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Archives for September 2012

Are You in Beta Testing?

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Beta testing is when a piece of software or a website is launched, but is still under testing.  If you are reading this blog, you have been launched.  So, the question that remains is: Are you under testing?

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It is pretty safe to say that you are always under testing.  Life has a way of making sure that there are always hardships in our lives.  Everybody you meet is going through some sort of difficulty.  (It would help us all to remember that the next time someone cuts you off on the highway.)  How you deal with the testing is the key.

Beta testing does not help if nobody knows about the beta testing.  The main key to a successful beta test is for the people using the product to provide feedback.  You must acknowledge the fact that you are in beta testing, or nobody will give you feedback.  I was in a class the other day where we were talking about personal improvement.  I asked the question if they were still doing things to increase their learning.  One guy told me that he had already been through school and that his education was over.  I could not believe that someone actually had that mind-set.  How can you ever make a better you, if you are not acknowledging the fact that there is room for improvement?

Beta testing requires you to listen and respond.  It will not profit you one little bit if you launch the beta version, acknowledge you are in beta testing, and then fuse to listen and respond to the lessons being taught.  If there is a glitch in your website that keeps people from buying your product, you want to know about it.  Once you find out, I would suggest fixing it immediately.  It is not always easy to hear that you messed up, but it is necessary to know.  Once you know, it is even more important to respond to it by adjusting and fixing the issue.

Beta testing should be a life long process.  The apps on my iphone and ipad update constantly.  Sometimes it takes longer than I want.  Sometimes the ‘improvements’ are not that much help.  Other times the new version has better features, is easier to use, functions faster, and is just better over all.  The key is that they are working to be better.  If you are not moving forward, you are moving backward.

Are you in beta testing?  Do you acknowledge your need for beta testing?

Thermostat or Thermometer?

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In my kitchen, I have an old thermometer. It looks like it is a hundred years old (the picture below is it). It is definitely useful. I like to know what the temperature is.

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Also, in my house I have a thermostat. It is more useful to me. It not only tells me the temperature, it regulates it.

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So which are you, a thermostat or a thermometer?

A thermometer is always ready to tell you what is wrong. It shrieks out with its vivid red to tell you just how hot or cold it is. The issue is that it stops there. It does not give you suggestions on how to change things. It does not care if you try to make things better or not. It just gives the facts.

I have been a thermometer too many times in my life. I do not have any issues with telling people how they are wrong. I am happy to point out all of the problems there are with their ideas. It is definitely much easier to be a critic than it is to be a creator. What the world needs more of is NOT critics. The world needs more thermostats.

A thermostat, which is about the same size as a thermometer, is wired to give direction. It leads other devices in regulating the temperature in an area. It tells the furnace to pump out heat because it is too cold. It delegates authority to the air conditioner to cool the house down.

The next time you see a problem or an issue, remember these pictures. Are you going to just complain about the problem? Are you going to yell at the top of your lungs to alert everyone who can see you what the issue is? I think it will be much more profitable to come up with a solution. Sometimes you may be able to solve the problem yourself. Sometimes you may need to seek counsel for help. Other times you may be able to delegate the solution to a competent person around you.

The key is that you are willing to implement the change necessary.

What are some ways you can be a thermostat?

 

 

I’m Smarter Than That Guy!

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Successful people only use common sense principles to obtain their success. I have heard it a million times. In fact, I have said it a few times myself. “There is no way that guy is successful, I’m smarter than him.

Common Knowledge Café

I heard Ivan Misner say, “Success in the uncommon application of common knowledge.” I have found that to be true in recent years. I used to think there is no way I could <insert anything you want to do in here>. The truth is, I can do most anything I want to do. You can too. All it takes is applying the basic principles that even my seven year old knows.

That sounds so easy. I know there are still going to be obstacles. There are still going to be times where it may seem impossible. It is easier to be critical than successful. However, in just a few easy steps, you can accomplish most anything you want.

  1. Break down the task into several easy steps. I had a goal to have a blog. It seemed to be impossible to do, because I wanted it to be as good as Michael Hyatt’s blog. What I did not realize at first was that Michael Hyatt’s blog was not as good when he started it, as it is now. So I broke the process down into easy to accomplish tasks. (buy a domain, set up a blue host account, install wordpress, create a wordpress account, and start writing stuff)
  2. Do NOT fear failure. “Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly.” It is the ultimate goal to do things great, but the first time you do anything it will be bad. Just look at a child learning to walk for the first time. That kid is going to fall, a lot.
  3. Schedule time. The only things that will get done in your day, are things that are scheduled. If you do not set time aside to do the things you need to do, you will end up watching a marathon of The Mentalist on TV. (I may have done this one before?!) It doesn’t matter how much time you have. Use what you have to the fullest. You will not regret it.
  4. DO IT! Nike has this part right. Now it is time to just start knocking things off the task list. Do one task at a time. Only think in long range goals during the planning process. Once you move to the DO IT! stage, just think in terms of getting the next thing done.

Everyday, I am making a conscience effort to move forward, and get better. I want you to do the same thing. I know that the goals that you have, can be accomplished. Now get out there and DO IT!

Have you ever thought you were smarter than successful people? What are the things that they do that you should be doing?

How Many Loaves and Fishes Do You Have?

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This headline comes from a lesson in the Bible commonly referred to as the feeding of the five thousand. In this story, a small boy from the crowd offers his five loaves and two small fishes to Jesus so that the five thousand plus people who were there could eat.

Cinco pães e dois peixes

It sounds pretty impossible. In our own power, it maybe. However this young lad displayed several attributes that made it possible for his small amount of food to be used of God to help thousands of people.  Here are five attributes that this boy showed, that we can all learn from.

  1. Be Prepared  There were five thousand men present at this teaching.  That did not count the women and children.  Out of all of these people present, only this boy had food to eat.  It is so important for us to be prepared.  One of the best ways to be prepared is to be educated.  There are so many ways to learn today it is crazy.  Information can be found on websites, through blogs, podcasts, ebooks, audio books, actual paper books (WHO KNEW THEY STILL EXISTED?!), and I could go on and on.  There is simply no reason for each one of us to stop learning in this day and age.
  2. Do Not Take What You Have For Granted  If you are like me, the things you do are just the things you do.  You do not always find value in those things.  The boy ONLY had five loaves and two small fishes.  There was NO WAY it would be enough to feed all of those people.  That boy saw the value in what he had.  He realized what he had was important.  I know I need to get better at that.  My guess is that you need to as well.
  3. Speak Up  As the disciples went around to see what food was available, it would have been very easy for the boy to stay silent.  I mean, he was just a boy.  Like I said in point two, he only had a small amount of food.  Fortunately for everyone there, those things did not stop him.  He was not afraid to speak up.  Just like that boy, you need to speak up.  It may be that you see something that nobody else sees.  You might have knowledge on a subject that nobody else knows.
  4. Give It Your All  This boy could have easily kept a couple of loaves for himself.  He could have thought, if I give them all my food, they will give it to others.  I will have nothing for myself!  He did not do that.  He gave everything he had.  You and I need to put everything we have on the table, and not hold anything back.  By holding your best back, all you do is deprive the world of things that could change the world.
  5. Accept The Blessing  Due to the unselfishness of this boy, many people were able to eat until they were full, himself included.  Many people have a difficult accepting blessings.  This boy had no problem eating until he was full.  There is a good chance that he actually ate more than he brought.  It does not have to make sense.  When somebody wants to give you something, be thankful and accept it.

What are some other attributes that this boy showed?