Daily it seems….

I get some variation of this question…

“How do you come up with ideas to email every day?”

Hot Showers & Cold Chairlifts.. that’s how.

I’m serious. I have no problem coming up with ideas for stories to combine with my marketing.

The ideas are all around you and me.

The fact is, I have about 200 ideas started in my Evernote. And I actually came up with 3 more just this morning.

I woke up. Took Pearl “The French bulldog” out to do her chores. Came back in and took a hot shower. 2 ideas right there.

Then I started packing… the only sound was the coffee maker bubbling and sputtering.

And BAM! Another idea. Let me just add that sucka to Evernote.

The challenge, for me at least, is NOT ideas. Ideas are all around.

Inspiration is waiting to be seized.

The real challenge is finding the silence to allow the idea to show up.

An idea is just a whisper. It’s quiet and soft. It’s behind you. It’s in the next room.

It’s not shouting at you.

An idea is unsure and uncertain. It might be a bit insecure. It’s not going to shout “Pay Attention To Me!”.

It’s confiding an intimate secret with you. It doesn’t want anyone to hear but you.

To make sure I can hear these confidential murmurs… I need to escape the noise.

The noise of TV, of social networks, of crowds, of debates, of the internet.

A hot shower does that for me.

And… a cold lonely chairlift climbing the mountain for a snowboard run.

That’s how I let my ideas find me.

As one my favorite bands, Billy Pilgrim says, “I do my best thinking when I’m by myself. I do my best drinking when I’m with someone else.”

I try to carry on the airplane as much as possible for a few reasons.

1. Saves huge amounts of time.

Not having to check a bag and not having to wait around for a bag can save 30-60 minutes. Maybe not a ton of time, but when you are traveling every week, it adds up.

2. Saves money

So many airlines are charging for checked bags now.

3. Airlines sometimes lose luggage

I have had my bags lost coming and going, at least 10 times. This is not good, when you wear shorts and a tshirt to travel, and then the next day you have to give a talk to 300 people.

I traveled to San Francisco this week for Agent Reboot and Inman Connet, both of which I’m speaking at and I needed to pack a couple of suits, since I will be here the whole week.

I search on youtube, how to fold a suit jacket for packing and I came across this video.

If you travel and need to bring a suit with you, I think a Productivity Junkie would carry it on and this is probably how they would pack it.

What are some of your travel and packing tips? Let me know in the comments below.

I know, but if I told ya, that would ruin the surprise.

Here is what I can tell you:

This is the main project that Chris Smith, the former aka Tech Savvy Agent, is undertaking at Inman News.

Joining him on this Next project is Katie Lance, the Social Media Director for Inman News, and a guest post writer here on on Productivity Junkies.

I can also share with you that they are in this Pre-Launch phase where they are giving away some goodies. I don’t want to ruin that surprise either, but lets just say there is some real, true value behind what they are giving away.

If you want in on this pre-launch you can CLICK HERE

Chris has been a personal friend of mine for about 18 months now, so I’m stoked to see him succeeding and doing what he loves.

Katie has become a friend to me and to ProductivityJunkies.com also, so I feel kind of invested in their success. I’m a fan and want to see them win.

So last night while out picking up some fresh salmon for dinner I came across a bottle of wine called NEXT. I had to pair with the fish right?

Check out this bottle.

On the back of the bottle it reads:

next: is a statement

next: is a question

next: reminds us that we always stand at a crossroads, that we are all poets, all philosophers, the makers and keepers of our own dreams, that we bring wine to our friends that we might share both wine and words together, folded into a moment on the edge of the next

To check out Inman Next CLICK HERE

If you want to check out more about this wine, QuestionWhatsNext.com

If you want to ponder a moment with me, leave me a comment and tell me what is NEXT for you.

]]> http://productivityjunkies.com/random/whats-next-inman-next/feed/ 0 http://productivityjunkies.com/random/being-a-productive-dad/ http://productivityjunkies.com/random/being-a-productive-dad/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 07:15:36 +0000 darin http://productivityjunkies.com/?p=4146

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.  ~Clarence Budington Kelland

My Dad, Lloyd Persinger is one of the most productive people I know.

