[Gary] Peeples Helping People, LLC

Give yourself something to react to

You know how you get caught up in checking emails, or surfing the web, or facebooking, or whatever; then you realize, "I haven't done anything"?

And when you think about it, the "anything" you are probably referring to is something proactive: advancing a project; starting a new project; crossing something off of your list.

At that moment you are in a reactive mode.

You are checking email for something to react to.

You're surfing the web for something that inspires you to do something.

You're on facebook — reading people's posts — so you can respond to something.

Don't you create to-do lists for the same reason? To give yourself something to react to.

I think it's normal to operate in reaction mode. And despite some arguments that you should always try to operate in proactive mode, I believe it's okay to operate in reaction mode. Within reason.

But how do you ever get anything done? How do you start something new? That's the within-reason part.

You have to find a way to create reactive scenarios out of proactive tasks.

For example:

Proactive goal: You need to build a marketing plan.

Create a reactive scenario: Schedule a meeting or a phone call with your audience. You'll have to react and prepare at some point.

Proactive goal: You need 10 new prospects.

Create a reactive scenario: Send out 10 emails a day describing how you can help with x or y. Create it once, send it 10 times. Eventually someone will respond with something you can react to.

Proactive goal: You need to clean your condo.

Create a reactive scenario: Throw a dinner party. You'll react and get that place clean. Trust me.

This isn't flawless, but let's face it: it's sooo much easier to react then pro-act.

So, maybe: "don't beat 'em, join 'em"; figure out how to use the idea of reacting to accomplish proactive goals.

Create things to react to.

How to start 207 businesses and expand your mind

I just read a fantastic post on arkarthick.com titled "Unfold your mind power", which lists 10 awesome ways to go about it. Worth a read, for sure.

Here's a quote it referenced; I love it:

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”

– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Here are 5 ways—I'd like to think—I'm unfolding my mind power, maybe they could work for you:

1. Read blogs everyday. First thing in the morning. It's the new "newspaper".

Get Google reader; subscribe to various blogs that interest you; Pop on daily and click on the titles that most interest you. [Then share your favorites on twitter.]

2. Play Words With Friends [on your smartphone].

I had no idea that "aa" was a word, btw. But seriously, it forces you to think, you learn new words, and it's easy to play with your friends.

3. Work out—everyday if possible—and use the time to think through problems and challenges you're facing; both in business and life.

It's amazing the things you can come up with on a 30 minute run.

I've started two hundred and seven businesses in my head while running. For the record I've done at least 3 of them.

4. Seek and listen to new music on a regular basis [this is one from their list, but I believe in it].

Music of all kinds. Use Pandora, Music Map, or any other popular web tools to explore. New music gives you new feelings and changes moods. It's powerful. 

My itunes is ridiculous. How many of you can hit shuffle-all-songs and be comfortable about every song it plays if you were in front of an audience? Haha. Not me.

Mine would go from Lil' Wayne to Dave Matthews to a Christmas song to a Spanish love song to The Spice Girls to Classical to Salsa to Led Zeppelin to so-on and so-on. I'm all over the place.

5. Try to ask "why not?" before "why?"

It's amazing how differently you look at something if you start with "let's try it." instead of "why should I change it?"

For starters, you can't help but think of things you haven't thought before; [it]'s a different concept. Starting with why-do-it leaves you to think only in terms of what you already know. 

And you can practice this all day long. Think of how many ideas are presented or questions are asked of you in a day. Try it.

Personally, I'm going to consider some of the others on the list from the post. Particularly the language one and the foreign film one. I've always wanted to master another language anyway.

I'm thinking of buying a Rosetta Stone. Maybe Australian.

3 Examples Of Great Timing [Jay-Z, James Cameron, and Michael Phelps]

Success is sometimes about timing.

Musicians and record executives postpone album releases all the time — often allowing a direct competitor to be number 1 in the process.

This is in hopes they can capture a greater market share or make a bigger impact.

Movie producers align release dates for the same purpose; betting that they will have more success for longer if they hold out and not compete directly with [whatever].

