5 Ways to Make Your Business a Friend of Simplicity

Chopin once remarked, “Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.”

Bravo!

What about you? Is your business a friend of simplicity?

If it’s not, you’re losing money. Every day. And here’s why:

Simplicity is currency. Especially since we live in hyperspeed, A.D.D., instant gratification culture.

Simplicity is approachability. Because: Complexity = Conflict = Avoidance.

Simplicity is eloquence. Because it’s more listenable, more readable and more digestible.

Simplicity is elegance. Think Oscar Night. Think Joan Rivers: “Who are you wearing?” Which fashions usually win?

Simplicity is sophistication. That was Da Vinici’s philosophy. That simple was nothing but complex in disguise.

BUT, HERE’S THE CHALLENGE: Simplicity is hard. It requires more energy, more brainpower and more courage that complexity.

Seth Godin talked about this idea during a recent interview. He said, “Simplicity has an enemy: Fear. Fear demands places to hide, and simplicity can't offer that.”

He’s right. Fear comes in the form of that little red shoulder devil, constantly whispering in your ear that complexity is the answer.

But it’s not. Simple is.

So, I invite you to explore these five practices for making your business a better friend of simplicity:

1. STOP being fancy. Trying to appeal to everyone inevitably fails. Simplicity, on the other hand, is a fashion that never goes out of style. Fight for every inch of it.

2. STOP creating riddles that take too long for impatient customers to solve. As your company implements its simplicity strategy, ask yourself five questions:

a. Is this idea simple enough that a kindergartner could understand it?
b. Can this idea be explained in less than ten seconds using less than ten words?
c. How easy will it be for people to repeat this?
d. How much more could you distill the essence of this concept?
e. What three things could be done immediately to make this simpler?

3. STOP rejecting simple. Simplicity isn’t crushing the complicated – it’s eliminating the extraneous. So, start eliminating the unnecessary so the necessary can speak. People will listen.

4. STOP making things bigger than they need to be. Be courageous enough to go with something simple and focused. Your message will have the best chance of getting through (and sticking TO) people.

5. STOP complicating your message. It’s like admitting to your customers that you haven’t reflected upon or extended concern for them. Simplicity, on the other hand, helps customers feel in control.

Ultimately, simplicity IS a valid business strategy.

JUST REMEMBER: The world is loud. People are busy. And they don’t care about you.

Disengage the essential, or live with being ignored.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Is your business a friend of simplicity?

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Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

19 Do's and Don'ts of Award Winning Entrepreneurship

by Scott Ginsberg (honored to call him a friend)

DON’T allow people to make you feel bad for being awesome.
DO personally amputate anyone who doesn’t believe in or support you.
And surround yourself with people who love and inspire you.
Who could you call at 2 AM?

DON’T be so interested in creating a work of art.
DO be interesting in becoming a work of art yourself.
And just know that it’s never truly finished.
What did you create today?

DON’T be selfish with your knowledge.
DO share your expertise generously so people recognize it, become addicted to it and eventually depend on you for it.
And the world will open up to you.
What did you teach today?

DON’T be the most unique.
DO work the hardest at your uniqueness, know it well, amplify it, commit to it and stay consistent with it.
And the market will reward your handsomely.
What value are you prepared to deliver to others so that they will voluntarily give you their money?

DON’T feel the need to justify yourself to, waste your time on, or become upset if, you piss off people who don’t know how to value you yet.
DO the thing that makes people watch you with breathless interest.
And that select pool of individuals will be all the support you need.
To whom are you a rockstar?

DON’T feel the need to tell people everything you know to convince them.
DO regularly put yourself in front of economic buyers so when they DO feel the need, you’re the trusted advisor they think of first.
And that will be all the marketing you’ll ever need to do.
Do you have marketshare or mindshare?

DON’T just sit in bed mulling over things.
DO get up and go think on paper.
And your ideas will be executed significantly sooner.
How much money have you lost because you didn’t feel like writing your ideas down?

DON’T live your life in boxes.
DO realize you don’t need anybody’s box.
And you will be set free.
Do you pick the box that says, “Other”?

DON’T get fancy and try to appeal to everyone.
DO be courageous enough to go with something simple and focused.
And your message will have the best chance of getting through and sticking TO people.
Does your marketing pass the 5th Grader Test?

DON’T spend any extra time trying to impress yourself.
DO make a conscious effort to inspire and wow the masses.
And incidentally, you WILL be impressed.
Whom have you made gasp this week?

DON’T obsess over the need for approval from anyone other than yourself.
DO learn to affirm yourself by applauding internally.
And you’ll get standing ovations every time.
Are you your own #1 fan?

