2009 June

Monthly Archives: June 2009

You Make Stupid Decisions

Posted by Grant on June 30, 2009 – 6:25 am

I figured you already knew that, but I felt it was my place to point it out.

Now when I say you make “stupid decisions,” I’m not talking about those horrible mistakes that you have major regret over.

I’m talking about on a regular, consistent basis…you make stupid decisions.

I started reading a fascinating book called “Predictably Irrational” which looks at why we make the decisions that we do. It starts off with a really interesting scenario that illustrates this idea that we make stupid decisions.

Let’s say you had two errands to run. One to buy a fancy pen and the other to buy a suit. You go to an office supply store and find a nice pen for $25. Then you remember you saw that same pen at a different store for only $18. Would you make a 15-minute drive to save $7?

Most of us would. I know I would.

Now onto your second errand. You’re at a store buying a suit and find a great deal on one for $175. Then another customer whispers to you that a different store has the same suit on sale for $168. Would you make a 15-minute drive to save $7 now?

As you would imagine, most people wouldn’t. I doubt I would.

But $7 is $7, isn’t it? Sure it’s a bigger percentage discount with one purchase over another but it’s still $7.

This seems stupid. And yet we make decisions like this everyday.

I’m not trying to rip you for your decisions (cause I make stupid ones too), but rather challenge you to think about why you make the decisions that you do.

Why do you order the same thing for lunch everyday? Why do you shop at that store? Why do you watch that show?

Just something to think about…

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10 Time Management Tips For Teens

Posted by Grant on June 25, 2009 – 7:55 am

Filed under Students, Time Management/Organization

First of all, just try saying that title as fast you can repeatedly.

If you are doing that right now, then you really need this post to help you with your time!

Yesterday, I was interviewed by a writer who was working on an article for a national magazine about helping students better manage their time. We talked about a lot of different thoughts and ideas, but I thought I would share with you 10 tips to get you going with time management…

Learn To Say No – Most of us are people pleasers who hate disappointing others. So we say “yes” more than we should and end up taking on more than we can handle. What’s one thing you need to say ‘NO’ to this week
You Can’t Be Liked By Everybody – If you start saying “no” to invites, requests, or opportunities, people may initially be offended. Realize in your mind you’re going to let others down (this guy is not very motivational!). Is it more important to be liked or respected?
Have An Outlet – In your car, you’ve got a gauge that goes from an ‘F’ to an ‘E’. When it gets to an ‘E’, you go refill, recharge, and reconnect so you can continue on your journey. What do you like to do for fun that gives you life?
Keep Track Of Your Time – Have you ever noticed that it’s possible to be really, really busy and yet really, really unproductive? For one week, write down what you do every single minute of the day and evaluate where your time is really going. Are you really as busy as you think you are?
You Can’t Have It All – You can’t be quarterback of the football team, student body president, captain of the chess club, have a 4.0 GPA, be manager at McDonald’s, get into Harvard, and be xbox champion of the world. What do you need to sacrifice?
Determine What Matters Most – Until you answer the question of what matters most to you, then everything is important and nothing is important. How do you know what to say ‘no’ to and what to say ‘yes’ to? What matters most to you?
You Have A Capacity – You only have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week. You have a capacity. You have limits. You can’t do it all. Stop trying. What areas of your life are you trying to do too much?
You Must Have Margin – Have you noticed that they make the lanes a little bit wider than your car? Why? Because they’ve seen how some of you drive! You need that margin. You need that space in life that gives you some breathing room. Do you have any margin in your life right now?
Have A System For You – Where do you keep your schedule? Your to-do list? Reminder notes? You can use some type of technology such as a Smartphone, PDA, or Google tools. Or you may just use good old fashioned paper and pen. Just do what works for you. What tools are you using to organize your life?
Be Proactive – Having a balanced life doesn’t just naturally happen. It’s something you have to work at on a regular basis. Take ownership for your life and pick out a few of these tips you can implement starting today. What changes are you going to make in your life to better manage your time?

