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	<title>David Koons</title>
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		<title>How to Deal with the Unexpected</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/how-to-deal-with-the-unexpected/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-to-deal-with-the-unexpected</link>
		<comments>http://davidkoons.com/how-to-deal-with-the-unexpected/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:03:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=670</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It didn&#8217;t sound good. It was a scraping sound where nothing should be scraping. And it was coming from my computer. What to do? I had deadlines, appointments and workd to get done&#8230;and my computer didn&#8217;t seem to get the memo. It&#8217;s a sudden, unexpected event that can totally disrupt your life. It&#8217;s like when ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It didn&#8217;t sound good. It was a scraping sound where nothing should be scraping.</p>
<p>And it was coming from my computer.</p>
<p>What to do? I had deadlines, appointments and workd to get done&#8230;and my computer didn&#8217;t seem to get the memo.</p>
<p><strong>It&#8217;s a sudden, unexpected event that can totally disrupt your life</strong>.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s like when the electricity goes out in your home, suddenly and without warning, your plans can change.</p>
<p>My computer needed attention, that&#8217;s for sure, but so did my business.</p>
<p>Has this ever happened to you? Chances are it has&#8230;and it completely screwed up your day, or days.</p>
<p>Stress is a natural result, and the rhythm of the day is disrupted.</p>
<p>Imagine all the files on your computer that you can&#8217;t access:</p>
<ul>
<li>Contacts (phone numbers, email address</li>
<li>Calendar</li>
<li>Files</li>
<li>Email</li>
<li>Passwords</li>
<li>Digital photos</li>
</ul>
<p>And if your computer information is unrecoverable, you might not be able to access this information again.</p>
<p><strong>Enter &#8220;Contingencies&#8221;</strong></p>
<p>In the Marines, I truly learned the meaning of this word. It basically means anticipating future events and preparing for them today.</p>
<p>The process of preparing for contingencies is simple:</p>
<ol>
<li>Identify future possible scenarios</li>
<li>Identify the best possible response to each scenario</li>
<li>Practice your response until it becomes habitual</li>
</ol>
<p>It&#8217;s a simple process, but not always easy to do. You see contingencies used in business all the time. They are apparent in sales training when you&#8217;re instructed to practice &#8220;responding to objections.&#8221;</p>
<p>Identifying objections is simple; &#8220;not enough money,&#8221; &#8220;not enough time,&#8221; etc, but actually responding intelligently to them is difficult.</p>
<p>So back to my (your) computer.</p>
<p>Are you <strong>prepared for something to happen to your computer</strong> &#8211; and not have it impact your day or business?</p>
<p><img style="float: right;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5194301853_ca472359ed_m.jpg" alt="dropbox" /></p>
<p>Do you have accessible copies of your vital information?</p>
<p>How would you even address this?</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s follow the steps above:</p>
<p>1.<strong> Identify Future Possible Scenarios</strong> regarding your computer</p>
<p>Worst case: Suddenly unavailable (won&#8217;t power up, stolen, left at parents during vacation)</p>
<p>2. <strong>Identify Possible Responses</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li>Maintain hourly or daily backup of all data (in bootable form for easy install on new computer, or restore)</li>
<li>Use smartphone (if you have one) for contacts, email, calendar, passwords</li>
<li>Use iDisk, Google docs or Dropbox (free) to keep critical files</li>
</ul>
<p>3. <strong>Practice Your Response to the Scenario</strong></p>
<p>Technology has become a major part of our lives. Imagine the disruption a power outage could cause. It could be pretty chaotic.</p>
<p>Start with the scenario above and practice accessing your information using a tool like <a title="dropbox" href="http://davidkoons.com/dropbox/" target="_blank">DropBox</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li>Do you know how to access the information from another computer?</li>
<li>Can you work with the files?</li>
<li>How could you send the files to someone else?</li>
</ul>
<p>It makes sense to spend a little time now, to prepare your &#8220;what if&#8221; scenarios. You can even make a habit of thinking through and planning for contingencies that could dramatically impact your life.</p>
<p>Losing your computer is not far-fetched, and it&#8217;s loss could cause you considerable stress. <strong>But it doesn&#8217;t have to</strong>.</p>
<p>In the military &#8211; and this example &#8211; we focused on the negative because not being prepared for certain negative events can have a signficant &#8216;negative&#8217; impact on your life.</p>
<p>But <strong>don&#8217;t limit yourself to just negative events</strong>, or you won&#8217;t feel much like developing your planning muscle.</p>
<p>Imagine <strong>some extremely pleasant unexpected events</strong>.</p>
<p>For example: Imagine the client you&#8217;ve been calling on, wants you to roll out your proposal to his 50 offices throughout the country. Okay, for some of you, you might be stressed by this&#8230;but if you think it through&#8230;it&#8217;s probably easier than you fear.</p>
<p>Contingency planning doesn&#8217;t have to be bad or good. It can just be preparation for future success regardless of events, without the stress and urgency poor planning (or lack of planning) creates.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t let that be you.</p>
<p>Are you ready for the unexpected? Can you handle it?</p>
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		<title>Being Open to the Unexpected</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/being-open-to-the-unexpected/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=being-open-to-the-unexpected</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:47:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindset]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IPod]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Year's Day]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=412</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I like to think I&#8217;m open to unexpected things, but even I get tested at times. But, as you&#8217;ll see, you can benefit, like I did, by being open to the unexpected. On New Years day my wife gave me an iPod Nano. I have to admit that my response was underwhelming at best. I had ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I like to think I&#8217;m <strong>open to unexpected things</strong>, but even I get tested at times.</p>
