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The Magic of the Guy in Seat 9A

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Have you ever had a travel debacle, like an all out traveling clusterfiasco? Yeah, of course you have. And while it’s logical that your experience of debacles coincides with your frequency of travel, it also spikes in relation to the importance of getting to your destination. Of course, right?

So in typical Planes, Trains, and Automobiles fashion (if you haven’t ever seen the movie it’s still such a great one to watch–especially around Thanksgiving), my latest one involved more than my fair share of adventure.

But there’s kind of a twist at the end. 

On Thursday and even Friday morning of this past week I’d been receiving email confirmations for my Friday afternoon flight, which I thought departed at 3:30pm Friday from SFO. Thursday night was a long one for me (the whole week was long), and I didn’t get to bed until 4am Friday completing work stuff …I awoke at 7am Friday, cranking out more work knowing I had ample time to get packed. At 10am I got an emergency call from my business partner–who was on the same flight–and he realized that OUR flights weren’t at 3:30 but 12:30…and out of another airport. Much further away. Apparently, XYZ travel company was sending me the wrong confirmation emails intended for a 3rd guy in our group who was on a different flight. So in 30 minutes I packed for a ten day trip–including all my running gear for a Chicago event this coming Sunday–and grabbed a quick shower in between pouring down a few cups of coffee.

Then, EVERYTHING misfired. AND it clicked. Simultaneously. I can’t go into each detail, this blog post would be ten pages. But seemingly everything that could go wrong did, yet we also made–sometimes by seconds–each critical bus pickup, security checkpoint, and boarding needed to get to our final destination. Until Houston. For “complicated” reasons, we missed our connection and XYZ airlines said the next available Nashville flight would get us in by Saturday late afternoon. Which wouldn’t work. Would’ve been a disaster, as we had to be there for a meeting and set up for the launch of our new product by 9am.

“Get us within a six hour drive to Nashville and we’ll figure out the rest” I told the agent. Energetically. 🙂 I can’t remember all the times an all night drive from some mid-point along a final destination to get to a meeting or event on time–but it’s easily in the double digits.

We decided to reroute to Memphis, and the agent worked out a way to get us seats on a flight that arrived at 10:20pm Friday night. XYZ travel company showed on it’s website rental cars for one way that were <$400 for a trip to Nashville, but kept failing when I tried to confirm the order while in Houston. No biggie, I thought, I’m just going to figure it out when we land. But upon arrival I call the travel booking company and they can’t book the rental cars either–keeps failing at checkout.

Net net, they end up finding one they can book for >$800. USD–not pesos. No way am I paying $800 for a rental car–I’d end up hitchhiking before doing that. After some vigorous conversation, and hours of calling rental car companies and doing walk up price checks, I resigned myself that it was going to be impossible to get out of Memphis. By a rental car. But I knew we’d get there.

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Because…there’s always Greyhound. $25 per person one way (if you get the web fare). So we went to the bus station at 1am, with the plan to sleep there and jump a 5am bus and make it to our meeting in time by 9am. Somehow, though, upon arriving we snagged the last two seats on a 1:30am bus to Nashville despite not being able to actually buy tickets, and not the most friendly people helping us. IMG_0085

I am not sure if you have traveled by bus. But, let me just say, you have never REALLY traveled by bus until you’ve done the Memphis to Nashville 1:30am journey. 😉

We arrive Nashville around 5am, get to the hotel with enough time to sleep for 90-minutes, run back to the airport to pick up our luggage which finally arrived and made it to our 9am meeting and set up for our big product unveiling.

Seemingly fifty ridiculous things happened during this “adventure” and often I wonder why, and try to find meaning in it. Perhaps even if no meaning exists.

Sometimes…Oftentimes…Maybe usually…I think this stuff happens to test us:

How bad do we want it? And are we willing to just make stuff happen and figure it out? How creative will we get, and how hard will we push through to get from the 80% mark to 100% Or, do we resign ourselves…and just throw in the towel saying “well, we tried.”

To some, “we tried” would be resigned to taking the Saturday afternoon flight originally offered because “nothing” else worked.

To me, “we tried” is being ten miles outside of Nashville at 9am Saturday morning after hitchhiking all night and not quite making it whilst running in dress shoes and my suede messenger bag (okay, fine it’s a murse) in tow behind me still doing a last ditch effort to make it to our meeting by 9am.

Othertimes…Oftentimes…and maybe even usually…I think there’s another lesson:

And maybe this is me finding the meaning in it.

But one particularly interesting thing happened as a result of our traveling adventure. I met a guy on our flight to Memphis and we clicked. There’s something I love about meeting new people in new places, most of whom I’ll never see again.

The guy was about 15 years older than me, with two grown daughters that were less than two years apart. Just like Royce and Zoe.

So I asked him advice about raising two girls from the perspective of a dad.

“Just try to do two things as best you can” he said to me. “Alright”, I replied, “just tell me what they are.”

He replied, “First, go to every event you can. Every single one. Look, based on your job and travel I know you work a lot and you can’t make everything. But when you’re in town, you’ve just got to try to make it happen. You can’t do those again. Can’t get them back.”

Ugh. Okay, epic fail on numero uno. But, it was a good reminder. There are still many events left, and when I’m in town I try to do the best I can but…Anyways…

“Second” he continued “Is to tell them you love them. All the time. I told my kids every day, growing up all throughout the day, how much I loved them.” I immediately responded and said “Okay, great I’ve got that one covered.”

As he’s saying that, I’m thinking I really do have that one covered. I tell them that all the time. And, I even add my “I love you…NO MATTER WHAT” so they–hopefully–know that it’s totally unconditional.

But then he looked over at me and he said “No, hang on. I’m not sure you fully understand.”

So he gently grabbed my arm as he continued talking and proceeds to look directly into my eyes.

(side note: yeah, I get this might sound weird…but this is one dad talking to another dad about each others daughters and how precious they are).

“You look into their eyes…and you tell them as you’re looking into their soul how much you love them” he explained as he’s looking right into my eyes. “You look at them, and you don’t break eye contact. And you say, ‘Royce, Zoe, I love you so much–more than you know’ and you let it sit there. You do not break eye contact with them. You have to look deep into their eyes so they can feel it with their heart.”

And when he did that, when he was looking at me and telling me those words, it hit me hard. So hard. Like really hard.

Hard enough that I’m right now sitting at a car sitting outside of McDonalds in Nashville, totally sleep deprived in between a litany of emails and projects, jumping the free wifi to write about it.

Hard enough that I’ll never tell Royce or Zoe that I love them without looking them in the eyes directly, at least when I’m in person.

And hard enough that I actually think the reason for my travel debacle was to meet the guy in seat 9a.

