How Does Music Motivate You?
I love music! I have loved it since I received my first cassette tape (oh wow) when I was ten years old. That Christmas I received a ghetto blaster too, and my love for music was solidified. My wife is always amazed at the “UBI” (Useless Bits of Information) that I know about music. But when you love something, you are a sponge for every little detail!
Family, sports and my career are the most important things in my life, but my passion for music is not far behind. If I had more time, I would go to a concert per week, and travel the outdoor music festival circuit all summer. Getting together with friends under blue skies and the stars to bond and watch incredible music have provided me with some of the greatest memories in my life.
I have connected with many people who have the same passion for music. I have been an active participant in Paul Castain’s LinkedIn Group called “Sales Playbook!” for well over a year now. I have enjoyed posting discussion questions during that time, with two of those threads being very specific to music. The number of comments posted, and the depth of the discussion far exceeded the results that I have received on any other question! People apparently love to talk about music!
Three years ago, I had a one hour drive to work, and I listened to a lot of music on the open highways. I soon realized that I did not have all of my favourite music on a specific iTunes Mix. I had to fiddle with my iPod while driving (now that would result in a distracted driving ticket if caught). I was experiencing some work challenges and my attitude was all over the map. I needed something to help me get back on track at a moment’s notice, or even get me pumped up to a higher level than I already was.
The result was the “Get It Done Mix”. I wanted the title, and not just the music, to have meaning. Every time I looked at my iPod, I would see the words, and it would subconsciously help get me going too.
I am not here to tell you what to call your favourite mix, or what kinds of music to put on it. My point is that if you love music, YOU NEED ONE, if you don’t already have one. Only you will know what feels right. My rule with the “Get It Done Mix” is to never skip a song. If it is all of your favourite tunes, there will be no need to skip!
The nice thing about current technology is that you can add to your mix as you discover more music that you love. Don’t worry about making the “perfect” list, just get one started and let it evolve over time as you discover (or remember) songs that pump you up! If you are as passionate about music as I am, you can connect certain songs to very specific times in your life. Focus on the times that made you very happy, and make darn sure that those songs are on your mix!
When I first checked out Paul Castain’s website ( www.yoursalesplaybook.com ) I went directly to his “Playlist for the Aspiring Sales Rock Star”. I was initially drawn to him by his love for music. I soon realized that his sales content and messages for life were second to none as well! Paul provides incredible suggestions for a music mix if you want to check it out at:
The sales profession and business in general can be very demanding. Incredible swings in emotion can happen even hourly. I do not know how many times that I have played my mix over the years when I needed a pick me up, or to take me to another level of awesome. While driving, I recommend taking some deep breaths to help relax you if the mix is being used at that moment to calm you down!
The true test if your music mix is working may occur when you are driving. If the people in the car next to you catch you singing, drumming on the steering wheel, or nodding your head to the beat, then my mission is complete!
What songs MUST be on your playlist?
Wanna talk music and take a break during your busy day? Stop by the best place to talk music on LinkedIn – The Daily Music Sanctuary. Paul Castain has given myself and my good friend Roger Demas the incredible opportunity to oversee this group. We have met many fantastic people, and are having a blast. Hope to see you there soon!
Recognizing Other’s Efforts Can Go A Long Way!
I was working at my first job out of university and was having a blast. But it was tough – long hours, cold weather and demanding work. I was on an awesome team and learned a lot every day.
I don’t remember if I received an annual performance review, but I remember being at the office one day thinking,
“I wonder if my boss thinks I am doing a good job?”
Within a few days a co-worker came up to me and said that the manager had mentioned to him that I was doing a great job.
To this day, I still remember the incredible feeling of satisfaction. It was instant validation for all the hard work that I had put in. The funny thing was that it was not even said directly to me!
You can make a difference with your team or coworkers.
- A simple thank you
- A pat on the back
- A special mention at a meeting
- Treat them to lunch or a refreshment after work
- You could even get wild and crazy and let them leave early on a hot summer’s day!
None of this is reinventing the wheel. People just want to be recognized for their efforts. Making them feel appreciate will go along way for them sticking around and having long prosperous careers with your organization.