<p>But, as you&#8217;ll see, you can benefit, like I did, by being open to the unexpected.</p>
<p>On <a class="zem_slink" title="New Year's Day" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_Day" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank">New Years day</a> my wife gave me an <a class="zem_slink" title="IPod Nano" href="http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/" rel="homepage" target="_blank">iPod Nano</a>.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 157px"><img title="iPod Nano" src="http://images.apple.com/ipod/compare-ipod-models/images/ipod_nano.jpg" alt="iPod Nano" width="147" height="148" /><p class="wp-caption-text">iPod Nanos</p></div>
<p>I have to admit that my response was underwhelming at best.</p>
<p>I had never asked for a Nano nor shown any interest in the little music player.</p>
<p>I have never picked it up when visiting the Apple store on our frequent visits. It seemed so small, and for a &#8220;bull&#8221; like me, I figured if I didn&#8217;t crush it, I&#8217;d lose it.</p>
<p>So, why did my wife give it to me? No, I wasn&#8217;t in the dog house (at least that day I wasn&#8217;t). She saw something I didn&#8217;t see. She knows me, my likes, dislikes and other quirks, and saw that I would enjoy it.</p>
<p>As happens, I was wrong, and she was right!</p>
<p>Since I received it, I haven&#8217;t stopped using it. It&#8217;s clipped to my side, and travels with me down the hall, to the kitchen, or just when I&#8217;m sitting in my home office.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s on my side <strong>while I write this article on my &#8220;walking desk&#8221;</strong> &#8211; a desk set atop a treadmill&#8230;next to my sit-down desk.</p>
<p>The &#8220;walking desk&#8221; came about unexpectedly as well.</p>
<p>I was watching a news program about a guy selling treadmill/desk combination to corporations and I thought that was a great idea.</p>
<p>I <strong>walk while I work</strong>.</p>
<p>I shift between my walking desk and my sitting desk throughout the day.</p>
<p>If it&#8217;s a day where I have a lot of phonecalls, I may walk up to 4 hours.</p>
<p>Other days, I may get on it for 30 minutes or so.</p>
<p>I walk at 1 mile per hour while talking on the phone or working on my computer, or both.</p>
<h2>Just Two of the Many &#8220;Unexpecteds&#8221;</h2>
<p>The iPod Nano and Walking Desk showed up in my life. I didn&#8217;t plan on them. I didn&#8217;t visualize them. <strong>I was open and they arrived</strong>.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s amazing what can show up in your life when you&#8217;re open to &#8220;<strong>this or something better</strong>.&#8221;</p>
<p>Those words are so powerful to me that they&#8217;re written on the bottom of every page of the &#8220;<a href="http://www.letyourmillionaireout.com/new-to-lymo/">Let Your Millionaire Out Success System</a>.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>What does it mean to be open?</strong></p>
<p>It&#8217;s about <strong>being curious</strong> where you may be tempted to play the victim card.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">For example</span>; let&#8217;s say something happens in your life that you didn&#8217;t plan. You can <strong>choose to cry</strong> &#8220;Oh why did this happen to me?&#8221; Or, you can <strong>choose to wonder curiously</strong>, &#8220;Hm, I wonder why this happened?&#8221;</p>
<p>Pretty much the same words, but with very different intentions.</p>
<p>Things, people, events and circumstances continue to show up in my life unexpectantly.</p>
<p>Since I choose to believe that &#8220;<strong>everything happens for a reason and that reason serves me and helps me grow</strong>,&#8221; I can focus on understanding how what happened serves me.</p>
<p>And I get fun surprises like a walking desk, iPod Nano and who knows what&#8217;s next.</p>
<p>Time to go find out&#8230;</p>
<p>How about you, any fun surprises show up recently?</p>
<p>PS &#8211; If you&#8217;re interested in the idea of a walking desk and would like me to write another article on it, just use the comments section below or email me.</p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=088cca06-0146-4bfa-99ea-d5eb982606c3" alt="" /></div>
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		<title>The End of Obligation</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/end-of-obligation/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=end-of-obligation</link>
		<comments>http://davidkoons.com/end-of-obligation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:28:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindset]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=417</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s the New Year and that means a resetting of new priorities and goals. It&#8217;s  a time to reflect on the past year and try to set new plans and goals to get different results. It can be a great time of year IF you are kind to yourself. Are you reviewing last year, without ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s the <a class="zem_slink" title="New Year" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank">New Year</a> and that means a resetting of<strong> new priorities and goals</strong>. It&#8217;s  a time to reflect on the past year and try to <strong>set new plans and goals</strong> to get different results.</p>
<p>It can be a great time of year <strong>IF you are kind to yourself</strong>.</p>
<p>Are you reviewing last year, without judgement, considering <strong>what worked? What didn&#8217;t? And what to change</strong>?</p>
<p>Or, are you beating yourself up for what you should have done? Could have done?</p>
<p>If you fall into the second category (don&#8217;t worry, most do), then you may be setting new goals or resolutions for 2012&#8230;and setting yourself up for more disappointment.</p>
<p>You dream of different results, more money and all the things that come with it.</p>
<p>The <strong>problem is you didn&#8217;t learn a thing</strong> from last year&#8217;s disappointment.</p>
<p>Are you planning on using the same &#8220;you&#8221; that created last year&#8217;s results?</p>
<p>To paraphrase <a class="zem_slink" title="Albert Einstein" href="http://www.biography.com/people/albert-einstein-9285408" rel="biographycom" target="_blank">Einstein</a>; &#8220;<strong>You can&#8217;t solve a problem with the same mind that created it.</strong>&#8221;</p>
<h2>Something has to change.</h2>
