Results Junkies

Getting Past “The Wall”

Paul Singh — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:16 +0000

The most common phrase I hear from entrepreneurs is, “Get me to the next level.” Within a few minutes of chatting with them, it’s usually very obvious that they have a very real feeling of being stuck.

What “the next level” actually is varies depending on who you talk to but the good news is many of the factors that block reaching it are surprisingly the same. In almost every case I’ve seen, the elements that had fueled your earlier growth have run out or been forgotten. You hit a wall.

There are no “magic bullets”

You need three things to keep your momentum going:

A system geared up for the next level. Take a good, hard look at yourself today — are there manual processes or other tasks that can be automated, delegated or even ditched altogether? From Chapter 8 of 4HWW: Refine rules and processes before adding people. Using people to leverage a refined process multiplies production; using people as a solution to a poor process multiplies problems.
Clear, specific and measurable goals. You need to put your goals in writing and systematically review your actions to make sure you’re heading in the right direction. (Download this worksheet to help you define your goals and track your progress: The Getting Ahead Guide: Goal Jumping)
Relentless execution. Getting ahead doesn’t happen by accident — it takes hard work to get there. Accept this fact and simply move on.

Combine these three things and you’ve got everything you need to keep moving to the next level. Just remember, getting ahead is a marathon not a sprint.

Image Credit: JOE M500

Similar Posts:

Quick Wins: Three ways to save money fast

Paul Singh — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:00:02 +0000

I’ve consulted a number of small businesses over the past few weeks and, unsurprisingly, they seem to be concerned about the same things that most of my non-entrepreneurial friends are: saving money.

Here are three tips for cutting your costs immediately:

Ditch the underused gadgets. Knowing exactly what you have is the first step — classify things by how often you use them. It doesn’t have to be complicated, simply look for anything that you don’t use on a daily basis. Some examples of this would be old cellphones, DSLR cameras that you don’t use every day, old computer monitors, extra laptops, unused printers and scanners. Sell or donate these immediately.
Manual processes are your enemy. Filing receipts, paying bills, checking voicemails — there’s no limit to the number of administrative tasks we have to deal with every day. If you haven’t already, get yourself a virtual assistant and start offloading tasks. Why do something yourself when you can have someone else do it for you, usually for less than $15/hour. (Check out the Ultimate Virtual Assistant Guide for more details.)
Avoid overpriced (and unnecessary) contracts. First, take a look at your cell phone bill — you’re likely to have many unused features on there that are eating you up. I call my cell phone company at least once a year and ask them to review my past statements to see if it makes sense to modify my contract in some way. Most times, a small adjustment to the minutes or SMS credits on the account will save me at least $20/month. For the rest of your contracts, use the A La Carte method to save yourself some money or simply renogitiate your contracts — there’s no harm in simply asking for a discount.

So, take a few minutes to try these out for yourself — the people I’ve talked to have saved at least a few hundred dollars per month and freed up hours of wasted time each week. All it takes is a few simple things to make it happen.

Similar Posts:

Vacation scheduling and the little white lies that you need to tell

Paul Singh — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:40:38 +0000

I have a secret: I tell people that I’m on vacation at least twice a month and it’s usually a lie because I’m actually just working from somewhere different to avoid distractions.

Yep, now my secret’s out but I’m not worried. I’ll continue using it because most people don’t want to be known as the person that bothers people on vacation.

Learn to take advantage of a distraction-free day and work like your hair is on fire.

Do nothing except finish the project. Hey, you could have been on vacation, so it’s okay to neglect everything else, to put your email on vacation autorespond and your phone on voice mail and to beg off on the sleepy weekly all-hands meeting and to avoid the interactions with those that might say no…

And then finish it. Finish the website or the manuscript or business plan or the suite of tools. No, this isn’t a great week to do outreach or make a pitch. That’s not the goal. It’s to finish that project that’s been stuck too long. Finish it or cancel it.

The key to using this strategy effectively is to make sure you don’t overuse it and ensure that the right people know what you’re actually doing with your time. At the very least, make sure that your boss and/or your clients know exactly what you’re up to.

Now go enjoy a full day of productivity and don’t forget to take an actual day off from time to time.

Similar Posts:

The importance of being accessible

Paul Singh — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:10:30 +0000

A column in this month’s Inc. magazine describes what it was like to work for the world’s most successful entrepreneur, Bill Gates:

Bill came in. I thought about how strange it was that he had two legs, two arms, one head, etc. - almost exactly like a regular human being.

So, maybe Bill isn’t the right person to compare ourselves against but the point is that the people around you need to easily recognize that you are a real person, just like them.

When I was first starting out, I pretty much ignored returning emails and phone calls under the impression that I was simply “too busy” for it. Then one day I realized that people had stopped coming to me when opportunity knocked, and it hit me: I had to make myself more accessible if I wanted to get ahead.

