sticky notes. Post them everywhere.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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What’s next?

My first job out of college was selling couches at a discount furniture warehouse.

Aside from the long hours, sub-par working conditions, terrible pay, annoying customers, pain-in-the-ass coworkers and chronic back pain from lifting too many sofa-sleepers; it was a pretty decent job.

Anyway, my boss Pamela had a thing about signs.

She loved to post these little notes, sayings, quotes and motivational messages around the store.

My favorite was the ubiquitous, “What’s next?”

It was inescapable. Everywhere you looked, Pam was reminding you to ask yourself, “What’s next?”

Most of my coworkers thought it was cheesy. And annoying. And a waste of paper.

I thought it was cool.

Because it applied to everyone.

Salesman. Entrepreneurs. Creative professionals. Managers.

Everyone.

And here’s why:

WHAT’S NEXT? … is about productivity.

When you finish one project, activity or endeavor, celebrate and move on to the next one.

WHAT’S NEXT? … is about getting better.

Because 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 you, products.

WHAT’S NEXT? … is about staying in motion.

Kind of like sharks, who start dying when they stop swimming. See, they have to ask themselves, “What’s next?” (presumably in Shark-Latin) because they can’t eat, breathe or breed unless they stay in motion.

WHAT’S NEXT? … Is about NOT being a one-trick pony.

Or a one hit wonder. Or a one-book author. Or a one-speech speaker. Or a one-income stream entrepreneur.

Which is not to say you should spread yourself too thin or lose focus; but you still need to be doing new stuff regularly.

It’s like taking the Rolling Stones, who probably ask, “What’s next?” all the time; and comparing them to some one-hit wonder spandex-wearing hair band from 1979 who’s been milking that same overplayed song for three decades.

Not that there’s anything wrong with spandex.

But whatever your situation is – businessperson, artist or manager – you need to regular ask yourself one question: “What’s next?”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s next … for YOU?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Write “What’s next?” on ten sticky notes. Put them all around your office. See what happens!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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What’s your Noticeable Number?

I’ve been wearing a nametag 24-7 for the past 2,444 days.

That’s my Noticeable Number.

It’s noticeable in a conversation.
It’s noticeable in an interview.
It’s noticeable during a speech.
It’s noticeable in a book.
It’s noticeable in an article.
It’s noticeable in a blog post.
It’s noticeable on a website.
It’s noticeable in marketing materials.

First, let’s talk about the WHY.

In my experience, I’ve found seven benefits of having a Noticeable Number:

1. Remarkability. People tell their friends about it. Because it’s cool. Because it’s intriguing. Because it’s easy. And because it’s worth making a remark about.

2. Memorability. It stands out. During a conversation, for example, a Noticeable Number tends to be the most memorable item.

3. Credibility. Which comes from specificity. For example, which sounds more convincing: “I’ve read a whole lot of books on stress management,” or “I’ve read over 1800 books on stress management”?

4. Commitment. Your Noticeable Number is an observable way to reinforce your dedication. And in a business culture where trust and integrity are at an all-time low, actions that validate your commitment are priceless.

5. Differentiation. It distinguishes you in an otherwise crowded marketplace.

6. Expertise. It’s the answer to the question, “So, what makes YOU the expert?” This is especially valuable when working with (and attracting) the media.

7. Revisitability. Noticeable Numbers make customers want to check in with you (or your website) every once in a while (or, hopefully every day!) just to see where your number is at now. REMEMBER: websites are like newspapers – customers don’t want to read it if it’s two years old. How often is YOUR website updated?

OK! Now, let’s talk about the WHAT.

This is a list of several Noticeable Number examples (some are real, some I just made up):

o Dave has 4,000 hours of practice!
o Aqua Fin is being used in 137 countries!
o Lambert’s Café has thrown over 13,457,991 rolls!
o Over 3,000,000 copies in print!
o Reprinted in 17 languages!
o McDonald’s has sold over 205 billion hamburgers!
o Dr. Jameson has spoken to over 300,000 students!
o Dane Cook has 1,982,811 MySpace friends!

Wow! Pretty noticeable, huh?

