Category: Cool Things

Risk

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It didn’t take me long, as a kid, to know I was born an entrepreneur. A risk-taker who understood that to live, is to risk.

 

a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.

 

The above definition is from dictionary.com and notice the word any.

I wasn’t the kid selling lemonade on the street corner for twenty-five cents. Though I had similar ventures way back when. I liken my path as a life entrepreneur, who had varied enterprises, with varying levels of risk. Each of them shaping who I have become today.

I haven’t always gotten it right or been celebrated for my achievements. Quite frankly, some of my biggest successes are ignored to this day.

So I think…

What are you risking today? Are you involved in any tremors or ripples? Have you stood up when most remain seated?

Embrace risk because it is a key to epic living.

Adam Scott Goldberg

Giving a big shout out to Adam Scott Goldberg. Adam has graciously granted me access to his wonderful photography talents. Many of the photos I’ve used in last few months are courtesy of him.

You can find his work here.

My Top Wellbeing Finds for 2013

Tis the season for year-end lists, so here are my top wellbeing finds (the type that impacted me) 2013.

  1. Facio. Facio is a cloud-based tool to help you stay on track with your happiness. It also has some corporate functionality too, if you are so inclined. The founder of the company has a pretty inspiring story too.
  2. Jot Script Stylus. Adonit has made one of the best stylus tools out there-at least for me. I’m a big user of Evernote and Penultimate. The Jot Script stylus works beautifully on my iPad and has helped my efficiency.
  3. Yoga. This one is perpetually on my year-end lists. The practice of yoga has made such a difference in my wellbeing.
  4. Daily calendar affirmations. I started the habit of using a calendar reminder relating to affirming my family. It truly is a pouring out of me into them dance.
  5. Pecans. A nut with so much to offer in the way of nutrition and overall health. Go organic, if you can here.
  6. 2010 L’Ecole No. 41 Syrah. You can do the research for yourself on the health benefits of red wine, and this bottle is downright magical.
  7. Charles Swindoll. This guy’s thinking and voice have been a constant for me, especially in 2013.
  8. Music from the soundtrack of Arbitrage. Cliff Martinez has scored quite a few movies. This one really struck me, for reflection and writing. I liked the movie too.

My 2011 Finds

The following are my 2011 finds:

  1. Rebels at Work-a great work from Lois Kelly and Carmen Medina.  It really is a movement that will have impact in the years to come.
  2. Hootsuite-yes, I know I'm late with this one.  Great app to manage your social media.
  3. Broken Music by Sting-A great book for me personally.
  4. The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls-a spot where I gave a couple of workshops. I don't think there's a better spot to do this.  A great place to stay as well.
  5. Take Time for Your Life-maybe an obvious, since we offer their experience.  The program has elevated my life.
  6. Gallup-Healthways-eye-opeing statistics and research.  Informs much of our work in the well-being arena.
  7. Joe Gerstandt-this video explains a lot about why I like him. Authentic, authentic and authentic.
  8. PenUltimate-this i-Pad app has been a game changer for me.  Haven't used paper for over a year.
  9. Gotham Gal-a great writer that is very tuned into the life she's living.
  10. AnyMeeting-my preferred method of conducting webinars and such.

The Power of Micro-Blogging

I use Twitter daily (look for me under “Epic Living”).  One of the people who follows me asked my thoughts on micro-blogging in the corporate arena.  I wanted give my thoughts around that and why you should embrace it as well.


First, micro-blogging is a cool way of giving your “fans” and idea of what you’re doing on a micro level-no pun intended:-).  On Twitter you have 140 words or less to do that.  You can click here to learn what I wrote there this morning.


So what about corporations/businesses using a tool like Twitter?  I think it would be a tremendous tool to communicate and to connect.  Imagine your company provides a piece of hardware for the iPhone.  Your CEO just got back from a conference where he met with Steve Jobs.  Steve told your CEO how pleased Apple was with your company’s service levels.  As an employee would you like to see a micro-post like the following?


    “Everyone, just had a conversation with Steve Jobs.  He’s amped about our service levels.  More to come.”


That kind of communication not only encourages and engages, but gives real-time information.  It’s better than email and IM, because in places like Twitter, you are in a community that has a look and feel of community.  And if you haven’t already noticed, people crave community.


You might say why not just send an email?  But at the same time someone could have said to Google, why not just stick to search.  Great tools are created when you go into paths not yet worn.  I guess that’s why they call it innovation.


Here are some thoughts on how micro-blogging could help an organization:

  • Community would/could be built and cemented-with customers and employees.
  • Organizations would see engagement rise-significantly.
  • Organizations would become more fluid and less rigid.
  • Courage would be found, because you’d have to take on HR and Legal.
  • Customers would have a compelling story to follow.
  • Customers would become more loyal.
  • Money follows those who do something engaging.

Music That Inspires My Writing

When I write I need music flowing through my ears, to my heart and then to my head.  For example, I listened to a lot of jazz when I wrote Waking Up in Corporate America.  Some have told me that silence works best whey they write, but for me music is the needed writing soundtrack.


The following is a list of some music (artists, individual compositions and complete volumes) that I have used to make my writing soundtrack inspiring:

  1. Pat Metheny – just about anything he does, but especially his work on movie soundtracks
  2. Miles Davis – Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain and Kind of Blue
  3. Michael Franks – Abandoned Garden
  4. David Sanborn – Closer
  5. Peter Gabriel – Us
  6. Bill Evans – Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby
  7. John McLauglin – Brise De Coeur
  8. Sting – A Thousand Years, The Book of My Life, and the soundtrack to Leaving Las Vegas
  9. Puccini- Madame Butterfly
  10. Larry Carlton – Emotions Wound Us So and For Love Alone