In swimming this idea is called Periodization. With the “main event” occurring every four years, swimmers need to train at the levels and peaks that make sense for them.

This allows them to be at maximum output levels when the time is right.

Jay-Z [the hip-hop artist] sometimes takes years between albums to focus on other opportunities. He even retired like, 39 times. He gives up #1 in the process, but always comes back with a hit.

It's on purpose.

James Cameron took a million years off, probably for the same reason. He allowed many other #1’s to occur during that time, but came back with Avatar.

Again, on purpose. And he pretty much single-handedly launched this 3-D craze we are in.

Michael Phelps is in-between Olympics — heading to his 4th. He too, has been focusing on various opportunities, sometimes allowing other #1’s to happen at "in-between" competitions.

When it matters most, he'll deliver.

Timing is a strategy, just like any other; and the longer you’ve been doing it:

Jay-Z for 30 years;

James Cameron for 40 years;

Michael Phelps for 20 years;

the more you know how to work this to your advantage.

This is YOUR life.

What time is it?

Now O'Clock.

 

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

1. THE LAW OF LEADERSHIP. It is better to be first than it is to be better.

2. THE LAW OF THE CATEGORY. If you can't be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in.

3. THE LAW OF THE MIND. It is better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace.

4. THE LAW OF PERCEPTION. Marketing is not a battle of products, it's a battle of perceptions.

5. THE LAW OF FOCUS. The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind.

6. THE LAW OF EXCLUSIVITY. Two companies cannot own the same word in the prospect's mind.

7. THE LAW OF THE LADDER. The strategy to use depends on which rung you occupy on the ladder.

8. THE LAW OF DUALITY. In the long run, every market becomes a two horse race.

9. THE LAW OF THE OPPOSITE. If you are shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader.

10. THE LAW OF DIVISION. Over time, a category will divide and become two or more categories.

11. THE LAW OF PERSPECTIVE. Marketing effects take place over an extended period of time.

12. THE LAW OF LINE EXTENSION. There is an irresistible pressure to extend the equity of the brand.

13. THE LAW OF SACRIFICE. You have to give up something to get something.

14. THE LAW OF ATTRIBUTES. For every attribute, there is an opposite, effective attribute.

15. THE LAW OF CANDOR. When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive.

16. THE LAW OF SINGULARITY. In each situation, only one move will produce substantial results.

17. THE LAW OF UNPREDICTABILITY. Unless you write your competitor's plans, you can't predict the future.

18. THE LAW OF SUCCESS. Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure.

19. THE LAW OF FAILURE. Failure is to be expected and accepted.

20. THE LAW OF HYPE. The situation is often the opposite of the way it appears in the press.

21. THE LAW OF ACCELERATION. Successful programs are not built on fads, they're built on trends.

22. THE LAW OF RESOURCES. Without adequate funding, an idea won't get off the ground.

[via The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing (1993). Al Ries and Jack Trout.]

The 5 rules of the Shark Tank

One interesting thing about ABC's hit show Shark Tank is that there are no business plans or power points or excel spreadsheets. 

But yet, The Sharks are willing to offer $20 thousand, $30 thousand, even a Half Million for a piece of a good idea.

If you haven't seen the show, it's basically about hopeful entrepreneurs — who are pitching their ideas to Trillionaires — to get them to invest in their idea. 

All they bring into the pitch is: the problem, the idea, how they've been solving it, and what they want to do moving forward. And usually a prototype or drawing of the product.

The Sharks know within 5 minutes if they are in or out.

In each case of Success, the following 5 things seem to be present:

1. The entrepreneurs are solving a problem that matters.

2. They explain the problem and solution in 90 seconds.

3. They've "started shipping" already — on some level.

4. They know their numbers. 

5. They are interesting.

These aren't the only things, but they certainly seem to be a constant.

So, it seems simple enough:

Beginning now — start solving a unique problem, with a simple solution that's easy to explain; know your costs and goals; and give it an interesting story. 

There(!) your first company is born. Or your next promotion is on the way.

No matter what your situation is, you can apply these rules to attract "investors" into your ideas.

The last thing Bin Laden saw on this earth.