“It’s been a long time/ I shouldn’t have left you/ without a strong post to step too.”

Recently, I had the honor of collaborating with a great film cinematographer, Derek Van Gorder, in NYC for an upcoming project. During some free time from serious business we shot a promo for the TAO of TALANI in HD. The music score was composed by the INCREDIBLE horns of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (www.hypnoticbrass.net), who you currently hear all over the new Maxwell single “Pretty Wings”. Their New York City Live album should be next to your Sade, Marvin, Rakim, etc… I hope everyone enjoys!

Quick note – In the record store frame I was actually looking for the original “OFF THE WALL” album by Michael Jackson and they didn’t have it. How can a “CLASSIC RECORD STORE” not have OFF THE WALL? Impossible!

Leave your feedback on the New TAO of TALANI promo.

The effects of job security on the King of the Jungle.

As a lion, you eat what you kill in the jungle! A lion has no medical benefits, holidays or pension plans, a full time predator – 24/7. Simply, if it doesn’t catch it’s prey, it doesn’t eat. A lion instinctively understands very young that he has to master his attack, as power alone is not sufficient. In order to have a high success rate, the lion incorporates finesse, cunning and determination. How much more effective would you be if your life depended on your success? I would bet the bank that in a short period of time you would master your discipline.

However, the lion you visit in the zoo is different. This lion has been conditioned to depend on man for his survival. Physically you see a lion, but it’s just a shell of the King of the Jungle. If you attempt to release him into the wild he would perish within a week, unable to feed or protect itself from the full-time lions. Although a zoo lion has innate instincts, they have never been developed. Ironically, these pampered animals have better dental and medical insurance than you or I, not to mention the best chefs in town. The deterioration of their killer instincts caused by outside forces, I call the Lazy Lion Syndrome, also applies to humans.

By nature, homo sapiens are the most creative inhabitants on the planet. But often the 9-5 grind mitigates our creativity. Sometimes our greatest good is never maximized because of the illusionary comfort of job security. Just like a zoo lion released into the wild, the perennial employee has an uphill battle. In economic downturns with massive job loss, the ability to create new opportunities is critical. Unfortunately, entrepreneurship is rarely perceived as an option for many due to fear of risk taking, mental conditioning or lack of out-of-the-box thinking.

The truth of the matter, I’ve been amazed at the brilliance of many “average Joe’s.” I often hear a myriad of ideas from people that with a structured plan implemented, could be Cash Cows, but seldom do I see them follow through to pursue their ideas. I don’t promote recklessness, but as I was once told, “get out and do something even if it’s wrong.” I also don’t subscribe to the belief that any human is more mentally creative than another, it’s just a matter of trail and error, discipline and confidence.

In this universe animals and humans were designed with specific skill sets for a divine reason. Man is the only species with the ability to critically think and implement thoughts creatively, make sure you utilize your talents. We should never undervalue or marginalize our abilities. All creations begin from the same starting point – from Henry ford (Ford) to Bill Gates (Microsoft) to Chris Hughes (Facebook) to Oprah Winfrey (Harpo) – it all germinated with a great IDEA and a commitment to a happening.

If an orphan lion is raised by ducks, does that make it a lion or a duck? If an infinitely creative human is conditioned to be a robot, is he/she merely a machine… or is there POTENTIAL?

Anthony Anderson, Talani and Royale Watkins

Recently, I did a photo shoot with the star of LAW & ORDER (NBC) – Anthony Anderson. I’ll share the why details in a later post. By chance you’re not a fan of TV, his big screen resume includes Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed”, “Kangaroo Jack”, “Hustle and Flow” and “Me, Myself and Irene” to name a few.

