Richie Norton's Blog, page 5

THE ART OF QUITTING: THE ONE QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF

(Photo credit: Andreia)

I’ve written a lot about starting things. What about when it’s time to stop? Is it ever okay to quit?

Like creating a masterpiece, quitting is an art: you have to decide what to keep within the frame and what to keep out.

There’s a difference between casual quitting and strategic quitting.

Casual quitting is lazy. It’s when you quit because you don’t want to do the work. Casual quitting can lead to significant loss.

Strategic quitting is smart. It’s when you end something because it’s part of a larger plan to take advantage of greater opportunities. Typically, you strategically quit because you’ve done your research, thoroughly tested the idea and evaluated the opportunity and discovered it’s a dead end. Strategic quitting can lead to significant gains.

As Seth Godin says in The Dip: A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit, “Strategic quitting is the secret of successful organizations.” So, if you’re gonna quit, make quitting a part of your larger vision for the future. The same way you’d sacrifice a pawn in chess “in the hopes of gaining tactical or positional compensation in other forms.”

Ultimately, whatever you decide is a decision that you have to make (and live with) on your own. So before you make that decision, ask yourself this one question:

Are you giving up or are you strategically quitting?

I agree with Winston Churchill when he said, “Never, never, never give up.”

And…

I agree with Peter Drucker when he said, “If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.”

Perhaps these two conflicting quotes can be cleared up with another: “Quitting is not giving up, it’s choosing to focus your attention on something more important. Quitting is not losing confidence, it’s realizing that there are more valuable ways you can spend your time. Quitting is not making excuses, it’s learning to be more productive, efficient and effective instead. Quitting is letting go of things (or people) that are sucking the life out of you so you can do more things that will bring you strength.” ― Osayi Osar-Emokpae

Here’s the deal:

Life’s short.
There are many ways to make a living and a difference in this world.
Quit smart.

Happy (guilt-free) quitting!

Would you keep reading these books based on only the first sentence?

 

I love good business books. I love good self-help books. I own hundreds of them. I spend a lot of time and money on these beauties and each has impacted my business and life in it’s own way. Often, I’ll get into a book and stop after just reading a few sentences because it gets my mind going and I immediately have to start jotting down ideas for implementation.

I thought it would be fun to share the first sentences of some of my favorite business / self-help books (listed below in no particular order). It’s an interesting study because as an author myself, I know that an absurd and disproportionate amount of time goes into the first sentence. I have fun trying to think what the author was thinking when the first sentence was crafted and the impact they hoped it would have on the reader.

Would you keep reading these books based on only the first sentence?

Enjoy!

FIRST LINES FROM 10 OF MY FAVORITE BUSINESS / SELF-HELP BOOKS
1. As a Man Thinketh

“The aphorism, ‘As a man thinketh in his heart so is he,’ not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life.” – James Allen (First published 1902)

2. It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be

“Nearly all rich and powerful people are not notably talented, educated, charming or good looking.” – Paul Arden (First published 2003)

3. Banker to the Poor

“In the year 1974 Bangladesh fell into the grip of famine.” – Muhammad Yunas (First published 1999)

4. Linchpin

“The world has changed (again) and the stakes are higher than ever.” – Seth Godin (First published 2010)

5. Outliers

“Roseto Valfortore lies one hundred miles southeast of Rome in the Apennine foothills of the Italian province of Foggia.” – Malcolm Gladwell (First published 2008)

6. Good to Great

“Good is the enemy of great.” – Jim Collins (First published 2001)

7. The Speed of Trust

“There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organization, nation, economy, and civilization throughout the world–one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love.” – Stephen M. R. Covey (First published 2006)

8. Rework

“We have something new to say about building, running, and growing (or not growing) a business.” – Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson (First published 2010)

9. Egonomics

“Ego is the invisible line item on every company’s profit and loss statement.” – David Marcum & Steven Smith

10. The Art of the Start

“There are many ways to describe the ebb and flow, yin and yang, bubble-blowing and bubble-bursting phases of business cycles.” – Guy Kawasaki (First published 2004)

Hat tip to my editor Lisa Mangum for the idea.

