You’ve chosen an uncertain path.
You’ve adopted an inconvenient lifestyle.
You’ve embarked upon an unconventional journey.
You’ve felt the voice inside you growing more urgent.
You’ve committed yourself enough so you can’t turn back.

IN SHORT: You’ve decided to play for keeps.

This is the critical crossroads – the emotional turning point – in the life of every young artist.

I’ve been there myself, and here’s a list of suggestions to help you along the way:
(Read part one here, part two here, part three here, part four here, part five here, part six here, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten, part eleven and part twelve.

1. Change your relationship to fear. If you’re never scared of anything, there’s something wrong. And if you’re not terrified in your artistic pursuits, you’re not reaching enough.

Fear is a healthy, human reality. It’s an essential part of the creative experience. And if you’re trying to scrub your world clean of it, you’ll never reach your full potential.

First, to admit that you’re scared shitless every day of your life. And to be okay with that. Second, to make friends with your fear. Offer respect to it, give thanks for it and learn lessons from it. Lastly, to overwhelm fear with faith. To believe in yourself, your resources, you abilities, your foundation – and humanity – down to your toes.

That’s how fear becomes fuel. It’s not meant to be ignored; it’s meant to be invested. Do you fear the fear of fear?

2. You can’t outsource originality. The purpose of art is to give your values a heartbeat. To go where the soul shines forth and deliver the death stroke with everything you’ve got. That’s what makes your work matter. That’s what makes your audience gasp.

On the other hand, if your work is nothing but a cheap echo of someone else’s art, eventually people are going to catch on. Anybody can be successful for a short period of time before the rest of the world finds out.

If you truly want to play for keeps, never paint with another man’s palette. Learn to recognize and respect your own value. Embrace novelty with shattering enthusiasm. And believe that more of what you are will come to you. If you were charged with the crime of originality, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

3. Believe you’re worthy of your own dream. It’s easy to become hypnotized by the horizon of other people’s expectations. That’s a personal virus every artist has to fight. But life’s too short to acquiesce to the norm. And pursuing something that someone convinced you that you should want is a recipe for misery.

Instead of flagrantly supporting the status quo by clinging to an inherited dream as a fixture of absolute truth, do what you want. Listen to your own voice the loudest.

In the words of Joseph Campbell:

“The minute you take the dictation of the time instead of the dictation of your own eternity, you have capitulated to the devil, and you’re in hell.”

You don’t need excessive reassurance – you need to stick your fingers in your ears. Freedom means never having to bury your desire. Are you being the real you or trying to impress an invisible jury?

4. Push yourself until you’re overextended. If you think you’re overextending yourself, you’re probably just a poor judge of distance. Turns out, you can handle a lot more than you thought. Especially you’re doing the work of your heart.

The secret is to sense when you’re being offered the chance to do more. To practice saying yes to more than you can do. That way, the fear of failure keeps the art flowing. And that way, working with a full plate forces you to manage your time more efficiently.

Yes, it’s exhausting, but it’s the most beautiful form of exhaustion available. Certainly beats being bored. As long as you’re overextending yourself with the work that matters, I say bend away. Besides, if it’s your highest priority, you never really sacrifice for it. What are you tired of saying no to?

5. Piracy is a compliment in disguise. My friend Colleen creates feather jewelry. Her work is stunning, playful and elegant. Recently, she came across another artist who blatantly ripped off her website copy, word for word. But although she felt distraught, I told her not to worry.

First of all, it happens all the time. In every genre. And there’s nothing you can do to prevent it. Secondly, it’s a testament to her artistry. Personally, I want to be stolen from. Plagiarism is the highest form of flattery. Lastly, I told her to reach out in a respectful, thankfjavascript:void(0)ul and professional manner. And to explain that there was no reason to take legal action, nor was there any reason to tell everyone in the entire industry about this person’s dishonesty. At least, not yet.

This has happened to me a number of times over the years, and more often than not, people are willing to comply. And if they’re not, you can always call a hit man. Are you worth stealing from?

6. Art without risk, isn’t. Tolstoy once said that art is an infection. Interestingly, the word “infect” comes from the Latin root “to put into.” Which brings up a key question: What does your art put into its viewer? Because if people walk away from your work uninfected, you failed.

