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October 17, 2014 by Brett Leave a Comment

Learn One (and only one) Thing at a Time

The problem with this Dan Miller Challenge that I’ve taken up is that part of the premise is to pick a new action item everyday based on what I read and listen to.

Therefore, I’m often doing something different everyday. Sometimes, these items build on each other. Other times they are completely different.

I’m sticking with this plan for the next 5 months, but I’m realizing the importance of sticking to one main project or skill, even if the

Do you struggle with trying to learn and do too many things at once? 

A couple weeks ago, I read about the importance of finding opportunities to present in front of groups, associations, and other organizations.

I emailed a couple organizations, and lo and behold, I got an opportunity. October 30th.

While I love reading and listening to all kinds of content, this upcoming presentation has become my focus.

I’m filtering all content through my desire to create value for those at the conference.

If you’re like I am and love to read this book, listen to that podcast, watch that series of Youtube videos, then you can relate to my version of adult ADD learning.

In order to make strides in any one area, though, you and I must learn to choose the most pressing piece of learning and focus on that one thing before bouncing to other things.

Just in time learning

Smart Passive Income’s Pat Flynn and Internet Business Mastery’s Jeremy Frandsen and Jason Van Orden introduced me to this idea of ‘just in time learning’.

Just in time learning is a practice whereby you focus solely on learning what you need to learn to achieve the next step in a current project.

For instance, for me right now, I’m focused on the presentation I have to give. My first job is to understand the best method planning and preparing my talk. Therefore, I’ve read a few blog posts and listened to a couple podcasts all around structuring my research, outlining, and pruning of my talk. When I get to the point where I need to create slides, then I’ll focus on that type of content.

Jumping from one thing to another, even within one project, slows down progress.

I get so tempted to try my hand at graphic design by creating slides, but first, I must focus on figuring out the one point I hope the audience walks away with.

Then I will focus on developing the supporting points and how to weave data and stories into the talk.

After that (and only after that), will I study the how-tos and worry about the slides.

Right now, every bit of content that I consume is around public speaking. But I’m drilling down deeper toward specific learning around the step I’m in at the moment.

How to practice just in time learning

Most of us don’t have the luxury of spending tons of time on one project at a time. Our day jobs are filled with a bunch of different people with whom we have a variety of relationships (bosses, colleagues, clients, direct reports).

We might have to stay sharp in a variety of areas.

That said, you and I should also be selective.

What’s one skill we know that would best move our work forward?

If you’re in sales, perhaps it’s learning the age-old practice of cold calling.

If you’re in customer service, perhaps it’s learning how to be more engaging with difficult customers.

If you’re a web designer, perhaps it’s learning a new CMS because WordPress is so 2013.

Pick the one thing and focus on it as much as possible until that one thing is either accomplished or deeply learned.

Write that one thing out on a piece of paper or create a file for it or a note in Evernote.

And get to work. Google it. Youtube it. Buy a book. Go to the library.

Figure that one thing out first before moving on.

I think we would all benefit from that type of focus.

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How about you? Do you practice this type of approach to learning, especially for your work? 

(Leave an answer in the comments)

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Listening for today:

What the Speak Podcast – with Bryan Kelly: I binge-listened to about 5 episodes of this podcast during my commutes today. Michael Hyatt, Nancy Duarte, Chris Brogan, Jeff Goins, and Ken Davis all taught me a little more about public speaking, from preparation to presentation. (By the way, all the sudden these podcasts stopped in July. I’m hoping all is okay!)

SPI 087 : Why You Belong on Stage – Pat’s “Braindump” of Public Speaking and Presentation Tips – with Pat Flynn: This podcast is a wonderful overview of public speaking, especially for newbies like myself.

 

Filed Under: Content Creation Experiments, Mindset Experiments, Productivity Experiments, The Dan Miller Challenge Tagged With: bryan kelly, internet business mastery, jason van orden, jeremy frandsen, just in time learning, marketing, pat flynn, public speaking, smart passive income, what the speak

October 4, 2014 by Brett Leave a Comment

Sleep More, Get More Done

My commitment to writing daily on this and my day job blog has demanded more than it’s shares of late nights and early mornings.

Unfortunately, I’ve also binged on Netflix a couple times and stayed up late watching college or pro football.

Today, I listened to Pat Flynn’s interview with Shawn Stevenson (check Shawn Stevenson’s podcast and blog here).

Much of the interview was about sleep. Since today was a Saturday full of emergency home projects (2 major bathroom rehabs), I’m eager to take today’s action item from that interview. I could use some sleep.

Stevenson has written a book all about sleep (Sleep Smarter: 21 Proven Tips to Sleep Your Way To a Better Body, Better Health and Bigger Success) and handed out a couple tips in the interview:

  1. Give yourself a caffeine curfew (2pm)
  2. Use black-out curtains (those cool things they have at fancy hotels)
  3. Keep electronics out of your room or at least away from your noggin.

I really want black-out curtains, but since I can’t pull that off tonight, I cut off caffeine early and will keep the phone away. I’ll use the old-fashioned clock radio.

