How To Make Hard Work Smoother And Success Easier

How To Make Hard Work Smoother And Success Easier

Garth Beyer

Putting Yourself Out There In Something Bigger Than Yourself

I’ve tackled some large projects, some valuable pitches, and some heavy team building strategies over the last few years. What has made my practice flow and get me to quickly reach various successes (milestones I defined for myself)  has been to have a single target I want to reach. Let me explain,

  • If you want to work at a PR agency, choose one and make that your primary focus.
  • If you want to be a blogger, choose your corner of the internet and put all your worry, anxiousness, concern, and attention into it, and not any other corner.
  • If you want to travel to Nepal, put all you’ve got into making that happen.

BUT, be casually (not actively) open to new, different opportunities.

The benefit of working like this is that because you’re so focused on one thing, it makes anything and everything else seem nearly effortless.

  • It’s painless to go into and interview at an agency you’re not 100 percent sold on and rock the heck out of the interview because you don’t see it as a defining moment in your life.
  • When you’re focused on your corner of the internet, you’re more likely to get published on other outlets because you didn’t over think the writing you’ve submitted to them. You save the over thinking for what you publish on your blog.
  • It’s easy to “apply and see what happens” for a trip to Cambodia, even though your primary target is Nepal.

When you’re so focused on achieving one goal, you’re more carefree, open, vulnerable, true, and authentic when it comes to other related options. When you have your one target, it makes hitting any other targets much easier.

The best projects I’ve landed were ones I never truly aimed for, thus never stressed about.

Bonus tip: If you’ve got a big pitch or event you’re hosting or project you’re selling at a certain time of day. Plan something larger to do after, something that scares you more. It’s the same concept as described above. When you set a lofty target or goal for yourself, it makes everything else much easier.

 

Stay Positive & How Will You Use This Life Hack To Your Advantage?

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Assorted Links

Garth Beyer

1) The beginning of the end of storytelling (read) Focus on making a story worth talking about instead of telling (shouting) a story.

2) The interview you need to read each morning (read) Address your fear right out of bed.

3) Are anthropologists better than you think? (read) An honest perspective on how we confuse “what can be translated into print well” with “what is important and interesting.”

4) This is why you don’t have a mentor (read) By far the best article on mentorship I’ve read.

5) I am Chris (read) We’ve all had an issue with being asked “What do you do?” I’m still tackling how to answer it. Chris makes a strong argument here.

The Best Way To Secure Success For Tomorrow

The Best Way To Secure Success For Tomorrow

Garth Beyer

Stock For Today

…is to secure success today.

Instead of creating, writing, designing for those who may not arrive tomorrow, care for those who show up today.

Instead of spending time stocking the walls for tomorrow, figure out how you can create an experience people can’t help but remark about today.

We lose sight of success when we look at tomorrow at the expense of today.

 

Stay Positive & “I’m here now, give me a reason to bring someone back with me tomorrow.”

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The Most Important Mindset For Building Your Skill Set

The Most Important Mindset For Building Your Skill Set

Garth Beyer

Mindset, Skill set, Success

There’s a particular mindset that makes you indispensable, a true linchpin.

It is a commitment to see a project through.

I’ve had (emphasis on past tense) team members who started a project with me, but then ran away when real work was in order.

We’ve all had people tell us they will do something, then fail to do it.

I’ve made my own mistakes of sitting back, too. A perfect example is Curb Magazine.

As managing editor, I’m involved in the entire process of making a magazine from scratch. From philosophy ideation, all the way through the launch and distribution of the final product. I work with four different teams (editorial, online, creative, and business) to reach distribution.

After we submit our design to the press house, and before distribution, the press house gives our publisher a proof copy of what they will print. Instead of getting involved in the last proofing process (the last chance to make any corrections to the magazine), I let my other team leaders handle it.

I didn’t see the process through, and, as a result of leaving the rest of the project to them (and no insult to their talent), two words are missing at the bottom of the first page of my story in the printed version of the magazine… all 10,000 of our one-time printed version. #lessonlearned

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All of the skills businesses, companies, agencies, and leaders look for… they all make up the mindset of one’s commitment to a project, to their work, to passion.

When you get in the habit of seeing things all the way through, there’s no doubt you learn and strengthen all the skills employers and team members look for.

When you don’t follow through, you bring everyone down and hold yourself back.

 

Stay Positive & They’re Not Kidding When They Say Success Is A Mindset, Not A Skill List

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What To Price It At?

