As you may know by now, I’m a huge fan of unconventional thinking and finding new ways to spark creative thinking.  Creative problem solving is the “secret ingredient” to running and growing a successful business and realizing your full potential.

Last week, Stuart Davis, Chief Marketing Officer at Quicken Loans, shared this entertaining and insightful video from a prior TED Conference by Sir Ken Robinson on developing creativity, being “wrong,” and the public education system.

Take the time to watch this video.

Total viewing time: 20:03

Some of my favorite ideas from the video and the times that they appear:

3:44 - “but nobody knows what God looks like…”

5:39 – on being prepared to be “wrong”

11:16 – why our system of public education was invented in the 19th century

13:10 – on what intelligence is made of

15:31 – fantastic story about Gillian Lynne

See also:

1. Creativity: 3 Ways to Seize the Opportunity to be Creative! It happens to all of us…at different points in...
2. 4 Ways to Seize Career Opportunities [Plus: Overcoming Obstacles Video] How well do you find the hidden opportunity around...
3. Leadership Skills: Unconventional Thinking [Mark Stevens Interview - Part III] Note from Regis: This is Part III of a...

How well do you find the hidden opportunity around you?  (source: AussieGal / CC 2.0)

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

- Thomas Alva Edison

“Successful people do things others don’t like to do.”

- Harvey Mackay

Techniques to Open Your Mind to New Career Opportunities (Read Time: 8 minutes)

I have spent the past 14 years of my career working with some amazing people.  I’ve seen colleagues develop amazing careers in what they do, go on to become CEOs, lead Marketing and Technology teams for large organizations, start new companies, and land new career opportunities at companies like Microsoft, Google, Expedia and more.

How do you find and capitalize on the opportunities around you?  Practice the 4 ideas below.  These are the common traits of the successful people I have had the opportunity to work with.  Use these ideas to find new opportunities and new success in your own career!

1. Forget the Org Chart and Formal Career Path

The best way to get stagnant in your career is to wait for someone to give you your next promotion.  You have to go get it.  You have to demonstrate the impact you make.  You have to bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to the table.  You have to get out of your comfort zone and do things others don’t want to do.  You have to surprise people around you with your ideas and ingenuity.

If you only “see” the formal org chart at your company as your opportunity, you have already failed.  Why?  Because you have limited your thinking about who you are and what you can become.  Only when you look outside of the org chart and formalized career path at your company will you really find opportunities to grow.

Does this mean you have to leave your current team?  No way.  It simply means thinking about yourself differently to see possible opportunities, even in your existing position, or next possible promotion.

The people I have worked with all possessed this skill.  Sometimes, the position they ended up taking was a progression on the org chart.  Other times they CREATED their new position, and usually over the course of years, not months.

2. Pursue Things Without Knowing Exactly Where They Will Take You

Find at least one thing in your current position that you are passionate about and pursue it.  Maybe you will only be able to dedicate an hour a week to this passion.  Regardless, find something in, or related to, your current position and pursue it.  Ruthlessly focus on this whenever you can.  Experiment with the idea, talk to others about it, adjust your own perceptions as you learn, and create a plan to make your idea a “thing”.  Then, execute your plan.

It’s critical to take the long view here.  As the old saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your new career opportunity.  However, investing in the idea you are passionate about will take you to places you didn’t think were possible.

For me, Dot Connector is one of those ideas.  I’ve met authors and leaders I probably would not have met otherwise.  I’ve reconnected with friends and colleagues I haven’t talked to in over a decade.  And, most importantly, I have shared ideas that my readers have found valuable.

3. Analyze Your Surroundings Without Any (Natural) Bias

Objectively look at your organization without any of the personal “filters” of conventional thinking you might normally apply.  Ask yourself a series of questions:

• What has changed in the past year at my company?
• Where is my company going?
• Who around me has created opportunity for themselves?
• Who around me has left and why? Where did they go?
• Do I see myself here in 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years?  Why or why not?

If you recognize “pockets of opportunity” after doing this exercise, great!  Set out to capitalize on them.  If not, you have to decide where you want to take your career, and if your current employer is where you want to spend it.  Life is too short to do something you are not passionate about, or where you do not see opportunities to grow.

