Tag: working really hard

The Paradox of Inspiration

“Inspiration comes unannounced.”

Powerful words. Something I figured out about a year ago.

It means that writing, innovation (or any creative endeavor, for that matter) is a function of “plucking.”

Pay attention, listen, watch, observe (through your personal filters); then capture those inspired ideas onto paper, expand on them, and ultimately share them with the world.

Inspiration comes unannounced. Got it.

But therein lies the paradox.

See, (my hero) Dave Barry once said, “Inspiration is for amateurs.”

Which means that writing, innovation, (or any creative endeavor, for that matter) is largely a function of working your ass off.

Sit down at the same time every single day and discipline (force!) yourself to create new ideas and content, even when inspiration takes the day off.

Inspiration is for amateurs. Got it.

SO, HERE’S THE CHALLENGE: how do you handle inspiration?

Two options:

1. Put yourself on standby and harness (pluck) inspiration ONLY when it crosses your path.

2. Force yourself to create stuff ANYWAY and accept inspiration as a nice added bonus.

The choice is yours.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you think inspiration is for amateurs?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
How do you balance inspiration and discipline?

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

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What’s on YOUR wall?

If you’re self-employed like me, wall motivation decorations can do you some good.

To keep yourself on point.
To keep yourself motivated.
To keep yourself accountable.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been obsessed with wall decorations. From my house growing up to my college apartments to my present office, “no white space” has always been my motto. (I learned everything from my big brother Steve.)

I even lost my deposit once because the landlord complained that when I moved out I left behind “hundreds of holes.”

Woops.

But from a self-motivational standpoint, covering your office walls with personalized, vibrant and positive decorations can actually help you become more successful. Here are a few suggestions:

Visualizations. “Act as if you already are the person you want to become and you will eventually become the person you want to become,” said my mentor.

So, think about your long-term goals and dreams. Maybe it’s to own a beach house. Or to achieve a senior-level position. Or to secure an appearance on Oprah. Or to be featured on the cover of a magazine. (This is my Vision Board pictured to the left. Thank you, The Secret.)

Whatever your goal is, you MUST actually, physically, literally, create an image of having already achieved it. Hell, sneak into the CEO’s office and take a picture of yourself sitting in her chair if you have to!

I don’t care. Just do it. I know it sounds ridiculous. But trust me. When your goal comes to fruition, people won’t be laughing – they’ll be applauding.

Quotations. These are the perfect tools (er, words) to keep you motivated.

Go see my friends at Quote Garden for some great material.

Then grab a few of those giant sticky notes and post several of your favorite one-liners around your office.

The key is to choose quotations that:

*make you think
*make you smile
*make you laugh

…every time you see them.

Choose wisely.

Questions. First, think about the most important questions you need to be asking yourself regularly.

Then make posters, dry erase boards or signs and hang them high.

Be sure they can be seen from across your office.

This example is the #1 most important question I ask daily.

Because writing is the basis of all wealth.

Here’s another one of my favorites.

Other suggestions are, “How many calls did you make today?” and “Is what you’re doing right now consistent with your #1 goal?”

Personal Mission Statement. The one (and only) thing I took away from The Seven Habits was the section about creating a personal mission statement.

Years later, I still keep my PMS posted to the left of my door. That way I see it every time I leave. I suggest you do the same.

Since you probably can’t read my writing, I’ll just tell you:

Do something cool…

Validate your existence…

And be yourself…

EVERY DAY.

Goals. Take a few of your biggest, most important goals. Post them nice and big – right in front of your face!

Make sure they’re inescapable from your eyesight so you HAVE to look at them at least three times a day.

Odds of you accomplishing your goals will triple. Promise.

And I’m sure you don’t need to hear me preach about goals, but here are a few tips:

*Make them specific
*Make them achievable
*Give them a time frame
*Share them with other people
*Cross them off when accomplished

Accomplishments. Every time an article of mine appears in a print publication, I hang a copy on my wall.

Not because I’m an egomaniac, but because surrounding myself with visual reminders of small victories builds confidence.

CHALLENGE: think back to your three best accomplishments from the past year. Find some way to represent them visually, and stick ‘em up there!

Look, guys. I know it seems like a lot of stuff to hang on your wall. But why not? It’s just empty space. You may as well cover it with something productive.

OH, AND HERE’S THE BEST PART: next time a customer or coworker comes into your office, they’re gonna stop and look around.

And they will be amazed.

Because you’ve visually PROVED to them that you’re dedicated to success.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s on YOUR wall?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your favorite motivation decorations here!

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

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23 ways to become a better writer

I don’t claim to be the greatest writer in the world.

