Scott’s approach to writing and life is re-framing the obvious.

Today Scott discussed the idea of “What if You Practiced Everything.” Essentially, Scott’s point is if you re-frame your life as practice it takes the edge off and allows for you to enjoy and enhance your life.

Practicing life is a cornerstone for being an Expert in the Rough.

Many people forget to embrace life and live it with the skills they possess now.

If you are waiting until you arrive to start the journey then you might want to embrace Scott’s Jedi Mind Trick.

Practice Life!

Be the one!

Be the one:

• who picks up the trash
• who starts the company blog
• who organizes the team
• calls the CEO of your top prospect company
• who starts a non-profit helping somebody in need
• who identifies an under served market
• who polishes their public speaking at Toastmasters
• who takes additional writing classes
• who hires a personal coach to guide their career
• who updates their resume quarterly and is ready when opportunity knocks
• who studies for additional industry certifications
• who seeks a mentor for career guidance
• who creates a personal board of directors to hold them accountable
• who mentors others giving back the experience others have bestowed you
• who does the job nobody else wants
• who stays late when the job requires
• who starts early to ensure the quality of their work
• who does what others won’t, put off, forget or are afraid to do

“Be the One” when opportunity knocks who answers the door.

We should find somebody to organize the warehouse.

We should find somebody to update our marketing materials.

We should find somebody to speak at our next fundraiser.

We should find somebody to head up that committee.

We should find somebody to streamline our processes.

We should find somebody who can organize our files.

We should find somebody to get our blog off the ground.

We should find someone to manage our training.

Is there somebody in your pocket? When you say “We Should” who exactly is included in your “We”?

“We” is the trap.

“We” is the belief that somebody else will do it.”

“We” never happens. The truth is there is no “We” without an “I” first.

I will get a team of managers together to organize the warehouse.

I will work with the ad agency to update our marketing materials.

I will call the founder of “insert company” to speak at our annual fundraiser.

I will form a committee.

I will hire a process management consultant.

I will manage the overhaul of our filing system.

I will learn about blogging platforms.

I will organize a monthly training session.

“We” sounds great on paper.  The more the merrier so to speak but the truth is your boss, your leader, your friends, your members, your co-workers are looking for you to take the reigns.

Next time you say “We” stop yourself and feel the power of “I.”

I will change my world, I will change the world.

I bet you will embark on you next big dream when the timing is right.

I bet you will start your blog when you have enough time.

I bet you will start playing guitar when you get hired by a band.

I bet you will write that resume after you get that new job.

I bet you will make that phone call when you get the courage.

I bet you will have another excuse tommorow.

I bet you didn’t know that Less Than Perfect always is the first step.

I bet you didn’t know that Less Than Perfect gives you the space to learn and grow.

I bet you think this post is kind of lame, but I don’t care.

I am Less Than Perfect but I am living my dreams every day.

Perfect is the booby prize!

Less Than Perfect, I am living my dreams.

Did I mention I want to be a best selling author, that is why I am learning to write on this blog.

When are you going to get started living your dreams?

Is Perfection going to get in the way?

How can I help you get started?

Who?

I have been writing now for nearly 6 months and I must admit sometimes it feels like I am talking to a wall.

I really do yearn a conversation here at Expert in the Rough.

If you are a regular reader I would appreciate it if you dropped a comment.  Click on the comment link at the bottom of this post.

While your at it feel free to promote yourself, blog or projects.  Seriously.  Don’t be shy.

Tell me about why you read Expert in the Rough or what you would like to read at Expert in the Rough.

Thanks to my most loyal readers that I know about.

• My wife Megan (she gets the live audio version) and many posts that get canceled
• Derek from work @kyderek
• Mom
• Jason from JManStudios or @jmanstudios
• Georgina Taylor Website @georginataylor

New Readers or Commenters:

• Daniel Johnson Jr. Website or @danieljohnsonjr
• Daniel Wille Website or @danielwille
• Joan Adams Website 0r @jtadams

If I missed you, I just don’t have any kind of recored that you are reading.  Drop a comment and you will be added to the list.

Thanks for reading.

Brian

10 People stopped by my website yesterday.  I am not sure who they are.  I do know they were on Drew Rozell’s website first, thanks to my Google Analytics, which gathers way too much information.  I average around 15 visits to my website a day so this was an unusual circumstance.

