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The Path to Getting it Done

 

The other day I had a unique conversation with a dear friend about what it takes to turn a great idea into reality. In trying to come up with a metaphor we ended up talking about Ironman training.

But let me go back and explain the connection.

How does one go from having a business idea to turning that idea into a business? How does one go from a simple marketing idea to turning that idea into an actual marketing campaign? Let’s admit it, lots of people have great ideas, but not all turn them into reality.

I am not one to claim that I have the perfected answer. The answer may be different depending on what drives each person. So knowing that my friend had completed an Ironman, I asked her, “How would you go about running an Iron Man again?”, "Would you run an ironman again?"

Her answer was very direct, “If it was 4 months from now I would be able to do it.” That was the training she knew she needed.

I was amazed that she didn’t say, “I won’t do it again,” or, “I don’t know,” or any other indefinite answer. She was able to tell me exactly how much time and the type of training it would take.

That is how you turn an idea into action — define the timeline and take the necessary steps to get there. My friend is an amazing woman who worked hard and knew where she needed help, so she enlisted coaches to train. If you need a coach to help you turn ideas into reality, hire a coach. Or ask for help from friends and family. In many instances turning ideas into reality may mean hiring employees, contractors, engaging helpers, friends and supporters. It may be hard, but it doesn’t mean the idea can’t be accomplished.

Regardless what it takes, nothing will get you there like an attitude of “getting it done.” It may may be cliche but it is true – take one step at a time. Do anything that moves you forward. Even if it does not seem (to you) like an extraordinarily original idea, do something to move forward.

Even imperfect steps are better than no steps at all because mistakes are great teachers. And good ideas turn into great ideas throughout this learning evolution.

So go out there and DO the things you dream of doing. Go out there and claim those possibilities. Let me throw another cliche out there and tell you, you can do it if you just… do it…

via lightspandigital.com

 

Why We Should Kill 'Curiosity Killed the Cat'

Imageof a curious cat

I am declaring “curiosity killed the cat” to be one of the worst English proverbs.  I have no doubt, it's up there in the top 10 worst sayings. I am constantly and currently rebelling against it.

I cannot envision progress, innovation, and social good without curiosity. Education is based on curiosity, entrepreneurship is based on curiosity, passion is based on curiosity. So why does curiosity get a bad rep?

In general I am sure parents try to keep kids out of trouble by scaring them, telling them that being curious can lead to death. Excuse my bluntness but that's the literal interpretation of “curiosity killed the cat.”

I think lack of curiosity is an instant killer of progress. Imagine a world where no one has any questions or dares to ask any questions. It would be an intellectual dictatorship.

Here's a recent example of how greed killed the cat when curiosity could have saved it - we didn’t get curious as to why people could get home loans higher than the hair on a cat's back, much higher than what they could repay. 

In a new media world, curiosity brought us search engines, local business listings, customer reviews, online communities, stronger business partnerships. There are many solutions out there to help us promote our businesses better, to find new customers or clients, to build stronger relationships. It just takes asking how, where, why? 

The answer to every question will bring new value to you and your business. So ask, ask ask! :)

What benefits has being curious brought you?

via lightspandigital.com
p.s. After I wrote this post I found out that "the earliest printed reference to the origin of this proverb is attributed to the British playwright Ben Jonson in his 1598 play, Every Man in His Humour "..Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care will kill a cat, up-tails all, and a pox on the hangman." In this instance, "care" was defined as "worry" or "sorrow." (Source: Wikipedia).

Two views on Attitude and the Armani Suit from @SamiAri & @manamica

Attitude_vs_armani_suit
I work with suits. No, I'm not a tailor. I work in a place where people wear the suits, walk the suits, talk the suits, and... may not smile in suits. I also work with some amazing, fun, creative people. I appreciate image and professionalism as brought about by the suit but what of attitude?

What would you say is more important, the perfect suit or the right attitude?

Let's say you were granted one wish and one wish only and you got to choose between an Armani suit and an attitude makeover that would make you a positive, dynamic person, always. The Armani suit is not meant to represent wealth, but a professional put-together image. Also I don't mean it as the counter of being a slob. In this hypothetical situation I may be wearing a clean put-together outfit, I may even have an OK suit that I wear on special occasions, but I haven't invested in THE Armani suit.

I asked Sami, from http://www.samiari.net/ to counterpoint my thoughts on this matter. Without further ado, here is what Mana and Sami have to say on the matter:

Mana:
I think having a dynamic, positive attitude has more advantages than the Armani suit in most situations.

It would have to be an extreme situation for someone to respond to, "let's do good" with "let's do bad." It's also very hard to not respond with a smile to a genuine smile (although in Eastern Europe a random smile may get a frown and a, "what are you laughing at?").

I have no hard evidence but I am 100% convinced that a positive, dynamic attitude is a win every time.

The old Greek formula for successful rhetoric required "ethos" (character of the speaker) "logos" (reason) and "pathos" (emotions). With a positive dynamic attitude you've got "ethos" and "pathos" covered. Positive dynamic people light up the room and lend out energy to all around them. Have you ever met people who say things you disagree with but you're still listening to them because they have a positive, dynamic attitude? 

The suit situation I think is a bit more complex, because an Armani suit can be a symbol that may trigger many opposing reactions - respect or scorn, admiration or self-consciousness, attraction or fear, social connection or social discomfort etc.

In other words, while I can predict that in most cases a smile will get a smile, the reaction to the Armani suit may not be as easy to predict. Suits are necessary at times, and may be have a disengaging effect at others. A suit is pleasant, put together, but may not inspire.