OK. Lastly, let’s talk about the HOW.

The last step is to get the maximum mileage out of your Noticeable Number.

Remember these four keys:

1. ASK yourself two questions: “What’s the most remarkable/unique thing about my business?” and then, “How could I quantify that in an easily updatable way?

2. RECORD your number in a journal or online counter. Be meticulous. After all, if you don’t write it down, it never happened!

3. PUBLISH your number on your websites, blogs, marketing materials and the like. Be sure to update it regularly. This makes the media happy.

4. LEVERAGE your number by peppering it into conversations, interviews, blog posts, articles, or any other form of communication. NOTE: no need to make a big deal about it. You don’t want to come off as conceited, but rather, convinced.

THE BEST PART: once you discover and leverage your Noticeable Number, you WILL get them to come to you.

“Them” meaning old customers.
“Them” meaning new customers.
“Them” meaning the media.

AND DON’T FORGET: people who get noticed get remembered; and people who get remembered get business.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your Noticeable Number?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share it with us!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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If everybody says you’re nuts, you just might be onto something

Today is day 2,443.

And lately, I’ve been thinking…

My nametag (for some strange reason) has always seemed to invite negative comments, snide remarks, criticism, hatemail, angry people and even a few death threats!

I know. I don’t get it either. I’m trying to make the world friendlier for God’s sake!

That’s why I always remember what Albert Einstein said, “If at first your idea does not sound absurd, there is no hope for it.”

Still, I often wonder what prompts a stranger to react in such a way. Especially in response to an idea that’s clearly positive and friendly.

Ultimately, I’ve learned that when it comes to Haters, it usually says more about THEM than the person they hate.

What about you?

1. Ever had an idea people thought was crazy?
2. Ever been told to “tone down” your true self?
3. Ever felt completed rejected for doing nothing other than being yourself?

It sucks. Trust me, I’ve been there many, many times.

So, the challenge is twofold:

STEP 1: Shaking it off.
STEP 2: Figuring out WHY someone would respond to you in such a negative way.

The first step is easy.

It’s all about ATTITUDE.

You just brush the invisible dust off your shoulder and say what Tony Montana would say in the movie Scarface.

“Dass-OK-man!”

(In your best mobster accent, of course.)

Because anything that kills your enthusiasm is the enemy.

The second step requires a little more work.

It’s all about VALIDITY.

That is, deciding whether or not someone has the right to be so negative towards you.

In my experience, I’ve found seven common reasons why people are negative. NOTE: these don’t just apply to nametags – they apply to ANYBODY trying to make a name for himself.

1. Jealousy. Here’s an odd statistic: 99% of the criticism, hatemail and negative remarks I get for wearing a nametag are from MEN. Isn’t that interesting? Women rarely seem have an issue with it. Maybe because men, as a whole, are more insecure? I’m not sure. But every time I speak to a new group of people, the overwhelming audience response to why MEN are the only ones who respond so negatively is, “Nah, they’re just jealous.” (Ironically, the ONLY people who ever come up and rip my nametag off are WOMEN. Isn’t that weird?)

THINK ABOUT THIS: Why would someone be jealous of you?

2. Ignorance. Criticism always comes to those who stand out. And when humans don’t understand something (or someone), there’s a visceral response. That’s why ignorance creates fear: it’s a natural defense mechanism. People feel threatened and contaminated by something (or some-ONE) that they perceive as “different.” Now, this doesn’t mean ignorance is bad. Whereas stupidity is “not thinking,” ignorance is simply “not knowing.” You duty is to educate people.

THINK ABOUT THIS: What is it about you that people think is “different,” but later learn is actually UNIQUE?

3. Personal stuff. If someone has no parade of his own, he will try to rain on yours. This will make him feel better about himself. REMEMBER: for some people, their only source of getting up is by bringing others down. Don’t let ‘em get to ya.

THINK ABOUT THIS: Next time someone seems to have a MAJOR issue with something minor, ask him, “Why is this so important to you?”

