Author Archives: ljgale

Money and attention

Excluding an 8-hour work day, how do you spend the rest of your time?
Working more? Posting on Facebook?
Again, we are assuming you can and must work an 8-hour work day.
What if those hours after an 8-hour work day couldn’t be spent trying to make money or get attention.
Then what would you do?
[HT to Derek Sivers for his recent tweet]

Positive spin cycle

Right now in my dirty clothes pile:

  • Door stickers saying “Sorry, no dogs” and the parallels to the civil rights movement.
  • People in positions of relative power when you’re situationally powerless.
  • Websites that force you to watch video ads thereby valuing your time at CPM divided by 1,000.
  • This year’s unrelenting winter.
  • Bleach.
  • Bravo, the television network.

Once I get these things clean, I’ll wear ’em out in public.

Nobody likes a guy who wears dirty clothes.

Be who you are, small businesses

If your business is:

  • Local, be local.
  • Small, be small.
  • Young, be young.

For example, a Chicago-based retailer should be an authority on Chicago trends. A five-person team should show themselves off on their website. A one-man startup should use “I”, not “we.”

Be who you are.

You’ll attract people who like you for who you are and for who you are not.

Before any speech

Need to give a speech? Use your iPad to record yourself.

Because the written word is not the spoken word.

Watch yourself. You will:

  • Know what works and add to it.
  • See what sucks and change it.
  • Build undeniable confidence.

Watching yourself speak asks the ultimate question: How do you really sound?

Record, watch, repeat. At least 7x. You’re welcome.

[This works wonders. Just ask my dad, recent father of the bride.]

Personnel Growth Strategy

As companies grow, they become more impersonal.

  • Emails are no longer from Cassie in accounting. Now they’re from accounting@yourcompany.com.
  • Focus is no longer on an individual’s strengths. Now, it’s on an individual’s tasks.
  • Many decisions aren’t made by you anymore. Now they’re made by a handbook or the board of directors.

The remedy for dealing with your company’s growth and it now being very impersonal?

Don’t take it personally.

And, keep doing your best at recognizing individuals. Because that’s what got you there in the first place.

[Good running into you, Brad Malis.]

An alternative to also

Making two points in an email is easy.

  1. Here’s point 1.
  2. Here’s point 2.

Also, this is the best way to make two points. Because if you have an “also”, you actually have a second point. Except “also’s” get lost. “Also’s” get ignored. “Also’s” are an after-thought.

See?

WWRD

Some good reminders from Rashard Mendenhall’s story:

  • Work hard.
  • Make it to the top of your game.
  • Make a bunch of money.
  • Do the right things for the right reasons.
  • Quit while ahead.
  • Seek new challenges.
  • Write.

What would Rashard do?

HT to Rashard Mendenhall.

Because a good Stage 1 makes a better Stage 2 and 3

Events have three stages.

Stage 1: Anticipation and planning.

Stage 2: The event.

Stage 3: Reliving and debriefing.

Undoubtedly, life-cycle events are easy to experience all three parts. Weddings sit in Stage 1 for 6-12 months. 

Of course, weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime event (hopefully!). But who says you can’t have a Stage 1 for all your plans?

Movies, concerts, lunches, massages, walks, happy hours, etc. Will they reach their full potential?

Love your calendar. Relish in all your Stage 1’s.

P.S. Alana’s wedding was incredible. Still reliving and debriefing.

Top three, agree?

If there was a fire in your house, what three things would you take with you?

For me, I’d want my:

  • Work, so would grab my laptop.
  • Memories, so would grab some photos.
  • Ability to travel and identify myself, so would grab my passport.

But what if I didn’t need any of that stuff?

Probably time to backup my files, publish my photos, and email myself my passport.

Are you ready for a fire?