Yesterday I was having some trouble focusing in my business. After coming off the high from accomplishing my first speaking engagement on Tuesday, I have had a tough time regaining momentum. I have been exposing myself to the world through social media and you really learn a lot about yourself in doing so...the good and the bad! So began my pity party. I was having a tough time separating my true self versus my false self, or my "ego". I was getting into deep thinking about what people are thinking about me and who I am truly being and it was consuming me. I could not think about anything else and put all work aside. "What is my purpose?" I was asking myself.

How does one become authentic?

While I was throwing this question around in my mind, I heard a ding on my Macbook which means I had a new message in my inbox. A new message was awaiting for me in Facebook. Now I promised myself earlier not to check my Facebook because I was taking a break from it so I could work on "me". This message was not from the ordinary spammer. It captured my attention because it was from Bob Burg, the author of the "Go-Giver." I remember I had sent him a message earlier about recommendations about authenticity. What he sent back completely changed my day. He wrote,

"The neat thing about authenticity is that - since it is your very essence - it is not something you need to learn...only embrace."

WOW! So instead of worrying how to be authentic, I just have to embrace what I already have? My focus immediately changed. A thought then popped in my head from one of my idols Gary Vanerchuck. "Stop crying and start HUSTLING!" A smile came to my face and I got back to work. It is crazy how we can be our own worst enemy.

It has been one anxious week. I have been invited back to my alumn (Western Illinois University) to speak. This will be my first large speaking engagement, yet that is not why I am anxious. Actually, I am quite comfortable on stage. After graduating in 2006, I declared I would never go back to Macomb. Don't get me wrong, the 4 years spent there were the funnest, wildest, most careless time of my life! I made amazing friends and had memories that I will not forget until the day I die. I actually think it was too much fun (is that possible?). Our reckless behavior led us into all kinds of mischief. So I put those years behind me and decided to spend to rest of my years here on earth becoming a better person and leaving a legacy.

So when I was asked to speak, I wanted to say NO, because I promised myself I would NEVER be back. But, never would I have thought that I would have the chance to impact so many lives. The realization set in that I am living proof that ANYTHING is possible. This event has become more than a message. It is me setting that part of my past free. Once again if a broke, rebellious, alcoholic can have an impact...YOU CAN TOO!!!

http://wiu.edu/newsrelease.sphp?release_id=7039

I felt inspired to write a quick post after watching the film Slumdog Millionaire with my friend and business partner Kyle Griffith. We were talking the previous day about not operating at our full capacity. Letting time slip by interrupted by our fear and ego's. This brilliant movie made me question how much HUSTLE I put forth every day in my life.

These young kids, coming from the slums of India, with no parents, must do what ever is necessary to survive. Picking through landfills, stealing, running from militants. I was in awe because this picture depicted something that is going on every day and many of us are blind to the fact. I thought I had some hard times with some of the battles I fought but, man I got it easy. I am 24 years old and have so much to accomplish. I vow to put my best foot forward every day with no more waste. It's time to HUSTLE. It's time to make a change...

Oh yeah and the movie....Simply put *****'s. Go See It!

The Digital Gangster (Eric Green) Reviews my video "8 Simple Tips in Social Media **SUICIDE** Prevention". This video had a VIRAL EXPLOSION to say the least. Within 48 hours it received 80+ comments on Facebook, dozens of re-posts and comments, led to over 100 new friend requests, and was favorited 7 times on YouTube. Many people have reached out to me asking in they can feature it in their trainings...way cool :) Many thanks to all of you!

Very simple tips to build a great reputation in Social Media. Watch out....IT GET'S A LITTLE INTENSE! (Viewer Discretion Advised)

***BONUS TIP***

VALUE INNOVATION: instead of focusing on beating competition, you focus on making competition irrelevant by creating a leap in value for buyers.


Build Your TWITTER & FACEBOOK Followers Fast:
@billcrosby http://billcrosby.com/?p=76
@gabestrom http://is.gd/iKkz
@briantomkins http://is.gd/iI17

BOOK 2 - Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by: T. Harv Eker

Is you financial thermostat set for generating millions, thousands or zero? If you are looking to attract big money, you must be ready to accept it on the inside. You can do this by changing your financial blueprint that was given to you by understanding the different thinking between the RICH and the POOR.



