One of the first and probably most important lessons I learned from my Freshman physics professor, was that we all have the ability to hand problems that need to be solved over to our subconscious mind. On the first day of class, he assigned a problem set that was to be due in a week. We were told to do two things that night. First, read the problems with the intent of taking in all the information(variables) contained in each problem. Then, make sure to have a clear understanding of what specifically the problem was asking  to be solved. We were also instructed, however, NOT to begin solving the problems. We were as he put it, “just planting the seed.” To be honest, I thought he was full of bologna. For that reason I was all the more surprised when his method actually worked! Ideas about the problems would suddenly pop into my conscious mind when I would least expect it. I think almost everyone has had that experience at some time or another. For most people, this happens when they’ve been working for what seems like endless amounts of time on a problem without making any progress. Then they finally give up; only to find the answer comes to them in a flash at some random moment. This is something author Robert Greene calls, “serendipity” and it is a clear demonstration of the power of the subconscious. Although most have had these experiences, few try to harness their power. This was the lesson I learned from my professor, and one I’ve carried with me ever since.Read More

Success is shy. If you look for it, you’ll never find it. If you chase after it, it runs in the opposite direction. The way to lure success out of hiding is through giving. Success is attracted to those who give, and repelled by those who take. Learn to give more than you take, and then you’ll have more than you need. Although this may sound counter intuitive, remember it is a universal law that you get what you give. For this reason, those who do nothing but take, find their lives to be the most empty of all. Jim Rohn said, “success is something you attract by the person you become.” The answer then to attracting success is to find your passion so that you may invest much time and energy into adding more value to yourself; and then in time you’ll be able to provide value to others.

Last Friday I had the privilege of giving a talk at South Hadley  High School for Career Day. Aside from having to get up early in the morning, which I don’t usually have to do, it was an exciting new experience for me. I’d like to take the time to share with you what I was able to share with those students.

Let’s get started at the beginning. I was a little boy during what has been referred to as the “ninja craze.” Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were popular, 3 Ninjas had just been released as well as a whole slew of other martial arts movies that I was also addicted to. So naturally I wanted to take karate. I begged my mother to sign me up for what seemed like years; in reality, it was probably only weeks. Finally she said, “yes”, and when the day came that I took my first lesson, I was hooked! Not long after that, I began telling everyone that I was going to be a martial arts instructor when I got older. This was something I was so passionate about that I would come home and pretend to be teaching my own classes as well as spend hours drawing the floor plans for my dream dojo! This went on for years; my childhood was filled with excitement and anticipation for the future!Read More

Throughout the last couple of days my friend and I have spent several hours on the phone with my website’s hosting company. The website had been running slow and we were advised to move the site to a new server. It sounded like a pretty simple and straightforward process, but upon making the move the site was plagued with even more issues. Most of the pictures of the site were lost with the initial move, and those that remained would seemingly disappear and reappear for no apparent reason.

After discussing the case of the disappearing pictures with at least 5 or 6 different representatives, all of whom were very polite and professional, we made one last call in which we were accidently connected with a lady in the billing department. Of all the people we talked with, this lady stands out in my mind above the rest because she possesses a special quality that’s rare to find in this day and age. She cares, and not just about the work she’s doing, but more importantly about the people she’s trying to help. Jim Rohn said, “if you care at all you will get some results, if you care enough you can get incredible results.” Here was a lady who worked in the billing office. It was not her job to deal with technical issues, but because she had prior experience with hosting and cared enough about our situation she decided to step in. Wouldn’t it be nice if more people in the world were like this woman, yet so often people are preoccupied with their own lives that they don’t take the time to show others that they care. The person who remembers to care about people on a daily basis will always be able to find meaning in whatever it is that they do, and they will also form many great connections along the way. 

This lady went so far above and beyond the scope of her job that she made a huge impression on both me and my friend. In fact at the end of the call my friend joked, “can we get a direct line to you if we have any further problems?” Doesn’t this sound like someone who is going to be highly valued by her company, someone who will undoubtedly continue moving up the ladder? And why? It’s not that she possesses some superior knowledge compared to all the other employees that we talked with. Knowledge and skill are important, but in a world in which businesses exist to benefit society, the most valuable skill of all is the ability to connect with the people those businesses are designed to serve. By demonstrating that she truly cared about helping us, she was able to do just that.

I’m reminded of a quote from Dale Carnegie that says, “the world is full of people who are grabbing and self-seeking. So the rare individual who unselfishly tries to serve others has an enormous advantage.” These words are just as true today as when they were first written in 1936, and they are a reminder that caring makes all the difference!