Your best just got better

You Twitter? Why's that?

Yes, I Twitter...though not as much as some, and a bit more than others.

For my past few short "updates," just visit http://twitter.com/JasonWomack.

What's Twitter you ask? Here's a link...

Now..."why" I Twitter is the question I field from time to time. My standard answer: "It's easy." But, underneath that response is the "Curiosity Quotient." You see, I'm curious about what's coming, about what is on the way, about what is here, and what is already behind us. So, since I look into the future and see more and more of us connected in new and different ways, I figured I'd go figure out what this Twitter thing is all about.

Would I recommend you sign up for an account and share? Only if your Curiosity Quotient is high enough!

Special Birthday Shout Out to a fellow entrepreneur and triathlete: Peter Shankman

I got to meet Peter in NY a few weeks ago at the NYC Triathlon registration. I’ve been fan and following his thrice daily email for months now. Talk about daily commitment!

He’s got an amazing story. He started in March this year and has built his mailing list to over 20,000 emails that he sends media pitches to 3 times a day, Monday-Friday. He’s consolidating media pitches from journalists on all topics and sending them out to his flock, free.

Everyone wins! I’ve really taken advantage of this service and sent responses to more reporters that are looking for someone like me for their story. No more cold mass press releases. I’ve been quoted in USA Today, the LA Times (and interviewed for the Wall Street Journal...someday/maybe!), and some great productivity & triathlon blogs because of HARO.

I’m very inspired by integrity he fosters in creating and protecting his list and HIGHLY recommend you check out www.HARO.com (which stands for Help A Reporter Out) if you want to be sourced in major national magazines, newspapers and web articles. So I thought for his birthday gift I would share this amazing resource with all of you. Hope you enjoy.

So Happy Birthday, my friend. Enjoy the chocolate cake & kudos!

Want a quick geography lesson that means something? Check this out!

So, I saw this link from an old buddy of mine...Where the hell is Matt? Check it out...

How do you use the Internet to stay in the know?

Some time ago, I received an e-mail from someone asking how I "use the Internet" effectively. (Thanks Lance!) Here's the prompt, and what follows are just some of the things I do/use...

Jason,

You might have posted this on the blog before but what about a blog posting on how you use the Internet to stay in the know.  My perception is that you always are finding cool stuff out there and so the posting would be on how you do it.

iTunes: I subscribe to PodCasts regularly. Oh, the secret to my success...I change the subscriptions often. That way, I don't go "numb" to them...

NetVibes: People say, "You really don't read 40 blog/websites a day, do you?" Here's the deal, get an RSS feed reader (I use NetVibes, see the picture below) and I only read the ones where something is NEW! It's a great way to stay in the know.

GoogleAlerts: Ok, this is by far one of my favorites. I have a GAlert for every client, every friend, every city I race triathlons in, and more...Easy enough to set up, and great to use...try them out!

and...good friends!

Where does YOUR attention go?

Got a nice little mention over here from guest blogger Andre Kibbe on the weblog that Francis Wade is writing...Thank you!

(Click the picture, to read my quote...)

"Pass along the savings..." a short article for small business owners

Our most recent article is on "cost-cutting" for small(er) business... Please take a look and let us know what you think!

Have you "thought" about blogging?

Ok, chances are if you're reading this you're already familiar with blogs and blogging...however, do you know someone who has been talking about starting a blog? Perhaps they will be interested in attending a seminar, and getting a 90-day FREE account with Typepad (the blogging service I've used for years). Here's the info:

Reminder: Attend the Free Webinar "The Power of Blogging" this Wednesday

Here's a quick reminder about the FREE webinar happening this Wednesday at 1pm EDT:

Join your hosts Desiree Scales, CEO of Bella Web Design, and Andy Wibbels, TypePad team member and author of the book Blogwild! A Guide for Small Business Blogging to learn about the power of blogging and how to use it to generate leads and communicate with present and future clients.  Watch the webinar from the comfort of your own computer screen, right from your home or office.

Register here for this free event at 1pm EDT on May 21st.

Oh, by the way, I'm still updating the website/blog I built in March called: HowToStartYourBlog.com. Check it out/pass it along to someone you think "may" be interested!

Here's a quick reminder about the FREE webinar happening this Wednesday at 1pm EDT:

Join your hosts Desiree Scales, CEO of Bella Web Design, and Andy Wibbels, TypePad team member and author of the book Blogwild! A Guide for Small Business Blogging to learn about the power of blogging and how to use it to generate leads and communicate with present and future clients.  Watch the webinar from the comfort of your own computer screen, right from your home or office.

Register here for this free event at 1pm EDT on May 21st.

What are your next milestones?

So, I recently e-mailed a colleague in New York, and after a few "back and forth" e-mails, we realized we're not only racing together in the New York City Triathlon on July 20, 2008...we're racing in the same age group!

I came across this website which give some fun info if you're looking toward any age-related milestones that are coming up in the next few years!

Here are mine:

1,500,000,000 seconds: Tuesday, October 22, 2019

20,000,000 minutes: Monday, April 19, 2010 at 9:20:00 PM

400,000 hours: Sunday, November 26, 2017 at 4:00:00 PM

15,000 days: Midnight between Saturday, May 4, 2013

2,000 weeks: Midnight between Sunday, August 8, 2010

Brad Bird from Pixar discusses Innovation in The McKinsey Quarterly

If you are a subscriber to The McKinsey Quarterly, you may have seen an amazing interview lately. If you didn't see it...I recommend it. Below is one of my FAVORITE quotes from the interview:

The Quarterly: Do angry people—malcontents, in your words—make for better innovation? Can you be innovative and also happy? Brad Bird: I would say that involved people make for better innovation. Passionate involvement can make you happy, sometimes, and miserable other times. You want people to be involved and engaged. Involved people can be quiet, loud, or anything in-between—what they have in common is a restless, probing nature: “I want to get to the problem. There’s something I want to do.” If you had thermal glasses, you could see heat coming off them.

One of the topics that we concentrate on in our seminars and executive coaching is what I call "Sustainable Productivity." Together, I and my client seek answers to the question: How can you stay engaged, at the level of engagement you're at when you're at your best?" In effect, we're working together to identify strategies and methodologies to change the way people behave at work AND think about work... I haven't had the chance to meet anyone like Mr. Bird...but if I ever get the chance, I know know a few questions I'd like to ask:

• How do you find the involved creative types?
• How do keep them on your team?
• What advice would you have for someone who is "semi" engaged with their work?

...and...

• What is a "job-skill" we're not teaching in high school that kids could really use in the next 10 years?

Tags: innovation, Pixar

Are you winning-winning? Or, is there still room for improvement?

Every morning I can (is easy to do whether I'm home or a hotel), I sit down to read through what is quickly becoming my favorite newspaper: the FT - Financial Times.

On 21 April 2008, Ms Kellaway penned an incredibly thought-provoking article on "winning and losing."

From my perspective, the take-away is: Sit down to reconsider what "win-win" means to you. Something I'm thinkin', if no one loses, what's the incentive to improve?