“So, how do I become more accessible?”

First, make sure you give people multiple ways to get in touch with you. If you’re reading this, you probably have a cell phone, email account, Facebook profile and a Twitter account. Use them.

Then, make sure you actually reply like a human. It’s that simple.

Well, not really, but it’s a start. Here are some extra tips for you:

Visibility creates opportunities. People will never know how great you are unless they know you exist. Use blogs, Facebook, and your voicemail greeting to start getting your personal brand out there. (You did rethink your personal brand, didn’t you?)
Be reachable. Let’s be honest, you probably have an account on nearly every Web 2.0 site out there. OK, maybe not every one but you probably do have an email, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or FriendFeed account. Just use them.
Show your face. You can’t get ahead by sitting behind your computer all day. Get out there and start meeting people. You know the saying - a picture is worth a thousand words. Start putting a face to the name by actually meeting the people you interact with online.
Respond promptly. Most people are on deadlines. The more quickly you can follow up when someone contacts you, the more likely they will return the favor. If you have the time, respond to messages right away.

We’re all busy. Some days it seems like you’ve got neverending phone calls to return and emails to answer, but it’s time to stop making excuses.

I wake up at 6am every morning to catch up on email because I know that the people I’m replying to are still in bed — they can’t possibly reply back to me immediately with a one-liner. Stick to your schedule and keep the lines of communication open, the results will be well worth it.

Similar Posts:

The art of screwing off effectively

Paul Singh — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:56:07 +0000

Whether you’re working for someone else or running your own gig, you’re probably going to slack off at some point. I should know, I do it and so do most of the people I know. Unfortunately, efficiently wasting time remains a complex, underestimated and often misunderstood task.

In my experience, some of my most productive moments occur when I take a break and waste a little time.

Just remember that there’s a fine line between using your downtime effectively and stealing time or resources from your employer, family or friends. First and foremost, if you’re getting paid to do a job, that work needs to be your top priority. Don’t forget about your family either.

With that being said, there are some ways to use your legitimate downtime to focus on getting ahead.

Exercise: This is the best way to spend your down time. A good workout gets your mind off of things and gets your body in shape at the same time. Try to get into a routine of working out at least 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes — it’s easier than you think and you’ll probably gain some new perspectives on yourself in the process.
Change your environment: A change in scenery is well worth the effort. It can be as simple as heading over to a new coffee shop or taking a weekend getaway. Putting yourself into new situations tends to give you a new perspective on things.
Read a book: There’s nothing like holding a book in your hands and flipping through the pages. Pick up a book from time to time and get a new perspective on things. I’ve been picking up books from the Personal MBA’s recommended reading list and running through them on the weekends.
Go offline: This can be as effective as you want it to be. Some people simply turn off their laptop while others ditch technology for the weekend and go cold turkey. Personally, I’ll grab my notebook & trusty pen and head off to a local coffee shop. Using a nice pen and paper is much more relaxing than you might think — seeing your thoughts on paper tends to help you see them from a totally different perspective.
Take a Nap: This is a tough one — I’ve found it hard to not feel guilty for taking a nap in the middle of the day. Despite what you may think, your body needs rest from time to time. Don’t feel bad for taking a 15 minute nap on the couch. You’ll bounce back with more energy than you think.

So, continue screwing off — just make it worthwhile in the process. If you’ve got any other ideas on how to effectively waste time, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Similar Posts:

Don’t take things too seriously

Paul Singh — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:05:32 +0000

This is the eleventh in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.

Life is short. Too short to not enjoy yourself, both at work and at play.

I know what you’re thinking (because I used to think the same thing): Life can’t always be fun and games. True. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t take roll with the punches.

Besides, no one’s ever been on their deathbed and wished that they had worked harder.

Most people think that work is not meant to be fun, and those are the same people that work themselves into the ground, stress themselves out, and end up absolutely miserable (if you think stress in your work life doesn’t find its way into your personal life, you’re sadly mistaken). Trust me, I’ve been there.

The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed at work, stop and take a breather. Go joke around with a coworker. Leave early and spend some time with your family. Do whatever it takes to lighten your mood, and you’ll get back to work feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world.

The key to a well lived life is to avoid taking things so seriously. Just accept that unexpected things are going to happen and have a good time along the way. Besides, unexpected problems are rarely as bad as they actually seem.

Image credit: erin MC hammer

Similar Posts:

How I got 60,000 monthly readers within 6 months

Paul Singh — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:00:22 +0000

Over the past few months, I’ve received a number of emails from readers asking about many things related to starting and growing a blog. I think there’s something you should know: blogging, like most things, is not about brilliance. Valuable blogs are the product of hard work and smart, disciplined processes.

