365QOD- Day664

"Tantum quantum"- a Latin phrase

While reading a November 2012 Esquire interview with Jerry Brown I noticed this phrase.  Jerry explains it as "So much, how much. So much you need, that's how much you should get.  That's the principle."

The way I read it is that we should get as much as we need.  It doesn't say want.  BUT in a consumption society that we live we believe we should get as much as want.

One of my goals in life is to shed "things" instead of collecting them.  I am getting better at it.  I tend to get rid of clothes that I do not wear by giving them away.  I get rid of old pieces of paper continuously.  This one is hard for me.  I am always finding a story that I enjoy and want to save.  Maybe a need is a great scanner that can place it into a file?  Maybe it is a want?

Today's question is:
"How do you get rid of stuff?"

365QOD- Day663

"How to Train Your Dragon" - a movie title

I don't usually watch animated kids movies BUT this one pulled me in.  I will try not to spoil it for you.

 It was a story of a young Viking boy who never lived up to his father's expectations BUT eventually became a great dragon tamer.

He was creative and produced a device to capture a dragon type that no one had seen before.  While helping the damaged dragon he befriends him and learns about dragons.  He uses that knowledge to learn how to handle dragons.  He originally would not kill the dragon because he saw himself in the dragon's eyes.  

What I liked the most about the story was how the boy used creativity.  He used it to repair a dragon's tail damage.  Creativity came into play in how he fought different dragons and how he ultimately saved the day.

Today's question is:
"Can creativity always overcome obstacles?"

365QOD- Day662

"One reason jobs move overseas is because we train our kids to be consumers- instead of producers.  If a kid has 10 gifts to give, why not buy five and make the other five... and be a producer as well as a consumer?"- Robert Kiyosaki Rich Dad Poor Dad

In a post that I wrote last year I told a story about my MBA students and creativity.  In the post I talked about how I forced them to become creative and how often they exceeded my expectations.

From those experiences I tried to teach my students that they could be creative if they chose to label themselves as creative.  

This quote added to my belief.  He calls it producers instead of creators.  I believe that for most parts we are talking about the same things.  But I do believe that they can often mean opposite things.  You can produce a copy and thus you would be a copier and not a creator.  You could create mentally BUT not produce anything physical.

The magic is when creativity and producing are combined.  It is analysis meets creativity and results in products- a Creative Producer.

Today's question is:

"Are you a Creative Producer?"

365QOD- Day661

"Free for a day" - tittle of Entrepreneur story

In this story the main idea is that Pinch Multimedia company gave away its premium app for currency conversion for free for a day.

Bold? Stupid?  They were able to get to no.3 among productivity apps.  BUT the story does not tell us if it continue to drive sales after that one day.

Typical app business model is to  give away the free demo version and charge for the premium app.  This idea violates the rule.  The intent is to spread the word about the app and drive future demand.  BUT again the story does not answer that question.  It does tell that the company produced another product TalkTapp. Judging by the type of app the new app is so different than the first that I doubt that the experiment proved financially rewarding.  It seems that it has helped them to get people talking about them- their brand.

The idea of giving away product in order to attract future business is an old idea.  In the app world it is an innovation.

Today's question is:
"What effect would giving your product for a day have on your future demand?"

365QOD- Day660

"What!.. a water-less car wash?" - doubt

I read a story about the Greenshine business that washes cars without using water.  According to the Entrepreneur 2012 article, the results are suppose to be better than if water is used.

What caught my eye was the idea of not using water but using a proprietary cleaning fluid.  So water is replaced my the fluid.  Maybe a lot less is used?

The story is interesting because it made me think.  It made me think of opposites.  If something is done wet could it be done dry.  If something is done in the morning, could it be done late at night.  If you eat variety, what effect would eating just one food for a while have on the body? You get the idea.

Today's question is:
"Have you tried to do the opposite to get the same result?"

365QOD- Day659

"Now get your sword out" - my instruction

I have developed a set of martial arts forms for different weapons from white best to black belt.  Once in a while I share one of two with eager souls.  But most often I just practice them in my mind.  It a great relaxer for me.