10 Simple Ways to Start Making Your Idea Happen Today

After the idea, comes a flood of resistance.

Ever noticed how immediately after you have a fresh idea comes a flood of reasons why you shouldn’t do it? Steven Pressfield calls this the “resistance.” There’s a very real battle that rages on in our minds between thought and action.

Those who fulfill dreams, contribute to the world and live without regret are those who push through the resistance.

Here’s 10 ways to overcome the resistance and make stuff happen.

1.  Start by picturing yourself succeeding.

“Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.” —DR. JOYCE BROTHERS

2. Relax and work with what you have already.

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” —JOHN WOODEN

3. Commit at least 15 minutes a day to working on your idea.

“Either you run the day or the day runs you.”—JIM ROHN

4. Set a date to reach a specific milestone.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” —STEPHEN COVEY 

5. Ask someone to hold you accountable.

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” —ELBERT HUBBARD

6. Pay attention to what you’re doing.

“Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention.” —JIM ROHN

7. Don’t worry about fitting a certain mold.

“Why are you trying so hard to fit in, when you’re born to stand out.” —OLIVER JAMES

8. Get a mentor so you can jump the learning curve.

“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” —ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

9. Do the work the mentor tells you to do.

“Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.” —JERRY RICE

10. Remember this: You’re good enough. You deserve it. The world needs your contribution. You got this.

“Never think that you’re not good enough. A man should never think that. People will take you very much at your own reckoning.” —ANTHONY TROLLOPE

 

HOW TO GET “REPPED” IN 30 DAYS – WITH ANDY BEAL

 

REPPED: 30 DAYS TO A BETTER ONLINE REPUTATION

Andy Beal is globally recognized as one of the top thought leaders in online reputation management. He also happens to be a friend (and an insane ukulele player). We first met years ago at a conference I helped out with in Hawaii. Andy, Sheila (his wife), Natalie (my wife) and I all had breakfast at Hukilau Cafe and the rest is history. Andy and Sheila are the kind of people you just want to always be around. They’ve been an incredible inspiration to Natalie and I.

I’m honored to share with you Andy’s latest book, Repped: 30 Days to a Better Online Reputation (a follow up to his book Radically Transparent). I had the privilege of receiving an advance reader copy. Let me just tell you this: this book will set you up for life. Go google your name. What happens? Do you like what you see? Do online searches represent the authentic you? I’ve talked about the importance of a personal brand before. It’s important to your career and can affect both your professional and personal life. A solid online reputation will serve you everyday of your life.

You and your business already have an online reputation (whether you like it or not). Many of us feel like we have no control over our online reputation. That’s simply not true. Why passively leave it up to the search engines to tell your story? Andy Beal’s book is an incredible, 30-day action plan that can help you build a better online reputation for yourself, your business, brand and/or organization.

Every page seems to have practical advice that keeps me jumping back and forth between the book and my computer to put the principles into practice. This book covers everything from “what is online reputation management” to “finding your centers of influence” to “earning trusted reviews” and even “cleaning up the Google mess.” And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Here’s a little video to help explain more about the book and online reputation management. Go get the Repped and polish up your online reputation in 30 days.

 

P.S. 30% of profits in the first week of sales go to these three charities: The Jimmy V Foundation, The Wounded Warrior Project, and The Raleigh Rescue Mission.

URGENT BUT NOT RUSHED

That’s the path of efficiency and effectiveness. The work is real. The need is dire. But please don’t rush through it.

Rushing means skipping the details.

Urgency means paying the details the attention they deserve, with the respect they deserve, without delay.

EMBRACE YOUR CONFUSION

Too many options. Not enough options. Too many good ideas. Too many bad ideas. Don’t know what to do. Don’t know which to choose. You’re confused.

Confusion creates indecision.  Indecision creates stagnancy. Stagnancy will make you irrelevant. And irrelevance will make you obsolete.

Unless.

Unless confusion is embraced.

Then confusion leads to research. Better questions. Exploring new paths. Making new connections. Fact finding. Testing out theories. Narrowing down your options. Then comes clarity.

