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to answer.

March 10, 2016 //
0

Last night on the big screen, once again, I saw the National Theater Live performance of the Shakespearean play Hamlet. My conclusion was the same:

Benedict Cumberbatch is brilliant. Forget the good looks, I’m serious: his acting, most assuredly, is at the top of his game.

Some don’t like Shakespeare because it’s “too hard to understand.” Fair enough. It takes focus and thought to slide into the old style and stay there — and even then, Shakespeare might not be to your taste. But a skilled actor using his eyes, face, body, and voice to punctuate the words with clear meaning — ah, now that makes taking in Shakespeare easy.

I’ll say it again: Drenching the familiar line “to be or not to be” with the nuance of varying pitch, a full range of tone, and with meticulously-timed pauses and pacing — with every shoulder raise and eyebrow twitch echoing the intent of the great master’s storyline — makes Shakespeare’s meaning full and understood.

Here’s the truth:

Small things, when added together, make brilliant communication. And we all know, to understand each other clearly is so, so key.

Which brings me to a pet peeve.
(This is for all of us.)

It’s the faux pas of not responding to someone’s communication. As in, you send an email and there’s no reply back — not even a two-second, “Thanks — got it!”

A deadly idea (and practice) has crept into our professional and personal lives — one that frustrates the receiver and kills relationships:

“To answer or not to answer — that is the question.”
(Oy.)
(That’s not the question.)

Please. Respond.

Because…
When someone doesn’t reply, how do you feel? What do you think — about them, about the situation — when you’re left wondering if your words fell flat and went splat on the floor?

It’s never good.

Please. On email, have the wherewithal to take two seconds to say, got it — have to run — will send a full response later today. In person, have the internal state and emotional intelligence resources to say, great question — let me think about it… or, I hear you — let’s talk about it more… or even, hmm, I hear what you’re saying — let’s make sure we talk about that at x-time together, when I’m free and can give you my full attention.

To answer or not to answer —
That should never be the question.

* Thup
CoffeeMar10-16

Categories Entrepreneurs, Life Truths, Uncategorized, Writing Rules

success story secret #2.

March 4, 2016 //
0

A post ago, I mentioned attending an online event with a  quite-famous, quite-affluent, highly successful thought leader. He has millions of books and programs sold. Retains millions of followers. Makes millions of dollars, keeping his family safe and supported — and spends millions of dollars serving others.
(A nice place to be, eh?)

At the end of this thought-leader’s four-day series (filled with power-hours presenting sizzling seminars), an attendee posed the pregnant question:

“What are the practices that got here, to where you where you are today?” 

His first answer — you remember it, right?

Read a book a month.
Story-book
(It’s too simple.)
To make learning and growing a priority.
To stack books on the tables of your mind —
Increasing ideas to the synthesis of higher understandings.
To gather words. Garnish ideas. Gain wisdom.

Because when we ponder words, we can use them as tools to imagineer —
When we turn over and speculate with new ideas, we can deduce new answers —
When we scrutinize and decide what to heed and embrace —
we grow.

question mark(What will you read today?)
_______________________________________________

Okay. Enough reiterating.
His second answer was as bland and powerful as the first:

Be consistent.

Let’s be truthful:
No-one  wants to hear that answer.
No one wants to acquiesce to the idea of plain-ol’ consistency.

Consistency is about saying it and doing it.
And doing it.
And doing it.
And doing it.

Why talk about this tiring word, consistency?
Two quick and powerful reasons.

number one
Consistency creates integrity.
Integrity in word and deed.
(What others understand and believe about us.)

Integrity includes taking ownership to think clearly and act responsibly.

Ouch. We say we’re thinking clearly, but shutting out others’ ideas with a subtle brand of self-whispering narcissism (I’m right, you’re wrong) is all too rampant. Believing we’re being responsible, but simply plowing through our agenda without stepping back to thoroughly understand, regardless of our stake in the matter, is a deadly poison to success.

In the sun’s rise and fall, it’s all about saying what we’ll do and doing what we say. 

