I woke up in the morning wondering again what Bill Gates would have done. The curveballs were flying past my head like a batting cage gone array, so I did what any other crazy person would do. I ducked out of the way and got to figuring out a way to keep this going.  The best way to clear my head is to focus on something else. I open up my iPad to my learning how to read music app and proceed to (try to) play the piano as the notes come up and I have to press the correct key. At first it’s a disaster. My mind is scattered and all over the place but as I settle in and focus, my memory starts to give me confidence as I start pressing more correct keys over wrong ones. I’m learning to read music. Cool.

With the confidence of accomplishment, I head into my dining room (now warehouse) and start to put more kits together. Sometimes mindless activity is the best way to get your creative juices flowing. With another 100 kits safely in the closet and not without me noticing that I am running out of room in here, I get on the treadmill because I just need to clear my mind. From there I decide I’m hungry and make myself my morning vegan chocolate shakeolgoy with rice milk. Oh, have I mentioned it’s now only 9am on a Sunday and I’m well into another glorious sunny southern California day?

#earlybirdgetstheworm

I grab my  iPad and settle into my lounge chair. I ask in silent prayer for something that will help me find the confidence that I’m on the right path. I need reasurrance and direction to keep me moving forward. I need to know the growing pains of starting a start up by yourself are temporary. In my ibook app I find Anthony Norvell calling out to me, “The Million Dollar Secret Hidden In Your Mind”. I start reading.

You Are an Heir to a Kingdom

The Bible tells us, “You are an heir to a kingdom.” Believe this statement as being literally true. It will help give you courage and faith. It will instantly help you shatter the mould of negative thoughts that might have been implanted in your mind as a child. The Bible also states, “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give the kingdom.” Believe this, and you will instantly begin to act and think and talk in a much more positive manner.  You will realize that the world and all therein was created for you to use and enjoy. You were created in the image and likeness of God. This spiritual belief will also help you realize that nothing but the best is good enough for one of God’s highest forms of creation. When you fortify your mind with this type of faith you will instantly release all the stored-up dynamic energy of your brain and body, and it will carry you on to great heights of achievement.

Goethe said of thought:

“Sow a thought, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character, Sow a character, reap a destiny.”

Actually you build your future destiny thought by thought, and as these thoughts become more dynamic and perfect, they begin to shape your character and destiny in paths of greatness.

#thoughtsbecomethings

I am reminded that we as people are prone to the patterns of our thoughts. It’s our habits that get us firm in their grips. But I’ve read a lot of books that say a lot of the same things as Norvell and the common theme in all of them is changing your thoughts will change your habits and a new you will be born into greatness.  I come from negativity. A lot of it.  Some of the stories of my past are so far-fetched you would think it was a scene from a bad B movie. I know I do. But instead of wallowing in the why me, I choose to live in the what now?! Most people would make fun of my avid positive mental attitude (and they do) and it’s okay. It’s not for everyone. It’s all relative to what you are working with to begin with. I have spent my adult life de-brainwashing myself out of my past thoughts. I am not where I come from and I am capable of great things. My heart is pure and my intentions are genuine. I do not wish ill will on anyone even if they do to me. I forgive.

The books I read give me the encouragement to know I am better than any negative thought that tries to get the best of me. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. And nothing will come to you without hard work and persistence. I make a lot of spreadsheets. I put post-it note reminders all over telling me what I need to hear. I believe that for every no I am closer to that yes. And where there is will there is a way.

I made a visualization board and I wrote out a story of what my company would like, how it would be run and how much fun we would have.  Sound silly?  I think not.  I read an article years ago in Inc Magazine about Ari Weinzwig, CEO and cofounder of Zingerman’s gourmet food company. (http://www.inc.com/magazine/20030101/25036.html) I was so moved by the article, I found Ari’s email on line and sent him a note of gratitude.  We became penpals and he sent me some reading material that he wrote that helped me shape the face of my company.  In his 2010 book “A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Building a Great Business,” Weinzweig details the 12 laws on which he and his partners have built Zingerman’s. A must read for anyone launching or running a business.  http://www.zingtrain.com/books-and-dvds

It’s genius really. And all the greats have done a version of this. In Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography I learned about the Thirteen Virtues’s of Success, which lead me to Og Mandino’s The Greatest Salesman in the World, which lead to me to his workbook, The Greatest Secret in the World.  It all comes back to thoughts become things.  They have all helped me shape new habits. And without the new habits I wouldn’t keep going the way I do.

#KeepOnKeepingOn

With these reminders securely fastened in the front of my mind like a light to pave the way, it was time to figure out how to increase my brand awareness. I took stock in what I do have.  Unequivocal belief in my brand. Check. Inventory. Check. Creating jobs. Check.  But how to get the word out on a bigger scale? Get creative. So I did what I know. I started writing some more. And the next thing I knew, I wrote a treatment for a series of 5 small web video’s that are sure to make you laugh. But how to pay for it? Keep writing, do some research and don’t whatever you do, don’t be afraid to be told no. Remember for every no you’re closer to that yes.

Enter sponsorship opportunity web series.  Excitement got the better of me and I sent it out to some people prematurely. That’s okay. I would think you could still see the potential. One can only hope. My Director and I have gone back to the drawing board this past week and made some changes to keep the element of surprise and added a cool twist I hope we can pull off.  We are getting closer to what could really be something special. It will go out again to the same people letting them know we made some great changes to the stories. It will also go out to more people that I think are a great fit for our brand. Maybe the big brands will see the opportunity and value in helping our new company grow. I mean after all that’s what it’s all about right? Helping each other? It only takes one person at one company to believe in us the way that we do. And if we believe the way we do, how can they not believe too?

We’ll see…

More to come as #startup continues…

177200cookie-check#KeepOnKeepingOn – Finding Words of Wisdomyes