How fun! I’m giving a workshop on April 20, 2017 to help people speak powerfully and get the YES they want. You will learn to: 
Use the Power of Three: Bring 3 Items to the Marketplace.
“How do I know which product is going to really work in the marketplace?” my new client, Andy, asked.
“You don’t,” I replied. “What really helps is to use ‘The Power of Three.’”
The Power of Three is a process that empowers you to try things in the marketplace, to stay strong and to maintain your focus.
We’ll use the T.O.P. process:
T – take 3 to the marketplace
O – optimize three and no more
P – power-up “imperfect action”
When you take three products to the marketplace, you have three times the chance that you’ll find something that truly resonates with your target market.
People like a choice.
As a professional speaker, I provide the event planner/meeting planner with my three top speech topics:
Which one will resonate more with the meeting planner or her group? I don’t know. … not until I send the three choices as visible through my three speaker one sheets (they look like flyers).
Let the marketplace let you know what can turn “red hot.”
Focus is a crucial part of business success. It’s important to avoid getting distracted. Similarly, you’ll do better to avoid diluting your power, resources and attention. Pick three things and avoid trying to push too many things at once. Over the years, I’ve written 42 books. Still, I focus on marketing only three top speeches at this time.
Now it’s your turn. What are the three best candidates (products/services) that you can promote now?
Waiting for the perfect time or the perfect form of your product can cause you to falter. Sometimes, perfectionists fail because they’re not shipping out their product.
Years ago, one of my friends said, “Creating a cure for no known disease.” He was referring to those engineers who fall in love with an idea, create a company, but later find out that no market wants what they’re offering.
The solution is to take something to the marketplace and get feedback.
“Real artists ship.” – Steve Jobs
Jobs was referring to the idea that real artist deliver value. They send products into the marketplace. They learn from real users of the product. They improve the product for the next iteration.
To know if you have something people want, see if you can get real customers to let you know what they prefer.
For example, I wanted to give a speech on “pitch hacks.” A meeting planner was concerned that the title that I had was not clear enough. I worked with my team and the title became “Pitch with Extreme Confidence: The Pitch Hacking Method.” (On April 20, 2017, I’m giving this workshop via Stanford Entrepreneurs and Silicon Valley Founders. Get an early discount https://www.meetup.com/Igniter/events/237843482/ )
One of my mentors mentioned taking “imperfect action.” We do not wait for the perfect form of some item. For example, I have worked with clients who did not think their biography was “perfect enough yet.”
I asked, “Does your biography communicate what you bring to the table? Is it clear about your credentials and what you can do for the client?”
When the client says “yes,” then the biography is “good enough,” and the client can use his or her speaker one sheet as a tool for getting speaking engagements. Sure, the client can later revise her biography. Still, she has not let the biography become a roadblock, stopping her from moving forward.
In summary, use the Power of Three so you enter the marketplace, create momentum and refine as you go along.
Take action and move forward.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux, CEO, Executive Coach – Spoken Word Strategist – Pitch Coach
This material is on my mind because I have now opened a special opportunity. When you CLICK HERE, you can go to my questionnaire-webpage and apply for a free consultation with me (limited number available) entitled: “Your Hidden Success Breakthrough – Strategy Session.”
Here are Your BENEFITS of such a free consultation.
I invite you to apply.
Let’s see if we might get the chance to work together … as a free opportunity to you.
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach * Spoken Word Strategist * Pitch Coach
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
Get the Advantages to take your business to a higher level. Learn Leadership Advantages, Pitch Advantages, and Success Advantages. To Soar with Confidence, you learn and use principles for top level communication to board members, team members and the media.