So very important.
(Never underestimate consistency’s power to display our integrity.)
______________________________________

numbersign-orangenumber two
Consistency creates production.
<<I’m talkin’ RESULTS.>>

(You DO want results, right?)

Creating a plan.
Scheduling the plan.
Working the plan.
And working it.
And working it.
And working it.

Lining up the stones for the step-by-step doing.
Not complaining.
Not giving excuses.
Not looking around at others and comparing.
Not becoming overwhelmed or distracted.

But simply picking up a stone of action and placing it in the spot.
And placing another.
And placing another.

It all adds up to capital R Results.

By the way, if I had a dollar for every time someone asked, how did you create almost 50 online courses in just a few years…

Anyway. You know the answer.
(It’s not a secret.)

Step by step.
A little bit each day.
Consistently working the plan.

A boring answer. But a highly effective one.
* Thup
coffeeMar42016

 

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Categories Entrepreneurs, exploring creativity, Life Truths, making money at your craft

how to get people to care about what you write.

January 9, 2016 //
3

It’s time to talk about why nobody cares about what we write.
(Don’t get all offended. I said we.)

Really. It’s true. Most of the time,
people don’t read what you and I write.

They might skim the page. But they rarely
read the text from start to finish.

You skim, too, right?
(Thanks for being honest.)

Truth is, you and I go about writing all wrong.

We use too many words.
We think that more means better,
and that’s simply not so.

We’ve been fed a lie. We’re told to write a lot. To explain ourselves. To give example after example. To tell a story that makes our followers have warm fuzzies, so that they inhale our content like someone sitting back on the couch after an afternoon of hard work with drink in hand, focusing on our words with passionate commitment and a sweet depth of duty that leads to betrothing followership.

Poppycock.

The Internet has drastically changed
the way we read. And in response, we need to
change the way we write, to connect with reality.

I’m not saying that longer articles don’t have a place.
Not at all.

What I’m saying is that as an entrepreneur and leader who owns your own business,  if you want to be heard more often — then write short. With power.

Intentionally use the five habits of strong, relevant, response-driven writers:

  1. Be Concise.
    No one has time for oodles of words. Eyes glaze over and fingers click away to the other guy’s site. In all that you write, get to the point.
  2. Assert bold ideas.
    The first line, the first paragraph, and every number in the list holds BAM ideas. They’re compact assertions. Clear. And direct. Stop taking around the bush. Compress ideas into power phrases.
  3. Be honest.
    Nobody wants to read sales BS. We want honest words with credible, non-puffed-up meanings. Use everyday language that doesn’t inflate.
  4. Keep ideas singular. 
    Give immediate take-away. Lists are great. Bullets are better. But writing the la-la-blah-blah-take-my-time text and filling five suitcases full of information makes nobody care. Write about one idea. Only one. And make it powerful.
  5. Make short visual pieces on the page.
    When readers see more than three lines (or, God forbid, whole paragraphs), brains freeze over. It’s shameful, but the truth. Look at this list. It has space, bolded words, and visual form. It’s visually organized. Do the same.

You have incredibly valuable ideas.
And people need what you have.
Isn’t it time to connect those people with your ideas?

Change your writing style.
Your ideas are worth it.

*Thup
CoffeeJan7-16

Categories Entrepreneurs, Uncategorized, Writing Rules

on the pain of authenticity and passion.

April 15, 2015 //
7

Two words
float, fly, and flit around,
overused:
“authenticity” and “passion.”

It’s a shame. Because their meaning and their expression in reality
is intensely, truly, most surely needed,
to be alive in the highest sense.

To be true, honest, and open in how we interact, with all that is in us. Our best effort. The open heart. No pretenses, no agendas.

Only moving in the honesty of our minds and soul-nature —
melted together to, without manipulation or self-levied protection,
putting ourselves out there…regardless of our endogenous fables and flaws.

Doing. For all to see. For all to embrace.
For all to take shots at.
(Ouch.)

Being authentic and passionate, honest and kind,
invites criticism.
(And it will come.)