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No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all when. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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A Great Weekend

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Starting next week (or possibly earlier) I’m going to be posting a few great links on the Direct Selling industry, as well as some info on our Company. Today, I’m just sharing some personal highlights from my past weekend.

Erica went out of town for four days, so starting a week ago Thursday evening I was on kid-duty. We started and ended the weekend with Pizza. And, as I think about it, we also ate quite a bit of it in between. Lots of pizza. And even some beer. Well, I was the only one that had beer. Not a lot. I don’t think the kids did. Possibly without me knowing, but don’t think so.

Moving on…

Some highlights included:

The Univera Xperience on Friday night, where the kids came and heard me speak (more fun for me than them). I introduced them at the event and even asked a few questions of Royce, who later informed me “Dad, I liked it a lot when everyone was clapping for me…But I didn’t like it when you started asking me questions and I had to talk.” Ahhh, yes. This is a familiar feeling.

Next day consisted of a soccer game, Royce played great. Hustled hard, that’s what I love. Then off to a car show of sorts that we stumbled upon.

We saw this amazing modified car, that I am thinking we should embrace it at Univera for the next highest rank beyond Blue Diamond (Ambassador?). The kids were, well, freaked out by it. They just didn’t understand why someone would do that to their car. I was no help at providing any suggested answers–but it did remind me of my days when I lived a few short months in Kentucky. Seriously, it did.

A really wild car

Saturday afternoon included a five mile bike ride, where 90% of it was a blast for the kids and the last 10% consisted of tears because they were tired (hey, they were the ones that said “let’s keep going”!). Then dress up of the doggie, who I’m not sure enjoyed it quite as much as Zoe did.

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The highlight was the tooth pulling, just great. Zoe’s now missing all four and I love it. So cute. And if you have the patience or interest in watching the video below, I documented the actual pulling for Erica since she couldn’t be there–and usually it’s the other way around. Not sure if this little clip will entertain anyone else other than me and my family, but Erica this is for you.

We slept in the trailer that night, falling asleep to the Muppet Movie…Not, like, next to it. Watching it. And waking up a bit cold and sore. Kids kept falling off one of the beds at night (because we were situated on a fairly nice little tilt) and they were on these slippery sleeping bags that caused them to keep sliding right off the bed. I felt a bit bad for them yet I do remember waking up a few times and laughing. Of course, the fifth time I had to pick them up the floor it was starting to get annoying. Note to self: next time it actually will be worth it to level the trailer.

Then, Sunday morning, before the trek to church as I was getting ready I heard a huge thud on the window. I looked out and saw a raft of feathers floating in the air. Yep, a little guy had flown right into our bedroom window and knocked himself out cold. So I showed the kids, and they stayed at his little bedside for 20 minutes but nothing was going on though he was still conscious and half standing–barely–and in a stupora just half-standing there for quite a while. I was surprised he was even alive. So they gave him a little prayer, and then about five minutes later he was on his way. That was a nice little win in the morning.

A Zonked Out Bird

Afternoon we went on a tear cleaning up the place, and as you could see from the video there was much to be done. But, we got a lot of it done. But it probably consumed too much intensity from Dad. Note to self: kids operate at a very different speed than you.

And it finally ended with them watching this movie I got when I was in India in January, a kids movie that was totally done Bollywood style in Hindi with English subtitles. When I bought it I didn’t even conceive that the kids would ask me to read EACH of the subtitles throughout the movie, but after five minutes they quit asking and watched the entire thing, mesmerized, while using Ruby as a pillow.

And at the end of it all I realized how much I had really enjoyed the simple things of life that make it so memorable–and enjoyable. It was, a great weekend. 🙂

Dog Pillow

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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A Moment of Reflection

Rich Razgaitis Blog, A Moment of Reflection

Today I spent the day thinking about…

Me.

Not entirely, but the fact of the matter is I spent a bit of time thinking about my life, what I wanted to achieve, where I wanted to go, the impact I felt like I could have, and other such matters. Which, I thought was pretty important stuff.

Until later today.

It all came to a crashing halt this evening. We were at the pool, and there was this little girl there. Royce and Zoe had totally adopted her and were playing with her like a newfound sister. She looked like she was four years old, a tiny kid. Very sweet. The girls loved her.

I later found out she was 10.

And that wouldn’t get much bigger for the rest of her life due to a genetic issue. Some of the chromosomes didn’t just work out the right way for her, yet they worked out fine for me…and probably most of you as well.

Today I wanted to write, and I had a lot of things I was going to blog about. Vision. Passion. Persistence. Purpose. Energy. Somedays not a lot comes to my mind. Today was one of those days where the opposite occurs, I could’ve written for hours.

And then it hit me, so hard, instantaneously and in less then 30-seconds. It was like a wave of emotions and it lead to what was both a rapid and reflective moment; I’m not sure there was an epiphany, but rather just a moment in time that reminded me about how fortunate I am. Really, I don’t even know why I’m blogging about it. But after five minutes at the pool, I just looked at Erica and told her it was time for me to go and write.

It’s not that this little girl isn’t fortunate as well, in her own way. And yet I realized in seeing her situation all the breaks I’ve been given. The access, the shots, the opportunities. Some of it I’ve had to work for, and really hard. There was/is a price to pay. I don’t feel like stuff just falls in my lap.

But then the reality is, that other pieces had a lot to do with the right time, right place. Or, perhaps, I just had the right look. Degree. Background. Experience. Mentor. Team. Whatever.

Maybe things fell more into my lap than I realize, or care to admit. If I were born in Kolkata, India, I’m quite certain I wouldn’t be here doing this. Or at a pool tonight. And writing a blog. Chances are I’d be on the streets fighting for scraps.

So then there are those other people…that inspire me, despite circumstances whether it’s due to something I can’t relate to–where they were born, the family to whom they were born into, a genetic mutation from which there is no simple or future solution.

And I get reflective, and inspired.

I get inspired by the people who made it happen who didn’t have a lot, it wasn’t given to them. To me, the story of Chris Gardner is inspirational. The story of Jack Welch is not. It’s not that Welch wasn’t really good. He was. And it’s not that he didn’t work hard. He did. But, the truth of the matter is, to a degree, the deck was lined up for him. Surely, for a good number of people it is and they STILL don’t activate their potential (Welch certainly pushed his potential to the max). And that’s too bad. But for a lot of people who are successful, well, there were also circumstances that really helped drive it (read Outliers by Malcom Gladwel if you think otherwise).

Yet, then there’s guys like Chris Gardner. Who still had some breaks, but man a lot fewer than the rest of us. Or kids who are ten, and getting older, that live in the body of a four year old whose physical dimensions will change remarkably little over the next decade.

And that stuff just hits me. It’s about the odds, possibly. Not just that I like the underdog story, but that I’m humbled and inspired by it. It makes me realize how much I have, and perhaps at times how little I really do to maximize it–or appreciate it.

