Here’s our annual family Thanksgiving video, I hope each of you are having a fantastic day.

Happy Thanksgiving, from the Raz Family!

A symphony. Specifically a conductor of a symphony.

I didn’t think it’d pique my interest, but two minutes turned into five into ten turned into the 23 minute lesson which I’ve thought about quite a few times this evening.

It’s a great lesson. Entertaining. Thought provoking. Educational. Inspirational. Convicting. I think in each of us there are these various styles of leadership that rest within, but for some certain styles are more natural. This was such a unique glance at leadership, and it underscores to me the importance of the principle taught within the mini-lecture, but also how critical leadership is in every environment.

23 minutes. Yeah, it’s a long video for the Web. But, really, it’s a fantastic leadership lesson, and one I never thought I’d hear from a conductor of a symphony. Enjoy.

When I was growing up, in middle school, I wanted a skateboard. Not just a kinda-wanna, I mean I REALLY wanted one. Badly. All my buddies had them, the cool kids were always out in sidewalks of Jones Middle School doing tricks, finding a half pipe somewhere to ride on. I remember reading boarding magazine after magazine, following Tony Hawk and his rise to skateboarding stardom, and all the while I’d circle VERY VISIBLY the exact wheels, binders, ribs, and board that I wanted throughout the magazines as I read (it had to be a custom creation, it was a very specific set up), just in case my parents were trying to figure out what I wanted for my birthday or for Christmas and stumbled upon one of my many magazines and thumbed through it. It was just like the scene out of “A Christmas Story” when that little kid wants a BB gun for the holidays–a borderline obsession.

But, unlike “A Christmas Story” after year went by and the skateboard never came. In fact, my parents wouldn’t let me buy one either and this was one of the “you’ll buy that over my dead body” topics.

Same situation as the motorcycle coveting that happened years later (so I bought one secretly in college with a roommate of mine, who actually proceeded to wreck the thing literally five minutes after we were handed the keys. Sorry Thom, I know you won’t live that one down, but it was a good way to christen it and you helped validate all the fears my parents had over a period of many years about motorcycle ownership within a matter of micro seconds of getting on that thing).

Tonight, my youngest daughter Zoe, opened up her final b-day gift from the weekend. It arrived today from my parents, and I’ll admit I was more than a little surprised when she popped that thing open and out appeared…

…a Tutu?

…Hairbands?

…a Personal Organizer?

…Veggie Tale videos?

No, instead she opened up a box about two feet long–and I could see the sparkle in her eye as she picked it up, and when her little hands were ripping apart the box and her voice was quivering with excitement it was with a duality of emotions when I watched her pull out…

A very rad Hannah Montana skateboard. The very thing she’s been talking about for the last year.

Just like I wanted growing up (though I’m not sure having Hannah Montana on my board would’ve been okay). While I was so happy for her and it was so much fun to see her delight, and this might sound a bit strange, but there was a bit of me that was quite melancholy about it. Certainly I wasn’t envious, I don’t dwell and live in the past (and certainly couldn’t get hung up over not having a skateboard as a kid, only to see mine get one), but perhaps it was the reality that the roles change over time. And I’d become more like them, and they had become more like me.

I was opposed (but, clearly overridden ) to Zoe getting the skateboard. Probably all the things that went through my parents mind went through mine. So tonight’s memory was a surprising reminder of the roles and environment that changes over time. It was also a simple, even silly perhaps, perspective about the ways we can be molded by others and our risk envelope is pushed; my desire for Zoe not to have a skateboard was not fully a principled one (if it were she really wouldn’t have gotten one), but instead it was more a preference (that, beginning with my wife, didn’t agree with).

So, Zoe, enjoy that skateboard. I’m glad I got pushed a bit to let you have the joy (and probably a few scrapes and bruises) that only a skateboard can provide. And, I’ll enjoy watching you enjoy it–in fact, when you’re not watching, I might secretly take it out for a few joy rides around the neighborhood half-pipe. Who said it’s too old to relive your childhood, even if it’s your children that help to bring you back?