But I’m definitely better than I used to be. And ultimately, that’s all that really matters.

Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years…

1. Don’t plan; just write.

2. Write something every single day.

3. Share your writing with others. Blog it. Do it anonymously if you have to. Let the world be your editor.

4. Study writing basics in books like On Writing by Stephen King.

5. Writers are readers. How many books did you read in February?

6. Vary sentence length.

7. Don’t be afraid to use ALL CAPS, bold, underline and the like. It catches people’s attention, breaks up the page and evokes emotion. Read a Tom Peters book, you’ll see what I mean.

8. Typing is a little easier than writing by hand because the speed of thought is nearly matched by the speed of typing. Plus writing by hand is a big pain in the, um…hand.

9. Whatever you’re writing, go back and make it shorter. People just don’t have time anymore. They won’t read it.

10. It takes time to discover your voice. But when you do, it’s the greatest accomplishment any writer could achieve.

11. Lists are your friends. They’re easy to write. They’re even easier to read. And they organize information that has no apparent pattern. Kinda like this blog post!

12. Write everything down. Everything.

13. Make sticky notes for your office with the following statements written on them:

a. Writing is the basis of all wealth.
b. Is everything you know written down somewhere?
c. What did you write today?

14. If you make lists, don’t be afraid to occasionally throw in a point that has absolutely no relevance whatsoever. It’s fun.

15. Become a better writer by studying creativity. How many creativity exercises did you do this week?

16. Get over all that, “But I’m not a writer” stuff. Thoughts like that block positive thought and hinder creativity. Everyone is a writer. Everyone.

17. Every morning when you wake up, dump everything that’s on your mind into about three pages. It doesn’t have to be good. It doesn’t have to make sense. It’s about freeing your mind of all the crap so you can clear the way for the good stuff. Think of it like going to the driving range before a round of 18 holes to get all those shanks out of your system. If you want to write better quality stuff, the REAL stuff that’s deep inside of you just dying to get out, you’ve got to pave the way. Thank you, Julia Cameron.

18. Break the rules of writing. Every day. Nothing too horrendous. But don’t be afraid to start sentences with words like “and” and “because.” Don’t be afraid to throw in a fragment here and there. Nobody’s going to be mad. If it proves your point and looks and sounds good, leave it in there. Be a rebel on paper.

19. Read your stuff out loud. Make sure it flows.

20. You can read books, take classes and study the greats. But the BEST way to become a better writer is to write. Every. Single. Day.

21. Hey, remember #9? That thing I said about keeping it short? I was serious. Odd are, half the people who started reading this very blog post are no longer with us. (Dang it!)

22. Read The War of Art. Best book on art/creativity/writing ever. EVER.

23. When you write something really brilliant, or at least pretty good, take a break. Or stop. Don’t be a greedy writer.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your writing gems?

LET SUGGEST THIS…
Share your list of ways to become a better writer here!

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

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Make your best one your last one

So the Cardinals’ opening day was yesterday.

(They lost 6-1 to the Mets. Dang it. Guess New York wanted payback from last year.)

Anyway, I had a thought.

Here’s why I love David Eckstein:

Because every grounder matters.
Because he gives it his all, every time.
Because he plays harder than anybody.
Because he actually sprints on and off the field, every inning.

(Maybe that’s why he won the MVP last year)

But you get this feeling that if you randomly saw Eckstein one day (like, ordering a bagel or something), and you asked him, “Hey Dave, in all the years of playing ball, which game was your best?”

Eckstein would probably say, “My last one.”

LESSON LEARNED: Make your best one your last one.

The best sales call you ever made…was your last one.
The best speech you ever gave…was your last one.
The best report you ever handed in…was your last one.
The best meeting you ever had with your staff…was your last one.
The best customer service phone call…was your last one.

You get the point.

Make your best one your last one.

Thanks, Eck.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Who’s your favorite ball player?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post the lesson(s) we can learn from him/her right here!

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

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A chicken ain’t nuthin’ but a bird

My Grandpa Frank always told me, “A chicken ain’t nuthin’ but a bird.”

For years I struggled with the meaning of that phrase. I even googled it a few times it and had no luck discovering its origin, other than the song by Cab Calloway.

So I asked him one day.

“Scotty, age is nothing but a number,” Grandpa reminded me. “Especially when customers or coworkers don’t take you seriously because you’re young. A chicken ain’t nuthin’ but a bird.”

EXAMPLE: think back to 1997. Tiger Woods shocks the world by winning The Masters by a whopping 12 strokes.

He was 21 years old.

