Your best just got better

Who's around, and are they helping?

Over the years, I've picked up on different activities and experiences in creating the "network" of people who I spend the most time with - in life and at work. I've found that in the past decade, I've gained  significant trust and rapport with the people I don't necessarily spend the most time with - in life OR at work.

Every now and then, say once a year or so, I make a list according to the four following prompts. Consider trying it out sometime...

Who is around me?

What do they ask me about?

What do I ask them?

How do I feel when I walk away?

I'm on my way to a seminar, and got inspired by Seth Godin

If you have :30 seconds to read something that JUST may change your day, click on Seth Godin's blog today.

Here's the beginning part.

Getting vs. Taking

Most people spend a lot of time to get an education.

They wait for the teacher (hopefully a great one) to give them something of value.

Many employees do the same thing at work. They wait for a boss (hopefully a great one) to give them responsibility or authority or experiences that add up to a career.

As I get ready to pack up from the coffee shop I'm working in right now (photos to come!), I am inspired to be the kind of teacher that GIVES.

I am going to walk in to a room of 31 professionals here in Washington DC. Policy makers, information providers, researchers, analysts...people making things possible (sound familiar???). I'm glad a took :30 seconds to get a bit inspired this morning. Thanks Seth!

Go "find" some new goals - read some biographies

I have written before (and I usually talk about it in my seminars as well) about being a big fan of biographies.  I know that big time biographies are popular.  I've read biographies by professors at universities and professional researchers, but I have found amazing value in starting small.

I read biographies from the juvenile sections of bookstores!

I'll challenge you with an activity that will take approximately 10 hours and cost less than $100. And, I believe it will change your life ... it did (and continues to this day) for me!

Here's what to do:

Go to a bookstore and find 10 nonfiction biography "chapter books" in the young adult section.  These will usually be about 100 pages with large margins and larger font sizes. Most even have a series of pictures and charts or graphs too. Pick one and skim read the whole thing.  Then choose six, walk to the counter and pay for them. (Yup, this is the first decision...which ones do you leave behind!?)

A journal entry about my own successes

Yesterday in a seminar, someone asked, "How do you continue to stay engaged when the world is moving so fast, and changing all the time?"

This morning over coffee, these thoughts landed in my journal. The prompt: "What are the pieces - large AND small - of the puzzle of success?"

I'd love to continue the discussion; what do you think? Please leave a comment below!

Good people doing good things for our world...and I get to add value!

United   Way of Stanislaus       is a premier community impact organization that   mobilizes community involvement at all levels by engaging in strong   partnerships and collaborations.

The United Way of Stanislaus is co-sponsoring a Mastering Workplace Performance seminar tomorrow (26 March 2008). The Jason Womack Company is the "other" co-sponsor. So far, we have a room full of over 30 people who are planning to attend...more than 2 dozen people who are going to spend 3 hours "thinking about what they think about."

I am VERY excited to be a part of this event (we're donating the seminar free of charge...something we like to do once a month for good people doing good things). I have a quick favor to ask for anyone reading this blog...

Will you click on one or two of the links below and just see what some people are involved with on a daily basis? I was amazed and inspired by the level of engagement of some of these organizations!

Thank you in advance...

Local food bank that serves food from four meal trucks that travel and stop at sites to feed the homeless and needy throughout Stanislaus County.

United Way of Stanislaus County

New start-up nonprofit which trains newly released prisoners how to drive large trucks.

Local church that has several ministries helping the homeless.

School district with several after school programs.

Large Salvation Army social service organization covering many areas.

Center helping battered and abused single Mothers and women.

Recovery program for women with children under 5 years of age who are addicted to drugs.

Fair housing program helping to fight racism and discrimination among minorities.

Why I do what I do...the way I do it

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. ”

—Franklin D Roosevelt (1882-1945), 32nd U.S. president

Over the past decade, I've been teaching, leading, learning and mentoring in one very specific area: Making Things Possible.

It's something I've known I needed to do since I realized - as a high school teacher - that I wasn't teaching Spanish...I was teaching communication. That is, if a student understood that there was more than one way to say something in this world, then the doors to unlimited opportunity opened wide.

This quote by FDR is definitely one of my favorites..   

An inspiring note in the e-mail inbox this morning

What a treat to check e-mail...

Last week, I e-mailed a colleague, letting him know I'm coming to work in his town later this spring. Here's what he wrote to me this morning (check out the second paragraph!):

Good Morning Jason.,

Sounds like you're in the Springs for a little fun and getting together sounds great.  I will be here and available for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Let me know what your schedule looks like and we can defiantly plan something. 

Professionally things continue to change for me and I am loving everyday I come to work.  Enjoy your day and I will talk to you soon.

Thanks,

John

I used to think I was "strange;" you see, I've always loved going to work. I wake up in the morning looking forward to learning.

I got an e-mail from another client this morning who ended his note to me with:

It's going to be a great Monday!

I hope your week is already starting off with good things!

A great reminder from a client (effective e-mail)!

I enjoy reading e-mails like this one...please, keep them coming! (IF you've learned a tip or two from our website, seminars, newsletters, blogs or TeleSeminars, please let us know!) We've got some great tips (here is a link to some, plus an eBook we wrote on MicrosoftOutlook) for you to review...

Jason,
I just wanted to send another quick THANK YOU email. Your tip on
creating a "template signature response" within [my e-mail system] has really
been helping me.

Recently I incorporated a systematic follow up procedure on all the
bids that I work up for clients. Now, my daily follow-up calls (and
now emails-to not interrupt workflow) involve using the response
templates built in to [my organizational system].

In addition, common questions that I receive have also been turned in
to templates as well.

The POWER in this trick for me is NOT that it is less typing etc. The
POWER is that it allows you to make a quick decision on WHAT this
thing is in my inbox and how it needs to be addressed.

Thanks again,
Erik

Erik, thank YOU for taking the time to let me know this...we appreciate the good news!

Our latest interview on Life and Work...in balance (or, as some would say: imbalance!)

Click here - Putting the “Life” in Work Life Balance

In this episode, brought to you from studio 315 in Madison, Wisconsin, we interview Jason and Jodi Womack, a husband and wife team who help people manage time and increase personal productivity. They are a great example of how to put more life into work life balance.

Kim and Jason interviewed us last week, and JUST published the completed PodCast. (While you're on the site, consider subscribing via iTunes...they've got some GREAT stuff!)

Off to Costa Rica...back to blogging soon!

I'm heading out of the country...again...to Costa Rica!

I am SO looking forward to learning more about this place (a place that is quickly becoming a second home to me).

Living in Mexico twice, and Argentina once, in the 90's gave me the ability to speak Spanish fluently. Visiting now, with time to learn about the countries of Central and South America while getting to know new friends there, is absolutely incredible.