“Live out of your imagination, not your history.” - Stephen R. Covey

Reality is Subjective

How do some individuals achieve a level of success that seems impossible for most other people?

Short answer: They believed it was possible.

They believed when they first dared to dream big. And they found ways to constantly keep the belief alive until their goal was achieved.

Before we go any further, here’s a little teaser:

Believe it or not, this article contains a video clip of a man walking on water.

It sounds impossible, but he dreamed big and found a way to achieve it in remarkable fashion.

Fertilize Your Dreams

After the initial excitement of a new goal fades and the reality of effort sets in, it is critical that we find ways to keep the belief alive.

Visualization is a powerful tool for transforming dreams into reality. When we repetitively see the final result of a goal in our mind, in a photograph, or in a movie clip, our subconscious starts to believe that it has already happened.

Clay Collins of The Growing Life blog wrote a wonderful article on Visual Goal Setting. He suggests manipulating an image to visually represent your goal as if it already existed.

Clay explains:

“The idea is that photoshopped goals help your subconscious believe that you can attain things previously thought impossible. Getting your sub-conscious to buy into a goal radically empowers you to materialize the goal in real life…”

I’ve used visual goal reminders while fight training. I have images of my dream beach-house in Hawaii and an all-electric Tesla Roadster on my vision board.

But my favorite image for the last 6 months is a little more abstract. It’s that funny image at the top of this blog with a business man running on water.

The image helps me be mindful of the following:

• To run with passion in the direction I’ve chosen.
• The business suit symbolizes my focus on career at this point in my life.
• When performing miracles like walking on water, ignore the doubters and follow the arrow on my one-way sign.

I love that image. It brings a smile to my face. It’s the wallpaper on my Macbook Pro so I see it all the time.

As promised, here is a clip of Criss Angel walking on water (while walking over and around moving people, and losing a shoe).

Some may choose to call it an illusion. I see it as defining your own rules to achieve something incredible.

Inspiration credit: I’d like to thank Barbara Swafford of Blogging Without A Blog for the post idea. She challenged her readers to study a picture that they liked and write a post about it.

What is your favorite motivational image? Please share in the comments below.

Some people have the magic touch. They can create value out of nothing.

Painters transform a blank canvas into a work of art. Writers turn empty pages into informative articles. Gifted entrepreneurs are able to conjure creative business ideas out of thin air.

Where does this ability to create come from?

David Lynch’s Big Fish

A few weeks ago I was basking in the creative energy of the Sundance Film Festival. I love that burst of inspiration I experience every time I see an independent artist realizing their dreams.

In one of the screenings we sat right behind the celebrity judges. I wanted to lean over and whisper into Quentin Tarantino’s ear that he was my hero. I had a decade and a half of pent-up hero-worshiping to unburden myself of. But not wanting to risk a listing in the Celebrity Stalker Registry, I kept my enthusiasm to myself and avoided being banned from future festivals.

And with that confession out of the way, let’s get back to topic…

While waiting between movies, our party of film enthusiasts found shelter from the winter in a little bookstore. The first book that caught my eye was Catching The Big Fish - Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch.

I am fascinated by the creative process, I meditate, and I love David Lynch flicks. Needless to say, I was excited by the find. I bought the book to use as an inspiration source for when my creative juices need a jump start.

A few days ago I was browsing through the book and was impressed by an entry titled “Desire” on page 25.

I love the analogy. For me it really does start with the desire for an idea. Then fragment by fragment something starts to take shape.

What Is Your Creative Process?

How do you do it?

What is your process for moving from a blank screen to a finished blog article, spiffy graphic design, or new business idea?

The business world has always venerated warriors and studied their strategies. The Art of War and The Book of Five Rings can be found in many business management libraries.

Now a new breed of warrior has arrived. Mixed Martial Arts (the proper term for cage fighting) has exploded out of the underground to emerge as the hottest sport in the world. What might be learned from these modern warriors?

My Training As An Amateur Fighter

Yes. Computer geeks can learn to fight.

I’ve learned a lot while training with some of the toughest athletes in the world. I’m not talking about choking your opponent unconscious or splitting open foreheads with well-placed elbow strikes (although they are fun techniques to learn). We’re talking about tools for success that can apply to any aspect of life, especially business.

Here are the top 5 things I’ve learned while fight training:

1. Competing in the Information Age

The question of “which martial art is most effective?” is no longer relevant.

When the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) started over 14 years ago, it was like something out of an old Bruce Lee flick. Each contestant represented a country and a fighting style. Sumo wrestlers, kickboxers, jiu-jitsu black-belts, and savate artists all wanted to prove that their style was most effective.

