Skip to main content

AI and ChatGPT

My coast to coast airplane ride mindset: Geoff Colvin’s “Humans Are Underrated. What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will.”

With all the buzz on AI and ChatGPT I was reflecting on this leading edge book from 2015.

The answer lies not in the nature of technology but in the nature of humans.

Regardless of what computers achieve, our greatest advantage lies in what we humans are most powerfully driven to do for and with one another, arising from our deepest, most essentially human abilities:

  • empathy;
  • creativity;
  • social sensitivity;
  • storytelling;
  • humor;
  • building relationships, and
  • leadership.

Any testimonials?

Humans are underrated
Humans are underrated

Courage

You’re only courageous when you do what’s right despite your fear.

Think about it; anyone who ever beat the odds did so despite their fear! They beat the odds because:

  • they were desperate and felt as if they had no choice;
  • they were inspired by somebody else’s example;
  • they were angry at injustice;
  • they were moved by a need;
  • they said to themselves, ‘If not me, then whom? If not now, then when?; or
  • they didn’t think much about it

What are you waiting for? A feeling of courage? Forget it; it doesn’t exist! You’re only courageous when you do what’s right despite your fear.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.

100 Days Of Success

Remember when?

In December, as the new year approached, I was inspired to document my observations of success from my leadership, coaching, and work experience.

The first 20 days came easy, the next 20 a challenge, and the 60 to finish tough. Yet I did it. And here are the top 7 most engaged, commented, or shared of the 100:

#1 Was Day 58 of 100

Ten excuses that all peak performers made yet figured out a way to bust through:

1. I don’t have time
2. I don’t have the money
3. I will try it next year
4. I don’t have enough data
5. I am too tired, skeptical, or biased
6. No one ever did it before
7. It’s too much work
8. I could fail
9. I will wait until I retire
10. It’s too risky

You can bust through too.

#2 Was Day 35 of 100

Those building a consistent business resist the urge to recreate the wheel, instead, they learn from other’s mistakes.

Observe what works for others – or fails – and make it your own. (One benefit of a coach)

Many top performers have documented “a plan” that works in books, videos, or podcasts, and you can read, listen, or observe what took them a decade to uncover in a few hours. Listing Boss, Atomic Habits, The Miracle Morning, Up In Your Business, Never Split the Difference, and many more.

Others share their experiences: apply them and grow, then pay it forward.

#3 Was Day 2 of 100

Take action! We can’t do everything today but we can do one thing, even a small thing.

The winners are the daily doers.

Research: Those who do not feel they are taking steps toward their goals are 5 times more likely to give up. Elliott ‘99.

# 4 Was Day 30 of 100

It’s not one big thing in your business or life that brings you success, it’s a lot of little things done well, over time, that bring you success.

Tips for the day?
• Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.
• If you don’t follow up with prospects, someone else will. The money is in the follow-up.

#5 was Day 1 of 100

“Whether You Think You Can Or Think You Can’t, You’re Right.” ~Henry Ford

Only you can say if this is a world you can succeed in.

Research – Franklin & Mizell – showed that the more optimistic people viewed their surroundings, the greater their satisfaction with jobs and their outlook for future success.

#6 Was Day 45 of 100

There are two ways to teach someone how to swim:

1. Showing them YouTube videos and telling them about the concept of swimming.
2. Putting them in the pool and helping them try it.

Both have a place, yet the actual experience is critical; the challenge: You might flounder in the pool awhile or discover swimming isn’t your thing and try running.

The bottom line is that peak performers know to scale; you have to let your team members swim, show you what they are capable of, and be open if their passion or skill is something else like running.

#7 Was Day 3 of 100

“In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.” ~ Hank Aaron

How To Seize The Moment?
C > F = R
You get the desired result when your commitment exceeds your feelings.

How To Build The Courage?
C > F = R
You get the desired result when your courage is greater than your fear.

So, what’s your favorite – listed or not listed?

Leave nothing to chance
Leave nothing to chance

Faith vs. Fear

Did you know that the African impala can jump ten feet high and cover a distance of ten yards? Yet this magnificent animal can be confined within walls only three feet high. Why? Because unless it first sees where it’s going to land, it’s afraid to jump.

Faith is the ability to jump and trust God even when you can’t see.

 

Fear or faith?
Fear or faith?

Overcoming Rejection

His mother, no longer able to provide for him, turned him over to the foster care system. At 22, he was homeless with a two-year-old son to care for.

The only way he could go was up. With $700 start-up cash, he pursued his vision.

Paul Mitchell hair products and eventually Patrón tequila.

One of the most significant traits of his success, he says, was overcoming rejection.

“You’ve got to be prepared in life for a lot of rejections.”

Pointing to a time, he had to sell encyclopedias door-to-door to put food on the table. Many doors, literally, closed in his face. As a result, he came to expect rejection, which proved to be beneficial, as he learned this:

“You must be just as enthusiastic on door 51 as you were on door 50, even if all 50 of those doors are closed in your face!”

John Paul DeJoria’s journey from homeless to entrepreneur and philanthropist – now you know…the rest of the story.

Prepare for rejection
Prepare for rejection

Symptom, Source, Solution

You can’t see the picture when you are in the frame. (Ask Billie Bean or Michael Jordan – client and Phil Jackson – coach.)

Whenever I get frustrated I use a model, “symptom, source, solution.” (Models can be so helpful).

Ever play Whac-a-Mole? Every time you knock one down, another mole pops up. To stop that from happening, you must address the source. In the case of the game, one solution is to unplug the machine and no more moles pop up!

The idea here is that if you really understand what the real source – the root cause – of your challenge is, the resolution becomes clearer.

Behind every behavior is a feeling and behind every feeling is a need and when you get to the need you get to the root cause and more effective solutions.

Always a DM away.

Symptom, source and solution.
Symptom, source and solution.

Shifting Relationships

Shifting relationships

For years we sent the referrals – that will remain

Yet – others are going direct to the consumer –  sending you referrals for a fee or mutual business development.

Implication? So are your relationship deepening and expanding or shrinking and dying?   

By design or by default
By design vs. by default

Open Loops?

If you can’t shut off your brain, you have open loops to close.

 So what do we do about it?

  • Close your open loops!
  • Have that conversation
  • Make that decision
  • Do the next right thing

 An empty mind is more creative and productive.

The problem with open loops in our business is that they live inside our heads and make a nest.