Why are 30 day challenges so popular? Like I wrote about back in August of last year, it's just about the right length of time to create a new habit...or change an old one. You can also do almost anything for 30 days. Except planking. I've tried 3 times to do planking for 30 days. It ain't gonna happen!
Well, since April has 30 days and I'm somewhat settled into my new place, it seems like a good time for another 30 day challenge. What will it be? Planking? No, it'll be 30 days without soda. Something that's good for me and I'm pretty sure I can accomplish, since I've done it before. Although I never worked at making it a habit...I just did it to complete the challenge, but maybe it's time to consider making it a habit.
Check out this video from TED Talks:
And then comment below to let everyone know what you'll do (or won't do) for the next 30 days!
Let your mind travel to a galaxy far far away. Whether
you choose to be on the light side or the dark side, creativity will
always be on your side. With this 32 page coloring book and crayons
you'll experience Star Wars like you never have before. May the force be
with you.
Here is a post from my SendOutCards blog. Go over and sign up for my free email list and get a new blog post on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.
I know some people who can really use this. My car isn't too bad...it has yesterday's mail on the front seat because I forgot to grab it when I got home this morning, a pair of shoes and my drummer's throne that I use for my keyboard that's still in storage and a windbreaker...not too bad but let's see if we can fix that!
February 05, 2016
by r_tompkins
When it’s time to go somewhere and you head out to the car, do your passengers have to wait 5 minutes before climbing in because you are clearing them a spot? You may need to clean out your car! Here are some simple suggestions for keeping the interior of your car clean:
Clean before you get out. Get in the habit of getting the empty cups, toys and shopping bags out of the car before you exit. Have passengers scan their areas for trash and pick it up right then. Do not wait under the pretense that you will come back out later and get it, because you won’t!
Keep trash bags handy! Keep a roll of small trash bags in your glove compartment or console and clean as you go. These are perfect for disposing of food containers on trips. Give your kids a bag and let them get into the places you can’t reach!
Have toys that stay in the car. Invest in an organizer that hangs off the back of the seat in front of them and keep some of your child’s favorite things in it (toy cars, colors, paper, books, etc). They can leave them in the car for the next trip; just remember that they need to be put away before exiting the car and not thrown all over the seat.
Be proud! Take pride in your clean car and give it an occasional wipe-down or vacuum. Cleaning will be a breeze when you do not have to clean all the stuff out first!
Now that your car doesn’t look like a traveling yard sale, you can devote your time to cleaning the house! Right? Well, maybe not… but you can have a sparkling car with these other general cleaning tips here!
For the past few months SendOutCards has been talking about the 5 habits. I haven't been to training yet; I'm going in July in Las Vegas, but I'm going to share what I know about it.
All of the habits require becoming a level 4 at something. I wrote about this in a previous blog post.
Habit 1: Become a Level 4 Card Sender
Send cards on a daily basis, without having to think about it
Habit 2: Become a Level 4 User of your Smartphone
Be able to use the SOC smartphone app without having to think about it
Habit 3: Become a Level 4 User of the APA Recruiting System
Be able to Ask - Present - Ask without having to think about it
Habit 4: Become a Level 4 With Training the 5 Habits
Become so familiar with the 5 habits that you can share them with others without having to think about it
Habit 5: Become a Level 4 With Personal Development
Whether or not you're in SendOutCards, everyone should work on personal development every day without having to think about it
You're not selling a product. You're selling two things. You're selling a solution to someone's problems and you're selling that you're the best person to supply that solution. Check out this article by Harvey Mackay:
Over my decades in business, I’ve noticed a baffling trend: “sales” has become a dirty word. I’m on a life-long campaign to change that.
In fact, many companies no longer call sales people sales people. They have account executives or account specialists, business developers, client advisors, relationship consultants, territory managers and numerous other monikers. I even received an email from a radio station saying that they call their sales people business improvement planners.
I’m not sure why the word “sales” seems to have such a negative connotation. I still have “Envelope Salesman” on my business cards – and am proud of it. Companies cannot succeed without sales people bringing the business through the front door. It’s that simple.
You don’t even have to be writing up orders to be in sales because everyone in the company is selling something – ideas, customer service, reputation.
You already believe in your products – or you should – so that ought to be the least of your challenges. Sales is really about selling yourself! You may not have a formal sales quota to fill, or get paid on commission, but a good knowledge of how to sell can be very useful to your success no matter what your career goals are.
Here are some sales tips that apply to any endeavor:
Manage your time wisely. Keep track of how much time you spend on your sales process. Identify the activities with the greatest payoff, and maximize those while delegating or cutting down on any that don’t add value. Remember the 80/20 rule: In many cases 80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your customers. Focus on the 20 percent first.
Do your research. Whether you’re selling a book or just trying to get a job, start by learning as much as you can about your industry and the people in it. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to present your product when the time comes. And don’t forget that knowing something about your customer is just as important as knowing your product.