“Marcoux demonstrates how to “Prepare a Compelling Story that Moves Emotions.” He mentions techniques that he teaches clients for developing compelling Ted Talks.” – Dantalion Jones
Learn the vital skills of pitching your ideas and enrolling others into your vision. Get that “Big Yes” to funding your project. “This insightful book shows you how to zing a curveball right past the parts of the Hollywood exec’s brain that want to say no before you even make your pitch. You will learn what works when pitching, and more importantly, why, so you can get to YES much more often. Buy this book now. Consider it Spring Training before the big game.” – Danek Kaus
This invaluable guide, used by people in 15 countries and now in its second edition, will help you become immune to dark persuasion. Learn to use countermeasures to defend yourself against unethical persuasion and seduction tactics. Break any trance in which a salesperson is trying to get you to buy something not to your benefit. “Learn how to defend yourself against manipulation. Best book you’ll ever read to protect yourself, feel strong and move forward in your life. Highly recommended!” – Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter
Imagine dining with Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, and John Lasseter. These seven people share one thing: They’re great communicators. So this book will help you become a great communicator. “Marcoux especially stresses the importance of personal branding, of coming across as trustworthy and dependable.” – Einar Masson
Learn how you can tap into your natural gifts and tendencies to radiate Three Types of Charisma. Discover how to influence people with your words. “Marcoux explodes this myth: Charismatic people always feel comfortable before and during an important event, such as public speaking, networking or some other social event. This book shows how you can feel discomfort but still come across as confident and charismatic.The secrets include ways to radiate all three forms of charisma Marcoux describes as Warm Trust Charisma, Natural Charm Charisma and Magnetic Charisma.” – Danek Kaus
What the Rich Don’t Say about Getting Rich: Work Smarter, Live Better
You want wealth, abundance and enjoyment–yes? Wouldn’t it be great to learn the real strategies that the Rich use to create Sustainable Wealth? This book takes you behind-the-scenes to what really works. You’ll see a lot of myth-busting, and you’ll learn the strategies that get real results. “Tom Marcoux gives you an inside look on the psychology of what it takes to be successfully wealthy in life. It’s more than just taking advantage of opportunity, but also about taking care of yourself. This book discusses a number of strategies that we often overlook when it comes to leading a successful life that leads to wealth generation.” – Barry Adamson II
Get your ticket (early discount) “Pitch with Extreme Confidence: The Pitch Hacking Method” with Tom Marcoux — via Igniters: Stanford Entrepreneurs & Silicon Valley Founders … This workshop gives you both the new skills and opportunities to practice them. Extreme Confidence does NOT merely come from knowledge of your text or focus area. People who pitch are often afraid because they do not know how to handle their mind going blank or an investor’s toughest question. They’re afraid of being embarrassed. Have you ever given a pitch and merely hoped that you would get through it without messing up? Just imagine having the Extreme Confidence to know that you can handle something—anything—going wrong.
It’s about learning what seizes attention and how to handle tough questions that build a real connection with the investors. It may seem that you’re talking to a group. But you’re talking to individual investors. They watch for how your body language and vocal tonality show that you’re on edge. Confidence is contagious. You express confidence, and the investors are confident in you—and you gain your funding. It’s all about creating trust. https://www.meetup.com/Igniter/events/237843482/
Rehearsal and Focusing on “Better” create Success!
“What if I fail and do not make my own deadline?” my client, Amanda, asked.
This began an extended conversation.
A number of topics arose. Two topics in particular were important.
1. Beware of “we tried.”
During the course of the coaching session with Amanda, my intuition guided me to talk with her about the insidious nature of “we tried.” Using “we tried” in our conversation is a bad setup.
It’s like giving yourself an excuse before you’ve even begun.
It’s true that you can give a project your best effort, and it can still fail. Projects often have a lot of variables that you cannot control.
When you bring something to the marketplace, you have no idea if you’ll find a receptive audience. In this case, you can do everything right, but the marketplace does not respond in the way you prefer.
Years ago, a friend said, “Watch out for inventing a cure for no known disease.” He said this with a smile. But there is a serious implication here. When I work with people who are working to improve their pitch to gain funding, I find that it helps to make sure that the person has truly tested their idea in some way.
Without testing, we do not know if people even want a solution we’re offering. A solution to a problem that means nothing to your target market can be a real waste of effort.
