Issue 23

In Search of an Excellent You

In this Issue:
Introduction
Successful Goal Setting Tips
Keeping a Journal
Web Site Abandonment
Ask a Marketer

"What you are shouts so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." -Emerson

Nothing can come into your experience unless it finds something in you with which it is attuned; what you see at any time is nothing but your own concept.
You can get only what belongs to you at any time, and nobody can prevent your getting that; and so all persecution and hindrance are absolutely from within. The source of most persecution is none other than your own self. No outside persecutor, but only your own lower self. Outer things are but the finished article, the result of causes and happenings on the inner.

We are very much in the position of a color-blind man in a beautiful flower garden. All around him are glorious colors; but he is quite unaware of them and sees only blacks, whites, and grays. If we suppose him to be also devoid of the sense of smell, we shall see what a very small part of the glory of the garden exists for him. Yet it is all there, if he could but sense it.

Yours in Success and Achievement,

Dr. Manuel Escalante (Dr. E)



Successful Goal Setting Tips

Assure Victory with Simple and Short-Term Goals...

Always have some goals that are easy to reach. Simple goals
and short-term goals will motivate you as you achieve them
and keep you headed toward larger goals.

Make Yourself Stretch with Long-Term Goals...

Long-term goals are usually two years or longer. These goals
set the stage for your plan of success. They challenge you,
expand your growth and help to keep you focused.

Share Your Goals with Affirmations...

Speaking your goals out loud in the form of affirmations
will not only help to feed your own sub-conscious mind, it
will also allow others to support your efforts too.

You are more likely to achieve your goals if your friends,
business associates and family know about them. Only share
your goals with people who encourage your growth and success
and avoid negative forces.

It always amazes me how many goals I achieve by sharing them
with others. My friends, family, business associates and
even my audience attendees help me to stay on track and keep
me moving toward my goals with continuous positive
encouragement.

If you have a tendency to disappoint yourself before
disappointing others, you may not feel comfortable sharing
your goals. Yet, most people who don't share their goals
often don't really believe that they can accomplish them.

This negative self-doubt feeds your sub-conscious mind and
begins to sabotage your results. To avoid this, move away
from any negative self-talk and start sharing more often.

Prioritize, Yet Be Flexible...

It is best to decide which goals are most important for you
to achieve. Date your goals accordingly in the areas that
will reap you the largest return on your investment of time
and money. Ask yourself, is this task moving me toward my
goals faster or holding me back from reaching my peak
potential?

Be open and flexible to changes around you. Due to
unforeseen circumstances, you may need to adjust the due
date of your goal or reevaluate and cancel it altogether.

Often, the goals that receive the most attention are most
likely the goals that will change frequently too.

Understand Why You Want to Achieve Your Goal...

Why do you really want to achieve your long-term goal? What
will it do for you or how will it change your life?

Clarify the root of why you want to achieve your goals. Is
it to earn respect from others or to create a better
lifestyle for your family? Will your goal have a profound
impact on your life or others?

Don't let your ego get in the way of setting big goals.
Honest evaluation of why you want to achieve your goals will
bring valuable insight and newly discovered personal
development. The more you understand why you want something,
the more motivated you will be to keep working at
accomplishing your goals.

Don't Give Up...

You will get discouraged from time to time and may even
start to doubt yourself. That is just human nature. You will
also get busy, side-tracked, and may have a tendency to
procrastinate. But don't stop! Keep moving toward your goals
-- one step at a time.
The reason many people do not set goals is the fear of
failure. Yet the only true failure is to not attempt to try
new things and to set new goals. If you don't try, you'll
never reap the rewards. If you try and only partly succeed,
you still are a success, and you will have achieved more
than you've got right now.

Get to work on your goals! Once you accomplish them you will
discover more confidence and feel more empowered. That is
your special gift to yourself in the New Year.
-Debbie Allan