Successful blogging is really about doing a few (seven, actually) simple things right and avoiding serious mistakes along the way. Don’t forget to grab the free checklist at the end of this post, it’ll save you hours.

Here’s what you need to know:

Get tips from other bloggers. Despite what some people might have you believe, blogging isn’t new anymore — Technorati is tracking nearly 113 million blogs now. So, why not learn from the pros out there and avoid reinventing the wheel? When I decided to start this blog, I spent 2 hours reading nearly every post on Problogger, Copyblogger, Remarkablogger and Performancing. These guys are giving away nearly everything you need to know, for free. After reading all of those, I can confidently tell you that the secret to a great blog is incredibly simple: Help People. That is, help people by sharing what you love (and what you’re good at), and the rest will follow. The more value your blog provides, the more likely it is to succeed. Really, that’s all there is to it.
Discover the quickest way to provide a TON of value. I’m going to let you in on another big secret: The blogs that focus on dominating a single market usually destroy the blogs that try to be the best at everything. Focus on what you do best and then tell the world about it — widen your lens, narrow your focus. Find out what you enjoy offering the world and the remaining steps are going to be easy. This is exactly why you need to devote as much time as it takes to this step. Failing to focus, failing to choose one discipline and stick to it, is exactly what leads most blogs to mediocrity.
Form your team. The magnitude of your success depends on the number of kick-ass people around you. Instead of relying on your own brains, tap the collective wisdom of a number of smart people. I’ve learned that it’s really not hard to get mentors to help you - I found bloggers that I knew and asked them for advice. (Let me take a second to thank two people that provided a ton of great advice: Ramit Sethi and Chris Yeh. Thanks, guys!) So, go find your goal buddies - today.
Don’t waste money (or anything else). I didn’t waste money on paid blog hosting or custom designs. It’s simply not worth it when you’re first starting out. Sign up for a free blog at Wordpress.com and move on to the next step. Seriously.
Just get started. I know many people that have great ideas. I know far fewer that are actually successful. The problem is that they never even got started. Don’t fall into this trap. The sooner you start, the quicker you will actually understand what works and what doesn’t. By the way, don’t waste time thinking about which one thing to do - the choice doesn’t matter, just do something. I forced myself to simply sit down and start writing - you need to do the same.
Don’t become technology’s bitch. Sure, there are a ton of great Wordpress plugins, editors and gizmos out there - ignore them all. They take away precious time that you should be spending on writing and creating new content. Here’s the key: exploit tech only when you know precisely how it can help accelerate your ability to get ahead. (Here’s how I avoided becoming technology’s bitch.)
Get used to the work. I hate to break it to you: Plain old hard work is the best way to get better - it’s really that simple. You’ve got to have the self-discipline to stick to your blog for the long term. It takes patience, passion, vision and a little bit of luck but you’ll get there.

So, there they are — the seven steps I followed to get this blog to where it is today. Follow this process for your own blog and you’ll get further than you have ever imagined.

Introducing: The Skimmer’s Checklist to Blogging Success

Save yourself some time, pick up a free one-page checklist to learn everything I think you should know about successful blogging. All you have to do is sign up for my newsletter below and download the checklist immediately!

Similar Posts:

None Found

Assassinate your inner autopilot

Paul Singh — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:15:32 +0000

This is a guest post by Diana D. Jarvis, a single professional currently located in Metro Atlanta, GA.

When we’re in a miserable situation, the logical thing to do is to get out of it, right? So why do many of us stay in jobs we despise? Or maybe you have a friend who drives you crazy complaining about his job while making excuses for not sending out his resume. Why not do something about it already?

In a word: energy.

Dragging yourself to a job you hate takes effort. Being civil with a crazy boss and the lazy jerks called co-workers takes effort. The job itself is boring and repetitive, so staying on task takes effort. By the end of the day, you’re worn out, so you eat whatever’s handy and go to bed. From here it’s a downward spiral because you’re not replenishing your energy.

The next day you get up and go through the same routine again. Now what happens when you have a boring repetitive routine? Your mind goes on autopilot. Sometimes habit is a good thing. If you had to relearn how to tie your shoelaces every morning, how much would you accomplish with your life? In this case autopilot is dangerous because you’re locking into a self-destructive pattern. Getting out of the rut is a classic catch-22 because you’re required to exert yourself when your personal energy gauge is pointing at empty. The trick is to start small, taking one step at a time.

