Your unique genius and the far reaches of the universe

On December 25, 2021, one of the most ambitious human pursuits in modern history reached a significant milestone.

Spanning 30 years.
Costing 10 billion dollars.
Involving 1200 scientists, engineers, and technicians from 14 countries.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched from French Guiana, beginning a journey to a point one million miles from earth.

(Set your inbox to display images if you can’t see the photo below. Trust me, it’s worth the impressive sight.)

With 100 times the power of the Hubble Telescope, it set out on a mission to look farther into space than we’d ever seen, peering into the origins of our universe.

Tens of thousands watched nervously over the following weeks, praying none of the 344 potential points of failure would occur, any of which would render the telescope useless with no possibility of repair.

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Can you solve this puzzle in under 20 seconds?

Are you smarter than a first-grader?

Take a look at the puzzle in the image below. (You may need to click “Display Images” if you can’t see it.)

What is the number underneath the car?

The story goes that six-year-olds in Hong Kong solved the puzzle in under 20 seconds.

I admit I didn’t solve it so quickly when my girlfriend’s 10-year-old son shared it with me. Once I saw the answer, it seemed obvious.

As I analyzed my thought process, I realized I had jumped directly into math mode, using a detailed analysis of the sequence to unearth the relationship between the numbers.

16, 06, 68, 88, ??, 98

“Let’s see. They are all even. The answer is likely even. They are in ascending order except for the 06. So if I figure out why that 06 is in there, that will certainly point me to the answer.”

In the end, the solution was much more straightforward. Ready for the answer?

 

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Winter came and now it won't leave

Winter came and now it won’t leave

According to a study at UC Berkeley, 72% of entrepreneurs in their sample group self-reported mental health concerns.

Other studies have also concluded that Entrepreneurs experience mental health challenges at a higher rate than the general population. It requires awareness and being proactive.

The first quarter of every year, I brace for a period of lower motivation, increased anxiety, and even a bit of depression. This common phenomenon is called Seasonal Affective Disorder, and it affects many.

In this article, I want to speak to those acquainted with this kind of mental health challenge and offer some ideas about how to mitigate the effects and survive the taxing final weeks of winter (and any other period where your mental health takes a dip).

Here are a few things that have helped me.

Engage Your Curiosity and Awe

I have a daily nighttime ritual of sitting in my back garden (in front of an infrared heater), looking up at the stars, and watching YouTube videos about space, physics, and other ideas I find mind-expanding. I also picked up the guitar again to learn some jazz standards and hone my improv skills. This has been vital to my well-being.

Find something that will stimulate your brain and soul. Make time for it.

 

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Why over-eager helpers lose sales

Why over-eager helpers lose sales

When it comes to earning the trust of your intended clients (so you can inspire them to buy), we all know it’s important not to be an over-eager seller.

But did you know being an over-eager helper can also cost you sales?

So how do you strike the right balance between helping and selling to maximize sales?

Recently, my ten-year-old daughter, CeCe, shared her frustration about something going on between a group of friends at school. Right away, I saw a potential solution.

“You know what you could try…”

The immediate blank look on her face told me I’d jumped in too soon to offer advice. What she wanted was for me first to show understanding.

We often make the same classic mistake when earning the trust of potential clients in hopes of inspiring them to do business with us.

Broadly speaking, we can divide the process of earning a prospect’s trust into two parts.

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3 Reasons Your Customer Base is Not Growing

3 Reasons Your Customer Base is Not Growing

Want to scale your business beyond the limitations of offering one-to-one services?

Create an online course or group program, right?

Well, yes. But a scalable offer alone won’t get you to your desired level of income, impact, and freedom.

Your entire business model also needs to evolve. That’s why I always work with my clients on three areas of their business.

  1. Positioning: how you are perceived in the mind of the audience you serve.
  2. Platform: the marketing messaging and channels you use to reach that market and attract new customers.
  3. Products: how you deliver your value proposition to the market.

All three need to be scalable. Today, I want to talk about your platform.

I see coaches and consultants make three common and costly main mistakes when scaling their platform to grow their audience and customer base.

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