<p>And if you&#8217;re weighing yourself down with obligations, with <strong>all the things you think you; need to do, have to do, or should do</strong>&#8230;let me put your mind at ease.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s nothing you have to do.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Einstein_1921_portrait2.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="Albert Einstein during a lecture in Vienna in 1921" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Einstein_1921_portrait2.jpg/300px-Einstein_1921_portrait2.jpg" alt="Albert Einstein during a lecture in Vienna in 1921" width="300" height="374" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">&quot;You can&#39;t solve a problem with the same mind that created it.&quot;</p></div>
<p>You don&#8217;t have to:</p>
<ul>
<li>take out the trash</li>
<li>pay the mortgage</li>
<li>eat well</li>
<li>diet</li>
<li>exercise</li>
</ul>
<p>You don&#8217;t even have to feed the kids.</p>
<p>Are there consequences for not doing these things? Absolutely,<strong> but you still don&#8217;t have to do any of them</strong>.</p>
<h2>This is where the magic can happen.</h2>
<p>How would you like to <strong>release all the obligations</strong> you feel weighing you down?</p>
<p>How about <strong>doing it right now</strong>?</p>
<p>You see, when you realize that every perceived <a class="zem_slink" title="Obligation" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obligation" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank">obligation</a> is <strong>really a choice</strong>, you can be free of obligation.</p>
<p><strong>You realize</strong> that you don&#8217;t have to take out the trash, but <strong>choose to because</strong> you prefer someone else figure out what to do with it, so you can focus on more enjoyable things.</p>
<p><strong>You realize</strong> you&#8217;d rather pay the mortgage and eventually own your own home so you don&#8217;t have to deal with landlords or live in an apartment complex with neighbors who are too loud.</p>
<p><strong>You realize</strong> you&#8217;d rather feed your children so they develop wonderfully, rather than eat junk and turn into misbehaving brats.</p>
<p>These are <strong>your choices</strong>. Each day you choose to, or choose not to do these things based on the consequences of not.</p>
<p>I choose to take out the trash rather than have it pile up, or load it into my car and find somewhere to take it.</p>
<p>Knowing it&#8217;s my choice is a whole lot better than feeling like &#8220;I HAVE TO&#8221; do something.</p>
<p><strong>I don&#8217;t have to do anything I don&#8217;t want to, and neither do you</strong>.</p>
<h2>You&#8217;re Free.</h2>
<p>Now how to make this stick?</p>
<ul>
<li>Pull out a sheet of paper and write &#8220;Freedom&#8221; at the top.</li>
<li>Next, draw a line down the center of the page.</li>
<li>At the top of the left-hand-side, write &#8220;Obligations&#8221;</li>
<li>Now, on the left side, write down everything you think you; need to do, have to do, or should do</li>
<li>At the top of the right-hand-side, write &#8220;Inspirations&#8221;</li>
<li>Below that, look at each &#8220;obligation&#8221; to the left, and make a decision whether you &#8220;choose&#8221; to continue to do that task or not. If not, write (over on the right), &#8220;I choose not to&#8221;</li>
<li>If you do choose to continue to perform that task or activity, write; &#8220;I choose to&#8221;</li>
</ul>
<p>That&#8217;s it, you&#8217;re<strong> free of obligation and are now operating from choice</strong>. You&#8217;re in control and empowered.</p>
<p>When the weight of obligation creeps up on you in the future, create a new list. Or not, it&#8217;s your choice.</p>
<p>PS &#8211; I&#8217;m hosting a webinar on &#8220;Setting Inspiring Intentions&#8221; &#8211; be on the look out!</p>
<div class="mceTemp"></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em;">Related articles</h6>
<ul class="zemanta-article-ul">
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://davidkoons.com/new-years-resolution-mistakes/" target="_blank">Don&#8217;t Make this New Years Mistake</a> (davidkoons.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://davidkoons.com/new-years-resolutions/" target="_blank">Watch Out for the New Years Resolutions</a> (davidkoons.com)</li>
</ul>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=b316c9ae-7622-4622-a245-a2e48f23f226" alt="" /></div>
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		<title>Don&#8217;t Make this New Years Mistake</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/new-years-resolution-mistakes/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=new-years-resolution-mistakes</link>
		<comments>http://davidkoons.com/new-years-resolution-mistakes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:17:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=398</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s the time of year to consider New Years Resolutions. If I could share one piece of advice, it would be this&#8230;Don&#8217;t create a laundry list of resolutions and goals. You know what I mean. That thing you do everyday. List all your &#8220;To Do&#8217;s&#8221; on a sheet of paper. Then, you get some of ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CreateAbundanceLeadershipCamp.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="English: Create Abundance 2020 Business Commun..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/CreateAbundanceLeadershipCamp.jpg/300px-CreateAbundanceLeadershipCamp.jpg" alt="English: Create Abundance 2020 Business Commun..." width="300" height="199" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
<div class="mceTemp"></div>
<p>It&#8217;s the time of year to consider New Years Resolutions.</p>
<p>If I could share one piece of advice, it would be this&#8230;<strong>Don&#8217;t create</strong> a laundry list of resolutions and goals.</p>
<p>You know what I mean.</p>
<p>That thing you do everyday. List all your &#8220;To Do&#8217;s&#8221; on a sheet of paper.</p>
<p>Then, you get some of them done, and move the rest to another piece of paper the next day.</p>
<p>Each day you do this, your attitude gets a little worse.</p>
<p>Next week I&#8217;m hosting  a resolutions and intentions setting training. For advance notice and get a head start, <a title="Inner Circle Invitation Video" href="http://davidkoons.com/invite-inner-circle/">go check this out</a>.</p>
<p>For now, I want you to focus on <strong>avoiding the mistake</strong> of listing too many things, making commitments you have no way of following through on or just otherwise setting yourself up for failure.</p>
<h2>Do This&#8230;</h2>
<p><strong>Focus on just ONE THING for 2012</strong>.</p>
<p>What one thing, when achieved in 2012 would make it a fantastic year?</p>
