Successful Blog

The Mic is On: Yep, We're Talking Turkeys and Millionaires!

by

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
The rules are simple — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

That’s Right We’re Talking Turkeys and Millionaires

We might talk about:

  • people we’ve met and read about
  • people we may have dated
  • times that we, ourselves, have acted like either turkeys or millionaires
  • there’s which one our family thinks we’re most likely to be?
  • and then, of course what flavor of Klondike Bars we’ll be having
wildturkey1 Morguefile cderrick

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey . . . and flamenco dancing (because we always get off topic, anyway.)

Oh, and bring links about turkeys and millionaires to share!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: We're Talking Turkeys and Millionaires!

by

Join Us Tonight

That’s Right, We’re Talking Turkeys and Millionaires

We might talk about people we’ve met and read about; people we may have dated; times that we ourselves have acted like either turkeys or millionaires, and then, of course there’s which one our family thinks we’re most likely to be?

Oh, and bring links to share!

The rules are simple — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

How to Think Like a Millionaire and Be What You Want to Be

by

Congratulations! You’ve Won!

insideout logo

How would do if you won lots of money?
Most folks who win the lottery don’t do so well. The headlines shout out their stories.

Most lottery winners are bankrupt in 5 years. Why is that?

Millionaire Thinking

Google the search string think like a millionaire [without quotation marks], and you’ll find that exact phrase still shows up on page 35 of the search results. Obviously, the idea that millionaires think differently is accepted wisdom.

Suppose your goal is to retire a millionaire. What would it take to get yourself there?

Becoming a millionaire takes the same passion, focus, drive, and vision as any job goal you might set.

Whether you aspire to be the headmaster of the school where you teach, the top research biologist, or an Olympic gymnast, without incredible luck, you just won’t get there, unless you . . .

  • a. believe it’s possible.
  • b. decide that nothing will stop you.

World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov didn’t get to be the best by thinking that he would never be at that level. Nicole Kidman didn’t become an A-List Actress and the highest paid public speaker in history by waiting for chances to come to her. Ian Fleming wasn’t dreaming about who’d play James Bond when he wrote the first book in the series.

All three of them knew where they were going and they got there.

“If you want to achieve something you have never had before, you must become someone you’ve never been before.” –Jill Koenig in her book, How to Become a Millionaire.

Let’s follow her thinking a little further.

“I am not talking about ‘fake it ’til you make it.’ I am talking about redirecting your thoughts, energy and actions into the type of person who would absolutely manifest that Goal.”

So what does Jill say that she did? You can find it her article with the same name as her book, How to Become a Millionaire.
This author who has become a millionaire and an expert in the field of strategic goal setting lays the path in plain language. To become a millionaire, she paid attention to millionaires whom she admired, using their actions as models. The path Jill Koenig took is set out plainly. You could do and so could I.

7 Traits Millionaires Have in Common

  1. Millionaires rise early, show up, and keep their promises. Hard work doesn’t scare them.

  2. Millionaires invest time in motivational activities and personal development.

  3. Millionaires keep a regular routine — one they know keeps on their “best game.”

  4. Millionaires keep their heads and hearts point toward their destiny.

  5. Millionaires see opportunity, not obstacles.

  6. Millionaires know how to say “no,” to a negative influence.

  7. Millionaires are people other folks want to do business with, or they could never have become millionaires.

Go ahead, replace the word millionaire with any goal or role you might long for. Those traits define peak performance and people we like to work with.

Any peak performer owns his or her goal. Don’t just wish. As Ghandi said, “Be the change.” Make your goal your identity. Once you do, people around you will start to agree and the support will move you toward where you’re going.

Be a millionaire or be something even better. If you are willing to become your goal, you’ll get there. You’re the only one who can talk you out of it.

It’s a matter of being willing to win.

Can you think like a millionaire?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Change the World: It’s Millionaire Day!

by


Feel Rich and Appreciated

changetheworld8

When I lived in Austin, I worked for a company that had a strict matrix for how merit performance increases were allowed. To say that in plain English, in an effort to be fair — or was it to control the budget? — the company had a chart showing how monetary increases would be “done fairly.”

I don’t remember the exact merit increase chart, but the matrix chart only allowed for 10% of the staff to receive increases above the rising cost of inflation.

This chart was problem.

Editors had a lot to say about the words chosen to describe performance — outstanding, good, adequate, and poor. Even more, though, was the problem of an entire team that was performing in an outstanding fashion all being limited to a raise of about 4-5%, when inflation was at least half of that.

So I did what I could to provide other incentives. . . . tweaked the atmosphere, found days they might take off . . . to pay them in other ways.

About a mile from our office was a small store with a glass counter. Behind the glass, the shelves displayed expensive Belgian chocolates. If you’ve a taste for chocolate, if you’re a connoisseur — read that as a chocolate snob — as I am, this 6 foot counter could entertain and amaze for well into an hour. One chocolate, in particular, became a favorite with my team.

This delicacy was made both in milk chocolate and dark chocolate versions, each filled with praline. One piece was 1.25 x .5 x .5 in size and was shaped like a US Dollar sign — $ . That was the hit! A single chocolate dollar sign sold at an exchange rate equivalent to that of the Australian dollar at the time.

I would buy those chocolate dollar signs, and we’d have an emergerency team meeting. An official announcement would state that we had once again become millionaires in the chocolate lottery. Then we’d spend 30 minutes or so eating one luxury chocolate a piece.