4. Find Ways to Help Others Grow, and Grow Your Knowledge at the Same Time

After you’ve done the analysis in #3 above, find at least one new way to bring people together that you normally don’t talk to.  Maybe it will be around your idea in #2, or maybe it will be around what you do every day. Here are some ways to do this:

• Start a blog about something you are passionate about. Don’t think you have time?  Make it.  There is no better way to grow yourself than to think about the way you think.  Blogging helps you do this, while connecting with other like-minded people at the same time.
• Does your company own other companies? Create an email list of people in the family of companies who do what you do and share ideas!  One of the best ways to find new opportunities is to help others in this way.  You’ll think differently about what you do, which helps you see new opportunities.  You will also learn from others at the same time.
• Is there a group you can join made up of people who do what you do? The same benefits as the idea above apply.  Plus, this will usually lead to great networking opportunities and contacts that you can help (and who can help you) in the future.

Bonus: Overcoming Obstacles Video (1:39)

Please spend 1:39 watching this video (if you do not see the video while you are reading this, visit Dot Connector to watch it).  You will learn something I bet you don’t know (I definitely didn’t) that will re-frame your thoughts on opportunity and failure.

See also:

1. Creativity: 3 Ways to Seize the Opportunity to be Creative! It happens to all of us…at different points in...
2. 7 Questions to Understand “The Boss” and Advance Your Career A crucial component in evaluating your own career is...
3. 5 Ways to Recession Proof Your Small Business Which ideas will you nurture this spring? (source: Kerry...

Do you need a list of questions to help you prepare your new years resolutions for 2010?

Below is a great list of new years resolution questions courtesy of David Allen via his latest email newsletter (subscribe).  David is the creator of the popular Getting Things Done (GTD) productivity system.

Completing and Remembering 2009

• What was your biggest triumph in 2009?
• What was the smartest decision you made in 2009?
• What one word best sums up and describes your 2009 experience?
• What was the greatest lesson you learned in 2009?
• What was the most loving service you performed in 2009?
• What is your biggest piece of unfinished business in 2009?
• What are you most happy about completing in 2009?
• Who were the three people that had the greatest impact on your life in 2009?
• What was the biggest risk you took in 2009?
• What was the biggest surprise in 2009?
• What important relationship improved the most in 2009?
• What compliment would you liked to have received in 2009?
• What compliment would you liked to have given in 2009?
• What else do you need to do or say to be complete with 2009?

Making 2010 Your Best Year Yet

• What would you like to be your biggest triumph in 2010?
• What advice would you like to give yourself in 2010?
• What is the major effort you are planning to improve your financial results in 2010?
• What would you be most happy about completing in 2010?
• What major indulgence are you willing to experience in 2010?
• What would you most like to change about yourself in 2010?
• What are you looking forward to learning in 2010?
• What do you think your biggest risk will be in 2010?
• What about your work, are you most committed to changing and improving in 2010?
• What is one as yet undeveloped talent you are willing to explore in 2010?
• What brings you the most joy and how are you going to do or have more of that in 2010?
• Who or what, other than yourself, are you most committed to loving and serving in 2010?
• What one word would you like to have as your theme in 2010?

More Help for New Years Resolutions:

Check out these other new years resolutions articles on Dot Connector:

8 Tips for Setting Goals and New Years Resolutions

Personal Development Plan Template

See also:

1. 8 Tips for Setting Goals and New Years Resolutions “Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the...
2. Business Decision Making – 3 Questions to Ask Yourself [The One Goal Project] This post is part of the One Goal Project...
3. 7 Questions to Understand “The Boss” and Advance Your Career A crucial component in evaluating your own career is...

Need to lead in a new direction?  Try these ideas from Jay Farner. (source: Carl Chapman / CC 2.0)

Recently, I sat down with Jay Farner, CEO of reverse mortgage lender, One Reverse Mortgage and advisor to the Rockbridge Growth Equity family of companies.  Prior to his current role, Jay was the head of Web Mortgage Banking at Quicken Loans, where he helped grow Quicken Loans into the nation’s largest online retail lender, sixth largest FHA lender and one of the five largest retail lenders in the country.  Jay did this with a team of over 2,200 mortgage bankers located in 5 different offices around the country.

In this interview, you’ll learn how Jay Farner prioritizes his time, who has had the biggest influence on him, what he teaches new companies, and much more!

How do you determine what to focus on every day?