First listen to yourself. Are you joining the gripe sessions on work breaks? Are you whining to all your friends about how tired you are? Positive affirmations work by programming your mind through repetition, and negative affirmations work the same way. Every time you tell someone you’re tired, you actually make yourself feel more tired. So stop. If your co-workers won’t change the subject — apparently some people get an addictive adrenaline charge from complaining — find something else to do on your breaks.
Then shake up your routine. If you normally wear dark colors, wear something in a lighter color. Take a different route to work one morning. Drink a different beverage on break. Eat a decent supper, or at least pick up better quality fast food. Little victories lead to bigger ones. The more you stay off autopilot, the better you’ll feel.
Make a plan. Time wasted on whining is better spent brainstorming ways to escape. Make sure your friends understand you’re talking about a real life escape. I’ve discovered the hard way that some people love to daydream out loud with you, but they have no intention of doing anything. To them it’s just part of hanging out, sort of like playing Dungeons & Dragons without dice. (If they’re happy with their own lives, they’re being ultra polite in not telling you that your dream of telecommuting is rather lame as fantasies go.) You need someone who’ll hold you accountable. If you can’t find a serious goal buddy, consider getting a life coach.
Finally, carry out the plan. Where do you want to be? What specifically do you need to do to get there? Break it down into simple steps. Take a step every day. Even if you just send one networking email or make just one phone call, you’ll have moved forward. Some days you’ll have more momentum. Some days you’ll have less.

Just keep moving forward.

Similar Posts:

How Going Out To Lunch Made Me Rich

Paul Singh — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:10:04 +0000

Like most people starting out in their careers, I was making chump change while trying to pay for school and figuring out what to do with my life. To be honest, I ended up wasting most of my money on overpriced (and horrible) food at school instead of accepting near-daily invitations to head out to lunch with a group of people from work. (My excuse was that I was saving money by avoiding real restaurants and that somehow hanging out with other college students would get me ahead in life - fast. What a joke.)

To make things worse, I was coming from an entrepreneurial family (seriously, every Indian family owns at least one business) and working for “The Man” wasn’t something I couldn’t handle for much longer.

I’m not sure what changed my mind, but I decided to accept one of the invitations to head out to lunch with the office. Boy, I wish I’d made that choice way earlier. I instantly realized a few things:

It’s cheap. Going out to lunch with the office wasn’t as expensive as I thought. In fact, the food was cheaper and tasted better.
You’ll make new friends. I immediately started associating with people that I never interacted with while I was at the office. Expanding your circle within the workplace is never a bad idea.
Find out who’s who. A casual environment tends to make people loosen up. It was easy to figure out who was committed to the company and who the chronic complainers were. (Tip: Be sure to keep your distance from the complainers when you get back to work - they’ll talk your ear off.)
Get close to the movers and shakers. Thanks to that casual environment, you’ll also form a rapport with your colleagues. And if one of your peers gets promoted, guess who she’s most likely to recommend when other promotions come available? Yep, you got it - her favorite lunch buddies. It really is all about who you know!
You’ll expand your circle. Lunch was a cost-effective way of networking. Everyone wants to eat around the same time so we were surrounded by other local professionals.
Know where you stand. The fact that I was actually invited to lunch was a good sign. (If you’re not getting the invitations yet, take a look in the mirror and make sure you’re sending the right messages. My series on rethinking your personal brand will help you get started.)

Going out to lunch can not only be fun, but a valuable career tool - you never know who you’ll meet. I met two of my mentors and future business partners at one of these office lunches - that was the best $8 I could have spent. (Tip: Attend or Host a Lunch 2.0 event in your area - it’s a great way to meet even more people.)

Image Credit: jslander

Similar Posts:

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead

Paul Singh — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:00:10 +0000

I wake up at 6am every day. Seriously.

So, a typical day for me starts at 6am and ends around 11-1130pm. Spare me your excuses, people; you don’t get ahead in life by laying in bed all day.

The Secret

It’s no surprise that you’re probably most productive during non-interrupted work periods. I know I am.

I picked the 6am wake-up time because nearly everyone I know is still in bed. I can crank through emails, blog posts or even next week’s presentation without getting interrupted even once. The best part is that by 8am, when I stop to take a shower and get ready for the day, I’ve accomplished more than most people will all day.

Look at the numbers for yourself

Countless research shows that establishing a sleep routine is good for your body, yet so many of us want to “sleep in” whenever we get the chance and end up wasting our entire day.

Forget the whole 8 hours of sleep stuff - in a recent article, studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 and 7.5 hours each day live the longest:

…people who sleep 8 hr. or more…they don’t live quite as long. There is just as much risk associated with sleeping too long as with sleeping too short. The big surprise is that long sleep seems to start at 8 hr. Sleeping 8.5 hr. might really be a little worse than sleeping 5 hr.

The bottom line

Find out what works for you. Whether it’s waking up early or going to bed super-late, the point is to use your best hours to actually get ahead in life. Force yourself to try a new schedule for 30 days. You can thank me later.