It was a ritual. It was a game. It was the best time and a way of saying what needed saying.

And our moods and minds changed. We stood taller, smiled more, and were more generous toward each other We also laughed. We were millionaires for the day. One piece of chocolate made that difference.

I can’t give you the chocolate. So I told you the story.

I hope you can imagine it, because I’m declaring, “We’re All Millionaires Today!”

We have a million in the bank and a few million invested. Millions of friends love each of us, and millions of readers and customers love what we do.

A little millionaire thinking really can make a difference. . . . Will you be a millionaire today?

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

25 Days to Organize a Blogger’s Life in Time for Holiday Fun

by

Problems, People, Paper, and Plans

insideout logo

I looked at the calendar this morning. Roughly 6 weeks stand between me and the end of the year. I’m not much for New Year’s Resolutions, but I love the feeling of new beginnings when everything is cleaned up, put away, and ready to rock. On the other hand, I don’t like to make work, especially at holiday time. So this morning, I’m putting together a plan that I’m calling . . .

25 Days to Organize My Life in Time for Holiday Fun

At this time of the year, conflicting goals can intrude on the most uncluttered life. They can stress and overwhelm the calmest soul. Chaos like mine is already out of control.

This year, with that in mind, I’m organizing my life to avoid possible nuclear meltdown. I’ll do something each day to wrap things up so that I totally enjoy the end of the year fun.

I plan to clean up my live AND catch up with my friends as we make the season merry and bright.

I. Problems and Solutions

Day 1: Get help with common problems. I’m going to quit trying to figure out everything on my own. It silly for me to invest time digging up basic answers, when Simple Help has probably already figured most of them out. Simplehelp.net is a site that is both interactive and re-active; if you can’t find the solution to your problem, you can request content and the tutorial will be created for you. If I let other folks share what they know, I can save my time for the problems so unique to my situation that only I have the experience and detail to solve them efficiently. I have a couple that need attending to right away.

Day 2: Ask for help with my blog, too. I’m going to let more people know that I welcome guest posts on my blog. Though my blog can’t offer revenue it doesn’t earn, it’s got visibility and an intelligent, cool audience that’s priceless. AjaxNinja suggested seek out guest writers and I’m doing it today . . .

This is an invitation. . . . If you can submit an appropriate post by Friday morning, I sure could use your help. I’ll be in the UK Dec 1-9, 2007, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to blog while I’m gone. You’ll find my email address and topic ideas on the Guest Writer page.

II. Thousands and 150 Important People

Days 3-8: Update one of my “networks” each day from this group of sites:
MyBlogLog,
StumbleUpon,
Digg,
Facebook,
LinkedIn,
and Propeller.
When I find folks who have common interests, add them to my contacts.

Day 9-14: Review other “social networks” I belong to: Xing, Ning, Spock, Zude, Rapleaf, 8apps, Pownce, BlueChip, Zaadz, and Doostang. Decide which I should stay with and which I will resign from.

Day 15-17: Use MyLifeBrand or social url to incorporate the remaining Social Networks into one global platform. Make this a 15-30 minute part of each day moving forward. Place that block during a time that my mind needs a break from other kinds of work.

Day 19-20: Sort and group my email address book. Email is my most natural social network. Delete entries for folks I don’t recognize or haven’t corresponded with in less than 6 months. Email folks on the 6-month drop list that I want to keep current. Check my email settings. Delete old emails I no longer need need.

Day 21-22: Go through the contacts in my phone in much the same way. Delete those I don’t know and calling those I’ve not spoken to but want to keep on as a contact and part of my life.

III. Paper and Plans

Day 23-24: Clean off my desk and clean out my paper files. Maybe I’d better start doing a little bit of this one every day from day 1 . . . hmmmm.

Day 25:Develop an Editorial Calendar for next month using the form below. Allow for spur-of-the-moment ideas and variations.

Editorial Calendar

Then sit back with a nice glass of my favorite beverage and listen to my favorite tunes. . . .

How would your 25 day plan to organize for some fun work out differently?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Blogger Relationships: A Meeting of the Minds

by

I've been thinking . . .

about how our minds meet.

This week I met a blogger friend at an event in Chicago. We have a common geography. His thoughts live in places where my thoughts had once had a home, and he went to the same high school my brothers’ kids did. We are the same kind of shy, but I might have talked too much for him to notice.

He told me he tended not to mix at a gathering of strangers. I told him that I usually had the same response and how I found ways to get by. We talked about how meeting folks online was different.

Since that night, I’ve been thinking the bloggers i meet every day in my mind.

I used to be ponder and be relieved by how efficient it is online. I can listen in and if I didn’t fit, I can click away — no one is embarrassed; no painful small talk is required. It’s so much less stressful, so much more efficient, the way we meet and connect with folks of like-mind.

But that’s only the beginning.

We might move up into our heads thinking, as we do any other time. The larger difference comes when, rather than thinking, listening, and speaking simultaneously, we focus on taking thoughts in and moving thoughts out via the keyboard one direction at a time.

The thoughts we exchange are in smaller packages. People are shy about holding the comment box for too many paragraphs. It would be a feat to step on the words while we type. It’s nearly impossible not to attend to the ideas someone offers — we have to read what they write to know what we want to say. Besides, we understand that we have time after we read to compose a thoughtful response.

It’s a respectful way of communicating. No wonder we find our a meaningful conversation right away.

What if we brought that same approach to the listening and speaking we do in the real world, in real time?

Liz's Signature