Have you watched the National Geographic Documentary called Free Solo yet? If not, you should. It’s about this dude named Alex Honnold who did the unthinkable.
He climbed a 3000-foot rock wall in Yosemite called El Capitan at 31 years of age. Not only that, he did it without any ropes, harnesses, or a net. What does that mean? It means that if he made a simple error or slipped on his footing during the climb, he would most likely fall to his death. It’s one of the most extremely insane, audacious feats in human history. In fact, some people call it “one of the great athletic feats of any kind, ever.” And on a side note, it took him 3 hours, 56 minutes and to this day he is the ONLY climber to free solo El Capitan.

So, if I had a chance to interview Alex, my first question would be: How did you overcome fear in the face of such danger? How did you accomplish this without trembling and how did you keep pushing forward?

I want to know if he’s some kind of superhuman who is not affected by fear…or if there’s some type of secret that unlocks the human brain to do the impossible.

Watch this video – he actually does reveal his secret…

If you didn’t watch the video yet, I’ll summarize how he overcame the fear of this climb.

Alex said this…”3000 feet of climbing represents thousands of distinct hand and foot movements, many of the moves I knew through sheer repetition. I climbed El Cap 50 times over the previous decade with a rope. But also I would spend the day from the summit with 1000 feet of rope, finding the sequence secure and repeatable and I had to memorize them. I had to make sure that they were so deeply ingrained within me that there was no possibility of error.”

He did it so many times, it became like taking a walk in the park. And just to confirm, the last time I took a walk in the park, it was pretty chill.

On the flip side, I just listened to an interview of Alex on Adam Grant’s podcast and the most surprising thing I heard Alex say was how incredibly terrified he was of public speaking. In fact, Adam recalls seeing Alex backstage getting ready to speak at the TED Talk sitting there, shaking and sweating…so afraid to go up on the TED stage. He said “it’s not surprising that when you have to do something at a very high level that you’re not good at, it’s truly terrifying. That’s how I essentially felt going into TED. Here’s a collection of several thousand of the most important people in the world, all sitting there watching me do something that I’m not good at.”

It reminds me of the Jerry Seinfeld joke about how people fear public speaking even more than death – at a funeral, most people would rather be in the coffin than the one making the speech.

But think about it: what made the free solo climb different from the TED Talk?

Repetition.

All that time and effort to ingrain the sequence… over and over again, until there was no possibility of error. The most dangerous feat became EASY, while the unpracticed speech felt impossible.

So the question is, is there a fear you need to overcome? I know there’s part of us that would rather not think about it, procrastinate, and then shake and sweat when the time comes where we finally get the experience over with. But there is an alternative: do the reps. Stop avoiding it, start small, and practice practice practice practice practice.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

And I promise, whatever it is, it’ll be a lot less scary the 1000th time you do it.

“God must love ordinary people because He made so many of us.” –Coach Jim Valvano

I always thought about writing a book. I guess what prompted me was reading so many self-help books about time management, transformation, diet, money, entrepreneurship, real estate, fitness, etc. The common theme in all the books I’ve read has been…be the best, work the hardest, conquer the impossible, be extremely self-disciplined, set audacious goals, achieve them, and for heaven’s sake, don’t be ordinary, be extraordinary. Be above the rest…always. You are built for more. You deserve more. Go get it!!

Are you exhausted or are you inspired?

Me? I became exhausted. And all these books made me a skeptic. So, I wanted to write a book that contradicts every self-help book I’ve ever read. It would be called The Ordinary.

Do you remember when you were little, you would bring a textbook home from school and you had to wrap it in brown paper from a leftover grocery bag? My book would look like that, and it would have the title in a simple typewriter font as artwork. Very simple and ordinary looking. And on the back, it would have a picture of me as the author and a teaser for the book. This is what it would say:

“I am not rich. I am not famous. I don’t speak in front of thousands, I don’t have a vacation house in the Alps, and no one recognizes me in public. I live in a small house in the suburbs of Southern California surrounded by middle-working-class professionals with families and I pay the mortgage and utilities like everyone else. I struggle to wake up every morning and go through my routine and sit in front of a computer answering emails, creating tasks, and even some of the creative work that I sort of like to do and am somewhat passionate about.

