Author: Rex

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Thoughts

Why Curiosity?

I know it can get me into trouble sometimes, but I really think curiosity is one of my strong points.

It helped me in engineering because I was always asking, “Why does that work?”

And it has helped me in learning about human systems as I ask, “Why do people do that?”

It helps to break down arguments logically as I’m curious why would someone think that way, or what assumptions are they basing their beliefs and position on?

I guess it goes along with my drive to continually learn things.  I always check out way too many books from the library than I can reasonably read, but I’ve figured out the formula: curiosity + free = lots of library books stacked everywhere.

The foundation of real learning, is that you really want to learn.  And that comes from curiosity – the desire to know what is unknown.  

Someone can teach you a lot of things, but if you don’t care, or don’t really want to learn, then you won’t.

Curiosity is also connected with creativity.  You have to be curious about what you can create, so you create something to satisfy that curiosity.  When you create something you are making something known that was previously unknown.

Seth Godin has a great, short little post about how we might be missing out by not teaching kids how to be curious, and not letting new hires ask why.

It turns out that curiosity is also the basis for improvement.

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Thoughts Web sites

Do you want to spread your word?

The main way people are spreading word about their ‘stuff’ is to ask people who can reach a lot of people to talk about it.  In other words, they ask famous bloggers to blog about it.

This is somewhat analagous to trying to get your commercial on TV during the Super Bowl instead of putting it up on a local PBS channel.  But I think there is less money that exchanges hands, even though it is probably more effective advertising.

So if you want to try and ask a famous blogger to promote your stuff, Chris Brogan has some great tips.  And it involves a little more effort than slappin’ down dollar bills.  This is the ‘Trust Economy’, maybe more work, but probably more valuable than cash.

There’s also another tactic you can use in this new economy.  Instead of asking a famous blogger like Chris Brogan to promote your stuff, you can also easily ask someone else you already know (built trust with) to blog about your stuff.  Sure, their blog may not go out to hundreds of thousands of people, but maybe they might reach a few people.  And who knows, maybe those few people might tell a few more people about your stuff, and so on.

If you get enough small time people blogging about it, you just might reach a big time audience.

I guess what I’m saying is that if you want me to mention something for you, just go ahead and ask.  It could be a mutual benefit for both of us.  (If your thing is really cool.)

Categories
Consultants Thoughts

Design Your Best Year Yet

This was the title of a free seminar I attended today at my local public library.  They actually have some pretty good programs, you should check into yours.  Or better yet, volunteer to do your own workshop there, they’d love to have you.

Tonight’s seminar was presented by Debbie Lacy, a Life Coach.  She was excellent.  And even though I was the only male attending out of about 25 people (I wonder why) it was a great little boost to help me start achieving my goals.  She provided practical tools and a different perspective on accomplishing goals.

One of the things she had us do to help define our vision was to answer the following 4 questions, which was a slightly different approach than most.

  1. In my life it feels like it’s time to…
  2. I know it’s time because… (list signs/evidence you’ve noticed)
  3. What are the feelings/essences that you most want to experience in 2010?
  4. What could you have or do this year that would create those feelings and essences?  Try to narrow down to the two most important goals you’d like to achieve by the end of 2010.

 

I liked how she tried to help you frame your goals in a higher purpose.  Yeah, you want to accomplish X, but why?  What kind of feeling or essence are you ultimately after?

For instance, you might want to lose 50 pounds, but why? Is it to be healthier?  look better? fit into those old clothes?  With a more foundational purpose, you might find that the specific goal you’ve chosen may not be the best avenue to get you what you really want.  This also helps you to be flexible and change your goals during the year if different opportunities come along.

The first two ‘finish the sentence’ questions help you to have confidence in what you know.  She said “It’s important to know why you know what you know.”  That almost sounds like a bad joke, but it’s true.  If we can recognize the signs or evidences in our life of why we know things deep down, then that will help us not to second guess ourselves for the decisions we make. 

The bottom line is, do you trust yourself?  If you can build the skills to trust yourself, then you will accomplish your goals. 

I believe that statement because usually the reasons we don’t accomplish our goals is because we fall back into our old patterns, we make up lame excuses, or we don’t believe we can do it.

Debbie also shared some other good techniques that I might tell you about later.