Have A Laugh Fridays – He’s Interviewing Me???
Expect the unexpected when you show up for a job interview!
Considering how structured and boring some interviews tend to be, this would have been rather entertaining!
Have a great weekend everyone…
I Just Took A Break – Have You?
I have just returned from a much-needed two-week vacation with my family. It was nice to “recharge the battery” and decompress in preparation for a busy summer and fall at work.
Have you planned some time off this summer as well? Don’t you dare skip vacation this year! Everyone needs a break from the daily rigours of life.
I know some people have the mindset that they will impress their bosses by skipping vacations and I am sure that you can guess my opinion on that. I DON”T LIKE IT!
Trust me, take the break – you need it!
If finances are an issue – you can even have a “staycation”. Take holidays and not go anywhere.
Here is an interesting article that I came across about “staycations”. It is a few years old, but still relevant today:
http://www.nomoredebts.org/blog/saving-money/vacation/30-staycation-ideas.html
Enjoy your summer, and don’t forget to take some time for YOU!
Saturday Music Memories – Huey Goes “Back In Time”
I love Huey Lewis and The News! They recently had the 30th anniversary of their incredible album “Sports”.
They were on Jimmy Kimmel a few weeks ago and Jimmy got to play in the horn section for an awesome live performance of “I Want A New Drug”.
The Back To The Future Music really put Huey and his band on the map, but “Sports” is really where it took off for them.
It is so hard to choose a favourite track, but at the end of the day, I just love “Heart and Soul”.
Here is a cool live version that I found!
Happy weekend everyone!
Broc Edward’s Incredible Perspective – Vanilla Passion
Broc Edward book “What Thinks You” has been sitting on my nightstand for some time. I have enjoyed it for the past few weeks.
I keep gravitating back to one particular post, and I finally wanted to share with my audience.
We love ice cream at our house, so it is easy to compare life to ice cream flavours.
What flavours do you like? Better yet what flavours best describe your life, personally and professionally?
Enjoy the post! I would love to hear what you think.
Happy 4th of July to all of my American friends!
http://foolwithaplan.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/vanilla-passion/
Saturday Music Memories – Jon + Kid Equals Live Magic!
It was a warm summer night in 2010, and I had the pleasure of being at this show with my wife and a few good friends. Jon Bon Jovi could barely walk due to a leg injury, but it did not stop him from rockin’ for over 2 1/2 hours!
A special guest arrives on stage in the middle of this clip to sing a classic track with him!
There are very few things that I enjoy more than watching a good show outside on a warm summer night!
Happy Saturday Everyone!
Have A Laugh Fridays – “Special” Message To Ex-Boss!
Enjoy this awesome 3 minute video to end your week with a good laugh!
“I QUIT” is something that most of us have probably wanted to do to a boss at some point during our careers.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Check Out Pat Flynn’s “Smart Passive Income”
At some point or another, most people online have thought about the “make money while you sleep” business model. I mean, who wouldn’t want to wake up in the morning and find out that they made money over night? I sure would.
I have been fortunate to follow some of the biggest names in the industry over the last three years:
- Eben Pagan
- Frank Kern
- Brendan Burchard
- Gary Vaynerchuk
- Russell Brunson
- Jeff Walker
I could go on and on. I recently stumbled upon Pat Flynn from the website “Smart Passive Income”. He is a breath of fresh air in a very crowded internet marketing space.
He lost his job several years ago and decided that he could make a go of it working online with a passive income model. He has worked his butt off to get where he is, and is very open about how much income he makes .
What drew me to him was his podcast. Many episodes have helped me immensely over the past couple of weeks, and I thoroughly enjoyed the episodes featuring another guy “killing it” named Lewis Howes.
Pat’s knowledge and passion for everything from YouTube, podcasting, blogging and networking has been truly inspiring.
I could ramble all day. Just stop by http://www.smartpassiveincome.com and find out how you can enhance your current business model (or get started) with some recurring income.
Oh yeah, you can check him out on Facebook too at http://www.PatOnFacebook.com (pretty slick hey?)
Sell, Lead, Succeed! 