Today, I started with thinking about me. And through an exceptionally odd moment, a small point in time that I wasn’t even looking for, barely aware of at first, it led me to just a moment of reflection.

And gratitude.

For the gifts that I’ve been given, but beyond that, for the inspiration that others provide me, through what it is that they can and will accomplish, in spite of circumstances that might be much more challenging than those of which for which I have had to manage.

Which is why I love this quote from Teddy Roosevelt:

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all day. What is the most significant data you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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The Nike Experiment

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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 +. 

The Nike Experiment: How the Shoe Giant Unleashed the Power of Personal Metrics
On June 6, 2008, Veronica Noone attached a small sensor to her running shoes and headed out the door. She pressed start on her iPod and began keeping track of every step she took. It wasn’t a long run—just 1.67 miles in 18 minutes and 36 seconds, but it was the start of something very big for her.
Since that day, she’s run 95 more times, logging 283.8 miles in about 48 hours on the road. She’s burned 28,672 calories. And her weight, which topped 225 pounds when she was pregnant, has settled in at about 145.
Noone knows all of that thanks to the sensor system, called Nike+. After each run, she can sync her iPod to the Nike+ Web site and get a visual representation of the workout—a single green line. Its length shows how far she’s gone, and the peaks and valleys reflect her speed.

Click here to read the full story.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant data you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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The Day Before!

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Here we are, the day before the big event. Lots happened today. All the preparation moments absolutely flew by, it’s like we’re on a locomotive and can’t slow it down. But it’s all good, starting with a fabulous Diamond leadership meeting earlier today, some exceptionally run workshops this afternoon, followed by a lot of fun and celebration this evening–INCLUDING the 70’s disco dance led by the Boogie Machine. What a fun start to this event, looking forward to tomorrow morning.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Hard Work at a Cutting Edge

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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. 

Hard Work at a Cutting Edge
In any gathering of men who take down trees for a living you will see a few battle wounds. Sliced digits. Crooked legs. Scarred faces. Chain saws are fast, powerful and unforgiving, and the ones that the professionals use resemble what the ordinary citizen buys from Home Depot about as much as a Chevy off the lot resembles the Impala SS Jimmie Johnson drove at the Daytona 500. Then there are those dead limbs — “widow makers” — that break off as a tree is coming down, whipping through the air and occasionally landing on a logger who considers himself “lucky” if he is merely injured. Hazard also comes from the heavy equipment for bundling logs and moving them out of the woods on greasy skidder trails and along narrow dirt roads. Those bundles can roll over and crush a man if he isn’t careful, or even if he is.

In “Brush Cat,” Jack McEnany offers a vivid account of the “wood economy” of New Hampshire, never stinting on the danger in this line of work. “According to the U.S. Department of Labor,” Mr. McEnany writes, logging is “the most dangerous job in America,” handily beating out the number-two killer profession, commercial fishing.

So why do it? What, to use a term from Econ 101, are the incentives? Looking for an answer to that question, Mr. McEnany spent some serious time with loggers — both in the woods and in the bars where they restore themselves at the end of the day. The answer turns out to be simple — they do it because they love it. Why they love it is a little harder to figure out.

Click here to read the full story.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your physician. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless significant for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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C’mon Royce!

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I think one of the challenges in being a leader (in many capacities: work, home, volunteerism, friends) is to know how hard, and when, to push. It’s a skill that’s developed over time, and through some trial and error. I’ve had plenty of both. 

Yesterday was Royce’s last soccer game of the season. She’s naturally gifted in soccer. I’m not saying she talented enough to be an Olympic athlete (Erica, hold our summer plans for 2020) and while she’s really good, what she really has is some exceptional potential. So it got me thinking about the role of leadership and coach because yesterday’s game served as a microcosm of learning for me.

So last night it was a frustrating game to watch as a parent. Mostly, because she was playing poorly. And it wasn’t that she was having an off night, she just wasn’t playing hard. And that’s what bothered me.

So the dialogue in my head, and ultimately with Royce, went pretty much like this:

First quarter. Okay, Royce, she’s a sweet kid but she’s not playing well tonight. Yes, she just wants to to have fun–that’s cool, right? Last game. Just try to stay quiet and leave her alone. She’ll get in her groove. If she does anything good, just cheer her on (not much cheering). Alright, even if she doesn’t do anything good, cheer her on (cheering commenced). Be patient, Dad. Chill out. Shut up. 

Breaktime: “Hey Royce, love you sweetie. Good job, atta girl, keep it up. Hustle. I’m watching!” 

Second quarter. No improvement. In fact she’s getting sloppier. And it’s not that she’s a bad player, or having an off night. In fact, she’s really talented. She’s just NOT hustling. She’s NOT focused. She’s not in the game, just running around aimlessly…Okay, Dad, maybe slow down a minute here. We ARE talking about seven year olds! But still, I countered myself, she needs to learn discipline, and hustle–to give it her all, that it’s not okay during game time to play like a wimp or halfway. Okay, I figured, now it’s time for a pep talk when she comes on the sidelines. I’m going to address it. Let’s keep it positive, let’s try to spin it nicely and encourage her, you know, we don’t want to quell the fire and enthusiasm. Don’t want to hurt her feelings and all, I mean, let’s be politically correct–what if you told your kid the truth and the protective services showed up and carted you off? Let’s keep it poz…

Breaktime: “Royce, you’re doing really well (that was not true and I shouldn’t have said it) but let’s try to up the volume a bit, okay? Just give it your all. Follow the ball. Hustle. 100%” 

Third quarter. Nothing. Zero. She’s still dancing around the field, goofing a bit, wandering around, kicking the ball but not following it, playing really timid. And I am now beyond frustrated. But then I think, okay Dad, you’re a big time type A/high achiever type. Maybe you just need to run a few laps and work some energy off you? But, no, there’s something to this…She’s GOT to learn through practice the magic of success, which is founded in hard work and tenacity. If she doesn’t learn now through these examples, just WHEN will she learn? This can be fun, I’m all for fun, but how good is she really going to feel at the end of the game if she “funnily” danced about the field but didn’t play her heart out? How about in other areas of life when she doesn’t apply herself? This is when the behaviors are set. It’s my obligation to say something. 

Breaktime: “Royce, I need you to look me in the eye and answer a question to me…Are you giving it your all out on that soccer field? Are you REALLY giving 100%? No? Okay, I didn’t think so. Royce, it doesn’t look that way to me either. Remember when we talk about wanting to be great at something? Here’s what great looks like: it looks like hustle, 100%, sprinting after the ball, following the ball after you kick it, being focused and not goofing around. I love you, but right now I need to be a straight talker with you–you’re not playing well–but it’s all in your head. You can do it, but it’s your decision, and you’ve got to want it. Do you want it? Really, do you want it? Okay, look at me and tell me you’re going to do this, I don’t care about scoring goals, I just want to see you leave it ALL out on the field. You should finish exhausted. Do your best. Just do your best. C’mon Royce!” 