4. Mirroring. In my favorite book, The War of Art, author Steven Pressfield explains, “When people see others living their authentic lives, it drives them crazy because they’re not living their own.” Yes, the world truly is a mirror. And often times, people simply project their own issues onto you.

THINK ABOUT THIS: Is this person’s criticism unjustifiable?

5. Losers. Seriously, if you have enough time in your day to go to someone’s website, get his email address, then send him a two-page letter telling them what a loser he is for wearing a nametag, you have WAY too much time on your hands. Besides, if I’m such a loser, and my idea is so dumb, then why did I make an entire career out of it? And why are you on my website anyway? Seems a little contradictory, if you ask me.

THINK ABOUT THIS: Is it possible that some people are, in fact, losers?

6. Fear. Some people are just too afraid to be themselves and venture out on their own. They know they can’t make it, so by sabotaging you, they selfishly fulfill the premise of, “If I can have it, nobody should!” Their goal is to use their doubts to reactivate your own, all for the sake of THEIR comfort, not yours.

THINK ABOUT THIS: When you work your butt off and become successful, people will be intimidated by your work ethic. Don’t sweat it. Don’t ever accept someone saying, “You’re making me look bad.” (Here is the complete list of 100 people not to listen to.)

7. Jerks. Some people are just mean to everybody. Period.

THINK ABOUT THIS: At least you’re nice!

NOTE: I am not suggesting you ignore all criticism.

Criticism is healthy. Finding out where you suck is a MUST if you want to make a name for yourself.

But don’t just sit there and take it like a punching bag.

Brush it off initially.
Validate it intelligently.
Act upon it appropriately.

And next time a Hater tries to bring you down, remember what my favorite author Julia Cameron says:

o In the history of the world, no statue has ever been set up in honor of a critic.
o A critic is a someone who knows the way but can’t drive the car
o When people are afraid of being artistically diminished themselves, they may never be able to do anything but diminish you.

After all, if everybody says you’re NUTS, you just might be onto something.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Why do YOU think people respond so negatively to others?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your reasons here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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The #1 way to overcome writer’s block

According to Wikipedia, writer’s block is “a phenomenon involving temporary loss of ability to continue writing, usually due to lack of inspiration or creativity.”

There’s also great list of techniques to help overcome creative barriers such as:

1. Set a time and write whatever comes to mind, without stopping, for that time.

2. Taking a break, meditating, or doing relaxation exercises to relieve any pressure on oneself and on the writing.

3. Doing something out of the ordinary. If writer’s block comes from a lack of new ideas, attempts to spark creativity by going somewhere new or doing something different can be useful.

4. Reading, watching movies or plays, or similar activities that might bring inspiration.

Good stuff. Thanks Wikipedia!

However.

Writing is an extension of thinking. And great writers are great thinkers.

So, if you’re having trouble writing, that probably means you’re having trouble thinking.

Which brings me to the #1 way to overcome writer’s block…

LESSON LEARNED: Go back to the source.

Better writing comes from better thinking.

You know, it’s funny. I’m often accused of “never running out of content,” “never sleeping” or “always pumping out new material.” (Like that’s a bad thing!)

But see, I write like I talk. And I talk like I think. And since I’m usually either talking or thinking, then obviously, it’s not humanly possibly to get writer’s block!

Therefore, allow me to offer my own list for overcoming writer’s block:

1. Clear. Practice meditation, mental dumping, relaxation, breathing or any other brain-conditioning techniques to open your mind, heart and soul to receive new ideas. Best when done first thing in the morning. Read The Artist’s Way and learn how to do morning pages. I promise they will change your life.

2. Exercise. Your body AND your mind. Don’t choose one or the other. Do both. Read books on creative thinking (especially the ones with exercises). Do Sudoku, crossword puzzles, anything to get your brain cranking. Also best when early in the morning.

3. Think. I know. It’s so dumb that I’m telling you to “think.” Still, every single day, take at least 15 minutes to just THINK. Yes, think. It sounds dumb to literally “make time to think,” but you’ll be amazed what you learn. Consider having daily appointments with yourself. I promise they will (also) change your life.

4. Read. Not the newspaper. Ughh. I’m talking about good books. Positive books. Fiction or non-fiction. Just something to get your imagination flowing.