Image credit: julie.rivard

Similar Posts:

Worrying won’t get you anywhere

Paul Singh — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:00:31 +0000

This is the tenth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.

This is a big one so listen to me carefully: Most things you fear will never actually happen. Even if they do, they’re never as painful or bad as you expected. So, I’ve learned that worrying about stuff is just a waste of time.

This is, of course, easy to say. But if you remind yourself of how little of what you feared throughout your life has actually happened, you’ll probably end up laughing at yourself. (I know I did.) Now think about how much time you’ve wasted worrying about trivial things.

How my friend and I used to waste time:

I have a friend who’s been interviewing for a few jobs recently. She’s experienced, talented, knows all the right people and has great interviewing skills. The problem is that she nails herself after the interview and starts worrying about everything. In fact, she’ll sit there and constantly check her cell phone for a call back. A week goes by before she hears anything back but she wasted a whole week! (She got the job she wanted anyways.)

When I started this blog a few months ago, I constantly worried about whether visitors would actually care about anything I had to say. Whenever a new post went up, I’d spend nearly the whole next day watching the statistics. And for what? What I didn’t understand at the time was that it simply doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I keep blogging and dealing with all the other things I’ve got going on.

“But, I’m still worried!”

Fine. First, you need to get some self discipline. (Need some outside motivation?) Second, go do something else. Seriously, if you just can’t get the worries out of your mind, at least put your energy into something useful.

The bottom line:

You probably have tons of other stuff to do.

Stop making excuses. Worrying isn’t going to solve anything anyways. Start spending your time working on other things. When and if something bad actually happens, just get started on the solution. Seriously, it works.

Image Credit: spaceodissey

Similar Posts:

An easy, simple way to keep in touch with everyone you know

Paul Singh — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:35:18 +0000

Over the years, I’ve picked up a number of contacts - people I’ve met and perhaps even worked with. The problem is that I’ve utterly failed at keeping in touch with most of them. Chances are, so have you.

Unfortunately, networking simply doesn’t work this way. Relationships take time and getting to know people requires patience.

Here’s how I spend no more than 30 seconds a day keeping in touch with everyone I know:

I set a daily reminder (I use Remember the Milk) to email atleast one person from my contact list every single day. It takes 30 seconds to pick someone at random and fire off a quick email to say hello.

Here’s an email I shot off just a few days ago:

Subject: Saying hello & mastering the iPhone keyboard

Hey Ben,

Hope all is well and that you had a great time in Costa Rica. (From the look of the pictures on your blog, it sure looks like you did!)

I dropped into a post today that reminded me of the brief conversation we had about mastering the iPhone keyboard, thought I’d pass it along: http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2008/06/12/iphone-keyboard-mastery/

In any case, just wanted to say hello. I appreciated your time on the phone a few weeks ago - if there’s anything I can do to return the favor, please let me know.

Ok, so now you know how I do it, so let me give you one more tip: Do your recipient a favor. (See how I passed along a blog post that was relevant to our conversation from a few weeks ago?) As they say, it’s better to give than to receive. Consider each favor an emotional deposit. When it’s time to call in a favor of your own (whether it be help finding a new job or an industry expert that you might need some insight from), you’ll thank me.

Image Credit: Andrew Feinberg

Similar Posts:

How I stopped being technology’s bitch

Paul Singh — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:00:56 +0000

This is the twelfth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.

There was a point in time when I absolutely had to have the latest gadget and try out the coolest new productivity hacks in my quest to get ahead. Looking back though, I can’t help but laugh at myself a little bit. I actually wonder how much time I spent reorganizing my personal “system” each time I tried something new - I bet it would be in the hundreds of hours.

“So, what changed?”

It was simple really: I realized that the majority of the successful people I knew relied on paper. PAPER! Not the latest iPhone. Not the latest GTD tool. Not the latest whatchamacallit. Just plain old paper.

“What’s the big deal with paper?”

First, go pick up a copy of Todoodlist and you will quickly see what I mean. It’s an easy read, you’ll get a few good chuckles and it includes a number of practical tips that I was able to use immediately. (One of the best things about it is the 30 day refund policy - so you have absolutely no excuse not to buy it. Just return if you really don’t get anything out of it.)

As I’ve said before, learning just one new idea from a book is the best way to spend $20 today.

“What system do you use?”

Here are my tools of choice:

That’s it - three simple things that won’t go out of style tomorrow, won’t break the bank and never, ever need to be charged up.

Similar Posts:

Don’t compare yourself to others

Paul Singh — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:20:52 +0000

This is the ninth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.

The grass always seems greener on the other side, doesn’t it? You see others who have achieved some level of success and instantly wonder how you might be able to do the same. Comparing yourself to others doesn’t get you very far - what worked for them may not always work for you.

