(we have shortened this persons comment to focus on the main questions)

“Scott – I work at M.E. and have been a reader of your blog off and on for a couple of years.  Your blog doesnt discuss  as many “ceo” issues as your previous years blog did.  Did you get bored of the blog, or is this change in style on purpose?”
Ed (Chicago)

Thanks Ed – I have received several emails asking me the same question.

No, I have not become bored of the blog.  It’s just…I do not like to post a blog entry without a purpose.

My blog might be less “corporate/ceo” focused than it was in 2007-2008, however, at least in my opinion, the blog is still focused on issues which (I think) have a direct correlation with leadership.

With that said …

Nearly all corporate blogs are done for the purpose of promoting the company and the person doing the blog.
Although I am ridiculously proud of naseba, our products and corporate culture, I try to do neither.

naseba’s “product quality” i.e. tangible proof of how good we are, speaks louder than words written in a blog.

Therefore, instead of trying to hustle naseba and our products via this platform, my blog challenges the reader (as well as myself) to live life to itself fullest; use ones abilities to their fullest; be men and women as focused and honorable as possible.

In a word: ”commitment.”

Could have and should have, but isn’t ….

unrealized talent … having the talent to be great at something, but just going through life being ok.

Loyalty…. vs …. disloyalty, what is loyalty in the world we live in today and why is it so different from 20 years ago?

John Rocker syndroma …. that one mistake, one bad day; that one bad path (decision) we chose to take can ruin it all.

Victimization ….. its not my fault for my failings, its his….

Hoping people fail …. so we can feel more at ease in our own mediocrity and unfulfiled dreams.

comfortably mediocre….

the world we live in today.

I posted a blog today, but deleted it tonight because after re-reading it, I came to the conclusion it went completely against what I was trying to focus upon: the superfiscial ego vs. the ego Ayn Rand refered to in her quote. In the end; todays blog came across boastful, defensive and rambling, exactly the opposite of what I wanted to achieve, therefore, I erased it.

I know what I want to say; but I can’t get it into words yet.

a bit related….

Last week we dropped off my 14 year old daughter at her 4 week camp/summer.
It is the first time in her life that she is away for one month from mom and dad, and staying in a dorm with 3 roommates and 60 other students.

The day before we dropped her off, I took her to lunch, just the two of us and I told her that she will have two paths to chose from when she gets to her summer school, one path will be with the winners and the other path the losers.

I trust she chose the right path.

I added my training journal to my blog so its easier for me to update and for my tri coach, Mario Huys to follow. This journal is purely something I do for myself to manage my workouts and I have attached it to this blog for personal convienence.

If by chance, each entry was mistakenly emailed to any of the blog subscribers yesterday or the day before, this was a glich in the system we use which has been fixed. I am sorry for any hassle it might have caused.

Today’s blog is motivated by a comment left by the Voice of Reason:

“you have written about setting goals, not rushing and sticking with your focus. How about writing about how to keep yourself motivated and the importance of positive thought. You are probably the most focused person I know and you are the most positive person that I know. Is there a correlation?”

A part of me gains focus & motivation by other people’s negativity.

When I was in university an ex-girl friend told me that I would never learn to speak fluent Japanese …. “it’s too difficult for you…”

This person’s negativity gave me focus — although it took 6 years or so of constant studying, I passed the highest level on the Japanese proficiency exam, and there was a time when I was living in Japan that I spoke Japanese as well as my native tongue, English.

When I first applied to my previous company — someone told me “you will never get hired….they only take a select few…” Needless to say this person’s negativity gave me focus — and I made sure I got the job, a job which ultimately changed my life.

Maybe if this person had not been so negative…. and he had not told me “you will never get the job…” maybe I would not have wanted the job as much as I did, so maybe I would not have chased to ensure I got it.

When M.E. brought me to Europe to launch a summits division in Monaco…. several people told me that I would fail…. “your aggressive American style will not work in Europe” (in fact, I heard this in each country I worked – your style will not work in Japan; your style will not work in China; your style will not work in western Europe; etc… and each time I proved to develop the best sales offices in the region the office was located)…. all the negativity gave me focus.

When we first launched naseba … I had lunch with someone I had just met in Monaco, someone that is retired in Monaco, but extremely negative about everything – he is a big moaner and complainer.

Over that lunch he told me “it is going to be next to impossible to succeed with naseba … you are trying to launch a company at the wrong time…in France, which is very costly social taxes and business taxes … I think you are wasting your time…”

In the middle of Cafe de Paris, I exploded at this man and got up and left the table…. I told him that his negativity gave me strength. (I have not spoken to this person since that lunch, but 4 years later — right after we went public, he tried to call my office in Monaco and offer his services as a “board member,” needless to say we did not return his phone calls)

Although I am a big fan of the old testament…. “an eye for an eye….”

I do not let negativity consume me nor prevent me from achieving.

Furthermore….

I try and never speak negatively about anyone or anything.

Seriously – count how many times you or someone around you says something negative over the course of the day… example: “I am tired…I have a headache….my boss is an idiot….this food sucks….the car in front of me is a clown….etc.”

Then go through your day and try and focus on not saying anything negative – try and not say one negative word about anyone or anything.

Nothing positive is gained by telling people you are tired; or that your meal is no good; or screaming at the car in front of you for driving like an idiot….

Negativity only brings you down and distracts you from your focus.

Surely, some of the readers of this blog are going through extremely stressful economic times and it might be more difficult than ever to remain positive and focused.

Although this does not take away ones stress, it helps put things into perspective:

the man at the top of the mountain did not fall there.

Do not let negativity blind you from seeing all the opportunities that will come your way.