Expert in the Rough, Brian Monahan

Seth Godin, covers a topic my “Dear Old Dad” has been covering for years.  The difference between “Get to!” and “Have to.”

Seth’s take is the classic shift of attitude,  seeing the task as an opportunity versus a drudgery.

My father Mike Monahan of Life Success Seminars, also teaches in his seminar about “Get to” versus “Have to.”

He shares a story of his two sons, Brian and Brad who are ten years apart.  Brian was given a much different perspective on taking out the garbage from a younger less wise father.  You see taking out the garbage was a chore and was something to dread.  Every night after dinner my father would ask if I had taken out the garbage and I would moan and groan as my Atari game was interrupted abruptly by a trip to the side yard.  I, “Had to take out the garbage.”

During the next ten years my father grew a little wiser and he employed a bit of a “Jedi Mind Trick” with my brother.  He positioned taking out the garbage as a privilege.  He would tell my brother.  “Hey Brad, get out the way,  I get to take out the garbage!”  Brad would jokingly reply, “No get out of my way, I am taking out the garbage!”  In the end they both ended up taking out the garbage and smiling about it.

Next time you take out the garbage give it a try, “I Get To Take Out The Garbage!”

You might “Get” a different experience.

A “Blog Recession” is when you do not post to your blog on consecutive days equal to your average weekly posts minus seven times two.

Blog Recession Formula:

My blog is 19 Weeks old and I have 48 posts.

Average weekly posts equal 2.53 posts per week.

7 – 2.53 = 4.47

4.47 x 2 = 8.94 days.

Therefore, if I do not post for 8.94 days my blog is in a recession.

In fact I did not post to my blog from September 11 until September 20th.

My blog was clearly in a recession.

So is your blog in a recession?

Here are 9 Tips to overcome a blog recession.

1. Update post.  Instead of telling your readers you are sorry you have not been able to post, tell them about what you been up to.  This is far more interesting than “Sorry I have not posted.”
2. Do a book review.
3. Share a link with commentary.
4. Drop a bomb, announce something controversial or private.
5. Share a picture or a graph that inspires or touches you.
6. Share a quote
7. Request a guest post from another blogger.
8. Write something totally unique, such as your own metric, as I have done with the Blog Recession Formula.
9. Use the Nike technique, Just Post!

Long before I was introduced to the “Laws of Attraction” or Oprah outed “The Secret.”  I was introduced to a concept called visualization.  Visualization generally associated with meditation and is a technique for getting in touch with your goals and desires.

After getting into a meditative state, you visualize in your mind your goal.  The more clearly you can visualize your goal, the greater your chance for success.

In 1993 I was in the United States Marine Corps.  I was a Lance Corporal and was very motivated.  Promotions were slow in my field so my only chance for advancement to Corporal was via Meritorious promotion.  My company has over 200 Lance Corporals and only one Meritorious promotion available each quarter.  I requested a nomination from my supervisor and started to prepare for the competition.

The competition involved performing before a board of senior Marines who would judge each candidate based on their past and current achievements, physical fitness scores, Marine Corps Leadership knowledge and the ability to lead Marines in Drill.

I prepared for the competition with study and practice but I had an ace in the hole.

I had already purchased my Corporal Chevrons and placed them on my desk when I decided to compete in the Meritorious promotion competition.  This actually drew some criticisms from colleagues.  They felt I was naive to think I would get Meritoriously promoted in my first competition.  I told them I just wanted to be prepared.  I secretely knew it was an extension of my visualization techniques I discussed earlier. Actually it would be more appropriate to call it a trigger.

Everyday when I came to work I had to look those Corporal Chevrons in the eye.  Seeing the Chevrons everyday were a trigger to study, practice and believe.

I went on win the competition.  I was Meritoriously promoted on my first try.

What kinds of symbols and triggers do you have in place?

Give it a try, you might be surprised at your results.

FYI, I added a Speaking section to my blog.  I aspire to be a keynote speaker.  I figured I would just go ahead and buy the Chevrons so to “Speak!”

My favorite desert is Pumpkin Pie.  After a very challenging week, I was happy to see Frisch’s Big Boy a Cincinnati, OH restaurant chain was again offering their seasonal award winning desert.

As I indulged in this Cincinnati delicacy I was thinking maybe it was time to reward you for your hard work.

I have been publishing Momentum Monday’s for nearly 3 months and it’s time for you to stop and smell the pumpkins.

This week is about celebrating.  Reward yourself with a favorite desert.  You deserve it.

Newsflash, I have a day job and it has nothing to do with blogging!  I work in the audio visual productions industry.  I produce corporate sales meetings, conventions and special events.  The industry is 1 part tech, 1 part hospitality and 1 part logistics.  The 3 parts often are challenging to combine on any given day.

This week, I had the equivalent of nearly a years worth of business in the past for me. The company produced its largest event ever last week and propelled into one of my events this week the companies second largest event ever.

Needless to say things have been a little hairy.   I had a truck full of equipment denied entry into Canada as well as the drivers.  I had shipments arrive at my dock in Cincinnati which should have been on a dock in Las Vegas.  I had a meeting completely scrap their agenda 24 hours prior to meeting load in and start over.  I had a custom set piece arrive damaged as a cherry on top at 5pm yesterday.

Being an over-achiever, I have surpassed the bad things come in threes theory.

But in the end its all going to work out.

Because surprise, I am on “Candid Camera.” You remember the game show which puts people in challenging  but silly situations and sees how they respond.  After putting the unsuspecting person through the ringer, the host Allen Funt, comes out and lets the cat out the bag, letting people know it’s all a practical joke, pointing out the hidden cameras all around.