Jay Farner: It starts by recognizing what’s urgent and what’s important.  I manage my time religiously with my Outlook calendar, and combine both work and personal onto one calendar to make it that much easier.  To make sure I focus on the important, but not necessarily urgent things, I block off 2 to 3 hours of time, 2 days per week.  I guard this time and do not schedule other things over it.  This allows me to move forward on those initiatives that are outside of the normal day-to-day, while still giving me enough time to focus on all of the issues that do come up daily.

What makes a leader?  What do you look for in new leaders?

Jay Farner: There are several traits that comprise a good leader.  First off, they have to be a positive thinker.  Someone who has a negative view of the world will have a very hard time leading others.  Beyond that, they must have a high energy level, be enthusiastic, and believe in themselves.  I really think that you need all of those things to be able to create a positive vision that inspires others to follow you.

Of course, once you can create a vision – paint a clear picture of where to go – you need to be able to take action and execute.  And, once you are in execution mode, you need to be open to constant feedback and focus on continuous learning.

Are there two or three people you “role model” or work with who have consistently challenged you and your thinking?

Jay Farner: For me, the person who taught me how to treat people, deal with tough situations, stay calm, and stay positive is my Dad.

Another person who has had a substantial  role in my development has been Dan G [Dan Gilbert, Chairman of Quicken Loans, Owner of the Cleveland Caveliers and founding Partner at RockBridge Growth Equity].  Dan has taught me how to:

• Think deeply about issues (never staying “at the surface” of a discussion)
• Always ask the right questions to the right people
• Challenge myself to always be better by asking two simple questions: What’s next? and What should we do?
  

What are the top client service lessons you have learned over the course of your career?

Jay Farner: I think it all starts with a quote Steven Luigi [Piazza, VP at Quicken Loans] always says: “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Using that as the basis for Client Service is key.  Beyond that, I believe it’s about:

1. Asking really good questions
2. Demonstrating you can find the right solutions
3. Adjusting your approach to your Clients’ best way of learning
4. Being open minded to possibilities
5. Being insanely responsive to your Clients’ needs

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned that you try to teach all young companies you work with?

Jay Farner: To focus on taking your dream and turning it into a reality.  It basically all boils down to focus: finding those Top 3 things you need to do in the business, and then applying the following formula to them:

1. Develop the strategies that will help you hit your top 3 goals/priorities
2. Develop the tactics that will support those strategies
3. Develop ways to measure your progress, and measure/adjust like crazy

Working with people is so critical, and so magnified, when you are a small organization. So, beyond the 3 step process above, it really comes down to finding the best people for the organization, and ensuring that everyone works extremely well together.

You’ve led very large groups of people.  How do you inspire people you lead to work on the right things every day, and how do you measure success?

Jay Farner: Constant communication is key, especially in writing.  This is true for sales people, but it’s also important for everyone else.  The idea of writing down what you want to communicate can be very powerful.  Writing forces you to think about what you are saying and the impact it can have.

Once you have communicated the direction you want the team to go, it’s about the old Ronald Reagan “trust but verify” approach.  You have to trust that your leaders are going to communicate and execute the direction.  But, there is nothing stopping you from what is often called “management by walking around” – essentially walking around the office(s) and asking others what they know about the new direction.  “Have you attended any training on X?”  “What do you think about Y?” – you get the idea.

It’s also critically important as a leader to choose which new initiatives you want to roll out.  You don’t want to roll out things too frequently and cause confusion or lack of implementation.  It’s a fine line and takes a huge amount of trust in your leaders to help you execute.

Note from Regis: I hope you’ve enjoyed these insights from Jay Farner.  If you have, please leave a comment!

See also:

1. Joel Gurman Interview: Leadership Lessons from Quicken Loans and Snap Fitness Building your business is about not being satisfied.  (source:...
2. Leadership Skills: Perseverance [Todd Albery Interview] Note from Regis: This is the first post in...
3. Recommended Reading on Project Management, Personal Productivity, and Business Strategy I’m often asked what books I would recommend for...

“Thinking a lot about money is the best way to ensure you never earn a great deal of it.  Far wiser is to focus on a passion, on something powerful you can do to change peoples’ lives.  I’ve always believed the money will then follow.”

