"The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing."

- Walt Disney

Use the Theory of Seven to Get Your Point Across by Bruce Kasanoff

From the LinkedIn article by Bruce Kasanoff, I provide a summary of his Theory of Seven.

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Any time you have to communicate with a large group of people, communicate as though they are 7-year-olds. Don't talk down to them, rather be interesting, clear, and simple.

• Simplify your priorities - The larger your audience, the more vital it is to be clear.
• Be clear about what's next - If you want people to act, be 100% clear on what will happen next.
• Don't be intellectual - The larger your audience, the less room there is to be intellectual.
• Don't assume that others are idiots - Speaking simply does not mean disrespecting your audience; be interesting, not idiotic.
• Keep things moving - Use a a pace whereby something interesting and useful is always happening.
• Be creative, unpredictable, passionate, supportive, kind, and interested - Make every moment so interesting no one wants to go to the bathroom, in case they miss something.

Seven Discipline-Mastering Practices

In my personal and professional lives, there are many things I want to be good at - but only a few that I actually want to master. I enjoy operating as "Jack of all trades, master of none" simply because of the diversity it affords; but every so often I discover something which I can hold to my breast and attempt to own.

Happily, I stumbled across this post by Leo Babuta on his blog, ZenHabits.net. He gives seven sage points to help one get in the mindset to master whatever discipline he or she may choose. Be sure to read the whole post, but here is my summary:

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1. Do the task, even if you're not in the mood - You'll never master life if you wait until you're, "in the mood."
2. Exercise, even when you really don't want to - Ignore the lazy feelings and distractedness, and suck it up - you'll find that you'll feel great for having done it.
3. Sit with a little hunger - We tend to panic when we get hungry. Instead of running to junk food, listen to the hunger and realize that a little discomfort won't ruin your life.
4. Talk to someone about something uncomfortable - Pushing through an uncomfortable situation will resolve a lot of difficult problems.
5. Stick to a habit - It i hart to stick with a (good) habit after your initial enthusiasm dies down. Commit to it for a few months for only a few minutes per day, and you'll start to master the formation of new habits.
6. Turn toward the problem - Instead of avoiding, ignoring, or going around problems, acknowledge them and try to figure out exactly what's going on.
7. See the good in the activity - No matter what the activity is, find the good in doing it, and the activity itself will become the reward.

How NOT To Introduce Yourself by Bernard Marr

I ran across a little article on LinkedIn by Bernard Marr, covering the topic of networking and introductions. A lot of good pointers for what not to say when meeting someone for the first time.

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Don't be this guy when introducing yourself:

• Mr. Name Dropper (bragging about who he knows, who he has worked with)
• Mr. Drive-by Business Carder (giving business cards without any introduction and then moving on)
• Mr. Double Business Carder (giving an additional business card in the hopes that his new contact will give it to a colleague)
• The Rambler (talks excessively, often neglecting to introduce hisself)
• Mr. TMI (giving out far too much personal information)
• Mr. Limp Fish (a weak handshake)
• The Cannonball (too overconfident, barrels himself into uninvited conversation)
• The Digital Zombie (too absorbed in his tech to interact with others around him)

Instead, try being this guy:

"Hi, may name is {so-and-so}, and I do {this-and-that}."