December 2018 | SageTalk

Reverse ABC’s

Whatever the mind can Conceive and Believe, it can Achieve.

Most of us are familiar with one of the great speeches of all time, “I have a dream…” by Martin Luther King. As I listened to the speech, I was reminded of another period of time in our great country, the United States of America.

For eight years, January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017, we listened to the oratory of another fellow promise great things. Heck, he even had the masses mesmerized by his magnificent dreams.

One Little Word

We can all dream — and we do.

In fact, dreams without action are known as fantasies.

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
If turnips were watches, I’d wear one by my side.
If “if’s” and “and’s” were pots and pans,
There’d be no work for tinkers’ hands.
Scottish Proverb

Whatever the mind can Conceive and Believe, it can Achieve.

One little three-letter word “and” stands between dreams and achievement. Fantasies and oratory are easy — dare I say cheap. What is very hard and of great value is Belief.

Count The Times

Out of curiosity, I downloaded the typewritten speech given by Martin Luther King and used Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to recognize the text. Then, I did a “search” for the word believe. — and to my surprise it only appeared three times — in the negative tense. See for yourself. (CLICK)

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.
We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults…
…a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.

Only a wish, “…somehow this situation can and will be changed.”

I’m not interested in what someone doesn’t believe. I want to know what they do believe — and that’s missing from a speech to 250,000 people on August 28, 1963. Here in Montana, that’s known as all hat and no cattle.

Anyone can complain about a problem — only a select few can “believe” in a solution. However, those select few offer real hope for the future and inspire change in behaviors. They are the Inspirators. Let’s examine their beliefs.

One More Time

After many blows of the hammer, I wanted to ask, “Why — are we doing this?!”

Yet, I settled for, “When do you think it will split?”

As he always did, my Dad just grinned and answered, “I don’t know. That’s what makes this fun.”

Before beginning anything, Dad always knew the “Why” of producing the intended result. I believe that’s what kept him swinging and believing.

A full measure of belief is necessary to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.

See You At The Top

Another hero of mine, Zig Ziglar, came from humble beginnings and influenced many. As a cookware salesman, he learned and taught, “People buy what they want — not what they need.”

As a twenty-something Entrepreneur, the cassette tapes of Zig Ziglar captured my attention and motivated me to serve the public in ways which, before, were unimaginable.

I was inspired to believe that if a pots and pans peddler from Yazoo City, Mississippi, could achieve his dreams — then, I could, too.

You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.

V-8 Power

There’s a story about Henry Ford wanting a V-8 engine for his automobiles. He asked his engineers to make one. After several months, they returned to say it couldn’t be done.

Henry explained why it was important for families to travel in safety, with the increased power of more horses under the hood.

Off the engineers went, to try, again. After many more months and with conviction, they reported that the task was impossible. Henry said firmly, “Boys, you don’t understand. You can either build me a V-8 engine, or I will find someone who can.”

They built Henry his V-8.

Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.

Believe and Succeed

The strangest secret is, “We become what we think about.” However, only 5% of the population is thinking — the other 95% are conforming. After the conception of a goal, all we have to do is put forth the effort to create.

Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. Conceiving an idea (dream) is worthless, unless we act on it — with purpose and faith (belief).

What you believe will be done for you.
The Word

Easy, or Hard?

Which is easier to say?
1.) I believe.
2.) I have a dream.

Which is harder to do?
1.) Believe
2.) Dream

I Believe

All we do begins with a thought.
Service to others is love made visible.
We receive in proportion to the way we give.
Things work together for the good of those who LOVE.
Fascination and Curiosity can overcome resignation and despair.
In starting with nothing (but a dream) and building something special.
Whatever the mind can Conceive and Believe, it can Achieve.

What do you believe?

Chutes and Ladders

Once upon a time, the game was Chutes and Ladders. Now, as older kids, we cope with Funnels and Pipelines. When we were children, the original game was fun. The twisted version not so much.

In today’s marketplace, we are often the unwitting object of Sales Funnels and Leads Pipelines. To many companies, we’re nothing more than a target to tip into the Sales Funnel, to move through their Lead Pipeline, and to have our hard-earned money siphoned into coffers of the unscrupulous.

I speak passionately about the topic, because yes, I, too, have been tricked when I clicked — on the enticements lurking within the hucksters Landing Pages. So, what’s the answer to these modern-day snake-oil salesmen?

