A self proclaimed “Self Help Junkie,” I have read just about every “self help” book under the sun.  You know, the classics….Think and Grow Rich, PsychoCybernetics, The Road Less Traveled, The Power of Positive Thinking and don’t get me started with “self help crack” Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books.  Yes, I think I have read them all and I am looking for a new drug, I mean type of book.

I thought you might be burnt out as well on the “self help” craze and looking for a new direction.  I have a new  book category for you “Thought Provoking.”  I have tired of the idea that someone might have an answer for me.  Do I really want to limit myself with the constraints of someone else’s concept of “self help.”

Thought provoking takes self help in a different direction.  Instead of telling me what to do it provokes me to reflect on an idea or a concept and create something new.  You can even take this a step further and not only seek to be provoked but become the provoker.

In todays information age there are plenty of answers available but are there enough people with the courage to provoke new thinking?

Thought provoking material on my nightstand:

• Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior

• This Will Change Everything: Ideas That Will Shape the Future

• Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

What is Your Story?

As many of you approach the new year you might be inclined to take on a tradition suspect in its  success… “New Year’s Resolutions.”

I am a huge fan of the “MashUp” and thought we could team up a tradition with a technique.

The art of storytelling is a technique of master public speakers.  Just as pictures are worth a thousand words a story or a tale is worth a thousand graphs and bullet points.  A story allows us to relate to a message and data.

So I propose a new tradition .  A New Year’s Story.

I challenge you to take your resolutions, your dreams, your goals and write a story about how you want your life to look in 2010 and beyond.

Get vivid! Include people, places, plot lines and drama.  You might include some dialogue about telling your boss off and/or a Disney like musical scene with singing birds and public displays of song and dance.  It is your story you can make it what you want.

I challenge you to take some “creative liberties” just like those “based on a true story” movies you get inspired by every year.  This is your life and have a little fun with it.

Of course, no story is complete if kept to yourself.  Be sure to share it with a trusted confidant.  Feel free to share in the comments area scenes and chapters from your story for 2010 as you feel comfortable.

Once Upon A Time………………………..!

Blogging is an interesting recipe.  One part inspiration, one part obligation, one part guilt and a whole lot more work than you could ever imagine.

The thing I like most about blogging is following an inspiration.  The part I hate is following inspiration and not being able to fully cook my inspiration.  The results of my half baked inspirations lay dormant in my Wordpress and Google Docs as drafts or unfinished inspirations.

Over the weekend I was inspired to share these half baked ideas as cliff notes if you will, a title and a 2-3 sentence explanations of what the blog post was supposed to be about.  I hope you enjoy these.

I am going to call it Inspirational Spring Cleaning.

Last Will and Testament

Blog posts are the new cave drawings.  Blog about your ideas, your wishes for the world and someday you just might get quoted.

The Aladdin Factor

One of my favorite books of all time, ask for what you want and people often will give it to you.  So easy, so simple.  My request, read my blog, make comments on my blog, share it with friends.

Get Out of Your Element

This one of my favorites, that comfy life you have been living might just be holding you back from new ideas and new opportunities.  Carpe Diem my friends, stand on your desk and smell the sunflowers.

The Things I Learned Last Week

This was going to be a recurring blog post, something simple like everything I needed I learned in Kindergarten kind of cheesy.  I believe you can drastically improve the quality of your life by taking a few minutes weekly to reflect on your lessons learned.

Follow the Energy

It has been said the only thing more contagious than enthusiasm is lack of enthusiasm.  I recommend you find someone who inspires you and ride their coat tails.

Just Show Up

This is the little brother of the Aladdin Factor.  In all of my years… my desk and couch are the least lucky places.  Opportunity is directly proportional to the amount of time you place yourself engaging people.

Cash for Clunkers

I think this is a fun concept.  Wouldn’t be great if we could trade in negative co-workers, bad habits and other undesirables for cash.  What would you trade in for cash?

Door Prize

I don’t know where I was headed with this one, but if you are still reading and make a comment on my blog I will send you a book from my extensive business and self help library.  In fact tell me what book you want (ala Aladdin Factor) and If I have it is yours.  Otherwise I will recommend the closest book I have to your topic.  Limit 20 people.  A guess that sounds like a Door Prize.

John Denver and 4 Non Blondes

This was my tribute post about how John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” and 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up” still impact my life.  Both songs reference a certain age 27 and 25 respectively.  The also reference a great big hill, for whatever that means.  But you realize quickly as I knew you would this is a half baked idea and I am still trying to get up that great big hill of hope.  The truth John and 4 Non were reflecting on life just like I am today 38 years old with a new baby in my life and I must say my perspective has changed.