But when I lay down at night, I feel the joy and full satisfaction of my life. I feel good about who I am and there’s a rich, deep sense of contentment and happiness.

I am an ordinary guy that somehow stumbled into the realization and the mystery of happiness and I am currently in it.”

Would you want to flip the book back over and start reading chapter 1 to find the secret? Do you want me to just tell you the secret now? I don’t want to give it all away before the book comes out, but I’ll give you a clue:

It has nothing to do with what you do for a living.

It has nothing to do with your income.

It has nothing to do with your status.

But it has everything to do with what comes from building lasting relationships. It has everything to do with enjoying the little things that life has to offer with gratitude. It has everything to do with the beauty of simplicity. It has everything to do with not being filled with anxiety and discontent because you don’t measure up to the success that is expected of you.

Be free. Be content. Be ordinary.

When I was in high school, I used to play at a local municipal golf course a lot. It was cheap and they didn’t require a proper dress code. I wore a printed t-shirt with jean shorts and goofy socks rolled up with tennis shoes. I had a mixed set of used clubs and an old bag. I didn’t look the type, but I knew how to hit the ball well. I also realized that my skill set was above average and I liked showing off.

Every time I went to play alone at the golf course, the starter grouped me together with people I didn’t know…mostly adults who dressed the part and had nice shiny clubs, brand-name golf bags and actual golf shoes with spikes. When I walked up to introduce myself, I saw the look in their eyes…they weren’t happy. Their assumption was that I was a beginner…just a kid that was learning how to play. They figured I would slow them down and mess up their focus due to my lack of knowledge and skills.

The most enjoyable part for me was proving them wrong and watching their frowns turn into smiles. But, it also bothered me that they judged me wrong before they even saw my swing. I always thought if they just stayed curious about me rather than making incorrect assumptions and conclusions, this world would be a better place.

Here’s a similar story from the show Ted Lasso reminding us to be curious. I love this scene so much!! “…because if they were curious, they would ask questions…like…have you played a lot of darts, Ted?”

There’s another version of curiosity that I really love. It’s called Intellectual Curiosity. Do you know who had it? I’ll let you guess based on the following quotes:

Quote #1: “I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious.”

Quote #2: “…through learning and exploration, one can understand seemingly very complex things in one’s environment.”

Quote #3: “When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.”

All three single-handedly changed their industry. They revolutionized it. And a lot of it was due to their crazy amount of intellectual curiosity.

Here are the answers:

Quote #1 = Albert Einstein
Quote #2 = Steve Jobs
Quote #3 = Walt Disney

I’ll close with another interesting fact: do you know what else these 3 have in common? They were all diagnosed with DYSLEXIA.

We often think of dyslexia as a disadvantage, based on how it affects a child’s performance on standardized tests. But the truth is, outside of school it’s actually proven to be an advantage –the dyslexic brain is wired to literally see the world differently, with creativity and lateral thinking that leads to breakthroughs and solutions others might miss.

One statistic to back this up: though only about 10-20% of the total population has dyslexia, they represent about 40% of all self-made millionaires. If they can run the gauntlet of teachers telling them they’re doing it all wrong, these curious minds go out into the world and thrive.

Ending with dyslexia may feel like a twist, but actually it just reinforces the same point we’ve been making today. Look around – what have you judged a disadvantage? What might you see if you re-examined it with fresh eyes? Have a mindset to explore and you can capitalize on curiosity.

“Be curious, not judgmental.”

I did a quick search on my website through all the blogs I’ve written to see which word comes up the most. Apparently, I reference the word “success” a lot. Well, I guess in a way, we are all trying to achieve that somehow. But the bigger question is, what is it? How do you define it? And why am I referring to it so much? And not only me…why is EVERYONE so focused on chasing after it?

Well, here’s my answer. We want success because we are convinced that once we achieve it, we can get everything we want in life. 

