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Having read many of the criticisms leveled at Sarah Lacy in the wake of her Mark Zuckerberg interview at SXSW (video), I offer this quick thought. In fact, it’s not even mine. Nor is it new, some dead famous guy said it.
“It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly…who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
Theodore Roosevelt
Offering my own analysis of the interview itself (which I did watch, though I wasn’t there) would be beating a long-dead horse. The point here is, for the mistakes made, Lacy was the one in the arena. While there’s value in constructive suggestions and lessons learned for improvement, outright (and sometimes mean-spirited) criticism reveals character.
It’s easy to take pot-shots from the sidelines. In some circles, it’s even cool. It’s much harder to get in the arena and put your neck on the line. I’ve played both roles, as I’m sure many of you have. It’s my constant aim to criticize less and do more. Is it yours?
Last year, a vendor called me sheepishly and asked me to re-send the contract we had signed with them a few days prior. She couldn’t find it, and the only thing she could think happened to it was it went to the shredder in a pile of other papers destined for destruction. Has this ever happened to you?
Avoiding this pitfall is simple: tear the documents you intend to shred in half. If you consistently do this, you can safely put these in your outbox pile, and even mix them with papers to mail or file and not risk confusing the two.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Posted on 17 March '08 by Tim Courtney, under GTD. 2 Comments.
I’m trying to use this weekly exercise to not only find cool pictures of planes, but of rare or unusual planes that capture the simplicity and fun of flying. My primary source is Airliners.net, though I go off in other directions as well. This week’s plane is a Grumman G-164 Ag-Cat taken in Serbia. This guy just looks like he’s having fun.
Posted on 15 March '08 by Tim Courtney, under Aviation. No Comments.
I’m a geek and a tinkerer, but not much of a coder. While I used to actively code sites in high school and college, today I consider myself a power user. On an almost daily basis, I talk to people who are like most people — they have a general computer knowledge but are largely fearful of them, especially fearful of screwing something up.
Through these interactions, I’ve come to view these users in three basic categories:
- Lacking Confidence: These people need encouragement and to be stretched in their knowledge. Most average users I’ve met have fallen in this category. While explaining concepts may take a while, they really do want to understand how to use computers at least to the point where they aid in accomplishing daily tasks (My mom is one of these people; ten years ago I taught her the basics of Windows and she’s picked up the rest on her own). It’s rewarding to see the light bulb go off in these peoples’ heads as they become competent and confident.
- Willfully Ignorant: These people are almost proud that they know little to nothing about their computers. They lean on advanced users as if helpless and they make little attempt to grasp concepts as they are taught. This behavior soon exhausts the goodwill of all but the most patient advanced users.
- Explorative: This is the 20% group. Not all of these people become code ninjas or sysadmins, but they aren’t afraid to stretch themselves. They are consistently learning how to do things better and do a greater variety of tasks with their computers. These people range from the power user to development pioneers like David Heinemeier Hansson.
The only way to “help” the second group listed above is for them to change their attitude and cultivate a desire to learn. People in the first group are a pleasure to work with, they just need encouragement and prodding from time to time.
So, here’s my advice to el groupo uno: Tinker.
Computers probably feel like rocket science, but they aren’t. Maybe you want to get better at Word or Excel, or make your web browsing experience better (say, less popups and ads?). Or perhaps photo retouching is the next step so you can assemble the family scrapbook.
- Break down big concepts. Take what you want to learn and break the concepts down bit at a time. You can learn as you go. If you need help getting started, ask a power user friend. Believe me, we want to help (in fact we’re almost too enthusiastic to share).
- Test your assumptions. Don’t be afraid to screw something up. Click that icon, the one you have no idea what it does. There’s usually an ‘undo’ button (just remember the old adage; save early and often).
- Learn to take shortcuts. Find ways to do simple things like opening, saving, and printing without using the mouse and then move on to accomplishing bigger things the same way. No matter what program you are using, there’s likely a keyboard shortcut for most things you’ve always done by pointing and clicking. Lists of these commands are found in the help file under “keyboard shorcuts.” Do this and you’ll work faster and enjoy using your computer more.
Example: Editing Text
I edit what I write almost exclusively with the keyboard. Here are some common shortcuts to help:
- SHIFT + Arrow Keys highlights text from your cursor in the direction of the arrow you press.
- CTRL+SHIFT+Arrow Keys (Windows) or ALT+Shift+Arrow Keys (Mac) highlights in whole-word blocks.