I’m averaging 5-6 hours a night and feel a slow wear-down happening. It’ll take faith to go to bed 9pm-10pm and let myself sleep a little later. Will I get things done that I need to get done?

8 straight hours sounds like a very nice thing though, so I’m up for the challenge.

What kind of sleep do you get? Are you like me – you pride yourself on only ‘needing’ 5-6 hours a night? Is that really a good long term plan?

Filed Under: Mindset Experiments, Productivity Experiments Tagged With: energy, pat flynn, productivity, shawn stevenson, sleep, smart passive income

October 3, 2014 by Brett Leave a Comment

The 5-Second Rule Has Nothing to Do with Dropping Food on the Kitchen Floor

Have you heard of Dr. Rob Gilbert? He’s been leaving pre-recorded messages on his Success Hotline (973-743-4690) for years. Today (10/3/14) he left his 8,370th message. That comes up to nearly 23 years of recorded messages.

23 years of nearly daily messages (I’ve only heard him skip a weekend day or two here or there).

23 years. But it’s not his consistency I want to point out today. It’s his message.

He talked about a dude who always gets dates with beautiful women, yet he, himself, ain’t such a looker.

His secret? The 5-second rule: If he sees someone he wants to talk to, he makes sure to do it within 5 seconds or he’ll talk himself out of it.

The application? Make the call. Send the email. Submit that proposal. Right now.

As soon as I listened to the message, I hung up and made a call that I needed to make. Then I made another.

What’s something you can do in the next 5 seconds (or at the very next moment you get the chance to do it)?

If nothing else, go call Dr. Rob Gilbert’s hotline. You won’t regret it. Call it everyday. His sheer consistency is inspiring: 973-743-4690

Today’s Listening

Dr. Rob Gilbert – Success Hotline – 973-743-4690 (he really doesn’t have a blog, but he does have a Twitter feed and a short-lived YouTube channel.  Did I mention, though, that he’s been leaving recorded motivational, success-focused, and inspirational messages for 23 years? Amazing.

SPI 120 : How to Create the Ultimate Flagship Product – From Research to Launch and Beyond with Ramit Sethi – Smart Passive Income Podcast, Pat Flynn: Ramit is good. I would say this isn’t the most relatable to where I am as far as work online.

That said, the principles are transferrable to offline business. One of the biggest lessons? Research as best as you can. Be a student of your target audience, and don’t force feed them the stuff you think they need.

SPI 121 : A Crash Course on Charisma – A Guide to Winning In-Person Encounters with Jordan Harbinger – Smart Passive Income Podcast, Pat Flynn: I loved this podcast. My favorite bit of advice?

Walk into every room, whether someone’s in there or not, with your head up a big fat smile on your face, and your chest out as if you’re shining a light from it (I made this a second action item for today). But then? Be interested in everyone else.

A great quote from Mr. Harbinger: “A core principle of my own life, and upon which this company was founded, is that one should leave everything and everyone better than they were before we met. By bringing positivity and abundance to others, you can’t go wrong.”

Check Jordan Harbinger’s work out at his site here.

SPI 122 : From Teachers to Totally Rocking it Online – Shane and Jocelyn Sams Share their Success Story – Smart Passive Income Podcast, Pat Flynn

I love hearing stories like the Sams’ story. Two teachers leveraged their educational and coaching backgrounds to develop two value-giving, money making websites: CoachXO and Elementary Librarian. Their story is amazing. And they’re starting to teach others how to do what they’ve done on Flipped Lifestyle.

Plus they have cool Kentucky accents. I’m a Georgia boy, so I appreciate a fine drawl.

Until tomorrow…

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This blog is a response to Dan Miller’s unintentional challenge from his podcast on August 15, 2014: If you read or listen to 30 minutes of quality content a day, you’ll double your income. 

From September 1, 2014 through March 1, 2015, I will be doing the following:

  1. Listening or reading to 30 minutes of success, growth, business, spiritual, or other mindset-shifting, skill-sharpening content.
  2. Selecting one action item from that content (with some leeway to select an action from a previous day’s content).
  3. Doing that one action.
  4. Writing about the action or some other idea from the reading and listening of the day. 

Filed Under: Marketing Experiments, Mindset Experiments, Sales Experiments Tagged With: art of charm, coachxo, dr. rob gilbert, elementary librarian, jocelyn sams, jordan harbinger, pat flynn, ramit sethi, shane sams, smart passive income, success hotline

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Hello!

Brett the sales experimenter and the challenge accepter Brett - Sales and Marketing Experimenter. I'm a reluctant sales professional. I didn't start out my career in sales and marketing, but I've grown to enjoy it. Here I discuss marketing, sales, productivity, and mindset experiments that will hopefully yield greater results and a more deeply satisfying sales career.

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  • Is Sales Your Calling?
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Recent Posts

  • Is Sales Your Calling?
  • I Must Be Ruthless about My Time
  • 4 Ideas for Leaders with No Leadership Position
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