by Kirby Hasseman
It seems everywhere I look I am reminded of the classic business and personal development book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This amazing book, written by the late Stephen Covey, changed my life and millions of others as well. The simple but profound lessons are ones that each of us can and should be reminded of every day. It seems voting day is no different. So here are 7 Habits, for your consideration, as you head out to vote today.
- Be Pro-Active: This is the “if it’s to be it’s up to me” chapter in the book. So many people wait for life to happen to them. Covey encourages us to make these things happen ourselves. My favorite concept is focusing on your “Circle of Influence.” This allows you to spend your mental energy on this you have control over…and not what you don’t. So how does this apply to the election? Get educated on each race and each issue. Don’t spend time spreading hate. Learn and be ready to cast your ballot in a way that makes sense to you.
- Begin with the End in Mind: When you start each journey, it’s important to understand where you want to go. It’s not JUST about goal setting, though that’s a part of it. It’s about envisioning the life you want to lead and the person you want to be. So…what kind of leader do you want to have in your community? What kind of programs are important to your city? What do you want your area to look like? Begin with that in mind.
- Put First Things First: Now that you have created the first two, put the most important things at the top of the list. We all know this can be tough as “life gets in the way.” But the most effective people make the most important things the focus. What is most important to you? Honestly ask yourself why.
- Think Win/Win: No matter how smart or how charismatic our leaders are, they need to work with others in order to succeed. The same is more true, in my experience, with government. When selecting your leaders, what is their track record for collaboration? Are they willing to think Win/Win?
- Seek First to Understand/Then To Be Understood: I smile at this because, in this election cycle, we have not seen a lot of Habit 5…right? But the fact is, this is a hard one for strong leaders. I struggle with this one. But the best leaders are able to really deeply listen. Are we voting for and promoting people who do that? Are we, as voters, really willing to listen?
- Synergize: Habit 6 is all about putting collaboration together. From my perspective, this is about understanding that many different people with different priorities are going to get elected to different offices. Hopefully they will be able to work together in office to better each and every community. But as a voter, are you willing to be led by them? Are you willing to work with the other party (what ever that is)?
- Sharpen the Saw: The final habit is one about renewal. It’s about reminding yourself about the first 6 habits on a regular basis. In personal development we understand that the best of us are constantly working to get better. Again…how does this apply? During the craziness of the election we seem to draw very firm lines in the sand about our beliefs. That’s great. But are you willing to take those beliefs out and examine them? Most of us are very comfortable judging others…but are you willing to re-evaluate yourself?
No matter how you vote today (and I hope you notice I didn’t tell you how to), keep these 7 Habits in Mind as you go to the polls. Despite your frustrations or your politics, we are taking part in a grand tradition. Let’s give it the thought and respect it deserves.
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by Kirby Hasseman
In a rare date night, my wife and I went to the movies to see “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The new movie, about the band Queen, was entertaining and eye opening. Lead singer, Freddie Mercury, was played extremely well by Rami Malek. And it was super cool to get the backstory around some of their iconic songs and how they all came together. I am no movie critic, but I thought it was worth watching…especially if you are a music lover. The next day, I was struck by a few things about the movie that stuck with me. Here are 3 things that Bohemian Rhapsody reminded me. Being Authentic Is Hard: When most of us think of Freddie Mercury today, we visualize the larger than life performer on stage. Though that was a part of him, it was certainly not all of him. The movie showed Freddie struggle with his family (he changed his name), his faith, his sexuality and his own loneliness. Though we see him now as a trailblazer (and he was), it was far from easy. But the world is different because he was (and Queen was) authentic. Creative Discord Is Good: The movie showcases the creative process of the band well. There are moments of fun and inspiration. But there are also moments of yelling. At one points, when Freddie works on a project on his own, he finds he misses the process. He points out to the group that when everyone just “did what he said,” the music wasn’t has good. Sometimes we try to get rid of that discord…and we shouldn’t. Fortune Favors The Bold: Queen was amazingly talented and unconventional. They were known for pushing boundaries in every way…and their music shows it. They refused to be put “in a box” as a musical style. So they experimented with different styles of music and ways to record it. They refused to go with convention. By charting their own path, Queen created a compilation of music like no other. Go watch the movie. Or don’t. But today will be filled with some of Queen’s greatest hits playing in the office. Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP Newsletter here!
