That’s Intriguing #90: What Makes You Come Alive?

Chances are you’ve seen this inspiring quote from H. Thurman,  “Don’t ask what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive ; then go do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

What makes you come alive?  What puts the light on in  your eyes?

One of the things that does it for me is … writing.

Tennis player Pete Sampras was asked what it was like winning his first U.S. Open.  He said, “No matter what else happens the rest of my life; I’ll always be a U.S. Open champ.”

That’s one of the many  benefits of writing.  It is so TANGIBLY, ENDURINGLY REWARDING.

Many things are fleeting. Quality books are not.

Yes, writing a quality book is a front-loaded project. 

You pour your heart, mind, soul … and plenty of what Bryce Courtenay called “bum glue” …  into writing a quality book.

But it will still be out in the world,  years later, making a positive difference for others and a propserous living for you.

I am just re-experiencing this glorious phenomenon,

We’ve just released a new e-version of Tongue Fu!® … which was first published (ahem) 16 years ago!  http://www.amazon.com/Tongue-Better-Anytime-Anywhere-ebook/dp/B00APRX4FG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357067747&sr=1-1&keywords=tongue+fu+-+get+along+with+anyone%2C+anytime 

How satisfying it is to know this book is still positively influencing people around the globe.  I’ve welcomed this opportunity to update the content and include examples of cyber-bullying, internet gossip and what to do when someone’s texting at dinner.

What’s this mean for you?  It’s the beginning of a new year.  You have a fresh start opportunity to do what makes you come alive. 

If that is writing, then resolve to put pen to paper or fingers to keys today.  It’s time to get your experience, expertise and epiphanies out of your head and into the world.

I promise. You will never regret writing – you will only regreat not writing when you had the chance.

 

 

That’s Intriguing #86: Sam Horn and the Intrigue Agency Open Nominations for the 2012 POP! Hall of Fame

  “The best way to corner a niche is to create a niche.  And the best way to create a niche is to … coin your own word.” – Sam Horn

Encountered a couple of early entries for the 2012 POP! Hall of Fame … and thought I’d share them to kick-start your  thinking about what newly-coined  NURDS (New Words) you’d like to submit for this year’s contest.

Previous winners have included:

*  Diabesity:  Dr. Francine Kaufman’s term for the epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes that is triggered by obesity.

*  Snuba:  It’s half snorkel and half scuba … and it’s a new multi-million dollar industry.

*  Freakonomincs:  Are you going to run right out and buy the latest tome on economics?  Probably not.  But authors Dubner and Levy turned their concept into an international brand – movies, media appearances, blogs, 6-figure consulting contracts – by giving it a first-of-its-kind name that appealed to the masses.

*  A.W. Shucks:  What else would you call an oyster bar in Charleston, SC?

*  Yappy Hour:  The Holiday Inn in Alexandria, VA has received millions of dollars of free press due to its innovative Friday night “petworking” opportunities for dogs.

*   YOUmanity:  Aviva came up with the ideal name for their “chain of kindness” philantrhopy campaign

*  Geek2Geek.com:  Think Match.com for pocket protector types.  As one personal ad proclaimed, “Tall, dork and handsome.”

*  SerenDestiny®:  Okay, I admit it, I’m partial to this one because it’s the title of my next book.  And like Tongue Fu!®, I’ve been able to trademark SerenDestiny® which means it can be merchandised and monetized … in perpetuity.

*  Java Jacket:  You can’t build a business around an un-prounounceable name.  So Jay Sorenson gave those “cardboard insulating sleeves” you put around your cup of coffee an easy-to-say-and-remember name.

*  Revenew:  Just met the founder of this start-up in NYC at the WOIS Summit.  You’ve heard of Spell Check?  This is a fantastic example of a POP! technique called Spell Chuck.  Chuck the normal spelling of a word and come up with your own.  Brilliant.

*Tiecoon:  This shop in NYC’s Penn Station – which sells neckties to Wall Street financiers – stopped me in my tracks and motivated me to snap a photo.  Which is the point.  If it’d been named Jack’s ties, I would have walked on by and not even noticed it.   Does your store name have people at hello?