Get in front of prospects. Every sale starts with a prospect: a potential customer with an interest in what you’ve got to sell. Identify those who need what you’re offering. Find out where they are so you can target your sales efforts effectively.
Listen more than you talk. Don’t think of sales as the art of pressuring a reluctant customer into buying something he or she doesn’t want. You’ll get better results by asking questions about your prospect’s problems and really listening to his or her needs. Then it will be easier to position yourself effectively.
Get into the customer’s mind. You’ve got to tailor your approach to match individual buyers, not take a one-size-fits-all attitude. Once you’ve targeted specific prospects, spend some time getting to know their personal priorities and professional preferences, and what they’re looking for when they consider products like yours.
Create the demand. It’s not how much it’s worth, it’s how much people think it’s worth. Customers often buy products if they can be sure that product will help them solve a problem – and do it quickly and easily. Show how your product or service will make life easier for the person whose support you need.
Stop selling, and let them buy. Most people like to buy things, but we really dislike being pushed into a purchase. Don't be overly aggressive. Be ready to answer questions, and present your product as an opportunity. Never ask a person a Yes or No question when it could be Yes or Yes instead.
Eliminate the risk. Money-back guarantees and other sales tactics limit the customer’s risk of making a mistake. You can’t offer a “warranty” on your ideas, but know the risks of your product or service ahead of time, and have solutions ready when you are questioned.
Develop your sense of humor. You don’t have to memorize a string of stale jokes, but you should learn how to see the humor in every situation. If you can make a customer smile, your job is halfway complete.
Follow up. Persistence pays. Don’t make a pest of yourself, but check in regularly with your customers and prospects to find out what they need. You don’t want them to forget about you.
Accept rejection gracefully. Rejection is – and always will be – part of business. The sooner you move on, the sooner you’ll make another sale.
This is an interesting podcast from The Art of Manliness. A little long, but worth it!
Throughout human history, certain areas of the world have experienced short periods of intense creative flourishing. For example, from 500 BC to 300 BC the Greek city-state of Athens produced thinkers and philosophers that laid the foundation of Western Civilization. Between 1330 and 1550, great works of art poured out of Florence, Italy.
Why do certain places have these bursts of creative genius?
How a dirty, dumpy city-state in Ancient Greece produced some of the most prolific philosophical minds in human history
Why becoming “foodies” may have contributed to Athens’ demise as a center of genius
Why chaos is necessary for creative genius
What a city in ancient China can teach us about how new ideas are formed
How Leonardo da Vinci got his start in an “art sweatshop”
What the Scots during the Enlightenment can teach us about the importance of having a chip on your shoulder
How the Scottish practice of “flyting” — “The ritual humiliation of your opponent through verbal violence” — contributed to creative genius
Why Silicon Valley is a hotspot for tech innovation
Why boldness and manliness are necessary traits for creative genius
And much more!
The Geography of Geniusis an enlightening and entertaining read. Eric does a great job of explaining oftentimes complex research in an approachable and humorous way. If you’re looking to harness your own creative genius, pick up a copy today.
This past January I did a post called "Let's share" and it was about the difference between liking, commenting, and sharing on Facebook. Since then, FB has come out with its new emojis so I figured it was time to update this. I haven't checked to see if the original article I used in my post has been updated, so this is just my opinion on the subject.
So, way back in the distant past of 2 months ago I stated that a Like was worth 1 point, a Comment was worth 7 points and a Share was worth 14 points. But where do these new choices fit in?
In my own humble opinion, since they're only slightly more difficult than hitting like, I think they should fall in between Like and Comment. So, I give them a 4...since they do convey more about how you feel about the post.
This is my ranking of the choices:
Like - 1 point
New emojis - 4 points
Comment - 7 points
Share - 14 points
Please like, love, wow, comment or share my post. And the more of these choices that you apply, the better!
Instead of trying to fight the 1%, like they did with Occupy Wall Street, why don't we join them and maybe expand it to 2%...or maybe 5 or 10%...or maybe even more. It's really not all that difficult to break into the top 1% as you'll see a little bit later.
I came across this picture on Facebook yesterday and it helps to show why most people are stuck where they are.
As you can see, they use 5% vs 1% but the idea is the same. Most people are in the upper left quadrant - they work...they get paid, they don't work...they don't get paid. Your income is determined by how much your boss decides your time is worth. And it's the only quadrant where you pay taxes first and then spend what's left. The other 3 quadrants spend their money and are taxed on what's left.
The lower left quadrant is the self employed person. Again, your income is limited but this time it's limited by how much your customers want to pay you for your time and by how many hours you can work.
The two quadrants on the right introduce leverage. The upper right quadrant leverages time, that is other people's time, and the lower right leverages money...putting your money and maybe other people's money (OPM) to work for you.