YOUR TURN: What other time management tips do you have for students?

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Lessons Learned From “Jon & Kate Plus Eight”

Posted by Grant on June 23, 2009 – 5:43 am

Filed under Current Events, Family

I’ve watched “Jon & Kate Plus Eight” off and on for the past few years and like a lot of people, find myself intrigued by their story. I saw the season premiere this year and haven’t watched it again until last night when they announced they would be separating.

Like most viewers, I wasn’t completely surprised but at the same time, very saddened by the whole situation. Like most bummers that happen in life, there are always lessons to be learned. Here are some I gathered…

Disclaimer – I am no relationship wizard/expert/guru. I’m not perfect in any way and am not throwing stones at all. Just making observations about the situation.

Your Attention = Where You’re Successful – Time and time again, Jon and Kate talked about how they were in all this for their kids. As a result, they are good parents with a bad marriage. You can be successful in life when you really focus on something and work at it, but you have to make sure you’re focusing on the right thing. In addition, don’t develop “tunnel vision” where one aspect of your life is incredible, but the rest of your world sucks.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words – Don’t tell me what matters to you. Show me. If you tell me one of your top priorities is school, but you never study and you continue to blow off your classes, your words mean nothing.

No One Is Immune – Even as recently as a year ago, Jon and Kate renewed their vows and committed to one another for life. And now here they are. There are a lot of couples and people out there that will do things you’d never expect them to do. There are couples you don’t expect to get divorced. There are individuals you don’t expect to make horrible, life-altering decisions. But we all make mistakes, and no one is immune. While I have zero intention or desire to ever split up from my wife, we’re no different than any other couple. If you ever think you’re immune or it couldn’t happen to you, you’ve got your naive head in the sand.

My personal opinion is that one of the best things I can do to be a good father to my daughters is to be a good husband to their mother. How I treat her and love her will speak volumes to my children about the kind of person their daddy is.

It’s a sad story, but I wish nothing but the best for the Gosselin family.

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A Knowledge-Based Economy: Knowledge = Value

Posted by Grant on June 22, 2009 – 6:50 am

Filed under Current Events, Thinking Out Loud...

Back in the early 1900s people were paid based on one simple thing: production. In a world of factories and assembly lines, the more you produced, the more valuable you were.

That’s no longer the case.

In today’s world, you are paid based less on what you produce and more on what you know. The more you know, the more valuable you are.

Think about this in the world of consultants. A company brings in a consultant (and pays them insane money) not so they can put on a hard hat and find their spot on the assembly line. Companies bring in consultants based on what they know. The consultant knows something the company doesn’t, so there’s value in that knowledge.

But understand this…knowledge doesn’t just come from formal, institutionalized education at a college or university. Knowledge comes from reading books, learning from other people, and having an overall curiosity about the world around you.

I’ve heard it put this way: “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

Knowledge = Value.

What are you doing to increase your knowledge and therefore increase your value?

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National BPA Conference in Dallas

Posted by Grant on June 16, 2009 – 5:56 am

Filed under Events, Speaking, Travels

I’m totally pumped about tomorrow night…I will be speaking at the opening session of the BPA (Business Professionals of America) National Leadership Conference in Dallas!

This event was actually supposed to take place back in early May but due to the swine flu scare, it was moved to now.

My wife and daughters will be tagging along for this event as well, so it’s always nice to have them around.

This will be one of the largest events I’ve spoke at so far, so I’m pretty stoked about it. For updates about how the conference is going, be sure to follow me on Twitter.

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It Means Nothing Unless You Do Something

Posted by Grant on June 15, 2009 – 5:55 am

Filed under Thinking Out Loud...

One of the biggest challenges of being a speaker is wondering if you’ve actually made any impact.

