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.
If you want a next step from here, then sign up for our VIP list! You can do that here. We send out a weekly email to catch you up on all of the content from each week!
by Kirby Hasseman
How you start each day matters. No matter who you are, taking control of your thoughts and emotions during the first waking moments of your day can have a huge impact on your life. It impacts you thoughts and emotions, which ultimately helps to improve your productivity, choices and happiness. It’s huge. That’s why I am constantly looking for good things to put in my head first thing. It’s a part of a very intentional routine (you can listen about that on the DMJ pocast here). Today I want to share a cool video, podcast, etc. that you might enjoy as well.
I am a fan of Ed Mylett. If he sounds familar, I have mentioned him here before. But recently Ed interviewed Dean Graziosi and it fired me up! I highly recommend watching or listening to this interview…but here are a few takeaways that inspired me. You Don’t Have to Have It Figured Out: Dean tells the story here of how he started his infomercial business. He set up the camera crew and was so nervous he had them come back the next day. He didn’t know how to edit the piece and then he didn’t have any idea on how to get it on the air. He didn’t have it figured out. He figured it out on the way. You can too. Pay the Success Tax: What if your struggles were just part of a “tax” you had to pay to show you were willing to put in the work? Dean talks about the idea that these setbacks are a part of every journey and how you can change your mindset about them. Powerful. Create Bigger Problems: This was probably my favorite concept in here. Ed and Dean discuss that most people have small problems. Yet the stress in your life is still there. They assert that the stress in big problems and small problems are the same. If you want bigger success, you need to strive for bigger problems. This was an eye opener for me. These are just 3 takeaways. If you want to be inspired, or start your day off right, I encourage you to spend the time on this piece of content today! Enjoy! One way to fill your brain with good each day is to subscribe to our VIP list! We send out the daily content from this site once a week…then you can catch up when you want! Sign up here!
by Kirby Hasseman
I was meeting with a client the other day and we were discussing year end gifts for some of her VIP customers. She said she wanted to get them “something cool,” and then she added, “really I want to get them something they would love…but they would not buy for themselves.” Yes! That’s perfect. That a the definition of a great gift. It’s something they would love…but not buy for themselves! With that challenge in mind, I thought I would share a few that I think fit the bill! Urban Peak Gift Set: I love this. As a matter of fact, it’s the gift I got our team last year. Why? Because it fits everyone. It’s functional. It’s got wow factor. And with a full color imprint, you have great branding opportunities. This gift includes the Urban Peak cooler (great size) and 3 (count ’em 3) great vacuum drinkware pieces. Get more information here. Mission Pack: This is still my go to backpack. Designed by people who really travel, this one has all the bells and whistles. And, get this, with a minimum of 1 piece, you can personalize this too! Check it out here. Sonosphere Bluetooth Speaker: This is a super cool gift with great sound. The Sonosphere is a beautiful speaker and includes a full color imprint. Again, this is the kind of piece where you can really tell your story or show your appreciation. In addition, this is another piece with a one piece minimum…so you can personalize this like an award. Oh…and I love the packaging of this piece. If you want to make your VIP’s feel special, then this should be on the list! Yes…Beer: As I mentioned in this recent blog, we are doing Private Label Craft Beer. This is truly a one of a kind gift. For more information on it, check this post out. Finally, let’s talk about Brands! North Face Dry Vent Rain Jacket: You may not know this, but we able to get you the best brands in the business as well. This is just one example of a stylish jacket you can find in retail…and you can co-brand with now. This is a great jacket from North Face. And if you are interested in other brands, like Under Armour, Columbia, Coleman, Dri-Duck, and so much more…we have your back. These are all cool gifts that they will be really fired up to get…but they probably won’t go out and by. So they are sure to delight! As always, now is a great time to make sure you never miss an update. Join our VIP list here.
by Kirby Hasseman
In today’s business culture, you hear the word “hustle” a lot. You also hear words like “grind, and 24/7, and 10X.” If you are working toward a goal (and following content to inspire you) you have probably heard these terms to the point of exhaustion. I think they are over-used because so many people want overnight success. As I have said before, we want microwave results…but success is more of a crockpot. As a culture, we often want the rewards of hard work, before we put in the steps. I talk about that a bit here. That being said, “the hustle” can “grind” you down. If you are constantly running toward a goal (and you throw life in there too) you can get worn down. Yes, I would tell you that you have to spend time outside of your comfort zone to be successful. You do. But everyone once in a while it is important to re-charge and re-focus. A good night’s sleep (or even two) can not only change your attitude (and it can), it can also help you think creatively, deal better with stress and give you more energy. All of those are critical if you are chasing a big dream. In his book, Brain Rules, author John Medina explains how sleep affects brain function. In essence, a good night sleep helps your brain work better. He explains in his book that, if you normally get 7-8 hours sleep and you cut that back to 4 hours, the next day your brain function will decrease by up to 40%! If you repeat that a second night, the overall brain function drops by another 40%. That’s a huge impact on your ability to deal with life and stress. Refuel and recharge…then you can get back to the hustle. It’s time to sign up! Become our VIP by signing up here. We send out one email per week detailing all of the content we create. Sign up here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Most of us want to lead a life that leaves an impact. It’s just a matter of asking “an impact for what?” Some of us want to create a strong family bond. Some people are interested in creating wealth. Still others are interested in solving a big problem in our community or the world. Those are all amazing. The challenge with each of these (and many really big goals) is that they are daunting. They are huge. They are hard to see in the short term. It’s genuinely hard to see if you are making progress. That’s the reason I talk here about focusing on the work, not the destination. If you figure out small actions you can take each day, and then you do them, you know you will be on track…long term. But what if you are not sure what the steps are? What if you are not sure what you should do today? Here are a couple of questions to ask to help moving you in the right direction. 1. How can I serve? You can ask this question of yourself. You don’t need permission. Look at the place you want to impact, and ask yourself this. Don’t look for long term impact. Just look for a way to serve…today. 2. What can I do to help? When you look at members of your team or family struggling…don’t be a bystander. Look them in the eye and ask what you can do to lighten their burden. Then, without hesitation, do it. 3. What can I give? Most of us live truly blessed lives. We just have to remind ourselves. As you look around your life, what can you give to the group you intend to impact? Is it money? Is it clothes? Is it time? Figure out what you can give to help them grow. These are just three…and they are simple. There are many more ways to create an impact. But one of the best ways is to start with a heart of servanthood. If you want to be a better wife, team member, parent, leader, etc., then be a better servant. Make sure you never miss an update! Each week we send out one email with all of the content we create in one place. It’s a great way to get your week started off right! Sign up now here!
