We are told that money won't buy lots of things. For instance, money can't buy you happiness. Or love. Or a second chance at your secret crush in high school. Somewhere along the line, however, we fall into the trap of believing that money WILL buy you security. Sure, that job you have may not be a dream job, or even something that makes you spring out of bed in the morning, but it pays the bills. It covers the mortgage, helps you pay off your loans, inflates your retirement fund, and provides the all-important holy grail known as Benefits. So what happens if the stock -- and your 401k …
Dream Big
Promoting Fun and Hot Air Balloons
Vince McMahon. Sam Walton. P.T. Barnum. These three men have something in common, and that connection is the very reason I have been inspired by them. They are all great promoters. But even more than that, their style of promotion always contained within it a spirit of childlike fun. I grew up watching pro wrestling. (My favorites? Bret "The Hitman" Hart, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and Randy "Macho Man" Savage.) Vince McMahon, the owner of the WWF (now known as the WWE), has always impressed me with his promotional abilities. It's unfortunate that he tends to get some of his ideas straight …
I Don’t Want to Grow Up
Do you remember those commercials on TV in the 80's highlighting the Toys "R" Us shopping spree? If I remember correctly they would show some very hyper eight-year-old running through the aisles pushing this big cart full of toys and excitedly putting even more toys into the cart. How I longed to be that kid. Was I alone? Freedom to put whatever I wanted into the cart – filling it to the brim. Pick ME! …
How Dare Oprah Winfrey!
I recently posed the question: Are you in your dream job? A few people responded that they were, but I imagine most people fall into the majority of people -- 80% according to a Careerbuilder.com survey -- are still looking for their dream job. People give many reasons why they are not in their dream job: lack of skills, lack of opportunity, too young, too old... the list goes on and on. Is it too idealistic to expect that everyone could have a job they love? A public speaking and presentation skills coach named Lisa added a comment to the previously mentioned post, saying: …
Are You in Your Dream Job?
I would have to say that I'm in my dream job. I write this blog post from a hotel room in Pleasanton, California (near the San Francisco/Oakland area.) I had a speaking gig this morning where I was able to encourage a gym full of people to make their lives a little bit more fun an fulfilling. We sold prints and comic books featuring funny pictures I've drawn over the past six years. Kim and I will be able to spend the next few days in San Francisco, while collecting some footage for our new project, Escape Plan TV. I draw, write, talk (and travel) for a living. Certainly not a typical job by …
Today is Only the Beginning
Living in Wisconsin you can only imagine that there is a lot of talk about whether or not Brett Favre will retire this year. By the looks of the interview from New Year's Eve, I wouldn't be surprised if he does. Check out a fun Deal or No Deal version of that interview here. To retire or not to retire. What a big decision! So many baby boomers are being faced with this question earlier than they had originally thought, due to corporate budget cutting. Companies do package up the deal pretty nicely these days. It's too expensive to pay the guys/gals at the top. …
Santa Has a Phone Number
And it is 1-800-972-6242. I'm not sure what his e-mail is. Call that number anytime before December 24th, and you can hear a message from jolly ol' St. Nick himself. (He records a new message everyday!) He reminds children to be good and thoughtful to others and all that jazz. It's perfectly free and perfect for kids of all ages. It would be nice to have a full-blown conversation with the big guy, but I guess he is pretty busy this time of year. …
Stuck
In my travels around the country, I have encountered an exorbitant amount of people who feel stuck. Stuck in dead-end jobs. Stuck in good jobs that don't excite them anymore. Stuck in jobs that never excited them but have benefits too good to pass up. Stuck in jobs that have them living for the weekend and missing their kids. The good news is that every single one of these people is not really stuck. They just think they are. …
Is Someone Else Achieving Your Dream?
Good humor has an element of truth to it. Really good humor stems from tragedy. (Think about Lucy endlessly pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.) Check out this article from this week's Onion: Area Man Achieves Your Dream CHARLOTTE, NC—After almost two decades of dreaming on your part, 34-year-old Stephen Hochenko achieved your goal of opening up a small bookstore and café last Thursday, coincidentally in the exact location you had planned to open yours. …
Crazy Horse
Today on my walk I saw something that sparked an inner light bulb to glow. It was this… Did you ever ride one of these as a kid? My horse was faded and the springs were very loose from the many rides my three older sisters took over the years prior to my arrival. When I would go for a ride I experienced a very specific combination of feelings. …