For example, it is better to have a prospective client use your new application and to sit behind the person and watch how they use your screens. We need to be able to observe actual behavior if one is developing an app.
This all has implications related to “we tried.”
Really? You tried? I suggest the improved idea of “We’re doing.”
Look at these pairs of options:
Now, it’s your turn. How can you convert “we tried” to “we full-out did these 27 things”?
2. Focus on “better doing.”
At this point, I’m inviting you to drop the idea of “we tried.” You’re strong. Whatever life has hit you with in the past, you’ve survived. You’re still here on this planet. That means you can say, “We did 372 marketing calls. We conducted 133 free consultations. We gained 18 new clients.”
And still, you can find a situation in which you might have to say, “18 clients was not enough for a sustainable business. It failed.”
I do acknowledge that this much “doing” (or activity) was not a full failure. You certainly learned new things.
What is the real solution to this situation? It is what I call “better doing.”
It focuses on one question: “How can we do this better?” (What is the ‘better doing’ in this situation?)
So if 18 clients is not enough? How many clients is enough?
36 clients? Okay. How can you double 372 marketing calls? How can you make the conversion rate from free consultations yield more than 18 clients per 133 consultations?
Do you need to hire an expert coach to help you improve the conversation rate?
Hey!—That’s a good question.
In summary, I invite you to free yourself from the debilitating pattern of “we tried.”
Empower yourself with “We did these things (all logged) BETTER.”
Then – no matter what – you can be proud of yourself.
What is a fast way to get to “BETTER”?
That’s working with a coach. I have now opened a special opportunity. When you CLICK HERE, you can go to my questionnaire-webpage and apply for a free consultation with me (limited number available) entitled: “Your Hidden Success Breakthrough – Strategy Session.”
Here are Your BENEFITS of such a free consultation.
I invite you to apply.
Let’s see if we might get the chance to work together … as a free opportunity to you.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach * Pitch Coach
Spoken Word Strategist
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
Get the Advantages to take your business to a higher level. Learn Leadership Advantages, Pitch Advantages, and Success Advantages. To Soar with Confidence, you learn and use principles for top level communication to board members, team members and the media.
“Marcoux demonstrates how to “Prepare a Compelling Story that Moves Emotions.” He mentions techniques that he teaches clients for developing compelling Ted Talks.” – Dantalion Jones
Learn the vital skills of pitching your ideas and enrolling others into your vision. Get that “Big Yes” to funding your project. “This insightful book shows you how to zing a curveball right past the parts of the Hollywood exec’s brain that want to say no before you even make your pitch. You will learn what works when pitching, and more importantly, why, so you can get to YES much more often. Buy this book now. Consider it Spring Training before the big game.” – Danek Kaus
This invaluable guide, used by people in 15 countries and now in its second edition, will help you become immune to dark persuasion. Learn to use countermeasures to defend yourself against unethical persuasion and seduction tactics. Break any trance in which a salesperson is trying to get you to buy something not to your benefit. “Learn how to defend yourself against manipulation. Best book you’ll ever read to protect yourself, feel strong and move forward in your life. Highly recommended!” – Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter
Imagine dining with Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, and John Lasseter. These seven people share one thing: They’re great communicators. So this book will help you become a great communicator. “Marcoux especially stresses the importance of personal branding, of coming across as trustworthy and dependable.” – Einar Masson
Learn how you can tap into your natural gifts and tendencies to radiate Three Types of Charisma. Discover how to influence people with your words. “Marcoux explodes this myth: Charismatic people always feel comfortable before and during an important event, such as public speaking, networking or some other social event. This book shows how you can feel discomfort but still come across as confident and charismatic.The secrets include ways to radiate all three forms of charisma Marcoux describes as Warm Trust Charisma, Natural Charm Charisma and Magnetic Charisma.” – Danek Kaus
What the Rich Don’t Say about Getting Rich: Work Smarter, Live Better
You want wealth, abundance and enjoyment–yes? Wouldn’t it be great to learn the real strategies that the Rich use to create Sustainable Wealth? This book takes you behind-the-scenes to what really works. You’ll see a lot of myth-busting, and you’ll learn the strategies that get real results. “Tom Marcoux gives you an inside look on the psychology of what it takes to be successfully wealthy in life. It’s more than just taking advantage of opportunity, but also about taking care of yourself. This book discusses a number of strategies that we often overlook when it comes to leading a successful life that leads to wealth generation.” – Barry Adamson II
Tom Marcoux holds Greg S. Reid ‘s book “Stickability”
How would your success expand if you learned what really works from top achievers? You’ll find real support in the book by Greg S. Reid that is titled Stickability: The Power of Perseverance (Think and Grow Rich Series).
