2009 November

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

This is the one week out of every year that I keep it really, really simple: Thank you for subscribing to Wisdom on Wednesday. I hope my words have touched you and helped you to grow.
 
Here is a Thanksgiving poem I found. Enjoy.

Joe Kiedinger
 
TWAS the night of Thanksgiving, and I just couldn’t sleep
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep

The leftovers beckoned, the dark meat and white
But I fought the temptation, with all of my might

Tossing and turning with anticipation
When the thought of a snack became infatuation

So I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
And gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore

I gobbled up turkey, and buttered potatoes
Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes

I felt myself swelling, so plump and so round
‘till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of dressing, and a handful of pie

But I managed to yell, as I soared past the trees
Happy eating to all, skip the cranberries please

May your dinner be tasty, may your belly be plump
May your potatoes and gravy have not even one lump

May your veggies be delicious and your pies take the prize
May your thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!

90% of Success Is Just Showing Up!

I’ve written on this topic before. Just showing up is often 90% of why a person is successful. When it comes to sales, successful sales people will tell you “never stop calling and reaching out.” That extra call often turns into sales. I was reminded of this fundamental truth while having lunch recently with a stranger at a Society of Animal Welfare Administrators conference, which I had been invited to speak at.

The gentleman I sat next to sold large operating systems for animal shelters. Products that cost a lot of money and last a long time … 20-30 years. They do not have the luxury of repeat business. So I asked him, “How do you market yourself? Booth space, hand shaking and walking around?” His response was, “Both.”

He admitted that it was very difficult but he found that continuing to show up can lead to unexpected connections that can result in sales. So why do we often get busy making excuses as to why we’re not reaching to meet our potential? Is it fear that holds us back? The fear of being wildly successful? I may sound a little sarcastic, but Nelson Mandela believes that what people truly fear is success.

You are a uniquely talented individual who has the right to be wildly successful. If you find you are limiting yourself or making excuses as to why you can’t, instead focus on making a plan as to how you can!

Joe Kiedinger

Walt Disney … what a guy!

My family just returned from a week at Walt Disney World. I am always amazed at the experience the Disney brand delivers. While visiting Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM), I visited a pavilion sharing the history of Walt Disney which included a documentary with Disney himself telling his story.

Amazing! Walt failed a lot as a young entrepreneur. He believed it’s a good thing for a young person to experience failure. It’s a character thing. His first cartoon character was Waldo the Rabbit. Through a patent loophole, he lost the rights to his own character. His sales manager sold it to a competing firm along with all the artists. Walt was in New York when he found this out. He returned to L.A. without a product or artists. His studio was empty.

His wife Lillian was with him for this historic train ride back to L.A., and it was on this ride that Walt drew the first Mickey Mouse. He decided that Mickey would be the first cartoon character to have real emotion and personality.

One thing Walt never sacrificed was quality. With all the cartoons he created, he insisted that his artists spend extra time with details. His brother Roy challenged him often about the expense of such detail. Walt ignored him in this regard, insisting on quality.

While sitting and watching the film, it was humorous for me to watch the 50-something Disney say, “Once we became successful, they finally believed that my ideas were right.”

Disney certainly achieved success—but only by finding the will to persevere through 30 years of on-and-off-again failures.

Do you have the guts it takes to believe in something so strongly that you drive your belief through negative feedback and criticism? Not too many people have this type of passion. As his company grew, Walt Disney was reported to have said to his staff, “Just remember, it all started with a mouse.”

Michael Eisner, former CEO of Disney, is quoted as saying, “No, it started with a man.”

What will be your legacy?

Joe Kiedinger

ACTION PLAN: Time to start putting your dreams in motion. Make small efforts everyday to build your legacy. Whatever that means to you!

Thank you, Dad, on your 75th birthday!

It’s my dad’s birthday today and I am with him. I hope as you read this the temperatures are in the 80s with no rain in sight. Yes, we’re in Florida for the annual family trip. I am one lucky guy to grow up with a dad like the one I got. He taught me morals, personal integrity and commitment.

These three gifts were the best things a father could give a child. It’s funny, though, about how gifts work. When I look back, I don’t have too many of the physical gifts he and mom gave me over the years. I’ve either outgrown them or they weren’t built to last very long. However, the gifts of integrity, moral character and commitment are ones that will last forever.

I know I will never be exactly like my dad, but I will always strive to be more like him. It’s these gifts he gave me that my own wife and children are benefiting from. If you’re as fortunate as me to have a father who was fair, took an active interest in your life and treated you as a unique person… you are truly blessed.

Joe Kiedinger

ACTION PLAN: Tell someone how you feel today.