Da Coach's Blog

When THE BOSS calls ...

I got "on the bus" with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band in 1974, and he has never failed to deliver the 10 or so times I've seen him over the years.  And on a recent Monday evening he came through again -- this time with a leaner, meaner 2 hour show.  What I love is that he has such a wide range of emotional punches he can throw, even on new material -- anger, frustration, irony, hope, joy, triumph, FUN -- sometimes all in one song.  And with an encore of Thunder Road into Born to Run -- is that worth the price of admission alone, or what?  When The Boss calls, you'd better get down to his office!!!

To Blog, or Not To Blog ...

... that is my question!  I've been posting sporadically for a while now, don't know if anybody even reads my ramblings.

So lemme know if this is worth keeping up, or shall I just leave my musing to my bi-monthly newsletter?

A couple of useful tools for Success ...

•  Video Recommendation  The Secret  This is an extraordinarily well produced full-length movie on the so-called "Secret of Success," which you all should be familiar with if you read books like Think and Grow Rich and listen to Nightingale-Conant audio programs.  It features some prominent teachers of success, including Bob Proctor and Chicken Soup for the Soul author Jack Canfield.  You can either stream it on your computer or purchase the DVD -- either way, I guarantee you'll be impressed by its highly engaging presentation of a timeless message.

•  CD Recommendation  Just about every day I put on my ear buds listen to this 30-minute "Hypnotherapy for Wealth" CD.  It includes a guided visualization and prosperity affirmations.  Just one more way I program my mind for the outcomes I want.  To order, call the toll free number (sorry, you can't order it on line), wade through the prompts -- (888) 868-8883.

Business Networking defined ...

Business Networking:  Creating and sustaining mutually beneficial relationships between business owners for support, education and sharing of leads.  The two types of leads shared are prospects (people the business owner wants to do business with) and centers of influence (people who are not prospects but can refer them).

In the age of Do Not Call restrictions that has just about eliminated cold calling, Business Networking is the best way to generate well-qualified professional referrals.  Most people think that networking is simply handing out their business cards at a Chamber of Commerce event and saying, "Call me if you know anyone who can use my services."  (Not very likely to happen, which is why most people don't get business who do that.)  Instead, it's developing partnerships with people who get to know you, like you, trust you, and understand who you're looking to meet -- and vice versa.  It's a process that takes time to develop.

I have my coaching clients who go to Chamber events ask to exchange cards with people they hit it off with in a synergistic profession. For example, I have a lot of financial advisors who meet CPA's.  When they get back to the office, I have them invite the potential business networking partner to get together in the following manner:  "Nice meeting you yesterday Mr./Ms. CPA!  Let's get together for breakfast/lunch/coffee.  I'd like to find out more about your CPA practice, share more about what I do and see how we might be able to help each other -- what's your schedule like?"  Who can resist a sincere invitation like that?

Witnessing a miracle ...

It gives me great joy to share that on August 12th I attended the wedding of Mr. Laszlo Nagy.  For those of you who don't know him, Laszlo had a motorcycle accident in June of 2002 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.  I was one of the first people to see him at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and it was not a pretty sight -- he was in a neck brace, body battered and swollen, speech like Darth Vadar through a breathing tube.   Yet Laszlo somehow inched his way back over time, even regaining his considerable sense of humor.  He inspired me to write an article entitled Think YOU Have a Problem? (The point is, quit whining!)  And then to see him looking great in a tux in a wheelchair, his smiling bride Jennifer beside him, and have him look me straight in the eye and tell me, "Jim -- I am HAPPY!" -- who says miracles can't happen???  I've read stories about the triumph of the human spirit, but to actually witness it is one of the great marvels of my life.

My personal best ...

By the end of July I had set my personal best of two hours even on what I call my 25 mile "Planetarium Ride" -- I go from Evanston down Chicago's lakefront to the Adler Planetarium and back.  I give thanks in part to an iPod downloaded with a number of vintage live Grateful Dead shows from the '70's - the Keith Godchaux era ... that's when I "got on the bus." 

My reward?  I take a flying leap into the cool waters of Lake Michigan -- what a way to chill out after a hot sweaty trek!

How you want your referrals delivered ...

Many of my clients ask me about the proper way to have the door opened for them on a referral.  Here's an email from a client of mine that should make it clear: 

Jim, I have a name for you... finally! The manager of the other regional office for our company is Mark G.   I spoke with him about you and he is interested in your services. His direct line is (999) 555-1234 and he is expecting your call.

I hope this makes it clear on what you're looking for from your clients when they offer a name.  Without getting the green light like this, it's almost a cold call.

The Revenge of The Nerd -- Bill Gates is now the coolest guy ever!

Watch Bill & Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet show that having all the money in the world doesn't mean as much as having a big heart.

I'm in awe of their intentions.

Make a Second Half Comeback

OK -- it's just about halftime in 2006 -- are you on track to achieving your goals for the year?

Check out this Horsesmouth.com discussion board I'm leading -- it may help you get going in the 2nd half.

After all, what's better than a 2nd half comeback?

Got a problem with paying taxes?

I just sent in my 2nd quarter estimated taxes for the year.  I don't know about you, but the bigger the check I write the happier I am, because it means I've netted more money.

Sometimes I hear people griping about paying taxes -- I wonder where they're coming from.  Isn't it nice that we don't have to worry about hauling our trash somewhere, cleaning our streets, paving our streets and having water flow easily out of our taps?  Not to mention the protection we get from the police and fire departments locally, and our armed forces internationally.

Yeah, sure -- tax dollars are misspent at times, even embezzled.  While that makes for good headlines, most of our tax dollars are going toward jobs that you and I would rather not do.

I suggest some of the whiners go take a little trip to a third world country and check out how some people have to live without such services we take for granted -- it's a sure cure for "tax-itis."