This powerful book gives you both the compelling stories and real-life strategies to create the success and fulfillment you desire. On page 23, we learn powerful points from the inventor of the modern cell phone, Martin Cooper. As author Greg S. Reid notes: “[Martin said] it’s important to know the difference between perseverance and stubbornness. You have to be able to adjust if necessary. . . . Sometimes this includes listening to others’ feedback, even when you don’t wish to hear it.”
On page 88, Reid notes the important observation that there are “Six Ghosts of Fear” itemized by Napoleon Hill, including fears of Poverty, Criticism, Ill Health, Loss of Love, Old Age and Death. Reid’s book includes methods of dealing with these fears. That’s important!
On pages 173 through 179, Reid shares the insights of Mike Muhney, the co-inventor of ACT! (the contact-management program). Mike said, “I have learned that I have to believe in myself. I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve had to call on a reservoir in my own heart, in the motion of my mind and my soul, just to keep going. I’ve always forced myself to believe in myself.”
A prime value in Reid’s book Stickability is that you have the inspiration of real life stories to augment the strategies — so you accomplish what you dream of. You’ll find real value in this book.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach * Spoken Word Strategist * Pitch Coach
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
Get the Advantages to take your business to a higher level. Learn Leadership Advantages, Pitch Advantages, and Success Advantages. To Soar with Confidence, you learn and use principles for top level communication to board members, team members and the media.
“Marcoux demonstrates how to “Prepare a Compelling Story that Moves Emotions.” He mentions techniques that he teaches clients for developing compelling Ted Talks.” – Dantalion Jones
Learn the vital skills of pitching your ideas and enrolling others into your vision. Get that “Big Yes” to funding your project. “This insightful book shows you how to zing a curveball right past the parts of the Hollywood exec’s brain that want to say no before you even make your pitch. You will learn what works when pitching, and more importantly, why, so you can get to YES much more often. Buy this book now. Consider it Spring Training before the big game.” – Danek Kaus
This invaluable guide, used by people in 15 countries and now in its second edition, will help you become immune to dark persuasion. Learn to use countermeasures to defend yourself against unethical persuasion and seduction tactics. Break any trance in which a salesperson is trying to get you to buy something not to your benefit. “Learn how to defend yourself against manipulation. Best book you’ll ever read to protect yourself, feel strong and move forward in your life. Highly recommended!” – Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter
Imagine dining with Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, and John Lasseter. These seven people share one thing: They’re great communicators. So this book will help you become a great communicator. “Marcoux especially stresses the importance of personal branding, of coming across as trustworthy and dependable.” – Einar Masson
Learn how you can tap into your natural gifts and tendencies to radiate Three Types of Charisma. Discover how to influence people with your words. “Marcoux explodes this myth: Charismatic people always feel comfortable before and during an important event, such as public speaking, networking or some other social event. This book shows how you can feel discomfort but still come across as confident and charismatic.The secrets include ways to radiate all three forms of charisma Marcoux describes as Warm Trust Charisma, Natural Charm Charisma and Magnetic Charisma.” – Danek Kaus
What the Rich Don’t Say about Getting Rich: Work Smarter, Live Better
You want wealth, abundance and enjoyment–yes? Wouldn’t it be great to learn the real strategies that the Rich use to create Sustainable Wealth? This book takes you behind-the-scenes to what really works. You’ll see a lot of myth-busting, and you’ll learn the strategies that get real results. “Tom Marcoux gives you an inside look on the psychology of what it takes to be successfully wealthy in life. It’s more than just taking advantage of opportunity, but also about taking care of yourself. This book discusses a number of strategies that we often overlook when it comes to leading a successful life that leads to wealth generation.” – Barry Adamson II
Make 2017 Great! Use Tom Marcoux ‘s book “Soar! Nothing Can Stop You This Year“
“You CAN make this year better than all years before,” I shared with my client, Andrea.
