Archive for category Personal Insights
Formula for success: learn how to learn
Posted by LoisMarketing in Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on January 12, 2012
So much is at our fingertips — literally. When you stop and think about it, we are living in the most amazing time throughout history in which to explore, discover, share … and learn. This is so clear as you see young children exploring, discovering, sharing and learning all that is around them through everything from iPads to fingerpaintings. From snapping a photo of a flower to digging through the dirt to plant a seed and watch it germinate and grow.
Children with their hungry, open and eager minds are open to all that is around them. And all that allows them to learn. Books, computers, cameras … and the flowerpots in their schoolroom window.
May we adults do the same. May we not be “afraid of” or reluctant to embrace new technology and new ideas. And may we not be so caught up in being confident, being “expert”, being managers and developers and officers and owners and adults that we lose the insight and opportunity that comes from being a student. Think of the worlds and opportunities that are opened by admitting “I don’t know — but I would like to learn”.
That, my friends, is where the most amazing journeys begin.
A special Formula 1 Friday: tools down
Posted by LoisMarketing in Formula 1, Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on December 23, 2011
No wreaths and holly or singing Muppets in my annual Christmas post this year.
Instead I hope you will join me in a new holiday tradition!
In the United Kingdom, Australia and elsewhere throughout the world, to “down tools” means to stop working, typically because you are protesting working conditions or staging a work stoppage in support of someone or a cause.
This holiday season, why not “down tools” because you ARE satisfied with your working conditions? Because you value your job but more so because you treasure your family and friends, you treasure this season of the year … and you treasure the chance to be away, be quiet and still .. and just be.
Last week Formula 1 driver Mark Webber posted a message that he was glad to be home in Australia and was going “tools down” until after the New Year. That inspired this post and encouraged me to put tools down over the holidays myself. It will be nice to take a break from the computer. I’m even going to pack away my new Kindle Fire. Phone: essential use only. TV? I am going to break away from that, too.
I’m going to enjoy real live honest-to-goodness conversation with family and friends. I’m going to enjoy real live honest-to-goodness books. I’m going back to honest-to-goodness cookbooks to cook and bake.
Happy Holidays to each of you. Enjoy your celebrations, hug your family, thank your friends … and do something special for yourself.
The time to pick up the tools once again will come soon enough.
Formula for success: dessert for breakfast
Posted by LoisMarketing in Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on December 21, 2011
Happy Holidays, everyone! Hope you are enjoying this wonderful season of the year and looking forward to time with friends and family while looking forward to the new year ahead. Aren’t you grateful for these special days? The chance to celebrate, enjoy beautiful lights and decorations, gather with friends and co-workers, share traditions — and create new ones — with your children, give to others, and just enjoy the anticipation of what is to come.
Whether you are anticipating Chanukah, Christmas or the arrival of 2012, there is “something in the air” this season that seems to make us all children once again. The approach of Christmas brings out the kid in me — not that the kid ever goes away! I love sugar cookies and Christmas trees and Santa Claus.
How can you not believe in Santa Claus?
We spend the year caught up in life. In work, in chores, in responsibilities, in traffic, in campaigns and product launches and analyses, in meetings, in negotiation, in, in, in.
This holiday season, I hope each of us will get “in”to the moment. Whatever your faith, and wherever you are, there is much to celebrate, be thankful for, and look forward to right now. Today. This morning.
The morning after our Thanksgiving celebrations, friends and I laughed that we were sneaking leftover pie, cake or cookies with our morning coffee or tea. We admitted that we felt a bit guilty for having dessert for breakfast. Yes, every Thanksgiving and Christmas you should have dessert for breakfast. At least once. If that is not a tradition in your household it should be. The kids get to have dessert for breakfast, too.
What is there to feel guilty about? Have a little fun. Have dessert for breakfast this holiday. And, for that matter, have dessert for breakfast whenever there’s something to celebrate during the year. Or have dessert for breakfast just because. May we make the most of this time of the year — and may we remember that there is much to celebrate, appreciate and enjoy each and every day.
There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to something special. When you find yourself “in” the day to day of 2012, stop and take time to do something just for you. A mini celebration or a break from it all.
And, for heaven’s sake, have a cookie!
“Get the picture …”
Posted by LoisMarketing in Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on November 21, 2011
… and we got it.
Vividly.
“The ‘Dogs in red. Red helmets, red jerseys.”
I’ll miss you, Larry Munson. The Bulldog Nation — and the rest of the world — will, too.