Keeping A Journal

If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down.
I used to take notes on pieces of paper and torn-off corners and backs of old envelopes. I wrote ideas on restaurant placemats. On long sheets, narrow sheets and little sheets and pieces of paper thrown in a drawer. Then I found out that the best way to organize those ideas is to keep a journal. I've been keeping these journals since the age of twenty-five. The discipline makes up a valuable part of my learning, and the journals are a valuable part of my library.
I am a buyer of blank books. Kids find it interesting that I would buy a blank book. They say, "Twenty-six dollars for a blank book! Why would you pay that?" The reason I pay twenty-six dollars is to challenge myself to find something worth twenty-six dollars to put in there. All my journals are private, but if you ever got a hold of one of them, you wouldn't have to look very far to discover it is worth more than twenty-six dollars.
I must admit, if you got a glimpse of my journals, you'd have to say that I am a serious student. I'm not just committed to my craft; I'm committed to life, committed to learning new concepts and skills. I want to see what I can do with seed, soil, sunshine and rain to turn them into the building blocks of a productive life.
Keeping a journal is so important. I call it one of the three treasures to leave behind for the next generation. In fact, future generations will find these three treasures far more valuable than your furniture.
The first treasure is your pictures. Take a lot of pictures. Don't be lazy in capturing the event. How long does it take to capture the event? A fraction of a second. How long does it take to miss the event? A fraction of a second. So don't miss the pictures. When you're gone, they'll keep the memories alive.
The second treasure is your library. This is the library that taught you, that instructed you, that helped you defend your ideals. It helped you develop a philosophy. It helped you become wealthy, powerful, healthy, sophisticated, and unique. It may have helped you conquer some disease. It may have helped you conquer poverty. It may have caused you to walk away from the ghetto. Your library -- the books that instructed you, fed your mind and fed your soul -- is one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind.
The third treasure is your journals: the ideas that you picked up, the information that you meticulously gathered. But of the three, journal writing is one of the greatest indications that you're a serious student. Taking pictures, that is pretty easy. Buying a book at a book store, that's pretty easy. It is a little more challenging to be a student of your own life, your own future, your own destiny. Take the time to keep notes and to keep a journal. You'll be so glad you did. What a treasure to leave behind when you go. What a treasure to enjoy today!

Web site abandonment: What to do when your coveted leads leave before converting

It's one thing to devise the most innovative direct-marketing campaign you can, complete with finely segmented e-mail programs, personalized URLs and compelling offers. It's quite another to keep the resulting visitors on your Web site long enough to convert. In fact, Web-site abandonment-long thought of as a plague primarily impacting e-retailers and termed "shopping cart abandonment"-is just as much a concern for b-to-b marketers. "For us, a high ROI area is monitoring customer behavior in real time," said Scott Silk, CEO of Web analytics company SeeWhy Inc. He said that typical shopping cart abandonment runs in the 60%-to-70% range, "and the abandonment rate for filling out a form"-the classic b-to-b scenario-"is about 35%." These short-circuited sessions might include not getting visitors to access a certain page, download a particular product features list or fill out an e-mail signup form. Though classic b-to-b conversions such as these, including downloading a white paper or signing up for a webinar, don't suffer the same rate of abandonment as e-commerce shopping carts, the problem is the same: Marketers lose prospects. Automation can help. Today's Web analytics solutions can tell marketers at what stage in the process-at what page, what content, which offer, the design of the page itself and even on which subsequent visit-the actual bounce took place. "One concept we talk about a lot is velocity marketing, that is, optimizing numerous tests involving your lead-capture areas," said Brig Graff, director-solution architecture, at Omniture Inc. "It's best to adopt an optimization mentality involving a series of tests about which version of designs give you better lead captures."

TEST THINGS FIRST

To minimize session abandonment, Graff recommended that 15% of a campaign's budget be devoted upfront to optimizing the Web site and its content. "Build three or four vastly different creative concepts based on your theories of which tactics will capture the most leads," he said. "Spend the first 15% of your budget figuring out which of those Flash microsites or lead-capture forms get the best results, or which of five different banner ads work best, before turning the water on full." Abandonment is just one factor. Even with two different types of registration forms that seem to have equally low bounce rates, it's possible that one produces higher-quality conversions. "Where analytics really comes into play is in looking at the path people are taking," said Loren McDonald, VP-industry relations with online marketing company Silverpop. He recommended that a particular type of conversion-registration for a white paper, for example-must match in some way what the visitor is looking for. If it doesn't, you'll have unacceptably high Web site abandonment. "It's not just about abandonment, but attracting the wrong people to begin with," McDonald said. "This is where you have to tie everything back to your marketing automation and CRM solutions, all the way through to revenue and profitability."