- CTRL/CMD+X: Cut
- CTRL/CMD+C: Copy
- CTRL/CMD+V: Paste
You can do 90% of the editing necessary with these five simple keyboard commands. Use the first two to select your text, and the bottom three to manipulate it, just as you would with the Edit menu. Practice this and become proficient at it, and you’ll find yourself itching for other things you can do to make life easier using your keyboard.
I hope you find these tips helpful. I’m always up for sharing pointers on using computers (Windows or Mac), so don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions.
Happy Friday!
The last few times I’ve driven into the city, I’ve noticed more and more of these LED billboards popping up. They’re like having a bunch of TVs pointed at you as you drive, unavoidable in their bright flashes and demands that you BUY BUY BUY.
Until recently, displays like these have been relegated to downtown crossroads like Times Square, now they’re invading our backyards. I can only imagine the recent growth in LED technology and reduction in cost to producing these devices has contributed to their emergence. Couple that with media fragmentation and advertisers desperate for eyeballs, and what do we get? Advertising that’s more and more interruptive and irritating (as if the stretch of I-294 between 88 and O’Hare wasn’t bad enough already).
I won’t pretend that I don’t revile these billboards. What I don’t have (yet) is a consistent philosophy and belief system as a marketer myself, of what advertising is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad.’
In my pseudo-hippy phase, which was brief (and no I won’t show you pictures), I became a fan of Adbusters magazine. I resonate with a lot of their thoughts on how commercial culture pollutes the mental environment, but I eschew the mag’s hyper-liberal conspiracy theory politics. In fact, the latter is the reason I don’t currently read it, even though I still agree with their views on media. They talk about the “mental environment” the way environmentalists talk about preserving our physical environment. In essence, they brought a phrase to what I’d been sensing — an onslaught of commercials and content that was not relevant to me and that was designed to disrupt thought and create a sense of need that wasn’t there before. The intense, sickly feeling of being sold to at every corner.
From a business perspective, these billboards are a new market opportunity, the result of technology enabling advertisements to be more effective. Now advertisers can fraction off use of a billboard space, presumably making outdoor advertising more cost effective for advertisers, and allowing ads to be more targeted (an ad for morning commuters, for example, who tend to fall in certain demographics). Seems innocuous enough, until you consider how this affects the audience on the road and how these blaring ads stir up more angst in an already frustration-filled part of the day–the commute.
So I must ask, at what cost will we continue to push the envelope of interruptive advertising? In an age where online, marketers are moving more and more towards permission-based techniques and even social marketing that’s far more targeted, mass media is soldiering on with more resolve than ever to annoy the p*** out of people. Continuing, as they always have, to talk AT their consumer (whom they see as an object to sell to) rather than TO their customer (a person who chooses to buy).
A friend just sent me this link, and apparently it’s not all that known on the Internet yet. The site did get Dugg, but I haven’t seen anyone in the online LEGO community pick up on it.
The web site play/nyc first displayes a strange copyright notice, then this screen:
It appears to be a mockup of a native iPhone application (perhaps coming after the June update?) and highlights features where you can build a model by dragging parts onto the screen, challenge friends, and share models with friends.
It looks like a cool concept, and I’d love to see an iPhone app for either LDraw or LEGO Digital Designer, but I hope it ends up being a bit more robust than this. And on this one, I have a gut feeling it isn’t official, based on the fonts chosen and the way the logo is used. Which means if it isn’t, the page may be short-lived…
Posted on 10 March '08 by Tim Courtney, under LEGO. No Comments.
I found this remarkable photo of a 777 slicing through clouds and illustrating wake turbulence. This beautiful phenomenon is usually invisible, and something you don’t want to be caught in, especially if you’re a smaller plane!
Posted on 10 March '08 by Tim Courtney, under Aviation. No Comments.
While home for lunch yesterday, I read a great column by Robert Kiyosaki in this month’s Entrepreneur magazine, “Keeping Tabs: Numbers that are tracked and reported are numbers that grow. How does your business measure up?” Lately I’ve been immersed in looking at CRM tools and developing measurement systems. This article was a breath of fresh air; here’s my takeaways:
- Measurement doesn’t [have to] equal complexity. Pick one thing [tied to sales/profit/growth] you can measure and do it diligently. They chose to measure how many people played the Cashflow Game as an indicator of how they were serving their customers.
- Get started. “At first, the reporting was awkward and the numbers weren’t always accurate. But over the past year, the reporting has become much more precise.” -Robert Kiyosaki
A Tool You Can Use Today:
As if that article wasn’t timely enough, today Ben Bradley at the Bradley Wiltjer Marketing Group posted an article on measurement that includes his very simple marketing measurement tool. The post helped me bring clarity to our own measurement efforts, and I believe you will benefit as well. Read Ben’s post and learn:
- Why measurement is not one-size-fits-all.