Up, or Down?

The answer — and protection against the scurrilous — is one question, “Am I assisted in my effort to create goodness in my life — or, am I being tempted to accept an easy way out, or through?”

Creation of value requires effort. Just like movement up a ladder — one rung at a time. One step at a time, one brick at a time, one board at a time, one swing of the hammer at a time, and one brush-stroke at a time is how all creative masterpieces take shape. There is no easy path to building a Legacy.

Here’s the comparative difference:

Up
Ladder
Lift
Hard
Outward
Light
Generous
Expansive
Valuable
Build
Focus

Down
Funnel
Vortex
Easy
Inward
Dark
Selfish
Limited
Cheap
Destroy
Fantasy

You get the idea. Everything on the left (Up) will be evident if YOU are making a creative choice. Everything on the right (Down) will be the feeling you experience if a predetermined outcome is planned for your resources.

I encourage each of us to customize a comparative list of our own — to be used in testing the propaganda messages broadcast 24/7 into our senses. We have a choice to readily accept the goodness and ruthlessly reject the trash.

“Love – Hate” Relationship

We hate to be Sold — yet, We love to Buy.

What is “Sales” anyway? Not the visibly corrupted process we experience at the auto Dealership nor the subtly disguised version implicit in Funnels and Pipelines . What’s your definition? What do you want the experience to be?

I believe, “The purpose of the Sales effort is to match YOU with something you want at a price you need.” That effort requires listening, understanding, and a professional CARE credential.

Value and Light

Mother Nature will not tolerate a vacuum. As a result, the Slick Willies of the world will not leave on their own. To remove them, they must be pushed out by their antithesis. In other words, light is required to extinguish darkness. The same is true of value, which brings to submission the worthless.

How are the two qualities of value and light similar?

People are attracted to them.
They encourage creative efforts.
Must be created — or help YOU create.
What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG)
Any amount calms emotions — of fear and despair.

Build It

There is truth to the expression, “Build it and they will come.” The things we enjoy in our advanced technology universe have never existed, before. Until someone had a thought, “I wonder what might happen if …”

And, that’s all it took for an adventure up the ladder into another realm.

I wish you well on the adventures of your choice.

Benevolent Leader

In serving the public for 35+ years as a CPA, I’ve worked with many leaders. Some were wanna-bees; some were dictators; some were regular bosses; very few were benevolent.

The launch of WordPress 5.0 has opened my eyes to understand more about Matt Mullenweg — creator of WordPress and founder of Automattic.

WordPress, “We don’t make software for free, we make it for freedom.”

Automattic, “We are passionate about making the web a better place.”

More Than Meets The Eye

In the realm of Technology and especially in the niche of Design, there is an acronym WYSIWYG — What You See Is What You Get. Matt Mullenweg has taken that to a new level of YEGWYDS — You Even Get What You Don’t See.

Until today, as I’ve done the Google Searches to discover more about this fellow, I had no idea as to his scope, depth, and influence.

What I can do, though, is share my personal experience with a benevolent leader. This story begins in July 2018, when I experienced frustration to the point of having Capital One stop the processing on a credit card purchase.

In my opinion, a company Process was dysfunctional — and, to add insult to injury, I felt that same company was disrespectful to People. As you know, I’m a big believer in POP — People Over Process.

Well, come to find out, I was preaching to the choir.

Congratulations (In an Email)

Matt,

Congratulations on the very successful launch of WordPress 5.0 — and a tremendous Presentation at WordCamp US 2018.

As you remember, I was frustrated with Automattic because of Jetpack, until out of the blue YOU called. I’m still in awe that a Leader cares so much about those in his Realm to listen and understand.

There was outreach by one of your Employees to work with me to resolve the Jetpack error messages that I was receiving from the Google Mobile-Friendly Test. Silly me — I rejected the offer. My belief and faith in Jetpack and its People had been shaken.