- Bill Gates (to Mark Stevens)

Stop judging this book by it’s cover.  Right now.  I know, you’re probably thinking something like “God is a Salesman? Great, now we’re going to talk about religion.”  Nope, not really. Please read on…

Yes, Mark Stevens uses the prism of religion to demonstrate how God is a superior salesman.  Whether or not you agree with the analogy, you should “play along.”  Why?  This book has some stellar ideas that will make better salespeople, better marketers, and better, more demanding customers too!

I see everyone as a salesperson in some capacity.  Nothing happens until something is sold – think deeply about this old saying and you’ll realize just how true it is.

Are you presenting the recap of a project you just did?  That’s selling.

Are you trying to change the direction of a project you are working on?  That’s selling.

Are you pushing the company you work for to think differently about a way they do business?  That’s selling.  You get the idea.

Below are some of my favorite excerpts from the book with my commentary in red.

Why Most Salespeople Can’t Sell

1. They have nothing interesting to say.  If you are selling something, please capture your Client/Customer’s attention in the first 30 seconds of your conversation.   Do it in the first 15 seconds if they don’t know you.
2. They cannot present their products and services in a compelling fashion – as more than just products and services. It’s insanely critical whether you are selling products, services, or ideas to discuss them ONLY in terms of the value they give to the Client/Customer.
3. They believe that they have done their job if they get prospects to like what they are offering. The fact is, they have to fall in love with it. Challenging?  Sure.  But it’s the only way to judge your sales skills.
4. They fail to develop a power offer that makes what they are selling seem impossible to refuse. Think you can’t “close a sale” – whatever that means to you – in the first discussion you have with someone?  I know 10 other people that will.
5. They don’t bother to read the prospect.  They’re too preoccupied with the commissions (or benefits) they WON’T earn precisely because all of the focus is on themselves. Reading, or truly understanding, your “prospect” is absolutely critical.  You don’t know what you don’t know.  That should drive you crazy and drive you to want to be better.

Top 3 Timeless Observations from Mark’s First Sales Job

1. When you try to fool people, you are only fooling yourself.
2. When you demonstrate timeless value, people will embrace your offering and tell others to do the same.
3. When you can make a bulletproof guarantee, you will have an abundance of customers.

Favorite Observations from Mark

On his financial planner: “He gives me far more in terms of advice, trust, guidance, and commitment that the value of the commissions I give him.”  Can your Customers/Clients/Employer say that about you?

On how to tell a great story: “Superior storytelling relies on a few key elements: the element of surprise, a power of epiphany, the ability to entertain…[and] a newly revealed truth.”  When was the last time you told a great story?

On going from ordinary to extraordinary: “If you begin with reality and try to radiate out to the extraordinary (i.e. what to that point has appeared to be impossible) you will likely be stuck in the predictable, the mediocre, the expected.”  Instead, dream big.  Set outrageous goals.  Look at the world in a different way.  And then celebrate when you achieve a new level of success because of it!

On ensuring long term success: “Offering yourself and what you sell as an exclusive is the only way to ensure your long term success.  Exclusivity means that you: “Demonstrate and deliver a true and unique value; Don’t simply sell things, you enhance people’s lives; Deliver what no one else does in precisely the way you do.”  Are you exclusive to your Customers/Clients?  Are you greater than the sum of your parts?  Or are you just filling a basic need and can be easily replaced?

Other Favorites from God is a Salesman:

• The “table salesman” story in the Vermont ski resort town (page 27)
• The guy who successfully pitched an idea to Jack Nicklaus with a killer opening line (page 37)
• Henry Ford’s offers you cannot refuse (page 69)
• Reality check questions and next steps for your career (page 92 – 93)
• Questions exceptional sales people ask themselves (page 135)
• The final questions to ask yourself (page 144)

See also:

1. Your Marketing Sucks by Mark Stevens – Book Review and Favorite Ideas There isn’t a single book in my library that...
2. Leading with the Heart by Mike Krzyzewski – Book Review and Favorite Ideas I recently finished Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s...
3. Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove – Book Review and Favorite Ideas One of my all-time favorite business books, and a...

This post is part of the One Goal Project to achieve exceptional performance at work.  Learn more.

Feeling overloaded?  Try these two templates. (source: antwerpenR / CC 2.0)

My team hears me say it all the time, and it always goes something like this:

“We all have a hundred things on our plate, but are you working on the right things today?”

Easy enough to say, but harder still to deliver on. Why? Because we are creatures of habit.  We show up (physically) on Monday morning. We check email and voice mail and then “ping pong syndrome” begins.

