by Kirby Hasseman
We all have routines. We all have habits. Good or bad, we all have habits that are wired into our brain. These habits kick in when we do something over and over and it shuts off our brain…and takes us down a familiar path. The subconscious brain essentially “takes over” and frees up our conscious brain for other work. Think of that time you were driving home from work and consciously “woke up” and realized you did not really remember driving the last stretch of land. It’s happened to me…and it’s a bit freaky. There is good news and bad news about habits. When managed, they can free you up. They can help release your conscious brain to work on harder and more important problems. There is a very real thing called “decision fatigue.” At the end of a stressful day, your brain is tired. So you are more likely to make poor decisions. Smart habits and routines can free you up from silly decisions that will (eventually) wear you out. The bad news is simple. When you don’t manage your habits, they can quickly manage you. We hear a familiar phrase. We sit in our spot. We go to a place…and our subconscious brain just takes over and we are on auto-pilot. We start to act in a familiar way and we don’t really even know we are doing it. Part of breaking the habit of smoking is not just the addiction to nicotine. It’s the habit of what you do when you wake up, after you eat, etc. Charles Duhigg talks about it extensively here in the Power of Habit. The lesson is simple (but not easy). Create routines in your life that help you create positive habits. That way you start to do the things you KNOW you need to do, but you don’t need willpower or thought to do it. That is how you create long term (and positive) change that will move you toward your goals. Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP newsletter here. We know you are busy! So once a week, we send you a list of all of the content we create directly to your email. Easy. And it’s a habit you will be glad you started. Sign up here.
by Kirby Hasseman
I was making “sales calls” with Robbie Kehl from Hasseman Brewing yesterday. I use the quotation marks, because these were less about sales and more about checking in. We were popping in to places that are already offering our beer, just to see how it’s going. Obviously, if they are out of beer (or if they want other kinds) we can sell more. But these are hardly the kind of cold calls that we all know and love! As we walked into a place that just recently got our offerings, I got “the vibe” from the owner. It’s the feeling most of us in sales know. It’s the one that says “Oh…these guys again? Weren’t they just here? What do they want?” If you are in sales…you know the feeling. So I took a moment to flip the script. After a few seconds of chit chat, I told him I was here to help him. (Scary words from a salesperson, right?). I told him I wanted to take . his picture (holding our beer of course) and promote his establishment through our social media presence. We wanted to use our influence to send business to him. As you might expect, the tone of the conversation changed. We walked out of the establishment (without asking to sell anything by the way), having created value for a customer. We decided to Give First. I have talked about this concept in detail here. But this is a very real world example of how this can work. And the reality is, you can do this in your business too. The rule is…Sometimes you need to go to your customer when you are NOT asking for money. It’s not about making a sale today. It’s about creating a relationship. This is a tactic and philosophy that creates “20 year customers.” And that, my friends, is how 20 year companies are built. How can we give to you today? Make sure you never miss an update. Sign up for our VIP newsletter today here. We send out a weekly email where you can catch up on all the content we create each week!
by Kirby Hasseman
The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast is back! Our goal here is to attack 2018 with a vengeance! The Delivering Marketing Joy Podcast will provide some inspiration, motivation and education to make it happen! Consider this your 10 minute “kick in the pants” to get your week started off right! This week on the podcast we look at something that is holding a lot of people back…perfection. Today we talk about the idea that “done is better than perfect.” What do I mean? Listen in now! As you may have noticed, I referenced a few books here for you. Here are some links to check those out! Scrum by Jeff Sutherland Lean Startup by Eric Riess Finish by Jon Acuff These are all some great resources to get you to move away from worrying about perfection…but getting to done. Thanks for listening! Make sure you never miss an update by signing up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
“Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.” Al Capone I am a believer in the power of positivity. I always have been. It’s not just some “pie in the sky” ideology (though that is probably how it started), it’s science. As we get to understand the human brain, studies are showing us that our minds function better when we are happy and not full of stress. So it’s not that I just want to think about rainbows and unicorns. Science tells us that we can do more when are brains are happy. But positivity is not easy. It can be hard work. Positivity takes strength. But if you put in the work…it’s worth it. Positivity Takes Intention: Most of what we see in the world is negative. As a matter of fact, studies tell us nearly 90% of what we see in the world and in the media is negative! It’s not that people are bad…it’s science. For thousands of years, our brains have been trained to do it to keep us alive. It’s biological. But that constant need to find “the bad” is not serving us well today. There are not tigers around every corner. Now we need to train our brains to look for the positive. We need to seek it out. The good news is, once we start to actively look for the good, it will show up more often. It’s like when you buy a red toyota and then it seems you see them everywhere. You have told the subconscious mind that they are important. So it starts to point them out. That’s what happens with good things. When you start to look for them, you see them everywhere. Positivity Takes Strength: Because most of what you see is negative (and the same is true for everyone) it takes strength to be the one that points it out. We have, what feels like, the whole world working against it. From the 11 o’clock news (seriously why does anyone watch that anymore?) having story after story of fires and shootings, to your social media filled with complaining, you will feel like you are swimming upstream. You have to choose, every day, to look for the good. It’s hard work. And the reality is, there will be resistance. There will be the people, that when you post something good that you see, will argue with you. They will push back. They will rain on your parade. It takes strength and perseverance to keep spreading the positive message when it seems that no one wants to hear it. Positivity Takes Teamwork: And that’s why it takes teamwork. When you decide to be more positive in your life, you might feel alone. It might feel like everyone is working against you. I get it. But there are others who want the same thing. Connect with them. Build them up and let them do the same for you. We have this in Coshocton County right now. We have a great core of people working to move the community in a good direction. But with any progress, there is pain. And when that pain comes, there will be a group of people that want to tear that progress down. It’s frustrating…but it’s natural. That’s why the teamwork is so important. When you are creating a positive future, you are not alone. It might feel like it…but you are not. That’s why it takes strength, not weakness, to be kind. Keep up the good fight my friends. No matter where you are, pushing out positive is hard. It takes strength and perseverance. But it’s worth it. Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up for the Hasseman Marketing VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Whenever I find myself stressed and overwhelmed, worried and afraid, the chances are I am not “living in the IS.”
I was reminded of this today when I woke up before the alarm with my head filled with the huge projects on my “to do” list. I need to live in the “is.” Let me explain.
Living in the WAS
Have you ever heard a person that is constantly bemoaning the fact that things are changing? They constantly tell you how good things “used to be.” They can only see the bad in what is coming…and never the progress. These people are living in the WAS. This glorification of the past makes me sad for these folks. As Billy Joel said “The good old days weren’t always good, and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.” Living in the WAS will create frustration and anger. It also fills your heart with regret. As much as you want to, you can’t turn back time. So stop trying.
Living in the WILL BE
The other source of stress comes from living in the “WILL BE.” As you know, I am a big believer in goals. As Jeff Haden says, when it comes to goals you need to “set it and forget it.” Many of us are constantly worried about what our clients will say, what our friends will think, what society will do. But all of those worries are complete fabrications! You (and I) are debilitated by stress and worry about an event that has not (and might not ever) happened.
Living in the IS
Living in the IS reminds you to be centered and present in this present moment. You only get this moment (and this life) once. What are you doing with it…right now? Are you working on projects that matter to you? What are you doing to create memories? Are you being intentional? In addition, living in the IS gives you perspective and happiness. It is the only “real world” we have. The past is a memory. The future is a fabrication. Living in the IS gives you a chance to “be here.” Right now. Take a deep breath. Live in the IS.
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