I love hearing various stories about what works for people’s “wellness” initiative, or what they do to get–and stay–motivated to improve themselves physically. And I’d love to hear or read some other comments from readers, so post your comments away!  

Fundamentally, I do think Nike has it right as, with many things in life, it ultimately rests on “just do it” to a large degree. Yet, there are different ways to do it; it’s one reason why I never laugh at whatever it is that people try in order to get in shape–different things will work for different people (sidebar: at the same time, at a certain point we’ve all got to stop chasing panaceas or fads, pick something, and do it diligently). But for some a treadmill is the answer, others the gym, and others it’s swimming or running or weight lifting or spin class. 

So this article caught my eye because it’s a great story about the impact this little device has had on numerous people. It’s not for everybody, but for some people it will change their life. It’s also been one of the ones in which I’ve had some success in staying on a consistent workout, using metrics and goals to chart my progress. So I’m also a believer. 

A few things that have helped me along my wellness journey (by no means have I figured this thing out, and I’m still a ways off from my goal of 15% bodyfat and there are many many people who are way smarter in this subject arena than I am) have included:

-the iPhone application calorie counter, to help monitor and track behaviors over a period of time and helps with accountability while also finding some of the hidden calories that you might not recognize; consistently checking bodyfat on a monthly basis to chart progress;

-utilizing the South Beach diet to help jump start healthier eating over a period of time (it’s a good long-term eating plan as well though I will make a few deviations for my own personal preferences);

-taking a few tips from others that I come across throughout my reading and observation or hearing stories of success from others (e.g. don’t eat anything three hours before you fall asleep);

-and, finally among a few other things, my Nike +. 

Click here to read the full story.

Here we are. Seattle, 2009. Ten Years, One Truth. And it’s all coming together. 

Today’s my first of what will be a daily blog all around the events of the day and exciting things that are happening. Most of today’s entry is a VLOG, but some of the highlights included countless hours of preparation, store setting, computer terminals, product loading, registration coordinating, leadership meetings, unending rehearsals, points of frustration followed by triumphs of elation, and some humorous laughs along the way. 

It was a great day, sure to be a fantastic event. Enjoy the play by play, and don’t forget to add comments along the way. 

When you do a Google search for images related to the word “purpose” I don’t understand why the results pull up esoteric whispy trees in the middle of green fields, or that of a person paddling a canoe in the reflective moonlight in the middle of a widespread ocean with nary a sign of life in sight (and, really, should someone be in a canoe that far offshore?).

Yet, it seems these are the images that conjure up purpose–so the one above represents the prototypical “Successory-style” purposeful image; what that image actually means I have no idea, but it’s a placeholder for an article in this blog posting that actually is pretty insightful. 

The below article from HealthDay News was a great reminder about the importance of a holisitic view on life–and that your longevity isn’t just dependent upon the foods you eat and the way you treat your body–but, also, the way in which you focus your energy and life’s work:

Your purpose. 

Victor Frankl wrote about this at length in “Man’s Search for Meaning” based on his observations of life during prison camp–and the life altering, and defeating, result that occurred when you took away a part of a humans destination and, ultimately, meaning. 

So here’s an interesting study that highlights for those who rank higher on identifying a purpose also enjoyed a longer life. Most would agree that regardless of the years it can add to your life, having purpose will make the years on earth all the richer–but it’s all the more interesting if there’s a benefit in longevity as well. 

Click here to read the full story.

John Hope Franklin on the march from Selma to Montgomery, 1965.

For whatever reason, I feel like a I read a lot of tributes–perhaps because there are always at least one or two in most issues of Business Week, Newsweek, The Week, and the WSJ. And it’s a different insight to look at the life of a person whose time has past. Reading this short memorial of John was touching, in part because of the magnitude of his reach and accomplishment, in part because of who you can feel that he was. 

Click here to read the full Newsweek article.

Today I’m reposting a video from a year ago as we prepare for a really exceptional event in Seattle NEXT WEEK! 