Now, in case you’re thinking, “Okay, these are clever names.  Big whoop.”

Please understand … NURDS aren’t petty; they’re profitable.

This is not wordplay…this is wordcash.

ALL of these names have helped their products, businesses or services STAND OUT and get noticed, remembered … and rich.

Several of these names have generated millions in revenue for their owners.

In fact, as Jay Sorenson, originator of Java Jackets says, “Customers who meant to call my competitors actually end up calling me …because they can’t remember my competitors’ names.”

So, what first-of-its-kind business, book, product, store names have you seen this year?  What intriguing NURD popped out and got your attention?

Submit your entry by email to Sam@IntrigueAgency.com for the 2012 POP! Hall of Fame contest … and send a photo if you’d like. 

We’ll post the best NURDS 0n our blog and on our Facebook page. 

Winning entries who make the final Top 10 Winners in the 2012 POP! Hall of Fame get a free copy of POP!  … or your choice of any of our  books.

 

That’s Intriguing #85: Are you Surrounding Yourself with People Who’ve Got Your Back … and Your Front?

“Individuality is fine.  As long as we do it together.” – Frank Burns, M*A*S*H

I had the privilege of living in Hawaii for 17 years.

As much as I loved living in Paradise, I didn’t realize how professionally isolating it was until I moved to the Mainland  – the Wash DC area. 

A colleague Rebecca Morgan, (co-founder of SpeakerNetNews.com) and I roomed together at a convention that year. We stayed up late every night debriefing what we’d learned and swapping best-practice tips.

We decided to continue this rewarding collaboration by inviting 5 carefully selected peers to join us in monthly phone calls and twice-a-year in-person meetings.

At our first meeting, we were “going around the table” updating each other on our priority projects and pinpointing where and how we could use help.

When it was my turn, I said, “I’m thoroughly enjoying this and I’m glad to be part of it. I just can’t think of anything I need help with, so I’ll donate my time back to the group.”

It was quiet for a moment. Then Rebecca (bless her heart) said, “Well, what are you working on right now?”

“I’m re-doing my website.”

“We can help you with that, “Rebecca said confidently.

And she was right. A half hour later, my website was infinitely better because of the group’s suggestions.

My subsequent epiphany was, “It had been so long since I had asked for help, I had forgotten how.”

Since there hadn’t been any other professional speakers on Maui at that time, I didn’t have anyone to “talk shop” with.

The few times I did share my business activities with acquaintances, they simply didn’t have the industry knowledge to be able to give informed advice.

So, I stopped asking. I ended up doing everything myself. And that worked pretty well. As the saying goes, it was what it was.

Six Heads are Better Than One

“It isn’t melodramatic to say your destiny hangs upon the impression you make.” – Barbara Walters

But, after that first experience with the Master Mind group, I realized it isn’t melodramatic to say our success hangs upon the mutually-rewarding strategic relationships we make.

For example, I was discussing an online info-product I was developing and Val asked, “Why are you only offering one pricing option? Why not bundle your CD’s together and offer three different packages so people can buy at their own comfort level?”

Uh, duh. Why wasn’t I doing that? Because it had never occurred to me.

That’s just one of the many advantages gained from having a variety of people bring their objectivity and combined expertise to the table (so to speak.)

As entrepreneurs, we often get so close to our work; we can’t see it clearly anymore.

That’s one of the many advantages of being part of a strategic master-mind.

Peers can often pinpoint our blind-spots and tell exactly what we need to do differently to break through an impasse.

Group brainstorming not only saves us a lot of trial-and-terror learning; it’s the quickest way to dramatically improve and expedite  results.

Are You Trying to Go It Alone?

“Remember, we’re all in this … alone.” – Lily Tomlin

Are you preparing an important communication … all on your own?  Are you writing a book, developing a presentation or polishing a pitch?

Maybe you don’t know anyone who has experience with what you’re pursuing.

Or, you live in an isolated area and you’re going it alone because there doesn’t seem to be any alternative.

Or, somewhere along the way you were taught not to “bother” people by asking for their help, so your default is to be self-sufficient rather than seeking support?