Although, from that moment forward, I noticed a shift in tone. Earlier, my “issue” was not so much a Plugin that didn’t work (for me), it was the disrespect from a representative that turned me off. (HISTORY)

Today, with Jetpack installed, absolutely “no loading issues” — only Success. (CLICK)

Then, more recently was my frustration with Gutenberg and responses I received from Automattic happiness engineers. That was immediately resolved by Gary Pendergast. (HISTORY)

As a Builder, I share the history to document a foundation for my belief that you are Building Something Special. The histories, above, are proof that my experience is much more than a one-off, luck-of-the-draw, random series of events. These are demonstrative facets of purpose, design, and implementation inspired and encouraged by YOU.

Last week, while interviewed in a Podcast, you made a comment about being “a benevolent leader.” We both know it is impossible to “manage by committee.” In the history of all great scientists and artists, there was only one of them. Only when they put beaker to flame, or brush to canvas, did the discoveries and masterpieces appear. That’s the magic of one person with belief in creating Value.

Yesterday, I thought your response to Mr. Blonde Goatee was Sherlock Holmes brilliant, “My dear Watson it’s quite elementary. The interpretation of WE is found in the context of its use.”

Great leaders inspire others to follow. You do that.

Quite often at the completion of a Post composed and published with Gutenberg, I find myself exclaiming, “Wow — I did that!”

That my friend is the sign of a truly great Leader — when those in your sphere of influence say, “We did that ourselves!”

When we say that, it’s because of your Vision and Values.

Thank you for being that kind of Leader.

Best,

Kim

Character Matters

When was the last time you had the CEO of a multi-billion dollar Company call you up to listen to your concerns? I can answer that for me, “Never.” Until one July day, out of the blue, I get a call from Matt Mullenweg.

For me, that memory will be priceless, forever. At the time, I knew something special was happening. Only, today, do I understand a little more about the honor bestowed on me — by a man with humility — a Benevolent Leader.

According to Matt, “This release is named in homage to the pioneering Cuban jazz musician Bebo Valdés.” — WordPress 5.0 “Bebo”

Since the phrase “Benevolent Leader” is a mouthful — and probably beyond acceptance in everyday use by Matt — he will affectionately be known to me as “Bene.”

Pure Genius

The definition of genius by Albert Einstein is more apt today than then.

Genius is making complex ideas simple.

Technology is adding complexity to our existence exponentially at warp speed. However, recent encounters with the architects of some of that brilliance have reminded me of another Einstein gem.

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.

And, that my friends, brings us to the opportunity du jour. When technicians want to hide behind their dysfunctional “code” and make excuses, the time has come to examine that stinkin’ thinkin’.

Yes, or No

The “problem” (opportunity in disguise) that we face are those individuals who believe there are three choices to any situation:

Yes
No
Maybe

However, the Universe and computer Code doesn’t work that way. It simply obeys the progression of an event through two channels: (Choices) Yes, or No — (Numerals) 0, or 1

There is absolutely no wiggle room of:

Try
Maybe
Someday

Does the Serenity Prayer come to mind?

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

Yes, life is really that simple:

The absolute beauty of this inherent Universal Principle is we have a guarantee to move forward through life — without the fear of going in circles, round-and-round the Mulberry Bush.

Genius

Genius comes from the Latin word of the same name, meaning “guardian deity or spirit which watches over each person from birth” or “innate ability.”

We are all — each and every one of us — a genius. We are unique to the Universe, one-of-a-kind, broke-the-mold, temporary as a snowflake, beautiful in design, a creation engineered to be able to deliver that “wizardry” of creative value to everyone in our sphere of influence.

Action requires that we are able and willing. So, the only question remaining, “Will we — make the complex simple?”

Pure Genius

I believe we will — if we apply “pure” genius, which is Love.

“What’s love got to do with it?!”

Everything — because, it’s hard to always clearly state our intent and, then, commit our actions to a life of Yes, or No. So much easier is the way of Try, Maybe, and Someday.

Love, the greatest gift, is a chosen, purposeful effort — often done in the face of fear — to nurture our own growth and the growth of others.

Every moment of every day, we must decide whether an action will benefit:

For the narcissists among us, their choice is easy — they always choose ME. For the rest of us, we struggle to believe — it is more blessed to give than to receive.

More times than not, though, we remember Karma is 100% accurate in delivering what is earned — and we do the right thing. We think, plan, and do — while considering what is best for YOU.

I wish you well in your wizardry — and I am available to enlighten, empower, and encourage. It’s the pure genius of our thoughts, planning, and actions which will provide the way for all to enjoy heaven on earth.