INTENT ON REMARKETING

A survey of 139 Google Analytics users, conducted by SeeWhy last month during a live webinar, indicated that remarketing-post-session targeting techniques following visitor abandonment-is increasingly of interest to marketers. According to the poll, 63% of marketers plan to initiate follow-up, perhaps in the form of real-time e-mail, after session abandonment. Silk said that if a marketer can follow up with an e-mail within 30 minutes of a visitor abandoning a session, perhaps employing some service-oriented message or an offer, conversions can rise by 50%. "The whole idea of quick follow-up feels a little bit like Big Brother," said Silk. "How close is too close? You don't want to follow up in 10 seconds. Let the customer breathe a bit. But when you do follow up, make it a service-oriented message." Graff suggested that a visitor who abruptly abandons a session might be presented with a short survey or a note saying that the visitor's information has been saved at the point they stopped, if they wish to return to finish the session. A third option is remarketing based on data points a marketer can glean from the visitor's previous behavior. For example, with the appropriate automation that inserts a cookie in the visitor's browser, a marketer can determine what pages they visited, what products they were interested in, and what other forms of conversion occurred. "So, the next time that visitor returns to your site, you can present him with a message specifically geared to his profile, and suggest, for example, that he finish filling out that registration form for the white paper," Graff said.
-Christopher Hosford


Ask a Marketer

Your question:

What are the dangers associated with the new emphasis on social networks?

Answer:


In recent years, viral marketing through the Internet and social media has been all the buzz. And for good reason. From the Blair Witch Project and the BMW/Madonna mini movies to Burger King's Subservient Chicken, the ability of a campaign to become a viral sensation has been the aspiration of marketers everywhere. But if we ever needed a reminder of the dark side of Internet marketing, it became painfully real to Motrin back in November and just this week to Domino's.
Haven't heard the story yet? For the weak of stomach, I'll spare the details in this space. If you have the intestinal fortitude, read the USA Today article. Or, worse yet, go to YouTube and look for recent Domino's postings. In short, on Monday, April 13, two Domino's employees posted a video on YouTube in which they did some pretty gross things to a sub sandwich.
By Wednesday, the video had been viewed over a half million times.
To Domino's credit, the company responded quickly and reasonably well.
To the employees' discredit, despite trying to pull the video off YouTube, they have been fired and are facing criminal charges for food tampering and lawsuits over their actions.
The problem is that once something like this is released from the magic Internet lantern, it can't be put back. The employees tried to recall their posting, but by then, other YouTube visitors had copied and reposted it. It is the ultimate cautionary tale about the dangers of the online world. While marketers dream of the Internet genie, the reality is that they have no control once she is released from the lantern. As the spokesperson for Domino's said, "That's the challenge of the Web world. Any two idiots with a video camera and a dumb idea can damage the reputation of a 50-year-old brand."
Of course, Domino's had no control over this nightmare right from the start. But there are other situations where marketers with good intentions sometimes fall victim to the laws of unintended consequences. The Motrin case study began as an Internet advertising campaign. A Colorado woman with two children took offense at the way the campaign trivialized motherhood. Her subsequent blog postings put mothers everywhere atwitter and within hours, Motrin was feeling the pain. So much so, they pulled the campaign. Dollars out the window. Careers in jeopardy. And another brand reputation badly bruised.
The Internet, Twitter and other emerging social media vehicles have changed public relations and marketing in monumental ways. We are all at the mercy of the instantaneous media and its power for reaping the good, the bad and the ugly. Susan Boyle of "Britain's Got Talent" has found the good side - that is if the overnight stardom doesn't do her in. Unfortunately, Domino's ran into the ugliest. The company's PR efforts, and its management, will be sorely tested in the days ahead - a wake up call to everyone that social media can change lives - and brands - in ways previously unimaginable. And companies need to be prepared as much as possible to prevent the heartburn, not merely treat it.

Visit our website:
http://hopetrainllc.com/

Contact us if you would like to host a discussion session in your office or home.

Issue 22

In Search of an Excellent You
August 9, 2009

In this Issue:
Ask a Marketer
Latest Press
Good Customer Service Is
More than Good PR
Vacation Your Way to Success!
What Career Path Fits Your Goals?


Ask a Marketer
Your question:
Is it possible to advertise TOO much?
Answer:

Back in advertising's wonder years, there was an expression you don't hear much any more. The term was "wear-out factor". And, simply, it referred to the point of repetition at which an advertisement has been seen so frequently, it no longer communicates effectively. At best, people tune it out. At worst, they start to resent it. By extension, they start to resent the supporting advertiser as well. That, in turn, devalues the advertiser's brand.
Although many marketers are guilty of running their ads ad nauseum, one of the worst offenders is the media, especially local television. And by far the most obnoxious examples are their own promos for weather. How many times do we really need to hear that this station has double or triple Doppler, or can track severe weather right to the street we live on - or that "severe weather isn't just inconvenient, it can be downright dangerous"?
OK, we get it already.
We also "get it" that weather programming is a strong driver of consumer news viewing habits. But the great thing about weather (at least here in the Midwest) is that there's always something new and unexpected. How about keeping promos fresh, too?
It isn't just weather promos. Overkill is evident in virtually all aspects of media self-promotion. News. Sports. Even those self-serving pseudo public service spots.
Unfortunately, many of those stations' advertising clients take their cue from their media vendor. They effectively waste thousands of dollars of their limited marketing budgets by running the same commercial long after its useful effectiveness.
It's time the media realized that their first obligation is not to their advertisers, but to their consumers. Advertising may pay the freight, but consumers are driving the truck. If they get bored and pull off the traditional media highway, everyone loses.
As I quoted Howard Gossage at the start of this discussion, if an ad is interesting, people don't need to hear it over and over. And if it's boring, they won't want to. Gossage also said...
"You don't have to bruise an elephant all over to kill him. One shot in the right place will do."