Confusion, when embraced, is the starting point for discovery, direction and decision.

SAY YES TO NO

Want to give your all to a worthy cause, business or project?

Here’s the secret: Say no to stuff.

It’s painful. It’s confusing. It’s ugly. But it’s the right thing.

As Drucker says, ”If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.”

Say no to everything, so you can say yes to the one thing.

WHAT’S YOUR “BODY OF WORK”?

NO ONE IS LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR CAREER ANYMORE

So what are you going to do about it?

Pam Slim, best-selling author and world-renowned career coach, shows us the way. Her new book Body of Work: Finding the  Thread That Ties Your Story Together  is powerful, practical and jam-packed with inspiring stories that will help you build upon everything you’ve done so you can take your career and life to the next stage.

This book literally took my breath away. I had the privilege of receiving an advance copy and am honored to share my thoughts about it with you. This book is not a one-time read. It’s a guide that I will refer back to again and again to develop my career. I promise you that spending the tiny amount of change it takes to buy this book will reward you many times over. Get it here. It comes out today (December 31, 2013).

TIE YOUR STORY TOGETHER

My copy of the book has almost every page marked or folded over as I learned how to tie my own story together to build up for my next big adventure. I pretty much got obsessed with underlining and taking notes on this one. Body of Work complements The Power of Starting Something Stupid as well as Resumes Are Dead and What to Do About It  so well that I found myself literally jumping with excitement and almost cheering Pam on as I read lines like these:

“No one is looking out for your career anymore. You must find meaning, locate opportunities, sell yourself, and plan for failure, calamity, and unexpected disasters. You must develop a set of skills that makes you able to earn an income in as many ways as possible.”

“Your body of work is everything you create, contribute, affect, and impact. For individuals, it is the legacy you leave at the end of your life, including all the tangible and intangible things you have created. Individuals who structure their careers around autonomy, mastery, and purpose will have a powerful body of work.”

“The reality is that in order to create your body of work you must rely on all of your ingredients, even those that you might not consider relevant to your professional career.”

“We are all self-employed.”

“In the new world of work, our ability to create a powerful body of work is what will determine our ongoing employability.”

“Your creative work will tell your story.”

“One of the most wonderful, and terrifying, things about life is that we have no idea how it is going to turn out.”

“Fear is an essential part of the creative process. Work with it, and you will create a powerful, full-color, full-contact body of work.”

“The quality of your life is directly related to the quality of your stories.”

This book navigates you through finding your roots, choosing your work mode, creating and innovating, surfing fear, forming a team, defining success and (my favorite part) selling your story.

If you want to learn how to really take advantage of all your opportunities (seen and yet-to-be-seen) and learn how to launch (or relaunch) your personal brand, then read this book.

Watch the book trailer here.

P.S. One of the parts of the book that really got me thinking was when Pam tells a story about her mixed martial arts Master. He had her do an exercise where she and three other opponents had to wrestle each other for control of two training pads on the mat. (You need to read the story to get the full effect.) At the end of the exercise, the Master said, “Some of you are holding back on your training…You need to realize you are playing to win. When you are faced with a real-life situation when someone has your back on the ground, you will be fighting for your life. Are you going to fight halfway then?…You have to learn to flip on your winner switch.”

Boom! That last line hit me like lightning. You have to flip on your winner switch!

Are you holding back? Fighting halfway? Or are you playing to win?

 

THE BIG FAT FRESH START: Exclusive Offer + How to Wrap-up, Gear-up & Make Next Year YOUR Year

Image: Vitorio Benedetti

I’ve been through the school of hard knocks. I’ve stressed over failure after failure. There was a time when I had to recycle cans just to pay for gas (true story). I’ve wasted a lot of time and I’ve lost a lot of money trying to figure out this thing called success. I’ve been taken advantage of in business. I’ve used all kinds of excuses for not achieving certain results. I’ve worked HARD. . . on the wrong things. . . and I know, first-hand, just how frustrating and even bitter and jaded this can make you feel. Then one day, I looked at the trajectory of my life, and I decided it was time to learn from the failures, start new experiments and get it right. Time to debunk the excuses.