The other day I was reading an article about a company called Classitivity.com started by Payal Kadakia.  It allows new people to join a class.  Courses range from beer making to tennis and for now are only offered in New York.

Cool idea.  BUT  I think that her business makes it easier to find these classes BUT if the hunger was there people would find the class.  So for me the bigger question is why they didn't search for it before?

Does making it easier for people to access these courses make a difference in whether they find them?  In New York there are 4000 offerings.  That amount should be more than enough to satisfy the needs of most.

I hope her business succeeds.  It is a neat idea.

Today's question is:
"Does finding things make getting involved easier for you?"

365QOD- Day658

"It all boils down to this: When fear shows up and threatens your curiosity and enlightenment  look it square in the eye, acknowledge it, own it, and move on.  Don't let it hold you back from greatness.  The greatest thing to fear about fear is the inaction that often accompanies it.  And that is perhaps the greatest danger to the evolution of your business"- Amy Cosper 


I often like to read the thoughts an editor has about why they created a particular issue.  Recently while reading the November 2012 issue of Entrepreneur I read this passage.

She end the editor's message by recalling the words of Dale Carnegie

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear.  Action breeds confidence and courage.  If you want to conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it.  Go out and get busy."

Putting these two ideas together give us the formula for dealing with fear:
1. Look it square in the eye                        (see it)
2. Acknowledge it                                     (recognize it)
3. Own it                                                  (believe that you will conquer it)
4. Gather confidence and courage             (look inside yourself)
5. Move on                                              (start moving towards it)
6. Go out and get busy                             (keep fighting it)

Today's question is:
"What would you add or remove from the fear conquering formula?"

365QOD- Day657

"When in a hole, stop digging" - an old adage

Most of us have heard the saying, "Majority of people are living paycheck to paycheck".  In previous posts I have pointed out that reality.  But something has changed.

I recently observed a figure in USAToday that made my eyes go wide open.  The figure claimed that 33% of Americans live from week to week.

Wow! This is worse than paycheck to paycheck which for most people is at least every two weeks.

If this is the way most people are living then why the craziness over Christmas shopping?  In my humble opinion people are just digging a bigger hole.  If you can not at the end of this month pay off all of your credit purchases then you are simply digging a bigger hole.

I do not want today's and yesterday's posts to seem like a judgement.  I am sure you are your own harshest critic.  You are an adult and entitled to make your own choices.  I just want to point out a couple of things that I find difficult to understand.

Today's question is:
"Are you digging or filling your hole?"

365QOD- Day656

"Thanks.... Giving" - my thought

As I get older I am starting to dislike Christmas.  Not because of the religious aspect but the shopping drive.
It seems like we are starting to go from Halloween straight into Christmas.  The reason?  The drive to make a buck is pushing it earlier and earlier.

Most retail outlets do not go into black(start making a profit) until after the holiday sales. So for them it makes sense to keep moving it up.

But we have crossed a line with the Thanksgiving night/Early Black Friday sales.  People are literally leaving the family and the food in order to get a jump on the sales.

Many are probably saying so what?  Well, I think it is pretty sick.  We are more focused on the gifts than the people that those gifts are usually intended for.  (It is no different than sending text or email to people next to you instead of talking with them.)

When things get changed into material only, they tend to loose meaning and eventually die out.  It is the old how vs. why debate.  We celebrate with money(the how) but no longer understand the meaning(the why).

Today's question is:
"Did you Give Thanks?"

365QOD- Day655

"God is a verb..." - start of a title of a book

What a way to capture someone's attention!  I was in a half-price bookstore the other day and this tittle jumped out at me.

Why?  The idea of God being a verb - something that we do- never entered my idea of God.  I consider myself more spiritual than religious.  But the idea of God being a verb did not fit nicely in either of those labels.

After some some time to think about it I came to a conclusion it is the only way to be.  To be more God than follow any religion could fit in.

Instead of WWJD, replace it with WWGD... Does it matter?  To most non-Christians it would.  In any religion it should fit nicely that we would want to act more like God.  I assume it is blasphemy in some.