5. Capture. Write everything down. Constantly. “Pluck” ideas daily by tuning in your eyes and ears and capturing content as if your life depended on it. And don’t tell yourself you’ll remember it. That which goes unrecorded goes unmemorable. If you don’t write it down, it NEVER happened. REMEMBER: Writing is the basis of all wealth. Oh, and don’t forget about The Paradox of Inspiration. VERY important.

6. Expand. Take an idea; then stretch it. For example, I thought to myself the other day, “Why don’t I ever get writer’s block?” Then I sat down a made a list of everything I do to kick my creative spirit in the butt. Then I wrote this article. See? Expand it! Do word explorations. Google your idea to get more ideas.

REMEMBER: these tips are only effective when underscored by a foundation of t-h-i-n-k-i-n-g.

Because a writer in motion stays in motion.

So…

If you want to change your writing, change your thinking.
If you want to increase your writing, increase your thinking.
If you want to become a better writer, become a better thinker.

Writer’s block, schmiter’s block.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your #1 way to overcome writer’s block?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best technique here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Download Scott’s new book!
Right here, right now, for FREE, no strings.

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Never underestimate the power of working your ass off

I believe the following sentence is a myth:

“Work smart, not hard.”

No, no, no, no.

Here’s the deal:

There’s no secret.
There’s no formula.
There’s no quick answer.
There’s no get rich in 90 days.
There’s no six-step process.
There’s no seven-step system.
There’s no single way to do it.

It’s not about luck.
It’s not about serendipity.
It’s not (only) about whom you know and who knows you.
It’s not about how good or fast or smart or cool or funny you are.

The ONLY attribute that is 100% guaranteed to make you successful in any endeavor is HARD WORK.

Hard work.
Hard work.
Hard work.

(Did I say hard work?)

THE CHALLENGE IS: a lot of people don’t want to hear those two words.

For example.

Other night I was giving a talk to a publishers assocation about developing web presence.

At the beginning of our workshop, I told the group that my website gets 35,000 hits a day.

They gasped.

Then, for the next hour, at least seven people kept asking the same question: “Yeah, but how do you get all these people to come to your site?!”

Like there’s a definitive answer to that question.

Unfortunately, considering our A.D.D, quick fix, microwavable, hyper speed, downloadable culture, most businesspeople want that kind of success immediately.

Like the beloved Veruca Salt who sang, “I want the world! I want the whole wide world. I want it, I want it, I want it NOW!”

But it doesn’t work that way.

And that’s why I finally (at the end of the speech) answered the burning question by saying, “OK, do you REALLY wanna know how I get so much organic traffic to my website?”

“Yes!” they audience demanded.

“Because I work my ass off.”

The room fell silent.

Like I’d revealed some sort of magic secret to success.

And that was the end of my speech.

SO, HERE’S YOUR WAKE UP CALL: after thousands of years of existence, the only secret of success that has, and never will change, is HARD WORK.

If you interviewed one hundred super successful people, I bet 99 of them would attribute their success to hard work.

Because all things being equal: hard work is always the best answer.

Now, does that mean you shouldn’t work smart?

Of course not! Working smart is also essential.

But not on its own.

You need to work smart. AND long. AND hard.

For a while.

And eventually when you’ve paid your dues and you’re raking it in and you’re starting to get kind of tired, THEN you can work less hard.

Me? I’m not there yet. Not by a long shot.

So I guess for now, it’s all about hard work.

Never underestimate the power of working your ass off.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is “working smart, not hard” a myth?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post your argument here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Download Scott’s new book!
Right here, right now, for FREE, no strings.

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How I Made an Entire Career out of Wearing a Nametag … (Part 2)

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to read part 1 of this post before continuing.

Enjoy!

How to Make an Entire Career Out of Wearing a Nametag, Part 2

NETWORKING. Except don’t call it networking. You’re making friends. With everyone! Work hard at it, but work even harder at keeping it alive. Every time you travel, ask yourself, “Who else lives in this city I can hook up with?” And don’t forget to network online, aka, INTERNETworking. And remember: there’s a time and place for networking. ANY time and ANY place. Because you never know! “Fear not to entertain strangers for by so doing some many have entertained angels unaware.”

