Razor's Edge

Today I want to encourage all with a short excerpt found in a book titled: You Were Born Rich, by Bob Proctor where he speaks about the “Razor’s Edge”. He states that there is a movie and a book by the same title (which both you and I should probably investigate) both telling about how to do that nnnth degree to set ourselves apart and “make it happen”.

Here are his words from page 143:

One person “just about” starts a project, the other person starts it. One individual “almost” completes a task, the other does complete it. One person sees an opportunity, the other acts on it. One student “nearly” passes the exam, the other does pass it- and although the difference in their marks may be only one percentage point out of a hundred, it’s that one point that makes all the difference.

I thought that would be very appropriate for students to read during this midterm week. I will be in training then next several days (living the razor’s edge myself), but I will have my laptop with me.

Continue doing well this week and always!

Ter

Deficit Spending NEVER Makes Sense

I just started reading a book about how to improve one’s finances. In the first few pages of the book he introduces himself and presents reasons why he is worthy of our listening to his words of advice. One reason is that he’s had much academic training but quickly goes on to state that he won’t blame the reader if this doesn’t impress because so many people having great marks in academia have such low marks in doing what’s right; especially in spending other’s money and with government spending.

It’s interesting that on page ten to make a point about deficit spending in our personal lives, the author speaks about deficit spending in government. Here are his words:

Deficit spending never makes sense; it’s like trying to come back from where you‘ve never been. But some politicians have seized up it as a means of buying votes from their gullible and unsuspecting followers. Poor voters. They never dream that the funds for the “free benefits” always come right out of their own pockets.

Have you read the news or listened to anything about the state of the government’s affairs recently. Does this sound exactly like what’s happening this very day? I think so. Now this is what’s interesting. This book is ?The Money Book for King’s Kids by Harold Hill and copyrighted about 25 years ago in 1987-but it sounds like something your favorite talk show hosts said yesterday.

If we don’t learn from history we are doomed to live it again. However, with continued deficit spending, it will be our children and grandchildren who will suffer from our choices we make today. Please be the man or woman you should be and do what is right for the future of this great country.

 

Three Times is the Charm

I’m sure that you’ve heard it said: “practice makes perfect”. Well, this is not quite so; perfect practice makes perfect. One needs to do all that is possible to have everything in place to practice perfectly. It’s hard for me to assist my speech clients virtually, via the Internet as we are doing in my blogs and email coaching program (I do however offer "speech coaching" to businesses around and near Duluth Minnesota, details at: www.terscott.com/speakercoach) . However, the best way is to sit down and ask yourself questions such as “how can I make this by best speech ever?” How can I add things with my voice, with my actions and gestures, with my props and visual aids to add interest in this presentation?” How, how, and more “how” questions.

This morning during my “reading time” I came across this quote which certainly applies to our speech giving. Here it is.

“Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And the third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.”

What’s cool about this quote is that it was advice given by someone who may be just a bit older than you. At 93 Virgil Thomson gave us those thoughts.

Ter

PS. Here are some quotes.

To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. Buddha
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Mohandas Gandhi
Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong. Winston Churchill

Leave your comment stating your favorite quote from above and I’ll the shipping on your next order of imprinted promotional items at http://www.myimprintrep.com/.

Make your blog and website print friendly, for free!

Here's a great (and free) way to make your blog or webpage "printable" by your visitors. As I was reading today, I found this cool gadget to do just that. Within seconds I installed it on one of my webpages. You can see it at: www.terscott.com/rolodexfile  which also lists other sources that I update and add to often. Just click on: "Make any page on your site "print friendly" and you'll be taken to the site that offers this. To see one of my pages that shows a FREE Tips Sheet on my Personal PR presentation that I do for corporations, click here to see how you can easier print it. And, I've added it to this blog. You can see the icon also at the top right of this page. Click on the print icon to see how it works. I love it.

It's always a great thing to offer our visitors more ease of use and reasons to come back to our blogs and web sites; this is a great way to do it. This is another "try-it, you'll like it" gadgets.