As I learned from Linchpin, if the gift of your art doesn’t change someone for the better, it’s not art – it’s a commodity. The best suggestion I can make is: Bare it. Infection will be inevitable. Like I told a recent mentoring client, “The minute you feel yourself reaching for that delete button, leave it in. Keep your work bloody.”

People want you to matter to them. They want your work to change them for the better. Figure out what you want to infect people with, and make sure it seeps through every micro-moment. How naked are you willing to be?

REMEMBER: When you’re ready to play for keeps, your work will never be the same.

Make the decision today.

Show the world that your art isn’t just another expensive hobby.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you committed with both feet yet?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “52 Random Insights to Grow Your Business,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

“Acts of friendliness in moments of anonymity.”

That’s why I wear a nametag:

To invite people to join me, to remind the world that face to face is making a comeback and to create spontaneous moments of authentic human interaction infused with a spirit of humor, playfulness and connection.

And if a picture is worth a thousand words, a nametag is worth a thousand stories.

Here are my most recent adventures:
*DAY 3,875: Today I went out to dinner with a few friends. I showed up late, as usual. The hostess spotted me and said, “Scott, your friends are in the back corner. They told me to look for the nametag. Enjoy!” This is by far one of the best parts about wearing a nametag: I’m so easy to spot.

*DAY 3,876: Today I took the shuttle from the terminal to the parking garage. It was packed. When the last passenger boarded, he noticed the last empty seat next to me and asked, “Scott, do you mind if I sit next to you?” The entire bus erupted in laughter. He sat down and said, “What? Scott’s the only guy on the bus I know.”

*DAY 3,877: Today I received one of the best pieces of hate mail of all time. A man named Pedar wrote, “Scott, I just finished watching a bunch of your videos. I hate the fact that you inspire me.”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What was your best nametag related adventure?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “35 Things You Simply Can’t Do,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

I’m no futurist.

But some trends are too pervasive to be denied.

THE COOL PART IS: You don’t have to kill yourself doing more – you just have to challenge yourself to do different.

Consider these twelve trends, and how your organization might adapt to them:
1. Beta is the new post. You’re never ready. Aiming is overrated. And fire burns people. Instead of “ready, aim, fire,” try this formula: Try, listen, leverage. Now that you have this, what else does this make possible?

2. Contact is the new content. We don’t need more access to information – we need more access to each other. Holster your thumbs and open your mouth. Are you bragging about the content you have or the contact you enable?

3. Class is the new quality. Competitors – when treated like partners – can become your power source. Be willing to share in almost every direction. Even with the people who hate you. How many referrals did you give this week?

4. Crazy is the new sane. Insanity is the lifeblood of innovation. What’s more, crazy invites momentum, which produces velocity. And money is in love with speed. Are you nurturing the nuts?

5. Curation is the new creation. You don’t always have to provide the good stuff – sometimes all you have to do is signal people where to find it. If you can’t produce, what if you just pointed?

6. Feeling is the new function. The only thing people can form a judgment about is how interacting with you makes them feel. Create an emotional vibration and win. Are you delivering a palpable presence of something real and true?

7. Execution is the new innovation. Woody Allen was wrong. There’s more to life than just showing up – it’s also about following through. Have you developed a relentless bias toward taking action?

8. Gratitude is the new glamour. Thankfulness looks good on every person during every season. As long as you don’t bastardize it into a technique, the fashion police will tip their hats. How do you thank the people who matter most?

9. Great is the new good. Competence is assumed, enthusiasm is expected and passion is the price of admission. People expect to be blown away. Stop proving them wrong. Is excellence your difference or your default?

10. Heartshare is the new marketshare. Percentages are for math teachers. The level of emotional responsiveness your brand commands is what matters. Are you selling to people who want what you sell or believe what you believe?

11. Honesty is the new marketing. The truth is a powerful word of mouth motivator. As long as it’s not a policy. Because if you have to tell your people to tell the truth, you need new people. How many lies did you tell last month?

12. Imperfect is the new beautiful. Don’t be the one who never shows any real ugliness. Boldly flaunt your imperfection. Show them the snag in your rug. What would happen if you were known as the biggest imperfectionist in your company?