That sounds logical. But still…what is it? What is success? Success is defined as an “accomplishment of an aim or purpose” or “the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence.” Hmmmm. That sounds good, but it also leaves a lot of room for interpretation and variations among people. I bet if you ask 10 people for their definitions, you might get 10 different answers…and over time, those answers from the same people might even change..

I thought it would be helpful and interesting to see what some people have thoughtfully shared about what success means for them. Here are some real examples:

• Success is freedom. Being able to wake up when I want to, travel where I want to, and do what I want to. (Entrepreneur)
• Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind knowing you’ve done your best with what you’ve been given. (Lawyer)
• Success is being able to tuck my kids into bed every night. (First Lady)
• Success is how well you do what you do when no one else is looking and keep on doing it. (Self-made billionaire and philanthropist)
• Success is having friends and just enjoying life. (75-Year-Old Man)

Me? Thanks for asking. I did this exercise once and it really helped me define and confirm what success would look like in my life. First, I wrote down my own definition of what my success would be. Then, I asked myself why this is important to me. I repeated that question 7 times to force myself to keep digging. I heard this exercise can also define your life purpose too. This is how it went for me:

• What is my idea/definition of success? I want to have deep, rich, and meaningful relationships in my life.
• Why is this important to me? Because life is better if you share it with others.
• Why is that important to me? Because research shows that this is also the root and source of happiness.
• Why is that important to me? Because I want to be happy. Don’t you?
• Why is that important to me? Because life is short, life is hard and life is painful at times.
• Why is that important to me? Because if you really look at it, we really need each other.
• Why is that important to me? Because when someone genuinely cares for me, life just seems better.
• Why is that important to me? Because then maybe if I care for someone else, their life can seem better too.
• Why is that important to me? Because I think deep down, relationships matter the most.

A wise person once said, “People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.”

After doing this exercise, I hope I’ve found the right wall. My life is about continuously doing meaningful work and continuously pursuing meaningful relationships. What about you? What is your pursuit? What is the definition of success for you? Do the exercise above and please share it with me. 

Here’s to clearly defining success so we actually know when we’ve achieved it.

The legendary professional singer Tony Bennett has a famous quote:

“If you follow your passion, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

This idea is also solidified by none other than Oprah herself – here’s her advice:

“You’ve got to follow your passion. You’ve got to figure out what it is you love – who you really are. And have the courage to do that. I believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dreams.”

Are you with me so far?

But before we go any further, let’s define what passion really is. There are a lot of different definitions out there – it could be a “strong desire for or devotion to something.” But I like this definition the best…”a strong and barely controllable emotion.” It’s an emotion you exude about something that you can barely control.

Do you have something like that in your life? I can name a few. So, this totally makes sense – if you love something that much, you are going to love spending time doing it, and if that very thing can produce a lifestyle and a paycheck, it’s really true what Tony Bennett is proclaiming… you really don’t have to work a day in your life…

But, what if you are passionate about something that you are just not good at? Or, if you are just mediocre at it, or better yet, you are just not cut out for it?

Quick story. I was 5’7 inches tall in middle school. That’s 67 inches. According to the statistics about children between 11 to 13 (middle school), both genders are on average about 52 inches tall. I was 15 inches taller than the average kid. I played basketball, and just so you know, I dominated. I skyed over kids, got rebounds and had some great moves to score baskets, lots and lots of baskets. In fact, I was passionate about the game. I worked hard to become the fastest and the most versatile player on the team. And I knew, even at such a young age, that I was going to be the very first Korean NBA player ever to be given a multimillion dollar contract to play starting point guard for the Lakers. Long story short, I am now 5’8” – I have only grown an inch since then. I sat on the bench my freshman year and didn’t make the JV team the next. My basketball career was over.

My point? I couldn’t earn a paycheck from what I was passionate about. 

Here’s a third quote:

“Never follow your passion, but always bring it with you.”

Work is necessary. We must embrace the suck. And most people will understand this logic whether they are doing something they are passionate about or not. Some days, it will just feel like work and some days, it will just be hard. But the ones that knock it out of the park, the ones that reach the highest level of success, are the ones that figure out how to love it while doing it. Ones that know how to bring the passion with them.