Behind the scenes, I have been fascinated that the star of the soon to be longest running TV series of All-Time was embarking on an independent grassroots Internet series. Why not simply collect his weekly monopoly money and be content? I soon discovered Anthony Anderson is unique. Due to the rapid evolution of the Internet, major Hollywood studios are scrambling to design Internet specific entertainment. Keeping his ear to the pavement Anthony Anderson and his partner Royale Watkins created MIXTAPE COMEDY - defined by fans as the Def Jam Comedy of the Internet. I had the pleasure of being the guest of Anthony’s at the NYC recording. The show was comprised of a who’s who of comedians, but none shined brighter then a surprise impromptu performance by funnyman Tracy Morgan of 30 ROCK (NBC).

What makes MIXTAPE COMEDY ingenious is the incorporation of social networking sites such as Facebook. The phenomenal part is 75% of the audience was directly from Facebook. Hardcore members come from all over the country, as far away as Canada to show support. During segments of the show, FB loyalist are recognized and honored on stage. The personal touch has proven to be a highly effective marketing tool. The cost of these same results, utilizing offline marketing traditionally, would equate to enormous sums of start up capital.

Obviously, Anthony isn’t hurting for money, fame or work. So I asked the simple question WHY? Without hesitation he stated “Did you see what Obama accomplished utilizing the Internet? Whether in politics, business or entertainment, social media is the model for the future” (Read Exclusive: Barack 2.0) . Needless to say his primary focus is LAW & ORDER, but he consistently thinks outside the box. Anthony Anderson’s body of work supports his creative method of madness, by navigating the acting disciplines of comedy and drama or between TV and motion pictures.

On deeper observation, I noticed in Anthony some of the common denominators of ALL highly successful individuals:

1. Not controlled or limited by fear – a major dream destroyer is FEAR. We all are affected by this emotion to some degree. However, the art is not to cause self inflicting wounds but to use “The fear of failing” to succeed.

2. Money is not the stimulant but a by-product – The fastest path to failure is to be lead by greed. Passion should always be the main ingredient, as grandma would say when asked why her food was so delicious, “Always cook with some love.” However, passion alone is not the formula but it is a valuable contribution.

3. Positive, Productive and Proactive – Learn to work as hard and diligently for yourself as you would for a boss. Wake up on time. Complete tasks on time. You owe yourself more respect than you owe a day job. To your boss, you are replaceable. To yourself, you are PRICELESS.

The show is still in production but you can watch a hilarious promo on the MIXTAPE COMEDY website. Recording of episodes are in NYC and seats are available to the public. I strongly encourage anyone in need of some laugh medicine to attend a taping, as Anthony Anderson’s MIXTAPE COMEDY is poised to be groundbreaking.

I included a few behind the scene photos.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Exclusive pictures of Anthony on stage

Co-Creator and original Def Jam alum Royale Watkins

Hardcore Facebook loyalist Dollar Bill came from Canada to show

Another Facebook member acknowledged on stage

Royale and yours truly

Apple Salad

The best diet on earth is the Raw Living Food diet which was created for humans. As usual, man’s god complex instructed him to improve upon the divine order of nature and add some fire to the process. For the record I’m a guilty participant. From the womb I’ve been eating cooked and processed foods. I love a Ruth Chris steak or a sugar loaded McD’s Apple Pie like everyone else. However, with more wisdom I’ve seen the error of my ways and of our modern ancestors. The cooked food diet, consisting of blood and starch is the single most destructive diet.

We all know the remedy but it’s very difficult to change the rules in the 9th inning. Adopting a Raw Living Food Diet is difficult because psychological attachments to cooked foods run so deep. Often unsubstantiated beliefs promote myths as facts which advocates to a path high speed to dis-ease. For example, NO animal allows other animals to feed their young, so why do humans feed our children Cow’s milk? The majority of the animals humans eat are vegetarians (cows, chicken, lamb, turkey), natural flesh eaters eat raw meat (Lions, Tigers). As a matter of fact, most of our illnesses are 100% preventable if we had a righteous diet.

I have no desire to live forever but I do want quality time on earth to enjoy my family and friends. It’s become more common to witness young men in there 30’s on Viagara/Cialis , an unprecedented increase in children’s diabetes or adults unable to run a mile.