<ul>
<li>Perhaps it&#8217;s writing that book.</li>
<li>Or maybe it&#8217;s filling your practice with 30 paying clients.</li>
<li>Or maybe it&#8217;s to zero-out your credit cards.</li>
</ul>
<p>It doesn&#8217;t matter&#8230;except it &#8220;shouldn&#8217;t&#8221; be a &#8220;should.&#8221;</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t do what you think you &#8220;should&#8221; <strong>but what Inspires you</strong>.</p>
<p>Like I said, I&#8217;ll be going over this with members of my &#8220;<strong>Marketing, Mastery and Mindset Inner Circle</strong>&#8221; next week, but since I haven&#8217;t even opened it yet, you&#8217;ll learn more about that next year (couple days). To learn more and sign up early, <a title="Inner Circle Invitation Video" href="http://davidkoons.com/invite-inner-circle/">check it out here</a>.</p>
<h2>One Thing and One Thing Only</h2>
<p>Look, you probably don&#8217;t have a lot of good experience  with &#8220;To Do&#8221; lists.</p>
<p>I understand.</p>
<p>So, try this simple exercise:</p>
<p><strong>Step 1</strong>: Reflect on 2011. What went well? What didn&#8217;t turn out so well and what surprises popped up?</p>
<p><strong>Step 2</strong>: Think about 2012: What one thing, if achieved, would make it a fantastic year? Just one thing. Feel free to create a long list of what you&#8217;d like to achieve&#8230;but then keep narrowing down the list until you get to that one thing that excites and inspires you.</p>
<p><strong>Step 3</strong>: Circle that One Thing.</p>
<p><strong>Step 4</strong>: Commit to achieve it.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s the simple version, and if you do nothing else, you&#8217;ll be far ahead of everyone else in creating an extraordinary 2012.</p>
<p>But, if you join me as a member of my &#8220;<a title="Inner Circle Invitation Video" href="http://davidkoons.com/invite-inner-circle/">Marketing, Mastery and Mindset Inner Circle</a>,&#8221; you&#8217;ll get a few more calls to learn how to make 2012 a banner year..and one you soon won&#8217;t forget.</p>
<p>Either way.</p>
<p><strong>Happy New Year to you and your family, and thanks for being part of my community.</strong></p>
<p>I appreciate you!</p>
<p>To a Prosperous and Profitable 2012!</p>
<p>David</p>
<p>PS &#8211; While it hasn&#8217;t been officially launched (I&#8217;m finishing up a few details), you can learn more about my Marketing, Mastery and Mindset Inner Circle, and sign up by <a title="Inner Circle Invitation Video" href="http://davidkoons.com/invite-inner-circle/">clicking here</a>.</p>
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		<title>Freedom from Negative Thinking</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/freedom-from-negative-thinking/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=freedom-from-negative-thinking</link>
		<comments>http://davidkoons.com/freedom-from-negative-thinking/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:31:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindset]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=346</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You can free yourself from negative thinking when you understand this simple perspective. “Feelings of inferiority originate not so much from facts or experiences, but from our conclusions regarding facts and our evaluation of experiences.” ~ from Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz Or in other words, it’s not what happens to us that affects us, but how ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You can free yourself from negative thinking when you understand this simple perspective.</p>
<blockquote><p>“Feelings of inferiority originate not so much from facts or experiences, but from our conclusions regarding facts and our evaluation of experiences.” ~ from Psycho-Cybernetics by <a class="zem_slink" title="Maxwell Maltz" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell_Maltz" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank">Maxwell Maltz</a></p></blockquote>
<p>Or in other words, it’s not what happens to us that affects us, but <strong>how we interpret what happens to us</strong>.</p>
<p>I read everyday. It keeps me grounded while feeding my curiosity and desire for growth.</p>
<p>I learned long ago that if you’re not growing, you’re contracting. There’s no stagnation. So, I choose to grow.</p>
<p>I’ve read passages like this before, but for some reason it stuck with me today. Maybe I need a reminder. Maybe you do, or we both do.</p>
<h2>Negative Thinking Everyday</h2>
<p>Lots of things happen everyday.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 98px"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PsychoCyb-book-cover.gif.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="Psycho-Cybernetics" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d2/PsychoCyb-book-cover.gif.jpg" alt="Psycho-Cybernetics" width="88" height="140" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
<p>We interact with others, we read emails, articles and the news. And of course we have thoughts, thousands and thousands of thoughts.</p>
<p>In the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Cybernetics-Maxwell-Maltz/dp/0686923987%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzem-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0686923987" target="_blank">Psycho-Cybernetics</a>, Dr. Maltz states that over 95% of people deal with feelings of inferiority.</p>
<p>I like finding facts like this, because it <strong>reminds me that I’m not alone</strong> or abnormal for having thoughts of inferiority.</p>
<p>I’ve heard it said that; “<strong>to compare is to despair</strong>.”</p>
<p>I find that when I compare myself to someone else, it’s usually with a <strong>negative intention of proving something unfavorable</strong> about myself.</p>
<p>Over time, I have learned to catch myself quickly if this happens and remember that <strong>comparing myself to others is like comparing apples to brooms</strong>. Absolutely no relationship.</p>
<p>There’s no way I can know someone’s “story.” How they got to where they are? What price did they pay? What’s really going on behind the scenes of their public life?</p>
<p>Remembering this, I sit back appreciating the divine timing of things. My life is perfect, it’s just sometimes I think it’s not. <strong>Everything in my life happens for a reason and that reason serves me and helps me grow</strong>.</p>
<p>I know these things intellectually, but sometimes I stray in my thinking.</p>
<p>That’s why I like the above passage. It reminds me that it’s not the thoughts that are the issue, <strong>it’s what we do with them that matters</strong>.</p>
<ul>
<li>Having negative thoughts is not the problem</li>
<li>Being the victim of a crime is not the problem</li>
