This is Your Life

We live in a crazy noisy world. It’s like there’s a war on stillness. You can’t go anywhere without being subjected to an unrelenting stream of voices, music, sounds, and noise.

This is an assault on our soul. It robs us of our energy and our focus. We spend our days endlessly distracted by trivial things instead of paying attention to those things that matter most.

The key to regaining our sanity is to practice the ancient art of stillness.

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While I don’t have enough experience on this subject to speak authoritatively, maybe that is a benefit. I have forgotten what it is like to be ‟a beginner.”

So in that spirit, let me offer a few suggestions for how you can practice stillness in your own journey and reclaim some interior margin.

Schedule a time.

Find a place.

Set a timer.

Relax your body.

Quiet your mind.

Be present.

Learn to return.

Perhaps the most important thing is just to start. It’s easy to blow the discipline of stillness off as something you don’t have time for. Don’t. The busier you are the more important it is.

You need this in your life more than you know. Even if you can only set aside five minutes a day, do it. And if you miss a day or two, don’t beat yourself up. Just start again.

Listener Questions

Jon D. Harrison asked, “What advice do you have have for those who are abandoning an old platform and transitioning to a new one?”

Laura Crosby asked, “How do you decide whether or not to monetize your blog? How much of a platform do you need before it is possible? How do you pick services that are consistent with your values?”

Paul Jolicoeur asked, “How can I leverage my blog and social media channels to find employment opportunities in Portland?”

Tiffany Black asked, “ How can I shift my compensation from being paid a flat rate to being paid for my ideas?”

Special Announcements

I am just a few episodes away from episode #100—which is for me a massive milestone. I want to make that a special episode. Among other things, I am going to give away autographed copies of my book to anyone who leaves a question for me and I use it in he episode. Again, you can go to http://michaelhyatt.com/question to leave a message.

I also want to tease you a bit with what I have planned for the next 100 shows. I am changing the format up completely. I believe this is going to take the show to an entirely new level. In fact, I have brought in someone to help with the show who is very special to me—someone I really admire and respect. I’ll tell you a little more next week, but I just want you to know it’s coming.

We are just launching our promotion for the Platform Conference, which will be held at the beautiful Broadmoor Resort and Spa in Colorado Springs, November 9–11, 2014.

Speakers include Ken Davis, Pat Flynn, Amy Porterfield, Crystal Paine, Stu McLaren, Ray Edwards, Cliff Ravenscraft, Michele Cushatt, Ray Edwards, Casey Graham, and me.

Visit PlatformConference.tv for more information.

If you have a question, comment, thought or concern,

Recently, I recorded two podcasts on the subject of delegation. The first dealt with the principles of delegation (Episode 42). The second suggested how you might delegate even if you don’t have a staff (Episode 43).

The primary reason to delegate is that non-delegation doesn’t scale. It is not sustainable. This is why so many people feel overworked, overwhelmed, and burned out. But there is an even more important reason to delegate: To enable you to focus on what you do best in order to maximize your impact.

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if we are going to stay focused as leaders and become even more effective, we have to have a delegation strategy. Mine consists of three components:

Identify your strengths.

Offload everything else.

Get even more focused.

The one real limitation you and I face in leadership is our time. It is truly a finite resource. We can’t buy or borrow more of it—unless we delegate. To do this effectively, we need a long-term delegation strategy. This will enable us to maximize our strengths and increase our impact.

Listener Questions

Erika asked, “When delegating, how did you find the right help? How did you know where to look, who to choose, etc. The person has to be more than ‘just competent’ if I’m trusting them with my hard work; I want them to be GOOD! How do you find just the right person?”

Ben asked, “When do you know you’ve reached the point where it makes sense to subcontract?”

Melissa asked, “How do you find the resources to hire people when you are already operating on a shoestring budget?”

Special Announcements

We are just launching our promotion for the Platform Conference, which will be held at the beautiful Broadmoor Resort and Spa in Colorado Springs, November 9–11, 2014.

Speakers include Ken Davis, Pat Flynn, Amy Porterfield, Crystal Paine, Stu McLaren, Ray Edwards, Cliff Ravenscraft, Michele Cushatt, Ray Edwards, Casey Graham, and me.

Visit PlatformConference.tv for more information.

If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, please leave me a voicemail:

This is a terrific way to cross-promote your blog or website, because, if I use your question on the show, I will link to it.