Piggy Back the Thoughts and Words of Others

Everything is built on the thoughts and ideas of others that have been here before us, or if we're fortunate, are still here.

Read, read, and read. Many of my ideas come to me when I meld minds with other authors. Usually for me it’s from a book from my regular “quiet time” collection I read from every morning with my tall cup of coffee companion. Today was no exception.

I was reading a book about SEO and was reminded of 3 things to ask visitors to your site or store. Since much of my consulting is involved with the Internet (and what isn't today), I am equally concerned with the physical and virtual storefront. When reading these 3 points, I added my own two cents worth from my experience and shared it with the world (we'll at least the part of the world that reads my blog at: http://terscott.blogspot.com/ .

We learn from others, whether in person or in print. We then share it in conversation elsewhere; or in a blog such as this. I encourage my reader to read, read and read some more. Then share what you've read. You and those you associate with will be better because of it.

Ter

PS. Want to be a better blogger? Why not visit my online blogging class. Free details are at:

http://masterblogclass.blogspot.com/ and at: http://www.terscott.com/blogclass .

Who do you "acknowledge"?

This morning during my “reading time” I started reading Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul, a book filled with “Heartwarming Stories for People 60 and Over”, so the cover states. Now at present, I’m not 60, but I hope to exceed that someday.

I always encourage my students to always read the preface of any book because usually you’ll find things of interest that other readers simply miss out. In starting this read, I actually read the acknowledgments at the beginning of the book, which like the preface probably is seldom read except by those who anxiously wait to see their name in print, much like most of us did when in high school we wanted to see our pictures in the yearbook. I’m sure the only person that recognized at all was one of the co-authors: Jack Canfield. So, really these pages read like the “Begats”; the genealogy of Jesus at the beginning of Matthew in the Good Book of the Gospels.

But as I was reading I tried to put myself in the “shoes” of the people who were grateful for the assistance of others in writing this Chicken Soup book and did the “acknowledging”, and also in the shoes of those being acknowledged. Pages went on and on about how many helped in many ways. Finally at the end of all, others were acknowledged but not mentioned by name.

I think I was drawn to reading this because in our life, much like any book, there are so many who bring us to where we are in life. Even at the outset of the acknowledgements, the writers state that the book took over two years to write, and then corrected themselves by following with: “On second thought, we’ve actually spent all our lives reading, collecting and studying unforgettable, heartwarming stories”. Yes, where we are today is the culmination of all of our thoughts and actions which were allowed to us by the thoughts and actions by those before us who created the inventions and freedoms to use those inventions.

Who are we grateful for today? What are we grateful for in our lives? If we were to write our acknowledgements, who and what would we include, and why?

This is something to think about and certainly a worthwhile “assignment” when one chooses to do so.

Make it a great day!

Ter

refrain from blatant self promotion when teaching

One of my latest projects is presenting classes to the local Community Education Classes. I've just finished a 10 week Marketing Boot Camp course to owners of small to medium sized businesses. One of my Community Ed supervisors was concerned that instructors may overstep the line as to presenting "generic" information to students or in promoting his/her business while teaching a class. Here is a note I sent to her offering my side of things:

I was reminded this morning of something you stated when we met the other day about having the best interest of the student over the interests of the instructor. As I was reading a book this morning, written by a mentor and colleague, I was reminded that I share his feelings. Speaking about when presenting radio interviews (but I think it’s appropriate with teaching as well) he wrote:

Most experts tell you “Plug your product or service when on the air.” I disagree. People don’t want to hear about your book or video or accounting firm; they want to get solutions to their most pressing problems. So rather than talk about you, your product, your service, or what you know, focus on the listeners- what they need, what they want, what their problems and concerns are.

I’ve been an instructor and sales person for many years and I’ve always lived by this philosophy. Because my marketing Boot Camp class had to do with marketing; which is what I do, using my examples of marketing pieces and those from my clients may have had the appearance of promoting my services. Certainly I will refrain from blatant self promotion when teaching.  

Thanks again for all. Make it a great day!

Ter

“Terrific. Energizing. Results!”