So what do you do?

I’ve been running a masonry construction business on the side for years now. Every Spring, I run in to a number of contractors, both returning from last year and new guys entering the business - they all think the same thing: “I’m going to grow my business overnight. All I have to do is lower my prices and get more customers!” The really funny part of this that many other contractors will then jump on the bandwagon and say something like, “No way. I’m going to lower my prices to make sure that doesn’t happen!” This is when I fall over laughing.

The point of this is that there just isn’t any benefit to comparing yourself to others:

What worked for them isn’t always going to work for you.
You probably don’t see the full picture - the other guy is probably dealing with the same problems as you.

In fact, comparing yourself to others may be suffocating your success:

The problem is that most people will tell you the “how it works” of their success, but leave out the all important “why it works.” The “how” of the story will get you some results. But trying to copy the how without the why is about as effective as building a radio out of coconuts and expecting treasures to fall from the sky.

The key is to understand what you’re great at, create the opportunity and then take advantage of it. It’s really that simple.

In our case, we simply don’t lower prices anymore. In fact, we raise them year over year and find ways to add more value at little or no cost to us. (Think white papers, brochures and other information products that don’t cost us much. Tie that in with great customer service and we’re damn near unbeatable.) Sure, we could probably gain more volume with lower prices but it just isn’t worth it. I’d much rather have the new guys fight over the cheap customers and save the good stuff for myself.

So, quit worrying about what the other guy is doing and focus on exploiting what you’re already good at. It’s really that simple.

Image Credit: thebusybrain

Similar Posts:

Getting ahead should be routine

Paul Singh — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:00:58 +0000

In this month’s Inc. magazine, A.G. Lafley, CEO of Procter & Gamble and Ram Charan took on a toy company with $4 million in revenue and 30 employees. The result was a seven-step routine for innovation:

Select the strategy: Looking for an underserved market.
Connect to customers: The social network as idea collector.
Generate ideas: Brain-storming done right.
Select an idea: Time to separate the good from the great.
Prototype and test: Bring on the customers.
Go to market: Cookies versus cookie dough.
Adjust for growth: The process evolves.

One of my favorite lines from the article applies not only to companies but to you and me as well:

It’s not about brilliance. Valuable new ideas are the product of hard work and smart, disciplined processes.

Go check it out.

Similar Posts:

6 Tips to Nailing Your First Job Interview

Paul Singh — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:30:59 +0000

This is a guest post by Aman Bagga, a single 20-something located in Cleveland, OH.

So you’re finally here. After 4 years of tailgating, beer pong and skipping class you’ve decided to join the working ranks. Congratulations! Now all you have to do is nail that job interview and get your first REAL job. Wait, isn’t there a 7-year plan?

Read on for the six tips you need to know:

Know the Company. Spend time reading about the company in news and pouring over their website. Know their business and how you want to fit in. You don’t want to be in an interview with General Electric and have the interviewer tell you they make airplane engines. You should know this. If you are going for a business position read the company’s latest financial statements. Showing you are knowledgeable about their operation is a sure fire way to impress a recruiter.
Have Some Answers. You don’t know what questions to expect, but you can make predictions. The internet is full of example interview questions - you have no excuses anymore. Take the time to prepare answers and practice saying them out loud. Even if you don’t get the exact same questions, you’ll have a framework and the confidence to provide intelligent answers.
Practice Makes Perfect. So Shady Mortgage Inc. has offered you an interview to be sub-prime mortgage salesman. Don’t blow it off! Even if it’s not your dream job go to the interview for practice. It will help you rehearse for that important job interview. Take the opportunity to build your interviewing skills. (Tip: If you don’t have any interviews before the “big one” practice with friends or family. You know smart people - they can help. Run through questions, get feedback and nail down your routine.)
STAR. No, this isn’t an opportunity for you to rock out in the interview. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Results. Interviewers will throw out questions like, “Tell me about a time you worked in a group and had to show leadership skills to achieve a deadline?” That’s a tough question to answer on the spot. But before you start sweating and saying “um” take a deep breath and use the STAR method. Describe a real situation that occurred. You led a project in your Accounting class with the kid who snored in class – you know this! Talk about the situation, what you were expected to accomplish, what actions you took and how it resulted in an A grade.
Have a Conversation. Don’t let the interview be one-sided! Remember, the recruiter isn’t just looking at your answers, but how well you might fit with the organization. It’s not a police investigation, so be personable! Don’t let the questions lead the conversation, but rather keep a casual flow with the interview. Having awkward silences between questions and answers is not what you want to be remembered for.
Ask Questions. This interview is an opportunity for you to learn more about the company and your potential role. Write down some questions about things you’re curious about. Don’t be shy to speak up, especially when asked. Asking intelligent questions shows the Interviewer you are engaged, curious and a critical thinker. I’ve had co-worker’s who interview tell me that when they ask “do you have any questions?” is when the real interview beings.
Be Professional. Wear a business suit. Arrive on time. Shake hands and smile. Don’t talk about the keg stand you did last weekend. You’re trying to become a professional, so act like one.