Sure, for that block of time you spoke, everyone seemed to have a good time and you caused them to think, but by the next day, has the audience made any changes? For me, if a talk goes well and everyone enjoys it but no one makes any life changes, then what’s the point?

Here’s what I think happens sometimes…

Intentions Are Different Than Actions.

I know what you’re thinking…DUH!

But how often in life do we have genuine intentions to make a change but just never get around to doing it. We want to watch what we eat. We know we should work out. We have good intentions about studying more and goofing off less.

But just because you have good intentions to do something doesn’t mean you’ll actually do it. Your good intentions mean nothing unless you actually do something about it.

What have you had intentions to do but need to combine with action to make happen?

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What’s On Your Radar Right Now?

Posted by Grant on June 10, 2009 – 6:50 am

Filed under Thinking Out Loud...

A radar is used to pick up on and locate things around a certain area. Things to keep an eye on or be aware of.

As individuals, we each have a radar. It’s those things in our lives that we’re thinking on, considering, looking into, or otherwise curious about. It doesn’t necessarily have to be anything deep or profound, but just something that you’re kicking around on your radar.

Here are some things on my radar right now that I’m thinking about…

What’s the next step? – I love what I do, but I’m always looking for the next challenge. What’s the next mountain to climb?
Will my garden work? – I find myself checking out there everyday. I can’t wait to eat something from the garden…hopefully that’s fully ripe.
Will the class of ‘Saved By The Bell’ reunite for Jimmy Fallon? – I grew up on Saved By The Bell, so this would be a monumental moment in my life.
Are my talks really making an impact? – If students laugh and have a good time when I speak, that’s great, but if it doesn’t cause them to think or take action, am I being effective?
Am I doing the right things? – Doing work just for the sake of work is foolish. I want to be focused on the right things.
What am I missing? - What am I not doing that I should be doing?
Am I being a good husband/father? – My wife and daughters mean everything to me, so I need to make sure my actions reflect that.

What’s on your radar?

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Great Weekend In Chicago

Posted by Grant on June 8, 2009 – 6:30 am

Filed under Family, Travels

We had a great little family getaway to Chicago over the weekend! It was a whirlwind couple of days that included enjoying famous deep-dish Chicago pizza, wandering around downtown, goofing off at Navy Pier, swimming at the hotel, and a trip to IKEA.

Then the girls dropped me off in Champaign, IL where I had the privilege to speak yesterday at an Illinois HOBY event. Really fun event, and I think all the parents in attendance even had a good time!

I’m now in Kentucky where I speak tonight for the state teen conference for 4-H and fly home tomorrow.

I love my job.

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31 Tips For New Speakers

Posted by Grant on June 4, 2009 – 7:56 am

Filed under Personal, Speaking

(If you haven’t had the chance to read How I Become A Speaker Part 1 & Part 2, check it out. It will give you some background on how I got into this business.)

While I am certainly no expert on speaking, I have learned a lot about this business and am happy to share any knowledge I’ve got. Here are a few things I’ve learned…