REMEMBER: It’s not about doing more – it’s about doing different.

Explore the possibility of living differently in some way.

Otherwise you might get left behind.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your predictions for the future?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “11 Ways to Out Google Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

Love people until they ask you why.

Don’t let them fade away quietly.
Don’t let them walk away silently.
Be promiscuous with your heart.
And do so without expecting payment.

Love people until they ask you why.

Don’t wait for them to earn it.
Don’t wait for them to ask for it.
Be indiscriminate with your spirit.
And do so without demanding reciprocation.

Love people until they ask you why.

Don’t obsess over fairness.
Don’t complain about the score.
Be in the race to run, not to win.
And do so without appraising value.

Love people until they ask you why.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you choosing instead of love?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “14 Things You Don’t Have to Do Anymore,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

Everything costs something.

Not always in the form of money, though.

Currency has many faces.

AND THE REALITY IS: If you’re not careful, you may end up paying a higher price than you need to.

Today we’re going to explore six prices you shouldn’t have to pay:
1. Resentment is the price you pay for having no boundaries. I write books and give presentations about approachabilty. And on a weekly basis, somebody almost always asks me, “Can you be too approachable?”

Yes, yes and yes. I know this because I used to lack boundaries. And I learned that if you don’t set healthy boundaries for yourself, other people will set them for you. And then they will violate them. And then they will tell all their little friends to do the same. All because you never set the precedent.

Your job is to figure out where you draw the line. How approachable you’re willing to be. Otherwise you’ll end up obligating yourself to death. Why are you still having coffee with people you don’t even like?

2. Anxiety is the price you pay for having no gratitude. No, you can’t outsmart getting hurt. And no, you can’t scrub your life free of stress. But the more you give thanks for something, the less power it has over you.

That was the best thing my therapist taught me: When you notice anxiety in your life, greet it with a welcoming heart. Put your arm around it. Ask it questions. Find out what lesson it’s come to teach you. And then be grateful for the opportunity to learn.

When I changed my relationship to anxiety in this way, everything changed. Everything. Do you walk a perpetual posture of thankfulness?

3. Panic is the price you pay for having no relevance. I recently received a ridiculous email from my professional association. The incoming president reached out to a group of younger members, asking if we would be willing to participate in a panel to help older members stay relevant to younger generations.

Excuse me, but that’s absurd. First of all, the only people who matter are the ones who choose to. Secondly, relevance is not a synonym for knowing a lot about social media. It’s a function of simplicity, beauty and humanity.

Third, stop trying to relate to people. When you manufacture commonality, you end up insulting people’s intelligence. If you want younger generations to take you seriously, you don’t need hair dye, you don’t need Botox and you don’t need a new wardrobe.

What you need is a mental makeover. Because the problem isn’t old age – it’s old thinking. How will you keep from fading away?

4. Regret is the price you pay for having no balls. I used to take the bus to work. Every morning, I would sit next to Kat, a funky yet fashionable hairdresser. One day, she asked me if I would be willing to be her hair model at an upcoming show.

“Your style is exactly what we need to round out our spring lineup. What do you say?”

I totally chickened out. And to this day, I still regret saying no. Because that would have been some fantastic experience. Fortunately, I’ve since learned how to say yes to life. I’ve learned how to instantly evaluate the perceived level of risk in those micromoments. And that sensibility has enabled me to make bolder choices in the larger moments that matter. What risks do you regret not taking?

5. Insomnia is the price you pay for having no trust. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s annual report, it takes the average person about fifteen minutes to fall asleep once they’re in bed.

To me, this is amazing. When my head hits the pillow, I’m out like a dead rock. Partly because I have excellent sleep hygiene, but also because I know how to trust. Both the tangible and intangible forces of my life.

If you find yourself tossing, turning and glancing nervously at the advancing clock each night, you don’t need a sleeping pill – you need to let go. That’s the challenge with trust: It’s the highest form of surrender. And it’s such a terrifying preposition because human beings an inherent need to preserve their sense of control.

But if you’re willing to trust, you’ll be amazed how quickly your eyes start to close. Do you believe in the dividends of your own emotional labor?