Recently, on a few social sites, I had an open challenge to anyone to go 24 hours eating Raw Living Food only. This would consist of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, water and fresh squeezed juices. I honestly wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming response from individuals worldwide ready to challenge me. The prize was only a free 1 year subscription to Facebook . For the change of season I propose you clear all old energy and allow your body to detox. I suggest you sweat on this challenge over the weekend, preferably Sunday, so your mood swings don’t cause you to have a meltdown at work.

Here are a few menu recipes:

Walnut Munch – bananas, walnuts and agave nectar. Slice bananas and chop walnuts. Toss the walnuts on top of bananas. Next, drizzle Agave on top and enjoy.

Apple Salad – apple, baby leaves, balsamico, olive oil, sea salt, lemon, pepper, basil, oregano

Note: 
Add the lemon juice immediately after you have sliced the apple – avoids changing apple color 
Mix the greens with olive oil first – when you put the salt first the veggies get soggy

Fruit Smoothie - banana, strawberries, pineapples and ½ cup of pressed apple cider. Put the ingredients in a blender and enjoy.

For anyone who participates, please share recipes and your menu schedule, in order to assist myself and others who are neophytes.

I wish everyone success and if you stumble and sneak a chicken wing – repeat after me… ”It is my mission not to be perfect but to give my best effort.”

Whenever I find myself off balance, I have to go back to my fundamentals – jazz and books. Reading was strongly emphasized by my elders as a youth; I wasn’t ready to receive this knowledge until years later. As embarrassing as it sounds today, I never read a book for leisure until my senior year of high school. After reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley, I began to religiously cheat on my first love – music.

Over the years, I developed the habit of reading 1 hour daily for education or leisure. Through the power of words I have journeyed to exotic places I have never physically visited. I had the luxury to be taught in a one-on-one class by some of the greatest minds ever to exist: Imhotep, Socrates, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, The Dogon, Henry Hazlitt… In addition, I witnessed first hand the numerous abominations committed upon the oppressed and voiceless people all over the world.

Here are a few life lessons from some of my personal jewels:

1. Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) – Change is inevitable, nothing stays the same. A truth today doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a truth tomorrow. To be productive, one has to develop the ability to criticize his or her own beliefs, as culture isn’t static.

2. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) – This book is a fiction classic but the experience is very authentic, as it pertains to our daily struggles. Howard Roark (main character) emphasized the importance of individualism and the obstacles on the journey of the road less traveled. Never stop pursuing your dreams.

3. The New Student Bible (NRSV) – Self-explanatory, there is a reason why this is the #1 selling book of all-time worldwide. Even if you are not a Christian believer, the wisdom in the Bible as well as other Holy Books is universally applicable. Regardless of your ideology, every human needs to live by laws. In addition, the Book of Proverbs is my all-time favorite book.

4. Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life (Brian Tracy) – One of my favorite self-empowerment titles. My first article (What Is Your Time Worth?) was inspired by Brian Tracy. Within the covers I found an abundance of priceless mantras. “The comfort zone is one of the greatest enemies of human potential.”

5. The Healing Drum (Yaya Diallo) – This is one of my Top 5 books, highly recommended for all earthlings! There is no SECRET, at our simplest form we are vibrations and music is vibrations. In essence, music is the harmonization of the visible and invisible worlds. Never marginalize the power, influence and medicinal effects of music.

This is what I’m reading currently:

What are you reading?

If you had 60 seconds with Bill Gates could you leave a positive impression?

During my years in Sports and Entertainment, I witnessed many careers take flight based on brief unexpected encounters with movers and shakers. Also known as The Elevator Pitch. These pivotal moments could propel you from obscurity to a major player, instantly.

For a simplified understanding, I equate this event to a man approaching a woman. As all men should know, you can’t sway sleeping beauty just because you have the courage to advance. If you walk up to a lady with the wrong combination of nouns, verbs and adjectives, you will soon be waving the white flag. To give yourself a chance, you have to compound your approach with finesse or passion.