AND PICTURE THIS: After hugging his father, Earl Woods, Tiger stands on the 18th Green with tears in his eyes. A live crowd of thousands (and a TV audience of millions) watch Tiger slip on that coveted green jacket to become the youngest golfer in history to win The Masters.

Do you think Tiger was still worried about his age?

Do you think all those raving fans that witnessed sports history CARED about his age?

Heck no. Because in sports, in business and in life: abilities trump age.

Especially on Sundays.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Ever used used your abilities to trump your age?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Give us an example here!

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

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What they won’t tell you in The Secret

I’m pretty much obsessed with The Secret.

You can’t argue it. It really is a cool movie.

Smart. Poignant. Inspirational.

And of course, deliciously hokey.

Which isn’t to say it’s bad. Just because something is hokey doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. I’ve personally applied several visualization tips from The Secret and seen some incredible results in my personal and professional life.

But, (and this is a BIG butt, here)…

The people in The Secret make it look EASY.

Which is kind of misleading. Because it’s not easy.

You can’t just “think” your way to success.
You can’t just make a vision board and expect stuff to happen.

Honestly, I think if The Secret were true to life, it would be a ten-hour movie.

AND, nine hours and forty-seven minutes of those ten hours would be all those good looking, impossibly positive, super successful people telling the camera about:

o All the grunt work
o All the long hours
o All the insufferable crap
o All the family members and friends who didn’t see them for months at a time because they were working so hard

…COMBINED with their mental and spiritual prowess to create success.

That would be a little more believable.

IN SHORT: 90% of success isn’t seen.

People like Tiger Woods, Donald Trump, Jack Canfield, (insert rich and successful person here)…

…work their ASSES off!

But you don’t see that. That’s not what they show on FOX. Or ESPN. Or The Secret.

You see the 10.

You don’t see Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer in the world, when he’s practicing for six hours a day.

You just see his 350-yard drive.

You don’t see Donald Trump, the most successful businessman in the world, when he’s working 18-hour days.

You just see his buildings sell for millions.

And you don’t see Jack Canfield, the most successful author in the world, when he’s secluding himself in a cabin for nine months to write his next book.

You just see his name on the bestseller list.

So, next time you turn on the TV, flip open Golf Digest or hear someone talking about how cool (and how easy) The Secret is, just remember one thing:

Nobody sees the 90.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What do you think about The Secret?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Tell us your secret…here!

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

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Play with people who are better than you

What do Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, Hollywood Hunk Paul Walker and Golf legend Tiger Woods all have in common?

They’ve all done interviews claiming that success is a function of “playing with people who are better than you.”

In music.
In sports.
In business.
In life.

You need to play with people who are better than you.

For five reasons:

1. Learning. It’s the best way to learn, to walk with the wise. To surround yourself with people whose skills and knowledge put you to shame. Merely being in their presence will rub off.

2. Accountability. Your performance won’t improve when you compete with people who suck. Don’t be afraid to be the worst one there. Never challenged = never growing.

3. Inspiration. Not to be like them. But to become a better version of yourself because of them. Plus, as you get better, you will make them proud!

4. Intimidation. It’s good for the soul. To make your nerves dance. Like David Gilmour said: “You have to put yourself in an environment where you get your ass kicked.”

5. Humility. Because you’re still learning. Because you’ve still got a long way to go. Because you can still get better.

Play with people who are better than you.

(This post dedicated to Karen Salmonsohn, a writer who is better than me.)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How often are you playing with people who are better than you?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
List three people who are better than you and what you learned from them!

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

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25 gems I’ve learned about goal setting

I’m no expert on goal setting, but 2006 has been the best goal setting/goal achieving year EVER. Thought I’d share 25 of the gems I’ve learned…

1. Brian Tracy, one of the world’s foremost experts on setting and achieving goals, explains the following fact: less than 3 percent of Americans have written goals, and less than 1 percent review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis. Which means if you’re doing both, you’re WAY ahead of the game.

2. Whatever your present goals are, they’re too low.

3. Read your personal and professional goals every morning.

4. Create a Vision Board and look at it every morning. A vision board is a collage of pictures that represent your accomplished goals, as if they’ve already happened. Creative visualization. Forward thinking. This stuff works.

5. Tell your goals to other people. This keeps you accountable.

6. Make a list of 101 goals. It’s tough, but this exercise will change your life.

7. In your bathroom, put post-it notes of your goals on the mirror. Personal on the left, professional on the right. That way, you HAVE to look at them twice a day.

8. Set daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals.

9. Every week, make yourself a list called “Criticals.” These are your Top 5 Goals for the Week. If you can accomplish these every week, you will also achieve your larger goals over time.

