How to become the Luckiest Person You Know, Part 2
Friday, March 23, 2007 - posted by hellomynameisscott at 5:16 AM
Since my recent post about The Secret reached so many people...And since I (think) I've figured out how to become the luckiest person you know, I now firmly believe:
IT AIN'T ABOUT LUCK!
Here's a fun, easy exercise you can do to prove that to yourself:
1. Think about the "luckiest" things that ever happened to you.
2. Write what great stuff happened as a result.
3. Think about what you will now do differently as a result.
A few examples from Nametagland:
BOY AM I GLAD THAT I…
Attended every cocktail hour, dinner, event, break out session and after-hours hot tub celebration instead of sleeping or relaxing in my hotel room during last year’s WOMMA conference.
BECAUSE AS A RESULT…
I made connections with hundreds of people, dozens of which became friends and/or colleagues; 13 of which became clients, all of which contributed to over $100,000 of revenue during the next year.
SO FROM NOW ON…
1. Get out of your hotel room.
2. Save sleep for the plane ride home.
3. Maximize your conference time: go to everything!
BOY AM I GLAD THAT I…
Starting writing content-rich, easy to read articles and posting a new one on my website every week.
BECAUSE AS A RESULT…
The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, FastCompany and COSMOPOLITAN contacted me for expert opinions on approachability, the printed quotes of which I leveraged to command a higher fee level and a dramatic increase in book sales.
SO FROM NOW ON…
1. Get up one hour earlier and write for 60 minutes every single day.
2. Write at least two articles every month.
3. Publish those articles online and in your ezine and share your expertise with the world.
BOY AM I GLAD THAT I…
Graduated from college, had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and moved across the country to a strange city where I’d never been, didn’t know anybody and didn’t have a job.
BECAUSE AS A RESULT…
I made a group of lifelong friends, suffered just enough to realize what I DIDN’T want, discovered my true calling, started my career and came to realize the validation for my existence.
SO FROM NOW ON…
1. Create intentional discomfort by displacing yourself.
2. Don’t be afraid to figure out what you DON’T want first.
3. Listen, listen, listen to the clues life gives you.
BOY AM I GLAD THAT I…
Spent 14 straight hours addressing 112 hand-written notes to every Hyatt GM in the country to introduce myself (and my training programs).
BECAUSE AS A RESULT…
I began working with several properties around the country over the next three years, which led to a new niche market, a new book idea and over $10,000 of new business.
SO FROM NOW ON…
1. Make it handwritten.
2. Be willing to pay the price.
3. Go straight to the top and show ‘em what you got.
BOY AM I GLAD THAT I…
Spent three full days (about 20 hours) on the phone calling every single person from my audience who gave me their business card and thanked them for being there.
BECAUSE AS A RESULT…
More than a dozen of them decided at some point within the following year, to hire me.
SO FROM NOW ON…
1. Exponentially increase your activity level.
2. Get your butt on the phone!
3. Make it personal.
BOY AM I GLAD THAT I…
Started blogging every single day.
BECAUSE AS A RESULT…
I accumulated over 500 posts, the contents of which skyrocketed my web presence, created a easily accessible online knowledge management system, boosted my email list, introduced me to hundreds of cool new people, expanded my platform, tripled my web traffic and helped create (and eventually get published) my next five books.
SO FROM NOW ON…
1. Stop thinking blogs are only for geeks.
2. Start blogging tomorrow.
3. Post something on your blog every single day for the next 6 months.
BOY AM I GLAD THAT I…
Sat down on the bus on December 2nd, 2002, and said hello to a complete stranger.
BECAUSE AS A RESULT…
He passed along my business card to his girlfriend, who was the editor of a local paper. She called to do an interview with me and the resulting article got picked up by every major news wire in the country, which resulting in the birth of my entire career, including everything you’ve just read in this article.
SO FROM NOW ON…
1. Realize that it’s OK to talk to strangers.
2. Say hi to everybody.
3. And just remember: it ain’t about luck.
LET ME ASK YA THIS...
What's the luckiest thing that ever happened to you?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS...
What happened as a result? What will you now do differently as a result?
* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com
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Labels: get them to come to you, it's not luck
Scott, I always love reading what you have to say, but today - well, that was powerful stuff.
Thanks for the motivation, encouragement and kick in the pants.
Deborah
Scott that was an awesome post. It reminded me of some of the opportunities I missed for not taking action and the ones I gained for taking action.
Congratulations on all of your success! You've earned it!
- Patricia Hudak
Good stuff. One of my favorite things to say (and I've probably posted it here before) is, "How to be in the right place at the right time? Be in a lot of places!"
Hey Scott, you're sure hot today. I think in The Secret, most of what you posted would be in the "gratitude" category. Powerful stuff.
Yep, there's no such thing as luck. Just as there are no accidents, victims or such a thing as fiction.
And a coincidence is just God's way of remaining anonymous.
Great post, Scott. I've been thinking this way a lot more lately. I'm reconnecting with people, saving business cards, registering for conferences, and making much more of an effort to put myself out there.
This may not be the luckiest thing that ever happened to me, but it was certainly fortuitous.
I was responding to a friend's e-mail, in which she had just sent me the e-mail address of a local magazine editor for me to pitch an article idea. In responding to her message and saving the address, I somehow entered the address into the "to:" box, so that when I replied to my friend, the e-mail went to the editor as well.
I didn't realize this until I received a puzzled response from the editor five minutes later. I apologized for the mistake and then took the opportunity to introduce myself and pitch my article. I might not have gotten around to this for some time, but because I "accidentally" put myself in the hot seat, I went for it.
So far, I've had two articles in that magazine, and who knows what more will come of it?
I really liked this post because it gets right under my skin when someone says, "Boy, have you been lucky in your career!"
Like hell! As you've just demonstrated it takes time, effort, strategy and measurement. You have to show up, put the work in, follow-up, keep in touch....you get my point.
Everything I have, I worked for it. Some of it was effort and some of it resulted from being "on a roll".
I was (most times) prepared when the opportunity presented itself. Which is more complex than it may seem and it sure as hell ain't luck.
BTW, I just returned from two days of speaking at the BlogHer Business conference and I mentioned your blog in my presentations a few times and used you as an on-the-fly case study on blogging "ROI".
Boy Scott, you sure are "lucky." I'm actually lucky to know you; lucky in that I was unafraid to comment on your blog, lucky that I picked up the phone to call you, and lucky that I invited you to a cup of coffee when you're in Milwaukee. Now, I've luckily got a great book, a great blog, and a great life.
And the day you first mentioned getting lucky: that day was my birthday, and I turned 29 on 12/2/02. Lucky for me too!