“One-Handed”

Last weekend during our vacation in Anaheim, my friend Mario and I decided to shoot some baskets at the hotel’s outdoor basketball court.

On top of the 2nd floor and under the California sun, we grabbed a couple basketballs and made our way there.

As we approached the court there was a younger kid there, maybe late teens early 20’s.

All 3 of us had been shooting around for a bit before I decided to fire one off from half court.

After I did it the kid said "oh, we’re shooting from half court now?”

So he quickly followed with a half court shot of his own.

Obviously both of us with a competitive nature, continued to battle back and forth until he finally hit one. Sending me packing with my tail between my legs.

We continued to shoot around and as is shoot-around protocol, if someone else shoots and you get the rebound but already have a ball, you pass it back to them.

When this happened on one of his shots, I grabbed the ball around the 3 point line and he signaled to me to pass it to him near the basket for an easy lay-up.

As he started to run toward the basket, I led him with a pass just in front of the hoop.

When he reached up to grab it, he pinned it against his chest with his right arm and his left fist.

At the moment it thought, “that is a strange way to catch the ball”.

It wasn’t until a few minutes later that I noticed…

It wasn't his fist... He only had one hand!

We’d been playing basketball with this kid for 20 minutes and had no idea.

It took that long to notice because he didn’t draw any attention to it.

He didn’t ask for sympathy.

And more importantly, he didn’t fear being out there doing what he loved in front of people he didn’t know.

He was truly inspiring.

It reminded me of a video I watched recently. Tom Bilyeu of the Impact Theory podcast interviewed a guy by the name Ed Mylett. (I highly recommend watching it and paying full attention)

Mylett made a comment that took me back a bit, and this kid solidified it. He said...

“The most inspirational person, is the person overcoming the fear of doing something, NOT the person who is excellent at it”

This made me think, “what if LeBron James was out here right now? Who would inspire me more in this moment?

I gotta go with the young kid.

Flag football, soccer, and a Quinceanera.

Culture can be a crazy thing when you don't understand it.

I grew up in a very non-diverse community, ethnically speaking.

So most of us did everything the same or at least similar.

I had a chance to go to a Quinceanera this weekend and experience a different culture.

I was reminded very quickly that our perceptions can create our values.

After learning how much it cost, I was blown away and immediately thought that was too much.

But someone with a view, not factoring the cost but a celebration in culture would believe it to be a value.

This shows the importance of culture and what it is that your culture values.

The same can be said for businesses.

All companies have different cultures, it doesn't make them right or wrong.

It just highlights the different values.

A good friend of mine and host of the "Path To 1 Million", Clifford DuVernois, Posted the question in his VLOG today, What If?

He tells a story about how "What if" can be both a positive and a negative, depending on how you look at it.

His story today sparked me to talk about it as well.

My son is always asking what if in the negative sense. This drives me crazy.

When he started flag football a few weeks ago he said: "what if the ball hits me in the face?".

He is looking in the negative, so I asked him, "What if it doesn't, and you end up loving it?"

"What if?" can take you anywhere you want it to. so choose wisely.

Episode 050: "It's All About Relationships”

I am currently in a 30-day challenge to improve my business that involves implementing newer strategies to help differentiate yourself.

Today in that challenge, I was asked to write down the reasons why I have yet to take action on something I believe in.

I wrote these 3 words.

Fear. Embarrassment. Ego.

I immediately realized that the FEAR of being EMBARRASSED would lead to a hurt EGO.

And honestly, even admitting this out loud and on paper has me feeling a little embarrassed right now.

But, what I have also realized is that I’m not the only one to feel this way.

I mean, who am I to think that I am some special unicorn that is the only one that carries these limiting beliefs?

I remember a couple years ago sitting in the crowd of a packed Tony Robbins event and hearing him repeat over and over…"Real Original” when someone would explain their “unique” situation. He did as a way to show everyone that “we were not alone”.

I was reminded of this recently when I started reading Think Like A Freak.

A book written by the authors and hosts of the Freakonomics book and podcast.

In the book, they lay out a scenario where you are a soccer player lining up for a penalty kick that will win you and your country the World Cup.

As you make your approach, you analyze the data to decide which way to kick your shot.

You think, “should I go left or right?” Then you notice you have a 7% higher chance of conversion over either side, if you just shoot it straight at the goalie.

Statistics show that 98% of the time the goalie will dive one way or the other, only remaining in the center of the goal 2% of the time.

What is interesting though is that only 17% of penalty kicks at the elite level are aimed at the center.

Now, why if it is statically the highest percentage shot, aren’t more shots going there?

Simple…

Fear. Embarrassment. Ego.

If you shoot to either the right or left and it is blocked or misses wide, no one will fault you. That is what you’re supposed to do.

But if you shoot it directly at the goalie and he doesn’t move and blocks it with minimal effort…

You look like an idiot and you suck at soccer. The fans will be sure to let you know.

Even though, statically speaking, it is a higher percentage shot, it is the public perception that it is a terrible idea.

So, you are more likely to sacrifice an increase in probability to make it, in order to reduce the chance of embarrassment for trying something unconventional.

The same goes for business as well.

I am in an industry that touts practicing very low converting strategies and tactics that haven’t changed much in decades.

And if you fail at these then that is ok, you will be told it is a "numbers game" and you get right back out there and knock on another door.

But, if you travel outside of the road that has been paved for you and try something new, you’ll have opened yourself up for ridicule if it doesn’t work.

The result is, you settle for the road with minimal risks for judgement.

While it feels like a much safer road, the rewards also become minimal.

When you handcuff yourself with that mentality, you do reduce your risk of failure, but also, significantly reduce your opportunity of eXponential success.

Whenever a new opportunity presents itself to you, refuse to pay the F.E.E.

The costs are high when you give into…

Fear. Embarrassment. Ego.

A few months back I was challenged to start sharing video on Facebook.

I did a handful and then stopped.

I don't know why I stopped... it was working.

I was building a presence and people liked to watch them.

They would comment and also send me messages.

So why if it was working, did I stop?

I wish I had the answer, but I don't.

Last weekend I was called out for it.

So I make a couple of announcements in this episode as we move forward into the future of the podcast. 

"Paralysis By Analysis”

Have you ever researched something so much that you were overwhelmed?

I did that to myself this weekend and it almost cost me an amazing experience.

After getting as much info as possible, and watching youtube videos on the Angel's Landing hike in Zion National Park, I almost talked myself out of doing it.

In the end, I did it. I completed the hike.

If I would have talked myself out of it, I would have completely regretted it.

This happens to us in business as well.

We breakdown, dissect and pick apart opportunities until they have passed us by.

Sometimes, using a minimal amount of information can be some of the best decisions we've ever made.

We all want to be a part of something...

Why is that?

Why are we so worried about being different.

Today was pajama day for my son's classroom.

In the car on the way to school, he said, "I'm scared".

I asked him why and he told me, "what if I'm the only one in pajamas?"

I told him, "then you're the only one in pajamas".

isn't it interesting that even at 6 years old we have a need to "fit in"

Many times, we don't want to share our ideas with others because we think they will steal them. But the reality is that collaboration can lead to the growth of our ideas.

Share your ideas with someone and you may be surprised at what they can teach you, as you are teaching them.

Today, I have a meeting with a real estate agent to do just that.

He is curious about starting a podcast and wants my help. 

He is in my market and he is not on my team. So, technically he is my competition, right?

Only if I chose to think of what I am building as a short term plan.

But I'm in it for the long game, so I don't see him as my competition.

I see him as a colleague and collaborator, someone that can benefit from what I have to share.

Someone that I can share my ideas with and learn from at the same time.