November 28, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Working hard on things we don’t like equals STRESS.
Working hard on what we love equals PASSION.
This came from my friend Steve Wolf. You can follow Steve at eaglecreekohio.com.
This reminded me this morning of the ‘3 Lists‘:
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1. Things I WANT to do.
2. Things I HAVE to do.
3. Things I NEITHER have to do nor want to do.
Throw away the third list.
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November 24, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Thanksgiving Week is a great opportunity to spend time (and energy) on yourself and your family. (Very little productive ‘business’ or ‘work’ gets done anyway.)
I have shared some ‘Thanksgiving thoughts’ for the last few years.
Here are 3 things to think about this Thanksgiving:
- 1. “WEALTH IS AN ABUNDANCE OF THINGS THAT WE VALUE.” I love this definition… because I’m truly ‘wealthy‘.
- Try this. Write down a list of all the things that you truly VALUE… and then put a ‘COST’ (an actual dollar figure) next to everything on the list.
- Most people look at their lists and realize that the things they truly VALUE end up COSTING NOTHING!
- My VALUE LIST is filled with very simple things like family time, adventures with the grandkids, health, friends, all the ‘good stuff’… things that are alive. There is also wonderful VALUE in a great book, a good cup of coffee, nature, the sun, the ocean, the mountains, yoga, physical workouts, etc.
- There’s a great quote on the bottom of a picture from one of my first athletic clubs that said, “Good HEALTH is the greatest WEALTH.” A lot of truth/value in that.
- A gentle reminder: WEALTH, no matter how you define it, should not be ‘A LOT OF MONEY’. Money is worthless wampum.
- ODE magazine had an entire issue around the idea of ‘MONEY’. One of the best lines was a simple statement: “It’s not about MONEY. It’s what you DO with your money!”
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Note: I’m an entrepreneur. I’m all about ‘financial freedom’. I want to be able to take care of my family, travel, live on the farm, and much more. At the same time, money has become a kind of scorecard or measurement with very little relative VALUE to happiness in the grand scheme of life.
- 2. “ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.” Almost every book I’ve ever read on personal development has reinforced that ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING. My good friend Tim Kight calls this the ‘R’ FACTOR. His brilliant equation is E + R = O.
- Event + Response = Outcome.
- Event does not equal the outcome. It’s our RESPONSE (which is almost always a function of our ATITTUDE) that creates the outcome. We are surrounded by relative comfort and certain freedom. Few of us have to worry about struggling each day to meet our basic needs (which is a daily struggle for most of the people in the world). Many people focus on what they see as a lengthy list of negatives, complaints, faults, cynicism. We need to respond with our antidote of GRATITUDE.
- ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE alters the way we see others and ourselves. It inspires us. It builds and supports lasting relationships.
- Take a moment every day to write or think about the many, many things for which we are most grateful. (Julia Cameron calls them ‘morning pages’.) Family. Friends. Freedom. Maslov’s Food, Shelter, Clothing. Greatest country in the world. (And, when you’re my age, the fact that you’re alive and breathing vs. the alternative.)
- 3. “THE MORE YOU GIVE THE MORE YOU GET.” I’ve watched thousands of people experience this ‘giving thing‘. While I still don’t understand exactly how it works, I know that the more we do give, the more we get.
- Thanksgiving and the holidays is a terrific opportunity to SHARE with others. You can even take your children and grandchildren as you GIVE of your time or money or material goods to help feed, clothe or shelter the homeless, help the elderly or make some difference in a child or family’s life.
Special Note: Every Thanksgiving, I share these 3 stories that you may want to share with your children or grandchildren or family. One is THE HAPPY PRINCE. Second is the SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD, as seen through the eyes of a child. Third is a very powerful parable about giving titled the SEA OF GALILEE.
From all of us at For Impact and The Suddes Group, we wish you a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING. We’re grateful and appreciative of what you do every day to CHANGE THE WORLD and to MAKE AN IMPACT.
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November 23, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Here’s a powerful thought from Steve Jobs. (I know. We all might be on ‘Steve Job’s overload’ after the thousands of articles [eulogies?] after his death. However, he probably deserves all of the print.)
Carmine Gallo has written one of my favorite books called The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs and just came out with a new book called The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success.
In Think Like Steve Jobs Did in Success Magazine, Gallo shares the idea of “Saying no to 1,000 things.” He mentions that in 1997 when Jobs returned to Apple, he said, “You have to put your A-Team on every product. You can’t put your A-Team on every product when you have 300 products!!!” Within the next two years, Jobs streamlined that to 10 products!
Gallo quotes Jobs as saying “INNOVATION IS SAYING NO TO 1,000 THINGS… SO YOU CAN REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS.”
What are the 1,000 things, or 100 things, that you need to say ‘NO’ to???
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November 22, 2011 | Tom Suddes
I just read a great article on Larry Page, Google’s CEO (and one of the Founders).
He actually returned to the top job in April, and has been making a ton of changes.
Here’s a great quote:
“Ever since taking over as CEO, I have FOCUSED much of my energy on increasing Google’s VELOCITY and EXECUTION, and we’re beginning to see the results.”
VELOCITY. EXECUTION. FOCUS.