I reached out to strategic advisors and mentors and spent 6 years researching and writing The Power of Starting Something Stupid. The lessons I learned, and the person I became through the process of writing that book, will forever remain some of the greatest blessings and successes of my entire life.

I have MUCH to be grateful for.

2013 was a year that was filled with goals realized and dreams come true! 2013 was the year I completed and launched The Power of Starting Something Stupid; watched The Power of Starting Something Stupid become a best-seller; received my MBA  from the #1 ranked international business school in the world; spoke to audiences all over the planet (totaling about 20,000 people by year’s end!); traveled to places like Switzerland, Dominican Republic, Hawaii and Bali; created and lived out an intentional life together with my family: including two, month-long extended vacations (camping, hiking, stargazing, canoeing, fishing, surfing, bonfires and more. . .); moved into a new home; started an exciting new gig consulting a venture capital firm: which has me involved in some of the most intense and exciting business deals of my life. Truly, this year, I achieved goals I barely had the courage to dream up in the first place! So grateful.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

Clearly, these things didn’t happen overnight.  It took time and sincere effort/commitment  to BUILD UP to these exciting blessings/accomplishments. But I offer myself as living, breathing proof that you (yes, YOU!) truly can make dreams happen (even, and perhaps, especially, the wildest and craziest ones of all). It all starts with finding the courage, willingness and resolve to BUILD the path toward your dreams. . .  one.brick.at.a.time.

It’s easy to believe that we aren’t achieving the results we want for reasons that are outside of our realm of control. Trust me, I’ve used all the same excuses myself. I get it. I do.

“I don’t have enough time.”

“ I don’t have enough education.”

“I don’t have enough money.”

Ultimately, however, these types of excuses aren’t what’s really holding us back . . . how many rags to riches stories can you spout out at the drop of a hat? How many examples could we offer up, of people who overcame all the odds and made a life for themselves—made BIG things happen—on their own terms? Countless, really. And guess what? We each have unique gifts and talents, we each have unique goals and dreams for our lives, we each have the privilege (and responsibility) to make our own mark on the world. There are resources all around us just waiting to be leveraged that can help us achieve success.

It’s easier to believe it’s all outside of our control. I get it. I empathize. I’ve been there. But at the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves, “do we want our dreams, or do we want our excuses?” Because guess what, we can’t have both.

But if these kinds of circumstantial excuses aren’t the real problem, WHAT IS? Laziness? Maybe. But if you’re the kind of person reading this, I doubt laziness is the problem. A LOT of people out there who work, hard, every day of their lives, and never quite seem to get where they want to go. These people aren’t lazy. These people aren’t buying into excuses. They aren’t inept. They’re doing everything they think they can. So. . . what gives?

What we’re looking at here are symptoms of a root problem. Many people aren’t achieving their high-goals and high-aspirations because they lack a deliberate, personalized system for success. Not all systems are alike. We each have an existing system in place in our lives. . . it may not be deliberate, in fact, we may not even recognize that it exists, but we each have a dance. Day in and day out, we dance out our systems, and they lead us to getting the results we’re currently getting, right?

Life’s scary. When you’re trying to do something important, you have to face scary things. To crush fear doesn’t mean you eliminate it; crushing fear means you literally crush it down into smaller, more manageable parts and tackle one piece at a time. To escape fear, you have to go through it, not around.

In order to go from where we are now to where we want to be, we need deliberate and effective systems that are laser targeted on achieving the specific end result(s) we desire most. I’m not talking about more work (for the most part), I’m not talking about harder work (for the most part), what I’m talking about is better work. . . smarter work. .  .systematic work…more deliberate and targeted daily action.

The ultimate end in mind being a life led with meaning, intention and influence. Success could show up as more time, more freedom, or more money. Success could show up as getting a new job, learning a new skill or starting a new project. Whatever it is, why not actively work towards achieving your greatest life goals through the power of an effective system?