What are your favorite tactics for accomplishing goals?

Categories
Books Thoughts

“What Matters Now” – in Paperback by Triiibes Press

You may have seen, a few posts ago, where I mentioned the free ebook put together by Seth Godin called What Matters Now.

Well, what matters now is that you buy the paperback version created by Triiibes Press.

One reaon is that all proceeds go to Room to Read a worthwhile charity that builds schools and libraries in third world countries.

Another reason is because the paperback version is the first book created by Triiibes Press, an entity conceived by a few members of Seth Godin’s online community (of which I am a member).  And you just may be seeing more amazing things being published in the future by Triiibes Press.

Why?  Because this community is the most remarkable set of individuals gathered together in one space that I know of.  They consist of a plethora of professions and skills, and span the globe, from Australia, the Canary Islands, to London and Slovenia.  They are so remarkable that I am traveling to New York next week to meet many of them in person.

Of course, many of us are also going there to see Seth’s new book release event, The Linchpin Session, but since we have a good reason to be there, we decided to plan a Triiibes conference also.  This is serious networking.

You wait and see.  Mark my words.  (I always wanted to say that.)  There will be some big things coming out of this loose organization of committed volunteers.  Because they are the kind of people who want to change the world.

Don’t you?

Let me know if you want to join us and I’ll see what I can do to get you in.

Categories
Books

The Anti-Resume Revolution

Do you think there are a lot of people looking for a job these days?

There’s a better way to find one.

Do you want to have confidence in doing what you love?

There’s a way to make it happen.

My friend, Angela Lussier, did just that.  She decided to do something different, to break out on her own, to do what she was passionate about, and then write a book about it.

It’s called the Anti-Resume Revolution, and it’s an inspiring guide to getting and creating the rewarding career you want. 

This book is chock full of valuable information on a varietey of topics, from building a personal branding strategy to nailing the job interview, and from excelling during the first two weeks on the job to starting your own business.  But the real draw for me was Angela’s personal story and the stories of other everyday people who made things happen.  She weaved them masterfully throughout the book with a great sense of humor and in a way that kept me wanting more.   She was so authentic and open about how she felt during the the whole process that I felt as if I was experiencing this new adventure with her.

Angela definitely has talent and a drive to be unique and successful at whatever she does, but the down to earth way she shared her story made me feel like I could do something amazing like this too.  All it takes is a willingness to stand out, be a little different, and take some intiative to make your ideas happen.

She published the book herself using Lulu.com and even made an awesome video about how she did it.

What’s holding you back? 

Like the book’s mantra says: “Stop waiting.  Start creating.”

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Uncategorized

Get Published!

Have you ever thought about publishing your own book?

Does it seem just out of the realm of possibility for you?

Well, break that old mindset my friend, because this is the 21st century and self publishing is here for everyone!

Wouldn’t it be the coolest thing to see your book on the shelf, with your name in big letters as the author?  That can easily happen without you having to sell one copy (although you might want to buy one for yourself.)

Self publishing is getting to be big business with multiple sites offering a variety of resources and services:

Lulu
CreateSpace
Arbor Books
Self Publishing

There are even a truckload of books about self publishing. (Ironically, those seem to be the most popular.)

So there’s really no excuse to not create your own book these days.  Except of course, you don’t have anything to write about.  But that’s absurd.  Everyone has a story.  You’re creating one right now, by your choices.  And everyone can choose to create the life story they want to be told.

So create it.  Then publish it.

Or, publish something, so it becomes part of your story.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about one of my friends who published her own book.  She has an amazing story.  Plus, her content is super useful and relevant for many people these days (everyone really.)

I was completely inspired and motivated.  And I think you will be too, when you read her book.

Categories
Thoughts

Day 2

Yeah, you know what’s going on here.

Sure, it’s another New Year’s Resolution to put up a post every day,  but sometimes you just have to use what ever mechanism works.   And right now, at this moment, staying on a blog post roll for at least 2 days in a row is getting me back into the habit.   So let me be a little pedestrian for a moment.

I’m not even promising that I’m going to keep this up indefinitely, which I know is an easy cop out, but I’m doing it today.  And for today, it’s working.