Episode Resources

In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:

App: ScanBot

Book: Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham

Book: StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath

Conference: The Platform Conference

Podcast: #042: The Fine Art of Delegation

When I started out in my career, the key to success was having the right answers. Those who advanced in their careers the quickest were seemingly the ones who had the most answers.

While this is definitely important in some situations—especially when responding to the people you are accountable to—it is not the key to success as a leader. There is something even more important than having the right answers.

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If you are going to be a successful leader, you have to get better at asking good questions. You need this skill more than you need more answers. Here are seven tips for asking better questions.

Ask open-ended questions.

Get behind the assumptions.

Get both sides of the story.

Ask follow-up questions.

Get comfortable with “dead air.”

Help people discover their own insights.

Understand the difference between facts and speculation.

Finally, when you are asking questions, take notes. It communicates tremendous respect for the the person you are interviewing. It is also very helpful when things get quiet. You can go back over your notes and discover new questions you haven’t yet thought about or asked.

Listener Questions

Blake asked, “Do you see the roll of blog comments changing in the future and if so, how?”

Christina asked, “What program did you use to create your Inside My Toolbox resource?”

Michael asked, “How can I squeeze the most out of the conferences I attend?”

Ted asked, “How do you write blog posts that emotionally connect with your readers?”

Special Announcements

I want to thank all the people who bought my new Get Noticed! Theme™ for WordPress. Our first week was a huge success. We now have several thousand users and lots and lots of satisfied customers. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out at GetNoticedTheme.com. It’s available for purchase NOW.

If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, please leave me a voicemail:

This is a terrific way to cross-promote your blog or website, because, if I use your question on the show, I will link to it.

Episode Resources

In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:

Blog: What Do You Do, Dear?

Post: What I Learned at Tony Robbins’ Business Mastery Event

Screencast: How to Launch a Self-Hosted WordPress Blog in 20 Minutes or Less

Software: Adobe InDesign

Software: Apple Keynote

Software: Get Noticed! Theme™ for WordPress

Software: SnagIt

Websites:

In this episode I share a recent interview I did for Platform University with Dan Miller on the topic of monetizing your platform. Unlike so many others, Dan shows you exactly how to do it.

If you don’t know Dan Miller, he’s the author of the New York Times bestseller, 48 Days to the Work You Love. He is also a popular podcaster and blogger. You can find out more about him at his 48 Days Website.

If you fall into one of the following categories, this episode is for you:

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You’re looking for a way to make a little extra income.

You’re hoping you can quit your 9:00-5:00 job and stay home with your kids.

You’re tired of the corporate rat race and fantasize about building a business that serves their life—not the other way around.

In this interview, Dan explains exactly how you can make $150,000 in the next twelve months from your platform. He breaks it down in bite-size chunks. He provides a clear path to get from where you are to where you want to be. It is one of the most practical, down-to-earth interviews I have ever done.

By the way, this is just a sample of the kind of content we provide to Platform University members every week. Although registration is now closed, you can sign up here, and we will notify you just as soon as the doors open again.

Special Announcements

I am pleased to announce that the Get Noticed! Theme for WordPress is finally available. This has been a long time coming.

I announced the theme over a year ago. Since that time, we have had almost one thousand people test it. We have been issued more than thirty updates.

I built this theme with my developer, Andrew Buckman, specifically for people like you who have a burning desire to get your message out but don’t have the time to tinker with complicated technology.

This theme is simple to install and a joy to use. It is the fastest way I know to get up and running fast, so you can do what you do best: tell your story, engage with your readers, and build a large and loyal following.

You can get all the details at GetNoticedTheme.com. It’s available NOW.

If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, please leave me a voicemail:

This is a terrific way to cross-promote your blog or website, because, if I use your question on the show, I will link to it.

Episode Resources

In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:

Book: 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller.

Conference: The SCORRE Conference

Podcast: 48 Days Podcast with Dan Miller

Screencast:

I have had over twenty bosses in my career. One was great, most were average, and more than a few were downright terrible. Surprisingly, I learned the most from the bad ones.

The problem is that the bad bosses make you so miserable, sometimes you fail to appreciate how much you are learning. While I wouldn’t want to work for those bosses again, I wouldn’t trade what they taught me—even if it was unintentional.

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So here are fifteen semi-random lessons I learned from bad bosses. I want you to have the opportunity to go to school on my experience.

Bosses create an emotional climate with their attitudes and behaviors.