“How?” she asked.
“It takes a different approach. You’ll create a transformation for yourself. And, you’ll avoid the pitfalls of standard New Year’s resolutions,” I assured her.
So what do you want? To lose weight (or get lighter and feel energized!)? To write a book? To create a portfolio of your work and submit it so you get your dream job? Something else?
We’ll use the P.L.A.N.S. process:
P – plan for backsliding (get back on the horse fast)
L – log it on a Progress Log
A – arrange “joy out and Joy IN”
N – nurture your tough action early in the day
S – start so easy it fits your life
I’ve watched a friend simply give up when he broke his diet one afternoon. However, here’s a way to help yourself keep on going.
The better idea is to have a plan for backsliding.
One of my clients wanted to get up earlier so she could accomplish something for her dream—before going to work. She kept a log and did well for five days.
Then she stayed up late and failed to set her alarm clock. Her sixth day was a failure—her words.
With my guidance, she simply started again and called it “Round 2.” At the moment, she has 15 days (of Round 2) of successfully getting up at her preferred, early time.
The truth is we live in an imperfect world. We’ll sometimes falter. I prefer to call it “hesitating.” The plan is to get back on the horse fast. Call it Round 2 (or 3 or 21) and carry on from there.
Several years ago, a young comedian, Brad Isaac, met Jerry Seinfeld backstage at an Oakland, CA. venue. Brad asked, “How can I be a better comic?”
“The way to be a better comic is to create better jokes, and the way to create better jokes is to write every day,” Jerry replied. Jerry then revealed his own technique that he used to improve his craft as a comedian.
Here’s how Brad later described Jerry Seinfeld’s advice: “Jerry had a gem of a leverage technique he used on himself and you can use it to motivate yourself—even when you don’t feel like it. He revealed a unique calendar system he uses to pressure himself to write. Here’s how it works. [Jerry] told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker. He said for each day that I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day.”
In summary, Jerry Seinfeld told Brad: “After a few days you’ll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You’ll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain…. Don’t break the chain.”
I call such a calendar a “Progress Log.”
At this moment, I’m looking at my board (next to my computer monitor), and I see three Progress Logs (daily exercise, daily word count for writing my 42nd book, and more…).
To really achieve the transformation that you want, use a Progress Log.
One of my dear friends, Julian, told me that he’s “dropping carbs” from his diet. His doctor recommended a significant change in diet to help my friend avoid diabetes.
My friend asked for my thoughts on this.
“I hear you. You say you’re dropping cake, potato chips, bread, sushi, Asian noodles and more from your diet.”
“Y-yeah,” Julian said, his face dropping into a sad frown.
“Those types of foods bring you joy, right?”
“They did,” Julian said, his voice quiet.
“Then for you to keep to your plan. Let’s focus on “joy out and Joy IN,” I replied.
My point here is that replacement of what brings you joy is the process to keep with a new diet or schedule. One needs to replace the joy that one has taken out.
Fortunately, Julian likes to draw. So he’s now putting joy into his day by drawing using a Wacom tablet and his computer. In this way, he’s replaced talking about food with talking about his joy in drawing illustrations.
Now it’s your turn. Are you doing something difficult as part of your new goal? How can you put new Joy IN?
“Some research at Stanford University demonstrated that willpower is like a muscle. It wears out as the day goes on. That’s why I eat salad for breakfast,” I said, to an audience at LinkedIn Corporation.
I don’t like eating salad so I make sure to do it daily when I’m at my strongest point of willpower. When I say “nurture your tough action early in the day,” I mean take care of it and make space for your tough action to occur early and daily.