That’s a picture of him and me.

His work ethic is second to none, even though he is retired and turning an age today that I won’t mention. Today is his birthday.

Happy birthday Dad!

Since I said Happy Birthday to my Dad, I have to say Happy Birthday to my brother Kevin. It’s his birthday also today.

Happy birthday BRO!

I have been blessed with the DNA from my parents, but I was also witness to them building businesses and raising a family. And they did both very successfully.

I was a very active kid.

Baseball. Basketball. Soccer. Golf. Wakeboarding. Acting. Plays.

My Dad was there for all of it.

We tossed the baseball around in the backyard.

We shot baskets together.

My Dad, Lloyd Persinger, having his first Guinness, and having it in Ireland!

Well, I shot, he rebounded. He became no competition for me after I hit 6th grade.

Becoming A Productive Dad

Family is extremely important to me.

Read: How To Easily Determine Priorities

The reason to even become a Productivity Junkie, is so you can be present in your other roles in life.

• Friend
• Sibling
• Parent

I see a very sad trend in our industry and culture, especially as tools and technology allow us to stay more connected. And that is the celebration of 12, 14, 16 hour work days.

Don’t get me wrong. I know my Dad worked hard and certainly was never afraid of effort, but like I said, he was always there. To throw the ball. To watch the game. To drive the boat. To pick me up. Or to even watch a practice. He was a Productive Dad, still is.

(I need to add this or he’ll get upset.)  –> He is also a Productive Grandfather.

Is your family getting the best of you or the rest of you?

How do you become a Productive Dad?

My friend, Dean Ouellette, a Chandler Short Sale agent, has launched an awesome blog called The Productive Dad.

Here is what Dean says about launching this project,

“Always on the run, never enough time, eating on the run, always more work to do, no time to exercise and eat healthy or spend quality time with family and friends, sound familiar? Well this is my journey to fix all those excuses. Because if we allowed ourselves to be honest that is exactly what we would admit they were.

This is my journey to greatly increase my quality of life while also freeing up more time. Thanks for joining me on my journey and I hope I can add some value here that will help make your life simpler, healthier and give you more time with those you love.

Sounds awesome, huh?

Hopefully, I will be bringing you Productivity Junkies some guest blogging from the Productive Dad, Dean Ouellette, in the near future.

Until that time, head over to The Productive Dad and check out the blog posts there.

There is also a facebook page you can LIKE by CLICKING HERE

Again, Happy Birthday to my Dad and Bro! Love you guys!

Dan specifically wanted to know our #1 DON’T for a real estate agent in social media.

My answer was brief and to the point.

“Don’t be an idiot.”

I can’t take credit for this genius answer. I swiped it from The Office.

What is your #1 Social Media Don’t Tip For Real Estate Agents?
Leave me a comment below.

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.” - Robert McAfee Brown

In this real estate training video, I talk about the importance of Storytelling.

In real estate sales presentations or in objection handling, you could try to present facts and figures or combat their question with market stats, but what I have found is that a story is more powerful. And storytelling doesn’t have to only be in person. You could do this via real estate blogging.

Real estate blogging is a great opportunity to share a story about your activity as a real estate agent working for a seller, buyer or being involved in your community.

When I’m talking about storytelling in real estate, I don’t mean telling fictional stories. I mean sharing about a past homeseller you worked with that decided to stage their home after no offers. Or about a homeseller that priced their home at the right price to start off with versus reducing the price later. You can blend your 10/20 Rule, local real estate market stats and the experience of real homeseller into your story.

You can do the same for a home buyer. Share your personal experience, the experience of another homebuyer, so the homebuyer you are working with, has a frame of reference to work from. Allow them to become the character in the story.

Don’t have any experiences for storytelling?

I’m sure you do, but if you are struggling to think of some, ask real estate agents on facebook or in your own office. When I’m doing a real estate training and we are talking about storytelling I ask the real estate agents in the session to share stories and you would be amazed at how many real estate agents have present, relevant stories to that you can borrow.

