11 gifts from 2011

It’s almost the New Year and, like many bloggers, I find myself taking time to look back on 2011 before looking ahead to 2012.  To help you prepare for the year ahead, let me offer a quick list of books, blogs and articles that came across my desk this past year that are worth review:

1. I’d humbly offer one of my own blog posts to start the list.  Life is but a dream offered inspiration from a children’s song.
2. Walter Isaacson’s book about Apple co-founder, chairman and CEO Steve Jobs.
3. Inc.’s It’s Cheaper to Keep ‘Em article by Karl Stark and Bill Stewart on customer retention.
4. Fast Company’s 30 Second MBA offers some really great advice “from the trenches”.  Take a look at Great Inspirations.
5. Even if you don’t work for a bank or credit union, any marketer can learn from the insights offered by Jeffry Pilcher’s The Financial Brand.
6. Chris Brogan’s Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation and Earn Trust.
7. Inc.’s Top 5 Most Common Networking Mistakes article by Jeff Haden.
8. Onward - How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz.
9. Ron Shevlin’s Snarketing 2.0 – A Humorous Look at the World of Marketing in the Age of Social Media.
10. Inc.’s 10 Zen Ways to Nail Your Next Presentation article by Eric Schurenberg.
11. And last, but not least, a few days before Christmas I was gifted a copy of RelationShift – Revolutionary Fundraising by Michael Bassoff and Steve Chandler.  The concepts offered have application far beyond fundraising.

I wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

 

thank you, steve jobs

Tributes to Steve Jobs are being offered from world leaders and celebrities, competitors and colleagues.  His words had inspired one of my blog posts about a month ago when he resigned as chairman and CEO of Apple.  Now, upon his death, I’ve discovered an even more powerful message from Mr. Jobs.

Last night Rachel Maddow shared a clip from a commencement speech that Steve Jobs delivered at Stanford University in 2005.  This morning Steve Chiotakis with Marketplace Morning Report shared another clip.  Here’s are a few excerpts I found most profound:

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

 - – -

Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When you have the time, you may wish to view his speech in its entirety:

Thank you, Steve Jobs.

do what you love

Last week’s resignation of Apple Inc. Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs has inspired thousands of news stories and blog posts and commentary.  For me, these 7 innovation secrets from this guru of innovation sum it up nicely:

1. Do what you love
2. Put a dent in the universe – have a big vision
3. Kick-start your brain–use creativity and have lots of different experiences
4. Sell dreams not products – understand what people want to accomplish
5. Say no to 1000 things
6. Create insanely great experiences
7. Master the message