June 26th and 27th (though the 70′s celebration band/bash starts on Thursday night the 25th, as well as some great workshops earlier that afternoon) we’re going to be celebrating Univera’s 10th year anniversary, learning from the best of the best in business building which includes some great keynotes from Paul Zane Pilzer, Neil Offen (Prez of DSA), and Tim Sales. 

There’s personal development with Taylor Hartman and others, a deep reach into our culture where we’ll talk about the great work being done by Serve First and other volunteerism projects, some evening comedic relief with Michael Junior, and a lot of fabulous workshops. 

This entire event is focused on…getting all of us the next level.

Professionally (get to the next rank!), physically (run or walk the 5k, eat healthier!), and culturally (let’s increase contributions to the children needing nourishment, and give more time!). 

So in honor of next weeks event, and all the merits in coming to Seattle, I’m reposting a video that I made last year which is a plug for all the great reasons to come to Convention to experience the amazing city of Seattle. 

Keep in mind SOME of the content is outdated. For example, the dates themselves.

And the theme, though you can still “Dream, Achieve, Live” if you want to. 

But, there are even more benefits to the program we’re putting on this year for you and your business, and all the virtues of coming to Seattle are still alive and well. So, come and enjoy–and I look forward to celebrating with you soon.

This has been the longest I’ve gone for quite a while without a blog update.

I’ve missed writing, and am also a bit embarrassed for the time that’s passed. So as I was thinking of blogging topics I thought better might be a quick highlights from the past week. So this particular entry isn’t focused on volunteerism, leadership, or even a specific musing–it’s really just as the title says. A random update (side note: I think in the past I’ve titled something “A Random Update” so in this case it’s “Another Random Update”). 

Last week was an absolutely PACKED schedule, much of it oriented around some great things we’re working for to roll out at Convention–as well as the event itself. This years event is going to be very business focused; from our guest speakers to our tools to our workshops and to a few other things, it’s all oriented around helping those who attend focus on ACHIEVING THE NEXT RANK. Getting the “what’s next” that will lead to their success. But, it’s not all business of course. And even though much of the business focuses on the things I mentioned, it doesn’t mean that it excludes things like the product or cultural piece. That’s also part of getting to the next rank. B

It’s my feeling that, strategically and topically, this is going to be our highest impact event ever for those that go–and particularly for those who go AND bring one, two, ten, or twenty people with them. Your business will grow–it’s that simple. 

So that consumed a lot of time. I’m also running more, and decided to sign up for the Portland Marathon in October, so am in the midst of a training program that actually takes quite a bit more time than I realized. So I’ve simply committed to making my wellness goals and the preparation for this event a priority (one of many, but it makes it up higher on the list than before). And, truly, as a result I feel the more I’ve applied myself towards this the more focused, productive, and creative I’ve been. More for another posting, someday. 

I left Oly on Wednesday morning, along with Dave Nash, and we arrived into Montreal late that evening and spent the following day with our Montreal team where we worked on the integration plan–a lot of good stuff. We had a great time working together, and on the Montreal side it included Bijan, Rob, and Jonathan–three exceptional individuals who know a lot about this industry. 

From there it led to a great event Thursday night at the Montreal office, and despite the language barrier (the entire meeting was done in French; of course, with the exception of myself and Nash). Was good to see both familiar and new faces. The next morning we flew to Halifax, my first time in Nova Scotia. Rainy and a bit cold, but still beautiful and the people are charming. Friday afternoon I did a Q&A session for the local leaders, and later that evening enjoyed a fantastic dinner (and even some celtic music later in the evening) with Univerians. 

Dave and Harry smiling and dialing at the leadership dinner

The Saturday morning attendance was good, probably about 300 and quite a few first-timers; I had to jet to catch my flight to NJ right after I spoke, so I’m sure the event went well but I was off for the great Garden State of NJ. A Newark arrival and rental car with 2.5 hours on the turnpike led me to the BBQ in South Jersey being hosted by Glen Crawford and team where a really nice setup of great food and activities for kids was hosted by the local associates. By 8pm I was on my way to DC and arrived, feeling just a tad spent, close to midnight last night. 