10. Every single day, perform three Highly Valuable Activities. They don’t have to be business, per se. From “working out” to “writing an article” to “meeting my new client in person,” these small things will accumulate. Think about it. 25 a week, 50 weeks a year, that’s 1,250 a year. Wow.

11. Each year, have one major, HUGE goal. Let’s say it’s: “I will make 1 million dollars this year.” Write the term “one million” on a bunch of post it notes. Put them all around your office.

12. Buy a little bell and ring it every time you accomplish a goal, big or small.

13. If a bell’s not enough, create some form of victory dance. Now, you don’t have to do an actual dance (although Snoopy had a great celebration dance), but something that rewards you for a job well done. Me, I like to go out for sushi.

(And now for Scott’s Favorite Goal Setting Tip…)

14. Put a little card by your desk that says, “Is what you’re doing RIGHT NOW consistent with your #1 goal?” I did this a few years ago and it absolutely kicked my goat setting into high gear.

15. My friend once bet me $20 that I would achieve my yearly revenue goal. I took the bet. By August, I had already passed it. So, I took a twenty-dollar bill, framed it, then wrote on it: “Thanks for helping me achieve my goal!” He loved it. (I just hope he never has to break the glass to spend it!)

16. What people don’t realize about goals is that they have to be VISUAL!!!

17. Be specific and put a timeline on all of your goals. It dramatically increases the possibility that they will be accomplished. For example, “I will weigh no more than 195 pounds by December 14, 2006.”

18. When you list your goals, also list the following: barriers that will stand in my way of achieving that goal, people that will help me with that goal and reasons I will accomplish that goal

19. Begin with the end in mind

20. Hang out with other people who set, share and accomplish goals. If the people you see the most aren’t in that small percent of the world that writes their goals down, either MAKE them do it, or get new friends.

21. Have a goal partner. The two of you share updates on progress, goal accomplishments and anything else relating to goals.

22. The best weekly goal tip I ever got was to divide my time into 5 sections: to do, to contact, to see, to read and to write. If I could cross everything and everyone off that list by the end of the week, I was successful.

24. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, authors of Chicken Soup for the Soul talk about setting one BHAG, or “Big Harry Audacious Goal.” What’s yours?

25. And lastly, don’t just share your goals with a few people. Share as many of your goals as possible with as many people as possible.

You know, I think the real reason all this goal stuff has been on my mind is because I FINALLY read Paulo Coello’s The Alchemist. (By the way, if you are in any way involved with goal setting, read that book TODAY.)

Anyway, the keystone of his message is the following: when you know what you want, the world will conspire to help you achieve it.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your three best goal setting tips? Post them here.

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

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7 Ways to Turn Hate Mail into Great Mail

The old saying in customer service is, “A complaint is a compliment.”

If that’s true, then hate mail must be a dozen roses.

I only say that because, in my four years of business, I’ve received my fair share of hate mail.

Now, without going into a whole dissertation about the irony of hate mail being sent to a man who wears a nametag 24-7 to make the world friendlier, I do want to share 7 ways to turn hate mail into great mail.

1. Humor. First of all, at least half of the world’s hate mail is sent from invalid sources. This list of jerks includes – but isn’t limited to – ignorant adolescents, intoxicated persons, general idiots, uneducated anonymous loudmouths, no-life negative-nay-sayers and standard player-haters. So, if you can uncover the superficiality of someone’s ridiculous claims and realize that he has no evidence to support his arguments, you’ll probably start laughing.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Keep your favorite pieces of hate mail in a folder, or even posted on your wall.

2. Loyalty. If someone leaves a cutting, negative comment on your blog, message board or forum, don’t delete it. More often than not, your fans, customers, friends and loyalists will come to your rescue and defend you. Because that’s what fans do. For example, years ago, Kevin Smith started a website called www.kevinsmithsucks.com. He posted his own hate mail just so others would come to his defense. And they did.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Allow the negative comments to remain, and the people who love you will come to your rescue.

3. Feedback. On occasion, a piece of hate mail might make a good point. My suggestion is to reply to the person (providing they actually leave an email, which they don’t often do), and thank them for their comments. Explain how you plan to use their feedback to make positive change to your organization. Of course, don’t antagonize them. Just be grateful. In my experience, I’ve made major changes to my ideas simply because a hate mail letter was spot on.
LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Don’t be so close-minded to think that ALL hate mail is incorrect.

