Monthly Archives: June 2015

What do you have to lose?

Really. Is it:

  • Respect?
  • Admiration?
  • Loyalty?
  • Friendship?
  • Opportunities?
  • Trust?

Sure, that could happen.

But why think about it?

Have fun.

It’s gotta be the best way to play without fear, right?

That thing you do

Can you describe it in just a few words?

If not, figure it out.

That, or stop trying to do so much.

Specialty is a good thing.

(With the addition of minimooning, maybe you’d just describe me as a blogger?)

Go ahead and try

Try to be funny.

Try to inspire.

Try to lead.

Try to make money.

If you try, you might get what you want.

But if you act upon your most strongly-held beliefs, it’s almost guaranteed.

And then, you’ll hardly have to try.

 

What did I learn today?

Doesn’t need to be because you screwed something up.

Or because you got into some trouble.

Maybe it’s a conversation you had. Or something you read.

Or it’s maybe something that just came to you.

There ought to be something every day. Something you learned.

Otherwise, what’s the point?

You

Compare the following sentences:

A: “I’ll need that document on my desk by 8 AM so I can be prepared for my meeting.”

B: “You have until 8 AM tomorrow to finish so we can be prepared for that proposal.”

And now, these two:

A: Let’s say I find a flight to Vegas. I can book the flight and lock in the fare. If I change my mind, I can cancel anytime for free.

B: Let’s say you find a flight to Vegas. You can book the flight and lock in the fare. If you change your mind, you can cancel anytime for free.

See the difference?

Your readers (of email, text, blog post, documentation, memo, sales copy, etc.) care about one person.

Hint: It’s not you.

The opposite

It’s the pop-up video. The marketing email. The credit card offer in your snail mail.

The stuff that makes you say, “I didn’t ask for this.”

That’s spam, people.

And while some people have a higher tolerance for it, it’s hardly ever your best strategy.

Instead, go for the opposite. Something like, “Wow, that’s even better than I was expecting.”

Books books books.

They make you look so smart.

Or do they?

Why are you holding onto a thing that gathers dust that you haven’t used in over a year? You’re not a hoarder, right?

By all means, read your books. You’re less smart if you don’t.

And if you’re gonna read or reference it again in the next year, put it on the shelf.

Otherwise, give it away to the next reader.

Why?

Because the best part about most books is passing it on and saying, “You’ll love this one.”

It might just change the world.

Isn’t that a smart move?

 

Why I shave my face every morning

Every morning I shave my face.

Not because I have to for work.

Not because it looks good.

Not because I have OCD.

I shave my face every morning because it’s one less decision to make then so I can make one more decision later.

Decisions on things that matter. That gets results.

Not whether or not to shave.

What can you decide not to decide in the morning?

 

Good day for guys and gals in the USA

Big news in the world of health and wellness recently. The FDA has officially turned on trans fats.

If you’re unfamiliar, it’s the stuff in frosting, microwave popcorn, and non-weird peanut butter. It’s basically anything that uses the term “partially hydrogenated.”

The FDA says food companies have three years to phase it out of their products.

You can use this news in one of two ways.

1. Stop buying products with trans fats NOW because it’s officially (per the FDA) worse than something that will make you obese. It’s unsafe.

2. Stop buying products from Big Food companies because it’s clear they are socially irresponsible and don’t care about you or our world and will surely find a similarly effective yet currently legal alternative to trans fats to put into their products and appease shareholders.

Either way, it’s a good day.

Winning

Here’s a recipe for winning the right way.

  • Play hard.
  • Play clean.
  • Care.
  • Share.
  • Have fun.
  • Be humble.
  • Don’t cheat.
  • Don’t worry.

Congratulations to the 2015 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks on their third in six years.