In the end To do God is To do Love...

Today's question is:
"How does one do God?"

365QOD- Day654

"How?" - my thought

I recently read a story in Inc. magazine about Michelle Lam.  The article was about Lam's business that "..developed a personalized quiz based on rules that experts use to fit customers without a tape measure."

The algorithm is used to predict a women's bra size and fit without a tape measure.  That is exactly why I questioned it.

Not being a woman, I simply do not understand how this is predictable without a tape measure.  I do believe that a woman needs to be properly measured by a store person who is an expert at fitting women.  The idea of being able to do this without the tape is just hard to believe.

What it makes me wonder is what else could lend itself to an algorithm?  Most things are not as specific as a bra fit.

Today's question is:
"What could use an algorithm instead of detailed measurement?"

365QOD- Day653

"Brilliant!" - my thought

No one likes to be sold to.  Or do we?  If the product is what we need then we are being educated instead of sold to.  The key is that the pitch is to an audience that has a legitimate problem and really needs the solution.

The other day I read about a company that has figured out how to place ads in apps.  I thought brilliant.  If someone downloads an app that is very specific then they might not be upset with an ad that is embedded   If they are then provide them with an option to turn ads off...probably for a dollar.  What if that ad made the app free?

Today's question is:
"Could you tolerate ads in your app?"

365QOD- Day652

"Ridiculous" - my belief

I rarely get angry but when I see stories that are suppose to make me go Ohhh that someone is doing good I get angry.  

Charity in my mind means charity.  If I give to a charity then I expect that 95+ of the the charity gains are to be used for the cause that they claim.  When I see that a charity has a million dollar CEO, or even a 500k, then I refuse to give to it.  This is not the purpose of a charity. 

So when I read a story about $6 toothbrush that gives you one and gives one to a needy child I get angry.  My thought is that most toothbrushes are very inexpensive.  You could probably go to a dollar store and get a couple of toothbrushes for a dollar.  So for $6 you could in theory get 12 toothbrushes or let us just keep it to 10.  The cost of shipping 10 plastic toothbrushes?  I am guessing $1.  

So for the $6 one could save the teeth of 10 children instead of lining the pockets of a supposed 'do gooder'.  

That pisses me off.

Today's question is:

"Is a $6 toothbrush charity or a rip off?"

365QOD- Day651

"I would buy one of those" - my thought

I used to keep track of my life is great detail.  Using a little notebook I would record what I ate, how much I ate, what I exercised, how much I weight, all of my energies, etc.

There is a movement that attempts to do exactly that.  It is called Quantified Self.

The other week I became very interested in the idea of having a smart watch.  I believe that smart phones are a given but smart watches are an upcoming need.

So what would a smart watch do for me?  I want it to allow me to add apps that would:
record the steps I take
continously monitor my heart rate
continuously monitor my pulse
predict an accurate calorie usage per day based on activity
monitor my sleep amount
monitor the time I went into REM sleep
have a stop watch to track my time spent running/exercising
show me who is calling me so that I do not have to flip my phone out of my pocket
have a light
allow randomly assigned beep times during the day to help record actual activity
keep time
etc. (I can not think of anything else)

and software to help me analyze the quality of my life and offer suggestions to how I can improve it.

Today's question is:
"What could a smart watch do for you?"

365QOD- Day650

"Everybody dies, but not everyone lives" - t-shirt slogan

I get a kick out of reading t-shirts.  Some of them are very cool and instructive.

This slogan made me think about how death is inevitable but life is optional.  You will die BUT whether you do something with this life is completely optional.

The saddest realization is that cemeteries are full of dead people with many dreams not completed.  Maybe partially lived lives.

Today's question is:
"What is the one thing, if you accomplish it, would indicate that you have lived?" 

365QOD- Day649

"If God does not change a circumstance, then he will use it" - Nick Vujicic

We often complain about our current state.  We want something else.  We want to have a better XYZ, whatever XYZ you crave.

But maybe our current state is exactly where we need to be.  Maybe we are being polished with a bit of sand paper?  Maybe the grit feels rough but continued polishing will expose us to finer grit and lastly smoothness.

