Jason Womack

3 ways travelers waste time AND money

So, my hope is that you subscribe to the free podcast I do every Friday. If you travel, for work OR for pleasure, listen to today's podcast to hear how you can save time AND money!

Click HERE to listen...

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/your-best-just-got-better/id427693120

 

Start Your Day…the RIGHT way!

Start Your Day…the RIGHT way!

Here's a link to a post that starts off…

Have you ever had a day that was, well, AWEsome? What happened? What did you do, or who did you see, or…where did you go? And, perhaps more importantly, how do you set yourself up to have it happen again?

How do you end the day?

How do you end the day? Do you, yet, have a ritual you go back to that marks the end of a 24-hour cycle?

Here's an idea: for the next 5 nights - that's all, just five - step outside at "about" sunset time.I joined a couple of dozen people at the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge to watch the falling of the sun on Saturday, September 28th, 2012. This, after having hiked more than 42 miles in less than 48 hours; we traversed the canyon - twice in two days!

When it comes time to close out a cycle, when you're "done" for the day, I suggest you consider these three prompts. (In fact, these are the prompts I use to fill up my daily journal...every day!)

Accomplishment
Acknowledgment
Appreciation


What did you "check of the list?" That is, what got done during the day today?

Small or little, it's very important that you pause at the end of the day to Call Something Done. (Yes, it deserves capital letters, it's that important!)

Who can you acknowledge as having helped you/assisted you/contributed to your success today? Call, email or write them a letter to let them know.

What do you appreciate? What are you happy (ok, what are you +STOKED) about?

And I realized: We are designed to move.

People move...

That was my ah-ha while sitting at Sternen-Grill, alongside Lake Zurich in Switzerland last summer.

Me, my lunch, and an issue of The Economist magazine. [By the way: You must read this magazine; it's that important.] As I sat for a while, I watched people walk, skate, ride, tram and bus by. And I realized: We are designed to move.

So, where do people move? I'm thinking it's kind of like asking, "What moves people?" Look around to see what moves the people around you, and - of course - what moves you. I can imagine one of just a few things, do you know what they are?

While I was reading the 2 JUN 12 issue of The Economist - article: "Squeezing out the doctor" - I spent valuable focus on the numbers. No matter what, there is something powerful in looking at the data and thinking, "What does this mean to me?"

By 2036, the estimate is that 22% of the population of China will be over the age of 65. In the USA, we will top 20% 6 years earlier. Let's say there are 375 million people in the USA 18 years from now: Is our health care system prepared to care for 75,000,000 people at that age?

Now, of course, my focus is on making things better. And, the ball only starts to gain speed when I think of the economics and business opportunities that connect to that statistic. I mean, if you're looking to start a business, here's one:

What information could you provide to 1% of that population at just $1.00 a month? That would be an income of $187,500...per week.

What if you provided something to just 0.1% of that population? Again, at $1.00 a month...that equals $75,000 a month. (As a point of reference, the first year I taught high school - four classes, in two departments, for 150 students) I earned $24,500... For the year!

Numbers, they are all around us.

What are some numbers that move you? How can you bring them closer to you moving?

Does the space work?

Wherever you're reading this, take a look around. Is that space the way you want it? Or, have you wished it was different. It is possible (as I found) that with a minimal investment of time and focus, to create a workspace conducive to enhanced control, productivity and efficiency.

Here are the three things I do to "set up my office" when I'm in a hotel...

SUCCESS: Are you willing to ask for what you want?

On my birthday this year, Jodi and I flew from Los Angeles to New York JFK to Bermuda.

Ok, we didn't fly the plane, but check this out: We got to sit on the flight deck when we landed in JFK for 10 minutes or so!

I often think about what would happen if we all stepped it up a little bit. What do I mean by that? Take a look around and see what you've got...

What you have to enjoy. What you have to build. What you have to give.

When we got on the plane, I "announced" it was my birthday to the F/A. (Flight Attendant) Then, in the normal announcements (those of us who fly, we hear those A LOT!), the Pursor said, "If there's anything we can do..."

So, I asked! "Do you think I could get a picture with the flight crew?" Of course, I was thinking, "Would they invite me up to sit on the deck while we're flying?" (I did get to do that when I was a kid...but that was a LOOOOONG time ago.)

Here's the success tip: Ask for what you want. But, there's a more important aspect to look at here (and, I'll be writing about this in my next book) and that is:

Practice on small things...so you can perform on big ones. What if I had asked to get on the deck and they said "No"? Nothing. That's the point.

But, when I practice asking for what I want here...I will more readily do it "there."

So, here's a prompt:

What do YOU want? Leave a comment...take a comment. Let's help each other!

"We've got to grow together..." the quote of the evening!

Last Tuesday, I had a great dinner with a new friend just outside of Boston, founder of Elite Leadership Solutions: Bob Maitland. During our conversation, he told me about the business incubator program at Hannah Grimes, here in Keene, NH. One visit to the website, www.HannahGrimes.com, and I realized that Hannah Grimes is not just a person (born in 1776), but an idea. The more I learned, I knew I had to meet the woman behind this effort: Mary Ann.

So (and yeah, this is just how I am) I sent an email and asked if anyone from the center would like to meet while I'm in town for 96 hours! She said yes...

