Fail Fast

To really suceed you have to fail!

Uncomfortable

Get uncomfortable!

We have a saying in our home and in our business:

**** Comfortably Uncomfortable! ****We want to be comfortably uncomfortable.

I firmly believe a huge reason why people settle for mediocrity and far less than their best is because they won't get out of their comfort zones. In fact, I am seeing his issue run rampant today more than ever. Think about this: Take an apple. Where is that delicious juicy red apple located? By the safe big trunk of the tree? Or out on the skinny branches?

I think we need to get out on the skinny branches and INTENTIONALLY get uncomfortable! I think we can take a lesson from Simon Cowell and American Idol. The American Idol contestants that "play it safe" by singing a predictable song get the wrath from Simon and kicked off. Well, same is true for us...No need to play it safe and do the same thing over and over all the while clinging to our comfort zones. That way of life just doesn't produce amazing results! In fact, it is a sure formula for medium living.

I have been accused to get out on the edge a little too much but nonetheless, I try to get uncomfortable! It's well worth the risk!

Washington DC

Washington DC for most of this week. 3 speeches in 2 days. DC is simply amazing!

Coming back to Austin...also AMAZING!

We are practicing what we preach in our seminars:

• WOW Experience is the standard (being good is just not good enough anymore...have to be excellent!)
• ROIR...Return on Investment Relationally! It's all about relationships!
• Meet more people...I have 40 plus business cards in my pocket from great relationships I met this week. Question: What would your business look like if you just met one person each day?
• Be Different. Different sells. (not better)
• Lots of business out there....but the question is are you getting it?
• Have Fun! if you can't have fun, do something else.
• Pay Attention...

LOVE SOUTHWEST! Just study what they do and follow...(don't charge you for bags...no wonder they dominate!)

Pay Attention! Part 3

Great advice from one of my mentors today:

*** Remember to Pay Attention! ****

So true... what would things look like if we all just paid attention?

• New Business
• Amazing Relationships
• Maximize Time
• Creativity and Innovation
• Fun and exciting
• Stable and calm
• Boundless Opportunities

I have to do a much better job of paying attention!

Crisis

The above graph is an example of the type of results a business will experience when operating under Crisis! The same life results can be expected in a life of crisis as well.

You just can't perform under crisis (long term)

So if you are experiencing crisis right now, you have to fix it! And this means change. It also means spending money to get some help. It's hard and tough work. I see too many out there that are hoping the crisis goes away and ignoring it. That is the wrong approach. Tackle crisis head on....start today.

"But I can't afford Chris."

You can't afford NOT to do it is my reply.

In the marketplace and In life....

When the lights turn on and the game plays out there are only two types:

• Non-Performers
• Performers

Be honest with yourself...Which one are you?

Enough talk: Take Action!

Notes from this weekend

I spend a ton of time on this one word: Why? But I am finding out that this really not my job to be consumed with Why? By nature, I am curious. I am type A. I want control. So I constantly asking and questioning... Why?

Well, I am learning (the hard way but healthy) that Why is not for me to figure out. As a Christ follower, I am getting a heavy needed slap upside my head on the words "complete submission". My son Teddy is very curious and an expert question asker. The boy rattles off more questions in a day than should be allowed by law. And sometimes I get frustrated by all the Whys...Well, I do the same thing.

Why did this happen? Why am I going through this? Why can't I get that? Why should this take this long? Why isn't my plan the best? Why do I have to? Why Why Why....Stop it Chris! That's not your job and role.

Below are examples of points I have now grasped:

• It's not my plan is that perfect...in fact my plan is full of flaws
• It's not my role to figure out Why?
• It's not my job to question everything.
• It's not good for me to control.
• I have a limited perspective and simply can't see the whole picture

The lessons I have learned are tough; they sting! Here is the list from my notes on this process:

• Put ego on the shelf. I am not that smart
• Your plan won't work and is flawed
• You have a very limited lens of which you can see the big picture...like looking at the state of Texas through a straw
• Trust God. Always.
• Faith can't be just some great word to be loosely thrown around. Chris you better really understand and work on this word Faith.
• Being comfortable is not the goal. Being comfortable can't be the focus. Making a difference is the goal. And you can't be comfortable all the time and make a huge difference. That formula doesn't work.

You have a front row seat to this work in progress....terribly messy but real.

7 reasons people settle for medocrity

We have a major problem that we see all over the place: Settling for Mediocrity!