The higher up you are, the more people read into everything you say and do. Stuff gets amplified as it moves downstream.

A word of encouragement can literally make someone’s week. Conversely, a harsh word can ruin it.

Hire the right people then trust them to do their job.

Don’t ever intentionally embarrass people in front of their boss, their peers, or their direct reports.

Get both sides of the story before you take action.

Tell the truth; then you don’t have to remember what you said.

Don’t get stuck in the paralysis of analysis. Pull the trigger.

Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want published on the front page of the paper.

Don’t ever ask your people to do something you are unwilling to do yourself.

Respect other people’s time, especially those under you.

Follow-through on your commitments, even when it is inconvenient or expensive.

Don’t be ambitious to get promoted. Instead, focus on serving and doing a great job.

Be responsive to everyone at every level. You never know who may be your next boss.

Do not complain about your boss to anyone who is not part of the solution. If you can’t keep from complaining, then have the integrity to quit.

The bottom line is this: You can learn from anyone. If you don’t work for a great leader, don’t despair. Some of the lessons that impact you the most will come from the leaders who impressed you the least.

Assume this: you have exactly the leader you need right now to learn what you need to go to the next level.

Listener Questions

Elizabeth Young asked, "Someone else has already taken my name for their blog. What should I use?"

Joy McMillan asked, "How do you promote your products or services without sounding so self-promotional?"

Rick Conklin asked, "Do you recommend a professional blog for your professional thoughts and comments and a personal blog for your personal thoughts and comments?"

Special Announcements

I am pleased to announce that the Get Noticed! Theme for WordPress is finally available. In fact, we just started shipping yesterday, May 13th. This has been a long time coming.

I announced the theme over a year ago. Since that time, we have had almost one thousand people test it. We have been issued more than thirty updates. I can’t guarantee we’ve squished all the bugs, but it is about as rock-solid as you can get.

I built this theme with my developer, Andrew Buckman, specifically for people like you who have a burning desire to get your message out but don’t have the time to tinker with complicated technology. This theme is simple to install and a joy to use. It is the fastest way I know to get up and running fast, so you can do what you do best: tell your story, engage with your readers, and build a large and loyal following.

Recently, while speaking on the topic of “Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World,” I said, “If you don’t have a website, you don’t exist.” But if you are a leader, I feel even more strongly.

If you don’t have a blog—or if you do, but you aren’t blogging on a consistent basis—then you are missing out on one of the greatest leadership tools ever invented.

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Here are ten reasons every leader should have a blog.

To improve your communication skills.

To create a repository for your best thinking.

To provide thought leadership to your industry.

To raise your organization’s visibility.

To share your organization’s vision.

To network with people who can help you.

To build trust with prospective customers.

To build authority in your niche.

To gather feedback from your constituents.

To mentor the next generation of leaders.

I hope this has episode convinced you to start a blog, post more consistently, or—if you are doing both of those—stick with it. It matters.

Listener Questions

CJ asked, “Since Facebook is only showing your posts now to a fraction of your fans, how has your Facebook strategy changed?”

Dick asked, “What software do you use to record side-by-side video interviews?

Travis asked, “How do you deal with ‘mavericks’ when you are trying to create organizational change?”

Jonathan asked, “How can you tell if a hobby has the potential to become a calling?”

Special Announcements

The “Get Noticed! Theme for WordPress” is almost ready for launch. Over the several months we have had almost a thousand beta testers stress test it and give us their input. We have revised and revised and are just days away from the public launch.

I built this theme specifically for people like you who have a burning desire to get your message out but don’t have the time to tinker with complicated technology.

This theme is simple to install and a joy to use. It is the fastest way I know to get up and running fast, so you can do what you do best—tell your story, engage with your readers, and build a large and loyal following.

We are putting the final touches on the theme and its documentation this week, so you can’t get it quite yet. But you can sign up to be notified when it’s available.

If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, please leave me a voicemail:

This is a terrific way to cross-promote your blog or website, because, if I use your question on the show, I will link to it.

Episode Resources

In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:

Process: How to Prepare for a Skype Video Interview

Software: Call Recorder for Skype Only $29.95

Theme:

Most leaders I know struggle with delegation. They know they should do it, but they just have trouble handing off their work. Why is that?

If you ask them, it’s usually some variation of this:

I don’t delegate because it takes longer to delegate the task than just do it myself.

Sound familiar?