Of course during dinner, I had to ask: Who WAS Hannah Grimes. With a big smile (and more story than we had time for at this one dinner), Mary Ann shared an incredible philosophy. Hannah Grimes grew up in the house that Mary Ann now lives in...over 200 years ago! At that time, everything was local. With today's movement to "think global and act local," or to work and live as a "local-vore," it is interesting to think that in those days way back then, EVERYone supported local - local government, local education, local markets...

I had one other question for Mary Ann: I said, "I emailed you Tuesday night, and by Wednesday afternoon you had agreed to meet for dinner. Thanks for takin' a risk to meet a new friend, but I gotta ask: Why?"

For the next 45 minutes, the conversation turned in to a deep discussion about how important is for people "like us" to grow together... it left a lasting impression on me.

Question for you today: "Who could YOU spend time with today to grow together?"

"Real-life" leadership in action (consists of at least 3 things...)

I s'pose I grew up thinking that people who were in a leadership position simply knew things I didn't; that they had some secret decoder ring (yeah, I'm dating myself with that one, huh?) that gave them an insider's knowledge. It just seemed that the successful (students, teachers, consultants, business owners...) people had something I couldn't have...

Then, I started traveling...and introducing myself to people, and sitting down to talk with them. Just yesterday, I got to sit down and enjoy a fantastic string of conversations with Bob Maitland (founder of Elite Leadership Solutions) at The Common Man restaurant in Merrimack, NH. How did we meet? Via a common group of connections over on LinkedIn!

Driving away from a dinner discussing our profession, the possibilities, and what we can individually do to work as a community, I realized that real-life leadership consists of at least a few things (what did I miss, please leave as a comment below!):

1. Show up: Reach out to my community. Ask people where I can participate, help and be of service.
2. Be friendly(er): Share a real story, one that I can laugh about that shows the "real" me...
3. Connect the dots: A social network is simply a group of people who share some kind of interest and can bounce ideas off of each other as they grow. If I know someone...and I know someone else, could those two know each other to move their mission forward? I gotta connect 'em!

 

 

6 Changes I Made to Improve My Productivity on Airplanes

In 2010, I took +120 flights. I’ve arrived to airports early (earlier than necessary) with too much luggage (checked in London and Zurich) and too much food (after 6 hours in the air, half-eaten sandwiches still in a bag).

Over the past 10 years of this travel pace and lifestyle, here are some of the things I’ve learned:

1. Charge it…all
Save yourself time (and possibly money): Create a checklist of “power” equipment you travel with. Review that list right before you fall asleep the night before you leave home, and make sure you’ve got them charging. I have ONE place in my home office where everything gets plugged in to, and it’s on the same counter as my keys and wallet. Here’s an idea: charge everything you’re going to need, and put it all next to your car keys so you make sure to pack it in your carry on before driving to the airport. (Oh, I do the same thing in the hotel room the night before traveling back home!)

2. Pack Cards, Envelopes and Stamps
You probably know, I write at least one thank you or greeting card each and every day. Between the time the gate agent closes the aircraft door, and the plane is over 10,000 feet off the ground (ie: time I’m not reading my kindle, on my laptop or watching a TED.com talk on my iPad!) I can generally write 2-4 cards. (Oh, and it’s usually a great conversation starter with the person sitting next to me!)

3. Bring a complete meal
The airplane “might” have food. Because Jodi’s a vegetarian (and life is just better when we travel together) we always pack a complete meal or two. Sure the short trip are usually ok, I have a Balance bar or somethin’ and a bag of nuts from Trader Joe’s. The long-haul (for me, anything more than 5 hours) I’ve got to have more. A sandwich, a salad, a bottle of water…you get it! I do buy all of this inside the terminal at each airport (love JFK, terminal 8!) just ’cause it’s easier. Yes, it’s a little more expensive, but easier…

4. Have a business card handy
Spend 1-12 hours sitting next to me on a plane, and I’m bound to meet you. Sometimes it’s a short, “Hi there…heading out or going home?” But, many times it turns into a longer conversation. Whenever I meet new people, I’m listening for the kinds of things they are interested in, and how I can learn and gain from that conversation. If they recommend a book, a Web site or a speaker, I like to follow up with them after I’ve taken some actions. Bring a business card, met someone and build your professional network.

5. Pen(s) and a note pad
So, I’m a fast typist (oh, 40-50 words a minute) but sometimes my most productive work sessions have come from “splashing ink.” This is what I call brainstorming, mindmapping or idea-ating. I travel with a medium sized Moleskine journal, and it’s always out while I’m flying…Just in case I need to write something down.

6. Exit Row Aisle
The “mega-tip” here is: Drink more water. I flew on over 120 flights last year alone, that’s a lot of time, next to a lot of people. One of the ways I believe I stay healthy is by drinking a LOT of water while I fly. Having a seat in the exit row, on the aisle, makes it SO easy to get up when I have to go to the “loo.”

 

 

BONUS #1: Buy extra charging cords, that “stay” in your luggage/carry on luggage. Keep one plugged in at home, and the other one always travels with you.

BONUS #2: Bose headphones … they make the difference on the flights (or hotel room) where there is a “screamer” next to you!

• OK, it’s your turn. What travel tip did I miss? Let’s get four more and make this a David Letterman “Top 10″ list!

The Womack Century (this year, a bit shorter...)

For the past several years, my brother and I had planned a 100-mile bike ride on Christmas Eve day in Marin County, CA. This year, I'll be riding (weather depending...) though it won't be 100 miles. Probably 25-35...If you're interested, let me know!