When I saw this my heart pitter-pattered a bit.  Maybe Drew, my former personal coach and somebody I look up to, may have mentioned me on his website. Yes I am the eternal narcissist, so I checked my feed reader and read Drew’s latest post. It had very little to do with me and it was a sad take on the loss of his cat.  Drew is a great story teller and he also is a great writer on the Laws of Attraction.  He weaved a nice (heartfelt) article about the loss of his cat with his lessons from his life and the Laws of Attraction.

He shared a link to my website mentioning I had introduced him to Abraham-Hicks one of the most popular authorities on the Laws of Attraction.  I had no idea I was the one who referred Drew to Abraham-Hicks.  I am honored since Drew has become one of the best writers on the Laws of Attraction.  I do remember sharing LoA resources when I was working with him as a coach but never imagined I was the one to give him this referral.

Drew here is a convoluted account of how you found Abraham Hicks and why 3 babies are being born this year.

Thanks to Paul C. for sharing Abraham Hicks with me.  Drew Rozell has greatly benefited from it.

Thanks to my step mom Nancy for marrying my Dad.

Thanks to Phil H. my step grandfather.  He introduced my family to Life Success Seminars where I met Paul C.

Thanks to Bob Evans Restaurants.  Bob Evans hired my good friend Clinton C.  He moved to Cincinnati for the job.

Thanks to Cincinnati for leading Clinton C. to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance.

Thanks to Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance for causing Clinton C. to hire Paul C. as a sales coach.

Thanks to Paul C. introducing Clinton C. to Life Success Seminars which introduced Clinton to me.

Thanks to me for introducing Clinton C. to my high school friend Jeff O.

Thanks to Clinton C. for helping Jeff O. get a job at Morgan Stanley.

Thanks to Morgan Stanley for introducing Jeff O and Lora S.

Thanks to me for inspiring Clinton to move San Diego (i decided not to go.)

Thanks to Jeff O. for introducing his friend Ryan W to Clinton C.

Thanks to Clinton C. for introducing his roomate Camille to Ryan W.

Thanks to Jen K for introducing me to Drew R.

Thanks to Life Success Seminars for introducing me to Jen K.

Thanks to Life Success Seminars and Jen K. for introducing me to Megan H.

All right enough ot the thank you’s but I do want to share that you just never know how you might change the world.

Some big results from this crazy chain.

Drew Rozell very successful writer and coach on the Laws of Attraction.

Ryan and Camille are married and just had a baby.

Jeff and Lora are married and just had a baby.

Brian (me) and Megan are due to have a baby any day now.

So I am not sure what the point of this post is but a few innocent moments in life have some interesting results.

Facsimiles, Copies, Torn, Wet and/or Counterfeit Versions of this ticket are acceptable for entrance into this Down Economy.  Watch CNN & FoxNews for tour updates.  This tour WILL be coming to your town.

It’s inevitable The Down Economy, The Recession and The Great Depression Revisited are coming to a town near you in 2009.  You have no options except to fail.  That is why 2009 is a great year to get started living your dreams.

Are you following me.  Since you are going to fail at everything else.  Everything is bleak.  The sun will never rise, you no longer need to worry about the risk of failure.  It is inevitable.  It is for sure. So, if you are doomed to fail and so is everybody else,  why not take a chance on living your dreams in 09.

It is a bit counter-intuitive but 2009 could be your best year ever to start living your dreams.  Here are 9 reasons 2009 might be the year for you.

1. Stocks are cheap.  Buy Low and Sell High. Warren Buffet is doing it.
2. Housing Bubble has busted.  Once Again Buy Low and Sell High.
3. Others have given up.  You might be surprised there are businesses that are thriving.
4. If you fail you can blame it on the economy.
5. Businesses are reassessing contracts in an effort to save money.  This is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door.
6. A great time to scale down, get out of the rat race, reassess your lifestyle.  Even the “Joneses” are scaling back.
7. The world was supposed to end in 2000 so you have been granted at very least an extension.  Get moving.  Maybe it’s a 9 lives type of thing and 2009 really is the end of the world.
8. If you take the numbers 2009 and add them together you get eleven its a great Blackjack hand.  The experts, recommend that you “Double Down” on eleven.
9. George Bush’s last day on the job is January 20th.