Fourth quarter: Magic happened. It was like a new day, and totally new game, and a new Royce. I’ve never seen her exert that level of effort, I could see her focus in her eyes and she was all over the field. Aggressive, a great passer. Sprinted endlessly from one side of the field to the other. Tenacious. The level of pride that I felt was indescribable, but not for me–instead, it was for her (okay, a little bit of fatherly pride as well).

After the game ended, we did the tunnel and the kids ran through. The coach pulled her aside and told her “great fourth quarter finish, Royce!”. And I looked at her, and asked, “how do you feel?” with a smile on my face? And she answered back, while unsuccessfully fighting tears, “I feel so proud, I did it–I finished strong. I feel so good about myself.” 

This is, at the core, one of the challenges and gifts of leadership.

In this instance, it took me three times to get it right–but fortunately there were four quarters to the game. I tried to not say anything. Sometimes that might be the right thing to do. Certainly, it’s the easier one.

Then I tried to espouse the suggestions within the context of some bunk–like I tried to find something positive to say and then wrapped the feedback within this little morsel of meaningless praise, and in doing this what I really did was a disservice by complimenting something that wasn’t good, and I diluted the candid feedback that could make her great (side note: I think it’s always important to try to find a few things someone does or did right, but you can’t make something up either). 

Finally, I relegated to the best approach of all. Be a straight talker. This is the approach I usually go for, but with my kids I felt relegated to this stepwise pattern for whatever reason. Compassion? Wanting to be nice and encouraging? Not sure. 

It’s hard to know when to use each approach, there are times when you just need to shut up and let it roll. And others when you just need to cheer and encourage, or perhaps try to find a few things people are doing well along with one thing they need to work on. But, finally, there are also those times when you just need to be a straight talker, and say “Hey, you’re not doing your best. Let’s see it.” So, it surprised me, be last night was one of those nights for a seven year old. Yet, it was really profound for me–because it was such a simple situation and I saw the results play out in such an interesting way. 

Great job Royce!

royce-soccer

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your physician. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Rachel, Did You Work Out?

 

Rachel Wisby, in the fields of Hilltop Gardens in Lyford during our retreat
Rachel Wisby, in the fields of Hilltop Gardens in Lyford during our retreat

This afternoon I was talking with Rachel Wisby, who heads up our Creative Services team. We were discussing working out, getting in shape, losing weight, all that stuff.

And she said to me, “how do you get over ‘Mpmphfhhph’?”

“You know”, she continued in her British accent, “Mpmphfhfhph! That thing, it’s like, that moment when you’re sitting there and you decide whether to work out or not.”

Ah, yeah, the “Mpmphfhfhph” moment. It’s that small but massively impactful point in time that makes some people wimps and others strong, the fragile moment that wins and loses battles, the point of decision that propels you to get you fit or keeps you fat, it’s the thing that stands between you and greatness or is a stepping stone to greatness.

The “mpmphfhhph” moment is, ultimately, the fragile precipice upon which the battle of success and failure often precariously balance. 

It’s that decision point when you decide to reach for the snooze one more time or you turn off the alarm and get up to work out. It’s when you’re done with work, and you’re debating a workout and achieving your dreams–or watching TV while others achieve theirs. It’s the moment of decision between reaching for the Cookie Dough ice cream or plain kefir and green tea. 

It’s the “Mpmphfhfhph” moment.

So, how do you get beyond it? That moment? Because, fundamentally, it’s the decision that’s made in those moments that makes the difference. Intention is great, but it doesn’t mean snap if we never act on it. 

So I’m not sure how to get through that moment, we all face it in some or many areas of life. I don’t think there’s a formula but I do think there are some things we can do to prepare for it and “Just Do It” (which, incidentally, I think the people at Nike recognize is the reality of getting in shape–that it boils down to just doing it).

In the last few years I think I’ve learned a few things from my own experience as well as learning through others. One of these lessons I hope to blog about after I get a bit more practice and experience with successful application. 

Today, though, Rachel told me after the dialogue about the subject she felt better and was a bit more reinvigorated. “Ready to go”, she chided in her great accent. And I didn’t say anything, we just talked about it. Sometimes simply talking about it makes a difference.

And so does accountability. So as Rachel left my office she committed she was, despite some prior stuff scheduled this evening, committing to work out for 30-minutes tonight. Even if it were just walking. So I promised to hold her accountable and ask in the morning. 

So, good morning Rachel. I just have a quick question before we get going in the day: “Did you work out last night?” 🙂

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good heartiness, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Genius: The Modern View

Why do we love the “underdog” story? Susan Boyle. “Mine that Bird” (Derby this weekend). Slumdog Millionaire (brilliant fictional drama).

To some degree, I think it’s because it represents more of “us.” Where we think we are, and what we hope to someday do or be. 

But the reality is that we’re less than an underdog than we give ourselves credit for. The following New York Times article is a good reminder that hard work, a commitment to excellence and focus, and patient determination count for a tremendous portion of our successful outcome and result. 

And there really are a lot of examples of this. A few that come to my mind off the cuff are Eric Clapton, whose music I really like, who acknowledges that if you go into a few bars chances are you’ll find someone as good or better on the guitar than him. Or take the common bit of wisdom passed onto University President’s which says “Be nice to your A-students because they’ll come back and teach; be nice to your C-students, because they’ll make all the money that funds your endowment.” And just today fact my dad sent onto me a list of “NFL Busts”, stories of guys with great talent–superhuman talent–who never went anywhere in the NFL (which was especially interesting to me because one of the guys I played against in high school was featured on the list and the guy was a rock star).

So sometimes the “talent myth” is too often decided by perception or some false quantitative measurement. No question, you need some talent. But, beyond that, there are other factors that seem to matter more. 

 

OP-ED COLUMNIST for the NEW YORK TIMES

Genius: The Modern View

By DAVID BROOKS
Published: April 30, 2009

Some people live in romantic ages. They tend to believe that genius is the product of a divine spark. They believe that there have been, throughout the ages, certain paragons of greatness — Dante, Mozart, Einstein — whose talents far exceeded normal comprehension, who had an other-worldly access to transcendent truth, and who are best approached with reverential awe.

We, of course, live in a scientific age, and modern research pierces hocus-pocus. In the view that is now dominant, even Mozart’s early abilities were not the product of some innate spiritual gift. His early compositions were nothing special. They were pastiches of other people’s work. Mozart was a good musician at an early age, but he would not stand out among today’s top child-performers.

What Mozart had, we now believe, was the same thing Tiger Woods had — the ability to focus for long periods of time and a father intent on improving his skills. Mozart played a lot of piano at a very young age, so he got his 10,000 hours of practice in early and then he built from there.