6. Advertising is the price you pay for having no friends. Marketing is like sex – if you have to pay for it, you’re doing something wrong. Smart companies spend money earlier in the process.

Smart companies build things worth noticing right into the product ahead of time. Take design, for example. It’s not an extra, it’s not an also and it’s not an accident – it’s everything. As Tom Peters once wrote:

“The dumbest mistake is viewing design as something you do at the end of the process to tidy up the mess, as opposed to understanding it’s a day one issue and part of everything.”

Choose to champion the beautiful. Think about products you’ve bought, cherished and shared the most. How many of them had brilliant design? And how many of your own products have the same?

Use that as a benchmark for your own remarkability, and your design will be the best advertisement of all. How much energy are you investing in being a beautiful organism?”

REMEMBER: Currency has many faces.

Make sure you’re not paying the wrong price.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What currencies are you using?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “16 Ways to be the Best,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.
Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

Not everyone is looking for an answer.

When people turn to you, sometimes all they want is a response.

Here’s the difference:

When you give answers, you fix.
When you give answers, you offer advice.
When you give answers, you try to be right.
When you give answers, you add unnecessary value.
When you give answers, you dominate the discussion.
When you give answers, you impose your own direction.
When you give answers, you rob people of the learning experience.

You speak from a place of information.

But.
When you offer responses, you dance in the moment.
When you offer responses, you acknowledge their truth.
When you offer responses, you leave people feeling heard.
When you offer responses, you practice emotional restraint.
When you offer responses, you let people learn things on their own.
When you offer responses, you reflect people’s immediate experience.
When you offer responses, you get out of the way and give people space to process.

You speak from a place of affirmation.

Decide which one you’re going to give people.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you dispensing answers or offering responses?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “13 Roles of The Listener,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

You’ve chosen an uncertain path.
You’ve adopted an inconvenient lifestyle.
You’ve embarked upon an unconventional journey.
You’ve felt the voice inside you growing more urgent.
You’ve committed yourself enough so you can’t turn back.

IN SHORT: You’ve decided to play for keeps.

This is the critical crossroads – the emotional turning point – in the life of every young artist.

I’ve been there myself, and here’s a list of suggestions to help you along the way:
(Read part one here, part two here, part three here, part four here, part five here, part six here, part seven, part eight, part nine, part ten and part eleven.

1. Artists are gift givers. Everyday I write what I write without knowing if someone is going to pay for it. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. But while money is nice, part of being an artist is accepting payment in the form of how your art changes people.

That’s what gifts do. And as I learned from Linchpin, if your art is a gift so valuable that nobody could adequately repay you, people will be eager to pay for the privilege of being in the room with you.

That’s the bet a creator makes, says Seth Godin. That when you give away something for free, it will be discovered, attract attention, spread and then lead to some portion of the masses actually buying something. But it has to start with the gift. With the intention of deploying your work because it makes you happy. Are you making art to make money or make meaning?

2. Editing is for amateurs. Joyce Carol Oates once wrote that editing a book was like having multiple abortions. Jack Kerouac once wrote that editing was a betrayal of your own thoughts. And Henry Miller once wrote that editing leads to overcooked language.

All three are accurate. Editing is the enemy of expression. It forecloses on your creativity’s full expression. And it leaves your artistic spirit timid and impotent.

Don’t save your opinion for later. Risk at every moment all that you have. And make no restrictions on your testimony. You know the voice you most want to be quiet? Give it a megaphone. Because while sabotage is a safe place to be, the only art that matters is the work coated in blood that reflects people’s realities right back to them.

Make your art raw, bloody and honest. Keep it in the cross-hairs of your heart. Otherwise the red pen will own you. Where are you afraid to express yourself?

3. Maintain artistic perspective. A few sobering thoughts about three famous artists. First, Leo Tolstoy. He had thirteen kids when he wrote War & Peace. What’s your excuse for not creating? Second, Bill Gates. He started Microsoft in a recession. Are you still waiting for the economy to get better? Third, Rodney Dangerfield. He was an aluminum siding installer. What do you need to quit so you can focus on your art?