Those who are truly brave are those who know the potential criticism and,
regardless of the fear of exposure, step into the unknown
with the gift of themselves riding on hope
that, somehow and someday,
those who need your love-gift most will open their palms,
letting their fingers relax and fall, to grasp, envelop, and own it.

And if they don’t. Well. That’s okay.
Because you did your part.

Writer, write.
Photographer, photograph.
Musician, play.
Dancer, dance.
Sculptor, sculpt.
Thinker, think.

Entrepreneur, create.

Regardless.
(I dare you.)

* Thup
coffeeApril9-15

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Categories Entrepreneurs, exploring creativity, Life Truths, writer motivation & the muse

money talk.

February 7, 2015 //
1

Writer.
Entrepreneur.
Artist of any kind.

hey. bend an ear this way, if you will.
(let’s pow-wow for a second)

You’ve talked unabashedly about following the dream. Passionate, skilled, and encouraging — you are the master of (or mastering) your craft, and you’ve inspired and illuminated others on different levels. Would you like your passion to financially bless your family and your future? Of course.

Let’s talk straight. Money is part of the equation of living, giving, and being able to share your passion with others. Let’s not be shy.

Here’s the thing: If you find a need, people will pay for it. If you have a skill that others want, people will also pay for that. If you are able to give, connect, and care (isn’t that what it’s all about?), why does it have to be that you’re struggling financially?

It doesn’t.

The “starving artist” mentality keeps slithering among entrepreneurial reeds: the idea that it’s a challenge to make a living at idea-making and passion-chasing.

I challenge that idea.

Think about your skill — what you have to share with others.

Someone else wants that, too. And making a living is something we all have to do. It’s fair, good, and positive to be a part of the economy, in all ways — intellectually, spiritually, relationally, physically, personally, and monetarily.

Do this:
1. Write down your passion. Spell it out. What is it that you do that you love? And what is the benefit of what you have — the cool and amazing thing that you can do, with the knowledge that others want?

We all have skills and knowledge. Quite simply, some walking on the life road haven’t been to the town of our knowledge, yet. They want to get there. But they don’t know how.

You can be the one to take someone’s hand and help. Your passion — and you — can be the key to their growth, their enjoyment, their happiness.

2. Write down all the little pieces and parts of your skill. What are the little skills that make up your big skill? What are the little bits of knowledge attached to each part — how your passion works, why it works, the conditions needed to make it work? 

Take your time. Brainstorm it. Keep writing. You might not realize it at first, but what you know — and how you know to do it — is a long list.

Now save this.

Because these scribbles are the seeds to share what you know. And I want to show you how. Like I said, if people want to get to where you are, people will pay for it.

More on this in the next post. Stay tuned.

* Thup

coffeeFeb7-15

 

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Categories Entrepreneurs, making money at your craft

aloof and amok.

January 15, 2015 //
1

This post part of a series called “Don’t Do This” — posts so you can avoid bad writing habits, identify and steer clear of the pitfalls of poor writing, and become the writer-communicator people want to follow.

(Because no one has arrived.)

Get every word,
catch the take-away,
apply.
(Enjoy)
________________________________________

aloof and amok.

“I don’t need it.”
“I already know this.”
“I’m beyond what you’re talking about.”
“I learned that years ago.”

These are the phrases of people who believe they’ve arrived.
Or, at the very least, they’re nearing the station, so learning/growing/becoming doesn’t apply “in their area of expertise” as much.

Gah.
None of us have arrived.
All of us are still learning.
All of us can grow.
All of us need to become better versions of who we are and what we do.

None. Of. Us. Have. Arrived.
train tracks
*sigh.
(sorry for the drama)
(This. Is. Important.)

Most of us will say, I know this. I’m not prideful or anything awful like that. I just know my stuff, and I’m confident.

But. oh. think.
What does your (and my) life say?
Are we listening more than we talk?
Are we present, fully present, giving each person equal attention?
Are we paying attention to what that person can give to our life?