I don’t think any of these 3 quotes are wrong. I think they should all co-exist and inspire us. And I believe we need to hear each one at a different point in our lives to help us keep moving forward. 

I am super excited to talk about some of these life concepts I’ve been learning and thinking about on our next series called “Life Lessons.” I would love to tee it up and share some of my findings and I would love to hear back about yours as well. 

So, what do you think? Should we follow our passion to make it our vocation? Or should we follow our effort? Or should we follow our talent? Or should we follow our opportunities? What would be your ultimate dream job that you would be most passionate about? Is that important? Is it overrated? Work is work? I have so many questions. I can’t wait to discuss next week’s topic. Stay tuned.

I had a meeting with a potential client yesterday and he said something that really aligned with what I’ve been thinking about…especially for this series of how to increase sales for your business.

He said when he goes on a site to purchase something, he’s always looking for options to see if this is the product he wants to purchase or if there are better options available. Like colors, features, sizes, levels of quality, etc. In other words, he wants choices. This is called upselling.

Also, he said when he decides which one he’s going to buy, he’s interested in what else he can purchase with it. For example, if he’s buying a printer, wouldn’t he like to purchase a set of ink cartridges to keep on hand? If he’s buying a portable pet water bottle, wouldn’t he like to purchase a nice matching portable food bowl with it? How about if he’s buying an air freshener for his smelly car, wouldn’t he want to purchase a new Maserati to go with that fresh smell? In other words, he wants the whole package. This is called cross-selling.

Here are the definitions for more clarification:

• Upselling is when a customer is offered an upgraded version of what they were originally going to purchase. By paying a little more, they end up with a better product.

• Cross-selling is when a customer is offered complimentary items to go with their purchase. By paying a little more, they get additional accessories.

A great example of upselling is at Coldstone Creamery, where the smaller size is called “Like It,” but for just a bit more you get the larger size called “Love It.” Who wouldn’t give up a little pocket change to move from Like to Love??

Meanwhile, cross-selling is when you’ve ordered your coffee and the person at the register asks, “Would you like something to eat with that?” I originally just wanted x, but now that you mention it, y does go nicely with it, thank you very much.

Both strategies lead to increased profit, but in different ways. Upselling grows the revenue through a higher level product, while cross-selling through suggesting more products to buy. 

As a business, there are some great advantages of upselling and cross-selling. In both cases, you’re offering added benefit to the customer for just a small increase in price. The more helpful your recommendations, the more they will trust you and continue to buy from you in the future.

But the key is: keep it relevant. These types of offers only make sense because they match up with what the customer is currently buying. Imagine how confusing it would be if a barista said, “Would you like an oil change with that?” The more you know your customers and make suggestions with a personal touch, the more effective your upselling and cross-selling will be.

I’ll close with one more story I saw on Twitter: a man in McDonald’s ordered an apple pie, and the cashier said, “Would you like to do two apple pies instead?” They gave no reasoning or context for it, but the man said, “Yes.” It’s a rare occurrence that qualifies as both upselling AND cross-selling, but let’s be honest: the only thing better than one apple pie is two.

I bought a shirt. Not just one, but a set of 7 in all different color variations. I just couldn’t ignore the social media ads anymore. They knew me so well…the simple ad spoke to my soul. It even featured a discount code that I could use immediately. And on top of that, it gave me an option to buy 7 shirts at a bulk pricing which included all the earth tone colors that I love to wear.

The ad basically went like this…(I am paraphrasing of course)…”Does the t-shirt you wear make you look better than you should? Probably not. Do you have a dad bod? You probably do. We created a shirt just for your kind…it’s fitted to hide your big belly, create fake broad shoulders and will make you look like you just came out of the gym.” “Not only that, it’s silky soft, cheap and most importantly WIFE APPROVED.” They even had a wifey approved symbol stamped like it was a real thing:

If you are just joining us in our new series, you’ve come at just the right time. We are talking about Money! Not just talking about it, we are trying to figure out how to get more of it.

So, here’s the deal. If you ask any business owner their strategy for growth, they will tell you they have to increase sales. If you ask them how they plan on increasing more sales, they will tell you that they will need to figure out how to get more leads. 