History is ripe with stories just like these. And if you want to keep things in perspective – especially during the low times – it’s helpful to remind yourself that you’re not alone. That you’re not the only one who’s terrified. And that you’re not the only artist who feels like your entire goddamn career is a hopeless journey.

Use the past to keep the future alive. Do you really thing you’re the first person who thought about quitting?

4. Find your artifact. Records aren’t dead. People don’t want the song, they want a magical way to remember the music that they can own and treasure forever. That’s why digital will always fall just short of art’s full potential. People love stuff. Stuff that changes and inspires them. Stuff they can show to their friends that inspires and changes them too.

The challenge is creating a unique way to extend the influence of your art with an artifact. As a consultant and facilitator, I create identity collages for my clients. These handmade woodcarvings, or brandtags, memorialize the company’s mission into a limited edition art piece. When hung, it becomes an engaging, conversation starting social object that makes people think, blink and share with each other. What souvenir are you providing for the viewers of your art?

5. Always keep kindling handy. Art is more than just what you do – this stuff has to be your life. If you don’t think what you’re creating is the greatest thing that ever was, you’re finished. If you don’t think your art matters in a massive way, you’re finished. And if you don’t think your work is going to change the world forever, you’re finished.

The key is to find private strategies to keep up your original enthusiasm. Two questions I’ve found helpful to ask are, “What injustice did you set out to fight when you first started?” and “What was the impulse that initially got you excited you about what you do?”

Those aren’t questions – those are time machines. And they work. If you want to stay up, stay true and stay fueled, you have to constantly rekindle that original fire. Otherwise your passion will degenerate into a line item. How do you replenish your energy reserve?

6. Paint with the brush of persistence. I didn’t invent the nametag. But I certainly took it farther than anyone expected it could go. And now that word is mine. I own it. Forever. And the people who meet me will never think about it the same way again.

That’s an example of what steady work can finally produce. And the cool part is, you don’t have to be the best – you just have to refuse to go away. The problem is, the odds are stacked against you. Because of our instant gratification culture, we’re impatient. And because of our abundance of choices, we’re quick to quit and pursue something better.

But at the heart of all creative badassery is stick-to-itiveness. If you can get good at not going away, the weak will weed themselves out. And only you and your art will remain. Are you quitting because it’s hard or because it’s right?

REMEMBER: When you’re ready to play for keeps, your work will never be the same.

Make the decision today.

Show the world that your art isn’t just another expensive hobby.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you committed with both feet yet?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “52 Random Insights to Grow Your Business,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

When you put the cart before the horse, it’s impossible to make progress.

People make this mistake.
Brands make this mistake
Companies make this mistake.
Governments make this mistake.

THE PROBLEM IS: They haven’t mastered the art of before.

Today we’re going to explore a collection of examples to make sure your horse stays in front:
1. Ache comes before achievement. Anxiety is a right of passage. It’s a sign that you’re on the right path. And it’s a healthy form of discomfort that disturbs you into executing what matters. What are you converting your anxiety into?

2. Commitment comes before compulsion. Motivation is born out of commitment. It doesn’t happen to you – it happens because of you. Only then will you take action on what truly matters. How will your commitment fuel you?

3. Constitution comes before connection. Love is a song that reminds people of what they most value. And if they can’t hear it while talking to you, you’re finished. Do you have a written list of your personal non-negotiables?

4. Contribution comes before contentment. Happiness isn’t intentional – it’s incidental. It’s what happens when you’re mattering. It’s the byproduct of fulfilling your whole capacity for living. What wake are you leaving behind?

5. Conversation comes before conversion. Evangelism is a contact sport. No contact, no impact. Whomever you’re trying to share your gospel with, recruit or enlist in your dream, talk to them with your mouth first. Are you trying to force-feed truth?

6. Definition comes before domination. You can’t own the space until you know who you are, what you do, how you do it, why you do it – and – how people’s lives are better because of it. Are you committed to your personal reflection needs?

7. Disruption comes before distinction. It all starts with an intentionally unreasonable statement. Like Bill Gates deciding to start Microsoft in a recession. And we all know how that story played out. How are you refining your disruptive sensibility?

