November, 2012 | Spread Some Joy Today

Month: November 2012

Spread Some Joy Today > 2012 > November

Daily Inspiration 11-30-12

Posted on November 30, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“There is surely nothing quite so useless

as doing with great
efficiency

what should not be done at
all.”

— Peter Drucker

This is one of my favorite quotes by the management guru of the 20th century, Peter Drucker. It is also one of
those quotes that I think of periodically to encourage myself to divest myself
of things I don’t really need to do. Yet, I persist with things, holding on far
longer than makes any sense to a normal person.

I like how Jack Canfield in The
Success Principles says it: “Don’t just delegate, eliminate!”

This is a concept I need to work
on. . .

I Am Always In Control, So It Is Always Up To
Me.

Spread Some Joy Today–You may have no idea how much a simple “thank you”
can mean to someone who you don’t think needs to be told. They do and they do. .
.

Daily Inspiration 11-29-12

Posted on November 29, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“Making good decisions

is a crucial
skill

at every
level.”

— Peter Drucker

Sometimes I just scratch my head in wonder at the responses that I get from some
businesses (employees), and organizations. I had another one on the 27th.

I saw an email announcement from a book seller that
I buy from sometimes. They have closeout copies at a bargain price and I love to
give books away, so that allows me to give more away. Well, I wanted this one
book by John C Maxwell and they had 56 copies of it and it was on sale for
half their normal bargain price Black Friday through Cyber Monday. I got busy,
time passed, and on Tuesday I sent them an email. I told them I wanted to take
advantage of the sale and if they would honor it, I would buy the remaining 45
copies immediately.

The next day I get this response: “Thank you for
your note. Unfortunately, once a promotional sale has ended, I am no longer able
to apply it to any orders placed afterwards. I am very sorry for any
inconvenience.” When I see this, I call BS. What they mean is we choose not
to do this for you. Phrases like, “can’t” or “no longer able” is just plain
crap.

I’m not upset. I don’t need the books. It appears
that they do. Yet I’ve been a customer for a number of years and you might think
they would focus on that just a little bit. What’s the big deal? It’s not a big
deal, rather, it is a great deal. They would sell 45 more books and do what they
claim to do: closeout books. I won’t say the name of the company, but it rhymes
with bookclosouts.com. . .

Anyway, I think it’s funny how people respond to
common sense, and how they relish rules and tradition. This example is dinky and
insignificant compared to so many I see that involve hundreds of thousands
of dollars.

When it comes to these kinds of things, regardless
of size, I just stand back and go hmmmmm. . . velly intellesting!

Here’s Hoping Your Business Dealings Make Better
Sense.

Spread Some Joy Today–Take a nap! Don’t ya just love naps?

Daily Inspiration 11-28-12

Posted on November 28, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“A really good laugh a day

keeps insanity
away.”

— Albert K Strong

Ran across this hilarious bit today and felt that
it was a perfect thing to share for your Wednesday morning. . . Thanks to my
friend Tom Anderton. Enjoy!

It’s All In How We Look At It. . .

Spread Some Joy Today–Share some laughter and joy with others today.

Daily Inspiration 11-27-12

Posted on November 27, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“To become enthusiastic,

act enthusiastically!”

— Frank Bettger

In 1973, after starting in the automobile business as a salesman just the year before, I went to the local library looking for books on sales to learn the craft that seemed so unfamiliar to me. There sure wasn’t much available, but I found a book written in the year I was born in 1949 by a guy named Frank Bettger with a strange title: How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling. Dale Carnegie of How To Win Friends and Influence People fame encouraged him to write it about his success in sales and then got him involved in another passion of Dale’s, public speaking. So I checked the book out and read it. (Both of them.)

There is much to tell about this wonderful sales-oriented book, and of course, I highly recommend it. I’ve read it at least 10 times and bought and gave away a good number of copies of it. I still have many copies and a few signed ones too.

In Chapter 30, he hit home with me in the car business. It began, “The other day, I tried to figure up how many automobiles I have bought in my time. I was surprised to find that I had bought approximately thirty-three cars.

He goes on to say, “Now let me ask you a question: How many different salesmen would you guess sold me those thirty-three automobiles? Exactly thirty-three. Isn’t that amazing? Not one of those salesmen ever once, to my knowledge, made an attempt to get in touch with me again.”

He adds some power to this with this: “Is that unusual? Listen, I have asked more than fifteen thousand people in audiences all over the country if anyone ever had that same experience, and more than half of them promptly raised their hands.”

This was a most powerful and memorable message for me to remember to follow up. Closing the sale is not the end of the transaction, but it certainly can be.

It’s What Happens After The Sale That Often Makes All The Difference.

Spread Some Joy Today–It’s amazing what a nice card with a simple message will achieve. . . today is a good day for it!

Daily Inspiration 11-26-12

Posted on November 26, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“There’s no such thing as too much gratitude.

Because the more of it you express,

the more reasons you’ll be given to express it.”