The latest research suggests a more prosaic, democratic, even puritanical view of the world. The key factor separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not a divine spark. It’s not I.Q., a generally bad predictor of success, even in realms like chess. Instead, it’s deliberate practice. Top performers spend more hours (many more hours) rigorously practicing their craft.

The recent research has been conducted by people like K. Anders Ericsson, the late Benjamin Bloom and others. It’s been summarized in two enjoyable new books: “The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle; and “Talent Is Overrated” by Geoff Colvin.

If you wanted to picture how a typical genius might develop, you’d take a girl who possessed a slightly above average verbal ability. It wouldn’t have to be a big talent, just enough so that she might gain some sense of distinction. Then you would want her to meet, say, a novelist, who coincidentally shared some similar biographical traits. Maybe the writer was from the same town, had the same ethnic background, or, shared the same birthday — anything to create a sense of affinity.

This contact would give the girl a vision of her future self. It would, Coyle emphasizes, give her a glimpse of an enchanted circle she might someday join. It would also help if one of her parents died when she was 12, infusing her with a profound sense of insecurity and fueling a desperate need for success.

Armed with this ambition, she would read novels and literary biographies without end. This would give her a core knowledge of her field. She’d be able to chunk Victorian novelists into one group, Magical Realists in another group and Renaissance poets into another. This ability to place information into patterns, or chunks, vastly improves memory skills. She’d be able to see new writing in deeper ways and quickly perceive its inner workings.

Then she would practice writing. Her practice would be slow, painstaking and error-focused. According to Colvin, Ben Franklin would take essays from The Spectator magazine and translate them into verse. Then he’d translate his verse back into prose and examine, sentence by sentence, where his essay was inferior to The Spectator’s original.

Coyle describes a tennis academy in Russia where they enact rallies without a ball. The aim is to focus meticulously on technique. (Try to slow down your golf swing so it takes 90 seconds to finish. See how many errors you detect.)

By practicing in this way, performers delay the automatizing process. The mind wants to turn deliberate, newly learned skills into unconscious, automatically performed skills. But the mind is sloppy and will settle for good enough. By practicing slowly, by breaking skills down into tiny parts and repeating, the strenuous student forces the brain to internalize a better pattern of performance.

Then our young writer would find a mentor who would provide a constant stream of feedback, viewing her performance from the outside, correcting the smallest errors, pushing her to take on tougher challenges. By now she is redoing problems — how do I get characters into a room — dozens and dozens of times. She is ingraining habits of thought she can call upon in order to understand or solve future problems.

The primary trait she possesses is not some mysterious genius. It’s the ability to develop a deliberate, strenuous and boring practice routine.

Coyle and Colvin describe dozens of experiments fleshing out this process. This research takes some of the magic out of great achievement. But it underlines a fact that is often neglected. Public discussion is smitten by genetics and what we’re “hard-wired” to do. And it’s true that genes place a leash on our capacities. But the brain is also phenomenally plastic. We construct ourselves through behavior. As Coyle observes, it’s not who you are, it’s what you do.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your physician. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless significant for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Energy (UPDATED WITH PICTURES!)

Raz, Regina, and Anita

Starting this weekend I’m going to do a multi-part series of posts over the next week on Servant Leadership, specifically as it relates to some of the lessons I learned from my trips to Kolkata, India. Originally, I was going to start the series today, but today, after our most recent Univera Celebration Cruise I’ve gotta write about ENERGY.

Team California (and special award winners on last night!)
Team California (and special award winners on last night!)

 

The magic of Xtra is, ultimately, energy. 300 billion cells. Renewal. Alpha-Ketoglutarate. Kreb cycle. All that stuff, it works to give people a breakthrough botanical product–not a juice–that gives people natural and high output energy (among other things). 

Last night, as I was preparing some final remarks for the last night of the Cruise celebratory sendoff, it dawned on me that the magical benefit of Univera products is also the magic of our business and associates: energy. 

 

Platinum Special Event
Platinum Special Event

We’re just returning from the Univera Cruise where we had all the top performers over the past year, spanning numerous ranks, spend five days and four nights in the Bahamas. I think it was this trip that I really started to understand how much I love the people in this Company. It might be a bit like with kids, where I go through each stage of their life and I say “Now THIS is the best stage, I love them so much and wish they could just stay right here.”

Our Little Boat
Our Little Boat

Yet, invariably, the next stage gets better. This weeks trip was, in some ways, like that.

Except this included a bunch of new people that I’d never before met. I met individuals and teams from every part of North America who, in their own unique way, make a community what it is. Filled with diversity and uniqueness–people of all colors and ages, with all sorts of different backgrounds and work experiences; some who were familiar with Relationship Marketing prior to Univera, and many many others who at one point in their past said “I would NEVER do Relationship Marketing!”, until they found our products. And the model. And also the people–which are fundamentally what comprise the culture.

Mr. Fun and Personality, CEO Regan Miles (GREAT guy!)
Mr. Fun and Personality, CEO Regan Miles (GREAT guy!)

I heard the most magnificent stories this week, and watching the attendees interact and exchange and collaborate and share with fun, laughter, and enjoyment–as well as straight out deep dives into business opportunities and ways to advance to the next level, was simply satisfying. The week was devoid of the things that break down leadership groups like ego, arrogance, and exclusivity. Instead, it was filled with the bounty of leadership behaviors like inclusivity, excitement, coachability, appreciation, and mutual concern, and regard for each other. There are many stories I could share from the event, unfortunately time doesn’t allow and I’ve precious few pictures on my iPhone (though check back in a few days, I’ll upload a few other pics I get from peers or the office). 

Some highlights:

The two workshop sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, Stephen was simply exceptional (I realize he is always good, but this was a top 10 moment). And the 90-minutes of field leader led presentations (thanks Diamonds/Blue

Camping out at the workshops
Camping out at the workshops

 Diamond) was about the best training session that I’ve seen. It was insightful, authentic, fun, and applicable. I heard so many great comments from those who say through the presentations. Each was good, but the one that stands out was the roundtable discussion between Kenny Rossi and Angelyn Toth. They actually have a nearly identical color code, yet they’re in many ways so different. But that’s part of what makes this group so good, they’re each exceptional individuals who represent some of the top business performance by their teams during the past year. 

Okay, what else?

Mr. Animal and Mr. Rossi, rapping
Mr. Animal and Mr. Rossi, rapping

Karaoke. This was probably the most fun portion of the trip, where we laughed together–including some laughing at me–during my first-ever Karaoke debut, as well as that of Dave Nash. Meredith, I’m quite certain, would win the most talented award for Karaoke. She was almost annoyingly good. 🙂 If they had kept it open, I could’ve stayed and hung in the Karaoke lounge for many hours more. 