8. Initiative comes before innovation. You can’t do something that changes everything if you’re still waiting for a map. Stop waiting to be picked. Just go. Once you kick your addiction to permission, what will that make possible?

9. Intention comes before influence. When I started wearing a nametag, I wasn’t trying to make money – I was trying to make friends. And I ended up making history. All because the intention was pure. Why do you do what you do?

10. Invocation comes before inspiration. If you don’t honor, respect and invite that which is truly at work – namely, not you – you’ll never have any ideas that matter. How are you ritualizing your creative practice?

11. Patience comes before profit. When the fruit of your sustained artistic effort tastes like feet, you start to wonder if all the effort is worthwhile. And it is. In ten years. How long are you willing to do the work before the right people notice?

12. Permission comes before promotion. Instead of yelling at people, earn the right to whisper to them. Then you’ll be speaking to them with a voice that’s anticipated, personal and relevant. Who is waiting for you to market to them?

13. Picking comes before plucking. I never went to the career fair. I just hired myself and got to work. This approach was less stressful and more profitable than waiting to be plucked from obscurity. Are you still operating out of a lotto mentality?

14. Playful comes before practical. Tickle the eye. Wink at the heart. And create a smile in the mind. That way, people exist in a state where they are willing to receive your message. Are you asking the viewer to take part in the communication of the idea?

15. Practice comes before principle. People aren’t listening to your mouth talk, they’re listening to your life speak. And if there’s too big a gap between your onstage performance and backstage reality, they’ll walk. Are you smoking what you’re selling?

16. Surrender comes before spontaneity. You have to trust yourself, trust the process, trust the world and trust the people who populate it. Otherwise you’ll never be vulnerable enough to welcome the beauty of impulse. What do you need to let go of?

REMEMBER: The horse loves being in front.

Let him lead. Master the art of before.

Otherwise you’ll never make any progress.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you mastered the art of before?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “18 Lessons from 18 People Smarter Than Me,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

Anytime you dare to descend down the unknown path, certain elements will always be at work.

Let’s say you decide to try your hand at a new medium of artistic expression.

Here’s what happens:

First, resistance settles in. You procrastinate. You put the work off. You find other things to do. Jesus, anything but initial execution, you think. Because you just know the first few dozen attempts are going to be crap anyway.

But you snap out of it. You stop watching television, light a fire under your ass and make a conscious decision: I’m going to suck it up and sit down and try.

So you do.
And even though the canvas terrifies you, it feels right. It feels true.

Then you put pen to paper. You put blood to canvas. And although you have no idea where you’re going, what you’re doing or how the work is going to show up, you follow what comes out of you anyway. Because practice is the only way to get better.

Then it just becomes matter of trust: Trusting the process. Trusting your abilities. Trusting your heart. Trusting your instincts. Trusting your resources. And of course, trusting the medium.

This level of trust creates a safe and honest space to explore. Not to rehearse – to explore: Failures, mistakes, biffs and all.

So you do.

And just like drawing a bath, it takes time to hit the hot water. So you keep at it, establishing gentle flow, letting whatever pours out of you to take shape as it sees fit. After all, creativity is nothing but active listening. You don’t decide what to create – you listen for what wants to be created.

But that’s when you start to surprise yourself. It’s like, out of nowhere, with one stroke of the pen, you look down and think, “Whoa. This actually pretty good.”

You enjoy a celebratory pretzel. Nothing like a good victory dance to recharge your artistic spirit.

Okay. Enough salt. Back to work.

This time something feels different. This time, you return with newfound strength, fueled by the fruits of your creative progress. And this inspires you to do more, to do better.

So you do.

The progress continues.
The momentum accumulates.
The canvas starts to stare back at you.

And that’s when you realize that it’s not actually canvas at all – it’s a mirror.

No wonder creating art is so scary: It’s nothing but a stark reflection of your truth.

Whatever you put down is who you are. Gulp.

But after a while, the confrontation isn’t so bad. You start to like what you see more and more with each stroke. And you say to yourself, “Seriously man, this thing is really starting to look good.”

So the cycle repeats itself. You get pumped and create more. You just let it flow. It builds and builds and builds. And even though you’re scared, even though you’re confused, you find a place to put the fear and use it as fuel.

