by Kirby Hasseman
One of the most impactful books I have read over the past few years is Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*&%.” If you can get over the language, you will find that it’s a surprisingly zen look at life’s trials and how to overcome challenges. (On a side note, if you are offended by language like this, you should OBVIOUSLY not read this book).
Like many books in the personal development space, there are plenty of great takeaways in The Subtle Art. But there was one that really resonated with me. It started with a simple question. “What are you willing to suffer through?”
The idea that holds many of us back is that people who are successful just don’t struggle the way most of us do. Life just comes easy to them. They are “natural” runners, or chefs, or writers, or entrepreneurs, etc. Nothing is hard to them. That is, of course, a load of crap.
Manson points out that, in any journey, there are going to be tough times, low points and times you want to scream. Things will absolutely NOT go as planned. The difference between people that succeed in life is often simple. They are willing to keep going anyway. They are not loving every minute of it. It’s not joyful (at least not in that moment). But (and this is huge) they are willing to deal with that short term pain and frustration to reach the goal at hand.
They are willing to suffer through it.
It reminds me of when I was training for a marathon. Though I “enjoy” running, it’s not joyful at every moment. There were plenty of times I did not enjoy every moment. And let’s face it, almost no one enjoys going out for an 18 mile training run. But I was willing to suffer through it so that I could run a marathon.
The same is true for most of the big goals in your life. They will not be easy. You just have to decide what you are willing to “suffer through” to get there.
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by Kirby Hasseman
For over 3 years, Bill Petrie and I have been sharing our opinions on the marketing, branding and promotional products world on the unScripted podcast. Every Friday, Bill and I connect through the magic of technology, and discuss trending topics in our world. We call it unScripted, quite simply, because neither of us knows what the other is going to bring up so you get an honest, unedited view of our opinions and takes on industry topics.
I am proud of the podcast for several reasons. We have been recognized with awards (humble brag). We have received kind words from our peers. And hey, it’s been fun! But the journey has taught me quite a bit as well. So, if you are interested in starting a podcast or any other kind of content, here are some lessons I have learned from doing the unScripted podcast with Bill Petrie.
Consistency is King
One of the things I am probably most proud of is that we push play each week. As I write this, it will be week 162 of the unScripted podcast. That means we have put out a podcast for 162 weeks in a row. It’s a commitment. But it’s that consistency that has not only built an audience but has helped Bill and I grow. We got better at podcasting. We got better at choosing topics. It’s just like exercise. It’s about stretching and working those muscles that make you stronger.
Have Someone Who Pushes You
I am a believer in consistency. But we would have never made it through this many episodes without Bill driving me. It’s so powerful to have someone who helps to keep you on track. Bill has been an incredible teacher, coach and friend through this and I appreciate it. If you want to try something big, and crazy and hard (and you should), it’s great to have someone who pushes you and lifts you up. Thanks Bill.
Be Authentic and Transparent
I almost did not add this one because it’s almost cliche at this point. But if you want to create something long term, it’s nearly impossible to be someone you are not. Sooner or later, your real opinions will come through anyway! So be willing to put yourself out there.
Have the Courage of your Convictions
Some of the most interesting discussions we have had on the podcast (and then after) have been when Bill or I said something that upset people. While that is certainly NOT our goal, we do want to create discussion and thought. Whenever this happens, Bill and I both take the time to be introspective about our statements. Do we really think that way? If not, I think both of us are willing to say “Nah…I was wrong.” On the other hand, if we still feel strongly about something, I think that’s important too. Despite the reactive culture we have right now, I think we need to stand up for what we think as well. Trust me when I say, sometimes that is easier said than done.
Lift The Other Person Up
Partnerships of any kind can be hard. With that in mind, remember if you start something like this that “you are in the service industry.” It is really important that neither Bill nor I worry too much about credit. That is easier said than done! We all have healthy egos…and we all want recognition. But if you want a partnership to last remember that it should not matter who gets the credit.
Continue to Try New Things
If you create something that requires consistency, there is the chance you can get in a rut. That’s why it’s so important to be willing to try new things. Be willing to experiment with your format. Be willing to try new things and fail in order to find new things that work. If you don’t…it’s easy to get stale.
Keep Going
And that leads nicely to my final lesson…keep going. If it gets stale, or you get tired, it’s super tempting to think “maybe now is the time to quit.” And while it’s important to keep evaluating (in all things) I would recommend to keep pushing on. Most of the time that is the voice of comfort in your head. It’s easier to quit than to persevere. Most of the time, however, you are glad when you keep moving forward…even if it’s just for one more day.
Those are my lessons from the unScripted podcast. Again, thanks to Bill for helping me keep this train rolling! If you have questions about content marketing, please feel free to reach out to me. And if you want make sure you never miss a piece of content head to our blog page.
by Kirby Hasseman
“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain. And most fools do.” Dale Carnegie
There is a disease that is rampant in our culture right now. It decreases our happiness and our productivity and it affects nearly all of the population (at times). We don’t know how or when it started, but we think it started with a decrease in gratitude. You can see the symptoms everywhere you look. It’s rampant.
It’s the disease of complaining.
Complaining is a destroyer of productivity…and a thief of joy. And here’s the thing, even the most joyful person struggles with this sometimes. We might even think it can be helpful! I hear all of the time, “I just need to vent!” The idea, of course being, if I just get this off my chest I will feel better.
But here’s a secret. It doesn’t help. Let’s dig into the reasons you should (try to) cut complaining out of your life immediately.
