Quote of the Week

An idealist believes that the short run doesn't count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter. A realist believes that what is done or undone in the short run determines the long run.

What to do when we don't know what to do!

In 1 Samuel 14:1-4 there is an interesting story concerning Israel's challenge of being overwhelmingly out numbered by the Philistines.  I see it as a powerful example of what to do when we don't know what to do.  Here are some quick, but powerful truths that can be extracted from this passage.

1.  God can't steer a parked car.
2.  Act on the last order's you received (possess the land)
3.  It might not add up...but it lines up! (only two swords...yeah...but we have a sharp sword)
4.  Trust him when you can’t trace Him and He will fill in the lines (God will show as we move out....)
5.  Learn how to crawl before you walk.  (Learn to get on your hands and knees as God directs you)

Just some simple thoughts...for some of you preachers....some fodder! 

Quote of the week

"Vision without execution is hallucination!"
Thomas Edison

6 Altitudes of Life

As I have lived life (as if I'm an expert...LOL...4 kids and a minivan later) there are times that I feel like I'm thriving and walking in my destiny...and there are times when I feel like I'm surviving.  The difference is not the circumstances of life alone.  I have thought hard about this and have come to realize it has a lot more to do with attitude than anything else.

Back in College I read one of John Maxwell's first books, "The Winning Attitude" where John mentions that our Attitude determines our Altitude.  Thinking about that I want to give you what I think are the 6 Altitudes of Life...

6 Altitudes of Life

• 50,000+ feet: Life
• 40,000+ feet: three to five year vision
• 30,000+ feet: one to two year goals
• 20,000+ feet: areas of responsibility
• 10,000+ feet: current projects
• Runway: current actions  

As we approach life we must understand that we can't just live on the runway of life.  Just managing to survive the current "rat race".  (If we win in the rat race of life...does that make us a rat?)  We need to find times to climb "out of the rat race" to the summit and look around to make sure our runway is facing in the right direction for our life goals.  If we have the runway facing the right direction...we need to "see" our current projects as a means to fulfilling our responsibilities.  This should help us fulfill our one and two year goals and feed our three to five year vision!  It's all about the altitude and attitude of what we are currently doing!


Just a thought!

Quote of the week

An idealist believes that the short run doesn't count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter. A realist believes that what is done or undone in the short run determines the long run.

Quotes of the Week

"You won't see how to do it until you see yourself doing it!"

"You often need to make it up in your mind before you can make it happen in you life."

"I have always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific."

Fascination!

-----------------------------------  Favorite Quotes  -----------------------------------

"An idea is only as valuable as its ability to solve a problem."

"Ideas are precious, yes...but  not in and of themselves.  They don't live in a vacuum.  They become precious only when they successfully answer a specific need:  otherwise they're just scribbles."

"A competitive environment demands a more captivating message." 

"A fascinating message, like a fascinating person, steps outside the norms."

-----------------------------------  Book Summary  -----------------------------------

FASCINATE is a compelling journey into method and madness of persuasion. The concept is that whether you are pitching a new client, inviting a friend to lunch, luring a cranky toddler to sleep, or marketing a product, you are using triggers to elicit a certain response. Sally has narrowed these down to 7 (power, trust, mystique, prestige, vice, alarm and lust) and the book demonstrates and explains how dialing these triggers up and down can help you more effectively influence your relationships.


The book is divided into three parts. The first part uses lots of dare I say it ... fascinating examples ... of how fascination factors into key world events and even human development. It's a page-turner. The second part of the book reads more like your typical marketing book and won't be all that revolutionary to seasoned advertisers. But it does frame up basic motivators in a memorable way. The key take away from this section is that we are part of a fascination economy where companies and individuals that are fascinating or can make someone else feel fascinating as a result of their relationship with them will win. That's a concise bit of advice that can serve marketers, sales people, and anyone trying to persuade very well.


The third part of the book is probably my favorite. My number one pet peeve about business books is that they always promise to tell you how to be more successful but they never actually give you a formula for doing it. Sally gives her readers a clear plan for becoming more fascinating. I've already cracked the book open once this week when a concept we were planning to pitch to a client was falling just a little bit flat. I have a feeling I'll be doing that again and again.