Now it’s your turn. What will most help you keep to your new schedule? What do you find tough to do? Can you place it early in your day?
For years I wrote about the benefits of meditation (among other methods) in books to help people. Still, I had to admit that I did not consistently meditate myself.
Then I came across two pieces of research that helped me. First, top meditation author Ram Dass was asked, “How long is your daily meditation session?”
“3 minutes a day,” Ram Dass replied.
I told myself that I could do three minutes!
Second, I found out that research reveals that concentrating on one image and focusing on one sound simultaneously places one’s brain in a calm state.
So now I had my breakthrough. And, for months, I have consistently meditated for 3 minutes before turning on any electronic device in the morning.
I call this “start so easy that your new action fits your life.”
Now it’s your turn. What is an easy step you could take toward improving your life?
I focus on this idea “better than zero.” Simply walking two blocks (one out and one back to your home) is better than zero. What can you do that is better than zero?
In summary, become one of the 8% of people who accomplish their New Years related goal. How? Make sure to have a fully-developed Plan. You have the P.L.A.N.S. process:
P – plan for backsliding (get back on horse fast)
L – log it on a Progress Log
A – arrange “joy out and Joy IN”
N – nurture your tough action early in the day
S – start so easy it fits your life
The best to you in this New Year.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach
Spoken Word Strategist
Pitch Coach
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
Tom Marcoux holds Shakti Gawain ‘s book “Creative Visualization, 40th Anniversary Edition“
How would your joy and success expand if you tapped into your natural power to visualize the best for your life? You’ll find real support in the 40th Anniversary Edition of a book by Shakti Gawain. It’s titled Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life.
On page 3, Shakti writes: “Creative visualization is the technique of using your imagination to create what you want in your life.”
Some readers may feel that they’re “not good at visualizing.” Shakti notes: “Usually a person blocks his ability to use creative visualization out of a fear of what he may encounter by looking inside himself—fear of his own unacknowledged feelings and emotions (pg. 21).” Shakti provides helpful details including: “Once we are willing to look fully and deeply to the source a of fear, it loses its power. If we feel overwhelmed, it can be very helpful to get support from a good counselor or therapist who can help us accept and express our feelings (pg. 22).”
Shakti describes Four Basic Steps for Creative Visualization: 1) set your goal, 2) create a clear idea or picture, 3) focus on it often, and 4) give it positive energy.
You will likely appreciate the kindness and support that Shaki provides in this book. For example on page 57, she writes: “The only effective way to use creative visualization is in the spirit of the way of the Tao—“going with the flow.” That means that you don’t have to exert effort to get to where you want to go; you simply keep clearly in mind where you would like to go, then patiently and harmoniously follow the flow of the river of life until it takes you there.”
Shakti shares affirmations including:
“I am loving and healing myself on all levels—spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.” – “I honor and respect my body.” – “I listen to my body’s messages.” (pg. 106)
Clearing Blocks to Your Abundance and Good
On pages 127-136, Shakti writes about “Clearing.” She gives “clearing exercises” that help the reader identify blocks and to take steps to become free of such blocks. On page 130, Shakti encourages us with …
“The most powerful thing you can do (and it is very powerful) to change the world is to change your own beliefs about the nature of life, people and reality, and begin to act accordingly.”
This is a powerful point, and it’s something I especially appreciate in my work as CEO, Executive Coach and Spoken Word Strategist. I’ve shared with clients: “We’ll identify your goals on three levels ‘Good, Excellent, Amazing.’ It’s important to think of Amazing! Because it expands your thinking beyond first guesses as to what is possible.”
There’s much more to say. Fortunately, Shakti said it in her book Creative Visualization.*
I recommend you read her book. It’s time for me to return to those pages.
Warmly,
Tom
P.S. This 40th Anniversary Edition of Creative Visualization also celebrates 40 years of New World Library. Congratulations to publisher Marc Allen and his team—including Kim Corbin who keeps me posted about new books arising from New World Library.