<li>Hearing “no” ten times in a row is not the problem</li>
</ul>
<p>The <strong>problem is the meaning we give to these facts</strong> and the interpretation we give our experiences is the problem.</p>
<p>Understanding this, <strong>allows me creative license to find positives</strong> in every situation.</p>
<p>It allows me to recognize that <strong>sometimes good things don’t happen to allow great things to occur</strong>.</p>
<p>It allows me the freedom to assign positive interpretations where others would seek the comfort of being a victim.</p>
<p>For me it was <strong>liberating to discover this</strong>. For others I see the fear of realizing their crutch of victimhood is threatened</p>
<p>But it shouldn’t be scary.</p>
<p>When you get to this point, <strong>you’re free to interpret anything and everything in the most empowering way</strong>.</p>
<p>You’re free to get out of your own way and <strong>deliberately create the world</strong>, and its meaning, around you.</p>
<p>You’re truly free.</p>
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		<title>Watch Out for the New Years Resolutions</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/new-years-resolutions/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=new-years-resolutions</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:58:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindset]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Year]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=340</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There were only minutes to go as my friends and I hurried our final declarations for the New Year. We went around the table, drinks in hand, declaring with false bravado, our resolutions for the coming year. The music was loud, the drinks were plentiful and spirits were high. Everyone felt inspired and ready for ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There were only minutes to go as my friends and I hurried our final declarations for the New Year. We went around the table, drinks in hand, declaring with false bravado, our resolutions for the coming year.</p>
<p>The music was loud, the drinks were plentiful and spirits were high. Everyone felt inspired and ready for the best year of our lives.</p>
<p>And then morning set in.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 303px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NewYearsResolution1915SecondPostcard.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="English: New Year's Resolutions postcard" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/NewYearsResolution1915SecondPostcard.jpg" alt="English: New Year's Resolutions postcard" width="293" height="447" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
<p>I had a headache and fuzzy recollection of the night before. On the table was some writing of my declarations for the coming years. Looking down, I knew I was in trouble. How was I going to make those changes?</p>
<p>Well, long, depressing story, short&#8230;I didn&#8217;t, and I felt that much worse for not following through.</p>
<p>That was a long time ago and I&#8217;ve learned a lot since.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s tempting this time of year to make New Years Resolutions. The year is coming to an end, a new one is about to begin and things might not have worked out the way you planned over the past twelve months.</p>
<h2>Enter the New Year</h2>
<p>It can be a time of renewal and recreation. It&#8217;s tempting to declare a &#8220;New You!&#8221;</p>
<p>Perhaps you&#8217;ll start working out more, eating better, making more money or any other number of transformational activities.</p>
<p>The problem with the &#8220;New You&#8221; Resolutions is that they involve the &#8220;Same You&#8221; that was responsible for this year&#8217;s results.</p>
<p>What that means is when you&#8217;re setting resolutions, the only thing that has changed is your desire for different results.</p>
<h2>And Desire is Not Enough</h2>
<p>Desire is wanting something. Basically it&#8217;s a wish. Or as I like to say, it&#8217;s a &#8220;nice to have.&#8221;</p>
<p>How many times have you heard someone say; &#8220;I&#8217;d love to have a million dollars.&#8221; Sure, wouldn&#8217;t everyone? That&#8217;s not the point.</p>
<p>The point is what are you willing to do to get it?</p>
<p>If you just &#8220;want&#8221; something if it comes to you, there&#8217;s not much chance of getting it.</p>
<p>And New Years Resolutions are one of the quickest ways to set yourself up for failure and another mediocre year.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s so tempting to get caught up in the emotion of this time of year and make bold declarations for the coming year.</p>
<h2>A Word of Caution</h2>
<p>But let me warn you that for most people, this time of year can end up hindering your progress, not accelerating it.</p>
<p>A resolution is a firm decision to do, or not to do, something.</p>
<p>It means this year is going to be different for the reasons outlined in your resolution.</p>
<p>The problem is; 1) you&#8217;re still the same, 2) you&#8217;re still attempting to change using just desire and willpower&#8230;an incomplete recipe.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll be sharing shortly, the best ways to close out the current year and move into the New Year with a chance of developing a New You.</p>
<p>For now, just remember that New Years (or New You) Resolutions can do more harm than good. So tread carefully.</p>
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		<title>The Best Gift for the Holidays</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/the-best-gift-for-the-holidays/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-best-gift-for-the-holidays</link>
		<comments>http://davidkoons.com/the-best-gift-for-the-holidays/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:44:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindset]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=331</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve been seeing it with a new perspective. I&#8217;ve been using it for years a certain way. I even wrote down three things per day to recognize it. It can make your holidays better. It can improve your business. It can change your life. What is it? Appreciation. The recognition and enjoyment of the good ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve been seeing it with a new perspective.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been using it for years a certain way.</p>
<p>I even wrote down three things per day to recognize it.</p>
<p>It can <strong>make your holidays better</strong>.</p>
<p>It can <strong>improve your business</strong>.</p>