The Power of Being Real

I might have actually touched on this topic in one of my blog posts.  The act of me sharing these “blog post rejects” is an example of being real.  Who gives an “F” what everyone else thinks.  How many years are you going to live someone else’s life.

The Mirror of Life

Your life is a direct reflection of the thoughts and feelings you have on the inside.  Think of it like a report or an account of your innermost desires and beliefs.  Have you taken the time to look in the mirror or do you prefer to live in the dark?

Blind Faith Strategy

A asteroid or a nuke could end it all today, so aren’t we pretty much always living with Blind Faith.  Life is short so why all of the calculated risks?

100 Ridiculous Things to Do in a Lifetime

This would probably be better titled.  100 stupid things I did in college.  FYI this list does not include urinating off the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge just after the start of the New York City Marathon in 1997 but finishing the marathon might qualify if you get my drift.

Tell me about something ridiculous you would like to do in this lifetime.

The Truth about Starting from Scratch

Unless you are headed back to your momma’s womb there is no such thing.  Quit your pity party and take an account of what positive resources you have in your life.  If you’re breathing that is number 1 on your list.

The Quest for Imperfection

Live and learn, live and let die, if you can’t be with the one you love, love the one your with.  Perfection is the booby prize in life.

Does Your Monkey Have a Name

We all have something that is holding us back in life.  Maybe if you name it you might be able to deal with it.  That way you can tell that Monkey to get off your back.

Blogs and Babies Need Lots of Love and Attention

Note:  Babies need more attention, I am short sighted to mention them in the same sentence

We is More Selfish than I, Let me Tell you Why

Don’t know where I was headed with this one but sounds like an interesting blog post.

Limit, Restrict and Condense

Twitter is so popular because we are all immersed and inundated with too much information.  WE are now in what I call “The Over Information Age.”  Your greatest opportunity for success is providing products or information in condensed format as we enter this age.

Make a Big Splash, Go For the High Dive

Physics – More speed, mass and velocity equal more displaced water.  Why are you limiting yourself to the 3′ board when you can go for the “High Dive”

Risk

Take One!

Who are You, Am I Talking to a Wall

This must be my bloggers Pity Party Post, nobody reads my blog, I must be a bad blogger.  Sorry for those who do read, you are not nobody.  Even inspirational bloggers have bad days.

Track Your Life, Innocent Moments of Big Impact

Like the day you met your best friend, the day you met your wife.  I like to contemplate if certain life acquaintances or circumstances disappeared how different my life might be.

I still think the day I was going to look at an apartment and the landlord did not show up and I found another apartment down the street and eventually my “wife to be” moved in across the street and kind of changed my life.  I know that sentence has a lot of “ands” and yes that is how you know something was a big impact in your life because “and something else” happened.

Go First and Change the World

The world has enough followers, Earth needs more leaders!

The Great Pumpkin Post

I love pumpkins and I love pumpkin pie.  I also love the “Peanuts” Halloween special “The Great Pumpkin.”  I think a lot of people have excuses about their life that are more in line with being “Great Pumpkins” than being real.  Is there any excuses you need to let go of to start living your “Great Life!”

I feel much better now, I hope you do too.

I can now move on to some fresh topics and new inspirations.  Thanks for reading!

You bet, I am headed in the direction you are thinking? What is wrong with you anyway. Get your head out of the gutter!

I said it, “Brass Balls,” like in reference to a pair.

Paul Coulter a great friend and mentor of mine has a pair of Brass Balls, literally a pair suspended in plastic he has on display in his office. Sometimes he takes them on the road when presenting or speaking at business meetings. It’s been a number of years since I heard the story of the Brass Balls but the message behind the balls, still impacts my approach to life.

In fact, I bet you are still reading even though I might have pushed the envelope just a bit. You might say I have “A Pair” to even consider writing about the subject. I must admit it is a calculated risk. I do remember that no one has ever left the room when Paul presented his “Brass Balls” speech to the audience. The meaning behind the “Brass Balls” is so clear I probably don’t even need to tell you what it is.

Sometimes in life you have to take some risks, you are going to have to dig in. If you have no idea what I am talking about some other words for “Brass Balls” include:

• Intestinal Fortitude
• Chutzpah
• Courage
• Endurance
• Vigor
• Heart
• Moxie
• Spunk
• Guts

Since I am sure I have a few women readers, cut me some slack and embrace the intent behind my message.  Yes, I have met a few women over the years who clearly have “A Pair.”

Back to my friend Paul, his message would be hollow if not for his own courage.  I am not sure of Paul’s exact age but its in the 70’s.  I had lost track of Paul for a few years and we reconnected on LinkedIn of all things.  I know people much younger than Paul who are still fearful and bitter about the new business medium called the internet.  I think Paul is on his 3rd website and continues to explore the latest ideas on personal happiness and success.

