Archive for Leadership
Tribute to Jim Rohn
Posted by: | CommentsThis past Saturday, on December 5th, Jim Rohn passed away. If you are not familiar with his work, Jim was truly one of the elder statesmen of the Personal Development industry. He was raised a poor farm-boy from Idaho, but by the time of his passing, he had impacted millions of people around the globe.
It was about 7 years ago that I was re-introduced to the Network Marketing industry. My sponsor said, “If you’re going to be serious about this industry, you’re going to have to listen to Jim Rohn.” He gave me a recording of Jim talking about his philosophies of life, one of them being “The Lessons of the Seasons.” So, I listened…and listened…and listened…and listened.
Mr. Rohn had an amazing ability to take many of the complexities of life, and make them seem simple. I have since purchased many boxed sets Read More→
How Fast Can You Go?
Posted by: | CommentsRecently, I was invited by Jay Koch to be a guest on his Whispered By Horses Radio Show. Jay also has a wonderful newsletter called “The Best Horse Sense.”
JaY has an incredible way of teaching about life and business, using the lessons learned from his years of horsemanship. In addition to his newsletter, Jay interviews some very successful individuals from all walks of life, and uses those interviews to give his listeners even more insights into making their lives more successful.
Jay and Hoss
It was an incredible honor to be interviewed by Jay, and the 15 minute format went by very fast. Our theme was “How Fast Can You Go?” In that interview we discuss how to find that sweet-spot in running your business. You can listen to the recording HERE.
In addition, Jay’s guests also come back for a Live One-hour Question & Answer session where anything goes. As I write this post, that event is TONIGHT! I am excited to share some ideas, and look forward to interacting with Jay’s listeners. The demographics of his listeners are terrific….many successful people from all walks of life, almost always asking some very compelling questions.
Tune in tonight, September 15. 2009 at 8:00 pm EDT / 7:00 pm CDT / 6:00 pm MDT / 5:00 PDT for the live call-in show. Jay will be moderating, and will be happy to let you ask questions.
See you on the show!!!
Shecky
PS Here’s a replay of the Original 15-minute Interview.
Ten Cannots Quote by William J. H. Boetcker
Posted by: | CommentsA good friend forwarded this to me today. Given the state of our present world economy, and the attempts to repair it, I found this to be very compelling, and wanted to share it with my readers.
Although this quote is sometimes wrongly attributed to Abraham Lincoln, it actually came from a pamphlet entitled “The Ten Cannots” which was first published in 1916 by William J. H. Boetcker (1873-1962). It was written 92 years ago, but its wisdom is more relevant than ever. As you read through it, I urge you to think about your own personal economy and values, not just the obvious world political scene…
1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
3. You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
4. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
5. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
6. You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
7. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
8. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
9. You cannot build character and courage by destroying men’s initiative and independence.
10. And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.
What do you think?
Shecky
Social Media Leadership Lesson #28 – PATIENCE
Posted by: | CommentsLately there has been a huge increase in the number of people using Social Media. As such, many leaders are now being barraged with comments and questions from their legions of followers. Here’s a quick lesson in how to handle this situation correctly….
Shecky
Lessons From My Favorite Olympians
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While viewing the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, I was able to watch Michael Phelps swim one of the races that led him to be the most decorated Olympian of all time. I mean, it’s pretty amazing….the guy has more Gold Medals than ANYONE. Oh sure, you can say he’s double jointed, “born to swim,” and all those other cliché’s, but to me, he’s an inspiration.
I can appreciate how amazing the guy is, but I just wanted to share HOW amazing he is in comparison to me. Now, keep in mind, I’ve been swimming for about 5 years now. I swim every weekday with a coach and a workout team….all year round. I’ve been able to increase my speed and endurance, and most of all, increase my level of fitness tremendously.
So, let’s go “inside the numbers,” shall we?
* Michael Phelps was able to swim a 200 meter freestyle in 1:42…My fastest 100 meter freestyle (half that distance) is 1:28. That means that Michael Phelps is almost TWICE as fast as I am.
* Michael Phelps eats a 10,000 calorie breakfast consisting of eggs, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, juice, milk, toast, fruit, and anything else he feels like. My morning routine starts with a big glass of water, a banana, and my vitamins…a whopping 105 calories.
* I swim a LOT. Most of our workouts are at least 2,000 meters. At 5 times per week, that means I’m putting in at least 10,000 meters per week. By contrast, Michael Phelps swims 50,000 – 70,000 meters per week!
Clearly Michael and I have lot in common! Hehehee! Well, if you think about it we really do. You see, a few years ago, I decided that I was going to increase my fitness level. I needed to find something that I could do every day that I could STICK WITH. Swimming was it for me.
It was rough in the beginning. I could barely get across the pool without vomiting. But, the coach worked with me, and I continued to improve. The hardest part was getting my ass out of bed to get to practice. But, I started realizing that old adage is true: “Just showing up is half the battle.” So, I go EVERY weekday….without fail. It’s become part of me. I’ve improved tremendously.
On occasion, another Olympian, Josh Davis comes to work out with us. He’s a super nice guy…very laid back, but a shark in the pool. There has been a couple of times that I actually shared a lane with him. Talk about intimidating! Well, let me tell you….aside from the intimidation, it’s also INSPIRING. It brings me up to a whole new level, just knowing that I’m swimming with someone of that caliber.
So, why am I telling you this?
Well, it’s pretty simple. If you want to get better at anything….your business, your relationships, your fitness, just remember to SHOW UP EVERY DAY. And if you want to be inspired to greatness, remember to employ the POWER OF ASSOCIATION. When you hang out with the fast swimmers, you get faster. When you hang out with people that are building huge businesses, you learn how to make yours grow too.