So, from that little scenario, here’s a complex equation I just came up with that’s going to blow your mind. 

More Leads = More Sales

Whoa!! Brilliant! But one question still remains. How do you get more leads? Well, before I answer that, here’s a more in-depth thought on what a LEAD truly is and how it’s broken down into different stages. 
And now, let’s go through some foolproof ways to generate leads for your business. Here are my top 5:

• Social Media Marketing. Ads on social media are a game changer. For a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing, you have access to specific targeting options that ensure the new leads are just a click away.
• Email Marketing. Emails are a great way to generate leads, especially when they’re personalized. Offer value to their inbox, then invite them to take a next step with you.
• Discounts and Coupons. I love a good deal. I will gladly exchange my email for a 10% off coupon. That discount can be the beginning of a wonderful business relationship.
• Content Marketing/SEO. SEO might feel intimidating, but it really boils down to this: if you have good website content that shows your knowledge as a business, Google will find you.
• Referral Partnerships. “If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” That’s an example of a referral partnership that our own BOS Media monkey signed with a local chiropractor. You can find similar strategic partners where you agree to make referrals to each other.

But with all of that working for you, there’s still one thing I want to really focus on – the single most important element that all my top 5 ways lead to… they should all funnel to the sales page. Or, as we call it, the Landing Page.

This is where all of the lead-generating campaigns will direct online traffic to, so that your audience stays focused on one specific campaign (making them much more likely to engage). This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where the potential clients are asked to take action. And that action becomes a lead.

Let me go quickly over the essential elements to include on a successful landing page:

• Clear unique selling proposition – this is your headline, the ONE THING you offer solves a problem for the customer and presents you as the clear choice over any competitor.
• Hero image – one photo that visually depicts the solution, and immediately shows the audience a picture of the better life on the other side of this offer.
• List of Features – the first two elements got their attention. Now is your chance to give some details about the value you are providing.
• Social proof – most of us don’t make a purchase until we’ve read the reviews. Give people a taste of how satisfied customers rate you, or share expert testimonials of your business.
• Strong call to action. Make it clear and direct – One button that they can click to make everything you’ve promised above a reality.

If you’d like to see how this all comes together, I just happen to have this example of a landing page we use to capture Website Design leads for BOS Media Group. Kind of trippy to think that our landing page to generate leads might inspire someone to create a landing page to generate leads… (I’m pretty sure that’s a way to open a door to the multi-verse).

But seriously, I’m here to help if you need me! I hope this strategy helps bring new leads (and their money!) to your business.

Yes, I love what I do. But, I also need the basic necessities of life. The roof over our heads, food in our bellies, and golf lessons.

And yes, I love helping people and supporting them to reach their entrepreneurial goals…but I can’t do this without paying the bills and keeping the lights on. If you are running a business like me, there’s one thing that can bring a sense of peace, a sense of purpose, and even a sense of empowerment. REVENUE. Or, let’s just say it:

MONEY!!

If you want to grow your business, I truly believe that you need to take control. It starts with realizing: you hold the responsibility and influence over how much sales you bring in. If you’re like me, there might be some fear or resistance to taking control. Sometimes, you don’t even know what’s coming in and how the next set of bills are going to be paid. You just close your eyes and hope everything works out in the end.

That’s a path to disaster.

When I was an engineer working for a manufacturing company, we had a saying in our department. “If it doesn’t get measured, it doesn’t get done.” We thought it was super clever (in a geeky nerdy way) since we measured everything! Data was our friend. We also had another saying, “Humans are the only species on earth that has the amygdala and frontal lobe of our brains work together to keep us focused and moving toward situations and behaviors that lead to achieving the set goal.” Well, we didn’t say it exactly like that, but we did talk about our frontal lobe a lot. (insert dorky snort laugh sound here). Get a free promo code on 1xBet for sports betting. Promo codes are a convenient incentive tool in bookmakers. With their help, new customers can receive significant preferences to the main bonuses. 1xBet promo code is "GIFT888". With this code, you can be sure you’re getting the best possible welcome bonus 100% up to 130$. 1xBet is an online gambling company licensed under the Curaçao eGaming license. 1xBet bonus code is required to claim any of the sportsbook’s current welcome offers in legal.