If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past 20 years of helping people create more compelling communications;  it’s that strategically aligning with colleagues how have our band AND our front is a non-negotiable for fast-forwarding our success.

The good news is, we don’t have to be an individual struggling to figure everything out on our own.  We can go it alone  … together.

How?  Just follow the model for the Quaker Square Hotel in Akron, Ohio.

What’s this about the Quaker Hotel?  Quaker Oats executives were planning to demolish several unused grain silos standing next to each other.

Fortunately, one exec asked, “Why tear the silos down? Why not take out the inner walls, connect them and turn them into a one-of-a-kind, historically relevant hotel?”

Voila.   The stunning result is a model of how we can take out inner walls and connect with others, side by side, so we have the best of BOTH worlds by going solo and by going silo.

Form Your Own Strategic Master-Mind 

A reporter asked Bette Midler, “What’s the hardest part of success?” She said, “Finding someone who is genuinely happy for you.”

Forming your own strategic master-mind is a way to surround yourself with people who support you and stand behind you. People who facilitate your success and have your back.

Forming your own strategic master-mind s is a way to surround yourself with people who stretch you and show you the way. People who fast-forward your success and have your front.

Best of all, forming your own strategic master-mind is a way to align with people who have your best interests at heart.

Divvy up the time so everyone has an opportunity to share highlights and lessons-learned – and an opportunity to brainstorm/strategize a priority project.   ASK everyone for input on how they can accelerate and achieve better results for the upcoming year.

It will be “rising tide raising all boats” gathering that benefits all involved.

Everyone will be genuinely happy for your success …  because they helped create it.

 

That’s Intriguing #67: Innovative EBIFanies from BIF-7: “Focus on What’s Strong; Not What’s Wrong”

“You can’t build on broken.” – Angela Blanchard, http://www.Neighborhood-Centers.org

Wise advice from Angela Blanchard, the visionary leader of the team who turned Houston’s AstroDome into a home-away-from-home in one day following Hurricane Katrina to provide much-needed services to the thousands of refugees arriving on buses from New Orleans.

“Imagine losing your home, job, community and almost all your possessions . . . and not knowing what happened to your family members and friends.

One woman told us, ‘No one came, no one came for days. We thought the world had come to an end. We thought something much worse had happened ‘out there.’

We realized asking questions such as, “What happened? What did you lose or leave behind?’ would only drive these individuals deeper into despair.

We decided instead to focus on what they did have instead of what they didn’t; to build on what’s strong instead of what’s wrong by asking, ‘What skills and knowledge do you have? Who might you know in this area?'”

Angela spoke of the across-the-board decency and dignity of these uprooted Louisiana residents.

“When Neighborhood Centers and other philanthropic organizations filled gyms with donated presents to give at a holiday celebration, many only took 1 or 2 gifts. ‘There are a lot of people worse off than us who need them more than we do,’ they said graciously.”

Angela’s “You can’t build on broken” epiphany is universal and enduring.

Next time you’re facing a challenge, remember, “The best way to move things along is to focus on what’s strong, not what’s wrong.”

P.S. In terms of POP!, why was Angela’s message so intriguing and “sticky?” Why did people continue to come up to her after her 15 minute presentation to thank her for her stirring insights?

One reason is because her conviction was so convincing. We were swept up in her heartfelt passion and vivid story-telling.

Another reason was she crafted her enduring insight – her eBIFany – into an alliterative sound-bite that rhymed.

Alliteration (words that start with the same sound – such as build-broken) gives our mind a hook on which to hang a memory.

Rhyme (wrong-strong) makes our language lyrical and our ideas instantly eloquent.

If you want people to remember and repeat YOUR insight – so they’re thinking about it, talking about it and acting on it days, weeks, months later – craft it into an alliterative sound-bite that rhymes to give it a long tail of influence.

Doing so will scale its impact – and isn’t that the point of communication?

Want more eBIFanies from BIF-7?

This inspiring conference, hosted by Saul Kaplan, showcases visionaries who saw a problem or opportunity and thought, “Somebody should do something about that.”