OPPORTUNITY. It doesn’t knock once – it knocks all day. You need to open your mind and body to hearing those knocks and answering the door. Maintain a positive, expectation-based attitude every single day and more great opportunities are going to be attracted into your life. It ain’t about luck. There is no luck. There is no Secret. There is only The Law of Attraction, aka, working your ass off and focusing and being disciplined. That’s how you create opportunities. Also, giving away free stuff helps too. The more you give away for free, the wealthier you will be. Write that one down.

PRODUCT. It’s you. They’re buying you. Because people buy people first. Because people are loyal to people, not companies. But you’re not a commodity. You’re a resource. An expert. The Go-To Guy. The Man. If you want to be a great salesman, follow these steps: sell yourself on yourself, sell yourself to your customer, sell your product to your customer by delivering value BEFORE price, then maintain approachability with that customer FOREVER. That’s it.

QUIET TIME. Do it every day with running, walking, swimming, mediating or praying. This quiet time enable you to stay in tune with the world and listen to what it’s trying to tell you. Take regular vows of silence to let your thoughts steal the show. Shut up more often.

READING. Read every book ever written on the topics that you also write about. Read every book written about your industry. Read at least two books every week. Keep your books religiously as precious gifts. NEVER loan them out to anybody, even family members. Every time you read, take notes and underline and highlight, then transfer those ideas onto your computer. Save them in a folder and refer to them regularly. Don’t even think about reading the newspaper. It’s all crap.

SEEK. Get help, especially from mentors. And get more than one mentor. Get ten mentors. Update them on your progress and make them proud. Find mentors who not only coach you on success, but who have actually HAD success too. Be careful about people approaching YOU to be your mentor. Sometimes they want to sell you stuff. You shouldn’t have to pay mentors. Find the ones who will do it for free and it will probably be more effective. Always buy their lunch.

TRUST. Your gut, that is. Because if everyone says you’re nuts, you just might be onto something. Don’t give in when the Sell Out Alarm goes off in the back of your mind. Trust that what you’re doing is right. Also trust your friends and colleagues to tell you when you’ve screwed up. Hesitate to trust publicists, the media, people who PROMISE who they’re going call you back and people who PROMISE they don’t want anything from you.

UNITY. Of all the areas of your brand, that is. Be sure that every touch point is seamless and consistent. Be unconfusable. Be the same no matter what. Be congruent on and off stage, in and out of paper, on and offline. Don’t be “a good guy deep down,” be “a good guy up front AND deep down.” Because people don’t give you credit for what they HEAR you SAY consistently, people only give you credit for what they SEE you DO consistently. Preach what you practice, not the other way around.

VICTORIES. Keep a log of all victories, even if they’re small. Achieve victories daily to build your confidence and hone in your skills. Give thanks for all victories and expect more of them to come regularly. Make a list of 101 goals. Be obsessive about your goals. Carry a copy of your goals with you at all times. Look at them daily and every time you accomplish one, cross it off and say, “YES! I DID IT!!!” (Unless you’re at the airport) Actually, I take that back. Screw TSA. Go ahead and yell at the airport.

WRITE. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Make sure everything you know is written down somewhere. Ask yourself, “What did you write today?” Be sure to write every single day for two hours. But don’t think of your writing as books, chapters, speeches, articles, etc., think of them as MODULES. If you want to become a better writer, just start writing. Stop planning. Just write. Who cares if it sucks? Just write. And don’t wait for inspiration. Combine inspiration with discipline. And remember: if you don’t write it down, it never happened. Also remember to write conversationally. And don’t forget to be a great date for your reader. And don’t forget to study other great writers. Ooh! And be mindful of the ARCHITECTURE of your writing, both online and in print. Keep it short. Write like you talk and people will listen. Be funny often. Journal everything. And do lots of thinking. After all, writing is merely an extension of thinking. So become a better thinker. And write down EVERYTHING. Every idea, every quote, every book, every word, everything! Write, write and write! Did I said write?