— Mike Dooley, A.K.A., The Universe @ tut.com

I laughed with joy when I saw this quote several days ago and I’m smiling still. It’s funny now, but I used to think that it was not only possible to have too much gratitude, but that I would run out of it, change my thinking or something.

Many years ago (many), I studied TA or Transactional Analysis which was a brilliant way of seeing how our minds work and how to interact better with others as well as ourselves. In that, there was the talk of the warm fuzzies and the cold pricklies. Sometimes people would think that there was a shortage of warm fuzzies, so they would reach in their bag and give out cold pricklies instead so that they didn’t run too low. But I never related that to gratitude as I do now. Very interesting.

Since I’ve become a grateful man, I find myself in gratitude so much of the day in thousands of ways with thousands of shades of feeling. It is amazing how a beautiful sky at certain times of the day can almost bring me to tears in how grateful I am to now actually see it when much of my life it was taken for granted.

As I’ve expanded that gratitude to include people in all their ways, life in all it manifests and circumstances as inevitable joy, I cannot see an end to it. That is fascinating. At one point I thought I might tire of being happy and grateful, but I find that I am renewed again and again as a good nights sleep is refreshing for our energy.

So, now I agree wholeheartedly that there is no such thing as too much gratitude.

Thanks Mike, For The Reminder And Lesson!

Spread Some Joy Today–Counting things you are grateful for is good for a beginner as training wheels are helpful for a bicycle beginner, but a time is very near when counting will not matter, and your joy will be like riding your bike down a steep hill with no hands! With no fear! That’s what I’m talkin’ about.

Daily Inspiration 11-25-12

Posted on November 25, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“People don’t believe what you tell them.

They rarely believe what you show them.

They often believe what their friends tell them.

They always believe what they tell themselves.”

— Seth Godin

Seth Godin Week

This week I will explore his marketing

and business wisdom

Read the quote above again, and consider it this way:

It demonstrates the value of networking. . .

It spells out the perfect strategy to close a sale. . .

Consider it well in your marketing. . .

It applies equally in business and life in general. . .

You can watch and see it in action by just observing.

Truth Is In The Thought Of The Thinker.

Spread Some Joy Today–Smile as you walk around today. It will be amazing the looks that others will give you. It’s as easy as appreciating whatever is in your path.

Daily Inspiration 11-24-12

Posted on November 24, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“Yes, I think it’s okay to abandon

the big, established, stuck
tribe.”

— Seth Godin

Seth Godin
Week

This week I will
explore his marketing
and business wisdom

I watched a YouTube video from
BigThink today and it was sad and almost depressing. The guy was talking about
the high cost of college and the burden of student loans and the fact that after
college these young adults have no jobs waiting for them and that it is a sad
affair. It was a whole bunch of whining. Since when did a college degree ever
guarantee a job? The sadder part to me is how important the “job” has become. I
think what needs an overhaul in the country is the whole idea of how education
is done. It doesn’t work very well, and takes much longer than it need take.
But, that’s another story. . .

I’ve always believed that
education was to teach us how to think. In learning how to think, we are
creating options for ourselves. I’m not against getting or keeping or wanting
jobs. I’ve had a number of them. I’m for having choices and creativity. We have
this miraculous mind and we have it stuck in neutral sometimes.

I’ve given up more than one job
that paid over a hundred thousand a year to pursue something that had no
guarantee. I had the courage to think differently, to make choices that are
uncommon, to ignore the expressed fear and anxiety of friends and relatives, and
pursued my passion to try and do and create. I have zero regrets. Every choice
for me was the better choice and the perfect thing to do, and has all been
verified by hindsight.

A job is fine and good until you
get to a place where you’re stuck. I’ve felt that place and then I spend an
inordinate amount of time trying to keep something I haven’t really wanted
anymore for some time. I need to be passionate about what I’m doing and when
that is gone, I am too. Life is so short and I don’t want to get to the end and
wish I had done anything, but to have made choices and created at will.

College students (and any other
ears that hear): Focus on creating and becoming rather than having. Don’t
settle. Think and make choices. Choose passion. Choose to live. Create your own
employment and income. There is so much need that has yet to be met. You have
all the power in your own head and heart. Thirty comes quick and forty far
faster. Build your own platform under your dream. It’s okay to abandon the big,
established, stuck tribe.

Choose To Ignore The Status Quo. Or Not. . .

Either Way, Put Your Thinking Cap On And
Choose!

Spread Some Joy Today–by looking at your own. Is there enough joy in your
life? If not, you can choose more at any time. It’s also that
easy.

Daily Inspiration 11-23-12

Posted on November 23, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“It’s never too late
. . . to start heading in the right direction.”

— Seth Godin

Seth Godin Week

This week I will explore his marketing
and business wisdom

I’ve heard people say, ‘I’m too old to
do facebook’, or computers, or whatever. A more appropriate response,
and a more honest one would have to be, ‘I don’t want to learn it. I
would rather stay where I am.’

Using phrases like, ‘I’m too ____
to _____, I can’t _______, There isn’t enough time to _______, someday I
want to ____________, there’s never enough money to ______, I can’t
afford to __________, I don’t have a ________, so I can’t _______, is
saying you are perfectly happy where you are and you don’t want to
bother.

It’s okay to be there. It can be frustrating though to
say one thing and mean another, so try next time saying it the way it
really is and the way you really want it.

That might even change things for the better . . .

It Is Never Too Late To ______!

Spread Some Joy Today–Give an anonymous gift. No tax write-off, no receipt. Just for the joy of giving.

Daily Inspiration 11-22-12

Posted on November 22, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“Believe that giving up
is the same thing
as being realistic. . .

Reject the tyranny of picked.
Pick yourself.”

— Seth Godin

Seth Godin Week

This week I will explore his marketing
and business wisdom

[This piece was pulled from the archives in 1998 and seemed appropriate]

Since
I was just a kid, I’ve wanted to change the world. You too? Wow, I
thought I could, then I tried and became very frustrated. Then I finally
decided to just give it up and join the world. That didn’t change
anything and the frustrations didn’t go away either. The frustration
might have even expanded, because I knew that I had thrown in the towel.
Finally in the past couple of years, I’ve been going through a change,
and I think I’m finally seeing how to change the world.

Call it a
bit of wisdom, but the only way that I have seen to change the world is
to change me. After all, the world is a huge challenge that would
consume my life span easily. I’ve tried changing others-I’ve tried real
hard-to no avail. There’s only one thing left: me. Call it deductive
reasoning, wisdom or enlightenment, but what else is left? I can only
change me and how I think; how I respond; how I act and interact with
others.

In giving a short speech to a group of employees, I said
that all of my life I have wanted to work for the perfect company where
everything works well for every one. Where the boss cares about us and
we care about each other. Where we encourage each other and help each
other. Where it is satisfying and even fulfilling to be a part of a
whole.

I then said that the perfect company is wherever you are currently working because the perfect company starts with you.

Until
we each start treating each other with love, respect, dignity, the
perfect company will continue to be an illusive dream. We must start and
we must change, then the company will change. A company is a non-entity
without people, so the people create the company.

It is not what happens to us that matters, it is how we react to it that matters.

At
work this last week I reacted to a co-workers conclusion that another
employee was sabotaging our efforts with an account. It was easy to
agree with this conclusion because this person has been known to be less
than helpful; however, after my reaction, I later found this
supposition to be without merit. Indeed, I once again felt ashamed at my
quick judgement based on rumor instead of fact. Once again, I get the
learning opportunity of being humbled. Once again, I get the opportunity
to choose a different reaction next time I’m offered a situation. If I am to continue on my journey of changing the world, I first must change me.

Accepting Responsibility For My Own Thinking And Actions Is Not A Burden, It Is Move Toward Power.

Spread Some Joy Today–Choose joy today. Give plentiful thanks.
Start with speaking of it to yourself. Selfish joy is a wonderful
things. Selfish gratitude is a life changer.

Daily Inspiration 11-21-12

Posted on November 21, 2012May 10, 2020 by Terry Minion

“If you don’t know how it works, find out.

If you’re not sure if it
will work, try it.

If it doesn’t makes
sense,

play with it until it
does.

If it’s not broken, break
it.

If it might not be true,
find out.”

— Seth Godin

Seth Godin
Week

This week I will
explore his marketing
and business wisdom

I think this quote speaks about the vast majority
of my life. It seems that I’ve always learned things this way. I wanted to learn
how to play guitar. I tried this and that and bought one thin book, and didn’t
even take a lesson until about 15 years later, and then only to learn figerstyle
playing.

I wanted to learn about songwriting, so I just
jumped in and started messing around with it and then at one point created a
songwriting class and taught it. I wanted to learn about music recording, so I
jumped in and bought a little recorder and played around with it for hours. I
bought better units and ended up with about 8,000 hours of recording experience
and owned a recording studio.

I wanted to learn how to sell, so I took a job
selling. I wanted to learn how to be a sales manager and it became me. As I look
back, having just read this quote, it is funny how without any formal training,
classes or tutoring, I was able to do these things and even excel at one or two.
I never really thought about it this way before, but I think I just like
figuring things out.

My latest gig is Internet marketing and what I’ve
learned would fill a few books. Again, I created a business doing it with only
an idea and desire and almost no knowledge. Now I can teach it, and we do.

Some people are really stuck on the institutional
idea of learning. They want to go to a class to learn how to do something before
they are willing to do it. I never had that much patience. Some people even
think you have to have a degree in something to make it real and valuable and
important. It’s not an idea that ever caught my attention. Having someone
else give me a piece of paper that says I’m now qualified never appealed to me.
Although, had I the parents with the money for me to go off to college for a
bunch of years might have been interesting, but for the learning?. . . it’s not
necessary.

I really like what has become the Nike slogan: Just
Do It!