Then they thought, “I’m as much a somebody as anybody; I’ll do something about it.”

Their stories of how they figured out what to do when they didn’t know what to do show how we set our SerenDestiny® in motion when we care enough about something to do something about it.

E.L. Doctorow was asked what it was like writing a novel.

He thought about it for a moment and said, “It’s kind of like driving a car at night. You can only see to the end of your headlights; but you can make the whole trip that way.”

The innovators featured at BIF-7 weren’t quite clear what their destination was at the outset. They weren’t exactly sure where they were going or how they were going to get there.

They didn’t let that stop them.

Their instinctive desire to solve and serve told them, “Just ‘cause you don’t know isn’t an excuse not to go.” They just started driving.

And because they did, http://www.GlobalGiving.org exists. http://www.BigPictureLearning.org exists. http://www.WillowCreek.com exists. http://www.FutureLogic.com exists. http://www.Climb7.com exists. http://www.HealthLeadsUSA.org exists. http://www.Seriosity.com exists. http://www.Intent.com exists.

You’ll hear more about the above organizations (which represent just a few of the brilliant 30 thought-leaders who spoke at http://www.BIF-7.com ) in upcoming blogs.

Subscribe if you’d like to know how they got out of inertia and uncertainty and drove to the end of their headlights when there was no “there” there.

And, be sure to go to http://www.BusinessInnovationFactory.com to check out their BIF-7 highlight videos and @thebif Twitter feed, to join their community of “transformation artists and audacious change-makers,” and to access their blog, book club and video studio that can help you and your colleagues “unleash and accelerate the transformative power of innovation.”

 

That’s Intriguing #39: Announcing the POP! 2010 Hall of Fame of Top Trends, Brand Names, Book Titles and Business Slogans

“You’re either breaking out or blending in. And blending in’s for Cuisinarts.” – Sam Horn

Every year I pick the top brand names, taglines, book titles and trends that caught our attention and helped their idea, invention or organization stand out and get noticed . . . for all the right reasons.

The point? If you want to succeed, you need to stand out.

And one of the best ways to stand out is create a catchy phrase that builds buzz by turning everyone who sees it or hears it into a word-of-mouth ambassador who repeats it to others.

All of the phrases below showcase POP! techniques that are included in my book POP! which has been sold around the world (China, Europe, South America, etc.)

Hailed as one of the best business books of the year

If you have a cause, creation or company you care about – buy a copy of POP! and work through the 25 exercises that show how to coin a NURD (New Word) that helps your priority project POP! out of its pack.

1. Random Hacks of Kindness: Kudos to this worldwide gathering of tech types collaborating for the common good, and thanks to Nicholas Skytland of NASA for bringing this to my attention.

2. Stuffocating: This NURD (New Word) was coined by TV station TLC for their one hour special on the stifling impact of w-a-y too much stuff. (Not that I can relate.)

3. MEtailing: I want it and I want it my way. This online trend of letting people customize their own clothes, shoes and other products is a runaway (runway?) success.

4. Jeggings: Part jeans – part leggings. This Half & Half Word helped this product generate $180 million in sales, proving that NURDS are more than word play; they’re bottom line profits.

5. Info-besity: We live in a society stuffed with information yet we’re starving for insights.

6. Refudiate: Republican Sarah Palin’s “malaPOPism” received national media attention in which she was tweaked for her tweet where she mixed up (or did she?) “refute” and “repudiate.”

7. SHEconomy: Smart companies understand the power of the purse and are targeting this multi-billion dollar demographic. Props also to Marilynn Tanner Mobley’s BoomerHer.

8. Snowmageddon: What do you call it when 30 inches of snow are dumped on Washington DC and cause a weather apocalypse? An excellent example of Alphabetizing.

9. You Had Me at Woof: Julie Klam’s book shows how “riffing off” pop culture can provide an unexpected twist to a familiar phrase. The result? A smile and a sale.

10. SerenDestiny: I admit it. I’m partial to this since it’s the title of my next book. It’s based on the premise that leading the life we’re born to live is no accident (serendipity); it’s intentional.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Sam Horn’s POP! Create the Perfect Pitch, Title and Tagline for Anything (Perigee, Penguin ’09) introduces 25 techniques for creating compelling buisness communications and innovative, memorable messaging.