What kind of risks have you taken lately?

Meet my friend Paul Coulter.

A Book, a Movie,a DVD and  a Museum, I hope you enjoy!

A Book

Ignore Everybody and buy this book.  Hugh MacLeod the artist behind the Gaping Void “cartoons on the back of business cards” takes his stab at how to be creative.  I find the book more of a manifesto for those who are following their dreams.  This book is a fast read.  If you don’t mind reading online you can see the online version by visiting his site.  Click Here.

Or you can buy it on Amazon:

A Movie

500 Days of Summer is a fun chick flick but hotty Zooey Deschanel will save your “Man Card” if you decide to go this one alone.  If your a chick you get a free pass on this one, that’s why they call them chick flicks.

A DVD

The Great Buck Howard is a light hearted movie about “Buck Howard” played by John Malkovich, a mentalist (not a magician) and performer who has lost his luster.  His comeback is launched in Cincinnati, which is a fun movie twist for this Cincinnati native as he performs his biggest feat ever, hypnotizing hundreds of people.  His comeback is almost foiled by Cincinnati’s favorite son Jerry Springer.  Rent it, don’t buy it.

A Museum

The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, OH  is a one of a kind experience.  Tod Swormstedt, former editor and publisher of Signs of the Times magazine, as his self-proclaimed mid-life crisis project. It began as an idea, with no collection.  He has well surpassed the no collection status.  He currently has hundreds of signs on display.  From Big Boy to Earl Scheib he has some of the country’s most recognizable icons as well as one of a kind historic signs.  Neon and flashing lights are the backdrop for this museum.  You may want to bring your sun glasses.

$10 admission is a bargain, I recommend you visit during a tour time.

More Information Click Here.

Disclaimer:

Some of my links include affiliate links. I could make a small commission on your purchase, however, to date I have only made around $10 with this strategy. Not quite a living but as Expert in the Rough grows it readership affiliate links might just cover my costs of hosting this blog. A man can dream, can’t he?

I hope you enjoy the links.

I have been blogging over a year now and for the most part it feels like an outbound experience.  My goal has been to share a little bit of myself and hope that you might find some gems of  widsom or ideas you can use in your life.  They always say it is better to be interested than interesting so tell me a little about what makes you tick.

I know many of my readers get my blog posts via Facebook so you can comment on Facebook or take a peak at my blog at http://www.expertintherough.com and use the comments section at the end of the post.

What you can share.

• Whatever you want.
• A link to something cool
• Something you would like me to write about
• Your greatest passion
• Your greatest fear
• What you would do with your life if you had no chance of failure and money was not an issue
• What is your favorite color
• What is your favorite vacation spot
• Who is your favorite celebrity, why?
• Just about anything.

Thanks in advance for sharing a little about yourself.

If you forward this post to 5 Friends you might piss 5 people off.

If you forward this post to 20 Friends you might piss 20 people off.

I was just checking if you were still reading.  Seriously don’t forward this post and quit forwarding emails that guilt trip you with bad luck or promises of great fortunes or a free laptop.

Seriously tell me about yourself!

It’s your turn to talk.

It’s been said music can take you places and for me music takes me back to places in my heart and mind.

I can being driving in my car and before you know it I am on a bus en route to the big wrestling match as the “Lunatic Fringe” blares on my radio.

“Benny and the Jets” and I am jumping on the couch in the living room with my sisters.  “Betty Davis Eyes” and I am in the back seat of my Dad’s car with my little brother he is only 2 and it”s one of his favorite songs.  White Snake and “Here I Go Again” hosting a party while my parents are away for the weekend.  “Yankee Rose “at Myrtle Beach on vacation with my buddy Craig. “Come Away With Me” and my wife and I are dancing our first dance.

Over the years I have felt like the songs were the catalyst for these good times but I now believe the songs are merely a marker or reference for a good memory.

My I-Pod has become a trip down memory lane but maybe, just maybe, all of this nostalgia is holding me back.

Maybe the access to the music from my past has made me lazy.  As my life moves on I have less and less songs that impact me.

I think the predominant factor in this development is, as I get older I take on less challenges and socialize less.  If I look back most of the musical memories revolve around people and experiences.

BOOM, BOOM POW! Time to start living again!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Last week I celebrated my 38th birthday.  My wife asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday.

I really love parties and entertaining, but I have become bored with the eat, talk and get fat format.  Instead  I suggested we host a “CornHole Tournament.” For those of you not from the Cincinnati area I assure you “CornHole” is not what you think.  CornHole is a fun bean bag toss game similar to horseshoes which supposedly originated in the Westside suburbs of Cincinnati.

Since I am 38  and too old for a traditional birthday party and I  did not want any presents, I decided to request my guests bring a can of corn to donate to the FreeStore Foodbank a local food pantry.  This worked out beautifully.  We collected 24 cans of Corn including one Sam’s Club size can of corn.

