The Velvet Rope

You're awesome.

I know it's true. For one, you read this blog which means you're smart. And you read blogs about how to be awesome, so you're willing to learn. That alone puts you ahead of most. So I'm pretty confident in my assessment that you are awesome.

The problem with awesome is that everybody wants a piece of it. You're time is a precious commodity and so you're always being asked for help and expertise. No one said being awesome was easy. But that ok, you love it. You love to help, love to say yes, and love to give.

But here's the thing; time is limited.

You only get 24 awesome hours a day. And you need to sleep at least 8 of those to be at peak awesomeness.

So you have to be picky about who you give access to your time. You need a filter. You need to check credentials. You need a velvet rope.

Think about it. Every awesome club has a bouncer and a velvet rope out side making sure only the most awesome people get in. That's how they stay exclusive and, thus, awesome. Now, high school popularity politics aside, you need the same mentality. You need to start saying no. You need to be selective when it comes to the people and projects you grant access to your awesome talents. You may not go so far as to put a 300lb linebacker outside your office- that was my choice, but mostly because he matched the decor. But the mentality has to be the same. Limit your access, remain exclusive, and make people who want in have some standards. That could mean jacket and no jeans; or it could mean they must have defined goals and a solid timeline.

Because the point is, without standards, things start to go downhill. Let in a few guys with stonewashed Levis and Ed Hardy shirts and your club will loose swagger. Start taking on projects that are a mess, and you're awesome reputation can suffer too.

Hey, you're awesome. Don't forget it, and don't be ashamed of it. And more importantly, act like it. Don't be afraid to be a little exclusive. Especially if you want to maintain that awesome reputation.

Breathe In, Breath Out Move On...

Wanna know something great about the past?  It's behind you.  You don't have to live there.

You can try.  But it takes a lot of effort on your part.  Like walking against the flow of a moving sidewalk at the airport.  Do it a little and you stay in place.  Want to really go back? You have to run.  It's exhausting.  Moving forward is the natural way.

So don't try to live in the past.  Especially if the past wasn't as good as today or tomorrow (and it almost never was.)

On the other hand, if you're not happy with where you are today, go forward.  That moving sidewalk will help you, propel you even, towards a better future faster than you think.

Life moves in one direction.  Stop fighting the force.

I bought a cheap watch from a crazy man, floating down canal.  It doesn't use numbers or moving hands, it always just says now.  Now you may be thinking that I was had, but this watch is never wrong.  And If I have trouble the warranty said...

Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On...

~ Jimmy Buffett

Momentum

Nothing makes achieving goals easier than achieving goals.  Yes, I know how redundant that sounds.  But it's not.  It's about momentum.  The emotional high of completing a project will make you crave the next one.  The satisfaction of reaching a goal will drive to achieve even more.  Simple, but undoubtedly true.  So how can that help you?  Here's a couple of tricks I've learned.

1) Schedule overlap in your projects.  Start-ups are exciting and energizing.  Completions are scary.  But if you overlap a start-up with a wrap-up, the energy that comes with starting something new can help carry you over the finish line.  Think of it like a relay race- you don't hand-off at a standstill.  Both runners adjust their speeds to successfully keep the momentum going.

2) Schedule multiple projects to close in the same span.  Often times, I have little side-projects that need attention, or even wrap-up that never seem to get done.  They aren't motivating, and they aren't top priorities, so they tend to sit.  Schedule those for right after a big project finishes and let the momentum help push you through those tasks.

3) Take time to celebrate.  One of our most common mistakes in this "what's next?" culture of ours is to not take time to enjoy a Win.  We get one thing done and then start staring down the next.  Take a moment to enjoy the success.  Blow your own horn if you have to.  Enjoy your favorite restaurant or treat yourself somehow to remind you that success feels good.  If the only reward you give yourself for completing work is more work, you won't learn to enjoy it.

Momentum is a powerful thing.  So take care to build it up and let it help you achieve your goals!

America's Got Talent- Do You?

I have a confession. I'm not entirely proud of this, but that's what confessions are about, so here it goes.

I like summer TV.

I know, I know, shocker to be sure. But there's just something about the light, fun, mindless shows of summer that make me giggle and give my brain a much needed break. Wipeout is a good one. I want to be a contestant so bad. If they ever do a siblings show, my brother and I are IN! My other one is America's Got Talent.

AGT (for those in the know) is good summer fun. I love the variety of acts; the weird, wonderful people who show up in droves ready to demonstrate their "talent." So when my wife and I got the chance to go to a live taping in Florida this week, we couldn't say no. It was awesome. No spoilers here, but get ready for another fun summer season for sure.

If you're not familar with the show, it's a bunch of variety acts competing for a chance at a million dollar contract and a show in Las Vegas. There are 3 celebrity judges and the 4th judge- the audience. It's facinating, because the audience is really encouraged to participate and get rowdy about thier opinions. People yell stuff out and the judeges respond. And the crowd really does seem to influcence the voting. It's very cool to see it without the editing; or the commercials.

But on the way home, I started thinking about the 3 kinds of acts you see on AGT. You can categorize them fairly simply and there are lessons you can learn from each.

AGT Audition Type 1- Genuine Talent.

I will say, there are some serious contenders coming this year. And it's exciting to think that mabye we saw the next million dollar act before anyone else. But what's neat about genuine talent is how quickly the whole audience recognizes it. Almost immediately the whole crowd would cheer and chant "Vegas, Vegas!" That's what's great about genuine talent. It stands on it's own and everyone, even a room of amateur judges, knows it when we see it. And what's inspiring is how these performers are always so passionate. They cry when they get "yes" votes. This isn't some pie in the sky dream- this is the payoff for a lifetime of deditcation. And it shows.

AGT Audition Type 2- The Joke.

There are some peole who come just to make a joke of it. We saw several at our taping. And the thing about it was, it wasn't funny- it was just annoying. See, it's one thing to be disruptive or saterical with a point. But these performers weren't poignant, they were just grating. Mockery for mockery's sake is not satire and the audience quickly felt the insult and turned on the audition. You can't make your audience the joke and expect them to laugh. They won't, I've seen it. They feel taken advantage of as their time is wasted. It's not pretty.

AGT Audition Type 3- The Sheltered Moderate.

These are the hardest to watch. The sisters who sound great in the kitchen, the dog all your friends love, the hairdresser with charisma. People with more courage than talent who haven't taken the time to really practice or prepare. I'ts not really thier dream, it's a fun idea that when a few people said "do it" they listened. But they didn't get enough trusted opinions to know it wasn't real. On the one hand, they are brave because they are putting it out there. On the other hand, they are foolish because they didn't have an honest perspective that would have saved them harsh criticism.

And thinking about all this made me wonder- if you're a entrepreneur heading to market, which one are you? Because you won't have the benefit of a room full of honest strangers giving you immediate feedback. You'll more likely sink a lot of money into marketing hoping to learn which one of these you are.

If you're business is the real deal, people will notice and cheer.

If you're being disruptive to a market just to take advantage of it, people will boo you off the stage.

But what if you're a moderately talented idea that needs a little more time and refinement before you can wow the world? Have you asked enough trusted friends for honest opinions? Have you tired it out in a way that makes you confident? Is it a dream you're passionate about or just an idea you like? You better know- because the audience will. And that 4th judge is the one that really matters.