Over the years, through trial and many errors, I have learned how to successfully communicate in time sensitive, high pressure situations. It’s essential to be effective and efficient with every opportunity. For the record, the above analogy only goes so far. Stuttering might be cute with the opposite sex, but not in this scenario. Here are a few of my Key Rules for leaving an impression on influential people. The rules are simple and interchangeable.

1. BOLDNESS: Here’s an example (true story). One time I ran into one of my favorite Multi-Platinum artists whose album I had recently purchased. Unfortunately the album was terrible. Privately (to prevent embarrassment) I stated, “Seriously, you owe me a drink, dinner or something. I love your work, BUT that last album…” The result – we had a great laugh and I don’t drink. In the future when we would cross paths, the artist would seek me out for my opinion on their music.

Say what you mean and mean what you say, but be respectful.

2. ENGAGE THEN SHUT UP: Often individuals in positions of power or limelight have strong egos. The objective is to convert this understanding to your advantage. A common by-product of individuals with strong egos is they love to talk, so don’t interrupt! Present an intriguing question and go dumb immediately, it never fails. Learn to be an attentive listener, even if the information is redundant.

3. ESTABLISH TWO-WAY RESPECT: Is essential to establish yourself as more than your average Joe. We all have admiration for people we perceive to have some enlightenment. To immediately create a silent respect, quote from a book or recommend a book, it suggests you’re a cerebral person.

Here’s an example:

“What you just said reminds me of a chapter in Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Where he said…”

Subtly, you just made your target pay a lot more attention to your words.

4. EVERYDAY CONVERSATION: Trust and believe he/she already knows they are a CEO, celebrity or your boss. There is absolutely no reason for you to remind them of a given. Start your conversation with topics pertaining to normal life headaches. “My utility bill is ridiculous, the the energy companies have a monopoly. Are you having the same issue?” Bring the human element to the center of the conversation.

5. CREATE ONE DEGREE OF SEPARATION: Don’t limit your weapons of mass influence. Just because you don’t know anyone in common doesn’t mean you can’t create a connection. Most people only equate degrees of separation to a person, while I use a person, place or thing. All that is required is minimal research – what college did they attend? where is there birth place? what is there favorite food? etc…

If I were to use the favorite food scenario, this is how I would implement it. “I just found the BEST seafood restaurant in town…” or “Do you have any recommendations on a great seafood restaurant?”

Remember to read body language as you’re communicating, which will give you an indication if you should change techniques. I suggest practicing your delivery with random individuals to perfect style. Over time, it will become second nature.

What would you say if you wanted to leave a positive impression?

Recommended reading – Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Robert B. Cialdini), The Confident Speaker (Harrison Monarth) and Yes! 50 Scientific Proven Ways to be Persuasive (Noah J. Goldstein)

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Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Benjamin Taylor of the THIRD PIG blog. (Benjamin is also the President of Brick Financial Management, LLC)

“Everybody Ought to be Rich” was an article published in August 1929, just before the beginning of the Great Depression in the Ladies’ Home Journal by John Jakob Raskob. Raskob, a wealthy financier at the time, believed in the stock market as a viable means of wealth creation for everyone. However, the article is often seen as an example of irrational exuberance due primarily to the unfortunate timing of its publication.

This does not mean that Rasko was wrong in his declaration. The truth of the matter is that everyone ought to be rich, but not everyone will be rich. Becoming rich requires a level of persistence that few people seem to possess. Becoming rich, as Raskob implies, is not a matter of business genius but a matter of disciplined saving in performing asset classes, namely the stocks of high quality companies.

It may be helpful for us to define exactly what “rich” is. We could say that rich is some high water mark in terms of dollars. Something like $1 million or more is rich. But like anything, this is just a matter of opinion. Rich is relative. As Chris Rock said, “If Bill Gates woke up with Oprah’s money, he’d jump out of a (expletive) window.” So for our purposes, we will use Raskob’s definition of rich. Raskob begins his famous article by saying,

“… a man is rich when he has an income from invested capital which is sufficient to support him and his family in a decent and comfortable manner – to give as much support, let us say, as has ever been given by his earnings.”

