The 30 Day Challenge

How are you doing with the 30 day challenge?  For me, the first few days were tough.  What made it even more difficult was that my hotel does not have internet access in the rooms.  So whenever I want to access email, I need to go to the hotel lobby. 

I’m on day 4, and as predicted, I am no longer stressed about checking my email.  I set up an autoresponder that gives people my agent’s contact information if they need a response that is time sensitive. 

I’m off to Bangkok in a few hours…

Stay Connected by Disconnecting

While here Malaysia, my BlackBerry was stolen.  It reminded me of something I wrote in my book Goal-Free Living:

Every day we are presented with numerous opportunities, but they often pass us by without our even noticing. In order to find these hidden opportunities, you must be sensitive to the environment around you. Sometimes this means disconnecting to stay connected.

Technology can be a wonderful boon to humankind, but sometimes we abuse it in ways that prevent us from really participating in life. For example, I have a BlackBerry phone. My original thinking was that this would free me from my computer and allow me to stay connected. Yes, it does allow me to stay connected electronically, but it also makes me disconnected from what I should really be doing—being present.

I once was having lunch with a colleague. Although my BlackBerry was sitting on the table with the ringer off, based on the color of a flashing LED I could tell if I had any new e-mails. I was waiting for an important message, so I was constantly glancing at the flashing light to see if it turned red. I received an e-mail every few minutes from someone—either a real person or spam. I did not receive the e-mail I was so eager to get until hours later. In the meantime I was completely detached from the person I was having lunch with, missing an opportunity to really be connected. This is how staying connected can interfere with being connected.

I wrote that in 2005.  Unfortunately, my CrackBerry addiction has actually worsened since then.

Now I am being put to the ultimate test.  My BlackBerry is missing and there no cost effective way for me to replace it until I return to the states in 3 weeks. I was able to buy an inexpensive “regular” phone with a local Malaysian number.  But my US mobile number will remain in suspended animation until I return.  No one will be able to send me text messages or leave me voicemails.  I will only be able to check email from my computer.  No more checking email every 30 seconds like I did with the BlackBerry.

I feel my withdrawal symptoms kicking in already.  It takes 30 days to break a habit.  Maybe this is my chance to break my CrackBerry addiction.  Maybe this is a chance for me to “stay connected by disconnecting.”

In addition to my other speeches in Asia, I will also be speaking tomorrow at the MPH bookstore in the Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur.

How to Publish a Book in 2 Weeks for $200

I realize that book publishing does not directly relate to innovation.  But I have had so many conversations with people about this in recent weeks that I decided to write an article about it. 

This article is nearly 3000 words in length.  As you will see, if I double (or triple) the length, this article could become a book.

It seems as though everyone wants to write a book.  Well, actually everyone wants to publish a book.  Few people want to write one.  Unfortunately, most people don’t know where to start and therefore become undermotivated or overwhelmed.  The result?  Good intentions; no book.

But what if you could have a bookstore quality paperback in your hands in two weeks?  And what if you didn’t have to do much writing?

Here’s a technique you can use to publish a non-fiction book in a fortnight.  I recently wrote a book in a few days and had a published version in one week. 

To do this, you must use a print-on-demand self-publisher and not a traditional publisher.

Business books work best with the method.  Fiction requires an entirely different approach.

Before you get started, there is one question you must answer…

[Read more]

Be Outrageous, It’s the Only Place That’s Not Crowded

My previous entry focused on innovation as a way of helping you stand out in a crowd. I also discussed how wearing a bathrobe at a black tie event can have the same effect.

In my Goal-Free Living book, I interviewed a successful entrepreneur (and now a good friend), Mikki Williams. Mikki is the master at standing out in a crowd. But it is not a tactic; it just comes naturally. Here is a brief excerpt from the book.

I met Mikki Williams in her apartment high above Lake Michigan in Chicago. The first thing I noticed upon walking into her place was that she collected lips. Lots of lips. This is a hobby she started more than 20 years ago, which has permeated her home and work, including a five-foot lip couch (see photo) and assorted other lip accessories—from toilet seats to artwork.

The next thing I noticed when walking into Mikki’s place was Mikki. She had big hair. Really big hair. Mikki is someone who lives by the motto, Carpe diem! She joked, “I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. My ultimate goal will be realized when the check to the undertaker—bounces!”