I loved hearing Glenn and Kenny sing/rap a Ricky Martin song. It was truly memorable. And just a little bit bad. Lots of energy, you can’t say they don’t give 100% to everything they do. Even singing. And unfortunately my rendition of Hey Jude wasn’t as good as the original below but I think the energy on stage with all the associates was better. 

At our first stop I was supposed to take the Platinums snorkeling, but weather didn’t allow it. Twenty minutes later Julie Darby helped me come up with an alternative game plan which worked out great, including a picture perfect lunch on the beach overlooking crystal blue seas and conch fritters along with great company–which then was followed by a really cool trip to some local Bahamian gardens (featuring a lot of medicinal plants). It really didn’t matter what we did because just getting to know the people was the enjoyment. The setting just made it better. 

Also this week I received my honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed by a team from up North, and I’ll always remember the first night out on the deck of the ship wee into the night looking at the stars with Richard, Yogita, and a few others from their team, where we talked about everything from business to life to spirituality and religion at a level of openness and authenticity that I’ve not felt in a long time. It was a revealing moment of getting to know people as just that.

Last night closing comments
Last night closing comments

As I write I feel so blessed and appreciative of all the Univera team who worked so hard to earn this trip, for showing your spirit and enthusiasm and friendship this past week, and also those who invested many hours to prepare and organize the event (thanks Corporate team).

We’ve got the magic.

In the products.

As well in our business.

And it all starts with energy.

 

The Univera Cruise Winners, such a fantastic group!
The Univera Cruise Winners, such a fantastic group!
   

 

 

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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One Last Look…

I know what you’re thinking…

“Hey, Raz has yet another one of those Susan Boyle/Paul Potts videos for us.”

Well, actually I do but not for today.

Though as I’m on it, there’s another really great video with a super touching story about an American guy who has a special relationship with his mom and just seems like the sweetest man. But that’s for another posting, I can’t do three of those blog entries in a row.

So today? One last look…at the Road Tour. Thanks to everybody that made this such a success.

And a few “behind the scenes” looks at the Road Tour.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all when. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good soundness, its doubtless great for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Thank You, Susan Boyle

 

Susan Boyle

Sometimes there are certain moments that words don’t describe well.

Which is why I won’t try to share much about today’s posting and I’ll let this seven minute video taken from “Britain’s Got Talent” give you chills from seeing someone’s dream realized. I wish I could embed the video itself, but that feature has been disabled by YouTube for this particular video–so you’ll have to go to the link at the bottom of this posting.

When watching this, some of you will get chills.

Some will laugh, or smile.

And others will cry.

All of you will be moved.

The experience of watching this is among the most powerful I’ve felt in months. Look at the change in the audience, from the beginning, where they were laughing and mocking this lovely woman who simply has a dream–to being an audience that’s simply…inspired.

So many lessons in this seven minutes. About perceptions. Judgment. Perseverance. Potential. And dreams.

I’ve watched her performance four times in a row, and I can’t stop the overpowering sense of emotions and insight I get from watching what is probably seven of the most magical moments on television that have happened in a long while.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY&NR=1

And, by the way, if you’re up for a little extra sentiment and contemplation, read the lyrics to the song she sang from Les Miserable “I Dreamed a Dream” below.

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he’ll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doc. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all period. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good heartiness, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Dogged Pursuit

 

Can we agree on a few simple premises? 

1. There’s a huge need for secondary or replacement primary income right now? More than ever in the past three decades, perhaps longer? Everybody is faced with the prospect of layoffs, 401k matches missing, salary reductions, and on. Not to say that everyone is going through it–but everybody to some degree is faced with the prospect. Heck, I just read that even Sesame Street is laying off 20% of it’s workforce–including some of the letters of the alphabet, such as Q, K, Z, K, and the semicolon! (the latter is pulled from a funny piece of online satire, but the former is apparently true and not so funny). 

2. That there’s nothing wrong with pushing a hotdog cart (though I wouldn’t recommend eating one everyday). People do what they need to do. No judgment here. 

3. That an opportunity in Univera makes vastly more sense in terms of a) lower initial investment, b) time factor of money, c) income potential, d) capitalizing on a growing marketplace, e) feeling better physically, and f) intersecting what you do with what you love–or in other words, finding purpose in work? 

Check this recent article from the Wall Street Journal, and tell me it doesn’t motivate you to go and find that extra person to give them a shot at what they might never have known but for your contributions and enthusiasm…The best advice probably comes at the very end of the story, where Mr. Mottola says “I’m creating my own stimulus plan…I’m not waiting for the President.”

Dogged Pursuit: Professionals Find New Livelihood Selling Frankfurters
BANDERA, Texas — In hard times, some small-town Americans are turning to a new livelihood with relish.

Among them are Andrea and Ben Guajardo. They began selling hot dogs from a pushcart on Main Street in November.

Ms. Guajardo is a grant administrator for a health-care system. Her husband, Ben, is a pipeline operator. Theirs is the first hot-dog stand in Bandera, pop. 957, that anybody here can remember.

Click here to read the full story.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all season. What is the most significant information you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Rockin’ Reno

 

Reno Event, Al and Glenn

What happens when you pull together 500 people who…

Have high energy? 

Great leadership? 

Are excited about a new paradigm to feeling great? 

And ready to take hold of their own financial future? 

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUV-QV_jp0w

Well, when you combine all of those things in the dynamic city of Reno, and a huge portion of those 500 are guests leaning forward in their seats during the presentations, you’ve got an event that absolutely rocked this past Tuesday night. 

I can’t say enough great things about the event.

And, with our Road Tour every city was really good–many were great and even exceptional. But, Reno was off the charts. Just totally off the charts. Of course Stephen and Regan were fantastic, but so were all of the hosts and participants and people and guests and…

So much of the success of an event is decided before anyone first sets foot in the door. And, what I mean by that is it’s often pre-determined by the leaders in the room and their spirit and excitement coming into the activity that helps drive to a successful event.

That, coupled with bringing lots of qualified people to hear some great news. 

This past week, that’s exactly what happened as we wrapped up the Road Tour in Reno–there’s no hyperbole there when I saw it’s the best event we’ve had in a long time. It was absolutely electric by the end of the night.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0G5U84Iq0M

And hangin’ with the Reno leaders was a hoot as well. 

Stay tuned for a Road Tour highlights video, for now enjoy this stuff from the Rockin’ Reno team. 

I don’t have any good stories from the event–only great ones, and the leadership there is fantastic. There is no way I can give credit to all the names of people who made such an impact. 

Congrats, team, on such a great event. And, thanks for making the final stop among the best events we’ve ever held.

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all season. What is the most significant info you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless important for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.