DON’T recreate what’s always been recreated.
DO produce something people have a yearning for.
And you will capture the world’s imagination.
Do you bring a new lens or just regurgitate recycled wisdom?

DON’T apologize for the one thing you are that consistently wows people.
DO give your audience permission to be taken over by your performance.
And they will stand in line and pay higher prices than they know they should.
How often do people see you, being you, in your element, doing what you do?

DON’T compete.
DO create.
And you’ll redirect your energy into something you can win at, every time.
What did you create today?

DON’T spend most of your time planning.
DO spend most of your time building.
And action will become the engine that drives your credibility.
Do you really need to attend another mastermind meeting?

DON’T be stopped by not knowing how.
DO flirt with impatience, ambiguity, irrationality and insanity.
And you’ll discover that logic is overrated.
How much money are you losing by waiting until you know what you’re doing?

DON’T become so absorbed in the limitations of your condition that you don’t explore the creative possibilities of the situation.
DO move in the direction that helps you build your usefulness.
And in so doing, you will be performing an act of worship.
Why were you designed to cure?

DON’T fill up your time with mindless efforts to prove yourself.
DO fill up your time with mindful efforts to improve yourself.
And every day, part of you will get stronger; and part of your life will get better.
How did you add value to yourself today?

DON’T be limited by the thoughts others have tried to set in motion for you.
DO ignore the would-be deflectors of your one true dream.
And plunge forward into the vortex of swift, focused action.
Whose life are you living, really?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your entrepreneurial do's a don'ts?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
For the list called, "65 Things I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me When I Started My Company," send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

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Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
scott@hellomynameisscott.com

Procrastination

Image by gothick_matt via Flickr

"Procrastination is opportunity's assassin."

~ Victor Kiam, American businessman, Remington Electric Razors (1926-2001)

Do you put off your work for later, only to find your deadlines steadily creeping in? Then you, my friend, are one of the millions of people afflicted by the procrastination virus. Procrastination is the biggest reason for loss of productivity and late output. Though many would not admit it, they would benefit greatly if they start their work on time.

For many people, putting off their work for later is more habit than desire. It can be so hard to get into a groove where starting your tasks in a timely fashion is a priority; especially if the consequences for being late are things that one can probably bear.

If you are one of these people, yet you desire to shake off your propensity for procrastination, then you have come to the right place. Here are a few tips to help you overcome this dilemma and become a more productive and reliable person.

1. Set schedules – It is very important that you have a list of activities to accomplish per day. This will help you realistically budget your time and resources. One of the cardinal sins people commit in regards to performing their tasks is to put off their work because they feel like there is so much time left. A journal, organizer, or calendar of events will help you plan and schedule your task so that you can start them promptly and finish them on time.

2. Save the Vacation for Later – Many people put their work off for later saying, “I'll just have a little fun then buckle down to work later.” While it may be true that they may have more than enough time to accomplish their tasks, it would be better if they finished their work first and relax afterward.

Wouldn't relaxation be sweeter if it were after a taxing job? If you choose to lay back and relax before doing your tasks, you will be more prone to burnout and will have nothing exciting left to look forward to after accomplishing a task. It is always better to have slack period AFTER a job than before one, especially considering that people are wont to overusing their slack time. This is suicide if you are heading towards a deadline.

3. Never Underestimate Your Tasks – Sometimes procrastination sets in because people underestimate the resources, difficulty, and time spent for a particular task. They will usually say, “It's just mowing the lawn, it’s easy; I could do it in a jiffy.” The problem is, no matter how trivial the task, it still takes time and resources to accomplish. If you underestimate a task, you will most likely set too little time to do it and schedule it too close to its deadline.

4. Don't Allow Yourself to Get Comfortable Doing Nothing – It would definitely help if you kept a subconscious alarm whenever you are doing nothing. Get this alarm to remind you of things that may need to be done. This will help you foster the notion that jobs accomplished now means more time for relaxation later. However, even if this is the case, do not forget to put ample time in for rest and to remove all thoughts of troubles before hitting the sack. The trick here, however, is not to overdo you rest. There is a difference between resting and idling. Always set the right amount of time for rest and stick to that schedule.

More Info:

Stop Procrastinating Today! Learn How To Stop Procrastination From One Of The Worlds Leading Experts

How To Overcome Procrastination eBook

Read This Post and I Guarantee You'll Be Motivated to Take Some Kind of Action

Read This Post and I Guarantee You'll Be Motivated to Take Some Kind of Action
From my friend The Nametag Guy Scott Ginsburg



1. Be not alarmed when you discover that nobody cares about you.
You simply aren’t #1 on their lists.
Are you speaking to people with meaningful concrete immediacy?

2. Be not anxious in proving your value too early.
You will not be listened to.
What is preventing people from taking you seriously?