Remember, facts and figures and market stats are good to help someone justify a decision, but humans are emotional creatures.

Do you have a story to share with your homeseller or homebuyer that they could relate to?

In my Solutions Coaching Program, I work with you on creating content and your story to help you grow your real estate blog and real estate business.

If you are my coaching client, I’m not trying to make you wrong. I’m simply trying to get you to see that the opposite is also true. And in order for that to happen, I need to listen to you first. I need to see your perspective, before I ask you to see it from my perspective.

What I know is that having an outside perspective helps us in business in life.

This is why I do a weekly podcast with a partner. Matt Haze gives me and our audience a different perspective and idea on things.

The following video I discovered via Todd Waller, so Hat Tip to him.

This video is all about perspective, two sides of the coin and looking at things to see that the opposite can also be true. Watch the whole video. It will blow your mind!

“You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be everything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.” – Abraham Lincoln

Recommend Coaching Video’s and Blogs:

Trying Too Hard? Release The Brake – Productivity Nugget #075

Don’t Only Focus On The Tangible

7 Questions For Reflection- Two Months Into 2010 – Productivity Nugget #078

The Redzone – Finish Strong To Build A Success Business & Life – Productivity Nugget #048

You Can Do Anything – Productivity Nugget #054

We started talking about eyeballs. You know, as a term to mean the number of  people looking at your website, fanpage, etc. We were talking about Dale Chumbley’s facebook fanpage, a real estate agent in Vancouver, WA., that has over 8,000 fans. We were saying 8,000 eyeballs are on it and I noticed that actually, it meant that there was 16,000 eyeballs on the facebook fanpage, UNLESS the people were all pirates.

Thus, this video captured by Jeff Berhenisial and joke I made. Jeff posted to his website and youtube.

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” – William S. Burroughs

7 Ways to Relax

1. Read a book -

Not a blog. Read a good ol’ fashion book. I guess a Kindle is ok, but to me there is something about a real book. Reading blogs leads to checking your facebook and email. Which leads to getting on twitter. To truly relax get offline and read a book.

2. Have a cup of coffee or a tea -

You might think that having caffeine should not go on the recommendation list for relaxing. You could be right. What I’m suggesting is be with that cup of coffee or tea. Hot liquids could be relaxing and soothing to the body and soul. Really taste the beverage, feel the way it warms your mouth, your throat and stomach as you drink it. Enjoy the flavor. Do nothing else but be with your cup of coffee or tea.

3. Sleep in -

Have kids or pets that won’t allow that to happen? I hear ya. Luckily, I have a French Bulldog that will sleep in until 2 PM if I let her. See if you your spouse, significant other or someone else can help you out one morning of watching the kids or pets while you sleep in. The fact of knowing you will get to sleep in will help you sleep better and have a peaceful rest that night. A reason we don’t sleep well at night is we know how busy, hectic and stressful the next morning and day is going to be.

4. Laugh -

Have brunch or lunch with friends and enjoy their company. Listen to and share stories from the stressful week. Don’t bitch and moan about things. Have a light-hearted outlook on things. Know that the week is over that’s in the past and be able to look back on things on laugh.

5. Take a hot shower, bath or hit up hottub

Again, like the hot coffee or tea, the suggestion of heat. Heat can have a very soothing, relaxing effect on the body and mind. The key to this is also be present in the moment. You could also add some candles or aromatherapy oils to add to the experience.

6. Listen to some music

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” - Bob Marley

When I need to unwind, decompress and just let go, I put on some Bob Marley. That type of music relaxes me. It might be different for you. Maybe its classical, country or even hip hop. What I know is that music has the the ability to move our soul. So find the kind of music that moves your soul to find peace.

7. Lay in the sun -

I observe my French Bulldog laying in spots on the floor where the sun is shining, so I know this one works. She always looks so content, peaceful and relaxed. I know finding the sun is not the easiest thing to do if you live in the Pacific Northwest like myself. Its hard to find the sun on most days. But when you can, enjoy the sun washing over your face and brightness shining through your eyelids. Be present and in the moment.

What things would you add to this list?