As mentioned earlier, anyone can achieve this level of rich, but not everyone will. Those who can follow the simple steps to wealth will fare better than those who can’t seem to muster the effort. And the rules so to speak don’t change no matter the era we’re in or the condition of the economy. So what does it take to become rich? What are the steps involved? Let’s go through them:

Do What Money Does: Do not attempt to reinvent the wheel when it comes to gaining wealth. Develop a wealth mentality and an investment framework based on what has worked for others. One of the best ways to do this is by reading books on the subject. One caveat: All investment and finance books are not created equal. Many offer very little in the way of sound advice. So buyer beware. Although far from a comprehensive list, here are a few books that should get anyone on the right wealth-building foot.

• The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley
• The Warren Buffet Way by Robert Hagstorm
• The Intelligent Investor by Ben Graham
• The Way of Wealth by Benjamin Franklin
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Start Now. A favorite illustration of many financial advisors is comparing two investors, one who started investing early and the other who started investing later. Using an example from The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach, Billy started investing at age 15 and put away $250 per month until his 20th birthday, for a total investment of $15,000. He let the money compound at 10% and by the time he was 65 he had accumulated $1.6 million. Kim on the other hand waited until she was 27 to start investing. She too put away $250 per month, but continued to do so until the end of her 65th year, for a total investment of $117,000. Earning 10% on her investment yielded Kim $1.3 million. By waiting those 12 years to begin investing, Kim had to invest $102,000 more dollars, yet still yielded $300,000 less than did Billy. Don’t wait!

Follow the 20% Solution: Do as most millionaires do and pay your self first by investing 20% or more of all you earn. Saving at this level will eventually allow you to achieve the level of Raskob-rich. According to the Retire Early Home Page, investing 20% of your income, at a 5% rate of return and limiting your spending increases to the rate of inflation, will allow you to retire in 20 years. Earning a 10% return will allow you to retire in 17 years. And earning a 5% return will allow you to retire in just 15 years.

Eat What You Earn: Avoid the temptation to spend more than what you earn. Avoid going into debt to live beyond your means. Work to eliminate high cost credit card debt. Live on 80% of your earned income after you have committed 20% to your investing program. avoid spending money on frivolous status items like fancy cars, big homes for stuffy prep schools for your preschooler. Mitigate expenses in your investment program. Use no-load index funds or a low turnover value investing program.

Buy Time, Not Toys: From Thomas Stanley’s The Millionaire Mind - “Millionaires and those that are likely to become wealthy someday are not ‘first-cost’ sensitive; they are life-cycle-cost sensitive…they are not penny wise and pound foolish.” In other words, spend your money on goods and services that allow you to leverage more of your time or the things in your life that matter most.

Take Advantage of compound Interest: Invest in the stock market through index mutual funds or a value investment program, or find a financial advisor to do so on your behalf. Stocks offer the highest potential return of any asset class. This also means avoiding asset classes that do not offer an investor as much in the way of returns as the stock market, including real estate, bonds and cash.

Stall the Taxman: Maximize use of tax favored vehicles like IRA’s and pension plans. Participate in your company’s retirement plan. Use tax efficient funds with low turnover in your personal accounts. When you invest, avoid selling too often or too soon as this will certainly trigger tax consequences.

Limit Shocks to Your Finances: Avoid interruptions to your investment program. Do not sell or tap into your investments prematurely. Invest in equities through thick and thin. Keep a long term horizon and ignore the short term noise. Make sure you are properly insured and have an adequate amount of cash on hand for emergencies. Do not stay unemployed for long periods of time, even if that means changing careers.