And.
What does your (and my) body language say?
wooden bodies
Does the face reflect honest attention?
Are your feet pointing toward the person, not toward the door?
Are your eyes looking, really looking, in order to see and understand?

And.
What does your (and my) time say?
timepiece
Are we taking the exact moment at hand, to honor the person we’re with?

Warning —
Expert-ism brings along with it a dangerous characteristic: Aloofness.

All of us have knowledge.
We’re all skilled in our different areas.

But.

It’s not about being an expert.
Because experts are not perfect.
Experts are not infallible.
Experts do not understand every angle, every possible positive that can make better.

Experts have gaps in their thinking, too.
Experts have gaps in their understanding, too.
I know, this is duh. But how are we acting? really?

(Come on. Time to put it out on the table.)
We all can be better.

_________________________________________

Dont’ Do This:
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that as a leader in your field, you’re close to the station. If you’re human, the train has a long way to go.

Do This:
Be open.
Step back.
Think truthfully.
Be present with every single person you’re with.

Take off the expert hat. Put on the learner hat.
Put yourself in learning situations. Grow.

Get immersed in honesty, openness, and listening for what’s in that moment for you, for me, for our lives.

Don’t let your train run amok. Toss the aloofness.
It’s much more becoming
and will take your train to stations way beyond the one just up ahead.

You can’t become the better writer-communicator that people want to know
without constant growth in understanding, self-awareness, and perpetual action toward growth.

Successful people are constant learners.

* Thup
coffee 1-15-15

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Categories Entrepreneurs, Life Truths

the “don’t do this” series begins.

December 26, 2014 //
1

This is the first in a series, “Don’t Do This” — posts aimed at helping you avoid bad writing habits, identify and steer clear of the pitfalls of poor writing, and become the writer-communicator that people want to follow.

It’s like a book online. Free. Bite sized, motivating, practical bits. I believe you’ll like it — because it’s all about what works, the how-to for an immediate increase in your writing effectiveness. 

This first post is an easy read, every bit worth its tad-bit-longer length. Subsequent series posts will be pointed, brief, direct — with a strong take-away to apply right then and there. So you become a sharper writer, right now.

Get every word in this first post, so that you’re in the know for what’s to come.
(It’s worth it.)

**************************************************

When we hear the words, don’t do this, we sit up and listen — because we know that something important is coming: knowledge with the palpating power to save us from heartache and pain.

Entrepreneur. CEO. Leader. Forward thinker…
Creative. Writer. Artist. Musician. Passionate expresser of life…
Above-average thinker who cares…

Because you matter — your passion, your ideas — and because you want to make a difference…this is for you.

To communicate effectively with words, the how-to skill must be in place. For no matter how much heart or passion we feel and exude — get this — without the vital how-to help that your writing needs, the heart of your communication will collapse.

Seriously. Your ideas, passions, and hopes go into cardiac arrest and threaten to die.

But they don’t have to. When it comes to effectively getting your ideas to others, there are external defibrillators (AEDs) that can save you from some heartache and pain. AEDs analyze the heart’s electrical activity and give life-saving electric shocks to the chest of a person who has collapsed from cardiac arrest. Even if your writing is in cardiac arrest (if you know it…or can admit it…or are willing to do something with it because you get it), the info here gives the life-saving shocks needed, to breathe and fully live.

Because deep down, you know that your words matter,
and because you have a message that people need
and a skill to share…

Read on.
__________________________

Fact 1: Every word you write has a purpose. You know this.

Making a list, writing an article or post, writing a book — each has a reason for its existence.

You know the adage:
* Know the target, know the direction to shoot the arrow.
(It applies here.)
* Know the purpose of your writing, and you’ll understand what kinds of words, phrases, tone, style, length of sentence (and other tools) to use.

Because purpose directs and informs everything we write. Everything.
(Really.)

Here’s the super-simple action I want you to do…
(Trust me on this one.)

Ask the questions:
Who’s going to read this, and why?
What does he or she expect?

In the entire piece.
On this particular page.
In this paragraph.
In this sentence.