3. Be not avoidant of personal growth experiences.
You need to make everyone – and everything – your mentor.
How did you add value to yourself yesterday?

4. Be not cajoled into conformity.
You need to deprogram your mind.
Are you prepared to swallow the Redpill, uproot self-destructive notions and weigh the truth?

5. Be not conditioned to respond predictably.
You need to eliminate old answers and rewrite your scripts.
What narrow definitions do you need to escape?

6. Be not conformed to some external template.
You must jettison accepted limits, leave familiar territory and override your defaults.
When was the last time you recast outworn assumptions?

7. Be not silenced by those who demand that you set aside your playfulness.
You need to practice being childlike (not childish.)
Have you read this book yet?

8. Be not dependent on advice from people who only got lucky once.
You need to hang with smarter people.
How many of your friends regularly inspire and challenging you?

9. Be not embarrassed about what you do well.
You need to make a name for yourself or else someone will make one for you.
Are you bragging enough?

10. Be not google-eyed by people who artificially inflate their value.
You know you can smell their bullshite.
Is the message preached by this person the dominant reality of her life?

11. Be not handcuffed to a job that makes you wonder, “What the hell am I DOING here?” all day.
You need to remove what robs you and embrace what excites you.
Have you fulfilled your quota of usefulness today?

12. Be not hindered by that which makes you crap your pants.
You have no business in your comfort zone.
When was the last time you did something that literally terrified you?

13. Be not limited by the rules of a game you don’t even need to play.
You should just go do your own thing.
What would happen if you changed the rules, or, better yet, changed the game?

14. Be not obliged to sacrifice the truth just so you look good.
You can’t be dishonest any longer.
How much money is untruthfulness costing you?

15. Be not obsessed with trying to impress yourself all the time.
You’re never going to make that stoplight.
Why are you rushing?

16. Be not obtrusive upon someone else’s dream.
You have no right.
How does it feel when people tell YOU that you can’t do it?

17. Be not preoccupied with pouring every moment of your being into other people’s lackluster expectations.
You will eventually experience a crisis of the soul.
Whose approval is suppressing your success?

18. Be not ordinary in a world where nobody notices normal.
You will never, ever get noticed.
How much money is being boring costing you?

19. Be not relegated to the realm of mediocrity.
You have more worlds to conquer.
What movement are you starting?

20. Be not scared of being booed.
You’re nobody until somebody hates you.
Are you willing to risk being unpopular?

21. Be not seduced into situations that do not welcome the soul.
You’ve got better things to do.
How many of your friends are losers?

22. Be not self-congratulatory for maintaining baseline integrity.
You aren’t remarkable.
When was the last time standing up for your values actually made you lose friends or money?

23. Be not sourced from anything other than passion and love.
You need more than just adrenaline and Red Bull to sustain yourself.
When was the last time you meditated?

24. Be not submissive to other people’s rigidity.
You will not comply.
Whom do you need to (finally) stand up to because you just can’t take it any more?

25. Be not sucked into the vortex of obsolescence.
You will not succeed by winking in the dark.
Why aren’t you blogging yet?

26. Be not swept into the undertow of self-indulgent workaholism.
You don’t impress anybody.
Why are you checking email at the dinner table when you should be listening to your kids?

27. Be not threatened by the success of others.
You should be inspired and excited.
Who makes you want to work harder?

28. Be not unclear of the work you’ve clearly been put on this Earth to do.
You were given a Divine Assignment, and have no right to dedicate your life to anything else.
How will you validate your existence today?

29. Be not worried with impressing people you don’t even like.
You have better things to do.
When will the moment occur when you realize you no longer needed to justify your value?

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Well? Are you motivated yet?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
If not, for the list called, "153 Quotations to Inspire Your Success," send an email to me, and I'll send you the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Coach, Entrepreneur
scott@hellomynameisscott.com



Brought to you by Timothy Kendrick International

What makes you successful, and what makes you a ‘failure’?

Everyone seems to strive to be ‘successful’ in life. We all look to apply the ‘Law of Attraction’ to gain ‘success’.

But what is ‘success’? What makes you successful, and what makes you a ‘failure’?

To answer this question, let’s first take a look at our world. Our societies are completely focused on our five senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, touching and smelling. Our five senses are constantly stimulated. They are enticed and exploited all the time.

It is therefore no surprise that we tend to focus our minds on materialism 24 hours per day. We tend to focus all the time on big cars, big houses, lots of money in the bank, and so on.

There is nothing wrong with that in itself. Neither does this mean that being ‘spiritual’ equals being poor and living in a dump. That doesn’t make sense either. The problem is not with the ‘material’ objects themselves. I’ll get back to this later.