The truth is, delegation always takes longer—the first couple of times you hand off a task. But it will save you hours, days, and weeks if you hand it off the right way. This requires creating a clearly documented, optimized workflow, and then training someone how to use it.

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In this episode I share four steps to take in transforming a workflow into a documented procedure. These steps apply to tasks you are currently doing yourself but know you need to delegate to someone else.

Notice the workflow. Whenever you find yourself repeating the same workflow over and over again in the same way, you have a candidate for delegation. This could be anything from answering your phone, to filtering your e-mail, to updating your blog. It could literally be anything.

For example, late last year I noticed I spent half a day a week editing my podcast, uploading it to my media server, and creating the “show notes.” Each time, I went through the same exact workflow. I realized I could save two full days a month if I could delegate this process.

Optimize the workflow. Once you have the workflow identified, it is time to fine-tune it. You can do this by eliminating any unnecessary steps. Simplifying your tools can also help.

You don’t want to put yourself in a position where you have to hire a genius (like you) to perform the procedure. Instead, use your genius to create a simple, reproducible procedure almost anyone could execute.

Assume you are training someone with limited experience. Here’s what I do:

Choose the appropriate documentation tool. This could be a Google document, a note in Evernote, or an outline in OmniOutliner. I have used them all, but my favorite new tool is SweetProcess.

Write down the workflow as a series of sequential steps. Imagine you were explaining to someone what to do and waiting for them to complete each step before moving on.

Start each step with an action verb. For example, “open your e-mail program,” “create a request form,” or “upload the file to the LibSyn server.” These steps should look very similar to items on a to-do list. The person reading it should know when they have completed each step.

Use screenshots or screencasts to illustrate each step in the procedure. This can make your process much easier to follow and less error-prone. I use SnagIt for screenshots and ScreenFlow for screencasts. These both allow you to annotate the illustrations.

Test your own procedure by going through each step in a live setting. This is where the rubber meets the road. You want to make sure each step is clear and none is missing before you ask someone to implement it.

Share the workflow.

Are you fielding more requests for your time than you have hours in the day? If so, you’re not alone. The more successful you become as a leader, the more other people will demand of your time. And that’s where the trouble begins.

If you are going to maintain margin for your most important priorities, you have to make some tough decisions about your accessibility. The more successful you are, the less accessible you must become. I wish it were different, but this is just one of the harsh realities of leadership.

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If you are a leader with more requests than time, you are not alone. By being intentional, you can still make yourself available to the people who matter most.

Acknowledge your resources are finite.

Determine who needs access and who doesn’t.

Take practical steps to limit your accessibility.

With email, use two addresses, one public and one private.

With Twitter, only follow people you want to give direct message access to.

With Facebook, use a private profile and a public fan page.

With your phone, use two numbers, a public one (Google Voice) and a private one.

Make a list of common requests.

Decide how you will respond to these requests.

Delegate to people you trust.

Accept the fact that you will be misunderstood.

If you struggle with the idea of limiting your access as a leader, that’s a good sign. It means you have a good heart. But it’s going to take more than that to succeed over the long haul. You will also need wisdom and courage to limit your accessibility in order to stay focused on your priorities and fulfill your calling.

Listener Questions

Erich asked, “What are your thoughts regarding Bob Goff’s philosophy of being available to everyone?”

Jeff asked, “How can you say no when people write with such desperate needs? I have a really difficult time saying no to those especially?"

Jeanne asked, “If you say no to everyone except your inner circle, won’t you miss opportunities?

Donnie asked, “How can I get out of a commitment I should not have made in the first place?”

Shannon asked, “Could you share some of the email templates you use to say no with grace?”

Dan asked, “How do I say no to a client who me to do more than I contracted for?”

Special Announcements

My business partner Ken Davis and I will be hosting the SCORRE Conference, May 5–8, 2014 at the beautiful Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Whether you are a professional speaker—or just want to be—this conference will teach you how to prepare with focus, deliver with confidence, and speak with power.

Honestly, this conference has had a bigger impact on my career than any conference I have ever attended. It revolutionized my speaking and his influenced every aspect of my communication, including my blogging and podcasting.

If you are serious about becoming a better speaking, you simply must attend. However, we have less than twenty tickets left. This will sell out, so if you are interested in attending, you need to reserve your spot now. You can find out more by clicking here.

If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, please leave me a voicemail:

This is a terrific way to cross-promote your blog or website, because, if I use your question on the show, I will link to it.

Episode Resources

In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:

Conference: The SCORRE Con...