I always wonder how some of those guys can keep up the great content every single day, but I suppose they worked at it for a while, until it became something that they just do, and not a burden or chore.

The real effort, I think, is not just writing every day, but looking for content every day.  And that content must be connected to your personal branding – what do you want to be known for?  Every post counts a little something.

Well, I haven’t quite figured that out yet, ‘my brand’, although I am being known for something, even if it is not intentional.  We all are.  Our entire footprint on the web or in person paints a picture of what we are about, whether we like it or not.

What kind of picture are you painting?

Categories
Thoughts

Happy New Year! (If you choose to make it that way.)

Well, here we go again. 

I’ll bet there are twice as many (or more) blog posts today than usual, just like there are a whole lot more workouts going on today, and diets starting, and new habits and routines, and just a bunch of good changes in peoples lives happening today.

Why?

Because the earth has turned 365 times and made one whole circle around the sun?

The thing about a circle is that there is no beginning and no end, so we are the ones who have drawn an artificial line in the sand of time somewhere on that circle the earth has traveled, and we’ve decided something special should happen when the earth crosses that line.

Well, the earth doesn’t care.  It just keeps spinning.  And every turn is the same as all the others.

But I must say, it is a pretty powerful line.

How else could we get almost every person in the world to decide to change their life for the better?  I don’t know.  But if it’s such a good thing to do, why can’t we do it more often?

All we need is for every person in the world to choose to be better all the time, whatever that means to them, and deep down, they know what it is.

It’s a matter of choice.  And we have that privilege every day.

So let’s all do make it a happy new year, and choose to be the person we know is better than what we are right now.

The earth will turn around again tomorrow.

____________________________________________________

Here’s a poem I wrote this morning as I thought about this subject.

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day
a decade begins
but one just ended
after that second.

A line in the sand
drawn by time
is so monumental
and significant.

Ten years of history
reviewed before our eyes,
ten years of predictions
spewed from pundits minds.

New beings emerge
resolved to change their lives
with new habits, goals, and focus
to create a different kind.

So much change
occurs overnight,
a whole new world
appears in the light.

What causes this change,
a cycle of time
determined by the earth
moving along its lines?

Nay, but the minds of the people
who decided to choose
a new way of living
because they wanted to.

Can this desire be unleased
and we find a way
to change the world more often
than just on New Year’s Day?

Categories
Books Consultants

What Matters Now

Well, he’s done it again.  Seth Godin has unleashed an idea virus.

People like him have tremendous clout and power because so many people follow his every move.  But he also is able to utilize his power effectively because he doesn’t abuse it.  He doesn’t ask people to do things very often.  Most of the time he is giving out things, like wisdom, helpful hints, big ideas, links to others’ big ideas, sharing stories of amazing people, and so on.  This builds his respect and increases the number of followers.

Then, when he decides to make a real splash, he launches a request to his fans, which then become his army.

Except this time, he’s not just promoting his own book , but he’s using a multiplier of 70 major thinkers who have huge followings themselves, to promote his book and to promote their material.

He has brought them all together to publish a free e-book called “What Matters Now” and has asked everyone to spread it, tweet it, blog about it, and share it (oh yeah, and read it.)

Seth has found a way to tap into millions of people by collaborating with many leaders.

Yeah, it may look like I’m just a follower, but there is so much to learn here.  And his message is that every one of us can be a leader.  That feels good.

So what are you waiting for?

Download the free .pdf: what-matters-now

Categories
Web sites

NaNoWriMo

I found something new… again.

An online friend pointed me to this site and challenge.  Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month?  They call it NaNoWriMo for short.  And the challenge is for you to write a novel in 30 days. 

The only requirement:    50,000 words

Sure, there are few other stipulations like you can’t use stuff you’ve already started, or copy something, but basically everyone who writes 50,000 words wins!  And all those words don’t even have to make sense. You can’t type the same word over and over again, but their definition of ‘novel’ is pretty loose – basically, whatever you say it is.

I thought it might be a fun challenge, and something I could get the kids into also.  They have a Young Writer’s Program where they set age appropriate goals for word counts and have some really cool resources for the kids.

You can also find local writing groups who organize write-ins where they all get together and write, I guess.  I haven’t been to one, but it sounds like fun because you have kind of a support group.