Best Dawg. Ever.
Formula for success: a true inspiration
Posted by LoisMarketing in Formula 1, Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on November 7, 2011
Alex Zanardi
I took note as Alex — as he is best known — is one of my heroes.
Alex Zanardi, a native of Italy, began to train for racing as a young teenager. Motor racing, that is. After rising through feeder series, he entered Formula 1 in 1991. After four years he switched to the CART (Champ Car) arena where his two world championships caught the attention of Frank Williams, owner of Formula 1’s Williams team, and Alex was invited to give Formula 1 another go. Sadly it was for only one season. After numerous retirements from races mixed with lackluster finishes, Alex found himself out of Formula 1 once again.
The 2000 season came and went without Alex. He began to consider re-entering CART and landed a seat for 2001. Once again, results were mixed. Then it happened: On a competitive pace in a September 2001 race, Alex was seriously injured in a violent crash and, as a result, lost both of his legs.
Alex’s open wheel racing career was over. And, as you might think, any type of racing career.
You do not know Alex.
Fitted with standard prosthetic limbs, Alex found them cumbersome and limiting as he began to plan a return to auto racing. Nothing was going to hold him back. He designed his own limbs and feet to allow him needed flexibility. By 2003 Alex was racing again, using hand controls, ultimately landing a drive in an international touring car series that became known as the WTCC. He even considered Formula 1 once again — testing a special car fitted with hand controls in 2006.
In 2007, Alex switched from motor vehicles to a self-propelled one: the handcycle. After only a few weeks of training, he placed fourth in the New York City Marathon. Alex began to steadily rise to world-class status as a handcyclist and has become a strong contender to represent Italy in the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games. Then came yesterday as Alex showed his championship form, taking the handcycle title in a down-to-the-wire finish — nothing less for Alex! — managing to win even after encountering problems with the chain on his cycle toward the end of the race.
So now you understand why Alex Zanardi is my hero. There’s much to learn from his resolve to pursue his passions and dreams even after a tremendous setback. There’s much to learn from his resolve, his attitude … and his championship approach to life.
He’s written two books, Alex Zanardi: My Story and Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory. They should be a part of your library.
Are you inspired to go out and make it a great week? I know I am. Happy Monday!
A postscript …
Posted by LoisMarketing in Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on October 5, 2011
Best said by a friend:
Thank you, Steve Jobs, for so many “wow, that is so cool” moments.
You changed the world by believing in your dreams.
The entrepreneur’s tool box: From MySpace to “my space”
Posted by LoisMarketing in Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on August 20, 2011
Thanks to slightly (emphasis on “slightly”!) cooler, less humid Atlanta weather this morning I ventured out to my favorite neighborhood breakfast and coffee spot and grabbed a patio table with friends to chill out and catch up. Ahhh, sun and fresh air! After spending the last two weekends cooped up in classes to prepare for my health and life insurance licensing exam (which I passed Wednesday — yay!) it was nice to feel a breeze, the sun in my face, and a taste of freedom.
With my wonderful morning with friends in very recent memory, I ran across an interesting statistic in a friend’s tweet: 83% of Google Plus users are inactive. Hmmmm. Not that I don’t believe it — I do. I drew a quick correlation and analogy.
We can all relate. We have our favorite restaurants, pubs and local hangouts. Real ones, that is. To me receiving an invite to Google Plus was like attending a grand opening of a “newest, latest and greatest” restaurant in the neighborhood. Yes, it was fun for an evening — after all friends and neighbors came by, curious just like me — but the place didn’t have an appeal, didn’t draw us in, didn’t give us reason to return.
We came … we saw … and we went back to our favorite patio table .. and lattes.
83% apparently also came, saw, and never came back. I’m not surprised. And, to be brutally honest, I’m glad.
After all, our favorite places to “hangout” with our best friends are not chain restaurants that are forced on us. With a mentality of “here I am, you’re supposed to drop everything and come here because it’s ME.” In the social media world, the same holds true. Each of us finds that favorite neighborhood spot — within Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and yes, for some, Google Plus — where we are most comfortable and connected. It’s “our” table, “our” barstool … our place. What is ours evolves over time and experiences. Yes, there’s an immediate connection — then there is what draws us back, and keeps us coming back. We and our friends as well.
Sorry, Google Plus. Your glitz and glam may have a place elsewhere but not in my neighborhood.