What keeps you going when the going gets tough ... when you want to quit and walk off the field? I recently had an experience that made me dig deep and reconnect with my calling. I share it in this episode.

But I’m not alone. Tough times are inevitable for each of us. If you aren’t clear about your calling, you will cave in and quit. This is why it is so important to understand what it is.

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The word “calling” comes from the Latin word, vocatio. It means a call, a summons, or an invitation. It is the same word from which we get the word vocation.

It has four attributes:

It is external. It originates outside of you.

It is personal. It comes specifically to you.

It is appealing. It is something that resonates in you.

It is optional. You have the choice whether to respond or not.

So how do you find your calling? People get confused on this point. They think they need to hear an audible voice from God or there is something mystical about it. I don’t think so.

My premise is that you will find it at the intersection of three components:

Component #1: Passion: What do you love?

Here are some clues:

What do you daydream about?

What do you love learning about?

What would you do if money was not an issue?

A warning: Just because you love something does not mean it is your calling.

Component #2: Proficiency: What are you good at?

Here are some clues:

Where do you feel God’s pleasure?

Where are you proud of your work?

What do you friends say you are good at?

Where have you been acknowledged or rewarded?

A warning: Just because you are good at something does not mean it is your calling.

Component #3: Profitability: Can you make money doing this work?

Here are some clues:

Is the market willing to pay for what you offer?

Are you comfortable charging for what you do?

Do you have a clear monetization strategy?

Warning: Just because you can make money doing something, does not mean it is your calling.

All three of these components are important. Each of them is necessary, but none of them is sufficient in itself.

If you have passion and competence without a market, you don’t have a calling. You have a hobby.

If you have passion and a market without competence, you don’t have a calling. You have a failure.

If you have competence and a market without passion, you don’t have a calling. You have boredom.

It really does take all three circles.

Listener Questions

Amanda asked, “Do you have any information about your new book on life planning?”

Chris asked, “How can musicians begin monetizing their platform?”

Matt asked, “What is the best podcasting software to use for someone who is just getting started?”

Sarah asked, “What are your best tips for those who are new to podcasting?”

Robbie asked, “How can I change my communications strategy to reach my unique audience?”

Special Announcements

My business partner Ken Davis and I will be hosting the SCORRE Conference, May 5–8, 2014 at the beautiful Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Whether you are a professional speaker—or just want to be—this conference will teach you how to prepare with focus, deliver with confidence,

Many words in the English language are difficult. In fact, there’s even a Dictionary of Difficult Words, but none are more difficult than the ones in the four sentences I share in this episode.

If you are going to lead well, you have to get proficient in the use of these sentences. And, I’ll tell you a little secret: most leaders aren’t good at these, and it’s costing them—big time!

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Many otherwise well-spoken people seem to have great difficulty in spitting these four sentences out. They hem and haw. They stutter. They may get something close to these out, but they have a hard time slowly and deliberately saying these four simple sentences.

Sentence #1: I am sorry.

Sentence #2: I know that hurt.

Sentence #3: I was wrong.

Sentence #4: Will you please forgive me?

Caution: you must avoid using the words if and but. For example:

“I’m sorry if I offended you.”

“I’m sorry, but I think you misunderstood what I was saying.”

“I’m sorry, but I was only reacting to something you said.”

Listener Questions

David DeWolf asked, “Do you have any tips and tricks for building more trust in the organization, so people feel more comfortable in sharing feedback with you?”

Lateefah Wielenga asked, “How many times a week should I blog?”

Brian Sherman asked, “When should you start monetizing your blog or website?”

Michael Hamilton asked, “Have you found that certain times of day are more effective for posting to social media?”

Special Announcements

Don’t miss this chance to sign-up for Platform University. We are currently running a promotion that ends on midnight, April 1st. If you sign up before the deadline, you will get access to all the content we have created since we launched more than a year ago, such as:

Master Classes

Backstage Passes

Member Makeovers

Live Q&A Call Recordings

If you signup after April 1st, you will only have access to the current month’s content and the previous two month’s content—a total of three months. If you want more than that, you will have to pay extra.

If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, please leave me a voicemail:

This is a terrific way to cross-promote your blog or website, because, if I use your question on the show, I will link to it.

Episode Resources

In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:

Book: Dictionary of Difficult Words

Book: Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds by Carmine Gallo

Conference: The SCORRE Conference

Podcast: How to Monetize Your Platform