I don’t read novels and wasn’t really interested in writing one, never mind coming up with a story, but I read somewhere that “writing is the key to all wealth,” so I thought it would be good for me to get into the habit of writing.  Since I didn’t have a storyline in my head, the only place I could think of to get stories from is my childhood.  And I realized that there is a lot of material there.

So I just started writing about funny things that happened when I was a kid.  Things about my house, dog, friends, elementary school, my brothers, our pool, etc.  Plus my kids are always asking me what I did when I was young, so I thought it would be a good idea to get them down on paper.

If you divide 50,000 by 30 you get a daily quota of 1,667 words, so my goal was to hit the quota every day.  Well, I actually made it each day for the first 3 days.  I made it to 5001 words!  

Then, I fell off the bandwagon.  I’ve continued to write each day, but haven’t made the quota.  I’m hoping to catch up this weekend.

It’s still not too late to get started, you can join any time.  I know I should have posted this before I started, so you wouldn’t be so far behind, but I only found out about it 2 days before November.

Maybe if I get into the habit I’ll be able to post more entries in my blog.  In fact, I’ll probably create some as part of my ‘novel’.  It really is a mish mash of stuff, such as a little history or explanation about my family, crazy made up scenes that lead to an unbelieveable climax then end, some poetry, and streams of consciousness.  They say editing is for December.

Write, write, write!

Categories
Thoughts

Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose

I just watched a TED video by Dan Pink on the science of motivation. He makes the case that there is a huge gap between what science knows about motivation and what companies do. Over and over again, study after study prove that the carrot and stick model of rewards and punishment are not effective.

Actually, he says they are effective in the kind of work where the tasks are specific and known, where all you do is follow the predetermined steps to accomplish the work. But in work that requires some creative thinking, or some unknown process or outcome, then the reward model actually makes performance worse.

The new model, that is most effective for the kind of right brain work we do, revolves around three principles: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

Autonomy:  The urge to direct our own lives.

Mastery:  The desire to get better and better at something that matters.

Purpose:  The yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.

Makes sense to me. I’m realizing more and more that this is the kind of work environment model where I would flourish.

And I would venture to guess that a lot of you would too.

Check out the presentation at http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html

Categories
Books

Trust Agents

One of my favorite bloggers, Chris Brogan, is releasing a new book, and I’m betting that it’ll be pretty good.  It hasn’t officially released yet (supposed to on August 24th) but it is already #30 on Amazon’s overall top seller list (passing up Twilight).  So a lot of other people think it’s going to be a good book too.

He doesn’t usually self promote, but on one day, yesterday, he made a big push.  Here’s his announcement:

http://www.chrisbrogan.com/the-big-push/

and here’s how to get the book:  http://bit.ly/buy-ta

I think his subject is going to be at the root of how things get done in the future – both online and off.

Trust me.  It’ll be good.

I’m your trust agent.

Categories
Thoughts

Because of a Blog

You wouldn’t think that your life could change much just by reading a blog, but somehow mine did.

Maybe because it wasn’t just any old blog that I started reading.  I knew there were  millions of them out there, so it seemed like a good idea to just start with who I thought was probably the best (based on my limited knowledge.)  And as it turns out, after a year or so, and reading a lot of other blogs, I still think it’s the best.

I’m talking about the blog of Seth Godin.

Soon after I started reading it, things began happening to me. 

One day, in one of his posts, Seth offered an opportunity to have our picture on the cover of his next book.  All we had to do was send him a mug shot.  So I said, “Why not?” and sent one in.

Then he made an offer that if we pre-purchased his book before it was released, we could join his Triiibe, an online community hosted on ning.com.  It just so happens that today, July 29th, is the one year anniversary of the launch of this Triiibe (the 3 i’s have special meaning).

And what a year it has been!

It’s kind of hard to explain, but when you bring a diverse group of smart, take initiative -type people together, you get a lot of good discussion, education, and an opportunity to make something happen.  Which is just what we did.

We published two e-books, got one of us to speak at the TED Conference, helped a graphic artist start a comic column, provided some consulting for a company, created more Squidoo pages, started multiple movements, and most of all, built relationships that have enabled countless more things to happen.

And that’s just what the triiibe has done, from my corner, off the top of my head.