by Kirby Hasseman
We live in an amazing time. Regardless of what dream you want to chase, you have access to unlimited information about the topic. You can find articles, podcasts and videos explaining just about any topic under the sun. You just need to “google it.” *Want to fix the plumbing on your sink? You can find a great video on youtube. *Want to be a better parent? The internet is filled with articles and blogs on the topic. *Need to get in better shape? Find an event to train for, and the training plan, right online. In addition, the internet has broken down walls allowing just about anyone to into spaces that were, in the past, blocked off. If you want to create a video series, start a podcast or even write a book, you don’t need anyone else’s permission. You just need to have the courage and moxy to DO it. Like I said, we live in an amazing time. So what are you doing with it? Are you scouring the web for articles, videos, and podcasts about the topic you are passionate about? Are you looking for events to attend that will help you grow and understand more on your topic? Do you work to find books to help you grow? If not, you have to ask yourself, what’s holding you back? It’s not the technology. The barriers to entry and information have been taken down. You can find the information, the people, and the software you need. But are you willing to invest? Are you willing to invest the time to learn? Are you will to spend the time to grow? 5 years from now you will be same person you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read. What are you doing today to be a better you tomorrow? Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter today. It’s a little investment and it costs nothing. We put together our posts in one email each week. Sign up here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Several years ago at the PPAI Expo in Las Vegas, Seth Godin was the keynote speaker. He was thoughtful and terrific. In addition, after the keynote, Seth was gracious enough to do a question and answer session with a smaller group and I got to be a part of it. During that smaller session, Dale Denham from Geiger asked him about his legendary blog that he famously writes for every day. Point blank Dale asked him, “How do you write every day?” Without missing a beat, Seth said, “How do you talk everyday?” We all laughed, but the point was made. You can do nearly anything every single day…if you really want to do it. I thought of that exchange when I started writing this blog. On May 31st I wrote the first one and thought, “I am going to write one every day for a month.” It wasn’t easy. But that first month went fast. So did the second month. The effort was not that bad…and the results were fun to track. But recently it’s become tougher. My schedule has filled up. The season is busier. We are lower on staff. We have a huge new project (to be announced here soon). These are most often the times (for me) when I ask “Is it worth it? Does anyone really care?” Enter another lesson from Seth. I read his blog regularly. And this week, this one hit me. This post, about daily blogging, talks about the habit and the value in it. He says that most people that start the habit of daily blogging are happy they did it…if they stick with it. What does this mean to you? I think it means that if you have something you want to do, you can. Whether it’s a fitness goal, a sales goal, a goal to meditate or blog…you can do it. It just takes the discipline to block out the voices that tell you that you can’t…and to keep hitting “publish.” P.S. I am really excited that next Wednesday Seth Godin will be a guest on Delivering Marketing Joy! He will be talking about many topics, including his new book! Please check it out and help me spread the word! Make sure you never miss a daily update. Sign up here to become our VIP!
by Kirby Hasseman
When you are beginning a new project (in any phase of your life), you need to learn a lot. There is likely new terminology, procedures, new relationships, and more. You will also need to plan. What are the next steps? What might they look like? How many steps will there be? Are there books I should read or videos I should watch? It can be overwhelming.
The problem with many projects in life is they get “stuck” in the learning phase. We go from being totally excited about the opportunity, to being frozen. We don’t know what we don’t know. And as we learn more about the project, we can become paralyzed with the fear that we don’t know enough.
At some point you need to take action.
In my experience, most endeavors don’t fail because the participants don’t know enough. They fail because those involved don’t take enough action.
Here’s a harsh secret: most of your goals will take more activity than you anticipate. If you think it will take two weeks, it will likely take 3 or 4. It’s hard to estimate when you don’t know. So the sooner you start the better. And, if you take the wrong action, you will learn quickly! Then, with that new knowledge, you can take new action to move the project in the right direction.
That’s right. You will actually learn more (in many cases) by taking action.
What often holds us back is plain old fear. It’s natural. No one wants to look stupid or to fail. So here is my rule of thumb. If I find myself feeling fear, it’s a hint to me that I am on the right track. Your brain is trying to keep you comfortable. And as we have discussed before, your goal is usually just on the other side of comfort.
So if you are stuck on a new project because you feel you are not ready, it might be time to lean into the fear.
Take the next right step. Then navigate the next step from there.
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