XPECT. That great things are going to happen. That great people are going to come into your life. That business opportunities will present themselves when you’re ready. That you will make lots of money. That you will give the greatest speech of your life every time. That you will write from your heart. That you will be amazing. That you will mess up a lot and learn from that. That you need to work hard, long AND smart. That people are going to screw you over. That many of your “friends” are going to stop being your friends when you become successful, which probably means those “friends” weren’t really your friends anyway.

YOUTH. It’s not the years; it’s the mileage. Don’t be ashamed that you’re still in your 20’s. It’s not a challenge; it’s an advantage. Use your youth, energy and enthusiasm to blow everyone away. Contribute your fresh, new, cool, fun, creative and unique perspective to those old dudes who have been thinking the same way about business for 50 years. And even though all you have are your experiences and what you’ve learned from them, age ain’t nuthin’ but a number. And a chicken ain’t nuthin’ but a bird. You don’t need a fancy degree or acronym after your name. Results are the only proof that matter. Blow people away with your creativity, knowledge, ideas, enthusiasm, listening skills, observations and writing abilities, and people will forget all about the fact that you were born in 1980.

ZEAL. Just a fancy word for enthusiasm. Energy. Fun. Craziness. Smiling. Laughing. Passion. Love. Ethos. All of these emotions need to be wrapped up in every website, every speech, every book, every article, every business card, every business encounter and every interview and phone call. Zeal is attractive. They will hire you and appreciate you. Because zeal is cool. Stick yourself out there and you will get them to come to you.

—

OK, that’s it!

That’s how I made an entire career out of wearing a nametag.

I hope it answers your question 🙂

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your best career leveraging tip?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share it here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

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Right here, right now, for FREE, no strings.

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How I Made an Entire Career out of Wearing a Nametag

I’ve made an entire career out of wearing a nametag.

(Yeah I know. Sometimes I still don’t believe it myself!)

Still, many of my readers and audience members continue to ask the obvious question: “How?”

I wish I had a short answer for them. I really do.

But alas, it’s not that simple. Heck, it’s been 2,385 days.

So, bear with me here as I take you through my (absurdly) long answer. I’ll do part 1 today and part 2 tomorrow.

How to Make an Entire Career Out of Wearing a Nametag, Part 1

ATTITUDE. Stay positive. Stay friendly. Stay fun. Especially because 10% of the people you meet will think you’re out of your damn mind. And remember: it’s not about the nametag; it’s the person wearing it, and the attitude OF that person. Turn hate mail into great mail. If at first your idea does not sound absurd, there is no hope for it. If everybody loves your brand, you’re doing something wrong.

BOLDNESS. Stick yourself out there: physically, emotionally and psychologically. Be willing to be humiliated, embarrassed and stared at. And keep in mind: the more often you throw yourself into the sea, the less likely the waves are to bother you. Grow thicker skin. Find out where you suck, but don’t let someone who has no right to criticize you to upset you for more than five minutes. And if you turn off someone who’s not in your target market, who cares. Can’t please everybody.

CREATIVITY. Study it. Practice it. Enhance it. Hang with other creative people, business or otherwise. Practice regular moments of solvitas perambulatorum. Never think “outside of the box,” because “outside of the box” is a very “inside the box” saying. There is no box. Interestingly, the word “creativity” literally means, “to make something out of nothing.”

DISCIPLINE. Always carry extra nametags, prewritten and blank, with you at all times. Wear one nametag on every layer. (See above picture) Even at weddings, funerals, strip clubs (cringe) and while playing pickup basketball. Write for two hours every single day. Work hard. Work long. Work smart. Read everything. Rehearse all night so it looks like you didn’t rehearse all night. Practice discipline in ONE area of your life and let it transfer over to other areas.

EARS. Listen closely to the world. It will give you countless ideas, tips, lessons learned and inspirational moments/people. Write everything down when you hear it. Grow bigger ears daily. Read books about listening. Take furious notes. Shut up when people are talking. Listen to lots of music every single day from various genres. Pump beautiful music through your veins for at least two hours every single day. Don’t you dare watch or listen to local news. Listen to every audio tape known to man. Best when done before you go to bed.