In my own personal life, in the past year I’ve been promoted to a dream position as a community builder at the highest levels of the company, started my own blogs (inside and outside the company), earned an Alternate MBA, read many books, organized some big events, and took leadership in making a difference.

All because I started reading a blog.

Who knows, maybe big things could happen to you if you pick the right blog to read.

PS. And my picture did make it into the inside cover of “Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us” (good luck finding it)

Today, in honor of the one year anniversay, a bunch of Triiibe members blogged about their experience. The image below links to another person on the list, but here’s a link to the whole list of Triiibal blogs:

http://mattkern.com/triiibes-links/

triiibes_blog_ring

Categories
Thoughts Web sites

The Best Writing Advice Ever

Experienced another breakthrough epipany – so I must write.

I’m an Actor

I’ve been acting like a writer lately at work, interviewing people and writing their stories.  I guess the reason I’m doing it is because it’s kind of fun for me, even though I’m a total amatuer (although I have been told by some writers that I’m not bad, which is probably why I keep doing it.)

I Have Good Friends

Last week I was talking to a friend of mine who is a writer and I was telling her how I was kind of dabling in her business.  Since she is very nice and friendly, she gave me some good advice: read copyblogger.com.

It’s kind of funny because it’s one of those things that have been right under my nose for a long time and I never saw it.  It is one of Seth Godin’s recommended blogs, so why didn’t I think it was worthwhile?

Love at First Read

So when I went to copyblogger.com I quickly scanned the blog post titles and immediately fell in love.  Then I started looking at the most popular posts and said, “where have you been all my life?”  I guess I must really be a wannabe writer if the stuff they talk about on copyblogger gets me so jazzed. (Of course those who know me know that I get jazzed about a lot of things pretty easily.) (Which you might be able to tell from my posts.) (But never mind that, this time it’s for real.)

Here is the Best Advice Ever

So here’s one of the most popular posts on copyblogger:  10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer

Which is why I got motivated again and immediately wrote this post.

No, Actually it’s This One

But then I read this one: The Two Most Important Words in Blogging

And totally blew it in this post.  Do you think it was because I didn’t want to or just habit?  There, now I can say I used them.

Then Again, Maybe…

I do love writing when I produce something good.  But I am pretty slow. It takes me a long time to craft a sentence sometimes.  Then later, I remember how hard it was and how long it took, so I wimp out and don’t do it again.

Which is why this post grabbed my attention and gave me some good stuff: How to Write an Article in 20 Minutes.

Advice is Cheap… and Powerful

I could keep going, but you get the point.  A friend gave me a little advice, read copyblogger, and that turned out to be the best writing advice ever.

Categories
Books Thoughts

Peaks and Valleys

How can a person be completely devoted to a cause, committed to writing in his blog every day for instance, and then, in an instant, turn from his devotion to other interests?

Well, I don’t know for sure, but I’ve seen it done by other people in different areas of life and always wondered, “How can they do that?”  Now I know, or at least have a taste of what happens when a person turns from one thing to another, because I’ve experienced it myself. 

But I’ve experienced it many times, as probably you have too.  Whenever someone starts a diet and then doesn’t stick with it, or whenever a new workout routine is started and not continued.  People are constantly changing things about their life.

Instead of looking at these ups and downs of change during life as failures, I’ve learned to see them differently and take on a new perspective: they are all part of the normal terrain of life containing both peaks and valleys. 

Of course I gained this new perspective from a book (which is why I like books so much) with the same name: “Peaks and Valleys” by Spencer Johnson.  He was the author who wrote “Who Moved My Cheese?” which was very popular a few years ago and so has been read or heard of by almost everyone.  His latest book has a similar style, it is a short parable that teaches deep principles about life.  Another highly recommended book, because it is so quick and easy to read, yet it contains deep messages if you are looking for them.

For example, here are some of the main messages:

Peaks Are Moments When You Appreciate What You Have.

Valleys Are Moments When You Long For What Is Missing.

Peaks and valleys are not just the good and bad times that happpen to you, but they are also how you feel inside and respond to outside events.

The Path Out of The Valley Appears When You Choose To See Things Differently.

And since I’ve read the book, I am starting to see things differently.  So I must be on my way up to a peak.

Hope to see you there!