Now it’s completely different. Every top fighter in the UFC cross-trains in the 3 Pillars of Mixed Martial Arts: Striking, Submissions, & Wrestling. Fighters may specialize in one discipline, but will train in all of them. The question of “which martial art is most effective?” is no longer relevant.

Cross-training helps you compete. The need for additional training to remain competitive is not unique to martial arts. Take a trade like Graphic Design.

Nowadays in addition to design skills, designers need to understand how to use image editing software like Illustrator and Photoshop. Designing for web and Flash require an understanding of user-interface theory and many designers have learned HTML and CSS. To compete at a high level, designers need ongoing training to keep up with the latest software, theory and design trends.

Cross-training is critical for the self-employed. When you’re self-employed you wear a lot of hats. You need to handle marketing, accounting, and other aspects of business while juggling multiple projects. Inc Magazine reports that cross-training is especially helpful for start-ups and continues to be of value as the company grows.

2. Globalization Changes Everything

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a good example of the effects of Globalization. For many centuries it was enough to train in the same discipline that your fellow countrymen trained in. But as fighters traveled the world learning new styles and sharing their knowledge, eventually all fighters needed to train in other disciplines to remain competitive.

As this requirement for more knowledge grew, it also became easier to travel to other countries to learn new fighting styles. Now most athletes can train in MMA or any martial arts style without having to travel out of their city.

You are no longer limited by geography. Just as you no longer have to go to Brazil to learn or teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you no longer have to be anywhere specific to provide your services. With the Internet, you can work from anywhere and have clients from anywhere.

During the past 7 years of being self employed I’ve spent a lot of time working while traveling. I’ve outsourced to India and have several clients that I’ve never met in “real life”.

For additional information on working from anywhere, check out this well-written article.

3. It Takes A Team

Behind every great fighter is a great training camp. Watch any “UFC All Access” program on Spike TV and it becomes obvious that it takes a team to prepare for a fight.

…it’s too easy to get lost in the vacuum of your own little world.

I’ve heard horror stories from other fighters who were so nervous before their first fight that they were choking back vomit as they walked into the cage.

I’m not a great fighter, just a guy with a huge passion for MMA. Fortunately, my instructors and training partners at the Mushin MMA gym prepared me so well for my first fight that I experienced an incredible sense of confidence and energy as I walked towards the cage. I could never have done it without them.

One of the drawbacks to being self-employed is that it’s too easy to get lost in the vacuum of your own little world. As a developer I felt I could learn anything I wanted by researching on the web. To some extent, it’s true.

But it was only after working with jiu-jitsu instructors David Heaps & Darius Andrews that I realized how much more effective it was to learn from a hands-on teacher than by trying to learn from instructional videos or books.

When I joined the Mushin gym to learn Muay Thai & Combat Submission Wrestling, that appreciation for teachers was reinforced. I also realized that each training partner brought something different to the table. The more good partners I had, the more my MMA game evolved.

These realizations prompted me to reflect on my business life. I had been blessed with wonderful mentors back when I worked in the corporate world. But after several years of being self-employed my career was starting to stagnate. With guidance from my Professional Development Coach (and Zen Master), I started reconnecting with former mentors and asking for business advice from some of my more successful clients.

I also started connecting with other developers and designers to bounce ideas off each other and share new discoveries.

The effects were remarkable. I became more excited about my career and received new and bigger opportunities.

4. Flow with the Go

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” - Bruce Lee

When I first started jiu-jitsu training, my instructor Darius would often tell me to stop using my muscles and use technique instead. He’d tell me to act as if my opponent was a tree and to move myself around him, but not to muscle my opponent around.

When you “flow with the go” in business, you’re operating in that productivity sweet spot.

I experienced a similar lesson when I started Muay Thai training. After many years of working on a heavy punching bag by myself, I knew I could hit hard. One of my training partners told me I “hit like a train”.

So when my instructor Brian told me my striking technique was all wrong, it was hard to take. He said I was using too much muscle and was too tense. I needed to loosen up and let my arm whip out more.

Over many months Brian helped me drop some of my bad habits in punching, and learn to be more fluid while striking. Now my punches are quicker and I can throw many more of them before tiring out.

During one training session, an instructor introduced the idea of “Flow with the go”. It’s that balancing act of not trying to force everything around you, but also not being completely at the mercy of everything else.

It’s very similar to “going with the flow” but the subtle difference is instead of bobbing along being carried by the flow, you are flowing and mixing your energy with what’s going on around you.

When you “flow with the go” in business, you’re operating in that productivity sweet spot. You’re neither forcing things to happen nor waiting for things to happen. You’re simply facilitating things happening.

An example of flowing could be in a sales meeting with a prospective client. Perhaps the potential client is expressing doubt that you’re the right one for the job. If you follow along with his current negative flow you could lose the sale. If you try to impose your will and force the sale, you’ll probably offend the client and lose the sale. But, if you mix your flow into what’s going on, address his concerns and make the effort to understand the needs of this person, you have a better chance of saving the sale.