What is “ping pong syndrome”?

Reacting. Bouncing back and forth between all the things competing for your attention all day long.  Reacting to emails and voice mails, trying to please our leaders, reacting to our Clients’ needs, and our teams’ issues. Reacting to the voices in our heads, the feedback from family and friends, and what the media tells us we should be doing.  We spend so much time reacting all week, that before you know it, its Friday.

Did you know?

A University of California – Irvine study showed that information workers are interrupted on average every 3 minutes.  In addition, a study at Intel showed people spending 20 hours per week processing email.  (source: IEEE Spectrum)

Here are two insanely practical tools that can help you BE CERTAIN you are working on the right things, and avoiding ping pong syndrome:

Goal Setting Worksheet

This Goal Setting Worksheet will help you organize your goals, to dos, and/or projects to help you make the biggest impact in your life or career.

Updating this each week will only take about 10 minutes if you have all of your goals, to dos, and projects organized.

Here’s what you do:

• Simply draw 4 quadrants on a piece of paper (or in Excel).
• Label the top of the vertical line “High Impact” and the bottom of the vertical line “Low Impact”.
• Next, label the left side of the horizontal line “High Effort” and the right side of the horizontal line “Low Effort”.

Now, place all of your goals, tasks, or projects in the quadrants. Quickly, you’ll find the things that have low effort/ high impact. Work on those first. Then, move to high effort/high impact!

Download the Goal Setting Worksheet Template (Excel).

Weekly Planner Template

This Weekly Planner Template (borrowed from the teachings of Stephen Covey) will help you organize the most important things to do in each “role” you play in your life.  Combined with the Goal Setting Worksheet above, you can easily identify those things that will have the biggest impact.

Creating one each week should not take you longer than 10 minutes.

Here’s how to use it:

• Simply write in all of the roles you have. As you’ll see in my example, I put in things like Husband, Father, Team Leader, etc.
• Then, ask yourself “What is the most important thing I can do in this role this week?”
• Pull the best high impact/low effort and high impact/high effort goals, tasks, or projects that you will accomplish THIS WEEK from the Goal Setting Worksheet, or any other to-do list you maintain.
• Fill in the “Sharpening the Saw” section – which contains the 4 areas of your personal development each week.  Sharpening the Saw refers to Habit 7 in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  Learn more on the complete Franklin Covey approach.

Download the Weekly Planner Template (Excel).

Hopefully these two tools will help you focus your biggest decision – where to spend your time – much more effectively.  Will you be able to consistently do this type of goal setting each week?  Not always.  But, doing this more often than not, and getting in the habit of doing so is time extremely well spent.

Do you have feedback on these ideas or have your own to share? Leave a comment!

See also:

1. Exceptional Client Service [The One Goal Project] This post is part of the One Goal Project...
2. Personal Development Plan Template Are you looking for an effective personal development plan...
3. Exceptional Execution and Follow Through [One Goal Project] This post is part of the One Goal Project...

This post is part of the One Goal Project to achieve exceptional performance at work.  Learn more.

Business decision making can be a maze.  Use these questions to find your way out. (source: joncampbell / CC 2.0)

Better Business Decision Making – 3 Simple Questions to Ask Yourself

“Be not careless in deeds, nor confused in words, nor rambling in thought.”
Marcus Aurelius

We all need to make decisions.  Sometimes, we make bad decisions and learn from them.  Other times we make great decisions and wonder why we even deliberated.  Some people like to make really fast decisions and adjust as they learn what works.  Others like to invest a lot of time to research the situation before making a decision.

One problem we all have – regardless of our decision making style – is that it’s very easy to go on “autopilot” and not make decisions with a lot of thought.

So, how can you make better business decisions more easily?  Try this 3 step business decision making process that has worked for me.  Just ask yourself each of the questions below, and answer them honestly.  Sometimes I’ve found that writing my answers down helps too.

1. Have I heard the whole story?

It’s critical that you make a decision with a decent understanding of all sides of the story.  Try not to make decisions based off of one person’s account of a situation. I’m not saying you should discount the person’s opinion, but remember that they might not know or understand all of the factors influencing the situation.  Take the time to use active listening skills to really understand the issues and perspectives, and then move on to question #2.