POP! has been featured on MSNBC, BusinessWeek.com and in NY Times and Sam’s presentations on this topic have received raves from Cisco, EO, National Speakers Association, ASAE, etc.

Check the more than fifty 5 Star ratings on Amazon.com from readers who sing its praises and describe how it’s helped them generate trademark-able titles and taglines, profitable business names and winning presentations that have closed deals and catapulted income.

 

That’s Intriguing #30: They Don’t Call ’em Fleeting Thoughts for Nothing

Ink it when you think it.

Why is it important to ink it when we think it?

Did you read Alice in Wonderland? Do you remember this passage?

“The horror of that moment, I shall never, never forget!” – the King.
“You will, though,” the Queen replies, “if you don’t make a memo of it.”

Even the Queen knew to jot thoughts when they’re hot.

I’ll always be grateful to former National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones for showing me why it’s every writer’s job to ink it when we think it.

National Geographic photpgrapher Dewitt Jones

Hall of Fame speaker Dewitt, (who lives part-time in Hawaii and can be found online at www.DewittJones.com), and I were enjoying a walk/talk along a Maui beach discussing the topic of intuition.

What is intuition? Where does it come from? Why are those intuitive nudges never wrong? How can we capitalize on them?

Dewitt was doing something that puzzled me. We’d go about 100 yards and Dewitt would stop, whip out a little notebook and pen from his pocket and write something down. We’d go another couple hundred yards and Dewitt would stop and scribble something else down. He kept doing this until I finally asked, “Dewitt, what are you doing?”

He said, “Sam, I used to get ideas and think, ‘That’d be an interesting tidbit for my next column,’ or ‘I’ve got to include that in my keynote tomorrow,’ but then I’d get caught up in other things and forget all about it.

“I realized I make my living from my mind and I was throwing away these golden insights that were being gifted to me. I promised myself I’d start writing down ideas the moment they occurred to me so I wouldn’t lose them. Now, it’s become a habit.”

How many times have you gotten an intuitive flash—a whisper of an idea—and then gone about your day and forgotten it?

If there’s anything I’ve learned in 20 years of writing and speaking about the fascinating topics of innovation and creativity, it’s that THIS is how our best thoughts occur. They POP! into our mind. And if we don’t write them down in the moment, they disappear or get drowned out by other things competing for our attention.

From now on, realize that if you want to make your living from your mind, you need to record those flashes of brilliance in a notebook you carry with you everywhere so you can explore their potential later.

Carry a digital recorder, call yourself on your cell phone and leave a message, DO SOMETHING to capture those ideas before they fade away. Remember, they don’t call ‘em fleeting thoughts for nothing.

Authors know if we’re fortunate enough to be gifted with a revelation, it’s our responsibility to write it down. We may not know where this idea, thought seed or phrase fits into our work. We just trust that it will.

Our greatest minds, from Einstein to Mozart, have understood and honored the power of the “muse.” As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Learn to watch the gleams of light which flash across the mind from within.”

I call this, “Muse it or lose it.”

When you take the time to record ideas as they occur to you, they will be there waiting for you days, months, years later when you’re ready for them. You will have captured those gleams of insight and will be in a position to capitalize on them (and set up SerenDestiny in the process.)

As Saul Bellow said, “I never had to change a word of what I got up in the middle of the night to write.”

From now on, INK those thoughts when you THINK ’em so you MUSE ’em instead of LOSE ’em.

 

That’s Intriguing #25: Want to Make Your Art Your Work?

A friend gave me a card recently that read, “A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

I believe this is the ultimate power of books, blogs and presentations – and spending time with a compatible friend.

The best communicators introduce ideas that result in an epiphany – either of something we once knew and have forgotten or of something that crystallizes in front of us and we SEE a truth for the first time.

That was my experience of re-connecting with Jane Pollack, author of the insightful and moving book Soul Proprietor. http://janepollack.com/

I had the privilege of keynoting the Speaker U event sponsored by NSA – NE recently. I walked into the lobby of the conference center and there was Jane. We had met years before at Book Expo. What a treat it was to see her again.