- What things you should and should not measure.
- A simple tool you can use to get started with your own measurements.
BenBradley.net: Dont Sweat Marketing Measurement
We all live in a world of perceptions. Though I didn’t watch much MTV, I’m a card-carrying member of the generation that borrows it’s namesake. Further, I “grew up” on the Internet through high school and college, where the concept of online reputation has grown in importance to the point where the web set obsesses over it.
We’re barraged every day by messages telling us what to be, how to look, and how to live. Mass media and peer pressure insists we wear certain clothes, buy certain brands, and act in certain ways to be accepted. In online terms, article after article shows and tells us what to do online to build your image and reputation: produce a certain amount/quality of content, and even to use certain “cool” web sites and have social profiles that tout not only your business acumen but show that you can party like a rockstar.
With this barrage comes the fear that you don’t look good and that others see right through you, but as Derek Zoolander asks:
I wonder if there’s more to life than being really really, ridiculously good looking?
It’s easy to lose sight of the fundamentals in life when you’re living on the inside of a digital bubble. Life is more than how people perceive you.
Integrity
“Looking good” won’t gain you respect when faced with a difficult decision. The decision or stance you take might not be popular in the moment, but those whose opinion matters will respect you in the long run. Integrity isn’t a badge you slap on yourself and suddenly have. Integrity is a character trait you have as a result of being truthful in a situation even when it doesn’t benefit you, and by living a life where your actions line up with your words and your stated beliefs.
Relationships
“And what about those shoes you’re in today
They’ll do no good
On the bridges you burnt along the way”
– Jack Johnson, “Gone”
“Looking good” and being successful won’t gain you fulfillment without rich relationships and people to share your life with. The most important of these people are family; spouses and children, parents and lifelong friends. Also are those in your areas of influence including church groups, hobbies, civic activities, and your professional network with whom you have a strong connection. Even if you are really really ridiculously good looking–either financially speaking or with a glowing career, it won’t mean much without the love and friendship of others.
This pic is a little bit late, so expect another one this weekend and I’ll be back on track. This time around, I found a toy airplane on Flickr, and I think this really captures the joy and exhiliration of flight. Enjoy!
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Posted on 5 March '08 by Tim Courtney, under Aviation. No Comments.
This post is a serious self-check, and a bit more vulnerable and less polished than I planned when I started. Dear reader, I hope you are 100% on track for your goals, and if not, that you take my honesty as a kick in the butt to get on track. For me, this year is a year of no longer accepting excuses for my own laziness and no longer tolerating how my mouth doesn’t match my actions.
2008 is now 20% over. Now that most people have dropped their New Years’ resolutions and resumed life as before, it’s time to dust off the goals you set for yourself just two short months ago and review them. Below are a few of mine along with my status updates, here:
- Business: Attend and Present at 1 Conference: I’ll be bold and admit that I haven’t attended any conferences for a few years. Some seminars here and there, but no industry conferences. I’m looking to change that this year. While I’d like to attend more than one, I’m setting the goal there so I at least do that. Progress Report: Still looking for conferences to attend, likely in late 2nd quarter into 3rd quarter.
- Business/Relationships: Cultivate 5 solid relationships with local business leaders: I’m on track with this goal, as I have 2-3 relationships I’m nurturing that would qualify. I need to focus this goal and further define the type of relationship I’m looking to have, though I’m implying a pretty high bar by this. I’m looking at these relationships as potential mentors, influencers, or high-level referral partners.
- Relationships: Write handwritten notes: I’ve had stationery on my shopping list for a while now and will be buying some this week. People don’t write handwritten notes anymore and it’s a good way to differentiate yourself when you do. I was floored when I received one from Mike Maddaloni after meeting him at TechCocktail. While I might not take it that far for starters, Mike sure made an impression on me with that.
- Family: Spend one Sunday each month with my parents: My parents live just across town, and I want to make an effort to spend more time with them. While I haven’t hit the Sunday goal 100%, I have noted more time spent with them overall including impromptu stops there during the week. This is a good check, though, and I’ll work to focus this goal more.
- Fitness: 5k Run by May, 10k by September: In my own mind, I’m falling down on this goal. I actually took about 6 weeks off from going to the gym, and though I have elaborate excuses I’ll credit it to laziness. I’ve been more diligent as of late, and now it’s time to find a race, register and pay for it (so I’m mentally committed), and start training. (Side note: Several friends are running the Chicago Marathon, including two who need to lose a crapload of weight first. I’m still considering it given the mental barriers I’ll have to overcome, I’d love to because I know it would be life-changing).