Charles at the mic during the NJ BBQ

DC is a gorgeous city, I love the geography but also the political energy of the city. It’s a bit like the feeling you get driving into Manhattan. And what’s amazing are all the exhibits and museums, most of them totally free. This city is such a great reminder of the privileges of the freedom that we enjoy. 

So I woke up this morning on what really was a perfect day and went for a long run–it was fabulous to be able to run through the streets of DC and see the White house and Capitol, many memorials, the Washington Monument, and even the West Potomac Park is spectacular. It helped me realize there are so many virtues to the simple ways to exercise, whether it be walking or running, which include that’s pretty darned cheap and a wonderful way to spend time breathing fresh air and there are incredible sights to see. When I think about my travels from the last few years, one of the things I remember most are some of the runs I’ve been on–from the chaotic streets of Beijing on a weekday morning to the salty seaside of Carlsbad my runs have served as a good way not just to get exercise but to see and enjoy various travels, or even my hometown. Plus, running is a good appetite suppressant, which is something I need more of if I’m to hit my bodyfat goal of 15%. 

So to conclude this “random update” my afternoon consisted of participating in a DSA meeting. I sit on the Strategic Planning Committee for the Direct Selling Association, and the role of this committee is to put forth the key strategic recommendations and objectives for the DSA for the following years. There are about 10 Executives that sit on this committee and it’s an exceptional opportunity to learn from peers as well as contribute and give back to our industry. Today we spent some great time discussing and debating some of the most critical strategic drivers for the industry over the following few years.

Tomorrow begins the first of two days of general session DSA meetings, which will be kicked off by the Executive Director of the DSA: Neil Offen (who is ALSO one of our many exceptional speakers at the end of June at our annual convention).

Despite the sheer quantity of activities and initiatives ongoing it was a really engaging and rewarding week.

This article really humbled me, for a few simple reasons.

I gained a real appreciation for some of the very hard work that people do across the world, in this case in the States, to make a living. At times I think I’ve worked pretty hard in my life. And then I read an article like this, and I think I hardly know the meaning of hard work. 

I was really enamored to read about how someone finds their passion, a calling and love for a certain job, in an industry where you wouldn’t think of it as an industry of passion (the article is about logging, which I am sure for some is a controversial subject–but unless you live in a Yurt or Tent, then the reality is you probably live in a structure that somehow ties back to the logging industry). Sure, there are jobs out there–in any Company and industry–where people are just punching a clock. But, then, there are those certain people who have a passion for what they do (these people are the “magic” in an organization).

And, as it turns out, this includes the logging industry. 

This story also reminded me of a few other things personally.

In the Fall of 2000 I was working as an Exec at a start-up company in Manhattan. It was an incredible job and opportunity, but the hours and intensity were pretty brutal, I can’t quite describe it and unless you’ve been in that environment you can’t understand it. During the week I rarely got home before midnight (maybe one night a week, two if I was lucky) and it was pretty normal to get home in the middle of the night or early morning. Yet, I loved it and it was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. But with every job there’s a bit of “downside” and the time required for this job was one of them. 

Then one day I was feeling a bit fatigued, and was probably even pining a bit to myself about the magnitude of our task, and that same day I stumbled onto a Wall Street Journal article. It told the story about two Chinese citizens living in the rural countryside, and the amount of work they had to do daily just to earn enough to afford a shanty for their family along with simple rice and chicken as food. Above the story there was an oversized picture of these two men working; I remember one guy was 67 years old. He looked 80. And the work in the rice fields appeared backbreaking. And there was no future, for them it just looked so hopeless. Even though it was a sterile B&W photo from 10,000 miles away in an environment I’m unfamiliar with, their exhaustion poured off of the page I was holding in my hands. That day I took that picture and posted it on my wall at work (and have kept it ever since) as a reminder of the privilege I have been given. 

The story below reminds me a bit of that article from nearly a decade ago, and it gave me a new appreciation for the hard work that goes on across the world, and also the passion that people can find within it. 

Click here to read the full story.