<p>It can <strong>change your life</strong>.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RI_sharing_screenshot.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="Reframe It screenshot" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/RI_sharing_screenshot.jpg/300px-RI_sharing_screenshot.jpg" alt="Reframe It screenshot" width="300" height="142" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Share with your friends what you appreciate about them.</p></div>
<p>What is it?</p>
<p><strong>Appreciation.</strong></p>
<p>The recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.</p>
<p>And sometimes just writing down what you appreciate isn&#8217;t enough.</p>
<p>Sometimes you have to look someone directly in the eye&#8230;where you&#8217;re both open to each other.</p>
<p>And sometimes you can do it in an email like this to so many people I appreciate.</p>
<p><strong>Thank You!</strong></p>
<p>Thank you for reading my emails, sharing your ups, downs, triumphs and tribulations.</p>
<p>Thank you for sharing your hard-earned money with me, and for trusting me to guide you.</p>
<p>At this time of year, I want to leave you with a simple message of appreciation and thanks.</p>
<p>Happy Holidays!</p>
<p>David</p>
<p>PS &#8211; What do you appreciate? Use the comments section to share.</p>
<div class="mceTemp"></div>
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		<title>Are You One of the Courageous?</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/are-you-one-of-the-courageous/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=are-you-one-of-the-courageous</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindset]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=326</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Mondays get a bad rap. It’s that first day back to work after the weekend. And for some, it’s a little tougher to get going. For some it’s about restarting momentum from the previous week. For others it’s about starting fresh. And the Monday before the Christmas holiday and New Year. Well, this is one ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Mondays get a bad rap. It’s that first day back to work after the weekend. And for some, it’s a little tougher to get going.</p>
<p>For some it’s about <strong>restarting momentum</strong> from the previous week.</p>
<p>For others it’s about <strong>starting fresh</strong>.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Socrates_Louvre.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="Portrait of Socrates. Marble, Roman artwork (1..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Socrates_Louvre.jpg/300px-Socrates_Louvre.jpg" alt="Portrait of Socrates. Marble, Roman artwork (1..." width="300" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">&quot;The unexamined life is not worth living.&quot; ~ Socrates</p></div>
<p>And the Monday before the <a class="zem_slink" title="Christmas" href="http://www.history.com/topics/christmas" rel="historycom" target="_blank">Christmas holiday</a> and New Year.</p>
<p>Well, this is <strong>one of the most magical times</strong>.</p>
<p>And it can be for you too.</p>
<p>Sure, it’s a time to finish the Christmas shopping and <strong>tie up loose ends</strong> at the office before the holidays.</p>
<p>Many people take the week off between Christmas and <a class="zem_slink" title="New Year" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank">New Years</a>. Regardless business shuts down to a bare minimum&#8230;except, of course, retail.</p>
<p>But chances are you aren’t in retail, and can take these steps to <strong>springboard into the New Year</strong> a little wiser than the year before.</p>
<p>It’s <strong>this time of “reset” that I find so refreshing</strong>. It’s the time to reflect on the year.</p>
<blockquote><p><a class="zem_slink" title="Socrates" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank">Socrates</a> said 2400 years ago; <strong>“The unexamined life is not worth living.”</strong></p></blockquote>
<p>In other words, don’t go through life with your head in the sand, unwilling to look at <strong>your actions and consequences</strong>.</p>
<p>Do you have the life you want? If not why, and <strong>what are you willing to do differently</strong>.</p>
<p>Is your health where you want it? What did you do this year that supported good health? <strong>Make a list and congratulate yourself</strong>.</p>
<p>What did you do this year that had a negative impact on your health? And what are you <strong>willing to do differently</strong> in the new year.</p>
<p>How about your relationships? Do you have the relationship you want? If not, what are you <strong>willing to do to get it</strong>?</p>
<p>What went well in your relationship? Have you shared that with your partner? Don’t wait for the other person to take action,<strong> be the change you want to see in the other.</strong></p>
<p>How about your business? Do you know what business you’re in? Who are your customers and <strong>how can you reach out to them</strong> to let them know you appreciate them?</p>
<p>How can you make 2012 better for you and your customers?</p>
<h2>Don’t make this mistake…</h2>
<p>There’s real power in Socrates words. <strong>Examining your life is what makes it substantial</strong>.</p>
<p>But you might not like reviewing your actions and results. <strong>You might recognize what you’ve been doing is not working</strong>. That you don’t have the results they want.</p>
<p>And that can be a strong wake up call because <strong>you realize that maybe what you’re doing isn’t working</strong>, that perhaps you have to change.</p>
<p>And that’s the mistake.</p>
<p>You don’t want to admit that some of the things you think, believe or do &#8211; they <strong>just don’t serve you</strong>. You stop there and put your head in the sand, guaranteeing a continuation of the same.</p>
<p>The next part is the tough, yet rewarding part. It’s<strong> identifying what worked</strong>&#8230;and doing more of it. AND, it’s <strong>identifying what didn’t serve</strong>, and <strong>replacing</strong> those; thoughts, beliefs and behaviors, with new ones.</p>
<p>This is where many quit. They’d rather be “right” that successful. You know the type, the “right” business person with no customers. The “right” spouse with a lousy marriage. The “right” fitness authority in poor health.</p>
<p>The good news is <strong>that doesn’t have to be you</strong>. You can have success in any or all areas of your life you want. You just have to “examine” your life honestly and critically, and <strong>make the necessary adjustments</strong>.</p>
<p>Honestly means looking at your part &#8211; not finding fault in others, or justifying your actions or blaming others for not knowing what you wanted them to do. If you&#8217;re being responsible for yourself,<strong> it starts and stops with you</strong>.</p>