First, I’d like to know this… So many people want to ‘attract a new car’. But what is it with cars anyway? Somehow the car has become a symbol of status, of ‘success’. I know a number of people (even some well-known ones) who are so obsessed with their cars, they even give names to their car.

A friend of mine had a car and was really proud of it. He called this car ‘Infinity’. Another friend of mine doesn’t care the least bit about what kind of car he drives. Still, he needed to buy a car the other day to be able drive to work. But because he didn’t really care about it, he simply bought the first set of wheels that he liked even just a bit and of which he thought the price was right for him. “If I can drive to work and back with it, then that’s a great car for me”, he thought.

He bought himself a pretty old car to be honest. It certainly didn’t look that fancy. The other friend would have dubbed it a piece of junk. But this guy couldn’t care less. In fact, he could see the fun of it. In response to my other friend who called his car ‘Infinity’, this guy decided to give his car a name too. He called it ‘Finity’.

I kid you not, this is a true story. What it illustrates is the relativity of ‘status’ and ‘success’. What one person would consider being dignified, could be considered by the next person as pathetic.

Like I said, the trap is not with material objects themselves. These are just frequency patterns anyway. The problem comes when we see those objects as the ultimate goals and the very symbols of success that confirm whether we ‘made it’ in life or not.

It is for this reason that many people look to others to confirm to themselves if they are ‘doing well’ or if they are ‘successful’. When you don’t succeed in terms of big houses, big cars, big money, you are often considered as a ‘failure’, and often consider yourself as such.

The whole system thrives on consumption and the constant expansion of consumption, and the more we consume, the more we are considered to be ‘successful’. This even leads to many people borrowing more of what they don’t have and getting in even deeper trouble, simply to provide themselves the very things that should testify to others of their alleged ‘success’.

So is this the kind of ‘success’ you are looking for?

What if I told you that the real success you are looking for is not having all kinds of material stuff, but is actually called ‘happiness’?

After all, why would you want a lot of money, or a big house, or a big car? Why would you want others to approve of you? In the end it all comes down to a desire for a sense of security and happiness, and being able to live life on your own terms. The quest ends when you’re happy and fulfilled.

But when are you happy and fulfilled?

Here’s a hint from what a wise man once said:

“Money and fame do not happiness make.”

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with having a lot of money, or being well-known, or having big cars and big houses. These are all thought fields and are just experience. The problem is that so many people get absorbed in pursuing the material ‘dream’ that they forget about why they are doing that in the first place.

I believe it was Tony Robbins who said this:

“Most people are so busy trying to make a living, instead of designing a life.”

He’s right. Most people are ‘human doings’ instead of ‘human beings’.

The funny thing is that the greatest payoff from trying to get what you want through working with the ‘Law of Attraction’ comes from a state of being. It is a state of happiness, contentment and love and gratitude for what IS that gets you what you truly want.

At any rate, the greatest payoff from your attraction efforts does certainly not come from an obsession with ever more material stuff in the merry-go-round that gets faster by the day, for the sole reason to seek approval and confirmation of your ‘success’ from others, in order to compensate for a lack of self-esteem that is the cause of this obsession to begin with.

Security, self-esteem and ‘success’ are found within yourself, not outside.

And the funny thing is that once you give up the obsession with possession and finally acknowledge your true self, the person who you really are deep inside, you seem to manifest what you want much more easily.
When that happens, you can enjoy all kinds of material stuff as much as you like, if that’s what you choose. You can choose to have a big car if you like. You can choose to live in a big house if that’s what you want.

The difference is that you won’t be controlled by the never-ending pursuit of these things. You won’t be ‘on the path to happiness and success’ anymore. You would just BE happy instead, and from there you will allow things to manifest instead of chasing them forever. It’s a small difference in perception, but with profound effects.

It is then that you will start to live life, instead of life living you.

So what is ‘success’?

Success, my friend, is what you define it to be.

Now go manifest your success, whatever that is for you!

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Nicholas P. Kidd and Henk J.M. Schram are the instigators of the alleged ‘Great Revolution’, which provides the members with truthful instructions regarding the universal principles of life.

The Revolution is receiving increasingly widespread attention for its straightforward explanations and instructions with regard to complex issues, which are made understandable for people from all walks of life. In essence, the true secrets of the ‘Law of Attraction’ and the other ‘Universal Laws’ are explained in much clearer and practical ways than the 'enigmas wrapped in riddles' that usually characterize the descriptions of the Law of Attraction and its application.

More information on the Great Revolution, on joining and on the ‘universal principles of life’ (the true ‘Universal Laws’) can be found at

REVOLUTIONIZ


Brought to you by Timothy Kendrick International