3 pretty strong words for all of us.
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November 18, 2011 | Tom Suddes
My friend John Macheca is a smart, experienced entrepreneur (30 years)… who has also worked in Development/Major Gifts.
He and his wife/partner Jean joined us for the recent Custom Training at Eagle Creek. He shared another great way to talk about the 3 of our favorite letters of the alphabet: A.S.K.
The best TALENT for your org has a combination of:
- ATTITUDE
SKILL
KNOWLEDGE
Attitude is self-explanatory. You either have a great one… or not. (You cannot hire/spend time with the ‘or nots‘!)
Skill always helps. For me, this is usually about ‘soft’ skills like relationship-building, fun to be around, likeable, trustworthy, authentic, etc.
Knowledge is a combo of experience and curiosity. The more varied/eclectic the background/experience, the better.
Curiosity is a desire to learn, which means they seek out interesting stuff in books, online and with people.
Next time you go to hire (or for that matter, review), think about how they measure up to the A.S.K. quotient.
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November 17, 2011 | Tom Suddes
I watched my two partners make massive changes in 3 organizations at our Custom Training at Eagle Creek.
Nick and Kerry teamed up to help these already successful orgs… make the proverbial QUANTUM LEAP to the highest levels of IMPACT.
I was particularly impressed (as were the participants) at Nick’s ability to talk about VISION… THE WHY… TO WHAT END… in a way that wasn’t hoakey or B.S.
Nick simply challenged them to:
- Have a clear, compelling VISION/PICTURE of the future… and their impact.
- Be able to articulate that vision as a powerful MESSAGE… with 3 great STORYLINES.
- Have the accompanying MATH and PLAN on how to get there.
I woke up this morning thinking about Nick and Kerry’s impact… and a Board Session I did in Sydney, Australia.
A pastor (who was definitely ON BOARD) said there were only 3 things that were critical for any organization’s success:
Common word? VISION. Not the ‘illusion or hallucination’ vision but the real vision… with real results.
Note: I hadn’t seen Nick and Kerry in action lately. We’ve been all around the country/around the world and don’t get to be together that often.
I was blown away at their performance. So was the group. They gave them a standing ovation!!!
*The former ‘students’ have far surpassed the (Old Guy) teacher.
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November 14, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Everyone knows that R.O.I. is RETURN ON INVESTMENT. In our FOR IMPACT world, when you Change Your Vocabulary… you move from ‘donor/donation‘ to investor/investment. And, as we all know, every investor wants a RETURN on their INVESTMENT.
However, I believe there are two other ‘I’s’ that need a RETURN…
RETURN ON IMPACT and RETURN ON INCOME.
Return On Impact is probably more important than Return on the Investment. It’s about the WHY you exist… WHY what you do is important… WHY people should even make an investment.
Return on Income is all about WHAT you do with the money… and HOW you deliver on your promise/vision/impact. Income is not just limited to ‘philanthropy’. It’s all of your revenue streams. (If you get the nuance of this, it is then distinguishable from Return on Investment.)
Obviously, you should be able to convey the RETURN ON all 3 of these I’s.
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November 14, 2011 | Tom Suddes
Forty years ago (to the month) I was heading to Fort Benning, Georgia, to begin an Infantry Officer Basic Course. I followed that with Airborne, Pathfinder, multiple Leadership Courses… and 18 months as a Tactical Officer at OCS (Officer Candidate School).
Looking back, I cannot imagine a more powerful leadership and life experience.
My brother Mike was a Marine. My dad was a Marine. There’s been a significant number of Notre Dame boxers who served in the military, including a couple who are on the ground in Afghanistan today.
A big ‘SHOUT OUT‘ to all of those in our For Impact world who have served in the military. We appreciate everything that you do and have done for this country.
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November 11, 2011 | Tom Suddes
11/11/11: 1st Day of Rest of Life
This is a great day to COMMIT to CHANGE – to start all the ‘good stuff’ you’ve meant to do (but haven’t).
11/11/11: 1st Day of the Rest of Your Life.
This day will not come again for 100 years! What can you start today (or this weekend) that will dramatically change your life, your career, your business or your organization???
I was with a great team at the University of North Dakota yesterday and today. They are talented, committed and excited about their opportunities.
Yesterday we trained together… today they committed to change together.
Special Note: When I would take my youngest son, Taggart, to school… I would usually say something ‘father-like’ as he got out of the Jeep. One day, I said (again) “Remember, Tag, today is the 1st day of the rest of your life.” He replied, “You told me that last week, Dad. Which is it?”
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November 8, 2011 | Tom Suddes
THE ATTITUDE OF THE SALES PERSON IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ATTITUDE OF THE PROSPECT.
The ATTITUDE you bring on a visit… the PASSION and ENERGY and ENTHUSIASM (IASM means I Am Sold Myself) that you show about the work that you do and the impact you have… is a gazillion times more important than what you say, your Engagement Tool, your numbers and everything else.
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About For Impact
We help "nonprofits" fund their visions through training, coaching and consulting based on 25+ years of experience and $1Billion+ raised directly and $1Billion via coaching/training. For Impact is also our message, our commitment and a movement.
