be humble
“Throw out your conceited opinions, for it is impossible for a person to begin to learn what he thinks he already knows.” - Epictetus
the greatest sin of leadership
"The greatest sin in leadership is leading by assumption." - John Maxwell
adaptability
“The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher.” - Chinese Proverb
new summer playlist
This one has the right vibe for the lake, pool, late nights in backyard, etc.
threats
I am a huge Scott Galloway fan. His weekly email newsletter is a must-subscribe. Recently he posted a great blog on his thoughts on the three biggest threats to the US in his view and they may not be what you expect. A fascinating read that I highly recommend.
set big goals
“You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential.” - Steve Garvey
I have a reputation at MSRE of not accepting “wimpy” goals. I am of the mind that when you set big goals, you will set your activities to match that stretch goal. You may fall a big short but that is better than costing on a wimpy goal and hitting it. I encourage our agents and company members to take the business goals that they think are the right ones for them to hit their personal goals and net the numbers up at least 20%.
creativity
I really enjoyed this message from John Maxwell about creativity. The main premise is that creative people are confident there is always an “answer;” a hope and believe that things can be better. This brings to mind one of my favorite Fundamentals at MSRE—#32 Find a Way!
I am often asked what do a look for in an idea company member at MSRE. My answer is always curiosity, creativity, and the willingess to do whatever it takes to find a way!
garry shandling
Garry Shandling was a famous comedian and actor for a number of years. He was also a mentor for many young comedians and creatives. Folks like Judd Apatow (who produced and/or directed just about every funny movie of the last decade or so) credit Garry's influence with their success.
Garry had a tough childhood, to say the least. He was raised by a mother who was extremely controlling and erratic. His younger brother died when he himself was still a child and his mother refused to let him go to the funeral for fear Garry would see her cry. This led him to a lifetime of struggles with depression and occasional substance abuse. Over time he became very involved with practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and journaling and became one of the most influential voices in his area of expertise. I share all that because in his journal he wrote one of the most powerful four sentences I have ever seen and I just had to send it out to the MSRE team. He wrote:
Give more.
Give what you didn't get.
Love more.
Drop the old story.
8 rules for life
A friend sent this short article about one of co-founders of Netflix, Marc Randolph, the 8 rules for life his father gave him. Love it!
Here are the 8 rules:
Do at least 10% more than you are asked.
Never, ever, to anybody present as fact opinions on things you don’t know. Takes great care and discipline.
Be courteous and considerate always — up and down.
Don’t knock, don’t complain — stick to constructive, serious criticism.
Don’t be afraid to make decisions when you have the facts on which to make them.
Quantify where possible.
Be open-minded but skeptical.
Be prompt.
be an adult
Incredible insights in today’s Daily Dad email! Must read.
mofro
Just about twenty years ago I picked this album up a few months after it came out. Back in 2001, it was much harder to find new bands. In this case, the local record store that I frequented in Tallahassee had a section where the music was organized by the indie record label it was released on. At that time, Mofro was on Fogcity Records, a label that had released the solo Robert Walter album Money Shot that I loved, so I scooped up the Mofro album Blackwater that had just come out. To this day, it is still in my top go-to list. Check it out.
sasha baron cohen
Big fan of all of Sasha’s work (they should have made this Queen movie!) He has recently become vocal about his feelings on the impact of technology, particularly social media and Google, on our democracy. For some of his thoughts (which I agree with) check out this great podcast: Kara Fisher’s Sway with Sasha Baron Cohen.
The video below is the one referenced in the podcast which is completely worth a watch as well.
trillion dollar coach
Definitely recommend this book! Simple formula for coaching. Pairs nicely with Coaching for Performance. Trillion Dollar Coach focuses more on the “soft-skills” of coaching where Coaching for Performance is more on the practical, how-to side.
goethe
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now.” - Goethe
genius
“When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him." - Jonathan Swift
motivation
"Being underestimated is a gift. You don’t have to find motivation." - James Clear
trillion dollar coach
Wrapping up Trillion Dollar Coach about Bill Campbell, the coach that worked with folks like Eric Schmidt at Google and Steve Jobs at Apple, among many others. I would highly recommend the book but I particularly loved Bill’s thoughts on feedback.
No gap between statements and facts:
Be relentlessly honest and candid
Couple negative feedback with caring
Give feedback as soon as possible
If the feedback is negative, deliver it privately