<p>The act of being critical is looked down upon. Perhaps because it’s abused when we look for negative or disapproving comments about something.</p>
<p>But, the act of being “critical” can also be very empowering. It’s <strong>the ability to analyze the merits and faults</strong> of your thoughts, beliefs and actions.</p>
<p>So,  I know  you can move past this because you recognize that you are not just your thoughts, beliefs and actions.</p>
<p>You recognize that you HAVE thoughts, beliefs and take actions, but they don’t define you.</p>
<p>This is your chance to <strong>recognize what doesn’t serve and throw it out</strong>. It’s about embracing the New Year&#8230;and New You.</p>
<p>Change doesn’t have to be scary or threatening. It doesn’t mean you’re “less than” if you let go of certain habits or beliefs.</p>
<p>No, change is inevitable, and<strong> those courageous souls willing to let go of what doesn’t serve, and embrace what does, will find a life worth living and a very Happy New Year.</strong></p>
<p>To You!</p>
<div class="mceTemp"></div>
<p>David</p>
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		<title>QnA: Fear, Doubt, Starting &amp; Where Are They?</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/qna-fear-doubt-starting-where-are-they/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=qna-fear-doubt-starting-where-are-they</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:12:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=318</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There were a lot of questions this week, so let&#8217;s get right to them. If you have a question, use the comments or just email me. I do my best to get to them. Q: There&#8217;s so much I want to do, where do I start? A: Short answer, just start. The biggest problem I ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There were a lot of questions this week, so let&#8217;s get right to them. If you have a question, use the comments or just email me. I do my best to get to them.</p>
<p><strong>Q: There&#8217;s so much I want to do, where do I start?</strong><br />
<strong>A</strong>: Short answer, just start. The biggest problem I I see with people is <strong>wanting to having everything perfect</strong> before they take the next step.</p>
<p>Since<strong> it&#8217;s never &#8220;perfect&#8221;</strong> the next step is never taken. And besides, <strong>&#8220;perfect&#8221; is just a lie to keep you from facing your fear</strong> and taking action.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s a quick solution:</p>
<ul>
<li>Step 1. Set a timer to 5 minutes</li>
<li>Step 2. Write down everything you think needs to be done.</li>
<li>Step 3. Review your list and prioritize</li>
<li>Step 4. Trust your intuition</li>
<li>Step 5. Start with the first priority and keep</li>
<li>moving. The only wrong answer is not starting.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Q: What do I offer first?</strong><br />
<strong>A</strong>: Make sure you know the answers to these questions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Do you understand the problem that you&#8217;re the solution for?</li>
<li>Do you know who your ideal prospect is?</li>
<li>Do you understand them?</li>
</ul>
<p>Next, review some of your competitors.</p>
<ul>
<li>What is consistent in the offerings?</li>
<li>What&#8217;s missing?</li>
<li>Craft something that is unique to that space.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Q: Where can I find prospects to turn them into clients?</strong><br />
<strong>A:</strong> Do you know who your ideal client is? If you know that, think like them. Where would they go for; networking, socializing, shopping, coffee?</p>
<p>By identifying your ideal client, it will become obvious where they are.</p>
<p>The hardest part is <strong>avoiding the &#8220;everyone can benefit from what I do&#8221; syndrome</strong> and picking a specific group you want to work with.</p>
<p><strong>Q: How can I overcome the fear and doubt that keeps me from taking action?</strong><br />
<strong>A</strong>: First, congratulations for recognizing what stops most people &#8211; fear of failure, rejection, etc &#8211; and doubt in their abilities.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s very common. What I can tell you is it takes time. Long for some, more quickly for others.</p>
<p>But it comes down to <strong>teaching yourself to act in spite of your fear and doubt</strong>. Taking small steps at first.</p>
<p>This could be; your first blog post, tweet or live presentation. It&#8217;s different for each person.</p>
<p>The key is to keep <strong>taking a small step each day</strong>. In my case, I found the more steps I took, the bigger they got over time.</p>
<p>Remember, <strong>you&#8217;re perfect just the way you are</strong>, and there are millions of people that can benefit from what you have to offer.</p>
<h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em;">Related articles</h6>
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://freeagentcoach.com/upselling-and-crossselling-techniques/" target="_blank">Two Quick Revenue Boosting Strategies</a> (freeagentcoach.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.letyourmillionaireout.com/success-secrets/benefits-of-being-skeptical/" target="_blank">Success Secret: Benefits of Being Skeptical</a> (letyourmillionaireout.com)</li>
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		<title>Three Marketing Tips from Bruce Springsteen</title>
		<link>http://davidkoons.com/three-marketing-tips-from-bruce-springsteen/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=three-marketing-tips-from-bruce-springsteen</link>
		<comments>http://davidkoons.com/three-marketing-tips-from-bruce-springsteen/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:26:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>davidk</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://davidkoons.com/?p=301</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I could hear the opening harmonic cords of “Thunder Road” from out in the lobby. I quickened my pace, pushing through the crowd, leaping over seats and standing on top of my 10th row seat almost before the next note sounded. “The screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves. Like a vision she dances across the ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 250px"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73378225@N00/2579934313" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="Bruce Springsteen" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3084/2579934313_a0866be20f_m.jpg" alt="Bruce Springsteen" width="240" height="180" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Bruce Marketing to the Masses</p></div>
