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How "CAN" you be more creative?

Ok, now wait a minute...if you found yourself reading the title of this post [How "CAN" you be more creative?], and thought anything like the following, you are ALREADY creative!

"Yeah, how CAN I be more creative?"
"Oh, I can't do that, I'm not really a creative person."
"Wow, how did Jason know exactly what I was thinking about today?"
"He has no idea who I am, I am ALREADY as creative as I want to/need to be."

Yes, I did say if you were thinking anything LIKE any of the above, you are already an incredibly creative person. Let me explain...

How important is "design" to you?

So, I'm surfing through the blogs that I "subscribe" to, and I found a link to an entry on "design" and usability. After leaving a comment on Matt's blog (found here), I went and read the original post. This paragraph jumped out to my attention:

I finally got it this week. I just finished reading Made to Stick. I finally realize that it is not all the books with their statistics and theories about design and usability that stuck. It is the personal experience that I had years ago (with a previous employer) when I participated in a usability study of the software that my team was writing.

Insomnia: Why did design become so important to me I just went and downloaded the introduction to the book, Made to Stick. I can read it this week on my new(er) Amazon Kindle reader...

Another recommendation to read, "The Dip"

A "blogging-colleague" of mine, Buzz, recently wrote about his experience reading one of my favorite books of all time: The Dip, by Seth Godin. In fact, the first time I read it was when a friend of mine, Joe Bruzzese recommended I check it out!


One of the sections of the book was especially significant to me: The piece on "seeing it, before you see it..."

"Persistent people are able to visualize the idea..."


Thanks, Buzz, for reminding me about this great (like you say) little book!

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!?)

Mark Victor Hansen - Book Marketing (learnings from the day)

Well, I definitely saw a LOT today. I arrived at the LAX Westin Hotel to check in for a 3-day seminar on book writing, editing, publishing and marketing - devised and led by Mark Victor Hansen.

It's late here in the west coast, and after a FULL day (7:30am-10:15pm) of presentations, activities and discussions, I'm walking away with a few learnings. In no particular order:

Write "to" someone.
    This was an idea that stood out to me from Bill Phillips' speech earlier in the day. The author of Body For Life, Bill said whenever he is ready to work, he starts by writing, "Dear _______" on the top of the page. I tried it tonight, and lo-and-behold, it works! What did I notice about this activity?

1. I wrote "faster." As a wrote this post, I continued to see that person in my mind's-eye, and I felt I was writing in a more clear and directed way.
2. I changed a few things, and wrote a bit differently than previously.
3. I searched to find an example that I think that person would resonate with/respond to.

Pocketbook, Paperback Inspiration: Three Cups of Tea

I re-read a page I highlighted while enjoying a latte this morning...

Page 19:
“All summer, I’d looked at these mountains as goals, totally focused on the biggest one, K2. I’d thought about their elevation and the technical challenges they presented to me as a climber. But that morning, for the first time, I simply saw them. It was overwhelming.” Greg Mortenson, from Three Cups of Tea

About three weeks ago, a mentor of mine (thank you Harry Wong!) recommended I read this book by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

I must admit, that over the past decade or so, I have learned to pick up the books that other people I respect recommend to me; it makes the “next” conversation with the person that much more interesting Generally, weeks or even months later, they will say something like, “So, did you ever get a chance to read that book?”

I bought a copy of Three Cups of Tea while I was in Manhattan on February 8th. Within three days, I was hooked (it must have been the long flight from JFK to LAX where I got to get about 100 pages in to the book before landing at home). I’ll let you read any of the information you can find out there...
Wikipedia, click here.
Website, click here.
Amazon, click here.

The quote that got me started was on the back cover: “Over the next decade Mortenson built not just one but fifty-five schools...”

Just ordered my "Amazon Kindle" - digital book reader

Well, I'll have some reports in the next month or so...but, so far I'm enthusiastic about the possibilities here...If you are thinking of ordering one, here's a link!

Books from Babson...

Last summer, I spent a day presenting our seminar at Babson College. It was great to be surrounded by the educational spirit, and I especially enjoyed perusing the books local college professors wrote. Click on the photos below to see the latest!

Jeffrey Gitomer... Again!

I sat in a bookstore, picked up Gitomer's book, opened to page 112 and remembered so much of what I learned years ago in phsychology class.

When I earned my second master's degree in 2003, I had no idea how much that information would help my career, my relationships, my business, my writing and more!

I spoke at a conference this month, two days after Gitomer was on the same stage. On a recommendation from a mentor, I went to the Internet and looked up his "sales rants" in the iTunes music store. They are great! I consider Jeffrey the uncle who tells you how it is...how it really is!

His book on "cha-ching" really ISN'T about making money as much as it IS about good, solid, meaningful connections and business principles. Best of all? It's easy (and fun) to read!

Enjoy...

Ok, one more post from The Race! (The novel by Dave Shields)

Some of you know I tend to move quickly - looking to learn the next lesson in life.

At work I am always interested in identifying the fundamentals, the "truisms" that we all operate under.

On the bike [or, more generally in triathlon] I am always interested in the fundamentals, the "truisms"... Sound familiar?

So, it's easy to understand that I am continually interested by people who ask, Jason, what's the latest in productivity?"

I need help in answering this, because the latest is the oldest... I mean, the problem we all face is the problem we have always faced!

In a nutshell here is what I have:

Each of us needs to make effective decisions more consistently.

In the fictional book "The Race," Ben's coach says:

Master your mind. Knowing what to do when is the mark of a champion.

So, check out your workday (whenever/wherever you are reading this) and I invite you to ask yourself:

What decision do I need to make, and what can I do about that next?