EXCLUSIVE ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTING OFFER

You can achieve the kind of success you seek. I want to help you get there. One brick at a time. If you’re willing to do the work, I’m willing to support you along the way. Together, we can get you on target and accelerate your success. Of course, I can’t promise you what you’re future will look like. No one can. But as the legendary management consultant Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” There’s no better way to create the future than establishing systems in the present that lead towards our desired results.

I’m DEEPLY grateful for my advisors—past, present and future—and I’m also SO THANKFUL for all my past and current coaching clients! You make my work so meaningful and fulfilling. It is a joy watching you succeed!

I’ve consulted and coached multi-millionaires, CEOs of some of the fastest growing companies in America, entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, creatives, professionals, universities, small businesses, non-profits, social enterprises and students in both personal and professional development. Because of the demand for consulting from individuals and businesses this year, I simply wasn’t able to take on every prospective client who reached out. In fact, I put a hold on accepting any new clients so I could remain committed to giving my full focus and best efforts to my existing ones.

However, as the year comes to a close, I’ve decided to re-open up my exclusive personal development / strategic business advising services to 10 more individuals/businesses with a personalized program that I call The Big Fat Fresh Start! This is a year-end gift to help those who are serious about success to make 2014 their year!

This is exclusive, one-on-one business / personal development coaching with me, personally—with a special bonus that I will disclose after I have received your consulting application.

In fact, because I’m in the giving spirit, I’m going to throw in one more bonus. For the first 15 people who apply for one of the 10 available spots, I’ll do a FREE 10 minute call with you—simply to answer your most pressing question and help you get your year started right!

The bottom line is this: I know first hand that success requires support. I’d love to offer that support to you and help you make 2014 your best year yet. I love the acronym that’s been thrown around for years—TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More. It’s true.

What will next year look like for you? Will it be more of the same, another year gone by—just like all the rest? Or, will you do something different today to create a tomorrow you’ll be proud of?

CLICK HERE if you’re interested in learning more about taking your business and life to new heights through an effective system hand-tailored to YOU. You’ll receive a personal response from me, containing details about the coaching program and specific pricing information.*

If you’d like to learn a little more about me and my work, click here for a PDF of my bio and some testimonials. You can also learn more about me on my website.

NOTE: This offer is for action-takers, goal-setters and go-getters—who are excited for, and dedicated to, getting real results in 2014. This offer is not for people who are interested in twiddling their thumbs and waiting for life to wend its way by. If you are ready to generate real success in business and life in 2014, I’d love to hear from you!

*Offer ends on Saturday, December 14th, 2013. Applications must be received by 11:59pm in order to be considered. Any applications received after that time will be put on the waiting list.

CLICK HERE to start creating your BIG FAT FRESH START.

WRAP-UP, GEAR-UP & MAKE NEXT YEAR YOUR YEAR

Consider these words (excerpts adapted from The Power of Starting Something Stupid) to help you wrap-up this year, gear-up for the next and claim it as the time you made dreams happen:

1. Wrap-up the year by expressing gratitude for every good thing that happened. Write your grateful thoughts down so you can call upon them to lift you up when you’re feeling down.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues,  but the parent of all of the others.”  –Cicero

When I think of the importance of gratitude in general, but specifically as a catalyst for success, I can’t help but  nod eagerly in agreement. Gratitude is a remarkable force for good in all aspects of life, and I’m not the only one who thinks so:

“A noble person is mindful and thankful of the favors he receives from others.”—Buddha

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”—Wallace D. Wattles

“Of all the ‘attitudes’ we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important, and by far the most life-changing.”—Zig Ziglar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”—Anthony Robbins

Adam Smith, in his work entitled Theory of Moral Sentiments, wrote, “The sentiment which most immediately and directly prompts us to reward, is gratitude.” It’s true.

Thanking is a form of payment that exponentially pays forward both personally and professionally. People are far more likely to collaborate with, hire, or refer a grateful person than an ungrateful one. Additionally, experts on positive psychology have shown that the trait of gratitude actually increases overall happiness and decreases depression.

“ Gratitude has the potential to change everything  from its ordinary state to being a gift.”  —Barbara Frederickson, psychologist

In order to build genuine relationships, experience greater fulfillment, and set yourself up for significant and meaningful success, always express sincere gratitude, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant the contribution may be.