Own Your Job: According to Thomas Stanley’s The Millionaire Next door, of the 80% of millionaires that are not retired, two-thirds are self-employed. If you have the inclination and/or opportunity to become self employed, go for it. Your chances of becoming wealthy are greatly enhanced. Even if you’re an employee, look for additional ways to earn income. If you are more comfortable staying in your job, make it your own. Continually develop your skills so that you are an invaluable resource to your employer or any potential employer. Keep track of your contribution and blow your own horn to your boss. Make a habit of asking for the tough assignment, then asking for the raise. Stay abreast of the hiring practices of companies in your field and befriend a corporate headhunter. Send him a birthday card.

Eliminate Excuses: Anyone can invest at any level. If you are a minimum wage earner, you too can find at least a portion of your income to save and put to work for you. Eliminate any and all excuses that only serve to keep you poor. If housing is expensive, find a roommate. If you have to pay for school, apply for a grant. If you need money to eat, go on a diet. Dedicate yourself to becoming financially independent and do not let anything deter you.

Following these simple rules will almost certainly lead you to wealth. But, the trick is to have the discipline to follow the steps without deviation over a long period of time. Yes, you ought to be rich. The question is will you do what it takes?

Benjamin Taylor is President of Brick Financial Management, LLC an investment advisory firm specializing in implementing highly focused stock, bond and balanced portfolios. Ben also shares his views on the investment landscape at The Third Pig blog.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, NYC

Do you know the difference between a CELEBRITY and a HERO? Well, we recognize a celebrity as someone who is well-known, someone who commands a high degree of public attention. But a HERO, on the other hand, is a person whom we admire for their courage and noble qualities. These individuals have risked and sacrificed everything for the benefit of others. One such modern hero is Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

In 2006, Dr. Yunus and his company Grameen Bank earned the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to create economic and social development from the bottom up. Dr. Yunus is considered the pioneer of Microcredit, which is the extension of very small loans to the unemployed, to poor entrepreneurs and to others living in poverty.

His list of supporters include: Nelson Mandela, President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Kofi Annan to name a few. Recently, he paid a rare visit to NYC from his native Bangladesh. I had the honor of sharing a few laughs and thoughts with the Nobel Peace Prize Winner.

The following is a summary of Dr. Yunus’ unconventional business model:

THE PROBLEM

Dr. Yunus identified the massive increase in poverty in India as having a direct correlation to the national banks’ rejection of millions of loan applications. As a by-product, loan sharks began to manipulate the poor with sub prime lending. This realization led Dr. Yunus to initiate a search in his own village for all victims – 42 in total. He discovered their combined debt was only $27. Feeling compelled to offer support, he personally paid everyone’s debt.

Taking it a step further, Dr. Yunus decided he would assist these debtors in acquiring bank loans. But, he was promptly made aware that the banking system was not in the business of lending to the disenfranchised. As the infamous quote states:

” The only social responsibility of business is to make profits.”

THE GAMBLE

Although the banks rejected the unemployed borrowers, they did present one option. Dr. Muhammad Yunus had to personally sign as guarantor for all 42 applicants individually. For anyone else the answer would have been an emphatic “NO”. Nonetheless, he signed for everyone. Dr. Yunus further explained, “if you exchange the child born in the palace with the child born in the street, there lives would be entirely different.” He was convinced of man’s innate desire to want better.

The result of his gamble was 100% repayment of each loan.

THE NEW PARADIGM

Dr. Muhammad Yunus felt his successful intervention was the impetus for something much bigger. His new project…was to end poverty. Once again, he thought outside the box by studying the capitalist business model of the current banking system and did everything completely opposite for his new creation – Grameen Bank. Here are some of the company tenets:

Lend the the poor vs. rich

Lend to women vs. men

Lend in rural areas vs. big cities

Require NO collateral

No repayment terms

Conduct business on the borrowers doorstep vs. office

The objective was to create a Social Business Model, with the emphasis on improving the lives of the people. Dr. Yunus was adamant business should have dimensions other than making money. More importantly, Grameen’s results are irrefutable:

7.5 Million borrowers

98% repayment of loans

97% are women entrepreneurs

I was curious about the company philosophy of lending primarily to women. Dr. Yunus’ answer was simply, “women are nurtures who are intuitively very responsible.” Jokingly, I stated I would sue his company for violation of my Equal Opportunity Rights as a man.