And, yes, keep asking yourself the questions — while you’re smack-dab in the center of your click-press-pop-clack fingers on the keys or press-flow-move pen on the page.

(Any and every time you write.)

These questions should be soaring, swooping, circling in your brain above the target, like a mighty falcon with gleaming-sun-feather brilliance. The questions are ever present — ever casting shadows on the red-and-white circled target of your writing.

We want powerful writing — zinging and smacking into the target. So we’d better understand our writing’s purpose.
_________________________

Fact 2: Your writing has a goal: to express, to inform, or to persuade. 

Expression is just for you and me so, hey, we can put anything we want on the page. But information and persuasion, ah, now we’re in different territory. Information and persuasion are for others.

So. We’re stuck.

Because when we write for others, we have to do it their way. We have to follow the guidelines that meet the reader’s needs. If we don’t, then we end up with no one reading what we wrote. Ugh.

Hm. In order to satisfy the reader, we’d better understand the goal of each little scrap that we write.

Ask the questions:
What benefit is my reader looking for?
What does he/she want to feel and experience?
What do they want to know, to walk away with?
Am I giving the reader exactly what’s wanted?

In the entire piece.
On this particular page.
In this paragraph.
In this sentence.

We want satisfied readers — full of good feelings toward what we wrote, full of good memories and understandings that bring them back for more. So we’d better understand the goal of each little bit that we write.
_________________________

Fact 3: Engagement rules. Gone are the days of readers hanging around to read writing that doesn’t engage.

Most of us cringe at the volume of words bombarding our inbox, crowding into our web searches, bumping across our Facebook pages, and even ambling across the bottom of our television programs with the ad for the next-up program.

We’re way beyond information overload. We’re in information repel mode.

Engagement is critical.

Failure to follow the rules of engagement makes readers push away in disappointment, apathy, or even upset mode. Disappointed, apathetic, upset readers leave, let alone even begin to engage (as in, let’s click away in three seconds flat).

That simply won’t do.

Ask the questions:
Where are the repetitive words to axe and toss down the hill?
How can I change up words, to make the writing concise, pointed, powerful?
What am I doing in my writing that repels the reader?

In the entire piece.
On this particular page.
In this paragraph.
In this sentence.

We want readers to stay. So we’d better understand the rules of engagement for writing. (This series is all about helping you identify exactly what you’re doing…so stay with me.)
_______________________________

Fact 4: Rules of engagement are blood red critical. Writing lives or dies on the rules of engagement.

But we have a serious problem. We don’t know what we don’t know. (Ignorance is not bliss. It’s deadly.)

No lie: I believe that most bad writing is for lack of knowledge. Cluelessness. Not intentional, mind you — it’s simply the I-just-never-learned-this-stuff ignorance.

And without knowing it’s even happening, you’re sending the reader away apathetic or screaming.

Oy.

At the turn of the New Year, ask questions:
Am I keeping myself back by simply living in a closed-door mentality, a self-focus?
Am I willing to open myself up to learning?
Am I humble enough to listen?
Am I willing to be thirsty for understanding, so that I can move forward?

It’s time:
Get better at the craft of written communication.
Don’t mess up due to ignorance.

<<Make what you write matter.>>

Have nothing stand in the way of your clear, vibrating, resonating, connecting communication.

Be willing. Willing to cultivate an open, listening, seeking heart. Willing to listen. Willing to absorb.

Willing to work.

Next time, we’ll get practical. We’ll talk about how not to end your piece. (How to give your reader something to hold onto, a smooth stone in the hand — a promise. It’s good.)

See you then.
(I can’t wait.)

* Thup
coffeeDec26-14

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Categories Entrepreneurs, exploring creativity, Life Truths, writer motivation & the muse, Writing Resources, Writing Rules

ten truths of leadership (that you and I need).

December 4, 2014 //
2

Entrepreneurs need to know how to lead.
Creatives need to know how to lead.
(Okay, everyone needs to know how to lead.)

Seriously.
Leadership skills are critical.