The success of my “CornRaiser” got me thinking about how easy it is to serve the world or community when you intertwine it with your everyday life.  In todays very hectic world sometimes the simplest of ideas are the best.

I challenge you to come up with a simple Fund Raiser to make a difference.

Here are a few to get started

• Cookie Buffet:  At work request co-workers bake a dozen cookies to bring into the “Cookie Buffet” those that bring cookies get free admission to the buffet and charge others a cover charge.  Donate the proceeds to a charity.
• Food Drive:  Put a large basket or bucket near the front desk of your office and collect can goods year round.
• White Elephant Silent Auction:  Request co-workers to donate an item of value that they just never use but maybe somebody else might find more useful.  Have the items on display for a week with bid sheets.  The money collected can be donated to a local charity.

These a just a few ideas, post your ideas and successes in the comments area.

Do You PK?

I do and so does Cincinnati!  Sleepy and conservative Cincinnati has joined the international movement known as Pecha Kucha Night.

You are probably thinking Pecha Kucha, isn’t that one of the Pokémon characters and why is Cincinnati celebrating a “Pocket Monster?”  I don’t blame you for the confusion.  Pecha Kucha and Pokémon do have a common root as they are both English translations of Japanese words.  Pecha Kucha simply translates as “the sound of conversation.”

Pecha Kucha Nights are the creation of a pair of architects, Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham as a technique or style of presentation for designers to share their work without boring the daylights out of everybody involved.

Klein and Dytham came up with a simple idea of 20 slides or images timed at 20 seconds each.  6 minutes and 40 seconds, pure genius, with the limitation of 20 slides at 20 seconds each, the presenters are forced to present only their best work allowing the cream to rise to the top.  If there is no cream to rise the presenter is limited and no awkward yawning from the audience because their time is up.

I was introduced to the concept of Pecha Kucha by Daniel Johnson Jr. the founder of New Media Cincinnati, a local group of social media addicts who meet monthly to share ideas and to be “social.”  In November our monthly meeting was conducted Pecha Kucha style.  I was immediately attracted to the idea due to my nearly two decade career in audio visual productions and sitting through hours, days, weeks and years of really boring PowerPoint presentations.  Pecha Kucha is an answer to my prayers.

My inspiration led me to whip up a Pecha Kucha in under an hour since my 3 week old daughter did not allow for much more.  I parsed my notes for a business networking e-book I had been working on for a few months and “20 Ninja Networking Secrets” was born.

You can view my slide share below:

After the meeting I was inspired to research hosting a Pecha Kucha Night in Cincinnati and I started creating a team of advisors to help me launch the project.  I emailed Klein and Dytham and did not hear anything back.  Pecha Kucha is a trademarked concept so I did not want to step on any toes.  Over the holidays I shelved the project and planned to start gathering a team after the first of the year.

A good friend from the past contacted me over the holidays looking for audio visual assistance for an event she was putting together with a coworker.  She asked about my experience in the Contemporary Art Center in Cincinnati and asked if we could meet.  She had no idea I had any knowledge of Pecha Kucha.  I asked about the event and she mentioned designers and artists would be sharing their work at the event.  I asked, “Is this a Pecha Kucha Night?”  She was floored.  Although Pecha Kucha is an international movement, the average person will look at you a bit funny when you mention the name.

I shared with her that I had a vision of hosting Pecha Kucha nights in Cincinnati promoting the city to attract conventions and meetings.  I shared that I wanted to host one on Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati, her team had the same idea.

I must admit at first I was a little disappointed, my ego wanted the glory of bringing Pecha Kucha Night to Cincinnati but I quickly realized that a ready made team was the way to go.

My friend invited me to a planning meeting and it just so happens that the Pecha Kucha founders replied on the same day with their contact info for the Pecha Kucha Cincinnati team.  I must admit it is interesting how life’s twists and turns often lead to the same place.  Pecha Kucha found me.

I am now an official member of the Pecha Kucha Cincinnati planning committee and my employer Prestige AV & Creative Services is on board as a sponsor of the event.

I hope you join us on February 13th at the Contemporary Art Center.

Visit DoYouPK.org for more details.

Follow on Twitter @doyoupk

When all else fails:

• Be yourself
• Be grateful
• Share your ideas
• Trust your gut
• Start over
• Keep pushing
• Say you’re sorry
• Call it a day
• Take a chance
• Tell your spouse you love him/her
• Show up with flowers
• Offer your seat
• Say a prayer
• Create a Don’t Stop Believing Play list for your I Pod
• Tell the Truth
• Bust out your air guitar

Last but not least, check your pulse. If you got one, get on with your life!