We found a quiet corner and played “hookie” so we could get caught up. Jane’s found her life purpose which is coaching people who want to make their art their work; their passion their profession.

If that sounds good to you; be sure to get a copy of Jane’s book Soul Proprietor which has been described as an “an artist’s odyssey from remote crafts fairs to an invitation to the White House and appearances on NBC’s Today Show.”

Soul Proprietor is one of those books you can dip into on any page and find something thought-provoking. It features one hundred 1-2 page lessons including:

Lesson 12: Don’t quit before the miracle.

Lesson 44: Keep calling.

Lesson 74: Stay productive (not busy).

Lesson 87: Enjoy the ride, but don’t let the ride drive you.

Lesson 98: What you do for pleasure is your passion.

Intrigued? If you want to love your work and life, check out Jane’s blog for her wise observations about how to lead a remarkable life now, not someday . . . http://janepollakblog.com/

 

That’s Intriguing #24: Why We All Ought to Adopt the Wisdom of Randy Pausch

My son Tom just called me to ask, “Have you ever watched The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch?”

Tom is a 25 year old living his dream, working as a certified mission controller at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. He still gets “chicken skin” (what Hawaiians call goose bumps) at the thought that he gets to work with the shuttle and the ISS (International Space Station).

As he says with wonderment in his voice, “I do something down here; and it makes something happen up there.”

Tom was at a birthday party over the weekend and someone mentioned the impact that Randy Pausch’s video had on him. Tom promptly went home and watched it. http://bit.ly/3rvB6V

If you haven’t seen this You Tube video before, carve out an hour and a half to watch it.

Trust me, it will be worth it. Randy is absolutely brilliant. Funny. Dropping to the floor to do push-ups. Condensing a life-time of lessons into pithy, profound sound-bites.

It will have an enduring effect as it reminds you of how precious each day is. How important it is for us to look around and imprint and be grateful for each breath, each moment, each loved one.

If you don’t know Randy Pausch’s story,this beloved Carnegie Mellon professor, husband and father of three young children was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and told he only had months to live.

Randy dug deep and asked himself, “If I have the opportunity to give one last lecture to pass on to my kids, my students, anyone who cares to listen, what I passionately feel about life, what I’ve learned, what I want them to know — what would that be?”

His wisdom, wit and enduring observations about really matters – “That time is all you have – and you may find one day you have less than you think” – are classic.

I thanked Tom for “re-introducing” The Last Lecture to me.

Tom said, “What do you mean ‘re-introduce?'”

I said, “Tom, are you familiar with Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs?”

To my surprise, Tom said no. Tom knows about galaxies, physics and can even explain a black hole to you, however hadn’t yet been introduced to Maslow.

I explained, in layman’s terms, “Abraham Maslow posited that human beings have a pyramind of needs. Physiological needs – breathing, water, food – are at the bottom. Next is Safety, then Love – Belonging, then Esteem. Finally, at the top of the pyramid, is Self-Actualization. http://bit.ly/fAla

Only AFTER needs at a particular level are fulfilled can we move up the pryamid to the next level.

Maslow also posited that ‘A fulfilled need is no longer a motivator.’ So, once we have plenty of food, water and safe shelter, we tend to take them for granted because they’re taken care of.

Once we have a family and friends, we tend to forget what blessings they are and tend to focus on what’s wrong with them rather than what’s right.

For most of us, our health is a fulfilled need. We breathe without any problem, so we never give it a moment’s notice. We can get up and go outside for a walk whenever we want, so it’s no big deal. We go through our days without aches or pains, so that’s a given. We just count on waking up in the morning and having a guaranteed tomorrow, so we never stop to realize what a miracle it is.”

I told Tom, “I think the power of Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture is that we need to over-ride Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs on a daily basis so we DON’T take for granted all the daily blessings we have in our life.

Randy Pausch would have LOVED to have had another year, another ten years, to see his children grow up. He would have LOVED to have continued to teach, and run, and spend time with his wife and friends. He didn’t have that opportunity and he’s pleading with us to fill our mind with the marvel of it now instead of looking back with regrets because we didn’t see it, feel it, appreciate it while we had it.