Please note that it is impossible within the blog to share all the incredible stories shared by Dr. Yunus.

4 Key Ideas I took away from Dr. Muhammad Yunus:

1. Business can have a social benefit where personal profit is not the goal.

2. All humans have unlimited potential regardless of our socio-economic status.

3. Never undervalue or marginalize the ingenuity of women.

4. Always ‘Think Outside the Box’.

His latest book is called A World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism. I look forward to reading my autographed copy.

]]> http://www.taooftalani.com/?feed=rss2&p=10 23 http://www.taooftalani.com/?p=9 http://www.taooftalani.com/?p=9#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:49:05 +0000 Talani http://www.talanigoodson.net/tao-of-talani/?p=9 Visualization exercise

Often people attempt to achieve goals without having a specific plan of attack. For example, if you catch a taxi it would be impossible to reach your destination without sharing the city and street. As detailed as you are giving directions to others, you have to be as thorough with yourself. Before you design your ideal life, increase your effectiveness by first visualizing your ideal day.

The power of writing our goals and dreams helps manifest them into reality expeditiously. Here's a productive visualization exercise, I call "24"

Visualization exercise

Often people attempt to achieve goals without having a specific plan of attack. For example, if you catch a taxi it would be impossible to reach your destination without sharing the city and street. As detailed as you are giving directions to others, you have to be as thorough with instructing yourself. Before you design your ideal life, increase your effectiveness by first visualizing your ideal day.

The power of writing our goals and dreams helps manifest them into reality expeditiously. Here’s a productive visualization exercise, I call “24“. To assist in developing a personal growth map, write down your ideal 24 hr day, whether pertaining to business or leisure. Many athletes use these techniques for a competitive edge and mental awareness. As you become more specific, the target will appear larger and easier to hit.

I will go first and share my ideal leisurely day.

Note: It is important you speak in first person (I, We).

“I rise with the sun at 6 am. The serenity of listening to nature’s symphony embellishes my meditation session. Life is PHENOMENAL…my angels went to visit their grandparents for the weekend. For my days guidance, I read my positive affirmations on the bathroom mirror, as I sip my room temperature water. In the middle of my morning calisthenics, my better half summons me back to the master bedroom. When I resurface, the chef has prepared a Super Green Juice and sliced tons of organic fruit for our consumption.

I catch myself daydreaming, staring at the Caribbean Sea from my marble shower outside. Life is WONDERFUL! The classic Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” pumps through the Bose Surround System, as I put on my linen shorts and tennis sneakers. My new black on black mountain bike sits out in front of the villa. While riding into town I rehearse my speech out loud, I’ll be speaking to high school students today on leadership and entrepreneurship.

Upon return, my wife and I take a walk along the beach – lunch will be served at the pier. The restaurant owner has strict orders to remove all clocks from the walls, I refuse to be a slave to time today. Back home, I enjoy a few chapters of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe to stay balanced. Even though this is my tenth time reading this book, it always effects me positively. Anyway, I look forward to enjoying a power nap in the hammock under the palm trees.

Surprisingly, I decide to spend sometime on the Internet reading my favorite blog the TAO of TALANI My focus is interrupted by the doorbell, as a package has arrived – it’s a copy of “Slumdog Millionaire“. The director wants my humble opinion on his chances of winning Best Film of the Year.

After devouring a delicious pecan crusted salmon dinner, I have a minor dilemma. Should I jump on  the custom yacht or go to my spa appointment. Conventional wisdom tells me to relax at my aroma therapy treatment. However, all plans are negated because once again I’m summoned to the master bedroom never to return. Life is SWEET!”

Visualization is an essential component for our personal growth development. Remember, everything “That Is” was sparked by someone’s imagination.

What is your ideal day?

Recommended reading: Creative Visualization (Shakti Gawain), Ask and It Is Given (Esther Hicks) and The Power of Your Subconscious Mind (Joseph Murphy).

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