• Mediocrity in business
• Mediocrity is relationships
• Mediocrity in income
• Mediocrity in life plans
• Mediocrity in school
• Mediocrity in careers

We can do better. We need to do better. We were not made to settle for mediocrity.

Here are 7 reasons why people are settling:

1. Lack of a clear vision
2. Lack of goals setting
3. Lack of effective partnering
4. Lack of resources and poor time management
5. Lack of handling adversity correctly
6. Lack of work ethic
7. Lack of sustainable passion

Take each one of these and work on them individually. Spend the time and effort on each one and the payoff will be huge!

Adversity...

One of the things all of us are guaranteed in this life is adversity. The degrees of adversity is different for all us...but we all will experience adversity.

*** But with every ounce of adversity comes an equal if not increase in assets!

It's hard to embrace adversity and enjoy tough times but in reality, we should. Why? Because behind it and disguised is an amazing asset. You may be going through really tough times right now; many are experiencing just that at this moment. But please understand, better days are ahead and you have a ton of assets coming your way!

We talk to many struggling people in the marketplace on a daily basis. It's tough out there right now. But all of this adversity we are experiencing is making us better. Behind the tough times curtain, is a wonderful treasure full of assets.

• Embrace Adversity
• Look for the assets
• Learn from tough times; get better even went it stinks
• Keep positive
• Stay focused

Stand out

If there is nothing special about your work, then there will nothing special about your pay either.

Stand out...
Be Different
Be Unique
Take Road Less Traveled
Try it
Innovative and Creative
Be Interesting
Be Entertaining

3 questions we must be able to answer in a clear, compelling, and motivating manner:

1. What do you do?
2. What makes you unique?
3. Why should I do business with you?

Come on now! Let's get going on separating ourselves in the marketplace by being different! Boring stinks. Boring is out.

• Today is the time to stand out from the pack and make a huge splash!
• There is big $$ out there for those who are different
• Inspire me as your customer
• I crave interesting and entertaining as your customer....give it to me!

Power

I have been traveling and speaking all week and getting to meet a ton of people. (Houston to Dallas to Austin.)

One reminder that really stood out to me this week is the Power of Attitude (both good and bad). Those people who have positive attitudes have a Positive Power about them. It's infectious, contagious, and so attractive! Unfortunately the opposite is also true. Those with negative attitudes seems to have a Negative Power hovering over them and dragging them down.

We all know attitude is huge. But this week, we have had a first row seat in seeing the incredible POWER of attitude.

Tap into the Positive Power of Attitude! It's huge....

Do you have a plan, a system, and time scheduled to Intentionally work on your attitude each and every day? Or do you use the Hope Plan? You know the hope plan...I hope my attitude is good...I hope there is some time to work on myself...I hope my attitude is good. News Alert: The Hope plan never works.

Instead of the Hope Plan, just be Intentional! Intentional plan, system, and time to work on your attitude! The result is the incredible Power of Positive!

Limited thing called TIME

Time goes by fast! Think about it:

• How fast did yesterday go by?
• How fast did last week go by?
• How fast did your kids grow up?
• How fast did did your summer go by?
• How fast did your last birthday go by?

Time flys by...so we better think about our time and what we are doing with it.

Question to think about and plan for both business and personally:

**** So what am I really doing with this limited thing called TIME?

Now just don't read this and move on....spend some of your precious time working on how you really spend your time.

Should you have a coach?

In a moment of transparency, I am a complete sports nut and even more specific, football junkie. As my wife says: This is your hunting season. As this time of the year is gearing up and football is just around the corner, I study the success of professional athletes. One thing they all have in common is they have coaches. Tom Brady credits his coaches for his success. Tiger Woods has a coach. Kobe Bryant has coaches to continue to elevate his game.

All athletes have coaches. But why don't small business have coaches? Something to consider.

At his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Nolan Ryan said: "While I was with the Rangers, I was very fortunate to have a pitching coach by the name of Tom House...He would always come up with new training techniques that we would try and see how they would work in to my routine. Because of our friendship and Tom pushing me, I think I got in the best shape of my life during the years that I was with the Rangers."

Nolan Ryan's records include
Most lifetime strikeouts (5714)
Most career no-hitters (7)
Most season strikeouts (383, AL 1973)
Fastest recorded pitch (101.9 mph, Guiness Book Of World Records)

In our own business, we have coaches. I don't know what I would do without those special people pushing me, encouraging me, holding me accountable, giving me new ideas, giving me perspective, and most of all being there for me.