That’s all there is to it - now get out there and kick some ass.

Have more useful tips? Drop them in the comments below.

Image Credit: slushpup

Similar Posts:

Chasing “millions” of dollars is for chumps

Paul Singh — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:45:10 +0000

Putting all of your eggs in a single basket is never a good idea - the problem is that too many of us do it anyways. Worse, many people seem to think that all it takes is “one good idea” to make millions. These people are crazy - you should ignore them.

On a side note, it always makes me laugh when Indian people use Bill Gates and Donald Trump as the standard by which success is measured. (Anyone that grew up in an Indian household knows what I’m talking about.)

A post over at Self Made Chick nails the idea (I’ve added the emphasis):

But I think that chasing “millions” of dollars may be one of the reasons why many people never even make $1 online. Instead of focusing on the few ways to make millions of dollars online, perhaps it is more profitable to pursue one of the millions of ways to make hundreds or thousands of dollars online.

I think that with gurus tossing around huge million dollar sales figures, many of us have developed a mindset that if something isn’t going to make millions of dollars that it’s not worth pursuing. $3,000 may not be a million dollars, but it’s nothing to scoff at. A few thousand dollars can greatly enhance the quality of your life. $3,000 can buy:

A 10% down payment on a 2008 128I RWD 2-Dr Coupe L6

A 7 day Mediterranean cruise for 2 with a balcony view

A semester of in-state college tuition in many states

A 42″ flat screen TV and complete surround sound system

Freedom from $3,000 worth of credit card debt

A friend of mine has been talking about opening up his own bar for years. The funny thing is that if you ask him why he hasn’t done it yet, he’ll say, “Well, there’s just not enough money in it. I want to make millions!” Oh really? Let me get this straight: once you’ve got it running, brought on a bartenders to cover the bar, hired a manager, you won’t be able to work on other things while bringing in a small profit?

Maybe a bar is a bad example, but the point is that you should just get started. It’s really that simple.

Similar Posts:

Are you too comfortable?

Paul Singh — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:45:50 +0000

It takes courage to move out of your familiar boundaries and play on a new field. If you’ve been doing things the same way or have been around for a while, your behavior might feel very risky. But success belongs only to those with the courage to stand by their convictions and risk failure all the way.

In the words of David Cottrell:

Our comfort zones can be the greatest enemy to our potential.

How many times have you caught yourself making excuses for not trying new things? You rationalize that you don’t have enough time to read a best-selling book that will save you time (and money) in the long run. “But Paul,” you say, “I just don’t have any time - I’m just too busy.” (Generally, you’ll say this to me right after you’ve told me about how awesome the parties were last weekend.)The other day, I was listening to a friend complain (for the hundredth time) about his crappy job. He said he’s constantly stressed out and feels that he isn’t getting paid what he deserves. So I asked if he’d considered finding a new job. His response? “I haven’t updated my resume since I started here. Besides, by the time I get home from work, I’m too exhausted to think about anything.”

Talk about fear of change! All I’m hearing coming out of his mouth are excuses. This guy is so afraid of the unknown that he would rather be miserable every day in a situation that is familiar to him than risk making a change that could possibly lead to career nirvana.

The worst part is that he’s not alone. I bet we all know at least 10 people that are wasting their lives away because they’re too afraid to go after opportunities that could bring them true happiness.

I know what you’re thinking: “Paul, what if I try my hardest and still fail miserably?”

You keep trying, that’s what happens. You go at it from a different angle. You get yourself a goal buddy.

It’s much easier to hold onto what we have now than to risk losing it all by venturing into the unknown. But if you’re clutching your security blanket with one hand, you won’t be able to grasp your full potential.

Here’s what you can do now: Identify one aspect of your life that’s making you unhappy. What are your excuses (ahem, reasons) for staying in that situation? Start looking at these as barriers. Your job is to learn the difference between an artificial barrier and a real one. Here’s an example:

Artificial Barrier: “I need money to fund my next project. I can’t do anything without money.” (Laugh at yourself for actually letting this hold you back.)
Real Barrier: “My family is important to me, they’ll never understand that I need to work on my new idea for an extra hour every day.”

If you’ve got a real barrier in your way, start brainstorming ways to overcome it. In the example above, I’d sit down with my family and have a talk. If they know what you’re going to be working on, I doubt they’ll have any trouble giving you an extra hour every day. (Better yet, they may offer to help.)