Gratitude grows. If you want to experience a greater sense of thankfulness in your life, say “Thank you!” more often. It’s a small thing, but people who consistently express gratitude develop a higher level of awareness for all the things in their lives they have to be grateful for. When we express our gratitude, it grows.

2. Gear-up for next year with “mission matching.” Get 100% clear on what it is you want to accomplish and start asking people (who you’ve created relationships with and who have a similar mission) to help you make it happen. In other words, what’s your “ask” and will it be mutually beneficial to the person you’re asking?

“ Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don’t go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won’t laugh at you.” —Jim Rohn, renowned author and speaker

When I first met Justin Lyon, it was immediately apparent that he was unlike anyone I’d ever known. “Charismatic” is a heavily diluted description. So when Lyon told me he hadn’t always been that way, it was a shocking revelation to say the least. When he described what he was like growing up, he used words like “shy” and “insecure.”

Lyon had always wanted to work in the movie industry. He pictured himself producing independent films and changing the world. However, in the small town in Idaho where he grew up . . . well, to say his dream was frowned upon would be an understatement. “It’s devil’s work!” was essentially the response. So he put his dream away. “My culture told me that going into filmmaking would be foolish,” he recalls, “so I stopped dreaming about it.”

A few years later, Lyon moved to Arizona where he was hired as a bellboy at a luxury resort. He quickly worked his way up the hierarchy and was promoted to the position of Bell Captain. The other full-time Bell Captains were in their forties and fifties, and frequently discussed where they’d be now if they had made different decisions when they were younger. The regret these men openly expressed made a deep impression on young Lyon, who was in his early twenties at the time. “Do I want to make this job into a career?” he thought.

Lyon did his job well; he always served cheerfully and took a genuine interest in each hotel guest. In turn, guests often took a genuine interest in him—and celebrity guests were no exception. It wasn’t uncommon for him to wait on people who made headlines. Actors, musicians, and even movie producers frequented the resort.

With the other bellmen’s regrets ringing loudly in his ears, Lyon remembered his dream of working in the movie industry and decided he was ready to do whatever it took.

He worked up the courage to discuss his dream with celebrity guests by reasoning with himself: We’re all human, and famous people are just humans who are better known. He opened up to these guests, and many of them took a genuine interest in him. Over time, his paradigm began to change. One day, he asked a visiting studio executive from Los Angeles about his concern that the industry would make him corrupt. The executive responded, “You can be corrupt at anything. There are corrupt lawyers, dentists, and doctors too. You can make it in this industry and still be yourself.”

Lyon later related, “I learned that if you love something, if your heart is really in it, you can live your dreams and maintain your ideals.”

He was done waiting. In his own Hollywood-worthy moment, he quit his job, packed his bags, and headed for LA. After he arrived, he placed a call to Mark Mulcahy, a VP at Paramount Pictures whom Lyon had met while he was bellhopping. Lyon asked Mulcahy if he would take him on a tour of the Paramount studio. He said yes,  and Lyon got to see behind the scenes and get a better idea of what it really took to make movies.

Next, Lyon cold-called one of his idols, producer Gerry Molen, who had produced Schindler’s List alongside director Steven Spielberg. Lyon told Molen that he was an aspiring producer and asked him for advice. Molen graciously agreed to part with some nuggets of wisdom for the industry. He advised Lyon to go to school, but not to let that stop him from producing along the way. So, Lyon enrolled at the Art Center College of Design and started doing as many projects as he could. He remembers, “These projects had shoestring, rather, no-string budgets,” so he volunteered his time.

One day, Lyon was contacted by Christian Jacobs, “The MC Bat Commander” from the popular rock band The Aquabats, and Scott Schultz, an accomplished artist and musician. “They were sick of boring TV programming for kids,” he recalls. “They wanted to create an educational children’s show that was fun for parents, too.” The problem was, the pair had been pitching their idea to networks for six years with no results. “They had their own unique talents and backgrounds,” Lyon said, “but they were not finding success getting their children’s show picked up by a network.”

Because Lyon had taken Gerry Molen’s advice and started working right away, he already had enough projects under his belt to legitimize himself as a producer. So the three of them started a production company called The Magic Store, and got to work. Again remembering Molen’s advice, Lyon decided to just bite the bullet and make some pilot episodes. Luckily, Lyon had learned how to bootstrap from his early projects, and the team was able to convince family and friends to make costumes, create the music, and design the sets for the show. They figured, worst-case scenario, they could recoup the little money they borrowed by selling some DVDs.

Once the pilots were complete, they resumed the process of pitching the show to the networks. Nothing. Then the game changed. They decided to upload a trailer to the Internet to see if there was any interest. The video went viral. Over a four-day period, there were over a million views, crashing their server.

“Suddenly,” Lyon said, “people from television networks started e-mailing us every five minutes, from all around the world, asking us where they could find our show.” At the same time they were fielding all these calls, viewers started calling Nickelodeon, suggesting they pick up the show. Even Jared Hess, the director of Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, called the director of Nickelodeon Movies and told her she needed to see the pilot.

Yo Gabba Gabba went into production just a couple of months later, and within four seasons, it has become a household name. Brands like Vans have licensed Yo Gabba Gabba shoes; Volcom licensed T-shirts; Neff licensed beanies, and on and on. The show has even done live performances, selling out Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

All because of  two dads with a stupid idea they weren’t willing to give up on, and a shy kid from a small town in Idaho, who wasn’t afraid to ask for help in achieving his big-city dreams.

“ A man may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve.” —Oliver Wendell Holmes

A simple but effective way to become who you want to become or go where you want to go is to ask for directions from those who have already been there.

We’ve all been in the car with a driver who won’t stop and ask for directions. In fact, we’ve probably all been that driver. “I’m almost there. I can figure it out. Just one more exit.” These are the same types of things people tell themselves when they’re stuck on a project and are headed nowhere fast.

What stops us from asking for what we need? Here’s an example to illustrate. There is a movie theater near my home that always has the longest lines. Moviegoers are consistently in line for as long as half an hour and many frequently miss the beginning of their movies. Yet right inside the door of the building (before you hand over your ticket), there is a ticket kiosk. You simply insert a debit or credit card, and the machine prints your movie pass right there. No one is ever at this machine. Anyone can walk in, pay, and go straight to their show without waiting more than thirty seconds. All the line-waiters have to do is ask if there is a faster way to get a ticket. But no one does.

Many times we don’t ask simply because we are assuming that there’s no other way. We shrug our shoulders and sigh, “This is just the way it is.” But more often than not, we’re wrong!

Don’t underestimate the power of asking. Get out of line and start asking questions. It will accelerate your success.

How to Ask: Mission Matching

Asking is scary. No one wants to be rejected or come off sounding presumptuous or needy, but asking is the quickest way to get from where you are to where you want to be! And there are respectful and compelling ways to ask for help, ways that will honor and even excite the person you are asking, and maybe even inspire them to want to help you along your way.

I call this kind of asking Mission Matching.

Mission Matching requires you to ask for things that create synergistic congruence between missions. In other words, Mission Matching means that whatever you’re asking, the proposition needs to be executed in a way that is mutually, rather than exclusively, beneficial. You’re not just going to ask and receive; your aim is to ask, receive, and contribute as well.

Before you approach the person you will be asking for help, consider these three points:

Do your homework. Research the person or organization you’re approaching in order to determine their specific needs, goals, and potential struggles.

Ask “What’s in it for them?” Explore how you can use your unique strengths to contribute to their overarching mission in the most significant ways.

Match your missions. Determine how working together can serve both of you in ways that are mutually and significantly beneficial.

Asking for help in this way is not only beneficial to your long-term success, it’s often even more powerful than simply hiring people or companies for their services. There is often no exchange of money, but there  is generally a more significant emotional exchange. This creates the potential for a deep and lasting relationship and opens up opportunities for future collaboration.