* Bestselling authors Jack Canfield and Marci Shimoff credit this book Creative Visualization as a key part of their journey to help many people and to prosper, too. Marci Shimoff writes: “Shakti, your words have helped us shape lives of greater peace, joy, and fulfillment.”
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach
Spoken Word Strategist
Pitch Coach
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
Tom Marcoux holds Sam Bennett ‘s new book “Start Right Where You Are“
How would your success expand if you released yourself from procrastination and disorganization? You’ll find real support in the new book by Sam Bennett. It’s titled Start Right Where You Are: How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers, and Recovering Perfectionists.
On page 35, Sam writes: “The important stuff is the work that only you can do.” She notes that many of us have habits which derail our productivity. She suggests: “Don’t check email or social media as a way of easing into your workday.”
What makes a big difference? Sam emphasizes: “Use your intuition to tune in to your new thoughts.” She notes that we need to shift away from “old tapes that are an unhelpful burden (p. 96).” Sam celebrates these ways in which new thoughts show up: “Oh!” … “I wonder if—” … “Maybe I could—.”
Sam brings a powerful process for shifting to better ways of interacting. She suggests that we move away from “What I Don’t Want to Be” to the “Middle Way (page 142).” She notes that swinging too far away from “What I Don’t Want to Be” can cause trouble.
Here are two of her examples:
What I Don’t Want to Be –> The Middle Way –> The Extreme Absence of What I Don’t Want to Be.
Wow! This is a good process. Similarly, I have also noted that people may swing like a pendulum from one extreme to another. Using Sam’s approach with the “Middle Way” gives you more flexibility and space to create more productive ways of relating.
On page 40, Sam encourages us to “drop the glorification of overwhelm. Busy is not a virtue.” She notes: “You don’t get bonus points for being stressed out, exhausted, and depleted.”
This is a powerful point, and it’s something I especially appreciate in my work as CEO, Executive Coach and Spoken Word Strategist. I’ve shared with clients: “That story is not working for you. What is a better story that you can form now?”
Sam has an important message for perfectionists. She replaces the idea of trying to appease people who simply cannot appreciate what one is doing. On page 202, Sam writes: “The right tribe adores you, just as you are right now … It’s a group of people in your life who are dedicated to helping you shine your weirdo specialness into the world. … This tribe will inspire you to be better, bolder, braver, and more genuinely yourself than you’ve ever been before.”
There’s much more to say. Fortunately, Sam said it in her book Start Right Where You Are.
I recommend you read her book. It’s time for me to return to those pages.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach
Spoken Word Strategist
Pitch Coach
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
Joel Peterson holds his book “The 10 Laws of Trust “– and Tom Marcoux celebrates Joel’s wisdom
What is one thing that will make your career and success skyrocket? Developing trust. Tonight, I had a profound experience of listening to a talk by Joel Peterson, author of The 10 Laws of Trust: Building the Bonds that Make a Business Great.
In his book on page 122, Joel writes: “The central message of this book … is living a life of high-trust relationships is a goal that’s achievable. And the overcoming of the occasional betrayal of trust is possible.” Joel has practiced his philosophy of building trust, and it has led to success including his current work as Chairman of JetBlue. He serves as a consulting professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
“Since many of us here are entrepreneurs and even consultants, my question is about beginnings. How does one create trust when first meeting with potential clients, investors or potential partners?” I asked during Joel’s talk.
Joel responded that one does better to go in focusing on “What can I help with?” He said that early in his career he focused on two inner mantras: “It’s not about me” and “I have everything I need.” He said that these become part of one’s “muscle-memory.”
He shared that, at one point, he hired Robert “Bob” Waterman, Jr. (that is, the co-author of In Search of Excellence) as his business coach. Waterman observed Joel leading a meeting. Afterwards, Waterman said, “You talk too much.” Joel took in the lesson. On page 27, Joel writes: “Respect is the currency of trust … Nothing shows greater respect for others than to listen to them without agenda. That means listening not to agree or disagree (or to stall as you prepare a response), but simply to understand.” On page 81, Joel notes: “Strong leaders hold back as much as they speak up. At times, leadership can mean silence. When others are allowed to speak, trust grows.”
