Monthly Archives: July 2013

Jul 09 2013
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Business, Change The World, Creativity, Discipline, Imagination, Leadership, success

Interchangeable

What if we saw art as discipline and discipline as an art?

At our core, we all want to leave behind something artistic – something beautiful – something that means something.

If this is true, and I believe it to be so, then we must leave a trail of discipline.

When you say art think of discipline. When you say discipline think of art.

Now that we see these words as interchangeable, something special opens up and blooms.

Seeing art as discipline let’s the cat out of the bag. We know work is going to be required. So we expect it. We request it. We find joy in the work.

Seeing discipline as art gives beauty room to breathe in the tough and callusing moments of the work. Now the work is a metaphor. Now we’re exposing something that’s universal. Now this all means something.

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Jul 08 2013
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Business, Change The World, Creativity, Discipline, Focus, Imagination, Leadership, success

This Is Dating We’re Talking About and the Incumbent Thinks He’s Married

The biz/customer relationship is a constant dating cycle with sporadic and one-and-done ‘I do’s’.

The is a hard truth, though, for the business owner that feels his product or service is superior to his customer’s needs. Reality check – they will go elsewhere if the dating goes bad.

If you’re looking to start something, go into a market where the incumbent is convinced he’s married to his clientele. Remember, business is like dating and rarely a marriage. Find an incumbent who has become lazy in his dating.

I’m convinced the one who cares – really cares – and shows it by word and deed is the one most likely to get the girl, the vote, or the business. Empathy begets loyalty.

It’s crazy what happens when someone is told they’re pretty, smart, and worth it from a stranger. And even crazier when the stranger shows up tomorrow, again, with flowers and something nice to say.

Business is a romantic way to say ‘this is not about me.’

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Jul 05 2013
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Business, Change The World, Creativity, Discipline, Focus, Imagination, Leadership

Every Day

I’m realizing how little I know.

More and more this is what gets me excited and out of bed.

When you can call every day Day 1, all of the world begins to reveal what it wants you to know.

Stay at innocent and never leave.

 

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Jul 04 2013
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Business, Change The World, Creativity, Discipline, Imagination, Leadership, Let The Music Play, success

The New Rules Aren’t So New

If there are any new rules, they’re just a repeat of the ones we were originally taught kindergarten.

Be nice to one another. Share. Say please and thank you.

This is good news as humanity and soul get to inch back into our businesses and have an active role in our measurements of success and, honestly, even our profitability.

So you have a choice to make. You can keep on keeping on until you have no choice but to participate in the new rules. You can keep pointing at the numbers and asking their opinion. Or, you can take an active role in re-writing the rules for your industry, customer, or tribe. You can point at the soul and ask her thoughts on the matters in question. I think it’s safe to assume, today, that she may have more insight than your spreadsheet does.

NEWSFLASH! The rat race just became a music recital. And aren’t we glad this is so?

#LTMP

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Jul 03 2013
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Business, Creativity, Discipline, Focus, Imagination, Leadership, Let The Music Play, success

Discipline: The Code & The Shovel

Imagine having had the chance of being behind the scene’s with the likes of Tiger Woods, Picasso, or Edison. Imagine being in Tiger’s gym. Think of Pablo’s studio. Picture Thomas’ lab.

There’s no doubt we would be convicted and probably shocked with the surplus of do-overs, thrown away drafts, ruined canvases, and sheer commitment.

If we were there we would see discipline. Nothing more – nothing less.

Discipline is the code to the artist’s padlock of imagination.

There’s art in all of us and it’s discipline that digs it out.

We often underestimate what we have to do to get what we want to have done.

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