If you need a coach, you need to call us today.

Learn More...

We bring a sense of objectiveness to most small businesses as well as top producing individuals that is rather unique. In our line of work, we get a front row seat to the a ton of variety in the marketplace and the people that work in it. Most people only get a limited view because they stay in the same industry and run in the same circles. (kind of like looking at Texas through a straw...not much perspective)

Our latest conclusion and finding based on our data and quantified work:

• ****** The top businesses and top producing individuals are successful not because of what they know, but rather, their deep thirst to know more. ****

It's not what you know...it's your passion to learn more that is the barometer for success.

Please consider and think about:

• When is the last time you really focused on learning something new?
• When is the last time you signed up for a seminar to learn? (good news, we are having several coming up on some amazing topics)
• Do you intentionally schedule time to learn and improve?
• Do you teach your people to learn?
• Does the culture of your organization embrace and encourage learning? If so, prove it..
• When was the last time you implemented something new?
• When was the last time you really got creative?

$$$$ Don't spend precious time and energy in ruts and routines on what you know...but rather learn new stuff continually.

Slow Down

Just Relax! (was the message to myself today)

*** Sometimes I get in a hurry...and nothing good happens when I rush. Isn't this true, that every time we rush, we can expect bad results? The world has really picked up the pace but I am working on going in the opposite direction which is to intentionally slow down. My data and previous results clearly point out that every time I rush, I can expect terrible results. The opposite is also true in black and white...every time I slow down, I get good results. Hmmm.

Some other thoughts:

• Crisp pace is a goal...but never rush. Love the word crisp!
• Enjoy the moment (even when the current moments are tough)
• Live in the NOW
• My favorite question: ^^^ Chris, What's next? ^^^Keep moving forward. Keep taking steps. Keep going. Keep fresh. Keep creative. Keep innovative. Keep positive. But all of it done slowly and intentionally.
• When you love what you do, it's impossible to ever leave your work: See Brett Farve!
• Reducing technology....getting rid of the noise
• Never see a dentist who has bad teeth.

Slow down = good results.

Imagine

What's the last really innovative idea you put into play for your business/organization?

• Innovation
• Creativity
• Outside the box thinking
• New
• Exciting
• A Jolt
• Fresh
• Chic
• Unique
• Trail blazer
• Funky
• Edge
• Go it going on...

Won't that be cool if those words were used by your customers to describe you?

What not to do...

I have always said a To-Don't Do List will make more money than a To-Do List. The problem is that nearly everyone has a To -Do List but very few have the To-Don't Do List.

Same is true by paying attention on what NOT to do in business. Let me share some examples of things I have witnessed in the marketplace recently for you to think about:

• Cutting employee training programs....not investing in employees
• Really poor attitudes....doom and gloom vibe
• Not having any fun....falling out of love with their business
• Lack of production...not working
• Scattered focus....searching for short-cuts
• Lack of details....sloppy business details
• Pulling marketing...no growth plans and no innovation

What about if we just do the opposite? I'm in!....

Dress for Success

I see a serious lack in details in the marketplace. Specifically, sloppy dress.

Some things to think about:

• What type of image are you trying to project?
• Does your dress reflect that image?
• Are you intentional about your dress?
• Do you put out the effort?

Look, I am not a suit and tie dude...in fact living in Austin TX, you can't be! In Austin, most wear shorts and flip flops and it's the reverse here...suits and ties are basically outlawed in Austin. But you can still look sharp and professional without a suit and tie.

Pay Attention to your dress and make it consistent with your image.

Dress for success is even more true today. It matters.

Bottom Up!

Bottom Up!

Most businesses focus on the best months. They subscribe to the "have to make hay when sun shines" type thinking. All the energy and focus goes on the best months. And that is a ton of pressure.

But I think there is a better way: Bottom Up! If you take the bad months and make them average months, what did that do to entire year? Of course, went up!

It's much less pressure to make a bad month into an average month than keeping having to hit home runs in great months.

Try it. Work from Bottom Up!

• Take Bad months and make them average
• Take Average months and make them great
• Take Great months and keep them great

Result: An amazing year!

Finish Strong!

#### Finish Strong !

It's all about the Finish!...in life, business, purpose, ....the key to success is how we finish.

148 days left this year. Given this, how are you going to finish? What exactly are you going to do? What difference are you going to make? What risks are you willing to take?

Something to think about....