How to Perform at Optimal Levels
In the early 1900s, Robert Yerkes and J. D. Dodson developed the aptly named Yerkes-Dodson Law. The premise is that performance increases relative to motivation (they call it “arousal”) only to a point, after which performance drops. It is typically drawn as an inverted U-shaped curve. You will notice that I superimposed three “goal” concepts […]
Quote of the Day
What big companies do instead of implementing features is plan them. At Viaweb we sometimes ran into trouble on this account. Investors and analysts would ask us what we had planned for the future. The truthful answer would have been, we didn’t have any plans. We had general ideas about things we wanted to improve, […]
How to Tell Fact From Fraud
We are constantly bombarded by information from advertisements, books, magazines, TV and the internet. But how much of this information is true? From my experience, little of it is accurate. People (often unknowingly) make claims that are exaggerated or blatant lies. How can you separate the accurate from the invalid? One way is to understand […]
The Innovation Capabilitity
For innovation to be repeatable, it needs to be treated like any other business capability (e.g., finance, HR, or sales). All capabilities are comprised of five key components: Strategy A strategy is needed to decide when, where, and how innovation will be used within the organization. It also needs to address “why” innovation is important. […]
Creating Luck in Sales
In Goal-Free Living I discuss how to create luck by being less goal-focused. I was recently copied on an email sent to a sales team at a client of mine. Here is how this one sales director interpreted these concepts for his team – with a paraphrase from the book. During my Asia trip I […]
Phrase Concerns as Opportunities
One of the most simple, yet most powerful approaches for increasing your creativity potential is to phrase concerns as opportunities. When brainstorming, inevitably someone will say, “We don’t have enough time to implement this idea,” or “We don’t have enough money.” When you say this, you are stating it as fact. Instead, state this concern […]
Leaky Ceiling Leads to Creative Solution
Yesterday, I was at a conference in a posh New York City hotel. While we were inside, the rain was relentless outside. As the day progressed, it started to rain inside too. The ceiling sprouted several leaks. At first the hotel staff used the standard approach for catching the water – white plastic buckets. But remember, this is […]
Never Trust an Expert
A couple of nights ago, I gave a presentation to a group of eager individuals who are either launching or advancing their speaking careers. During our 90 minute discussion, I gave dozens of tips and techniques for growing their business. At the end of the evening, one attendee asked, “What is the MOST important tip?” […]
Kick The Goal Habit
Here is an excerpt from an article written by Jim Bright that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) February 24, 2007. Jim has written many interesting articles that support the Goal-Free Living concept (in fact he mentions Goal-Free Living in this article, but I did not bother including that part below). Enjoy. Support for goal setting can […]
How To Always Be On Time
Right now I am sitting in the Las Vegas airport. With an hour to kill, I decided to write this blog entry with the harmonious sound of slot machines ringing in my ears. I know so many road warriors who pride themselves in being able to get to the gate just as the doors are […]