So, thanks Tom, for reminding me of Randy Pausch and his impassioned reminder to look at everyone and everything as if we’re seeing them for the first – or last – time. Then our days and moments will be filled with the wonder and appreciation they deseve, instead of being overlooked, ignored or missed altogether.

Have you read The Last Lecture – http://amzn.to/9CALSa – or seen the You Tube video?

How did it impact you?

 

What Is SerenDestiny?

Have you ever acted on a hunch and something wonderful happened?

Have you ever thought, “I really should call that friend I haven’t talked to in years – and when you did, they said, “You won’t believe this; I was just thinking about you.”

Have you ever had an inkling to walk down this street, introduce yourself to that person, read this particular article, go to that event – and it resulted in connecting you with something you needed?

Think about it. What are hunches? Where do they come from?

Some people call hunches “intuition.” Others call them a “gut feeling.” Creative people may call this their “muse.” Religious people sometimes call them “God Winks.” Scientists tend to regard them as animal instinct. Some call these “premonitions” or a “sixth sense.”

Whatever you call hunches, good things happen when you honor them. They’re almost always right.

I’ve learned many things about hunches in my study of them including:

1. Hunches happen for a reason. A good reason.

2. Acting on hunches often results in a “stroke of luck,” good fortune, a blessed twist of fate, what some people call “kismet.”

3. Acting on hunches sets SerenDestiny in motion.

In hundreds of interviews, people from around the world have told me dramatic stories of how honoring a hunch moved their life forward – for good.

The problem is, many people are too busy to pay attention to hunches. They get an internal nudge and think, “I don’t feel like it, I don’t have time, I’ll do that later.” And later is too late.

In my TEDX-NASA.org presentation and upcoming book on SerenDestiny, I share the inspiring message that you have more control over your life than you think.

I’d love to hear your SerenDestiny insights and stories. When was a time you listened to and acted on that little internal voice and something wonderful happened?

1. How do you define SerenDestiny?
2. How do you define hunches? Where do they come from?
3. Do you always act on your hunches? If so, why? If not, why not?
4. Tell me about a time you honored a hunch and it connected you with a synchronistic individual and opportunity.
5. What advice might you have for someone regarding acting on their hunches?
6. Any other suggetions on how we can set SerenDestiny (the life you were born to lead) in motion?

You are welcome to answer here on this blog or send your responses directly to me at Sam@SamHorn.com. If we are considering them for use in my upcoming book, I’ll contact you for permission. I look forward to hearing how SerenDestiny has moved your life forward – for good.

 

Are You Setting SerenDestiny in Motion?

Several years ago, I was discussing the concept of serendipity — the so-called happy accidents when we meet the right person at the right time and right place — with my sons.

I could tell Tom and Andrew were really intrigued. Later that night, Andrew came up and said, “I really like that concept of SerenDestiny.”

Out of the mouths of teens.

Ever since that night, I have studied this topic and interviewed hundreds of people, asking them “What is SerenDestiny?”

I’ve learned a lot, including:

1. We set SerenDestiny in motion when we act on our hunches.

2. SerenDestiny is our “best future” – it’s the life we’re meant to lead.

3. SerenDestiny gives us more control over our life than we think.

4. SerenDestiny is no accident.

5. SerenDestiny is a way to meet life more than half way.

I have been asked to share my SerenDestiny story and research this Friday, Nov. 20 at the TEDx-NASA conference in Newport News, VA.

You’ve heard of the TED conferences featuring “presentations of a lifetime” from Bill Gates, Bono and Sir Richard Branson? They’re expanding globally and NASA will be sponsoring a full day conference featuring a dozen different thought-leaders including Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom.The good news is, it’s being streamed live so you can see Mitch and all the other speakers in action (including me) even if you can’t be there in person.

Check it out at http://www.TEDx-NASA.org

In my next blog, I’ll share more of the insights I’ve gained about this fascinating topic of SerenDestiny — including how YOU can unleash its force for good in your life.