Saturday, May 26, 2007

Have you graduated from TRUMP 101?

Hi Everyone,

I was just re-reading a really good book called...Trump 101. The latest book by the Donald.

If you do not have it...GET IT! This one is must reading for anyone in business or thinking of starting one.

Here is a great passage (edited for space) from this gem...

Think Trump Scale: Bigger is Better

Thinking small when you could think big limits you in all aspects of your life. People are capable of great things, but not if they don't envision themselves achieving greatness. Start with your own mindset.

Think about the goals you want and the steps you need to achieve them:
- Do you have big or small plans?
- What is limiting or holding you back?
- How can you expand your vision for the future?

You can develop an expansive mindset that lets you paint in bigger, bolder, more colorful strokes.


Here's how...
Before you start any venture, while it's still in the idea stage, imagine ways to increase its size, scale or scope. Don't worry about being realistic or practical.

Explore whether any of your ideas, or parts of them, could be achieved. Identify the hurdles that could stand in your way.

Examine how to overcome those obstacles and the costs it would take.

If the timing for your expanded vision isn't right, the cost is too steep or other challenges are just too great, consider implementing parts of your ideas that you can achieve now. File the rest away because things always change, and what can't be done today could be a piece of cake tomorrow.

More sage advice awaits you in Trump 101.

Buy it here.

Until next time...
Peter
http://www.peterwink.com/

PS...I've already taped my first video blog and its available here.

If you like the free articles on this blog or find them helpful, let Peter know by buying him his all-time favorite gift - an Amazon gift certificate. Just click here!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Be yourself!

Hi Everyone,

As most of you know, I'm a die-hard reader of marketing and leadership books. In fact, other than family, my closest friends, and my fitness routine...marketing and leadership are my ONLY two passions.

So...when I come across something poignant, effective, and intelligent, that deals with leadership...I'm bursting at the seams to pass it on. And that's what I'm going to do. OK...let's cut through the bull and get to the good stuff!

I was re-reading a great book recently called "The Tao of Leadership" by John Heider which you can buy here.



In this awesome collection of sage writings, there is a little passage called "Being Oneself."

And it goes like this...

"The wise leader does not make a show of holiness or pass out grades for good performance. That would create a climate of success and failure. Competition and jealousy follow.

Emphasizing material success is the same: those who have a lot become greedy, and those who have little become thieves.

When you reinforce appearances, people scramble to please.

The wise leader pays respectful attention to all behavior.
Thus the group becomes open to more and more possibilities of behavior. People learn a great deal when they are open to everything and not just figuring out what pleases the teacher.

The leader shows that style is no substitute for substance, that knowing certain facts is not more powerful than simple wisdom, that creating an impression is not more potent than acting from one's center.

The students learn that effective action arises out of silence and a clear sense of being. In this they find a source of peace. They discover that the person who is down-to-earth can do what needs doing more effectively than the person who is merely busy."

You know those words are so powerful, it's scary.

Be careful who you follow in life. Most people unfortunately, are just out to satisfy their own weak agendas and could give two bits about you. That's a fact Jack! And always remember to watch what people do and believe little of what they say.

Try this...write down the next 10 things people tell you they are going to do. Give it a little time and then see what the results are. I'll guarantee that you'll be shocked at just how little is achieved.

And remember, most so-called Managers do NOT have a clue about what it really takes to lead people. Most are hand-picked empty suits (and dresses) with nothing more to show for themselves than a worthless college degree, poor family life, a bathroom cabinet full of today's most vogue pills, questionable political skills and a propensity to kiss the rear-end of someone they really loath. Gee...can I follow them?

Bottom line...to be a real leader, you must first be able to really lead yourself!

Until next time...
Peter
http://www.peterwink.com/

PS...I've already taped my first video blog and its available here.

If you like the free articles on this blog or find them helpful, let Peter know by buying him his all-time favorite gift - an Amazon gift certificate. Just click here!

Friday, May 11, 2007

They really don't have a clue!

Hi Everyone,

How many times have you asked someone a question and received some convoluted, non-sensical, off-the-subject answer? Did you ever ask someone a question and get Lincoln's Gettysburg Address for an answer? Or just had someone answer your question with another question? Whatever happened to answering a "yes/no" question with a "yes" or "no" answer? I'm going out on a limb here, and based on my own direct experience --- I'm guessing this happens to you often. You may not even be realizing it!



I did an experiment recently on some unaware business colleagues, family members, and friends. The result --- 2 out of 10 questions posed to them were either directly answered or answered with any sort of confidence. Yikes!

Some red flags answers included:
"I've heard...."
"They say..."
"I think..."

Or the famous..."I would..."

The challenge for me was that most of these questions were simple "no" or "yes" answers.

What am I ultimately saying here? Be careful who you take advice from. We've all heard the famous phrase about "the blind leading the blind!"

By analyzing these people over time, they all shared the same characteristics:
- Low self-confidence
- Wanted to appear smarter than they were on the subjects broached
- Felt the need to say something
- Did not want to feel stupid
- Actually believed what they said was helpful
- Were afraid of making mistakes
- Terrible, slow, decision makers (By the way...if your slow to make decisions...chances are you're not qualified to make it in the first place. Get a clue! If you can't tell, this is a huge pet peeve for me.)

Asking for advice is a true buying experience - even though money may not be what is being exchanged. Your trading your time and vulnerabilty for solid advice that you may base part of your future against.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite pessimistic/realistic phrases --- "BUYER BEWARE!"

Until next time...
Peter
http://www.peterwink.com/

PS...I've already taped my first video blog and its available here.

If you like the free articles on this blog or find them helpful, let Peter know by buying him his all-time favorite gift - an Amazon gift certificate. Just click here!

Friday, May 04, 2007

Now this is funny!

Hi Everyone,

A great friend sent this image to me today and I could not stop laughing.



And then it hit me like a ton of bricks...

The statement is more than profound - it's 100% true! Get moving with your life, take some risks and get the heck out of our comfort zone. As my good friend Joe "Mr.Fire" Vitale always says...DARE SOMETHING WORTHY!

Until next time...
Peter
http://www.peterwink.com/

PS...I've already taped my first video blog and its available here.

If you like the free articles on this blog or find them helpful, let Peter know by buying him his all-time favorite gift - an Amazon gift certificate. Just click here!