Check back early next year for the “Pleasantly Surprised by your Success Tour. “

Last week I was out picking up lunch for my wife and I passed a “farmers market” selling pumpkins.  Alright, I admit it was not much of a “farmers market” it was the strip mall’s parking lot.  But a real farmer had a trailer load of some great looking pumpkins.

50 cents a pound was a little steep but these were “round hard walled pumpkins.”  So the farmer says.

I went ahead and purchased two pumpkins.  One was to take home to my wife and one was to take to the office.

The one for my wife was more a symbol of my love, the night I proposed to my wife Sweetest Day 2002, we celebrated over a pumpkin pie.  I also thought it would make a great prop for a  picture next to my pregnant wife. (Luckily she agreed.)

The second pumpkin for the office was for social reasons.  That’s right.  Social reasons!

I really do love attention and I like to socialize so I knew a pumpkin was going to be a perfect decoration to place at the door to my office.

When I returned from lunch I carried the pumpkin to my office.  On the way a few co-workers asked why I was carrying a pumpkin.  I thought that was a silly question being it is was early October and surely a pumpkin would be appropriate in October.  I simply replied, “For the fun of it!”

After getting to my office I realized that putting the pumpkin on the floor outside my office would not be enough.  I needed a pedestal.  I took a walk to the warehouse and found a stool to place my pumpkin.

It was a busy week and I went back to work.  Over the next hour about 10 co-workers stopped by to comment on the pumpkin.  They would peak in and say nice pumpkin or make some general reference to the pumpkin, but one co-worker stopped and asked, “what is this?”  I thought that was kind of a silly question.  I said “It’s a pumpkin.”  She started to laugh.

I could not see the pumpkin from my desk and she said, “Oh you haven’t seen the pumpkin lately.”

She then waived for me to come out.  The Pumpkin had been dressed up.  I mind you this pumpkin had only been in the office for about an hour.

Here is the pumpkin that resides outside of my office.

Now these are just a few examples of how a pumpkin can make a difference in the world.  I have created a list of what you can learn from a pumpkin.

What you can learn from a pumpkin:

1. Pumpkins are social.  Put one outside your door and it’s and invitation to converse and interact.
2. Pumpkins are versatile.  Pumpkins make great pies, decorations, door stops and conversation pieces
3. Pumpkins are collaborative.  You can’t help but want to add to somebodies pumpkin.

Next time your are working on a blog post or marketing piece ask yourself.

• How is this post like a pumpkin?
• Does my post make me more approachable?
• Does my post provide value?
• Does my post attract collaboration?

Be a Pumpkin and rule the world.

For those of you unfamiliar with Twitter, it is basically summed up as a Micro-Blogging platform limited to 140 character length blog posts.  This seems like a ridiculous format but it has become the rage of the blogosphere.  The key feature of Twitter is the “Follow” feature.  You choose who you want to follow and therefore you get only the information you approve.

Twitter lends itself to Personal promotion and interaction but many Brands have jumped in setting up Twitter profiles.  The jumping in of Brands on Twitter often pisses people off since many of these brands forget Twitter is a personal platform.  They forget to talk to people versus broadcast at them.  Their manners often come off as a one way conversation.

I have not been following @HubSpot for very long on Twitter but I will give them a pass on setting a Twitter profile since they add value in a number of ways.

Hubspot’s tag line is “Inbound Internet Marketing System”

Hubspot is actually an evangelist for the new marketing model.  Instead of broadcasting at everybody they teach you to develop a web presence which attracts the people who want or need your product.  It’s the smell of home cooked cookies approach versus the megaphone approach to marketing.

I recommend 4 HubSpot Products:

HubSpot Internet Marketing Blog

Website Grader is a great tool for identifying what areas your blog/website is performing well and what areas your blog needs improvement.

Free Internet Marketing Kit, They might call you once but they have not bothered me since.

Twitter Grader is just another way to benchmark yourself against other websites and bloggers.

My Grades:
Website Grade: 89 (up from 59 in July)
Twitter Grade: 59 (My first reference)

Thanks HubSpot for following me @coachbriany

I think that was a bit more than 100 Words!

1. Donuts, Bagels, Cookies and or Coffee.  Buy a dozen for your clients…better yet your coworkers.
2. Give out 5 compliments by noon.
3. Smile at 3 people by 10am
4. Drive slow and let people merge in traffic
5. Give 10 hugs by 2pm

This post is also compatible with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.