So, bottom line, I would recommend bringing a positive dynamic attitude in any room, and wear the Armani suit when you know your audience will respond positively to it.


Sami:
I'm not a tailor either. Although sometimes I wish everyone knew a great one. I like seeing people walking in the suits, talking in the suits, and...also smiling in the suits. A suit can't make the man but can easily break him.

A lot of times people count on the suit to make them look professional, well put together, etc. Here's the point that everyone misses by a hundred miles or so : the suit never makes the man. The man makes the suit. Furthermore, never underestimate people's ability to sense your discomfort wearing an Armani suit. Countless times I have witnessed a man being worn by the suit and not wearing the suit.

My point is, owning that amazing suit, or suits, is fantastic but if you let the suit overtakes your personality then you're better off running around naked, at least that might attract people's attention rather than fading in the background. Don't be another man in the room trying to be someone you're not. Adjust your attitude before you adjust your wardrobe. That's my advice.
 
What's more important, the suit or the attitude? I would say both. There is nothing wrong with wanting two things instead of one.  I greatly appreciate the fine craftsmanship of Armani suits. Sorry Mana, I can't just chose one! Although I will say this: I would rather people notice my personality before my suit. One more advice and maybe the most important one: if you absolutely must chose one item to have tailored it must be a white dress shirt. It'll go a long way. Trust me.

 

So what would you choose, the Attitude or the Armani suit?

p.s. Big thanks to Sami for his thoughts and putting up with my delays. You can find Sami's fresh thoughs on movies, art and Chicago at samiari.net as well as on Twitter @samiari. You should check out this writings, say hi on Twitter, and attend one of his fabulous Tweet-ups, because he truly has a positive, dynamic attitude :).

"Best way to set goals is to set about 45 and see which 2 stick around" David Allen Podcast- Goal Setting

via davidco.com

Highlights from Scientific American interview with David Allen on goal setting:

 

  • Anything that can keep your mind off negative self-talk is going to be useful to you 
  • Get very serious about goal setting and lighten up a ton 
  • Don't beat yourself up anymore 
  • Best way to set goals is to set about 45 and see which 2 stick around 
  • Keep focusing on goals and reset 
  • What you don't do is stand still - better off going 180 degrees, you waste less energy than going from standing still 
  • Before or in the midst of or instead of setting big goals that you may crash and burn from the best thing you can do is clean up 
  • At year make a list of all the stuff you might or need to clean up 
  • Also at year end give yourself acknowledgement for all the things you got done by making a list of the things you completed that year.

Jan. 26 post revision - I moved the interview mp3 here to solve an auto-play issue.

"passive income" and the "Tale of a Lazy Man"

I spend many Sat mornings blocking twitter followers who promise income by doing nothing. They call it... passive income.

So I got to thinking, who wants anything to do with "passive"?  I don't want a passive job, a passive life, or a passive income. An income should be earned and those who make wealth know it takes work, and a whole lot of it.
Not only is it nonsensical for something that's meant to grow, such as an income, to be labeled as passive, but it's a false promise to tell folks they can make money by being passive (unless you're Bernie Madoff and look what became of him).

Here is a little Romanian folk tale to illustrate how something that's "passive" will always be "passive," Tale of a Lazy Man (Povestea unui on lenes de Ion Creanga):

It is said there was a man so lazy that he wouldn't even chew the food in his mouth. The village people, when they saw they couldn't get him to do any work or move in any way decided to make an example of him by way of hanging. So they take him and load him in a horse-drawn cart, and he lets himself be taken away as if he was an "inanimate log."  As they proceed to the place of hanging they run into a woman of wealth who takes pity on the lazy man and offers to take him in, and have him live in a pantry full of dry bread, where he could eat and live without having to earn his keep or bother anyone. 

The village people tell the lazy man of the woman's kindness and his unexpected fortune. Yet he replies, "Is the bread soaked?"

The charitable lady is surprised, "why, can't he soak it himself?"

"Nah," the lazy man answers, "keep pulling this cart." And so, too lazy even to live, the lazy man gets the villagers off his back, the villagers get the lazy man off theirs.

When choosing "passive" the only options are "passive." Why limit ourselves?

about building trust and giving trust

We frequently talk about trust as in "we have to build trust." If I had to sum up Chris Brogan and Julien Smith's book Trust Agents I'd say they give tips on how to become versed in using what the web has to offer to build trust within today's consumer culture (where consumers are cynical, informed and savvy).

Where does giving trust stand?

Once in a while I work with a client who demands that I get "more involved" with my team in the minute tactical details of a marketing campaign to "make sure we deliver on time." Generally I would try to verify if there is true reason for concern. More often than not, the request comes out of lack of trust than any real evidence that an initiative may be endangered. 

I think it's fairly damaging to a project or to a relationship to step into it with lack of trust. After all, one should not hire another if there isn't a chance of trust. Lack of trust leads to wasted time, disengaged team members, misunderstandings, unnecessary checking, and overseeing, and hand-holding, and many other possible complications. Lack of trust then leads to increased project costs, and reduced profitability.

I have to trust that people on my team, or the people I work with will do their jobs well. If they don't they're allowed to fail, deal with the consequences and learn from it. But generally when we give trust we receive trust, commitment and the best level of work one can deliver. Even if we are disappointed once in a while we win big most of the time by giving trust. It's like investing in a diversified portfolio. Some of the investments may fail but those which win big will make up for all the other little failures. Similarly, in business giving trust = strong people network and more net $$$s. Lack of trust = weak people network and less $$$s. 

To me the choice is simple, I'll go with giving trust not just building trust.
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