I am not a believe in a God that punishes.  I believe in a God who teaches us and gently nudges us towards a better state.  I did not say 'ideal' because we might still not be totally happy with that circumstance.

Today's question is:
"Can you accept that a circumstance you are not happy with could lead you to a better state?'

365QOD- Day648

"Don't do it" - a slogan 

The other day I saw this slogan somewhere.  I can not remember where or on what.  But it caught my attention.

I do believe that what we do is as important as what we do not do.  Yesterday's post was all about finding your niche and the key to great wealth.  But we have to realize that doing that is at the cost of not doing something else.

You can not be everything to everyone.  You can not excel at everything.  Maybe you could be good at most things but great at everything is impossible.

One of my favorite questions to classes has always been, "What is the enemy of great?"  Often students come up with some good answers.  I believe that the enemy to being great at anything is being "good enough" at it.  If one is good enough then they really have to want something to be put the effort to be great.  Often this cost is discouraging and we settle for good enough.

Today's question is:
"What could nudge you to convert 'good enough' into greatness?" 

365QOD- Day647

"People who say it takes money to make money are using the worst excuse ever. . . Create massive value for others by providing a solution where no other exists." - Matt Mickiewicz, founder of  sitepoint, 99designs, and flippa

Isn't it interesting how he takes away the most popular excuse that most people have off the table.  If you can not use money then you are then back to I just do not have the time excuse.  As Gary V. says, "You can do a lot of hurt after 7-2 a.m."  That takes away the time element.

The only excuse is just can't get yourself to do it.  Whatever do IT means to you!

It is also very easy to miss the second part of the quote.  It is the key to great wealth:  provide a massive value for  others by providing a solution where no other exists.  Think of any person with great fortune attached to their name and you will see this formula.  (Remember that in US very little of wealth is inherited.  Most people are first generation wealthy.)

Today's question is:
"What can you do to provide a massive value for  others by providing a solution where no other exists?"

Read more: http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/YoungMillionaires/6.html#ixzz2ByjVxhP3
Become a Fan of Kiplinger's on Facebook

365QOD- Day646

"I like your signature" - words from a real estate agent

The other day I met a real estate agent, James.  We had emailed back and forth earlier that day and he had received the emails with a closing signature that talks about my first book, The Result.

He asked me about the book and I described it.  While talking about the book, I offered the following advice to him:  write 50 columns on real estate topics about 1-2 pages long and then put them together in a book.  Instead of giving someone a business card, give them a book.

I gave the same advice a year ago to another real estate agent.  She was the president of the local real estate association and used to write a weekly column in the local paper.  She already had written the columns.
A year later no book has been produced.

Hopefully James will do it.  It will make him stand out.

Today's question is:
"What will a book of your work do for your career?"

365QOD- Day645

"I immediately thought about Khan academy" - co-worker words

The other day I was speaking with a co-worker.  He is pursuing an engineering degree and I told him about one of my websites: UltimateOnlineLearning.com.

While there I showed him how I had created videos that showcase how to solve problems.  It is exactly the same idea as Khan Academy uses to teach topics except I used it to teach whole courses.  I was Khan before 2007.

So what is ahead in education?  A complete change that no one is talking about.  I believe that education is going to drastically change and that the model will completely inverted.

Currently a student spends 50 minutes per day(education hour) in a classroom learning a subject.  The student then goes home and hopefully spends half an hour or so working on homework.  If the student has time they then integrate the information by reviewing the information for a test.  Lets call this model 60/30/15(lecture/homework/integration).

What would happen if the student would be given a set of videos on their tablet for their courses created by experts on presenting that subject(NOT their teacher).  The lecture takes place home where the student can play the bite size videos(10 min max).  While watching the videos the student is required to prove understanding by answering questions or solving a short problem.  The student then works on homework.  Next day the student goes to school and instead of listening is now involved in a brainstorming problem solving using homework and other problems.  The teacher now becomes a guide expert and the hour becomes intense instead of boring.  Since presentation takes place at home, the integration happens together in the classroom.  The new model becomes 1206015(120 because the student might rewind and review the video and look for other videos).  Notice that the new model increased the lecture time because it did not occur in a captive classroom.  As a creator of videos I am not limited to an hour.  I can create a video that will explain the concept better instead of quicker.