4. Leverage. Two of my best pieces of hate mail have become two of my best stories. One has to do with commitment; the other has to do with innovation. The best part is: when I tell those stories during a speech, they always get the audience on my side and support my points better than any other story could.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Brainstorm three people with whom you could share your latest piece of hate mail. Get ‘em on your side.

5. Motivation. Hate mail is a great motivator. Hell, I even thanked all of the people who sent me hate mail in the acknowledgements section of my second book! After all, their letters only made me finish that book sooner.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
There’s nothing like someone telling you that you can’t do it to make you do it.

6. Reinforcement. Senders of hate mail also tend to be jealous of your success, probably because they’re not successful themselves. It’s like Steven Pressfield explained in The War of Art: “When people see you begin to live you authentic lives, it drives them crazy because they’re not living their own.” So, haters do this because they have no parade of their own. That’s why they’ve chosen to rain on yours. Which means you’re probably doing something right.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Every time you get a piece of hate mail, jump up and down and yell, “YES! I DID IT!”

7. Personal Growth. Valid or not, all hate mail is a perfect way to test patience and positive attitude. Think about it: if you get an anonymous letter from an ignorant person who thinks you’re stupid, you don’t have to let it get you down. How you react is your choice. Of course, if you do react negatively, take it personally and get all defensive, then maybe you are stupid.

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Each piece of hate mail is a test of your ability to respond positively to a negative stimulus.

The deal is: you always have a choice.

When someone sends you hate mail, it’s all about your response. Ultimately, criticism keeps you in check when it’s right, and keeps you in chuckles when it’s ridiculous. And the way I see it, using positive turn-around techniques like the ones I’ve mentioned are sure-fire ways to leverage negative comments to your advantage.

Now, allow me to close this article with my all-time-favorite hate mail example. Actually, it wasn’t so much a piece of hate mail as it was a death threat:

It came about three years ago from some guy in New York City. He left a note on my guestbook that read (and I quote), “Scott, if you ever come to New York, I’ll f***ing kill you!”

Seriously, I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in years. It was the funniest letter I’d ever read. I’ll kill you?! You can’t make that stuff up! A death threat?! Are you kidding me?! It was so great, I not only told all my friends about it; not only posted it on my bulletin board and my blog; but I even replied to the guy and thanked him for his letter. (After all, how could I turn down a dozen roses?)

And believe it or not, he wrote me back! In fact, he was SO shocked to receive such a positive response, that he actually apologized for his harsh words.

Now that’s what I call turning hate mail into great mail!

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

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Do what nobody else is willing to do

As research for my fourth book, Make a Name for Yourself, I’ve been asking a lot of people to answer one key question: “How did you make a name for yourself?”

A common thread among all the professionals I interviewed was that they “did what nobody else was willing to do.”

In other words, whatever it takes.

Kind of like Dave Chapelle, who wanted to be a comedian. He used to sneak into 21+ comedy clubs when he was in highschool. He’d watch and study the crowds. He’d watch and study the comics. Eventually he became good enough to start performing at open mics every Thursday.

Also like Jimmy Fallon, who wanted to be on SNL. He used to record the episodes every Saturday night. He’d memorize and practice the monologues for his mother. Eventually he became so skilled at doing impressions that he became a regular cast member on the show.

Or like Tony Robbins, who wanted to be a professional speaker. He started giving speeches three times a day to every Rotary Club, every Kiwanis Club and every Chamber of Commerce in town. In two year’s time he had 10 year’s experience.

And the rest, as they say, was history.

Because they did what nobody else is willing to do.

Apropriately, this fall starts my fourth year in business. And in retrospect, over the years I, too, have done a fair amount of stuff that nobody else was willing to do…

• For the first year or two, I just gave my books away. Literally. Every speech, every networking event, every conversation with a stranger on the plane, free books! Hundreds of them! And you know what? It was worth it. Even though a lot of people thought I was crazy not to charge, I knew it was the best way to stimulate word of mouth.

• When I first started speaking, to prepare for upcoming speeches I’d stay up all night rehearsing for hours and hours so that my audience didn’t think I stayed up all night rehearsing for hours and hours. Which reminds me of what Michael Cane once said, “The art is hiding the art.”

• To help pay the bills during those wonderful “My Company Isn’t Making Any Money Years,” I worked nights parking cars at a local hotel. During slow shifts, I furiously wrote ideas, articles and stories in my little black journal. My coworkers thought I was crazy! That is, until those scribblings turned into four books. Including this next one, Make a Name for Yourself!

In summary, I think Mike Hernacki said it best: “The ultimate secret to getting absolutely anything you want is to do whatever it takes.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How did you make a name for yourself?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post (here) a list of all the things you did that nobody else was willing to do.

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

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