“This is your life and it’s ending one minute at a time” – Chuck Palahniuk

Everything you’ve ever wanted – along with the rest of human potential – lies in the gap between good intentions and concrete action. And it’s time for you to cross the chasm.

The majority slouch and gaze across the gulf at the much smaller (better looking) group who have made the leap. Anyone can do it, but there’s a thousand reasons why you can’t.

On the other side, they call those reasons “excuses”.

This article breaks down the psychological principle you NEED to traverse the void. It’s a tactic that I’ve road-tested on some of the world’s smartest entrepreneurs and when you use it, you’ll create rapid results instead of reasons-why-you-can’t.

Want wings? Read on… Continue reading “How to hack your best intentions so they actually happen “

The path to entrepreneurial success has become synonymous with becoming superhuman.

With shining examples like Richard Branson and Elon Musk to inspire us, it’s no longer enough to achieve mere business success. The new entrepreneurial definition of success should be dubbed “The Tony Stark” – you need to become a billionaire, genius, playboy philanthropist… and you should probably look like Robert Downey Junior too.

Even if you dial the ambition back from “super human” to merely “optimized human”, you’re still looking at a todo list that includes a successful business, an inspiring relationship with a total babe, epic mastery of high speed sports and/or intellectually complex hobbies, raising of Mensa level genius children, multilingual fluency, good-looking brilliant friends, effortless charisma… and the list goes on.

Ever felt that pressure to be better in every area? 

The desire to “crush it” is a good ideology, but what if I told you that – in practice – it’s crippling the progress of the entrepreneurs mid-way through their journey to the top.

Over-optimization is dangerous. Here’s why…  Continue reading “The Dangers of Becoming Superhuman – How to avoid Over-Optimized Entrepreneur Syndrome”

December last year, I was invited – as a card carrying member of a secret cabal of badass entrepreneurs – to spend a day at Ogilvy’s global HQ here in New York, with OgilvyOne CEO Brian Fetherstonhaugh.

These types of mastermind groups are all about soundbites. Naturally, it was entertaining watching a group of mostly Gen Y internet entrepreneurs attempt to get this corporate heavyweight to distill his wisdom down into “Actionable Tactics”.

The session covered Ogilvy’s creative brainstorming process, their five year plan and leadership strategy… and that was before lunch. If I did have to select a single take-away as most mind-blowing, it’d have to be the revelation Brian dropped about his approach to sales.

Simply put, everyone else is doing it wrong. However you’re having sales conversations with your customers, what Brian (and Ogilvy) does is decidedly different. And it’s because they know the humbling – perhaps even embarrassing – truth.  Continue reading “The embarrassing truth about sales – Confession from an Ogilvy CEO”

You have a great new idea for a creative project that’ll move your business forward.

It feels exciting and sexy. You’re pumped, because part of you thinks this’ll be the best thing ever.

You know it’ll be hard to actually build your thing, but you dive in anyway because that’s what you do. You’re an entrepreneur. You create. You know you can do it – you believe in yourself. As you should.

You’re happy because you’re starting, and you have everything to look forward to.

Unfortunately, by the time this project is done, you’re going to be frustrated. If not downright miserable. The thing you’ve created – that used to hold so much promise – won’t be nearly as bright and shiny as you hoped. It’ll feel barely adequate. You’ll be disappointed in yourself. You might even feel as if you half-assed it.

Again.

The good news? This cycle that you’re experiencing isn’t real. It’s all in your head. There’s a weird set of psychological biases in play, making you miserable. And you’re not alone. Turns out every business owner struggles with The Creator’s Curse…

Continue reading “The Creator’s Curse: Why your latest project will eventually make you miserable”

The entrepreneur stereotype has permanently changed. 

The old school business archetype is all about smooth talking, pinstripe-suited, cigar smoking, deal brokering, power tycoons.

These captains of industry weren’t afraid to scream at subordinates, drown their sorrows in mid-afternoon whiskey or mortally wound their opponents at the negotiating table. They won huge success, fighting bitterly against all the odds.

It was always hard, never fun and once they “arrived” at success they promptly rode the gravy train all the way to the last stop: Divorce, Diabetes and eventually… Death.

It’s a dying breed. The good news? Even as these assholes fade into legend, a new paradigm of entrepreneurship has emerged.  Continue reading “Why your emotional intelligence will make or break your business success”