How many posts do you think you’ve read about the habits of famous people? 10? 100? 1,000? Posts detailing the power of good habits clog the blogosphere. Stephen Covey started this thing, or maybe that was Ben Franklin, or maybe it was Seneca or one of the ancient stoics. My point is that it’s kinda,…
Realize Your Dream with Baby Steps
Think about your future. Envision where you would like to be in just a few years time. Where are you now? I’m sure you’ve heard of a certain marketing wonk named Seth Godin. Mr Godin has written about managing the gap. Managing the gap is about seeing the space between where you are now and…
How to Live Life to the Fullest (and Grow Your Business)
How to live an amazing life? You’ve probably read this a thousand times. I have. But what does it mean, really? I’ve asked myself this question for decades: “How do I live life to the fullest?” Have you? Many people might say the following: “There’s nothing great about my life.” And I think this problem…
How to Stand Out and Make Your Clients Happier
I recently interviewed Andrew Davis and we got into a discussion about brand differentiation—how does a company or organization truly stand out? And, as creative professionals trying to help a company rise above the noise, should we go beyond branding “best practices?” In other words, is helping them achieve clarity, cohesiveness, and consistency with design and messaging enough?…
How to Create an Incredibly Sticky Brand
I would like to ask you a question about your brand… Would you prefer to have customers or brand evangelists? Buyers versus people who trust you, sing your praises, buy your services and come back for more? Do you want fans or people who benefit from your work and proudly proclaim that to the world?…
3 Simple Steps to Hone Your Own Special Form of Genius
Is there one Thing that makes your heart sing? Something you get lost in? A pursuit that drives you, animates you, and exhilarates you like nothing else? Hours fly when you’re immersed in it? Then why are you not doing it every day? Would you like to turn this interest into something greater and let…
The Breaking Bad 4-Step Guide to Creative Genius
Breaking Bad is one of the best dramas in TV history. And the show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, can teach you a few things. Yes, you. If you don’t know, the show’s protagonist starts out as a high school chemistry teacher, but ends up fully immersed in the seedy underbelly of the meth business. In the…
How to Find Your Purpose
What is your purpose? If you were sitting across the table from me, could you answer this question? You might conjure up something just to have a reply. Or stare at me blankly. You might tell me to shut up, but that would be rude and wouldn’t help your case. Well, I wouldn’t blame you,…
The Painful Truth About Blogging (and Why I Almost Failed)
When I first dipped my feet into the blogging pool in 2011, I was focusing on all the wrong things. And ignoring the business I spent 17 years building. Enamored with praise, comment count, and an increasing number of visitors, my dopamine center was in overdrive. I was ignoring my business, writing with no end…
The Not-So-Shocking Truth About Getting Things Done (my 1,000 word rant)
What do I know? Well, I’m a rube. A bit player. A small business owner in the giant moisturizing pad called Seattle. So please take my message with a grain of salt. It’s a message about getting your Mojo back with basic practices — daily rules that have helped me immensely. And they will help…