“We’ve been conditioned to spend an enormous amount of time rehearsing what could go wrong and what has gone wrong.” Chris Dorris On Tuesday, we discussed how we frequently imagine and rehearse negative outcomes of significant events. When I’ve got a big proposal presentation or performance review scheduled, I often go over it in my…
I got a call from a client. “I’ve got an appointment tomorrow to talk to a prospect about the biggest deal I’ve ever closed!” “Congratulations!” What are you thinking about as you go into that call?” “I’m terrified that they are going to say no. I really think they will cut the price, and I’m…
In the US, we have this concept of earning vacation time. Your HR system accrues so much vacation time for every pay period. It does that for accounting reasons. I’m not saying that’s “wrong” – it’s just a misunderstanding of time-off. When we work hard, we deplete ourselves. That’s why, no matter how engaged you…
When I ask my clients, “Why are you working on vacation?” They tell me that they feel guilty if they don’t. Their staff is hard at work, they don’t want to let clients down, and there’s just so much to do I have to keep going. I’ll let you in on a little secret…your team…
Sorry I missed talking with you all last week. It’s not that I didn’t have things to share with you; I’ve got some good stuff brewing. Neither is it that I don’t care about you or prioritize this conversation. I was simply taking some time off to have fun! I could have scrambled around the…
Thanks for all the replies I got to this week’s emails – it’s easy to see that we are all experiencing similar challenges! One reply to Thursday’s email about eliminating business development follow-up was worth noting. It said, Most people, me included, lie to themselves about why things don’t work out in biz dev… self-blame,…
An agency owner asked me this question recently. I reviewed the pricing options with my client last week, but I haven’t heard back from them. How long do I wait before I send a follow-up email? The short answer is, you’ve driven into a cul-de-sac; there’s no good way out but to go back to…
In August, my family and I are going to a dude ranch. It’s a place I’ve been to before, and I have fond memories of the times I spent there with my parents and my older kids. But it’s been 20 years since I went, and none of the people I’m going with this time…
Very few things give you the same improvement in physical and mental health as a good dose of nature! If you follow the thread and look at the studies, you’ll find Two hours per week outside in nature significantly improve physical and mental health. As little as 10 – 20 minutes of sitting or walking…
There’s a Japanese white pine bonsai in the National Arboretum in Washington DC that is 391 years old. It was planted in 1625, and it survived the bombing of Hiroshima. Six generations of the Yamaki family have cared for it. When I think about that tree, I have tremendous respect for the commitment, skill, and…