These simple lessons have gotten me far in life. My “little fledgling business” is now an international empire….just from showing up….EVERY DAY. I have been mentored by some really amazing people, by making it a point to get to know them. The friendships that have been formed are invaluable to me.
I want the same for you….
Are you showing up every day? Are you hanging out with the Olympians?
Catch ‘ya in the water!
All the best,
Shecky
Are You Incubating?
Posted by: | CommentsA lesson in personal growth and leadership, from high atop a mountain overlooking Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, CA…
Jonathan Budd’s Crazy Twitter Contest is a Joke!
Posted by: | CommentsThis morning, I received an email from Jonathan Budd. I follow the guy because I think he’s a great marketer, and I learn a lot from him. In the email, there was a link to a YouTube video announcing a contest that he was holding for his followers. The video went on to state that he will be paying out money to the person who gets the most clicks back to the same video.
Now, I know Jonathan. We met last year at a party thrown by Mike Dillard for some high-level marketers. I think he’s a great guy, and normally brings a lot of value to the community. But, I’m scratching my head on this one….
Jonathan my friend, where’s the VALUE? If the contest merely is to see who can get the most clicks back to the original video, then it’s really just an endless loop of nothingness! Now, there are thousands of your followers, putting out thousands of messages on Twitter and Facebook directing people to a video which does nothing to brand themselves….it only promotes YOU. It’s even a reach to condsider this “entertaining,” one of the THE 4 E’s of Social Media. Hardly, a value proposition.
Sorry, Jonathan. I’m sitting this one out. I don’t need the cash that badly. I’m going to focus on providing value to the community. Knowing you, I’m certain you’ll be right back at the value game tomorrow. I’m hoping this is only a temporary lapse in your judgement, as I know you to be one of the great leaders of our industry.
Best,
Shecky
Lessons from a Part Time Marketer
Posted by: | CommentsI had the chance to interview Hector “the Collector” Espino. He’s a bright young up-and-coming marketer. He shares a lot of wisdom in the brief few minutes we spent together….
The Great Divide
Posted by: | CommentsI don’t know about you, but I’m sick of hearing about our recession, or what some are even calling our depression. How many times have you heard these two words lately? …THE ECONOMY. Yeah, I thought so.
It is clear that a Great Divide is taking place in our country, and it is spreading around the world. There are two different types of people…
1. The people who cling to their old values in a world that is changing very quickly, and…
2. The people who embrace change, learn new skills, and continue to challenge themselves.
Sadly, the great majority of people fall into the first category. Although I offer no scientific proof, it is clear to me that this represents at least 90% of the general population. These people wring their hands, watch the news, and just accept the negativity that is being fed to them. Some of these people get laid off, lose their homes, or get behind on their bills. Others simply stick to the status quo of their miserable lives as they don’t want to rock their boat in the storm.
Clearly, the ones who embrace change will lead very satisfying lives. This downturn in our economy does open some opportunities, but only for those who can see it, and who do not listen to the constant drone of the media.
In my case, I saw that my Network Marketing business was not growing as it should. I did not put it aside, but I got involved in real estate investing as a means to hedge my bet. That was productive, but it did not give me the consistent returns that I was looking for.
So, I decided to learn how to market on the internet. I bought courses, met the gurus (personally) and networked a lot. I became a serious student, and spent months studying, and applying what I had learned.
I eventually ended up in a top-tier Direct Sales opportunity that teaches people how to become serious entrepreneurs. We teach marketing on the internet, how to change mindset, and how to completely change one’s financial picture with proper education. Of course, this is what a lot of people are looking for, and business could not be better. However, I’m certain this would not have happened had I not been open to embracing change, and to look for the silver lining within the clouds. The best part is, I am attracting like- minded individuals, so I rarely even associate with all of the naysayers anymore.
So, let me ask you…
Take a good look at your life. What camp are you falling into? Please note that you cannot be partially in one camp or another. You are either embracing change or you are not. You are either moving forward, or you are not. This old Baby Boomer has learned a lot of new skills over the last couple of years. Are you learning new skills? Are you challenging yourself? Are you taking on projects that allow you to make your own economy?
I hope so. I’m rooting for you!
To your massive success,
Shecky
Inaugurate Yourself!
Posted by: | CommentsI watched the Inauguration of President Barack Obama today. Whether you agree with his politics or not, the event was very impressive. The historic significance of bringing in the first African American President is not something to take lightly. It is the dawn of a new Era, both for American politics, and the world.
What was impressive to me was that his speech was not your typical pie-in-the-sky rhetoric that most politicians seem to be so good at. Instead he was realistic about the challenges that lay ahead, and that we would have to rely on our WORK ETHIC to move forward in a positive fashion. This (thankfully) is moving away from the entitlement mentality that has been so prevalent lately.
So, I have a question for you….
Have you inaugurated yourself? What I mean is, are you treating yourself as the CEO of your home-based business? Or do you just have a social networking hobby? A Chief Executive Officer of any organization will ask themselves some important questions…
1. How am I BEING?
2. Am I spending my time wisely….am I delegating or outsourcing as needed?
3. Am I working on things that make my business move FORWARD?
4. Am I focused on “MMA’s” (money making activities)?
What would your schedule look like if you were making $20-30K per MONTH? That is how you need to be behaving RIGHT NOW. Remember the BE, DO, HAVE model? It is important to do these things IN ORDER…
BE…the person you want to become.
Do…the things that bring success.
HAVE…all of your dreams come true!
I want to leave you with a quote from President Obama’s speech today. It sums up the message I am trying to convey…
“…We understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of the short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the pathe for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.”
All the best,
Shecky
PS You can view a video interpretation of this message at…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GGImG7d0B0