Will-power is wonderful. It can accomplish a lot. But will-power with flow will accomplish even more.

For a good example of kinetic flowing, check out this video clip. It’s of one of my favorite mixed martial artists, Genki Sudo, competing in a submission grappling tournament.

5. It’s All In Your Mind

“There are two types of people in this world. Those who believe they can and those who believe they can’t. They’re both right.” -Khru Brian Yamasaki

The most important thing I learned while fight training was how to develop the muscle of your mind. During brutal conditioning drills, instructor Khru Brian would bark “You’re not working your muscles…you’re training your mind not to give up.” Somehow we’d find a way to squeeze out a few more push-ups or run another lap even when our bodies were telling us to stop.

At one point during training, I was puking in the bathroom and the one-minute rest period was almost over. I couldn’t go on. Coach Brandon Kiser made all of the other students do push-ups until I came back out. As soon as I realized what was going on I came running out and found the strength to go another round rather than make my teammates suffer.

I hated training. But after each completed session the sense of accomplishment was so great, I couldn’t help but love it.

Slowly I learned to believe in myself and my abilities. After graduating from the Mushin Fighter Corp training program, I felt like could do anything. Many things now seem easy in comparison. Even the actual fight was easy compared to the training.

This mental training to never give up and fear nothing has drastically changed my attitude about work. Staying up all night to make a deadline now seems easier. When a client is slow to pay or a project falls through, I never even consider going back to a full-time job as an employee for someone else.

I saw Donald Trump on TV a few months ago. Someone asked him what the secret to success is. He said “Never, never, never give up”. I felt thankful for that reminder, thankful for the experience of living that message while fight training, and thankful for the opportunity to learn how to apply it to other aspects of my life.

Summary

1. Competing in the Information Age. Self-employed business owners can benefit from cross-training and ongoing education.
2. Globalization Changes Everything. There are no geographical limitations; you can work from anywhere and have clients anywhere.
3. It Takes A Team. If you work for yourself, it pays to cultivate mentors and a community of peers.
4. Flow With the Go. Will power is effective. Will power while flowing is even more effective.
5. It’s All In Your Mind. Believe in yourself and never give up.

As this has been an unusual topic for a business development blog, I would love to hear your thoughts on it. All questions, comments, and criticisms are welcome. Please leave a comment below.

I found an interesting article on the Putting Things Off blog calling for freelancers to stop using executive titles for themselves. The author, Nick Cernis, argues that a freelancer shouldn’t call himself a Creative Director when he is self-employed and has no one to direct. Cernis suggests that people will laugh at you when they learn that you are a one-person start-up.

This article sparked a lively discussion, and I found myself agreeing with both sides of the argument. Here is my opinion: Own who you are.

Freelancer vs. Small Business Owner

The main difference between a freelancer and a self-employed business owner is the business plan. Freelancers choose to focus on what they do best, while business owners looking to grow will have to spend time managing staff.

• If you are a freelancer and never want to work for another company again, own it and give yourself a title that clearly communicates the freedom you’ve chosen for yourself.

• But, if you are a self-employed small business owner planning to grow your firm, then dream big and give yourself a lofty title that you can work your way into.

The Benefits of a High-Powered Job Title

Let’s completely flip over the argument that people will laugh at your title, and look at the practical benefit of using a high-powered job title: It creates the perception that your company is bigger than it is.

With a hot website and slick business cards, people will have no idea how big or small your company is.

One of my earliest (and favorite) clients is First Endurance. The company started over 5 years ago with two guys working on it in their spare time. Now their product is carried in hundreds of retail stores, they receive a ton of direct sales on their website, and last year they even sponsored the Tour de France champions, the Discover Channel Cycling Team. Imagine the thrill of success they must have experienced while flying over Paris in a helicopter with their favorite pro cycling team at the world’s most prestigious cycling race.

First Endurance still has only two employees. Their current job titles are the same as it was 5 years ago: “VP of Marketing” and “VP of Science & Technology”.

People that deal with First Endurance are blown away when they discover that it’s a company of two. Cultivating the perception of being a big company can do wonders for your company’s growth.

It’s All in the Attitude

If you want to be more than a one man shop then, then acting as if you are already there will make it much easier to get there than by behaving humble and acting as if it’s out of reach.

One of my favorite bloggers, Tina Su of Think Simple Now, wrote an excellent article on how she achieved explosive growth for her blog through the following formula: Desire mixed with faith backed by massive action.

If you want to be successful business owner, you already have the desire. If you’ve made the leap and are self-employed, then you have the faith. So go ahead and express that faith by claiming the job title you deserve.