This new model is ideal for future learners already comfortable with searching for information on the web.

Today's question is:
"Can you visualize this new model?"

365QOD- Day644

"My mentor told me that I should be able to multiply my income by 10 and then later multiply it by 10 again" - Jim Rohm

Jim believed his mentor and became a millionaire within four years.    He followed his mentor's system.

How often do we take the words that others speak to us and actually follow through on the data?  The answer is is less than 5%.  I have done experiments and proven this to myself.

When I was a professor, I created elaborate system that guaranteed that if the student would follow they would guarantee success.  About 5 percent took the system and utilized it from start of the class to the end.

In my world, it boils down to human nature.  We constantly take in data, less often we take the time to convert it into information, and seldom reduce it down to wisdom.

Today's question is:
"How do you get yourself to follow great advice?"

365QOD- Day643

"Vivere Senza Rimpianti" - an expression

I happen to be flipping through a newspaper when I happen to see this phrase on an actress' side of her body.  It made me wonder what it meant.  After a quick look up I learned that it means to live without regrets.

Of course the expression made me think how it applies to me.  Immediately it brought forth many questions. Mostly, am I?

I am not is the answer.  Often I am so focus on the now that I live without a plan.  Thus, I miss opportunities, lose interest, or simply run out of time to pursue them.

Just like many, I boil it down to lack of focus.  I have too many opportunities I can pursue and only 24 hours to do it in.  Maybe I am not choosing wisely?

In my life I most often regret that I do not do something instead of having done it and failed.  I can handle failure as just simply a result that I can nudge into a result I want.  Maybe the answer for me is to keep doing more things and not only a few?

Currently I have more questions than answers.

Today's question is:
"Are you living a life without regrets?"

365QOD- Day642

“Thanks so much for ‘making my day’!” – satisfied co-worker’s note

 

I manage by catching people doing good.  During the day I try to note some contribution that someone made that is great and look for the person who made it. 

 

Once I find the person I compliment the person for the great job that they did on a particular project or task.  Most of the time I get a surprised THANKS.

 

The other day I did this with an employee who I did not know but whose work saved my team a lot of time and effort.  It reduced 10 months of  back and forth to three simple prints with excellent comments. 

 

The commentator was not at the meeting. So I looked for him, met him, and lastly thanked him for his great efforts. 

 

Later on that night I received a letter written so well that my mouth dropped.  It was a letter thanking me for the visit and telling me about the good reputation I have gained.  The letter was so well written that it was hard for me to do justice in my response.

 

He ended up making my day twice: once with the prints and second time with the note.  Isn't it interesting that what bounced back to me was twice as much as I had given.

 

Today’s question is:

“Do you manage by catching people doing good?”

365QOD- Day641

“I can’t wait to go home and blog about this!” – fan’s statement after a football game

 

I went to a football game the other day.  The game was OK but it came down to a couple of last plays that made a difference.  The home team lost and the fan uttered these words on the way out of the stadium.

 

The first thought I had was how the world has changed.  The probability of those words being uttered a decade ago would have been almost zero.  Now they not only make sense but seem natural. 

 

The social media presence in our world is getting to be a bigger and bigger fact.  We wan to connect to others and that seems like the way to do it.  At times it seems we are connecting to through the social media but not communicating with the people around us. 

 

I believe that the social media presence can help build our brand over time BUT we must also nurture the relationships with the people around us.  The main difference for me is that the online is asynchronous(at any time) while relationships require synchronous(in real time) communication. 

 

Today’s question is:

“Do you neglect the relationships you are in for the ease of communicating through social media?”

365QOD- Day640

“Consider the story of two men quarreling in a library. One wants the window open and the other wants it closed. They bicker back and forth about how much to leave it open: a crack, halfway, three quarters of the way. No solution satisfies them both.

Enter the librarian. She asks one why he wants the window open: "To get some fresh air." She asks the other why he wants it closed: "To avoid the draft." After thinking a minute, she opens wide a window in the next room, bringing in fresh air without a draft.

The librarian could not have invented the solution she did if she had focused only on the two men's stated positions of wanting the window open or closed. Instead she looked to their underlying interests of fresh air and no draft. This difference between positions and interests is crucial.” – Getting to Yes example

 

People love their position.  They feel that it is superior to their opponents.  The quote shows us how both people had a position that could be defended BUT did not allow the two people to come up with a solution.

 

They were more interested in getting their way instead of coming up with a better way.  The librarian’s solution was a better way.  It has aspects from both sides(AND mindset) and a twist that allowed them to be used at the same time.  Brilliant!

 

Today’s question is:

“Do you have an AND mindset?”

365QOD- Day639

“I am scared.” – something that is true for all of us

I watched a History channel special on Andrew Carnegie.  In it one former CEO stated that people who achieve greatness do not necessarily fear less but act more despite it.  The tenth thing we need to stop doing is Fearing in order to be happier.

Fear places us in the past or the future.  Neither of those periods are controllable.  We can not rewrite the past or completely predict the future.  So accept that the only thing that we can change is the Now. 

The now is where we live, if we chose, and as long as we focus on action then fear can not exist.  It is the focus on action that removes the fear.  Do not focus on your abilities.  As the old saying goes. “Just do it”

Today’s question is:

“How do you force yourself to act in the Now?”

365QOD- Day638

“But what about when we could do X?” – caught up in the past

Humans by design do not handle change well.  When confronted with it we tend to want to dwell in the past.  Ninth thing we must stop doing in order to be happier is to stop Dwelling.

Change is the only constant in the universe.  Accept it. Love it. Nurture it. Believe in it because it often leads to a better place.  Yes it is hard to believe.

When you fail at something, do not dwell on it. Accept the change and figure out how to move forward again.  Do not waste your energy on the idea that change or failure has occurred.

Today’s question is:

“What are you dwelling on?”

365QOD- Day637

“Amen” – a word of agreement

Often we want others to do what we want them to do.  We believe this so strong that we are willing to preach to them until they see the light.  Eight thing we need to stop doing is Preaching.

So where does preaching come from?  Often when we succeed at something we feel that we got a license to tell others what we think as if it should hold weight.  This is positional leadership and not true leadership.

As leaders we are often better off if we listen to the input from others and get consensus to move forward.  Yes at times we will have to make the final decision that no one likes but that is life.  Preaching limits you.  You are not learning what others know but simply believing that what you know is superior.

Today’s question is:

“What if you preach and they do not see the light?”

365QOD- Day636

“No not that way!” – a critique

Seventh thing to stop doing in order to be happier is to stop Criticizing.  We are all guilty of this.

Why? Because we believe that we can do it better than anyone else.  We have the experience, the education, the know how to get the job done the way it should be done.

Surprising when you give people the vision of where you want to go how often you are surprised by results better than you would have gotten. Why? Because, like you, people have different experiences and education and can produce results that might be better than yours.  You never know until you stop criticizing and allow them to attempt to exceed your expectations.

I do believe that you have to set the vision and the expectations BUT allow them the freedom to execute it their way.  This gives them pride of ownership.  If you meddle then you are critiquing and will never be given the gift of them exceeding your expectations.

Today’s question is:

“Can you go for one day without criticizing anyone?”

365QOD- Day635

“I want this to happen” – my words to myself

In yesterday’s post I talked about whining.  Well, the sixth thing to stop doing in order to be happier is to stop Controlling.

The whining story was really my effort to control who ultimately did the work.  I trusted the first vendor and did not think that others could successfully complete the work.  Well, I was wrong.

By giving away control I got the result that I ultimately wanted: success.  I am very good at delegating to people who work with me BUT external vendors do not get the same level of trust.  I have been burned before.

In this instance I had no choice but to give up a little control.  In a sense the result was that I learned who amongst several vendors can come through in a pinch if I need them.  Great information!

Today’s question is:

“Do you sometimes give up controlling a situation?”