John Wayne the Businessman

There were few things that marked my boyhood as strongly as westerns. Every Sunday, I arranged my afternoon around "The Lone Ranger," "The Rifle Man" and "Bonanza." Then, if I was lucky, I would catch a glimpse of what I considered to be the definition of the word "man" - John Wayne - in a late-night western.

My grandmother had a painting of him in her living room, and in my blue-collar family he was a hero. Maybe it was because the characters he portrayed exhibited the qualities that my family lived-blue-collar, hard-working and honest. I am proud to say that I have a doctorate in John Wayne.
In 1972, Wayne played a character in which he mentored young school boys on a cattle drive in the film "Cowboys." Because of his leadership and example, these boys became men before the end of the cattle drive. They would avenge "The Duke's" death after he was gunned down in cold blood. This was my favorite John Wayne movie, perhaps because I also was a young boy and I subconsciously knew that I was being mentored through a television screen by the rugged cowboy. Today, I believe I am a better businessman because of it.
If "The Duke" were a businessman in 2009, I assure you that he would:

- First and foremost, be honest. This cowboy would never lie to make a sale and neither should you. His resume wouldn't exaggerate and you could rely on his word.
- Be a hard worker. John Wayne would be the first cowboy on his horse preparing for the cattle drive, and he would be the first in your office, spending his time working to the point of exhaustion.

- Defend the weak. Whether in "Stagecoach," "True Grit," "Cowboys" or another film, Wayne never took advantage of the weak. Instead, he protected those who couldn't protect themselves. If he was in your office when a salesperson or professional was struggling, there is no doubt in my mind that he would ride alongside them and offer assistance to make the team better.

- Feo, Fuerte y Formal. These were the words that Wayne wanted on his tombstone. They translate to: "He was ugly, strong and had dignity." He was a physically strong man at 6'4''. Yet, it was his strength of character that was referred to here. In your business, you would be a magnificent success if others say you have strength of character. This means not giving in when things look bleak. "The Duke" wouldn't.
- Have dignity. This, again, comes from his self description. Dignity means relying on yourself for your success and abandoning the victim mentality. Wayne would not be a victim if he worked in your office. He would not blame his lack of success on the economy, co-workers or his boss. Instead, with dignity he would take his future into his own hands and rely on no one but himself for his success.

John Wayne was the definition of the word "man" and would be the definition of the word "businessman" if he worked in your office in 2009. As a young boy, I watched John Wayne ride off into the sunset on June 11th, 1979. Though I was confident one day that I would be a cowboy, I ended up a businessman. Today, I am a better businessman because of John Wayne´s lessons.

Thanks to John Wayne for the life lessons on hard work, honesty, dignity, strength and compassion. With a tip of my hat, I give him a hardy, "Thanks partner."
-- Ron White

Good Customer Service Is More Than Good PR
In the throes and stresses of our workday lives, we sometimes forget how our customers see us. One single negative contact can ruin your reputation in the eyes of not only that one customer -- but everyone he or she knows as well. After all, word of mouth works both for or against you.
You need to make sure everybody in your organization knows he or she is an important part of it. Each department depends and dovetails into the other to produce quality in service or product. Everyone makes a difference: the sales force, the service technicians, the clerical staff, the PR department all work together toward the same goal -- keeping the customers satisfied.
A perfect example of how everyone makes a difference is when I was in a Nashville hotel attending a board of directors meeting for the National Speakers Association. After the meeting, several of us went to the coffee shop to continue our deliberations. Each of us asked for exceptions or additions to the menu items; we wanted separate checks; and to make things even more confusing, being speakers, we talked to each other the whole time the waitress patiently took our orders.
"My dear, all this confusion is going to be worthwhile -- these guys are big tippers," I said.
She said, "I'm not being nice for a tip. It doesn't even matter if I get a tip or not. If we give you good service, your group will bring back its business here and not to the competition."
Isn't that a marvelous attitude from someone on the front lines? I was so impressed, I wrote a letter to the hotel manager congratulating him on his staff and especially the waitress at the coffee shop.
I never received a reply. That waitress "wowed" me with her service and her attitude; but the manager's lack of response almost nullified her customer service savvy. Everyone makes a difference. I think the manager and the waitress should change places for a couple of weeks, she knows more about good PR than he does.
-- Patricia Fripp

