I was having a casual conversation with my friend Michelle recently about some of the inherent perils of the information-driven internet and other content-driven mediums of today.  I absolutely love having adult conversation with like-minded people who are seeking to get better because it always helps me to get better too.

During our conversation I suddenly had one of my “Hallelujah Moments of Clarity” and realized something that we should all be aware of.  So I invite you to consider the following today as you go about your daily, content-creating life.

What we say is not always what other people hear and what we write is not always what other people understand when they read it.  It’s clear to me that every verbal word we speak and written word we write is at the mercy of the interpretation of the reader.  The person on the receiving end of your spoken or written words will ultimately draw their own conclusions (good or not-so-good) based on their prior experiences and current mental mindset. 

So as a result, I feel compelled to offer you a bit of unsolicited advice today.  It would be wise for us to take the time to choose our words wisely before releasing them out into the unforgiving realm of cyberspace.  Not many things can cost you more in this life than the price you could pay for being “Misunderstood”.

Don’t “misunderstand” the words and meaning of my message today as you continue in your efforts to make it GREAT.

The Book:   “Make it GREAT”

www.CedricCrawford.com/The-BOOK/

I was having a candid conversation with an old business colleague today and I had the opportunity to share a few thoughts with him.  He was looking for a little advice on how to get some of his service providers motivated so I let him in on my little-known secret that has served me extremely well in the past.  Almost every service provider I know find it hard NOT to have a positive response to my secret WMD (Weapon of Mass Development).

Out of all my investments in advertising, marketing and business tools, I’ve found this one thing to be pound-for-pound and dollar-for-dollar the single most economical, efficient, effective PR tool this side of the universe.  What is this public relations juggernaut you ask?   Well, it’s plain-ole, everyday ordinary Chocolate.  Yes, my friends the best things in life aren’t really as complicated and complex as we make them.

I can’t tell you the countless times that I’ve invested good money in purchasing chocolate that was specifically designed to be hand delivered personally, with a smile and short conversation, to my service providers in the field of operations.  The results are nothing short of phenomenal. 

At least once or twice a month appears to be the optimum and most effective frequency.  A little recognition and chocolate to brighten someone’s day can go a long way in raising your value in the eyes of others.  Master this little known technique and watch how fast you get attention to your problems and concerns.  It works for me.  You should try it sometime.

Let’s take this life and choke it into submission with kindness and make it GREAT! 

O  ver the past few years I’ve received several offers to partner with a few different companies or organizations.  Some of the offers have been pretty significant however I’ve found that the company or service/product provided has nothing to do with my passions, goals and dreams.  In fact, I’ve often realized that the activity would be more of a distraction than a help to me.  I have the feeling that I’m not alone in this belief.

I invite you to consider the following today.  There are many of us who become easily distracted by “good” money at the expense of putting our goals and dreams on the shelf.  Maturity in business and life has taught me that our dreams should not be for sale.  “More focused than ever” should be our statement of the day and every day here-forward.

So let’s take the barcode off of our goals and dreams and place them in the “priceless” glass case behind the counter and stay focused on why we’re really here.  Found your “Why” yet?  No need to answer out loud, just make me proud.   One more day of focus and yet another step closer to that goal or dream as we all attempt to make it GREAT! 

“NOT FOR SALE !!!”