I mentioned in Holy It! that I would, one day, speak on his stage at his annual ‘Sales Mastery’ event.  We may very well make that happen in the near future but, in the meantime, having him read the book and then reach out to me for this interview proved to be nice recognition.

Todd adds a lot of his personal insight and experience into the interview, which I’ve posted at the bottom of the page here.

“You make believe that everything is ok until you’re cryin’. You make believe that life is too long until you’re dyin’.”

I used that quote from Limp Bizkit in my book, ‘Holy It! A Guide to Doing Your Thing – Your ‘It’.  The book is all about finding that thing in life that you are called to do…and actually acting on it.  So let’s say you actually do that – you find your calling and work really hard to make it a success.  It doesn’t matter what ‘It’ is.  ‘It’ may just take every bit of your time and energy because you are so passionate about it.  You get those closest to you really psyched about it and they become your cheerleaders.  You go after it like there is no tomorrow.  And then there is no tomorrow.  You get hit by the proverbial bus – a brain bleed, the BIG ONE or maybe you really get hit by a bus (it happens).  It doesn’t matter how you go, you’re just gone.  Now, all of those people that were so stoked about your success are equally un-stoked about the hot mess you left behind.  You weren’t selfish when you shared your talents and passion while you were alive – don’t be selfish when it’s time for you to exit stage left.  Get your stuff in order with the help of someone like Jeff (Marsocci).  Doing so may just allow those left behind to get on with sharing their ‘It’ with the world rather than sifting through your mess.

Right near the end, Michael teaches the “9 elements of a kind heart.”  A suggestion he made at the end of this chapter is one that I think we can all learn something from –  to have a “To Be” list that we work from each day.

We all know what a to-do list is (and some of us use one better than others).  In my book Holy IT!, I lay out a methodology for getting into action on that thing in life that you and those around you know that you should be doing, but you aren’t.  I contend that some of the greatest influences on getting going on your ‘IT’ are your attitude, your perspective and who you surround yourself with.   Utilizing a “To Be” list in relation to doing your ‘IT’ might look something like this:

Today I will be….more mindful of who my cheerleaders are.

Today I will be….unwavering in my decision to act on ‘IT’

Today I will be….in action.

This strategy should be tied in with whatever other “starting the day” things that you do, whether that is exercise, prayer, meditation or just thinking while you’re shaving!  Build a minute into your routine where you actually sit and think about what you are going to be (while doing what you are going to do) will take you one step closer to being able to say, “I’m doing IT!”

I recently asked myself the same question, but it wasn’t about a product, per se. It was about my health and I asked it when I got my blood test results from my annual physical. Thankfully, all of my levels were right where they should be with the exception of one. That one wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t perfect either. I found myself on the computer trying to learn all that I could about it and then I stopped for a second and said to myself, “Why do I care?”

The answer seems obvious – it’s your health…duh….of course you should care. But really, why do you care about your health? Go a little deeper than the surface level that you typically stop at in life. What matters about your health? Who is affected by your health? What gives if your health gives?

Somewhere in those answers is the answer to why you are here and what is truly important to you. Taking the time to come up with those answers is an exercise I highly recommend. It could just save your life because you may actually do something about your health because you have now truly tied the reasons for good health to something tangible rather than just trying to be healthy…..to be healthy.

It was so stinkin’ cute and made me think about the “default to negative” that I wrote about in ‘Holy IT!’  This little boy is either wired differently than so many others or is being brought up in an environment of positivity….or maybe a little bit of both.  I think we can all learn from him and, when all of the balls that we have up in the air feel like they are starting to get away from us, we can find the positive and have fun with it like he did.  Go ahead, say it outloud when this happens to you – “Get back here you crazy little ball.”

I want to reach the masses and get my book to the tipping point.  I wrote this in the book and I’ll write it here – it’s not about the money, it’s about impacting as many lives as possible in a positive way.  It sounds like Nate Berkus (of Oprah fame) is doing the same thing with his new show.  So what did I do?  I just sent him an email.  I have no idea if he’ll get it, but I wrote it from the heart and sent it.  Famous people read their email too, you know.

So what does “reaching high” look like for you?  Are you a young golfer who’d love a lesson from Tiger?  Network around.  You may not get him, but you may get his college coach.  Do you want to become a professional speaker and want to learn from the best?  Reach out to a top shelf speaker – he or she had a mentor way back when.

Whatever your Mt. Everest looks like, starting out with some high reaches to the top may just get you there more quickly.  Don’t be scairt – they can’t eat you.

We’ve heard these statements throughout our lives.  Well, I am living out these idioms in a really cool and different way — with a clown, of course!

I highlighted Hubba Bubba the clown in Holy IT!  and we have developed a very cool friendship (and working relationship) from this.  His story is the epitome of my message about doing what you are called to do.  Not only is he doing what he loves, he is also utilizing his skills and abilities that were developed in his “previous life” – i.e. in his previous jobs.  We could all be so fortunate!

After Hubba Bubba opened for me at a talk I gave the other day, I joked that, “Johnny Carson had Ed McMahon….I’ve got Hubba Bubba.”  I will continue to support Hubba Bubba by having him at talks and events where I present and he will continue to support me by sharing my message with whomever he can.

Please have a look, comment on my post and sign up for her daily inspirational message while you’re there.

Since we’ve had kids, Jeanne and I have always tied exercise to being around for them later in life.  We want to meet their kids…and be upright when that happens.  So, I’m thankful that I literally have to walk past the door that goes to the elevator to get to the door that leads to the stairs.  Why?  Because, in that moment in time – virtually every time – I think about my future with my family…and I take the stairs.

What are you doing about what you aren’t doing?  Is there something that you just know would be a good thing to do that you aren’t?  Maybe it’s blogging more (ok, that’s mine but it could be yours as well) or running regularly or reading.  Once you tie it to something bigger, you’ll do it and it won’t feel like a burden.