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Austenver

This entry started as what would be a combination of two events, Austin and Denver. Thus the name, Austenver. Then, I started looking at all the great pictures and people from Austin, and I just couldn’t bring myself to pull the two events together. 

As I type we’re en route to Denver, placing bets of whether we’ll land or not. Already, the Frontier flight first thing this AM was cancelled to Denver, and many United flights leaving Denver were cancelled, yet as I write we’re flying in gorgeously sunny skies—hopefully beating this last winter storm that’s apparently on its way (side note: when I landed this was published, so obviously we have made it to Denver and we will see you this afternoon). 

So the three of us are doing our thing in flight, Stephen pounding away on his keyboard (though not quite as loudly as me), Regan sits ahead of us CEO style in first class (bumped, not a purchased ticket) watching 30 Rock, and I’m bloggin’ away.

Arriving into Austin was welcome warmth, spectacular sun and temperature. It’s the best weather so far. And, while weather is really an exceptionally boring and mindless topic, when you live in 40-50 degrees and rainy for much of the year (though I actually love it) the topic of sunny skies and arid warmth becomes just a tad more interesting.

Austin is such a hoppin’ city, and for a Friday night our turnout was fantastic—probably close to 200. Significantly more people than we had last time in Austin, and the energy and excitement was a lot better as well. Not that last time our Austin trip wasn’t great, it was good. But this was really exceptional with the quality of people and just the…Energy.

I’d rather have energy, excitement, and conviction any day of the week over someone with just talent and talk that lacks passion. In Austin we had people that are both talented and excited. The best of both. 

When I reference specific people that I meet on the Road Tour I always hesitate a bit, because there’s always more people that I can’t blog about that I met who are equally interesting. But I try to tie in one story or experience.

At this event I met a guy with a great story, his name is Mario (his brother Tommy attended the event as well), and is signed up under Colleen who was also attending. Mario’s story is a great one, he grew up in the Lyford, Texas area. Which, many of you know, is home to Hilltop Gardens—the Historical Home of Aloe. There’s more to this great story, it’s just evolving and someday I’ll write more about it, but the short of it that Mario has gone on to become exceptionally successful, and as I understand it is an inventor (even featured in magazines like Popular Mechanics) and has also done some feature work in TV. The amazing thing is not that he’s totally bought into Univera—the products and the business. It’s that he has a stronger tie to Hilltop Gardens than most anybody I know.

See, when Mario was growing up, his parents worked in agriculture and in the fields. And, some of the work they did was planting and harvesting aloe.

But the magic is, they didn’t just work any farms. One of the farms his parents worked in the fields was the Hilltop Gardens farm itself, before Bill had actually purchased it (owned by a different family, with a different name—but the oldest aloe vera farm in the U.S.).

So the evolution of this story is an amazing one, and among many other stories of success that will grow over the years this will also be another interesting one. 

 

 

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Chi-Town

Chi-town Event

Chi-town rocked tonight.

It was a good sized group, about 150, but there were a lot of guests there. At least half. Probably more. 

And, Stephen? On fire. On message. Nailed the products. Was dead on time, exactly 20 minutes. Hilarious. With not one diversion. 

Yep, today we (re) introduced Stephen DVD. And while not quite as good as the “live” version, it still served as a really strong tool to support the meeting. 

You can see some of the highlights from people who participated in the video below.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_1xnELDIT8

Tim Kaufman hosted; sincerely, it was probably the best job of hosting a meeting I have ever seen. He set it up really clearly, was charming yet convicting, serious yet easygoing. He’s a natural talent, and connects exceptionally well with people. 

Also, Diamonds Mark and Patty Middleton, David and Becky Ylinen, and Tony Fightmaster were also attending–along with leaders and associates from the Greater (and much greater, incl. Indiana/Mich/etc.) Chicago area. 

And we kept the meeting to under 90-minutes, which I think is really helpful to maintaining energy in the room–and enabling all the guests to ask question and talk afterwards. In fact, Regan and I spent an hour after the meeting just mingling with people–and when we left there were still at least 30 people hanging out talking about the business, showing people how to get started and work the business or start on the products. 

It’s known as…building momentum! 🙂 

We always leave Chicago feeling like it was one of our favorite (didn’t say THE favorite, just one of!) events–and we always leave knowing that we’ll be back sometime soon.

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Bon Jour Montreal

Univera/Matol Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Univera/Matol Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

We arrived in Montreal on Wednesday night, with a bit of a prolonged adventure what with our RGL and NGL experience which I already addressed in another blog post.

Thursday was a day of meetings regarding the Univera/Matol integration, with lots of leadership from Bijan and Jonathan. I can’t mention all the names of the great Univera Matol people, but each are very talented and make an incredible addition to our team. img_0658

Friday was the big celebration, the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the acquisition of a new partner. It’s a great addition to our Company strategically and structurally, we have gained some great teammates, much excitement, as well as resources that will help us along our path to success.

img_0655There were dignitaries at the event, as well as ECONET and Univera Exec’s, along with Bill Lee himself who gave a humorous yet heartfelt ceremonial speech tying in a cute story about arranged marriages and how he, within one day, felt completely comfortable with this arrangement given the quality of the people, the resources, and the products.

Over 150 people were in attendance at this event, many of whom were Univera associates. And, as good as the party and celebration was, a certain section became all the more lively as a few of the Exec’s took over the duty of serving drinks and tending bar.

The highlight for me? The people.

The people in Matol, now Univera, who are dedicated and committed toimg_0659excellence and supporting our plans while also helping to significantly grow the business. The Matol field leaders, who have, in their words, waited years for an opportunity like this–and they feel strongly at home. And the Univera corporate and field team, many of whom were able to participate (Dave Nash, though, was unable to attend due to a birth of their son!!! Congrats Dave, we missed you!) over the days festivities.

img_0668And if all that weren’t enough, the Univera/Matol office has a really cool Flavia coffeemaker where you can get as many single shots as you want.

Today was a “Super Saturday” field event led by MANY of our AMAZING Canadian leaders–whose names I can’t all write down but special thanks to Andre, Anne, Louis, Sylvie, Gille, and so many many others for making this a great success. I know there are people I’m not listing, please know we appreciate everything you did and do to make these events so fantastic.

Over 300 people at this event, an INCREDIBLE turnout particularly considering that two days before there were about 500 people that went to a Halifax event (therefore most of those didn’t travel to Montreal). Special speakers included Bill Lee, our owner, Stuart Ochiltree CEO of ECONET, and Robert Bolduc CEO of Matol, and Univera exec’s and field leaders. img_0675

Most important were the many Univera associates leading and participating in the event, and I believe for well over HALF the audience this was their very first Univera event. And a good 100 people raised their hands and were already committed to going to our June Convention this year.

A really great day. Energy. Excitement. Business success. Product testimonials. Purpose. Heart. A real blast, for all of us.