This week was a great lesson for me.  If you take the time to consider life as one big practical joke it’s easier to just move on.  Next time you feel like its all falling apart, stop and say to yourself.  Smile, You’re on Candid Camera.

I admit I am a bit of an “Idea Junky” in fact some have dubbed me the “IdeaManiac.”  My bad habit is buying notebooks.  I am addicted to capturing my ideas.

Recently I came up with an idea.  Imagine that!

Tag or categorize my ideas.  I now have different notebooks for different inspirations.  My biggest idea generator is running, however, I am inspired by just about anything.  I have this huge fear I am going to miss an idea.  Since I have so many ideas and interests I thought it would be cool to track my ideas by the inspiration factor.  I could see if the ideas generated when I was running or just before going to bed or after reading a book, whatever, the category generated different results.  I want to know which inspiration factor leads to the best results.

Here are 3 ideas for categorizing your ideas:

1. Buy 5 Notebooks and Label them with a Sharpie by category.
2. Use Google Docs and add category names to your idea lists.  You can now search by keyword.
3. Create 5 Word Documents on your computer by category.

After a few months or years of documenting your ideas by category or keyword tags you will now have some data to prioritize your ideas.

Note: If you have more than 25 notebooks for tracking your ideas, you might be an IdeaManiac.

Thinking tommorow will be a better day to get started.

Last week Mark Hayward over at My Tropical Escape posed the question “What are your goals for the week?”

I listed 3 goals:

1. Create a Fitness Plan
2. Work on a Birthing Plan with my Pregnant Wife
3. Clean the basement

A simple but powerful exercise.  I publically posted my goals on his website.  What was interesting is over the last week I noticed I was naturally drawn to action on these goals.  In fact on Thursday I ran on the treadmill in the basement and proceeded dripping in sweat to clean the basement.

I have been studying personal development for nearly 20 years and this simple blog post might incorporate two of the most powerful factors for success.

The first is writing down your goals.  I did not write these goals on paper but yes I created a concrete list.  By having a list of goals you now actually have a tool to prioritize your activities for the week.  Should I attend join the Cincy Tweetup or clean the basement.  Should I take a nap or should I lace up my running shoes.

The second is accountability or peer pressure.  I love to publicly proclaim my goals.  Sometimes it comes off cocky but somebody generally asks me about my progress.  I now have an option.  I can be a person who keeps my word or I can be a person who becomes known as all talk or (blog).

I must admit, occasionally I don’t deliver on all my proclamations but more often than not I follow through with my goals.

Your Momentum Monday Assignment:

What are 3 things you need to accomplish this week?

Who are you going to announce it too?

My 3 Goals for the Week!

1. Get company internal blog online and operational.
2. Run 12 Miles.
3. Finish painting the baby’s room.

Blog it, write it, tell a friend.  Success is waiting.

Kajagoogoo the Nostradamus of musical acts made a bold prediction in 1983 with their hit song “Too Shy.”

When it comes to Social Media, I am “Too Shy.”

Social Media has been a buzzword around the blogosphere.  Oops that is too many buzzwords in one sentence but if you were wondering Social Media is basically people talking to each other via electronic media.  This includes blogs, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to name some popular platforms.  It’s a loose definition but chances are you are engaged in some form of Social Media.

What I have found interesting is when I engage in new Social Media arenas I often find myself experiencing many of the same anxieties I face when in person.

On Twitter a micro blogging website which allows you to follow people and their short insights or daily interactions often feels to me, much like a loud cocktail party.  People are sharing their opinions left and right with nonsense about their daily challenges or links to blog that they read but I am a little shy.  Do I reply to people direct or share a link.  Do the people posting actually want to talk to me.  Will they reject me.

When I go to a high profile bloggers website and read a post and comment will they check out my blog and judge me since I am just getting started.  Maybe I need a professionally designed header.  Maybe he will notice I am using a free Wordpress Theme.  I am just a hack.  I couldn’t even afford to pay for my template.

I just Dugg one of my own blog posts.  I bet people will think I am narcissistic.  Am I a bore to be promoting my own blog?

Patty Craft a friend of mine who also blogs recently posted about how she was blasted by a new acquaintance as being “self-centered and grandiose.” I thought that was kind of funny.  I actually had to break it to Patty that maybe that person was right.  I think the idea of even having a personal blog is “self-centered and grandiose,” but so is having an opinion for that matter.  I guess the difference is where or how you share it???

Social Media is no different than the ancient cave drawings that scatter the world.  Social Media is the same feelings you have on the first day of grade school.  Social Media is the jokes on the bathroom stall.  Social Media is just that another media for socializing.

Mark Hayword at My Tropical Escape, shared his thoughts on how to successfully use Social Media this week.

Be Human.

That reminded me I am on the right track.  Since I am feeling shy and anxious when I Twitter and when I go to networking meetings in person….yes I am the same person online and off-line.  By the way I also am having a blast exploring writing as a hobby and a career.  Blogging is my training ground.

Social Media is just the tool.  Just like the phone, a letter or an email.  Be yourself.  Follow your dreams and the rest will follow.

Follow me on Twitter

My Human/Personal Website Coachbriany

I know this sucks but sometimes you need to set up strategies for success. 

I like to blog.  I like to read blogs.  I like to dream up new ideas. 

I don’t like to run.  I don’t like to do the dishes. I don’t like to clean the house.

What’s a man to do?

A) Run, Do the Dishes and Clean the House.

B) Blog, Read Blogs and Dream.

C) Rinse and Repeat

Sometimes on the way to our dreams we have some things that need to get done and some things that we want to get done.

If you take care of your needs first, you can have a clear mind and conscious to enjoy the things you want to do even more.

You might actually find you want a clean house and a fine physique.