“I like to say, ‘Be outrageous, it’s the only place that’s not crowded.’ That’s the way I live my life. I dress outrageously and have crazy hair. But it’s not that I try to be this way. This is who I am. I am just being me.”

Eventually, Mikki took her life experiences onto the public speaking circuit. But Mikki was not your typical speaker. She looked like Bette Midler and definitely stood out in a crowd. One day she received a call from a Wall Street Journal reporter who was doing an article on the speaking industry during the recession.

“Why me?” she asked the journalist. “Because you stand out. You look different.”

When the article was published, Mikki’s face was featured on the front page! This launched her speaking career.

Too often, we try to fit in with the crowd. We play it safe. But innovation is about taking risks while being true to you. This takes confidence. And it takes the belief that your “style” is what the world needs and wants. Yes, taking this risk may help you stand out. More importantly, it may be the ticket to your success.

Innovation Can Help You Stand Out in a Crowd

Innovation can help your organization improve its products, processes, or business model. But maybe, innovation’s greatest strength is helping you stand out from the crowd.

Let me give you a personal example where I learned this by accident.

A few years back, when I lived in London, I was a member of a hip and trendy club. Basically it was a gorgeous four story house with comfy sofas where members gathered for food, drinks, and social events. Their annual Academy Awards parties were so popular, they were by invitation only. One year I was fortunate enough to receive mine in the mail.

The invitation read: “DJ or PJs.” In England, a DJ is a dinner jacket/tuxedo. PJs are obviously pajamas. With the 8 hour time zone difference between London and Los Angeles, the event went from 11PM until 6AM. Given how late the event started, I assumed everyone would opt for comfy PJs rather than stuffy DJs. That day I purchased a relatively inexpensive – and loud – yellow silk bath robe, blue pajamas, an ascot, and slippers. You can see the finished product in the photo left.

I arrived at the event around midnight – fashionably late. The crowd had already gathered. The two bouncers at the door verified I was on the guest list and let me in. Both were wearing tuxedos. I walked in and immediately saw a buddy of mine who worked at the club. He too was wearing a tux. I took a quick glance around. Everyone was in black tie. I asked him, “Um, is anyone else here wearing pajamas?” Without saying a word, he simply shook his head. I could tell he pitied me.

My instinct told me to leave. It was a very awkward and uncomfortable situation. But instead of running, I grabbed a glass of champagne and strutted in like I owned the place. All heads turned and looked at me. I thought I heard a gasp or two from the crowd. Then immediately, people walked up to me to introduce themselves. The guys whispered something to the effect of, “I wanted to wear pajamas, but I just didn’t have the cojones.” By the end of the night, I knew everyone. Everyone wanted to have their picture taken with me. Even the local “movie stars” in the room weren’t as popular.

Innovate to Stand Out

Afterwards I reflected on this experience and how it could be applied to business innovation. What I realized is that at a black tie affair, a tuxedo – no matter how pricy or fancy it is – will always stand out less than an inexpensive bathrobe.

For many, innovation is about designing a better tuxedo. “Hey, we’re in the 8 track tape market. Let’s create 8 track HD.” Or, “Windows XP has been out for a few years, I guess it must time for a newer, more powerful operating system.”

One problem is, as Clayton Christensen described in his book The Innovator’s Dilemma, companies innovate faster than customers lives change. As a result, products become over priced and overly complex (Office 2007 is a perfect example).

The winners are those who create something low cost and simple, yet different.

Be forewarned, being different may feel uncomfortable. Just as I wanted to leave a seemingly embarrassing situation, businesses want to kill all ideas that don’t fit the “mold.” Instead, play with these ideas. Don’t dismiss them too quickly. Have the courage to explore them – even if it takes a bit of champagne to get up the nerve.

I am not suggesting that you be different for the sake of being different. That only creates a short lived fad. But if you are not #1 in your industry, your innovations should set you apart from the competition. Trying to emulate the company you are chasing will only exhaust your resources.

To stimulate some creative thinking, ask, “How can we create something…

1. that leverages our core strengths?
2. that solves a pervasive customer pain?
3. of lower cost and lower complexity than the competition?
4. that sets us apart from the crowd?

Remember, sometimes the best innovations are those that are simple, low cost – and fundamentally different. Instead of better tuxedos, maybe people just want bathrobes.

P.S. Although it has been several years since that event, I still wear the same bathrobe almost daily. Not only was the bathrobe less expensive than a tuxedo, it proved to be much more practical.

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