What’s Your Motivation? – Too many people are in this for the wrong reasons and will just end up burning out.
Pick Your Audience – You can’t speak to any audience, anywhere and be good. Be focused.
Be An Expert – Don’t be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Pick one or two subjects you really know and are passionate about.
Why Are You Different? – If someone was at a conference and heard 10 different speakers, why would they remember you?
Make Your Marketing Materials Sexy – You only have one shot to make a first impression. Don’t blow it.
Be You – Learn from other speakers but don’t try to copy what they do. Be you.
Tell Stories (Your Stories) - Don’t tell 3rd person stories. Tell your stories that connect you to your audience.
Use Humor – If you’re not a comedian, then don’t try to be one. But a few funny stories or funny one-liners will help the audience let their guard down.
Outwork Others – Be disciplined to stay at it and work hard. People won’t line up to book you. You have to work hard to find them.
Have A Long-Term Mentality – Go after long term relationships and not one-time “gigs”.
Avoid Powerpoint – Too dated and not every place you will speak at has the capability to use Powerpoint.
Meet Other Speakers – Contact the speakers who are in a similar industry and build a relationship with them. You’ll be surprised how friendly and helpful most speakers are.
This Is A Business – It’s not a hobby. Run it like a business.
Keep A Paper Trail – Peoples’ memories get fuzzy when it comes to details such as money. If you didn’t get it in writing, it didn’t happen.
Manage The Money – Avoid debt. Pay cash. Build it slow. Keep your business finances separate from your personal finances.
Hire Smart People - I’m not a good graphic designer or web guy, but I’ve got people who can do that stuff.
Have A Video – It doesn’t have to be perfect, but people want to see if you can at least speak. The audio and lighting for my first demo video were horrible, but it at least gave people a feel for how I communicate.
Ask For Referrals – If the host liked you, they probably know someone else who would like what you do.
Get Recommendations – Gives you credibility and gives others confidence in scheduling you.
Understand Why Someone Booked You – Usually hosts will book you because (A) they’ve heard you OR (B) someone recommended you.
Have A Consistent Brand – Have the same look and feel to all your stuff. Don’t use 47 different colors and fonts.
Be Better Off Stage Than On – If you’re an incredible speaker but a jerk to be around, people will stop booking you.
Give Away Stuff – People like free stuff. I give away postcards at events. Costs me next to nothing.
Write A Book – When you write a book, you’re the expert. And it’s also a good source of revenue.
Have An Incredible Website – It doesn’t need to be flashy, but people will make assumptions about you as a speaker based on your website.
Get The Word Out – If you have the best looking website on the block, but no one knows about it, who cares?
Say Things People Will Remember – Have a couple of lines you repeat throughout your talk that people can grab onto and will stick in their minds when they leave.
Practice and Rehearse – Before every presentation, I still practice in my room just like I’d do it on stage.
Invite Others – If people will book you because they’ve seen you, who can you invite to your next event?
Write Thank You Cards – I always give the host a hand-written thank you card at the event. They didn’t have to book you, you know.
Wait On Bureaus – A speaker’s bureau won’t get you business if you’re not already booking stuff on your own.

That’s all I can think of at this moment, but I know there are plenty of other tips out there.

If you’re a speaker, what tips can you offer? If you want to become a speaker, what questions do you have?

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How Did You Get Into Speaking? (Part 2)

Posted by Grant on June 3, 2009 – 7:54 am

Filed under Personal, Speaking

Read Part 1 of the story here…How Did You Get Into Speaking? (Part 1)

I still liked the thought of being a speaker to students, but wasn’t sure how to make it happen. I started working part-time with an organization called Making it Count, which allowed me the opportunity to do school assemblies for them. I traveled around and did around 60-70 assemblies a year. I met some great people and really found that I was passionate about speaking and connecting with students.

So in the fall of 2007, I decided to make a run at it. I pulled some money together and worked with some friends to build my website. I ended up having to buy the domain www.GrantBaldwin.com from another Grant Baldwin who lived in DC! After the website was up and running, I began doing a lot of email marketing. I tried to figure out what events were bringing speakers in and who was in charge of these events. I sent out a few emails and to my surprise, two events emailed me back and wanted to book me…HOLY CRAP!

In addition to booking the occasional event on my own, I continued working with Making it Count and also started doing some contract work with National Seminars. With the various pieces all contributing to the pie, I was actually making a full time living speaking. I continued to do more marketing and the bookings continued to trickle in. By the summer of 2008, I had booked enough stuff on my own that I was able to stop working with Making it Count and National Seminars and just do my own stuff.

It’s been an up and down journey, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve learned a lot about myself and have found something that I love to do.

In the beginning, one way I learned about the business was from other speakers. So if you’re someone who wants to become a speaker, feel free to shoot me an email anytime at grant@grantbaldwin.com. I’m happy to help!

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