Image Credit: desi.italy

Similar Posts:

Your attitude changes your reality

Paul Singh — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:45:49 +0000

This is the eighth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.

I was talking to a friend of mine last week and somehow we got on the topic of a new business idea. A few minutes later, he cut me off and declared, “This is never going to work. It takes money to make money and I don’t have much of that.” I wasn’t sure how to respond so I asked him why he’d turned negative all of a sudden. His response: “I’m not being negative - I’m being realistic.”

I’ve heard that before.

Here’s the thing though - find all the negative people you know and ask them about their attitudes. You’ll notice that they never view themselves as negative people.

What I’ve noticed is that negative people tend to adopt a defeatist mindset while positive people focus on creating opportunities. It’s also interesting to note that you don’t see a whole lot of successful people with a negative outlook on life. People who are focused on the negative almost always find a way to talk themselves out of pursuing interesting opportunities.

For a moment, let’s pretend that I’m going to give you a business idea that you think is great. Which response are you more likely to have?

Response “A”: “Starting a new business is too expensive. I have a mortgage, a car payment, blah blah blah. I can’t afford to shell out any additional money right now for start-up costs. I certainly don’t want to give up any of the fun money I stash away for entertainment and boozing!”
Response “B”: “Guess I’ll cut out my morning latte and a few meals out each week for a while to free up money in my budget. Small sacrifices now will be well worth it after I’ve put in the hard work and can watch my new idea grow.”

Now, which response is more likely to get you ahead?

If you find that you tend to lean toward the negative, don’t beat yourself up. Change your attitude up - start focusing on creating opportunities for yourself and the rest will take care of itself.

Image Credit: notsogoodphotography

Similar Posts:

Small Steps Lead To Big Results

Paul Singh — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:00:48 +0000

A body builder doesn’t lift weights 100,000 times in one workout to get huge, they’ll break it up into a couple of workouts per week over the course of years. Consistently taking small steps forward is the most fundamental rule to success. Whether it be in personal finance, self improvement or weight lifting.

Over the years, I’ve made a number of small steps (including learning to have firmer handshake, wearing collared shirts more often, slowing down when I speak and smiling a bit more often). I’ve recognized that each, on it’s own, isn’t enough to change my life for the better but I have learned that the sum of all these new skills is much greater than the whole. The result: I’ve met many new people and experienced things that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

My friend Ramit told me a story about how he’d been consistently turned down for scholarships back in college. When he made the effort to start smiling more often during the interviews, he immediately saw positive results (and was able to land a few scholarships in no time).

Small gains in the things you deem important, consistently and over a long period of time, are the cornerstone of what will get you ahead.

What small steps can you start taking today? If you’re unsure, email me - I’d be happy to brainstorm a few ideas with you.

Image Credit: jason.lengstorf

Similar Posts:

Skip the Quarter Life Crisis: 5 Tips on Finding Your Second Job

Paul Singh — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:15:11 +0000

This is a guest post by Aman Bagga, a single 20-something located in Cleveland, OH.

Okay, so you’ve been out of college for a few years and you’ve realized your first job isn’t exactly what you expected (see: making spreadsheets). Don’t worry! Before you hit the quarter life crisis, you can follow a few simple steps to make sure you get yourself back on track.

Have a Plan. Alright, this sounds really simple. It is. The hardest part is finding the motivation to put it on paper. Start by putting together a simple timeline - all you need is two dates:
1. When are you going to leave your current job?
2. When do you plan to start your new job?
Narrow Your Focus. Hopefully in your first job, you had the opportunity to experience new things, build on your strengths and find things that interest you. Instead of applying for every job out there, be picky. Find and pursue roles that excite you. If you want to get into Finance but you were a Medieval History major - give it a shot. Your experience, talent and confidence will speak volumes about you.
Call Your Friends. Wait, what? Just like you, your friends have been out there busting their butts for the past few years. You might have friends in different fields and companies all over the world. Your network is much bigger than you think. Network with the people that know you best and those that can sell your strengths!
Don’t Forget the Internet. I know Monster.com and all its derivatives can be cumbersome to use and hit-or-miss. But you never know where opportunity is hiding. Put your brand new resume out there and see who bites. I know from experience that some of the best opportunities can fall into your lap from where you least expect it.
Don’t be Afraid. You’re smart, young, talented and ambitious. You’ve probably thought of a million reasons why you shouldn’t quit and how it will lead to disastrous results. It won’t. If you think you can’t find something - you will. You might think the getting rejected is the worst thing that can happen to you, but it’s not. It’s far worse to accept fate and stagnate at a young age. This period in your career is a time to learn new things, develop yourself and find what really motivates you. Find the right opportunity and take it!

Now, about that girlfriend that wants to get married… maybe next time.

Similar Posts: