Crews and Competing

People need to belong to a fellowship; people desire a battle.  
The problem is, if you don't figure out what your purpose is, 
you'll invent strange ways to belong to a crew and compete.  
I was walking on lunch the other day and I saw a very strange 
and sad scene: grown men taking their one hour of freedom 
during their work day trotting out to a field of grass behind 
their office building to play...kick ball. Yes, 20 and 40-somthing's
playing kickball - really!!?  


We live in a society that has a bunch of sick men and tired 
women. Men that are sick in their heart, and women that are 
tired of wearing the pants. It's no wonder we create weird things
for us to entertain ourselves with, and perhaps deaden the ache 
of regret. More women are working than ever before to pay for
their "man's" toys. More men are spending their hours being 
"gamers", playing video games, softball, joining church basketball 
leagues or simply watching other people compete on the tube 
instead of getting in a crew that will call them into a battle that 

is the most magnificent competition in which they canindulge in
- a cause that will bring out all that is best; something that removes 
all that is base.  


General George S. Patton once said, "All men are afraid in battle. 
The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty.  
Duty is the essence of manhood." I hope to seek out men of duty, 
connect with them and if I'm fortunate, they will join my crew and 
compete alongside me for the hearts and minds of men.

Things that will determine where you'll be in the future:

1. The people you hang with (your crew)

2. The books you read (your field guides)

3. The stuff you put in your brain through your ear (your attitude)

4. The vehicle you choose to go places (choose wisely)

The Wasabi Way

I have a food fetish for western style sushi.  Any chance to eat the Japanese cuisine, of hand-formed clumps of vinegar rice and assorted fish, I do.  Aside from soy sauce and ginger, my favorite sushi condiment is wasabi, a piquant paste made from the grated root of the wasabi japonica plant.  Wasabi is a neon green, fun, little play-doh-like substance. Wasabi is usually served in the tiniest of dollops.  However, as soon as you inject the neon green play-doh you're in for a shocking surprise!  Wasabi sends a five-alarm signal to your palette, especially you're nostrils!  The tiny green stuff packs a punch more potent than horseradish, and jalapenos combined.

We should be more like wasabi in life.  It's not about being big, bodacious, or loud.  It's about being audacious in substance.  When we enter a room, are added to a group, circumstance, or situation we should add noticeable pop, flavor, surprise and flavor to the mix.  And if we can clear out someones sinuses it's just a bonus.  

Find people that are like wasabi and get around them more.    

Don't put yourself in a choke hold

One of the best escapes from the prison of procrastination is to take even the smallest steps toward your goals. People usually procrastinate because of fear and lack of self-confidence and, ironically, become even more afraid when under the gun. There are many ways to experiment and test new ground without risking the whole ball game on one play. Experience has shown that when people go after one big goal at once, they invariably fail. If you had to swallow a 12-ounce steak all at once, you’d choke. You have to cut the steak into small pieces, eating one bite at a time. So it is with prioritizing. Proactive goal achievement means taking every project and cutting it up into bite-sized pieces. Each small task or requirement on the way to the ultimate goal becomes a mini-goal in itself. Using this method, the goal becomes manageable. When mini-mistakes are made, they are easy to correct. And with the achievement of each mini-goal, you receive reinforcement and motivation in the form of positive feedback. As basic as this sounds, much frustration and failure is caused when people try to “bite off more than they can chew” by taking on assignments with limited resources and impossible timeline expectations. Two major fears that sire procrastination are fear of the unknown and fear of rejection or looking foolish. A third fear—of success—is often overlooked. Many people, even many executives, fear success because it carries added responsibility that can seem too heavy to bear, such as setting an example of excellence that calls for additional effort and willingness to take risks. Success, without adequate self-esteem or the belief that it is deserved, also can create feelings of guilt and the result is only temporary or fleeting high achievement. Playing it safe can seem more tempting than a need to step forward with determination to do it now and do it right.

New Media, New Marketing, New Thinking Creates Mojo

Here's an old video of Seth Godin talking about "new thinking" that most network marketers could learn from - enjoy! What are you doing to keep up with the changes in the marketplace? Keep up, or be left behind.