Garth Beyer

The book I published at the start of the year costs $3.99. It’s what I would pay for it.

Fivebucks coffee… I mean… Starbucks coffee costs $5.00 because you’re paying for the mental energy (confidence, not caffeine) that believing in Sbuxs’ story gives you.

The Who’s Up? app my team and I are pitching to investors costs people $4.99 to download, not because of a specific profit we want to make, but because it’s the price point we believe people will pay as proof of their determination to be go-getters in the morning.

The value of mass is calculated.

The value of art, of passion, of worthwhile purchases is perceived.

 

Stay Positive & Listen To Your Perception, It Saves Time

Who’s Up? An App In Need Of Investors

Garth Beyer

I’m throwing this idea out there in hopes someone can make it happen.

Who’s Up?

 

Stay Positive & Steal Our Idea

Unlocking Potential: Interview #7 With Dana Arnold

Unlocking Potential: Interview #7 With Dana Arnold

Garth Beyer
Dana Arnold

I’ve ran into a handful of linchpins since my last segment of Unlocking Potential, and I am ecstatic to be sharing these interviews with you again. Remember, linchpins are people who are essential to business success.

One of the easiest ways to check if you are doing work that matters, if you’re a linchpin is to ask yourself if your business and the people you work with can continue without you around? Are you essential?

Dana Arnold is a linchpin at Hiebing, an integrated marketing and brand development firm in Madison, Wisconsin. She is remarkable. While typically we start by giving some background, I’ve jumped the gun and wrote a profile feature on her already.

In short, she’s a Public Relations guru, mentor, and a woman who started her first PR business at 25. Without further ado, welcome Dana Arnold.

Q: What are three main skills you need to do what you do?

Dana: Strong communication – writing, listening, speaking; empathy helps on two fronts – understanding a target market and counseling clients; creativity – I’m in the idea business and finding new angles and opportunities moves the brands I represent forward.

Q: I have my own reasons, but what do you think makes you indispensable, a true linchpin?

Dana: This is a tough one! On my best days, I hope that it’s my constant pursuit for what’s possible. I think that any team (including mine) wants to be inspired and pushed. I think I do that on a pretty consistent basis. It makes the individual better, the team better, the work better and ultimately our clients better.

Q: Where do you find inspiration to test new waters and walk past boundaries?

Dana: I can’t help but want to push past boundaries… fiercely independent and really curious (just ask my mom!) Daily inspiration I find most often in reading, which I do constantly – mostly digital reading at this point of articles, blogs, tweets. There are some people I read who are in the business – but most of what I find inspiring is reading things on leadership.

Q: What are a few habits that are critical to becoming a remarkable PR pro?

Dana: Reading, daily. Getting out from behind the computer to TALK to people: co-workers, clients, media, vendors.

Q: In one sentence, what is your life calling?

Dana: In every interaction, live positively.

Q: What are four life lessons you have learned from following your calling?

Dana: 1. You can just go with what surrounds you – or influence it. I choose to influence it. 2. Perseverance.  3. Everything matters – every word, every gesture, every piece of interaction has an impact. 4. LAUGH – a lot – and surround yourself with people who want to laugh along with you.

Q: How do you push your client’s or your team’s imagination and motivation?

Dana: With clients, I regularly share new ideas, opportunities and approaches to what we’re doing – and being sure to connect those items to why their target audience cares about it (and how it can move the needle for their business). I hope that I inspire my team’s motivation and imagination by leading by example… and asking a lot of questions (not giving them the answers)

Q: What do you do to continue your growth as a PR pro?

Dana: I’m a member of PRSA and Counselor’s Academy (a sector of PRSA for PR agency leaders); I read voraciously; I surround myself with a really smart team that pushes me; I attend key conferences such as SXSW

Q: What motto do you live by?

Dana: As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. (An excerpt of a full quote that I LOVE from Marianne Williamson)

Q: If you got to write a test for those who want to go into heaven, what is one question that would be on the test?

Dana: How much did you love?

Q: What couldn’t you live without?

Dana: Coffee (you’ve got this!) + Wine (hey, you gave it your best shot!)

Q: What is a project you’ve wanted to create, but haven’t had the time to do?

Dana: Something that helps set up young, professional women to succeed in the workplace.

Q: Where can people find you and your art?

Dana: @BigKitchen and www.hiebing.com/blogworthy

 

Stay Positive & Let Your Light Shine