Vacation Your Way to Success!
All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy, they say. It also makes you unsuccessful. The fact is that a well-placed vacation can do wonders for every area of your life. I am thinking about this because in these next few weeks most people will experience the traditional "Spring Break" holidays. So in this busy world, where we are driven to be producing all the time, it is good to be reminded that a break is sometimes the best thing to move us forward in the long run.

I know many people who can't seem to get themselves to break away from the office, thinking that they are getting a lot of work done. The truth is that they need a break and when they get back they will be working much more effectively.

With that in mind, here are some thoughts on why you can vacation your way to success.
Vacationing helps you appreciate your work. After a while even work you normally love can become drudgery. Taking a vacation gets you away and after a while you begin to miss it and chomp at the bit to get back to it. You simply appreciate it more.

Vacationing helps you reset your mind. Even though the mind is a mystery, we do know that it can get tired; mentally fatigued. Getting away on a regular basis helps reset the mind to its peak condition. Every brain needs a good rest.
Vacationing makes your body stronger, with more energy for the battle by giving it a rest. The world's top bodybuilders, the ones with the huge muscles know something that the typical businessperson doesn't - the body needs a rest. Every week they take one day off. And then they take whole seasons off and allow their bodies to rest. Our bodies are the same. We need to let them relax, sleep more, etc.

Vacationing gives you time to encourage your support team - your family. While we are putting in long hours and working hard, our families support us with encouragement and the like. Vacationing let's them know that you value them and want to make sure that you take good, significant times for them. Then, when you get back to work, you know that your "team" is firmly in your corner.

Vacationing puts you in a creative mindset. Sometimes being in the same situation gets your imagination stuck in a rut. Watching the sun set, listening to the waves crash, or enjoying the fresh air of the mountains will set your creative imagination soaring. You may find that you come up with all sorts of solutions to work issues while laying on the beach. I don't know how this works... but it does.

Vacationing renews your spirit. We all need an emotional boost. We need a break from the roller coaster of emotions that drain our spirits while at work. Quite frankly, if you do vacation right, the predominant emotion should be peace. And that is just what you need to get rejuvenated for work.
Vacationing proves to you that your work or office can exist without you. Sometimes we overestimate our value to the organization and this puts so much stress on us. The fact is that if you go away for a week, your job will still be there. The company won't be bankrupt, and life will still be going on. We need to know that work goes on, so that we don't worry so much. Get away and don't call the office!

So what is my advice? Take a vacation. You need one. You deserve one. Life is passing you by, my friend, and in the end, you will know you should have taken a vacation. Your office won't fall apart. The earth will continue to turn on its axis. Your family will be happy. Turn off your computer, pick up the phone, dial the travel agent.... your success depends upon it!
-- Chris Widener

What Career Path Fits Your Goals
Your career is like a book where you fill in the blank canvasses.

Writing a book requires a person to do two things:
1. Step back and visualize how the chapters fit together.
2. Step to the keyboard and fill in the words.
To build a great career you need to step back and visualize how the various jobs you take on fit together in a meaningful way and step forward to each job and execute your responsibilities masterfully. This article is about stepping back and visualizing how your next job will fit meaningfully within your overall career path.

Start by answering these questions
You have roughly 1,000 different things you can do as your next job. As a starting point to narrow your job search, I suggest that any job you take on should fit within your purpose, passions, strengths and values. Take out a sheet of paper and answer these four questions:
What is the purpose I want guiding my career?
What gets me excited when I do it?
What am I good at doing?
What beliefs determine my behaviors?

After you answer these questions you're in a much better position to select your next job. Some people might argue that in a recession money should be the driving force. In other words, the only question that should be answered is, "How much does the job pay?"

I don't think that is a good idea. If you take a job just for the money and you find no purpose in your work, you have no passion for doing it, you are not particularly good at it, and the work does not match your values, then you are destined to fail. So how worthwhile will that good paycheck be then?