This is a powerful point, and listening is something I especially focus on in my work as CEO, Executive Coach and Spoken Word Strategist.
Listening is a foundation of trust. Additionally, with my clients and graduate students, I emphasize: Build your personal brand on being trustworthy, helpful, organized and respectful (the mnemonic device is T.H.O.R. that I wrote about in my books). You notice, that I start with trust, and that’s why I connect so well with Joel’s work!
During his presentation, Joel emphasized what he calls “Law #7: Embrace Respectful Conflict.” On page 80, he writes: “When parties disagree openly in a spirit of mutual respect and move toward—not away from—problems, trust grows rather than recedes.” He recommends these three practices: a) set the standard that the best ideas win, b) think like a mediator, not a judge and c) don’t let tensions boil over.
In my roles as co-organizer of Pitch Power Fest (on meetup.com) and Pitch Coach/blogger at PitchPowerFest.com, I was invited to attend this event. I’m deeply glad I had the chance to hear directly Joel’s wisdom.
There’s much more to say. Fortunately, Joel said it in his book The 10 Laws of Trust. I strongly recommend you get and study his book.
It’s time for me to return to those pages.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach
Spoken Word Strategist
Pitch Coach
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
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“You look like you just got punched in the stomach,” my friend Frieda said.
“You’re really perceptive. I just had a loss like a gut punch,” I replied.
I had just lost a speech contest.
Why?
I had rehearsed a number of details, but I failed to rehearse the Vital Detail.
The speech contest required that I think on my feet and come up with an instant evaluation of another person’s speech.
So I rehearsed:
Still, I failed to rehearse the Vital Detail: How to abruptly, but with grace, end the speech.
So I lost the contest, but I gained the big lesson: Rehearse Vital Details.
As I gave the speech I brought in five spontaneous humor moments – and I threw off my own timing as I waited for the audience to finish laughing.
Here’s what I needed to do (before the day of giving this impromptu speech): Rehearse a quick ending: “And the final thing I’m going to share is ______.”
That would give me a 7-second ending.
My friend, here are the Two Big Lessons that I’ve learned from this experience:
In a timed-speech contest, the important thing is to end the speech on time. (I went over by 8 seconds — and my funny, warm speech was disqualified.) So I needed to rehearse how to cut a speech short—with grace. As I mentioned, I could have rehearsed a quick ending: “And the final thing I’m going to share is ______.”
As you saw above, I did a lot of rehearsal. But I failed to Rehearse the Vital Detail (the quick ending). If I enter another speech contest, I’ll pay close attention to the Vital Detail.
On a similar note: In giving a pitch to gain investors, the Vital Detail is to rehearse two good answers for each of 10 Worst Questions the investors would likely ask.
One needs to think through one’s answers, write them down and rehearse them. Rehearse enough so that you can sound confident and natural as you respond to tough questions. (I write about ideas like this at PitchPowerFest.com.)
Now it’s your turn. What is a Vital Detail related to something that is coming up for you? (a speech, an important meeting, an interview, a conversation with a family member)
When you want to have the Winning Edge in Any Situation, be sure that you get the lesson. It’s more than just pausing a moment and making a mental note. Instead, take the time to record the lesson—that is, write it down.
Then, take the third step and speak out loud (to a trusted friend, or your coach, or a therapist), the lesson you want to learn and always keep with you. As an Executive Coach, I sometimes ask my client, “So what’s the lesson from this that you’re going to carry with you?”
When you do this process, the pain subsides to some degree. Why? Because you’re not leaving empty-handed. You paid for this lesson and now you can carry it with you. This lesson will give you the Winning Edge in future situations. Also, you can bring value to others if you get the opportunity to share the lesson with them. (That’s been my goal with sharing this article with you.)
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Executive Coach
Spoken Word Strategist
CEO (leading teams in United Kingdom, India and USA)
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