Thanks, Montreal, for such a great stay–we hope to come back again soon.

And as I blog this I am riding in the car en route to Portland, Maine.

Stephen’s driving, while wholly testing the limits of this little Pontiac while other passengers in this care are testing the use of the word “wholly” in another spelling and context. But, we are nearing our destination and apart from all the “watch out for bears and moose” signs that are giving a bit of angina I think we will arrive in tact.

Albeit two hours later than we should have. There is much dispute around exactly WHY we took a route that was two hours longer. Some believe it is because of faulty GPS, others believe it due to malfunctioning teamwork, and yet others think it’s because of bad direction. It seems it’s impossible to get true clarity on this, but for now we’ve agreed to sleep on it and readdress in the morning.

This ride is actually quite restful. And Regan is particularly quiet, there’s no heckling or jokestering from the back seat, I expect because he is wearing headphones and using his iPhone–perhaps to watch another South Park. Had I known this was such a solitude inducer for our journeys I would have personally purchased a set of headphones for him over a year ago. 🙂

As Regan watches South Park, Stephen’s doing these really loud nasal breathing exercises (I am afraid he is going to hyperventilate on this so an intercession might be necessary–please support me on this), and I’m pounding away on the keyboard at about an 80 decibel on my second battery which is almost kaput, stopping every few minutes to share a new thing I’ve learned on the news wires (by the way, did you know that drinking very hot tea increases your risk of throat cancer? Let it cool a bit first).

We each have our quirks. Stephen and Regan, more than most. 🙂 Truly, we’ve had a great time together.

So it’s officially day one, and we’re off to Portland to meet some of the Univera leaders for a great dinner at J’s Oyster House downtown, followed by the Portland event tomorrow afternoon.

img_06792

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Leaving On a Jet Plane

Leaving on a Jet Plane
Leaving on a Jet Plane

What a great song, it was perfect for this past Wednesday morning as a departure song but it was trumped by my gate experience that day.

Since it’s the first official start of the Road Tour tomorrow morning I’ll use this as my beginning post for our many-city tour across North America to share the good news about Univera, these incredible products, an amazing business opportunity, and our culture.

John Denver was such an amazing artist, there’s a great blog entry to be made about him but for now I’ll let the words in the song do the talking (unfortunately this YouTube version gets clipped at the end).

Looking forward to seeing many of you on the Road Tour, and if not please participate via the blog and writing comments. Go Montreal!!!

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A Tale of Two Gates

Unhelpful Gate AgentsTravel can be a lot of fun, albeit in doses. And I certainly prefer personal over business, as a lot of the road wears on you and in many ways that people who don’t have to travel simply do not realize or appreciate. But it can also be very rewarding and the experiences provide so much learning along the way.

An old football coach of mine used to carry the quote by someone (unknown to me) which was “You’ll be the same person ten years from now that you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

Largely, I think that’s true.

So I try to do a lot of reading. And, particularly on trips, I try to make it an intentional point to make the best of each adventure and learn something along the way—particularly from the people that I meet.

So I’m checking in around 6am on WorstWest Airlilnes, a carrier that I simply do not like and is generally notorious for poor service. So as I’m checking in, the two people behind the desk are throwing verbal assaults like left and right hooks at each other. Honestly, I was in shock.

Employees fighting or undermining each other in front of customers is among the childish as well as recklessly irresponsible behaviors. So I try not to be annoyed, I mean I really tried, I smile and manage to squeeze out a  “thank you” as politely as possible despite standing there at the desk for five minutes waiting for these two cranks to quit their bickering, all while cringing to think about the impact this behavior has on customers as well as others in their organization.

We board the flight to Montreal, I actually sleep for a few hours which is quite rare for me—generally I love the cabin time for solitude, writing, and reading. I did read a bit in the book “They Call Me Coach” by John Wooden, as well as jammed through about seven old Wall Street Journals. 

Upon arriving we’re probably a half hour late into our transfer city of Minneapolis, but there’s seven of us on the plane continuing onto Montreal so I’m certain they’ll hold the next puddle jumper for us. Certain. 100%. I mean, what idiot wouldn’t hold the gate when 25% of your cabin (remember, puddle jumper) isn’t there but only a few minutes away. Right? 

We run to the gate, only to find the doors are closed. One person made it, from row 19 on our first leg. We, unfortunately, were in rows 35 and above. So, yes, the back of the plane is safer. It is also slower. I prefer the “crazy and reckless” front of the plane to that of the “safe-and-cozy-in-the-event-of-a-????” in the back of the plane. 

Then, knowing that six more were right behind them, they closed the door. So the group of us sat there for ten minutes, all the while the plane is sitting there as well, with a group of gate attendants full of “I can’t” (umm, actually you could but you don’t want to), “No” (Why say yes, when your culture makes it feel so good to say no?) and “Well what do you want me to do?” (Ah, yeah, well, just do your job and help me out here…And maybe a smile would be nice as a kicker).

The two of them had about the level of service, empathy, and desire to try to help as much as a door knob. Really, it was unbelieveable. I really tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, and perhaps these are really at the heart of the matter good people having a bad day. But, then again, it’s likely they’re a product of the environment and culture they’ve created.

Suddenly, like a little angel fluttering her way through the terminal wearing red and white, a bubbly woman by from another gate to offer to help us over in her little area, a totally different culture. In fact, RGL (Rude Gate Lady) actually tried to stop NGL (Nice Gate Lady) from taking us over to her little section. RGL actually had us rebooked on a flight that got us into our final destination by about 11pm, with two more flight legs to go. And all the while, she was doing us SUCH a favor and it was SUCH a burden to get us on our way.

A little jacked with such bad service, we followed the NGL just with the hunch that someone who smiles and actually offered to help us simply MUST have some better outcomes for us—and if not, at least she’d be nice to work with.

When we walked over to her gate, it was a totally different experience. Apologies for the delay. Empathy. Solutions-orientations. It was as simple as “Hey guys, looks like a long day. I’m sorry. Let’s find some solutions to get you outta here into your final destination, and I think I might find some better options that what you currently have that can get you in a few hours earlier.”

No surprise, she found seats on a flight that got us in earlier—three hours earlier—but more so did it in a way that made the group of us feel better.

And, I expect, her as well. 

No doubts, take Lasix only as prescribed by your doctor. Levitra is one of the best-known medications of all time. What is the most significant data you must study about levitra vs cialis? Most doctors say the effectiveness of Levitra is well documented. Absolutely, a sexual problem refers to a problem during any phase of the sexual response cycle that prevents the individual from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual life. Whilst sex is not vital for good health, its doubtless significant for anyone. Why it happen? What kinds of professionals treat sexual diseases in men? A common class of antidepressants, which include Zoloft can kill the mood in bedroom.