(This is a longer post. Stick with it.
I believe you’ll find something here that you’ll like… and use.)
____________________________________________________

You might have heard it before: “To lead is to serve others.”

The phrase is true, but not entirely. You see, many in leadership have a heart, a desire, to lead in service … but they don’t really know how to make it happen.

The desire to lead isn’t enough. And position (simply being appointed to stand in the spot) isn’t enough.

(Leadership is so much more.)

I was part of an event today. The event was fairly big — with lots of excitement and fun. Yet, there was a dynamic of preparing for the event that struggled. (uugh. my heart felt it.)

Let me clarify.

The “end event” was a fabulous success. So much was accomplished! So many were helped! So much good happened! Brilliant! Woo-hoo! (I am completely honored to be part.)

But there’s something that could have happened — a dynamic and result — that could have made the final event even more brilliant. Some some of the lead-up to the event (having to do with leading volunteers) had struggles that simply didn’t need to happen.

And that breaks my heart. As in agh. I can’t sleep. (I take it as a sign of caring so deeply, so hey, Sleepless in Kalamazoo will endeavor to turn this into something positive.)

Did the job get done? Yes. But at times, I felt terrible — for both the leader and the people she endeavored to lead.

The leader simply didn’t know what she didn’t know.

(Again. It breaks my heart to see struggles.)

Some of you might not know: I was honored to teach leadership at the college level for many years.

It was a learning experience; each time I taught the course, I walked away feeling more humbled, more thirsty for understanding, and more in awe of the skills of truly great leaders.

Leadership secrets also invaded my growing up years. My dad worked with Warren Bennis, Ken Blanchard, and other leadership gurus breaking ground for much of what we understand in leadership theory and practice today.

(By the way, dinner conversations taught me more about leadership than any class could. Go Dad.)

But today, once again, I learned the critical truth of how important it is to know how to lead others effectively. 

At some point, you and I are going to lead. How will you and I do?
________________________________________________________

Read these 10 critical have-to’s of leadership. It will make you a better person, whether you lead one or many.
________________________________________________________

1. An effective leader physically mobilizes others. That means getting people organized to move and do.

“Mobilizing” sees the task at hand and parses out the job — knowing what tasks to attack first, second, and third…then doing it.

Mobilizing also means having an above-the-crowd view — able to assess the group’s needs before they happen.

Your mind whirrs and whizzes as to what could be — running the scenarios through in succession, playing them out far enough into their crazy possibilities.

Only then — after firing the brain into the future and back — do effective leaders choose the best actions.

By the way, if a person isn’t mobilized, he or she feels badly.

At best, the non-mobilized person sits around bored; at the worst, the non-mobilized person feels that their precious time was wasted. Ouch.

We want each person to feel valued — that he or she played an integral part in the success of the task. Mobilizing plays a key part in perceived value.

2. Effective leaders appoint others over sections of the task. Leadership happens in strata: layers of leaders.

You can’t do it alone. You shouldn’t do it alone. You shouldn’t even do most of it.

Sectioning off tasks with second-level leaders is critical. Train the person to do the task well. And then let the people on the second level go for it.

3. Effective leaders change direction quickly. Without blinking an eye, and without emotional attachment, leaders say, “That’s not working. Let’s go this way instead.”

And there’s no angst about it. We simply change. Every movement back on track is good.

Effective leaders don’t waste energy on what could have been; effective leaders are in the now — and feel good about it.

4. Effective leaders vigilantly keeps a finger on the pulse of the group, to be a support to whomever needs it. I’m not talking about micromanaging; I’m talking about knowing when to step in and guide, and then step out again.

Imagine six men moving a large beam together. A seventh man (the leader) walks alongside, vigilant and alert to the six men’s needs and motions. The leader trusts the six men to carry the beam. But if one of the six starts to falter, the alert leader moves in, gives support, and then, once the beam is righted, steps back out again.

That’s how a leader supports his team. Always there. Moving in when needed. And stepping out when the task is steady.