<p>I could hear the opening harmonic cords of “<a class="zem_slink" title="Thunder Road (song)" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Road_%28song%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank">Thunder Road</a>” from out in the lobby. I quickened my pace, pushing through the crowd, leaping over seats and standing on top of my 10th row seat almost before the next note sounded.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>“The screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves. Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays…”</strong></p></blockquote>
<p>For the next three and a half hours, I was transported on a journey of imagination. My imagination. <a class="zem_slink" title="Bruce Springsteen" href="http://www.brucespringsteen.net/" rel="homepage" target="_blank">Bruce Springsteen</a> took me, and 20,000 other people, along for a ride.</p>
<p>Each song that night was selected and placed in the show <strong>to illicit certain emotion</strong>. If you’ve ever been to a live concert, movie or performance, you know what I mean.</p>
<p>A story arc describes the process to move you from one state to another, to effect change. You see this when a character moves from a situation of weakness and <strong>transforms into one of strength</strong>. It inspires you.</p>
<p>During that concert, I could relate the characters drama in the songs to my own life. But somehow, during the show, those characters found hope and the power to survive and thrive.</p>
<h2>Bruce Springsteen and Marketing</h2>
<p>Now you might be thinking what that has to do with you and marketing. And even if you don’t like Bruce, <strong>you have to respect his marketing skills</strong>.</p>
<p>Reading this far, it probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that I saw Bruce Springsteen in concert nine times. I have purchased everyone of his albums, CD’s and DVD’s.</p>
<p>I mention albums, because when I first started following Bruce, there were no CD’s, nor DVD’s for that matter. There was a turntable and a stylus you delicately placed on top of your album.</p>
<p>In me, and millions of others, <strong>he created an enthusiastic fan</strong>. As a matter of fact, in annual surveys of most admired people&#8230;those whose life we’d want to emulate, he’s usually in the top three. <strong>Isn’t that what you want, enthusiastic fans?</strong></p>
<p>In addition to admiration and respect, he’s <strong>also received some of my hard-earned money</strong> over the last thirty years. Concert tickets, t-shirts, albums, CD’s, DVD’s, box sets, books, and countless other merchandise.</p>
<p>While volumes of marketing studies could be written about the Bruce Springsteen phenomenon,  I’d like to share three observations that you can apply right away to your own marketing efforts.</p>
<h2>One &#8211; Tell a Story.</h2>
<p>Bruce is an amazing song writer. That means <strong>he’s a great storyteller</strong>. You don’t just hear nice jingles to hum along to, but you actually get emotionally caught up in the plight of the characters.</p>
<p>You seem to care what happens to “Bobby” or “Mary” or “Crazy Janey.” You can picture the area these characters are driving around..<strong>”this turnpike is sure spooky at night when you’re all alone.”</strong></p>
<p>Think about it, <strong>would you rather read a text book or listen to a story with the lesson hidden in it?</strong> We love stories, the better they are, the more engaged we are.</p>
<h2>Two &#8211; Do It with Feeling.</h2>
<p>It’s more than authenticity, it’s about emotion. When I took my wife to a Bruce Springsteen show (a litmus test of sorts), not only was she moved by the experience, but she was amazed at <strong>how someone could impact so many people in such a powerful way</strong>.</p>
<p>She’d seen many good motivational and other speakers, but no one who impacted their audience like Bruce.</p>
<p>Springsteen doesn’t just perform, <strong>he owns his emotion</strong>. He’s “on” at all times and never lets your forget it.</p>
<p>He doesn’t just sing a song, <strong>he IS the song</strong>. You don’t get the feeling that he can’t relate to the characters, you get the feeling that he is the character.</p>
<h2>Three &#8211; Don’t Hold Back.</h2>
<blockquote><p><strong>“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure”</strong> says <a class="zem_slink" title="Marianne Williamson" href="http://marianne.com" rel="homepage" target="_blank">Marianne Williamson</a>.</p></blockquote>
<p>This is probably the only article where you’re see Marianne Williamson mentioned alongside Bruce Springsteen.</p>
<p>But one of the things I admire about Bruce is that <strong>he never holds back</strong>. When you walk out of his performance, you’re physically exhausted. Imagine how he feels.</p>
<p>He’s running around the stage, climbing on speakers, diving into the crowd&#8230;all while singing his heart out.</p>
<p>His concerts last twice as long as most other performers and he involves the crowd from the opening notes.</p>
<p>Not only doesn’t he hold back, but it feels <strong>like you have to fasten your seat belt to hold</strong> on during his shows and just listening to his songs.</p>
<p>And ultimately, what you get from Bruce is <strong>the feeling that he’s not marketing, that’s he just being real</strong>, and we want a piece of that. Isn’t that what great marketing is, <strong>presenting your information in such a seamless and compelling way, that it just feels right?</strong></p>
<h2>Now Imagine You’re the Rock Star</h2>
<p>Whether you’re speaking to a small group or recording a product. Don’t lecture and dump a bunch of data on your audience. <strong>Pick one morsel, one key piece of information and wrap it in a compelling story.</strong></p>
<p>Share your story with feeling and emotion. <strong>Take people through the full spectrum of emotion</strong>. From the lows of sadness, loss and despair. And then bring them up through hope and ultimate triumph.</p>
<p>And don’t hold back, what you have and who you are, are no more or less than Bruce Springsteen or anyone else. <strong>You are your own rock star and many people are waiting for, and need, what you have to share.</strong></p>
<p>The curtain is opening, now go out there and blow them away.</p>
<p>To Your Rock Star!</p>
<p>David</p>
<p>PS &#8211; Use the comments to tell me the songs the characters mentioned above are from. Those who guess correctly win a special gift.</p>
<p>PPS &#8211; Want to see a photo symbolizing this entire article in one image &#8211; <a title="Bruce Springsteen marketing to the masses..." href="http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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