Once you've found your career "center of gravity," consider which career moves fit within it. Walk through the following four career moves and picture what they would look like for you:
1. Same organization, expanded responsibilities
The grass is not always greener at the next organization. And if you keep chasing greener grass eventually you will run out of grass to chase. Sometimes the very best career move for you is to stay within your organization.
Two organizations I worked with for over a decade as a consultant are McDonald's Corporation and Marriott International. I admired these two companies long before I worked with their executives and managers, but in being side by side with these individuals I learned one of their most important keys to success: they provide opportunities for people to expand their responsibilities. At McDonald's USA, many of their top executives started working in a single restaurant. Then the person became in charge of the restaurant, and then oversaw four restaurants, then 16 restaurants, then 500 restaurants, and ultimately all 13,000 restaurants. And with each expansion of responsibilities the person's breadth and depth of leadership and management skills grew and grew. The same pattern is true within Marriott. I've seen a bellman become general manager of major Marriott hotels.
Is there a possibility that you can expand your responsibilities within your organization as your next career move?
2. Same organization, different responsibilities
I have a good friend who received her degree in economics from Northwestern University. She started her career in finance at a large national company. After a few years, her boss offered her a brilliant piece of advice: learn different parts of the business and it may help you later in your career. So she went on to take jobs in marketing, sales and operations. Today she is the c hief g lobal m arketing o fficer of a massive company that spans countries around the world, and she never had to change employers.
If you've become a great performer within a particular function in your organization, then your next best move might be to leave that function and dive into a different one. If you know operations, apply for a job in human resources or marketing or sales or business research. Master the different aspects of your organization and make yourself dramatically more valuable.
What function within your organization could you step into to expand your skill set?
3. Same industry, different organization
Sometimes you just need to refresh your perspective, opportunities and relationships. A lateral move to a different company in your same industry may be just the ticket to reignite your career. Like a professional baseball player who finds new levels of success with a different team, you may find that people view you differently when you walk through a different door.
A friend of mine went from a sales manager position at Procter & Gamble, which was his first employer out of college, to a sales manager position at Brach's Candy. He was still in the consumer goods retail industry, but he was seen in a new light. Instead of bosses seeing him as the 21-year-old college grad with no experience, he became seen as a fast-rising 25 year old with experience at one of the world's greatest companies. Suddenly he was given opportunities that he never would have received as quickly at P&G.
Assess your situation. Are you being perceived by your boss and peers in ways that are keeping you from receiving meaningful new opportunities? Is it them or is it you that is keeping you from advancing in the organization? That's a tough call to make, but it's a crossroads we almost all face at some point.
Can you leverage your industry knowledge into a new job that may lead to an even brighter future for your career?
4. Same skills, different industry
This is the move that opens up your career chessboard considerably. It is where some careers accelerate to new heights and where others crash and burn. Leaving an industry is fraught with challenges. For one you're leaving your contacts and relationships and reputation behind you. The personal brand you've built for yourself is no longer going to win you new opportunities. You have to start over and build a brand new one for yourself. If you've been a star performer, this can be a daunting mental challenge to overcome. You also are leaving behind all of the industry knowledge you've developed that allowed you to resolve issues quickly and move forward effectively.
Money Isn't Job Happiness
However, if you move forward with your enhanced experiences, maturity, sense of purpose, passions, strengths and values, you may very well build a far stronger brand in the new industry. This is certainly a viable option if you want to create a variety of new opportunities for your career. My friend went from Brach's Candy to a tremendous opportunity in the medical- device industry because he was willing to let go of one industry and step into the challenges of another industry.
Turn a dead end into an eight-lane superhighway
Invariably it was the forced stops in the game that caused some of the world's greatest performers to step back, rethink their next move, and come back with renewed focus that made them vastly more successful in their new job than in their previous ones. In 1981, at the age of 39, Michael Bloomberg was fired at Salomon Brothers. He went on to build Innovative Market Systems (later named Bloomberg L.P.) that today is worth $16 billion. In addition, he has been Mayor of New York City since 2001. None of this may have happened if he had not been forced to deal with a dead end. If your career has suddenly run into a dramatic dead end, I encourage you to step back and start over. Go back to the original questions concerning your purpose, passions, strengths, and values. Then go through each of the career move options discussed in this article, and visualize what your next job might look like.
Do you want to seek a different position in your company, possibly in a different function?
Do you want to seek a job at a different company in your industry where you can leverage your industry knowledge?
Do you want to seek a job at a company outside of your industry where you can leverage your passions and strengths while still operating within your purpose and values?
Or do you want to start your own business where you can create an organization that reflects your purpose, passions, strengths, and values?
Your career consists of a series of chapters. Choose each job carefully, execute your responsibilities as well as you can, and take time to step back and visualize your next chapter.

