Category Archives: Blogging

Rhyme time

Slow and steady wins the race.  Hearing that from you makes me want to punch you in the face.  But, usually you’re right, don’t you know.  Here’s some examples I’d like to show.

The guys in high school who got lots of girls cause he was a skater.  Now he brings you and your hot wife your dinner cause he’s your waiter.

Today there’s a savvy web spammer who beats you in google page rank.  Tomorrow you’ll have built something special, and of value, so will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Your friend that got married before you is no longer is your playmate.  But fast forward 20 years and they’re back on JDate.

Rhyming is weird like a bump on a log.  But publishing daily equals slow and steady, and that’s the plan for this blog.

You want to be liked?

Dear Facebook friends and acquaintances,

I tried to say this subtly.  And it’s just me looking out for you.  So, I’ll say it again.  More directly this time.

If you have a fan page that you want someone to like, like their page first.  Then, ask for a like.

I’ll say it even more clearly.  Like my fan page, first.  Then, ask me to like yours.  Not the other way around.

Give then take, people.  You’ll be liked a lot more.

What’s the cost of do not disturb?

For my music at work, it’s $3 per month.  That I paid to Pandora.

For my readers at lifeisnoyoke.com, it’s a typo here and there.  That’s a cost not paid to an editor.

For the writer, it’s a longer walk to a quieter Starbucks.  That’s paid in his time.

The costs to avoid interruption are small.  But, to avoid commercial breaks, pop-up ads and loud talkers, the costs are completely worth it.

So, if the costs are so small, how come more people don’t pay?

10 ways to enjoy low-hanging fruit

It’s the easy stuff.  The stuff within reach.  The stuff that takes minimal effort, but gets you started.  More than what you got, picking the low-hanging fruit gets you momentum.

Picking the low-hanging fruit gets you first 25%.  Then, the next lowest hanging fruit gets you half way there.  The next 25% is easy since you’ve already done twice that much.  Finally the last 25% takes some strategy, but is why you started.

There are so many opportunities to use the low-hanging fruit principle.  Start with the easy stuff and ride the momentum.  Here are some real-life examples.

10 ways to enjoy low-hanging fruit:

  • At the gym: 4 sets seems daunting.  Doing just one does not.
  • Around the house: Cleaning the house is a huge chore.  Starting with the dishes is not.
  • At high school: 20 page papers are scary.  Creating an outline is not.
  • At grad school: Dissertations are intense.  Fact gathering with note cards is not.
  • In competition: Overcoming a 30 point deficit may seem impossible.  Getting one basket is just one basket.
  • In the kitchen: Having an awe-inspiring kitchen is a dream.  Starting with a Vitamix 7500 is realistic.
  • In policy: Making high fructose corn syrup illegal may take a lifetime.  Raising awareness takes a couple minutes.
  • In education: Learning to read can be frustrating.  Learning a couple words is delightful.
  • In dating: Finding your soul mate might be the goal.  But, going on one date is step one.
  • In your career: Quitting your job and working for yourself is not realistic.  That is, unless you’ve begun to build your email list.

Go one tree at a time

Grabbing the low-hanging fruit will get you started.  And it will get you the momentum you need.  Soon, all that’s left will be the fruit at the top.

But, just because picking the low-hanging fruit is good, doesn’t mean it’s all you should do.  Because if you go from tree to tree without finishing, you’ll be left with a bunch of trees with a little fruit on top.  And that’s not why you started.

Read more about getting the low-hanging fruit by reading “Switch”, one of my favorite resources.

Getting the fruit from the top

Tons of fruit to pick.  It was a massive undertaking.   But, by getting momentum with the low-hanging fruit and then next lowest we were 50% done.  Then, we brought the project to life by getting to 75% complete.  Finally, the top of the tree was all that remained.  And it needs to be picked.

The student’s paper is nothing without diction, voice and tone.  The traveler’s suitcase is worthless without her toiletries.   The weight-loss seeker’s Vitamix is just an expensive decoration if it sits idle.

It’s easy to forget the reason you started.  And it’s easy to be satisfied with simply having started.  Or being almost done.  That’s sort of reverse-low hanging fruit.  And now your brain is really messing with you.

Remember, it often takes the most strategy to finish the job.

And, the fruit at the top is high.  You really have to push.  But getting it all is the reason you started.

What’s in your backlog?

The writer with a notebook full of ready-to-go articles.  The consultant with a book of business on retainer.  The retiree with a stack of books to read.

A lot of people have a bucket list.  But what about for non-once-in-a-lifetime stuff?  For stuff you want to produce.  For work you want to do.  For things you want to learn.  Now.

All in your backlog.

If your backlog is empty, do something about it.  I just wrote about mine.

Facebook and Seven Deadly Sins

Is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg the devil?  Nah, but don’t these Facebook-isms seem Seven Deadly Sins-ish?

  • Wrath: “Did he really post those ?  These party pics are the perfect revenge.”
  • Greed: “Someone just keyed my Lamborghini #humblebrag”
  • Sloth: Time article: Why Facebook makes you feel miserable
  • Pride: Pregnant belly updates
  • Lust: See shameless stalking, notification checking, friend counting.
  • Envy: Ex gf/bf relationship status updates
  • Gluttony: Food porn anyone??

Certainly, blogs can be guilty of these seven deadly sins.  But, the lack of a medium like Facebook mobile makes it a lot tougher.

Alas, Facebook is huge, so I guess we’re a world full of sin.  That’s not Zuck’s fault, though.  He just created an easy way to indulge.

So you wanna escape consulting?

Why?  Didn’t you start because you like to help people?  Don’t you like being the expert?  Don’t you like the excitement of a dynamic workplace?

I did, too.  But still wanted to escape consulting.  So what did I do?  I figured out what I actually wanted to be an expert in.

Then I started to build an email list.

Before I knew it, I was able to escape.  And the best part?  I am still helping people.  Still an expert.  Still in a dynamic workplace.  I’m just happier in this one.

De-clutter, self-promote and live forever

Pick one thing you are hoarding. Take a picture of it.  Write the story behind it. Then put them both on your blog.

Why? Once it’s published, your attachment to the hoarded stuff is gone.  And, you also get:

  • Self-promotion that’s genuinely interesting
  • De-cluttered home
  • Memories that now live forever

Try it.  You have good stories to tell. And lots of hoarded junk to get rid of.

Ask.com didn’t ask

Their toolbar just showed up on my browser without my permission.  Why?

These days, Ask.com survives on strategic trickery.  Their toolbar lands in places it’s likely to stick.  Old folk’s desktops.  Foreigners laptops. Or in the office of a small-business person who is simply too busy to deal with the annoyance.

Ask.com never would have done this ten years ago. People used to came to them to asking questions.  Now, people come to them asking them to go away.