Network marketing allows you to move into the upper right quadrant because as your team grows, your income grows because you make a percentage of the sales that your team makes.
J. Paul Getty didn't get to be the richest man of his time by working a massive number of hours a week, he did it by creating businesses that utilized the efforts of thousands of people working 40 hours a week.
How difficult is it to get into the top 1%?
Probably not as difficult as you might think. Here is a map that shows how much income you need to earn in each state to be in the top 1% for that state:
According to this article in the Huffington Post, the income needs range from $228,298 in Arkansas to $677,608 in Connecticut. And about $438,000 in California, where I live.
But what about the median income? How do these 3 states compare versus the median income for that state?
According to this table at The Kaiser Family Foundation:
So, in Arkansas the top 1% earns a little more than 5 times the median income. In California, that difference is about 7 1/4 times and in Connecticut it's about 9 2/3 times the median income.
Here's an interesting table that shows the median income by county. For an interactive version, go here.
Network marketing is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to move into the upper right quadrant. Many companies can get you started for less than $1,000 and a small monthly fee. SendOutCards, the company that I'm with, charges $445 to get started plus $39/month. To find out more, go to www.sendoutcards.com/144087.
In honor of Fred Rogers’ birth, March 20 is Be My Neighbor Day.
Generations of children – anyone growing up in the 70s, 80s or 90s – likely watched the public television children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood or was influenced by Fred Rogers work. Through his soft-spoken words, delightful songs and whimsical puppets, he imparted countless life lessons.
Here’s my simple roundup of 10 things we can all learn from Mister Rogers, regardless of our age.
1. We should feel all the feelings. Our feelings – happiness, sadness, anger and frustration – are all part of who we are. By acknowledging our feelings, it’s easier “…to make constructive choices about what to do with those feelings.” Be honest with yourself and how you feel about a situation or problem. Mister Rogers also said, “It’s the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth.”
2. We should surround ourselves with people who appreciate us just as we are. Mister Rogers’ uplifting song lyrics said it so simply, “It’s not the things you wear. It’s not the way you do your hair. But it’s you I like, the way you are right now, the way down deep inside you […] I hope you’ll remember even when you’re feeling blue that it’s you I like…”
3. We should not let any person demean us or those around us. Part of the reason Fred Rogers chose to get into television was to change what was on the air for the greater good. He said, “I saw people throwing pies in each other’s faces, and that’s such demeaning behavior. And if there’s anything that bothers me, it’s one person demeaning another.”
4. We find success through kindness. It’s a simple philosophy for life that Fred Rogers shared with all of us. He believed, “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”
5. We find success by doing what we love. Find the work that you love, in a place that brings you joy, and then do that work to the best of your abilities. In a commencement address, Mister Rogers once said, “The thing I remember best about the truly successful people I’ve met is their obvious delight in what they do. Such honest, enthusiastic living of their lives.”
6. We possess such power with imagination. Have you ever grown anything in the garden of your mind? Enjoy this brilliant Mister Rogers remix of “Garden of Your Mind” – video courtesy of PBS Digital Studios.
7. We can always find help. Mister Rogers firmly believed that we should reach out to others when we needed help. He reassured us that we were not alone and there was someone there to talk to about our feelings. He once shared, “When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
8. We are all a product of those who have loved us. The nurturing encouragement and support of those around us shapes our view of the world and our view of ourselves. Those people “loved us into being.” As Fred Rogers said, “Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.”
9. We all may have regrets, but you just have to move forward. Even Fred Rogers had regrets. When talking about his show, he said, “I awoke one morning around 1981 and was struct with the sudden realization that it had been a terrible idea to name the mailman ‘Mr. McFeely.’ By then, though, it was far too late. Far too late.”
10. We should make the most of the present. In Fred’s own way, he espoused Carpe Diem. From the familiar theme song of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” come these lyrics – “…Let’s make the most of this beautiful day…”
The legacy of Fred Rogers lives on for another generation to enjoy with the PBS show Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood which is geared towards preschoolers. Just as Fred Rogers did, the new animated cast of Daniel Tiger in his land of make believe are teaching young children life lessons through catchy tunes and catch phrases. The engaging episodes teach great early lessons for toddlers about safety, emotions, sharing and more. Just watch a few episodes and before long you and your tots will be able to sing along – “stop and listen to stay safe,” “grown ups come back,” “try new foods ‘cause they might taste good,” and “keep trying, you’ll get better.”
Have a beautiful day, neighbors! — Meredith is Creative Director at Half Price Books Corporate. You can follow her on Twitter at @msquare21.
Posts
When it’s time to go somewhere and you head out to the car, do your passengers have to wait 5 minutes before climbing in because you are clearing them a spot? You may need to clean out your car! Here are some simple suggestions for keeping the interior of your car clean:
