Christopher L. Hedges's Blog, page 11

Recognizing Success (9/18/14)

My friend got back from a funeral in Georgia where he served as a pallbearer. When I listened to some of the stories my friend shared when he got back I thought about why I chose to embark on my book tour.

The family of the deceased had to book the biggest Methodist Church in Atlanta because of the size of the anticipated turnout. When the motorcade arrived at the cemetery, the four police motorcycle officers escorting the processional sped ahead, created an aisle, dismounted and saluted a man the officers had never even met. This was a tribute to the life of a great man.

At some point in your life someone has more than likely asked you how you wanted to be remembered. I could do without the theatrics that came with this funeral, the underlying fundamentals of the funeral are what I’m looking for.

This was a man who was celebrated by hundreds of people upon his passing because of the positive contributions he made to their lives while he was alive. He made a difference in the lives of the people he came into contact with. This event on the last week of June is a hallmark of success. It’s not a question of how much you collect, what your title is, or well known you are. Success is based on the contribution you make, the lives you touch, and how you are remembered.

It might take experiencing a life or death moment to fully appreciate what success really is, or you might be lucky enough to innately know what genuine success is. I think we have posterized fast cars, big bill folds, and fame as success for so long that we have lost sight of what success is. Toys and status are rewards for your willingness to work hard, but shouldn’t be confused with success. Success is the legacy left by a teacher that makes sure none of his students fall through the cracks of the education system.

I think we are at a point where we as a society need to recalibrate our success meters. We have spent far to long worshiping in the house of materialism. The results of our belief system are prevalently displayed on the evening news, think Bernie Madoff and carjackings.

I wrote a book and set out on an impossible book tour because I wanted genuine success. I don’t care about the money, and I could do without the notoriety that comes with being a public figure. When I cash in my chips somewhere down the line I want to know that I made a contribution that someone wants to celebrate too; otherwise all the rewards that I might accumulate along the way are truly meaningless.

It’s time to change the status quo. It’s time we pursue genuine success.

The Student Becomes the Teacher (9/17/14)

I was talking to Roberto about a handful of different sponsorship projects I’m working on. More specifically two different crowdfunding campaigns, one prop for TV sponsored by a Fortune 500 corporate sponsor, and a small corporation I cold called. There was so much information covered because each of these four sponsorship opportunities is unique.

It was this last project that actually spurred on the greatest discussion. It wasn’t as creative as one of my crowdfunding projects is. The last project will never generate the kind of revenue that could be generated by my corporate sponsored TV prop. However, it generated the most discussion because it was my first success story.

It took me four or five emails to iStabilizer that I actually drafted then rewrote several times before finally sending them. All the hard work paid off because in the end we worked something out. Successfully landing my first sponsor was the heart of my discussion with Roberto. Like all proud teachers he was stoked for me. The funny thing is the student actually came up with a big teaching moment.

I think this holds true for anyone who finds themselves in the expert’s arena, pebbling some form of knowledge. The only reason the expert’s model is sustainable is because 90% of clients/customers will not follow through with what they learn, and they will remain customers indefinitely. Basically most people give up because success doesn’t come as easy or as quickly as you would think. Most people will never knock one out of the park on their first time up to the plate. They’ll have to stand their and grind it out just hoping to possibly get on base.

It takes a lot of work, and it seems too hard for the little scraps you pick up so most people pack up shop. They move on for a while until whatever bug bit them strikes again. They dust the cobwebs off the great idea they had that was going to revolutionize the world, and they set out a second time in search of the Master Jedi that is going to enlighten them. The Master Jedi will provide them with all the knowledge they need to succeed, and chances are they will end up quitting again. This is the viscous circle that most people get stuck in.

So if you are going to take the time to embark on a journey it is okay to fail because that’s a part of success. It is totally unacceptable to quit. Fight through and fail because success really is only a function of your willingness to stand back up when adversity tries to knock you down.

Out of the Ordinary (9/16/14)

It’s very rare that I will put out a blog same day while out on the road, but this is a little different case. I spent the day with a great group of guys who are making a difference in the Winnipeg area. If you happen to be in Winnipeg, or you know someone that is check in with the boys from the Fort Garry Rotary Club this weekend. They are having a fundraiser this weekend that will be going to a noble cause and the could use your support. If you’re interested I have included a link to their event flier.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e8oa9wriq09...

The Value I Found in my Mastermind Group (9/16/14)

I told you to find a mastermind group, and if need be create you own. Usually if someone tells me to do something I want to see proof of why I should, and that’s what I’m giving you today.

I’m not opposed to buying my friends if need be. In College that was a running joke for the non Greek community. “I’m not going Greek. I don’t need to buy my friends.” When I started working with Starley and Roberto I picked them up as coaches when I was at at conference called Author101, and I maxed out a credit card to do it. Since then they are closer to family than contractors, and money is just a formality. So I want to give you some recent success stories that came as a result of working with them and the value of the mastermind as a whole.

Starley (Celebrity Image and Branding Expert)

Among other things I’m working with Starley to get on TV. Even though I hate seeing myself on video, and I would rather get into the ring with Mike Tyson with both hands tied behind my back, TV’s a must do! Unfortunately there is no better way to build a platform than on prime-time. So I committed to doing TV.

There is so much to learn about TV, but one of the areas I excel at is writing my scripts. Mind you I wrote a couple of scripts that I probably should have taken a little more seriously but my first TV script was pretty darn good if you ask me. On total we changed four words, made one minor cosmetic shift, and deleted two words. Otherwise it was good for delivery to a TV producer. It was submitted to a friendly producer at a smaller local market to gauge interest. I then needed to create a demo video for them, and they would finally be ready to sign off on my segment.

One script, one TV segment!

Roberto (Sponsorship)

I’m working with Roberto on all things sponsorship, and what that really comes down to is funding your dreams and aspirations with other people’s money. I’m learning about crowdfunding for my book tour, corporate sponsorship, and partnering with non-profits.

My first crowdfunding campaign didn’t go as well as I would have liked, but that’s okay because I know the mistakes I made and they are easy fixes. However, my first big success with Roberto was landing my first corporate sponsorship with iStabilizer. iStabilizer is an iPhone/iPad accessories company that helps consumers in the creation of picture and video content. They are sponsoring the video blog that follows the book tour.

You may not have heard about iStabilizer until now, but that’s how all companies start out; after all Microsoft started in a garage out on the West Coast too. Even though this was a small sponsor they were my first, and you need the first of anything to lay the foundation to build upon.

Mastermind

While I was talking to Starley about my TV script she told me I needed to have a few props for it. In fact I needed one prop per question for a grand total of four props. In our brain storming session Starley came up with the brilliant idea of creating an animated video clip overlay for one of the questions showing my book tour, and getting the video clip sponsored.

I then took the idea to Roberto to find out if corporate sponsors would be interested, what the clip was worth, who I should approach, etc. What I learned from him was it is worth a lot more than I was going to get because I didn’t have the time to work my way up the corporate totem pole. Next time around I’ll start my negotiations much sooner.

What I got out of the mastermind group was a project that could be worth in excess of 50 grand, and a lot more credibility when I walk in to talk with my next corporate sponsor. That’s the value of a mastermind group, and if I have to buy my friends to get that kind of success then so be it. Is the possibility of creating money out of thin air based on an idea you come up with appealing to you? If it is then you may want to put your mastermind group together too.

Find a Mastermind Group NOW (9/15/14)

Are you in some form of mastermind group? If you aren’t then join one. If you can’t find one to join then create your own! Being a part of a mastermind group will propel you to success quicker by shrinking your learning curve and stripping away adversity you could have faced.

I have three or four different mastermind groups that I’m a part of. I have one that is run through my publisher Morgan James Publishing that has a rotating cast of characters with expertise in books, editing, marketing, you name it. My other mastermind group is made up of me and my two coaches Starley and Roberto. Down the road I want to build on this mastermind group adding Tom Antion who is a genius online marketer.

The very basic premise of a mastermind group is putting a diverse collection of people together and the total value of the group is greater than the sum of its parts. This mastermind group is a little different than most in the fact that we don’t all meet together. I meet with one of my coaches and then take the ideas to the other coach. This is repeated back and forth over and over. So I guess you can say what holds this mastermind together is me.

However, when you are joining a mastermind group or more importantly putting your own mastermind group together you need to follow the wisdom of that old knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade “Choose wisely”. When you are putting together a team the best pieces aren’t always the right pieces; just ask anyone who played on the US hockey team during the 1980 Winter Olympics. The mastermind group I have with Starley and Roberto functions because we all have the same values as well as similar goals and expectations. You may not have heard of Starley Murray or Roberto Candelaria but in their fields of expertise they are hot commodities.

Sponsorship and Image & Branding are two very different animals, but they are symbiotic in many respects. Finally, ensure that once you have found the pieces of your mastermind group that you all share a common purpose. Then you need to get to work.

There are Times When you Take a Back Seat (9/12/14)

I had a weekend of dog sitting prior to the 4th of July. A friend of mine had a sudden death in the family that really knocked his world off kilter. Besides this being one of those times where you just help out a friend because he would do the same thing for you it was also an opportunity to refill my good karma reservoir.

A massive heart attack, stroke or freak accident really does pop up out of the blue. I think in general there are some things that unwittingly we take for granted until they are gone. That’s how my time in Paris was. All of the cool little bistros, great food, and culture was like “yeah whatever” until I got back to the States full time. It was similar for my buddy; one day they’re here, one day they’re not. You can no longer pickup the phone and call them out of the blue. Your last words can never change from whatever your last conversation was.

My friend’s last conversation isn’t one he regrets, but he would have liked to have had the opportunity to say goodbye. He almost sounded like a soldier returning home with survivor’s guilt when you listened to him talk. Even though I was invited to the funeral, and wanted to make the trip up to Georgia I chose not to go. My friend needed the time to grieve and find closure. I was more valuable as a dog sitter than another face in the crowd because I scratched one more item off of his to-do list.

I’m not saying you have to be an altruistic superman all the time, but there are times when you and your needs take a back seat for the greater good. This was one of those times.

Where Were You (9/11/14)

In observance of what took place on this day 13 years ago I thought I would take a minute to reflect on where I was.

Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 I had just finished class for the morning, and uncharacteristically I decided to stop at “The Rat” on the University of Miami campus. It was the typical college pub/restaurant that had so-so food and overpriced pitchers, but it had huge flat screen TVs mounted in front of the most comfortable couches on campus. I had been up most of the night cranking out a paper for a statistics class, and decided to take a detour on my way home for a little power nap.

I woke up an hour later to the sight of a jet slamming into the side of a building. My first response was, this producer had some pretty out of this world special effects. It wasn’t until I turned up the volume and saw CNN plastered along the bottom third of the TV screen that I realized this wasn’t some fictional scene drawn out of the imagination of some Hollywood screenwriter. This was either the biggest screw up in modern aviation or the act of a madman. When I saw the second plane slam into the other tower it was pretty safe to say that it was no accident.

I spent the next couple of hours trying to track down a host of friends that were either in New York or who had recently joined the military in some capacity to see if they were okay. Talk about an act of futility; when I finally got through all I could do is leave a lot of messages.

I think it’s important to look back at events like this and reflect. If we hadn’t experienced the .com bust it was more than likely I could have been up in New York sitting in some highrise the day those events unfolded. I could have been in the process of going through Marines Officer Candidate School had I not been rejected by a recruiter on the basis of a medical disqualifications.

It’s impossible to say what could have been, you can only say what did occur. So on this day I would ask for you to observe a few minutes of silence for all the people who have been lost or have personally sacrificed as a result of those horrific events Tuesday, September 11th, 2014.

A day at the Coffee Shop (9/10/14)

In writing this blog today I came to realize what a wise decision it was to invest the time to have an 11 week backlog of of blog posts that would automatically post, and then be broadcast to my various other forms of social media.

Starbucks is probably the most blogger friendly environment imaginable. Most of the locations in close proximity to my house are open 24 hours, for a borderline insomniac that is such a blessing. Then when you walk in you have all of these pleasant and personable people that are looking to fill up your fuel tanked with 93 octane java concoctions. I can’t emphasize how important the right fuel and social environment is to successful idea generation. Finally the infrastructure is setup for you to create. There is an ample supply of functional seating with easily accessible electric access provided you are on location prior or post high traffic times as well as the key component to any successful blogging session, WiFi.

Order of operation:

Place order of Iced Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte with an Extra Shot of Espresso, and whatever sugar based goody offsets the calories I saved by getting a “Skinny” drink.
Locate and mark my territory, and in this instance that would consist of a side table and loveseat style contraption.
Engage in the business of the day, blogging.

The minor technicality that I neglected to take into consideration is that I work better in a library setting, silent. I have the attention span of a 8 week old puppy. I’m good for about three or four minutes, but if something new pops up the task at hand is abandoned. So between he inflow of people for their caffeinated addictions, the random conversations taking place and the easy listening music it takes me forever to get anything of substance accomplished.

The reason for my excessively long queue of posts is because for a blog to be effective it needs to be consistent. You can post once a month, once a week or daily, but it has to be consistent. I have chosen to post Monday-Friday giving my followers a weekend reprieve from the nonsense I come up with, and it gives me a brief break from writing.

Having the queue guarantees at least for a certain period of time there will be posts generating even if I drop dead in the middle of some rural farming community. It’s a safety net for the unlikely event that I run out of gas in an Amish community and I don’t have access to some of the conveniences that I have grown accustomed to. This is just me planning on the fact that a guy name Murphy always seems to pop into my life at the most inopportune times and understanding what my life on the road is really going to look like.

Who Comes First (9/9/14)

You are burdened with a mutually exclusive decision. You can either work on your massive project with an impending deadline that you are about a week behind on, or you can help a friend on his project. Which do you choose to do?

I really needed to spend about seven 12 hour days on lining up cities for my book tour when my friend Alex sent me an IM on The Facebook. Alex was in the process of writing his first book, and he asked if I would be willing to give him some feedback. I was in his shoes less than a year ago, and I remember groveling at people’s feet for help. So I decided to help out a friend. Plus I work better under the pressure of unrealistic deadlines meaning that procrastinating on my project would be better for me in the long run.

Over the course of six and a half hours I read Alex’s creation taking notes on some specific areas that he was interested in. I also threw in some insight that a handful of experts had shared with me on some unrelated topics. In all I provided Alex with about two pages of notes that hopefully provided some value.

Even though I really wanted to spend the entire day focusing on me, I couldn’t. On this day a friend came first, which served as a good refresher course to an old lesson, Givers Gain. Givers Gain was a principle I was introduced to out in California a few years back. The principle simply means that individuals who are willing to selflessly give to someone else will inevitably prosper as a result. I have had people laugh off my belief in this principle saying all you get out of it is the euphoria of doing a good turn.

That may be true if you buy some random stranger a cup of coffee, but that isn’t always the case. By reading, analyzing and critiquing Alex’s manuscript I was actually looking at mistakes I know I have either made or continue to make in my own writing. The problem with trying to self-edit is that you can’t effectively do it. You inherently know and understand what you are trying to say, even when the reader is confused by what they are reading. By reading Alex’s manuscript I was thinking of structure, confusing pronoun usage, and a host of other grammatical issues.

By sacrificing a couple hours of my day and providing Alex with some feedback I was becoming a better writer…Givers Gain. Try it out somewhere in your life and let me know if the principle holds true for you too.

Do it Right the First Time (9/8/14)

Do you know what was going through my mind when my five iron slipped out of my hands and flew 30 feet through the air before getting stuck in the mud in Intracoastal behind my house? I miss having a strong midsection.

I don’t think you ever realize how important something is until it’s gone. I know I didn’t appreciate my core until I tried sitting in front of a computer for an extended period of time (45 minutes) typing out blog posts. I don’t know if I find it more annoying or embarrassing that I had to throw in the towel because my back hurt.

When I shrank down to 125 lbs while surviving on a feeding tube no one gave me a game plan for how to ever have that feeding tube removed. I finally cornered the nurse in charge of my intravenous nutrition and asked, “What do I have to do to get this thing pulled out of my arm?” Her answer was simple and to the point, put on weight and keep it on. However, she didn’t give me an indication of how fast, or what type of weight needed to packed onto my frame. My goal was to get the job done as quickly and painlessly as possible. So I went on an ice cream, milkshake and grease based diet that put on all the weight I had lost in no time. Unfortunately not all weight is created equal and 220 lbs 13% body fat is far better than 215 lbs 27% fat.

At one point I actually put myself into the hospital by doing situps trying to build some core strength. After that incident I was more reserved when it came to developing a healthy body. I set up a light cardio training routine outside so I could shed a little fat and get a little vitamin D. Well it seemed like a good idea to loosen up my core by swinging a golf club until I clipped my hitting mat, and had to hang off the ledge of my deck to fish my 5 iron out of the water.

I only bring up my lack of golfing prowess for one reason; sometimes it’s easier to just do the job the right way the first time. If I had put my weight on in a sensible fashion I might not be standing in the back yard swinging a golf club, or should I say fishing for one. Don’t rush to get the job done. Get the job done correctly the first time because it will less painful in the long run.