Complaining begets Complaining
I think one of the challenges with complaining is we think that it’s harmless. We think that we just get something off our chest and move on. But we don’t actually just move on. You see, complaining is just like anything else we do over and over in our brain. It creates a neural pathway. The more we do it, the more that pathway becomes stronger. So the more we complain, the more it becomes easier for our brain to create that as a habit. And just like any other habit, once we create that behavior, it is really hard to stop! So when you are think you are harmlessly venting, you are actually creating habit to make you a lifelong complainer.
It Actually Does NOT Help
So often, we complain or vent because we feel like if we “get it off our chests” we will feel better and help us move on. Studies are actually starting to show that is not the case. It seems that those that were allowed to complain or scream or punch a punching bag (all things designed to release frustration) actually made study participants MORE aggressive later. So the very thing you think is making you feel better, is likely making you more angry.
You Are Part of the 90%
Studies tell us that approximately 89% of the world around us is negative. We are surrounded by it. It’s the reason we have to be so intentional about being positive. So when you complain you just contribute to the muck.
It Doesn’t Fix the Problem
The problem I have with most complaining is that it is completely devoid of solution. Most people want to bitch and moan about the problems that they see in their company, family or community. But they really don’t want to do anything to make them better. They have no (real) suggestions, and if they do, they don’t want to actually work on them. That, my friends, is the definition of a waste of time.
Takes Us Away From the Present
In the book “Solve For Happy” Mo Gawdat talks about the importance of being in the present moment if you want to experience more joy. Gawdat points out that nearly all negative emotions in our lives are rooted in either the past or the future. We are angry about something that happened yesterday or worried about something that could happen tomorrow (go ahead, think about it). What this does is take us away from our present moment. The most positive and productive people do one thing really well. They live in the “now.”
Look, in the interest of transparency, this is really hard for me too. In many ways, complaining comes very natural to us all. You should not beat yourself up if you catch yourself doing this from time to time. But the important thing here is the phrase “from time to time.” It is really easy to take it from occasionally to always.
We all know that person that is mad if they cannot find something to be pissed off about!
It’s time to shine a light on complaining. It steals your happiness. If you want a simple trick to break the cycle, consider taking a gratitude challenge. When you find yourself “needing to vent,” take a breath and consider something that makes your grateful. It can replace that negative emotion with one that can give you joy.
Regardless of how you do it, it’s time to take action.
Stop. Complaining.
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by Kirby Hasseman
It’s time for the 18th episode of the He Said/She Said Podcast with Hasseman Marketing! This podcast is designed to give an inside look at being married and being entrepreneurs and the projects we are working on and the challenges we are facing! We talk about business, family, community and more. So listen in and let us know what you think!
On this episode we talk about…
Trending Topic
This week Kirby and Amy talk about talk about the idea of discussing politics at work. Is that a taboo topic or a great place to learn from co-workers? They might not agree on this one. Listen in.
Weekly Whirlwind
This week in the Weekly Whirlwind Amy chats about the deconstruction (which is big progress) at the building project. You can see the latest video about that here. Kirby talks about a new book he is working on…and the July hum-drums. Is it because clients are out of the office, or is he just lazy? 🙂
Lesson In Life
This week Kirby and Amy talk about the crippling power of comparing yourself to others. They discuss the prevalence of this in social media…but that it’s not a new phenomenon. How can you overcome it? How can you use comparison to help you? Listen in!
Shout Outs
Each week we want to give a shout out to an organization or an individual doing good work. This week Amy gives a shout out to the volunteers that work so hard from the Coshocton in Bloom organization. Local people work very hard to help to beautify the area and the judges were in town this week. This is a part of the America in Bloom organization. For more information about that…check out their website here. Kirby mentioned the volunteers in West Lafayette that put on the West Lafayette Homecoming. This is a great local festival…so go check it out!
So that’s a wrap! We will be back…and we will continue to improve. Any feedback will be welcome as we try to provide you value! If you want to subscribe you can do that where you normally get podcasts…or you can head here to follow on Soundcloud.
Thanks so much for listening! If you have any topics you want Kirby and Amy to cover, please comment and let us know! Oh…and if you like this content, check out this page where you can find all of the content we create!
by Kirby Hasseman
So far this spring and summer, Coshocton County has been completely overwhelmed by rain. What seemed like a wet spring, led to a night where the local town of West Lafayette reportedly got nearly 7 inches of rain in a few short hours. The already wet ground gave the water no place to go and the devastation was difficult to see. Areas that had never seen standing water in generations, were flooded. Basements were full of water and foundation walls collapsed.
In addition to the devastation in homes around the area, acres of farmland spent time underwater as well. As a matter of fact, some weeks later, some areas are still seeing the affects of this rain. It leaves many people in our area talking about the long term effects of the season to farmers. Many have not had the chance to plant their seeds.
There will be nothing to harvest this year.
I am reminded of this as I look at our summer sales season. For many organizations, July is a tough month for sales. The sales team will talk about the fact that July is the month of vacations. They will say that “no one wants to talk about xyz in July!” And let’s face it, often the sales team wants to take time off then as well! This combination of reasons leads to a continually disappointing summer selling season.
And though those factors certainly play a role, I don’t think they are the real reason that sales lag in the summer. It all comes back to a lack of seeds to harvest. My hypothesis is, for the last few months (for lots of reasons) fewer and fewer seeds were planted. It was probably a little at a time. There was not a giant flood in the sales team. That’s why it was hard to notice. But little by little, fewer calls here made.
That is why there is less to harvest today.
As much as we would love to imagine it, business rarely just falls from the sky. These opportunities are harvested after months and months of work. They come from the seeds that were planted.
The bad news is, you can’t just go in and harvest today if you have not planted the seeds. The good news is, you can get out in the fields and start planting.
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