We all have a personal money blueprint engrained in our subconscious minds, and it is this blueprint, more than anything, that will determine our financial lives. You can know everything about marketing, sales, negotiations, stocks, real estate, and the world of finance. But if your money blueprint is not set for a high level of success, you will never have a lot of money - and if somehow you do, you will most likely lose it! The good news is that now you can actually reset your money blueprint to create natural and automatic success.

This book is an excellent tool for new entrepreneurs as well as ones who have been in the game for a length of time, yet still find trouble in managing their money. It will help you distinguish the way you have been taught to think about money and how to change your thought process. It gets my recommendation.

This book gets 4 out of 5 stars



In progress:
The Power of NOW

No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs by: Dan Kennedy

We are rocking an rolling in 2009! First book finished in record time. Now let me preface this...Brad Will is the guy who starts reading a page and 5 minutes later realizes he is at the bottom and can remember a damn thing. Can anyone relate? But I am getting better by learning to relax my mind of the constant traffic of thoughts flowing between my ears.

Obviously I am telling you I am poor at time management, but I don't know many Entrepreneurs who aren't. Dan Kennedy keeps you engaged with his blunt humor and the easiness of read. He breaks it down into very simple ways to be efficient with your time in business. Do you want to know the secret of this book? Here it is: Turn time into money! Ok were done.

Alright here is a little more. If you do not know what your time is worth, how are you going to get paid what you deserve? He give you simple formulas to compute how much your time is actually worth. So let's say my number is $200 meaning my time is worth $200/hour. Now that I know what I am worth I can justify the decision to do or not to do and activity in my business. Let's say you have to send out 100 pieces of hand written direct mail. If this is a $8/hour job, your time might be better spent attracting new customers into your business. So now you have the power to say "If I'm not making 200 bucks an hour, I ain't doing it."

10 Time Management Techniques:
1. Tame the phone. Don't take phone calls during your productivity time. Turn it off. Plus you want to appear busy at all times or else vampires will suck you dry of your time.
2. Minimize meetings. Meetings are serous time burners. Only have stand-up meetings, no chairs. Set meetings before lunch, don't serve refreshments, have an agenda and an escape route.
3. Practice absolute punctuality. Be on time every time and people will do the same for you.
4. Make and use lists. Create a to do list every day and write it down. Carry it with you and get everything you must get done that day (Schedule, things to do, people to call, conference, etc...). "Self-discipline is the magic power that makes you virtually unstoppable."
5. Fight to link everything to your goals. Have enough reasons to get rich. "If you are not achieving what you feel you should in life, it is because your goals are not defined well enough." Ask yourself "Is what I am doing, this minute, moving me measurably closer to my goals?"
6. Tickle the memory with Tickler files. (Read the book)
7. Block your time in advance. Scratch as many days off in your calander in advance, (birthdays, vacations, anniversary, etc...) leaving you less time to work with. You will also know you have these commitments set in stone in advance.
8. Minimize unplanned activity. Schedule your day by the half-hour. Eliminate down time of watching t.v. and reading comics.
9. Profit from "Odd-lot" time. Listen to audio books during your time spent in the car. Read books on the airplane.
10. Live on off peak times. Do not go to the store during busy hours or travel during rush hour traffic.

Most important point I learned: "People who can't be punctual, can't be trusted."
This means being where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there, as promised, without exception, without excuse, every time, all the time. If you do not respect the time of others how can you expect them to respect yours? Now some people are deliberately late trying to appear important. They are basically saying: I can keep you waiting because I am more important than you. What they are really saying is: "I don't have much self respect, so I'm desperately trying to make myself feel more like a big shot by stealing your time and getting away with it." So if you want to build great business relationships, BE ON TIME-EVERY TIME.

Overall I thought this book was an easy, yet good read. Time management is a subject that frustrates many business owners and will continue until we get it under control. By implementing these simple techniques, it will take much stress out of our day to day lives. I would recommend this book to all Entrepreneurs who are struggling with time management.

This book gets: 3.5 out of 5 stars