2. What was the tipping point?

A tipping point is defined as “the level at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable; the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point.”  Experience has taught me that EVERY situation has a tipping point that caused it.  If you have to make a decision, you have to understand the conditions that caused the need for your decision.  You have to identify the tipping point, no matter how unclear it may be. Doing so will help you make a better decision.

3. What OUTCOME do I want?

This question will help you gain a tremendous amount of focus, and help you think through the solutions your decision will create.  By asking “What outcome do I want?” you focus your mind on solutions, and not on problems. It also helps you to “take a step back” from the situation at hand, and assess how your decision can help or hurt the situation.  This question is also great to use when preparing for a meeting.

Need to take the stress out of your business decision making process?  I highly recommend you take 3 minutes to read 3 Quick Questions That Can Help You to Cut the Irrelevant Stuff Out of Your Life.

See also:

1. Goal Setting Worksheet and Weekly Planner Template [The One Goal Project] This post is part of the One Goal Project...
2. Exceptional Client Service [The One Goal Project] This post is part of the One Goal Project...
3. Exceptional Execution and Follow Through [One Goal Project] This post is part of the One Goal Project...

Take time to reflect. Source: Richard0 / CC BY 2.0

5 Years ago, I lost my Dad.  He was an honest, caring man that led a life filled with great experiences.  These experiences turned into tons of colorful stories from the Great Depression, World War II, and the rest of his long life.

Through his stories, and whether he always knew it or not, he taught me many lessons about how to live my own life.  On this 5 year anniversary of his passing, here are 3 of my favorites.

1. Sometimes in life you have to sacrifice your interests to help others in need.

I was taught that I had to work hard for the things I wanted in life, but that sometimes your own interests need to be put aside to focus on something bigger than yourself.  Whether it was enlisting in World War II, or putting his own career on hold to care for his sister when she had terminal brain cancer, my Dad clearly demonstrated how to be selfless.

From when I was very young, my Dad was a stay-at-home Dad when doing so wasn’t popular.  He was completely dedicated to my Mom and me (I was an only child), and did anything and everything he could do to help us both.  He invested countless hours helping me with my homework, and teaching me to never quit – on myself or those around me.  He knew that your family matters more than anything else and investing your time with them is time well spent.

2.  Stick with an employer – or build a company – that cares about ideas.

My Dad only got to see my work at Quicken Loans for a short time, but was very happy to hear about the amazing place I had found.  He heard my stories about this new work environment where any good idea was greeted with “Great idea!  How fast can you get it done?”

Through his stories, my Dad painted pictures of different situations, where some of the employers he had were just not open to new ideas.  I spent 8 years learning for myself exactly what he meant, looking for an empowering, personal growth-focused company.  Those stories, and my experiences, taught me to be extremely thankful for the environment I work in now, because many, many people in this world are not as fortunate.

3. If you don’t have money, you don’t have anything.

I almost didn’t include this lesson because it seems superficial.  It’s not.  It’s comes from barely making it for several years, which left a lasting impression on my Dad.  You see, he was a product of the Great Depression, and survived some extremely hard times.  My grandparents, who owned a restaurant in Chicago at that time, lost everything.  The family then moved to Hart, Michigan, a small farm town to try to make a living with a new restaurant. My Dad’s stories of surviving on only milk and bread as a meal for days will stick with me forever.  And, because of that, I know that every dollar I earn is valuable.

Bonus: Tweet for ALS

Even though I didn’t lose my Dad to ALS  (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”), I know he would approve of what we are trying to do this Thursday, October 1, 2009.

Basically, I’m working on a project with our marketing team at Quicken Loans to raise $10,000 for ALS in 10 hours by asking everyone we know to donate $1.

We’re trying to use what we know (the Internet and social media) to help people with ALS.  You can read the full story here.

So, please consider donating $1 on 10/1/09. Check out www.tweetforals.com to learn more.

See also:

1. Jay Farner Interview – Leadership and Personal Productivity Lessons from Jay Farner Need to lead in a new direction?  Try these...
2. 7 Client Service Lessons from Graham Skidmore [Interview] This post is part of the One Goal Project...
3. How Do You Become an Explorer? [Lessons from Will Steger, Polar Explorer] Do anything you want, just set your mind to...

Source: NateOne / CC BY 2.0

Do you have your eyes open for ways to grow?  When you do, you can find lessons in the most unlikely places.  Here are some great lessons from the wall at Jimmy John’s, courtesy of Matt Cardwell.  I find a lot of value in these statements, and have re-read them most mornings since Matt sent them around to our team at Quicken Loans.

