Archive for April, 2009
American Made by American Heroes
A couple of week ago I had the privilege of interviewing John Campbell of Vetmade Industries. Above is just a tiny sample of 1/2 hour interview. After John retired from the Army he planned on living a quiet life as a woodworker. Little did he know how deep the need to serve was ingrained into his system. Before long he risked it all to start Vetmade Industries a non-profit company that hires and trains disabled veterans. They build some very nice Adirondack furniture. Take a look at their website. http://vetmade.org/
John’s business model seems to revolve more around how many disabled vets he can employ as opposed to just the bottom line. Imagine what the Economy would be like if everyone adapted that kind business thinking. How much of your business revolves around the need to serve?
Shake Hands and Smile
I have personally had a bit of a challenge learning to smile. When I went through Marine Corps bootcamp we were taught not to smile (Yes they really do brainwash us). But now there is no need for me to look tough. I would rather have the endorphin rush of a good smile 
We should never be afraid to make a new acquaintance. Unfortunately many of us were brought up not talk to strangers. Our parents did this for a good reason to keep us safe. Later in life at some level we can still have that idea that its not safe to talk to strangers even though it is no longer a useful belief . It’s o.k., smile, shake hands, you might make a new Friend.
Making new friends at the Clearwater Aquarium
The Mastermind Group
Hardly a year has gone by since my friend Chris Krimitsos told me he was creating one of the greatest Mastermind groups ever. I had my doubts. I had attended a lot of boring networking groups that didn’t measure up.
Enter The Wealth Building Annex(TWBA). From our first meeting in a VFW building with a crackly sound system, to the Westshore Hotel and additional sub-groups popping in major cites around the nation. My how fast it has moved.
I have met some amazing people including Brian Tracy, Jay Conrad Levingson and many others along the way.
I think we are going to need a bigger room
Who is that crazy looking guy with Brian Tracy? Someone call Security!
You don’t have to join this group but if you really want to accelerate your life learn to Mastermind.
“When a group of minds are coordinated and function in harmony, the increased energy created through that alliance becomes available to every member of that group.”
Napoleon Hill
What a beautiful day
Here in Tampa Florida today is absolutely perfect! There is hardly a cloud in the sky and it is very mild in temperature. This is probably one of the last perfect days this season before the Florida heat and carnivorous bugs arrive. I am sitting in my back yard watching a pair of Cardinals gather seed out of my feeder for their young.
It is a beautiful day to…set some goals. As I sit here in my back yard I also have my trusty yellow legal pad out and I am writing down goals, and then doing a reverse timeline. The reverse timeline starts from the end goal and then works backwards to set up what you need to have done by when to meet your goal. It is great way to chunk things down so they don’t seem so lofty and overwhelming.
It kind of reminds me of a similar day last spring when I was sitting in the back yard with a friend of mine. The Cardinals where down then too. My friend also had his trusty legal pad. He was telling me that he was going to create probably the greatest Mastermind Alliance ever devised! It sounded intriguing but I was not so sure if he could do it. After all that was a pretty ambitious goal.
Did he pull it off? I will tell you more about it next post. It is too nice a day to be staring at a computer screen.
Bang your head
Do you ever feel like you’re just beating your head against a tree for no reason?
Sometimes if you just stop, take a deep breath, relax and reevaluate the situation you may gain a little perspective.
My friend Woody spent his whole life banging his head against a tree. Sometimes it’s tough work with little reward.
Sometimes with a little persistence and patience the rewards are quite juicy!
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Viddler video.Choosing adventure (part 2)
I talked to a friend of mine the other day and he said “I love the blog. All that talk about adventure is great but I have two young children at home. I don’t want to be jumping out of airplanes or diving with sharks.”
That is great- he is being a responsible parent. Of course I am sure having kids is an adventure unto itself. You don’t have to be ‘totally extreme’ to have adventure in your life. My definition of adventure is: Anything you do outside your comfort zone or outside your daily routine. Especially if it: a) propels you toward what you want in life and or: b) is fun.
Some of my best adventures have been hiking around in our state parks or exploring dilapidated distressed properties. Adventure is waiting for you everywhere!
One way to really supercharge your adrenal gland without risking your life is to learn public speaking!
A few weeks ago my wife and I were down in Osprey. We decided to start taking random turns just to see what would happen. That’s how we found this really cool beach bar.
I believe I can fly!
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Viddler video.">
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Viddler video. I was at a workshop a couple of weeks ago and we were discussing the difference between an abundance or success consciousness and a poverty consciousness. The jist of what was being said is that if you train your brain to have a success consciousness you can do anything you want. As we were talking, this guy with this really whinny, nasally voice stood up and said “You can’t do anything! You can’t fly, not without an airplane!” So this week’s video clip is yes, me flying. And yes I am flying around a room without an airplane, wires or any mechanical device attached to my body, which was his stated criteria for not being able to fly.
The point is if you develop a success consciousness your brain will automatically look ways you can do things instead of reasons why you can’t.
This video is from Skyventure in Orlando. It is a big wind tunnel that actually blows you up in the air. It’s designed to train skydivers but it is great fun even if you have never been skydiving.
Diving with Great Whites
Gansbaai South Africa.
It was late in the afternoon. I was sick I was tired and beginning to get that feeling I had failed. When I was a young kid my cousin had taken me to the movie JAWS. While most people having seen that movie decided they would never get in water deeper than the bathtub I decided I wanted to see a great white in person, up close. When I found out I would be in South Africa anyway I jumped on the chance.
I had gone through a logistical nightmare to try to arrange the shark dive. We would only be in Capetown two days so it was now or never. So while it was still dark out we set out on a grand adventure.
Six hours after setting anchor I had long since grown used to the smell of blood. We had been out on the water since early morning dumping blood overboard about every five minutes. The only problem was the worlds largest predatory fish was apparently shy. Finally about a half hour hour before we had to return to shore we spied a fin. Then abruptly in front of us a 16ft+ Great White materialized out of the shadows. Before I knew it I was in the water face to face with the Apex Predator! He passed by the cage several times. Amazingly for such a big animal they move so fluidly. A creature very comfortable in its own skin and at one with its environment. So confident, so powerful. It would disappear from one side then materialize from a completely different direction. After passing under the cage it turned toward me. We looked into each others eyes and then he charged the cage. I grabbed the handles so if he rammed the cage my arms would flail outside into a waiting maw. At the last second possible the shark turned and swam back into the shadows from where it came. This was the most exhilarating experience ever. It had all the marks of a good success story. I had beaten the odds just to get the chance to do this and just when it seamed all was lost it happened. To me the reward was very much worth the risk.
One of the reasons why we take risk is when you are in an extreme situation your Adrenalin kicks in and you go into what some people call a “flow state” and other people call “The zone” When you’re in this zone you are concentrating on what you are doing. You are not second guessing yourself. There is just the experience and then a sense of euphoria when its done.
I have interviewed dozens of successful Entrepreneurs. The one thing that they consistently say contributed to their success above all else is their ability to take risk. That is one of the reasons why so many people who do crazy things like skydive, mountain climb, and get in the water with sharks. The operative metaphor of: If I can do this I can do anything! There are entire personal development courses based around this. If you can walk across a bed of burning hot coals of course you can start your own business.
If you like me want have a more rich and rewarding life you are going to have to take risk. Now you don’t have get in the water with sharks, that’s my trip. Do things to get outside your comfort zone. Especially things that propel you toward your goals. Today is a great day to make an adventure!