- Nutrition: Overhaul my diet, eat more fresh vegetables, and learn to cook: My diet has consisted of pre-packaged Trader Joe’s meals, canned chili, and crackers/fresh salsa for as long as I can remember. The diet is heavy on carbs, and many sources including my chiropractor tell me what I already know, to cut out complex sugars and eat veggies. I like veggies, but old habits die hard. Progress? I’ve started to buy fresh greens more, and I do prep some cous cous (more carbs, meh). Next up: getting over my squeamishness of raw meat.
- Discipline: Go to bed consistently at 10pm, get up consistently before 6: My heart is so in this goal, and I’m excited for the success I’ve seen so far. I have to admit I’m still working on doing this consistently. The problem lies in how easily I get distracted in the evenings with reading or surfing, and using that as an excuse not to go to bed. This throws my wake-time off. Today was good: I was up at 5:15, made coffee, spent more time than usual with God, and now am writing this post. The goal behind this goal is to have an hour each morning to hone my writing skills and build presentation materials so I can start presenting.
- Fun/Life Goal: Save up and get my Private Pilot’s license: Ask anyone close enough to me and they’ll tell you how much my heart is in this one. I just ordered a book and have been gathering knowledge online for weeks. Financially I’m not yet on track for this as my car purchase last year has taken away the (nice) cushion I once had in my budget. I’m looking at ways to creatively shave my budget and increase income so I can at least get Sport Pilot certified or qualify for solo instruction this year, and finish the Private next year.
With that, I challenge you to write a similar post on your own blog and send me a note/comment with the link.
I was reading comments on a blog tonight and came across this gem:
Some of our previous comments may include links that are no longer valid or that do not have a nofollow value. They might very well lead you today to a third party. Therefore, I ask you, if you would be so kind, to please delete or disregard those comments.
Many thanks and best wishes,
Iza, Roberto Iza
Muy Señores Míos:
Algunos de nuestros comentarios incluyen vínculos rotos que bien pudieran llevar hoy a una tercera persona. Por tanto, le rogamos, por favor, que los deseche o desestime.
Gracias y recuerdos
Iza, Roberto Iza
Is this what I think it is? A comment spammer asking the blogger to delete/disregard his comments? Ha!
Posted on 27 February '08 by Tim Courtney, under Humor, Internet. 1 Comment.
I’m starting something new: the Aviation Pic of the Week. This is going to be a hard resolution to keep, because I love airplanes and will want to post more. I could stare at them all day long, doing their thing or just sitting on the ground, and never get tired of it. For this week, a perspective I hope to one day get on flying:
Posted on 23 February '08 by Tim Courtney, under Aviation, Planes. No Comments.
Let’s take a few common goals/New Years’ resolutions:
- Lose weight
- Eat less junk food
- Exercise more
- Spend less and get out of debt
- Spend less time working and more time with family
What’s one big reason these don’t work? They’re all phrased in the NEGATIVE.
Don’t Phrase Your Goals in the Negative Phrase Your Goals in the Positive
Here are some good goal examples:
- My goal is to be a fit, toned, 180lbs
My goal is to eat foods that make me feel good after I’ve eaten them (Ever notice that sickly feeling after pizza? Yeah you do.)
- My goal is to improve my effectiveness by focusing on one thing at a time.
- My goal is to get more work accomplished by using tools to track the amount of time I waste procrastinating online, and make the necessary corrections.
- My goal is to maintain a positive cashflow and feel good about my spending habits by sticking to my budget.
How this worked for me this week:
My weight fluxuates about 7lbs or so, like I imagine it does for just about everybody. My new-ish khaki’s shocked me on Monday when I put them on, there was no way I could wear them. I swear they’re shrinking, but that’s another story). That told me I had to be good this week because some of my dress pants and jeans are on the small side. Add some complexity: it was a week of business lunches, TechCocktail, and there was leftover Oberweis Chocolate Avalanche cake from Art’s birthday sitting in the freezer, spitting distance from my desk. I needed serious willpower to resist.
So, instead of saying to myself “I won’t eat cake, I won’t eat cake,” I let “I’m going to eat healthy, nutritious food” run through my head. Results:
- That client lunch on Tuesday at Portillo’s: Parmesean Chicken Caesar with dressing on the side (WOW was the chicken good).
- Wednesday’s Lunch: Another chicken caesar, not as good as Tuesday’s.
- Thursday dinner at John Barleycorn: YACCS (Yet Another Chicken Caesar Salad). It got old, but I rewarded myself on Friday with a piece of that cake AND a 5-alarm burger at Red Robin that night).