I believe…

that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe…

that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.

I believe…

that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I believe…

that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe…

that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I believe…

that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I believe…

that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

I believe…

that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.

I believe…

that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe…

that no matter how bad your heart is broken that the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

I believe…

that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe…

that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.  And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.

I believe…

that you shouldn’t be eager to find out a secret.  It could change your life forever.

I believe…

that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe…

that you should always leave loved ones with loving well wishes. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe…

that you can keep going long after you can’t.

I believe…

that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe…

that we don’t have to change friends, if we understand that friends change.

I believe…

that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I believe…

that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe…

that you either control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe…

that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, that passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I believe…

that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe…

that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe…

that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe…

that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I believe…

that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down, will be the ones who help you get back up.

See also:

1. Inspirational Quote about Defeat [via John F. Kennedy] Victory has a hundred fathers, defeat is an orphan....
2. Inspirational Quote about Worrying [via John Power] Worrying is the same thing as banging your head...
3. Inspirational Quote about Economics [via John Maynard Keynes] Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain...

Are you making hay when the sun shines, or letting opportunity pass you by? (Source: kevindooley)

I know it’s been some time since the last Dot Connector post, but not without good reason.  May’s One Goal was Execution, specifically, honing your “getting things done” skills.  Not to be outdone in what many of you know if one of my favorite activities (getting things done), the last two weeks of May were a whirlwind for me.

Here’s a recap, with an execution lesson in each update…

Buying a House

We’ve decided to become homeowners again.  With an $8,000 tax credit, and the desire to expand and improve our living situation, we’ve taken the plunge.  While we made this decision some time ago – and looked relentlessly in our free time over the past 3 months – in May we found a house.  We went through a long, tough negotiation on the deal.  Long story short: we close next week and couldn’t be happier.

Execution lessons learned:

1. Keep your eye on the prize. The deal we put together almost fell apart 3 times, with several more bumps along the way.  By staying focused on the “prize” (a much better living situation for our family), we were able to ignore some of the small stuff and see past the issues we had to deal with.
2. Vent once in a while. There were a couple of times where we just needed to vent, to really engage in the emotional side of the negotiation, and to just be mad.  It’s important to do this as a constructive release.  Far too often, in projects at work or at home, we keep things bottled up, and don’t give ourselves the opportunity to shut a door and just vent.  It’s always amazing the clarity you can achieve afterward.

Launching Ame, the Automated Mortgage Expert

At Quicken Loans we launched a major project to help homeowners who need to refinance: Ame, the Automated Mortgage Expert.  Ame guides a person through a radically new “easy as an iPhone” interface to determine what refinance loan is best for their situation.  The results provide refinancing options, mortgage rates, and full closing cost details.  Pretty cool, but just getting started.  Expect Ame to do way more in the future.

Execution lesson learned: If you are working on a big project (Ame is a big project), you need to find those ways to strip it down to the essential to be successful.  All good ideas (and good projects) create other ideas (and projects).  It’s easy to get caught in the “breadth” instead of the “depth” of a project.  Don’t let yourself fall victim to that thinking.

Completing My First 5k Trail Race

When I was setting goals in January, I decided I wanted to run a 5k race this year.  I don’t know about you, but working out is always easier for me if I’m working toward something.  At the beginning of April, I signed up for the Boulderdash, a 5k trail race in Duluth, MN (where I live).  I had 60 days to get ready for this race.  My goal?  Run the entire way, in under 30 minutes.

Execution lesson learned: Preparing for this race was a good opportunity to practice chopping up a larger goal into smaller ones.  I knew by the end of the 60 days, I need to be able to run 5k (3.2 mi) on trails.  So, I spent the first 20 days running 1 mile every other day, the second 20 days running 2 miles, and the final 20 days running 3 miles.  The result was finishing my first 5k trail race in 25:46!

Hopefully you can understand why my posting has been light lately.  However, in June we’re focusing on Decision Making as our One Goal, so there will be more to come on that soon!

See also:

1. 13 Useful Tips to Improve Execution and Follow Through This post is part of the One Goal Project...
2. Exceptional Execution and Follow Through [One Goal Project] This post is part of the One Goal Project...
3. Project Management Tip: Ask for Help! Asking for help is one of the most critical...