That’s when you start thinking about the future.
That’s when you start believing in your creative vision.
That’s when you start imagining how good your work is going to become.

And at that point, it’s kind of hard to stop yourself.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Will you create art that matters?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “72 Superb Songs Under Scott’s Fingernails,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

Never the same speech twice.

Now booking for 2011-2012!

Watch The Nametag Guy in action here!

It only takes one missing ingredient to ruin the whole batch.

This goes for cookies, pancakes or any other baked goods you might enjoy.

But what about life? What about work? What about love?

These things have ingredients too.

But sometimes we forget to include certain essentials. For example:
1. Art without risk, isn’t. Safe work is rarely celebrated. Let go of the fear that your work is too revealing of your inner world. Be bloody or be broke. What system can you put in place to remove the restriction of your creative expression?

2. Courage without fear, isn’t. Self-doubt is highly underrated. Let go of need to hide the fact that you’re completely terrified and have no idea what you’re doing. Be scared or be screwed. When was the last time you doubted yourself?

3. Creativity without community, isn’t. It’s hard to be creative alone. Let go of the myth that self-expression is a solo act. Be surrounded by creative people or be suffocated by creative drought. Are you still trying to play basketball without a backboard?

4. Friendship without forgiveness, isn’t. Love wasn’t designed to be fair. Let go of the insistence on treating people equally. Be unfair or be unpaired. Whom do you need to give a lifetime pass to?

5. Happiness without circulation, isn’t. Some things shouldn’t be kept to yourself. Let go of the misconception that you need to keep your joy bottled up. Be public about what you love or be pitied. When something amazing happens to you, how many people do you tell?

6. Humor without humanity, isn’t. If people are laughing, people are listening. Let go of the lie that you have to make jokes to be funny. Be yourself or be faced with crickets. Are you artificially injecting laughs or speaking the universal language of human absurdity?

7. Life without witness, isn’t. Everyone needs a good mirror. Let go of the belief that you don’t need an audience to thrive. Be visible or be winking in the dark. Who bears witness to your story?

8. Love without ache, isn’t. If everything’s perfect, somebody isn’t being honesty. Let go of the fairytale that relationships should never have problems. Be struggling or be single. When was the last time your lover annoyed the hell out of you?

9. Marketing without permission, isn’t. Interaction trumps interruption. Let go of the illusion that you can bother people into buying from you. Be respectful or be ignored. Do you feel entitled to yell at people, or have you earned the right to whisper to them?

10. Opportunity without leverage isn’t. There’s always time to kill two stones with one bird. Let go of the lie that luck is real. Be listening for the knock or be left behind. Now that you have this, what else does this make possible?

11. Revolution without ridicule, isn’t. Brace yourself for the waves of antagonism. Let go of the assumption that everybody has to love you. Be a little hated or be a lot forgotten. Will you accept the bullets as the price of winning?

12. Selling without solving, isn’t. When you’re the answer, you can name your price. Let go of the fantasy that your customers are stupid. Be the answer or be the adversary. What pervasive, expensive, relevant and urgent problem do you solve?

13. Service without soul, isn’t. True power comes from personhood. Let go of the desire to outsource the human function. Be a real person or be picked last. How does your brand bring its humanity to the moment?

14. Success without significance, isn’t. Contribution trumps currency. Let go of the dogma that making money is what matters most. Be contributing or be consigned to oblivion. Are you making sales, making a point, making a mark, making a difference or making history?

15. Work without play, isn’t. It’s nothing but drudgery. Let go of the delusion that there’s a separation between professionalism and playfulness. Be a kid or be kicked to the curb. Are your growing younger?

REMEMBER: When you skip key ingredients, something is going to taste off.

In work, in life and in love, make sure you’re not overlooking what matters most.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are you overlooking?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a list called, “11 Ways to Out Google Your Competitors,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist, Mentor
[email protected]

“I usually refuse to pay for mentoring. But after Scott’s first brain rental session, the fact that I had paid something to be working with him left my mind – as far as I was concerned, the value of that (and subsequent) exchange of wisdom and knowledge, far outweighed any payment.”

–Gilly Johnson The Australian Mentoring Center

Rent Scott’s Brain today!