On your way out, would you please turn off the neon sign? You’re spoiling my view of the night sky while my buds and I hangout around the firepit ….
Formula 1 Friday: in four words, go see this movie
Posted by LoisMarketing in Formula 1, Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on August 12, 2011
Writing for F1B — better known as www.Formula1Blog.com — has left “Formula 1 Friday” a bit neglected here. I bring it back to life today to do something I rarely do: recommend a movie.
Several of my friends are true movie aficionados, champs of movie trivia, followers of the stars, the Oscars, the latest releases in theaters and on Netflix … but that’s not me. I enjoy catching a good movie — or even a so-so movie for a great “escape” — every once in a while but I’m not a regular moviegoer.
With that in mind, I have a hard time recalling the last movie I absolutely had to see. And I certainly cannot remember the last time I told anyone that I had discovered a movie they should see. Then along came “Senna”.
Those of you who know me through social media, or have roamed around this blog a bit, know that I am a Formula 1 racing fan. For those of you who know me in real life, that thought brings a chuckle and a shake of the head, I know. Speaking of great escapes, during Formula 1 season you’ll find me perched on the arm of my couch with coffee in hand watching a race from somewhere clear around the world at o’dark thirty on a Sunday morning.
Many of you know that I will always carry a torch for a Formula 1 driver who, sadly, the world lost too soon: Ayrton Senna. Not only was he a great escape to follow as a racing driver, I came to appreciate him as a cute and quirky personality — and also a generous and caring young man — off the circuit and outside the car.
In many totally unexpected ways, I’ve come to know several of Ayrton’s friends and family. It’s interesting how life happens. In writing for Formula 1 Blog I have had the honor to come to know Asif Kapadia and Manish Pandey, the director and producer of “Senna”. Asif and Manish chose to tell Ayrton’s story in Ayrton’s own words, and in those of his contemporaries, as well as in actual footage of races and family films. For you Formula 1 fans, it’s classic F1 on the big screen and more. For you film ‘ficionados note that it won a major award at Sundance. There’s plenty of action for those who want action, and there’s something much deeper for everyone. I watched the film with a critical eye, not so much as a Senna fan but as someone watching for a more meaningful, not-just-vintage-footage, capture of a special life.
Friends, go see this movie.
“Senna” premieres in the USA today and opens for special engagements in many American cities throughout the month. Check out www.sennamovie.com for the trailer and theater information.
I’ll warn you of one thing: tuck away a Kleenex or two. Or grab an extra napkin or two — or three — with your bucket of popcorn. You’ll need them.
Go and discover — or rediscover — classic Formula 1.
Go and be inspired.
Go meet Ayrton.
Formula for success: the power of your doormat
Posted by LoisMarketing in Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on August 8, 2011
A doormat is an amazing thing. Put yours to good use.
For more than to scrape off the literal mud, sand, grass clippings and general unwelcome stuff of your yard and neighborhood as you step inside each evening.
Use it — and take time — to scrub off the unwelcome stuff of your business day before you put key into lock and enter.
Also use it to scrape off the distractions, quarrels, bills and other mindless — or very mindful — stuff as your head out each morning.
Keep the two very separate. Don’t mix business with home life. And don’t mix home life with business.
Your doormat is your best barrier. Scrape it off .. each time you step there. Brush off what will distract you from being the best for your family. Then brush off what will distract you from being the best for your company.
Doormats are the best sole — and soul — cleaner for life’s journey. “Welcome” home … and “welcome” world.
Make it a great day … in every way!
The entrepreneur’s tool box: a gift that keeps on giving
Posted by LoisMarketing in Personal Insights, Sales/Marketing/Public Relations on April 15, 2011
You have a heart for something. If you have a heart, you do. Is it your son’s Little League team? A wish for new programs at your daughter’s school? Is it your church or synagogue? Has your family been touched by cancer? Or perhaps another serious illness or rare disorder? Have a heart for Haiti, Japan and other areas hit by disaster?
As you give money and volunteer your time to the causes you care about, remember to also lend your voice .. or at least your fingers .. too. Volunteer more time and promote fundraisers, share news and commend efforts through social media. As you chat with friends, post family photos or promote your business, don’t forget to promote other things that are close to your heart.
Suddenly “lending a hand” will take on a whole new meaning!
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Sales and marketing diva, avid Georgia Bulldog football and Formula 1 fan, a contributing editor for Formula 1 Blog (www.formula1blog.com), writer, artist and gardener.
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