5. Effective leaders communicate. Clearly. And often.

Before the event, tell the people what will happen. Give details. During the event, tell them they’re doing a good job, and everything is on schedule and running smoothly. Give updates. If anything changes, communicate quickly and clearly. And when the job is complete, tell them what was accomplished.

Talk. And talk often.

Ask questions. Find out what’s working and what’s not.

And use a microphone, so you can talk to everyone at the same time. When you talk to everyone as a group, we experience the event together. We are a group. A team. One.

That builds an intangible: connection.

6. Effective leaders use enthusiasm. I don’t care if you’re not a boisterous person. Whether you consider yourself quiet or loud, your inner spark — your inner passion — needs to come through.

If your passion doesn’t come through, then maybe you’re not the right person for the position.

Find a way to communicate how great it is to be working together. Really.

7. Effective leaders smile. With their whole face, in their eyes, and with their bodies.

You have to reach out — to be vulnerable by risking others to see who you really are. That means showing joy in what you do.

The smile is the fastest way to connect between two people. Effective leaders connect.

8. Effective leaders thank their people. Specifically. Often. Up close — with sincerity, a look in the eye, and a pat on the back.

When the job’s done, it’s not enough to say to the group, “Okay, thanks! See you tomorrow!”

Effective leaders walk around to each person, making sure that the connection is made on a deeper level. Honestly. With deep gratitude.

Flippancy has no part in leadership.

9. Effective leaders are personal. They ask for your name — and use your name. They look you in the eye and remember something special about you. They ask you questions about your thoughts, your feelings, and your experiences.

Effective leaders are interested in the persons involved, not just the job at hand.

10. Effective leaders want to give their people an experience. Getting a job done is not the experience.

The experience is about building relationships and community.

Especially with volunteers, people work together for the connection. Connection only happens when all get involved, with side-by-side action AND heart-by-heart connection.

Leadership is learned. I believe with my whole being that the best way to raise up leaders is to mentor.

Side-by-side, the less experienced leaders work with the experienced — and both grow.

Only when we grow do we become leaders who truly make a mark — creating an experience and outcome greater than first imagined.

* Thup

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Categories Entrepreneurs, exploring creativity, Life Truths

take a breath.

November 27, 2014 //
2

Take a breath.
(Really. Do it.)
(I will, too.)

Today is the deep breath, an in-between suspension of time —
a day where you and I get to experience what’s most important in life.

It’s a time for out-of-body thinking.
The good kind of out-of-body experience.

To sidestep from the patterns and rules of the regular day
and to muse, meditate, reason, and reflect on
not just the four-wall realities around us
but also on the responses we’ve chosen for those realities.

Today, perhaps,
because it’s a pause from the crazy-schedule propelling us forward,
you and I can think in ways we don’t usually think.

Toss around ideas and concepts, play with notions.
Dream of, flirt with, and reckon with
those possibilities (what you’ve always wanted to do).

Maybe now is the time to do them.

Take that breath,
physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, relationally.
Rise above and look down.

(Change can be good.)

* Thup
coffeeNov27-14

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Categories Entrepreneurs, exploring creativity, Life Truths, writer motivation & the muse

work ethic.

November 23, 2014 //
0

“How much do you want it?”
You know what I’m talking about. The end-game. The result.
That thing you say you want — that goal you set a ways back,
that unfinished project, that brilliant idea.

The question’s standing out there,
peering at you sideways with a cocked head and slitty eyes:
“How much do you really want it?”

Well.
I (and everyone else who knows you) can tell
how much you really want it.

All we have to do is look at actions.
(Your effort.)
(Your work.)
(What you spend your time on.)

We all have that thing that we talk about, that thing we “want.” But
our lives — our actions — really show if we want it or not.

<<Desire is one thing.>>
<<Doing the work is another.>>

(Gah. Truth hits the mark again.)

‘Cause if we really want it, we’ll do the work.
Now. Passionately. With visible effort.
(Turn on the work ethic. The results might amaze you.)

*Thup

coffeeNov23-14

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Categories Entrepreneurs, Life Truths, writer motivation & the muse
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