So, to summarize, if you want to keep your business growing and making money, you must measure it, review it, analyze it, and most importantly, set goals with it. If you want to grow, establish specific financial goals and monitor your progress.

That’s a path to success.

So, how do I establish financial goals for my business? Here are a few areas to consider:

• Increase Revenue Goals. Improving profitability simply means bringing in more than you spend on expenses. Take a minute to think about the various sources of revenue coming in (income from sales, interest from investments, etc), then get specific about where you intend to grow. We like using this formula as a model: “We will accomplish x (revenue goal) by x (timeline) because of x (strategy).”
• Improve Margin Goals. You can also increase your profits by looking at your margins – the percentage of revenue that exceeds operating expenses. Examine the ways you might be able to cut costs or eliminate waste. Consider the industry standard for profit margins in your field and aim to be on the higher end of it.
• Managing Cash Flow Goals. Cash flow is one area that most businesses could improve. Effectively managing basic expenses can prevent cash from flowing out the door. Pay attention to how you make payments and set goals to do so as efficiently as possible.

Don’t forget to monitor your progress weekly and monthly – do you know why? Because what doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get done. Count the steps toward your goals and prepare to count up more money too.

I am loving this new series on tangible ways to grow our sales. Basically, what can we do to make some more money.

One of the steps we listed last week is first defining your products. Well, let’s dive a bit deeper and understand how defining your products can help you increase your sales.

But first, a story.

Some of you might know that I am an avid golfer. I’ve been playing for over 40 years and I am obsessed with the game. I am also very interested in the technology that makes up the game…like the shaft composites that make you hit it longer and straighter…and the weight balance distribution which also allows you to roll the ball more true. I even tinker around with grips and the sizing of the texture that could make a difference in the feel at impact and therefore make it possible to lower my scores.

Well, one day, I was flipping through TikTok and came across this kid who created content filming himself re-gripping the clubs. The way he did it was a brilliant form of art. He did it with incredible speed, precision, and grace. I was quickly inspired. Instead of what I’ve been doing for years of lugging my clubs into the shop and waiting a few days and paying extra money to get my clubs re-gripped twice a year, I decided that I am going to grip my clubs on my own. This started my search for finding the right products for my re-gripping station.

As I was creating a list of items I needed, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with the unlimited amount of choices of different brands, products, and methods. But I ran across a company that was well-known in the industry that catered to golf shops who offer club repair. They listed their most popular products and what else? They created a menu of products for someone like me. The menu included everything I needed to create my very own station…including the vice to hold the club down, the most popular branded double-sided tape, a special razor blade for grip removal, a bottle of grip solvent…list goes on and on and on.

This reminded me of a lot of calls we get from potential clients going through a similarly overwhelming experience searching for a marketing company to help launch their brand new business. They often ask, do you offer some type of package for people like us? Yes, yes we do.

So how does that work for you? No matter what your business context, defining your products will give customers a clear way of doing business with you, and offer them an easy way to purchase even more than they originally planned to buy.

Here are 3 Steps to create a Menu of Products to make it happen:

• Define your products by defining the need. It always starts with the question, “What problem are you solving for a customer?” This is what drives every purchasing decision: how are you helping make my life better.
• Create a package of products to meet the need. Don’t just think in terms of one product offering – think of EVERYTHING the customer needs. Offer them a package of products to solve the problem at one fixed price. People want to know exactly what they’re going to get and how much it’s going to cost – make yourself their one-stop shop.
• Give them clear instructions on how to use the package you’ve provided. By establishing yourself as a trusted expert providing a comprehensive solution, you’ve gone from selling one product to creating repeat business – whatever they need next, they’ll come to you. Teach people what you know and how to do it.

Final thought: I really believe there are customers out there who want to do business with you, but they just need to know how. They want to give you their money – not just for one product, but for an entire package of products that will make their life better. Please, LET THEM. Give them a menu so they can place their order.