3. Make Next Year YOUR Year by experimenting with “projects.”

“All life is an experiment.  The more experiments you make the better.”  —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Projects are a wonderful way to experiment with your stupid ideas, because with a small project, the stakes are considerably lower than they are with a big-picture goal.

Projects allow us to experiment and determine what works and what doesn’t. They also allow us room to fail and modify our ideas as necessary to achieve eventual success. With an experiment, you can test as many ideas as you can, as fast as you want, and then go with the methods that are most effective.

Consider how Mark Zuckerberg generates innovation at Facebook. Fast Company magazine once asked Zuckerburg, “How do you innovate?” He responded,

“A lot of people think innovation is just having a great idea. But a lot of it is just moving quickly and trying a lot of things. So, at Facebook we’ve really built our whole company and our culture around this. We do things like ship code every single day. And, um, we have this tradition of having hack-a-thons—which are events where all of our engineers and really the whole company get together and stay up all night just building things. Whatever they want. Not what they’re doing for work. Just trying things out and innovating.”

Projects like the kind Zuckerberg promotes at Facebook spur innovation, and sometimes those innovative ideas stick.

Google is another prime example. As part of their mission, not only do they listen to every idea that comes through “on the theory that any Googler can come up  with the next breakthrough,” but they allow time for their employees to experiment with personal projects. “We offer our engineers ‘20-percent time’ so that they’re free to work on what they’re really passionate about.” The result of personal projects and experiments in areas that truly interest their employees are impressive, to say the least. For example, ideas like “Google Suggest, AdSense for Content and Orkut are among the many products of this perk.”

Do you think you would you be more likely or less likely to test one of your so-called “stupid ideas” in an environment like the one Google strives to create? My money’s on “more likely,” and you can facilitate the same kind of environment in or outside of almost any organization.

Experiment with “projects” and see what works. It’s better to find out now if your idea is a flop (when the stakes are low) than to wait your whole life and find out your idea is a failure (when the stakes are high).

Try it out yourself. Test your idea with an experimental project. See what works and what doesn’t. Then move forward or move on.

To help you get started, here’s a free action guide where I hold your hand through a daily process to turn your “stupid idea” into your “smart reality.” Enjoy!

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Again, I’d be honored for the chance to work with you personally on your journey to start your own idea, grow your business and simply get a big fat fresh start for this New Year.

CLICK HERE if you’re interested in learning more about taking your business and life to new heights through an effective system hand-tailored to YOU. You’ll receive a personal response from me, containing details about the coaching program and specific pricing information.*

*Offer ends on Saturday, December 14th, 2013. Applications must be received by 11:59pm in order to be considered. Any applications received after that time will be put on the waiting list.

Why Worrying Won’t Work: 10 Encouraging Quotes

Image: Justin Cozart

I’ve been worried about something. It’s kept me up a night. It’s made me agitated during the day. Then I realized, worrying won’t work. Worrying won’t win me the war. Worrying rots the soul. Why? Because worrying fools you into thinking you’re problem solving. In reality, all you’re doing is wasting precious energy on stuff that probably won’t happen.
Are you a worrywart?
I did some research on worrying and found some great advice from some sages of the ages. Whatever is worrying you, remember these 10 things:
1. Don’t misuse your imagination.

“Worry is a misuse of the imagination.” – Dan Zadra

2. Don’t stress over something that may never happen.

“Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” - Benjamin Franklin

3. Don’t let the future disturb you.

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”  – Marcus Aurelius

4. Don’t believe your worries.

“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.”  - Mark Twain

5. Get up and do something.

“If you can’t sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It’s the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep.”- Dale Carnegie

6. Live each day as it comes.

I have learned to live each day as it comes, and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow. It is the dark menace of the future that makes cowards of us. - Dorothy Day

7. Be strong today.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” – Leo Buscaglia

8. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

“Rule number one is, don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is, it’s all small stuff.” – Robert Eliot

9. Spend yourself on the work before you.

“Don’t waste your life in doubts and fears: spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour’s duties will be the best preparation for the hours or ages that follow it.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

10. Ask yourself if it really matters.

 ”Ask yourself this question: ‘Will this matter a year from now?’” - Richard Carlson