The proof is in the pudding, though. I just tried the khaki’s on. They’re still a little snug, but nothing like Monday. I’m going to employ a bit more of that positive reinforcement this weekend (and I seriously think they are shrinking–cold water from here on out).
Posted on 23 February '08 by Tim Courtney, under GTD, Self-Improvement. No Comments.
Hi, I’m Tim, and I’m a recovering perfectionist.
I’m on a journey towards taking more responsibility for the changes and improvements I can make and actually making them, and letting go of the things I can’t. Lately I’ve been learning to make small changes and celebrate the small improvements.
“How do you eat an elephant?,” my grandpa always asks; “one bite at a time.”
How to think about making big changes:
- Break big challenges down into small, manageable actions.
- Start implementing small changes.
- Acknowledge and accept that improved habits are more important than wholesale change.
- Once you’ve mastered the first step in a big change, move on to the next.
Personal Areas of Improvement
With that, here are a few simple areas I’m improving right now, step at a time:
- Kicking the multi-tasking habit - Do one thing at a time, then go on to the next thing. About a week ago I started making a concerted effort to clear the inbox at my desk. Before it was filled with trade publications, article clippings, and various bits of inspiration waiting to be acted upon. Now, one or two mornings a week, I walk away from my email and browser, review each item, and either create a to-do, add it to my calendar, file it for later, or throw it away. The GTD workflow has been a big help to me in learning how to handle this.
- Keeping up my filing system - I’m a neat person, and by that I mean neatly stacked piles of clutter, all arranged in straight rows. I tend to leave half-finished projects on my desk, cluttering my workspace as well as my mind. A couple weeks ago I had enough, commandeered one of the office label makers, set it on top of my filing cabinet, and put a bunch of spare manilla and hanging folders in my drawer. Now I have no excuse not to file, and I make new folders as necessary when clearing my inbox. My system isn’t perfect and my folders aren’t pretty, but that can come later. What matters is I’m getting in the filing habit.
- Writing everything down - One way or another, when an idea gets in my head, I capture it somehow. It’s not a perfect system, but I have a foundation I can improve upon. If I’m at home and an idea pops up for work, I send myself an email at my work address (and vice-versa). I use post-it notes, but only if I can’t get to a computer or my phone to send the email. I keep a journal at work and log action items as they come, and I’m starting to experiment with GTD programs like GhostAction and iGTD. Now that I’m in the habit of capturing things, I can work on refining the workflow.
Posted on 20 February '08 by Tim Courtney, under GTD. 3 Comments.
Yesterday, Zach Davis of FQuick/Bill Jacobs (an XNet customer) dropped by our office with a handful of Auto Show passes. We can’t use them all, and I’d like to give away our last two. So, if you want to go to the Chicago Auto Show (last day is Sunday), you might be in luck.
How do you get these two passes? Write a comment to this post by the end of the day Thursday, and in 100 words or less, tell me why you should be the recipient of two free Chicago Auto Show passes. Sometime this evening, I will pick one of the comments to be the recipient. I am the sole judge, and my decision is final. Your entry can be serious or funny, I’ll pick the one I like the most and give that person the tickets.
If I select your entry, you must make arrangements with me to pick them up. I will be at XNet in Lisle during business hours on Friday, and in the Naperville/Wheaton area on Friday evening.
I’m going down to the show with a buddy on Saturday morning. If you’re there and want to meet up, shoot me a call or a text!
Posted on 14 February '08 by Tim Courtney, under Dreams, Humor, Web 2.0, XNet. 2 Comments.
I’m moving my RSS feed over to FeedBurner. If you subscribe to my RSS feed, you will need to re-subscribe to:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/TimCourtney
No more updates will be posted to the feed to which you are currently subscribed.
Posted on 31 January '08 by Tim Courtney, under Uncategorized. No Comments.
I spent about an hour this morning on the first draft of my professional bio, viewable on the about me page of this blog. I thought I’d share this link with some useful tips so you can do the same. The page starts with this:
A professional biography or overview, showcasing your background, experience and expertise, is a necessity for every business owner. This often overlooked marketing tool is an excellent way to introduce you and your business to potential clients and possible strategic business partners. Potentially, it might open up opportunities for speaking engagements, radio or television interviews, or a feature print article. While any information about you and your business is helpful, information that is presented in a professional, well-polished manner can make all the difference in how others perceive you.
Link: Top Ten Tips for Writing a Professional Overview or Biography
The bio I posted is a first draft. If you have a moment, please leave a comment with your feedback and any suggestions for improvement.
Posted on 31 January '08 by Tim Courtney, under Business. No Comments.