http://hopetrainllc.com/

Issue 21

In Search of an Excellent You
August 1, 2009

In this Issue:

Introduction
Ask a Marketer
Latest Press
Gratitude is an Attitude
Left-handed Soldiers
Life Rewards Action


Most people think that failure is bad and success is good. I want to help you change your thinking about that if you fall into that category. I will give you that failure isn't fun and success is, but I think the following is true:
Both failure and success are good... if you know what their specific purpose is.
Of course we know that success is good, but why? Success is good because it confirms things for us.
Success confirms our plans.
Success confirms our decisions.
Success confirms our resources.
Success confirms our strategies.
Success confirms our hunches.
Success confirms our teamwork.
Success confirms our risks.
Success confirms a lot of things!
So when you are successful, ask yourself the following question: What does this success confirm in my mind?
Now, what about failure? What is the role of failure and how in the world can it be GOOD?
Failure's role is to teach us. We learn from failure.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our plans.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our decisions.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our resources.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our strategies.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our hunches.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our teamwork.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our risks.
Failure teaches us that we need to change a lot of things!
But at least now we know one more thing that won't work! With every failure, we learn one more way we can abandon and focus in on what may be the correct way in the future! When we look at it that way, we set ourselves up for a powerfully successful future! So when you fail, ask yourself this question: What does this failure teach me? Remember, Success and Failure are both good. They can both be your friend... If you know what role they are to play in your life. Learn From Failure and Confirm with Success.


Gratitude is an Attitude

Think for just a moment of all the things that require
practice: grammar, arithmetic, cooking, and even the guitar.
Practice is probably something you think you're done with
when you leave school or give up music lessons. But, have
you ever thought of practicing the fine art of gratitude?

It's quite possible to attain great wealth, the best
education, and an exceptional quality of life and still be
unhappy. This occurs when people live with an absence of
gratitude.

Once gratitude becomes part of your nature you begin to see
the connections between your success and creature comforts,
and the talents and contributions of others.

* The farmer plants, waters, fertilizes and harvests the
tomatoes you enjoy.

* The truck driver delivers the food to the market that will
soon feed your family.

* The baker kneads and bakes the bread for the sandwich
you'll eat for lunch.

* The engineer and architect design the bridge that allows
you to get to work.

* The furniture maker's handiwork creates the furniture in
your living room.

* The plumber fixes your leak, clears your drain and plunges
your toilet.

* The teacher educates and inspires your children to be the
best they can be.

* The customer provides the support that enables everyone to
receive wages.

* The performer engages the imagination and entertains your
senses.

* The seamstress sews the beautiful clothes that make you
look great.

* The physician and nurse help to bring your beautiful baby
into the world.

It's quite humbling to think of all the roles that complete
strangers play in our daily existence. The sheer ingenuity
and effort required of others is one of the most compelling
reasons why we must make gratitude a daily practice.

One of the best ways to cultivate gratefulness is to count
your blessings by thinking of all the good in your life as
well acknowledging the contributions of others. This is
important for three reasons:

Positioning. By focusing on the positive things in each and
every day, you position gratitude so that it has top of mind
awareness.

Perspective. By looking for goodness and nobility in
yourself and others, you are reminded that there are lots of
good people with good intentions in the world.

Power. By being appreciative for challenging lessons and
adverse situations you are demonstrating grace under fire.
That grace results in greater personal power, self-
confidence, momentum, and energy.

Practicing the fine art of gratitude is not only among our
most important positive emotions, but one that links
directly to physical and mental well-being. It's in our
self-interest to feel gratitude because it makes us better
people.

Like other attitudes, gratitude can be cultivated. We don't
have to wait for someone to shower us with gifts before
feeling thankful. We can develop gratitude by reflecting on
the gifts that are already ours. This reflection can be done
for a minute, a day, or throughout a lifetime.

Everything Counts!