FUN. The day my job stops being fun is the day it stops. Period.

GO. To every networking event, conference, seminar, book signing, self-development seminar, association meeting and cocktail hour. Don’t throw your business cards to everybody, but make yourself known. BE THAT GUY, aka, be known FOR something and be known AS something. Come early; stay late. Find the people who clearly don’t know anybody, walk up and say, “Hi, I don’t know anybody here!” Get your ass out of the house every single day for at least one meal, coffee or event. Remember: small business isn’t a category; it’s a lifestyle.

HANG. Out with other super successful businesspeople, that is. Success leaves clues. Ask lots of questions, find out what they did right AND wrong and emulate the good stuff. Glean whenever, wherever and from whomever, notwithstanding age, level of experience or personality type. Look for people who are 30 years ahead of you and decide if that’s where you want to be in 30 years. Also, DON’T hang out with the following types of people: bloodsuckers, piggybackers, negatives, complainers, time abusers, drug abusers, emotional vampires, people who aren’t doing jack with their lives, people who don’t listen and talk WAY too much, people who are just trying to use your time, money, resources and brain power.

IDENTITY. Figure out who you are, both personally and professionally, how you roll, what you’ll stand for, what you won’t stand for you and what your personal philosophies and policies are. And remember: your identity is your most valuable possession. Read every book ever written on branding. Ask yourself lots of questions over and over. Make a Personal Mission Statement and read it to yourself every single morning. Know your values and beliefs. Make a Philosophy Card and pass it out to everyone you meet. Be the world’s expert on yourself. And never surround yourself with anyone who makes you second-guess yourself. Validate your existence, do something cool and be yourself – every single day.

JOKES. Especially about yourself. Self-deprecating humor disarms people, beats them to the punch and lays a foundation of approachability. Only take a few key things seriously. Never stop laughing. Find something funny every day.
KEEP IT SIMPLE. Say one thing. One word. One idea. Don’t make people have to remember more than that. That’s how stuff spreads. When people come to your website, make sure they know THE ONE THING you want them to do. Make your book, your idea and your business about one thing. One word. Make sure people can go onto Google and type in ONE WORD and get your website as the first five hits.

LOVE. Poured out into every blog post, speech, chapter, article, video, client meeting, conversation and webpage. Authenticity. Consistency. Commitment. All tied together with love. Love what you do, what you don’t do, what you write, what you sell, whom you sell it to and why you sell it. If you love the product and yourself first and then transfer that love to someone else, they will buy.

MAKE THE MUNDANE MEMORABLE. Phone greetings, introductions, business cards, company names, website domains, email signatures, email “from” lines, personal greetings and blog posts. Do that, and people will not only remember it, they’ll spread the word, in addition to coming back themselves.

(Still with me? Cool. Part 2 coming up tomorrow…)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your best career leveraging tip?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share it here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Download Scott’s new book!
Right here, right now, for FREE, no strings.

add to del.icio.us * digg it! * email this post

Abilities trump age

You’re the youngest person in your office.

It sucks, right?

Trust me, I know what it’s like.

Coworkers and customers give you a hard time because you’re “the baby,” or because you’ve “just graduated” or because you’ve “never heard of The Beatles.”

Big deal.

Consider the plights of these five Young Pups:

1. Napoleon Bonaparte was an artillery captain at 23.
2. Charles Lindbergh was the first man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean at 25.
3. Alexander the Great conquered the known world at 26.
4. Eli Whitney perfected the cotton gin at 28.

And of course, my favorite…

In 1997, Tiger Woods shocked the nation by winning The Masters Tournament by a whopping 12 strokes.

He was 21 years old.

So, do you think Tiger, as he slipped on that coveted green jacket, cared how old he was?

Do you think any of the other players on the course that day cared how old he was?

And do you think any of the millions of golf fans watching on TV cared how old he was?

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How I Made an Entire Career out of Wearing a Nametag … (Part 2)

How I Made an Entire Career out of Wearing a Nametag

Abilities trump age