Left handed Soldiers

Left-handed Soldiers is dedicated to all of those who have been wounded in life ... whether physically, emotionally, spiritually, or financially and yet, against all odds, have risen from the devastation to become a champion!
There are few things in life that move me like seeing someone overcome adversity. I believe that there are great men and women from all walks of life, who, because of some "event' or series of events, have pretty much given up. Somewhere between brokenness and bitterness many have laid down their proverbial swords and surrendered. They've been wounded. Left-handed Soldiers teaches us that when we are wounded ... when our "right arms" have been hurt ... that we can become Left-handed Soldiers rather than allowing our circumstances to condemn us to a life of "what-ifs."
How many great leaders are no longer leading? What will our society suffer because the leadership we need is somewhere hurting rather than rallying the troops? What great sickness is raging because the doctors and nurses who can make a difference are in need of healing themselves? How many great sermons will not be preached because an overworked and underpaid Pastor had a "humpty-dumpty' fall and is allowing condemnation to keep him out of service? Great public servants, teachers, volunteers, entrepreneurs, and politicians, all over the world are waiting ... waiting for someone to care enough to put their arms around them and say ... "Let's get back into the battle of life again! We need you!"
I believe that great leaders can inspire the "wounded warriors' among us that they can "engage' in life again and they can be winners!
In the real world ... most of the time ... it's the size of your mess that determines the size of your message. It may not be pleasant to hear, but, the size of your testimony is due, in large part, to the size of your test. Where would Abe Lincoln have been without the Civil War? Where would John Kennedy have been without the Cuban Missile Crisis? David needed Goliath to become King. You cannot wear a victor's crown without having fought a few battles! You can't sing before you talk. You can't run before you walk. You can't have a message until you've had a mess ... and you can't have a testimony until you've had a test! Let's look at these lyrics to a song that I wrote.
The victor's crown only goes to those who've been in war.
Eagles can't stay in their nest if they want to soar.
Sitting on the sidelines you'll never be your best.
You can't have a testimony 'till you've had a test.
God won't send thirsty people to an empty well.
Heavens cup sure is sweeter once you've tasted hell.
There's no wine until the grape has gone through the press.
You can't have a testimony 'till you've had a test.
Out of this understanding "Left-handed Soldiers" was born. I want to teach you ... to teach others that "Change is a door that can only be opened from the inside!"
The willingness to change can be inspired by others but change itself is a personal choice. It is "Choice" not "Chance" that determines your destiny.
Left-handed Soldiers is a call for the wounded to "get back into the battle of life!'"
Left-handed Soldiers is a call for leaders to build an army of renewed, revived warriors. Let's teach them that they can make a decision to "engage" in life again. Let's teach them that they can make a difference in the world. They can be "Left-handed Soldiers!"
-- Gary Eby

Life Rewards Action
Life Rewards Action by Chris Widener
Thinking is good, yes it is. I strongly encourage thinking. In fact, thinking plays a terrific role in success. It helps you strategize. It helps you get motivated. It tunes you into success. I am all for thinking and I do it regularly!
That being said, just thinking, no matter how good of a thinker you are, will never catapult you to success. The difference between the thinker who succeeds and the thinker who doesn't is that the thinker who succeeds also ACTS!
Life does not reward thinking. Life rewards action. Let me clarify: Life rewards thoughtful action.
Think first, by all means... But then ACT!
Do you want to gain wealth? Then save your money - ACT!
Do you want to lose weight? Then hit the treadmill - ACT!
Do you want a new job? Then find a new one so you can quit your current one - ACT!
Do you want to write a book? Then begin to write - ACT!
Do you want a new friend? Then introduce yourself - ACT!
Anything you want to accomplish will only be done by bold and decisive action.
Wishing won't bring it about. Neither will dreaming. Nor will hoping. Nope, you must ACT.
What is it you want from life? Tell me. Be specific. Be clear. Think about it. Strategize. Roll it around inside that noggin of yours. Got it? Good. Now what? What will you DO to turn that non-physical electrical impulse we call a thought into a physical reality?
There is only one thing: ACTION.
Will you succeed? Will you achieve your dreams? Will you live the life that you want? Only you can make that decision because only you can decide whether or not you will act.
My friends, life rewards action. Your actions do not need to be perfect. They just need to be. And then they get rewarded with success. With achievement. Accomplishment. You have the power within you to lead YOUR life as you see it. There is only one question you must answer for yourself:
Will I act?
Because life rewards action.
Chris Widener



Ask a Marketer
Your question:

Can I use PR in my Business?

Answer:
Public relations is all about news and other elements of interest. As such, it should be the focus of virtually every start up company, and should always be part of the marketing plan - even for established companies. Its impact does vary by company, however. Some are inherently more newsworthy. But all companies can capitalize on the benefits of an effective public relations program.
PR helps build a company's reputation. It is about building a brand "picture" that makes sure the company and what it's doing is better understood by the prospects, customers, employees - all the people it touches. PR helps make all of these audiences advocates for the company. Almost any organization that has a stake in how it is portrayed in the public arena should employ public relations initiatives at some level. PR is, of course, much more than sending out press releases and talking to news media representatives. Properly managed, it is a highly creative proactive process with tactics ranging from special events and speaking at conferences to cause marketing and social media activities.

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