Dave Ramsey Certified Counselor

I've not had the chance to give much attention to my blog over the past few days, but that's with good reason. Saturday, I just finished up Dave Ramsey's Certified Counselor Training. It was an intense, but rewarding 4 days. Russ Carroll, Dave's lead counselor and trainer was awesome.

I'm not sure how many people I will counsel, or where this certification will take me, but I am thankful that I had the opportunity to go through the training. It really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I look forward to helping others with the information I learned. Plus, I had the chance to meet some awesome people from around the country.

If you know someone in the Franklin Area who would like some financial counseling....let me know.

Grub Doctors Write a New Chapter

Back in 1995 a random group of guys gathered together to form a softball team for the intramural league at Lipscomb University. They were called the Grub Doctors. Over the next 4 years, the Grub Doctors participated in every intramural sporting even that was possible. They played with pride and passion even though their skills and ability were nothing compared to their luck. They played each game with the battle cry, "Let's have more fun than they do!" They had fun, and so did the crowd. The opposing teams hated them because their silly antics were annoying and yet they still found a way to win more often than expected. They were a fun a group, having never won a championship of any kind, until...April 24, 2007,

I was proud to be a part of Grub Doctor history. Along with "Paxwell" & "Nutt", the three of us have all ended up working for Dave Ramsey & The Lampo Group, Inc. When we heard about the first annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament, we pulled out the old green jersey's from our college days, sucked in our guts, and hit the asphalt with intensity. In front of a sell out crowd in the back parking lot of the office, we managed to win our first championship ever! We became the first Lampo 3-on-3 basketball champions. I am proud to be a Grub Doctor today.

Side Note: As a part of the double elimination tournament, we lost one game which caused us to play more games than any other team. Was it luck that we won? Maybe. We finished the tourney with a record of 7-1.

My Mom was a "Fred"

I am posting this just after my previous post of The Fred Factor for a reason. It is ironic that I read that little book yesterday and today receive the following email from a friend.

Ben,

...I just got this email from a friend of mine. Her son Joey is in a cancer fund raising walk and wants to walk in memory of your mom...she apparently made a huge impact on him. I just want to let you know that he thought so much of her!!

I'm sharing this because, my mom was a "Fred". She passed away nearly 3 years ago and I still hear about people she had impact on. I have no idea who Joey is and I bet there are still a lot of other "Joey's" out there. My mother didn't ever hold a fancy title, but her impact on people's lives were amazing. I remember standing in the funeral line greeting all of the people who wanted to extend their condolences. It was scheduled for 2 hours....we stood for over 4! I met so many people she had impact on that night that I remember thinking, how did she remember this many people? The thing that made her a "Fred" is the fact that she helped so many people in a quiet way, never bringing attention to herself. I don't suppose I will ever know how many people she made smile.

After reading The Fred Factor, I realized I lived under the roof of the greatest "Fred" I've ever known. I called her "Mom".

The Fred Factor

This weekend I read The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn. I had been wanting to read it ever since I read his You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader.

It was a simple book with a simple message, but boy it will motivate you for sure! If you don't like your job, you need to read this little book. It will help you find enjoyment in the things you do everyday. It will inspire you to be a "Fred".

Who is Fred? I'm not going to tell you. You really need to read it to appreciate who Fred is. It's a great book. You'll have it read in an hour.

Selling 101

Zig Ziglar's Selling 101, What every Successful Sales Professional Needs to Know was a joy to read. I have never felt like I would be a great salesman, mainly because I've never really given it a shot. After reading through this little book I feel like I could sell anything.

Even though I am not a door to door salesman there were a lot of things mentioned in this book that I can apply to internet marketing and sales. I took my time with this book because it was packed full of simple advice.

Here are just a few things that I noted.

• Answer with Questions. Questions open the door to more conversation and allows you to get more information out of the "prospect".
• If you sell a product, you have to believe in the product.
  
• Focus on "prospects" not "suspects". Prospects are people who genuinely want or need your product.
• Spend time in preparation. Plan out your questions.
• Practice your voice inflection. There are very few people who have voices that are pleasant to listen too, but the rest of us can practice and train our voice to sound better.
  

Students Without Desks

More email cheese...I am posting this because I am proud of our military and because it's True according to Snopes.

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she took all of the desks out of the classroom.

The kids came into first period, they walked in, there were no desks. They obviously looked around and said, "Ms. Cothren, where's our desk?" And she said, "You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn them."

They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades."

"No," she said.

"Maybe it's our behavior."

And she told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."

And so they came and went in the first period, still no desks in the classroom. Second period, same thing. Third period. By early after noon television news crews had gathered in Ms. Cothren's class to find out about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of the classroom. The last period of the day, Martha Cothren gathered her class. They were at this time sitting on the floor around the sides of the room. And she says, "Throughout the day no one has really understood how you earn the desks that sit in this classroom ordinarily." She said, "Now I'm going to tell you."

Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it, and as she did 27 U.S. veterans, wearing their uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. And they placed those school desks in rows, and then they stood along the wall. And by the time they had finished placing those desks, those kids for the first time I think perhaps in their lives understood how they earned those desks.

Martha said, "You don't have to earn those desks. These guys did it for you. They put them out there for yo u, but it's up to you to sit here responsibly to learn, to be good students and good citizens, because they paid a price for you to have that desk, and don't ever forget it."

Simply Successful Secrets

I've been tagged by The Figurehead to list personal habits that make me successful. It all started with, Aaron Potts over at Today Is That Day who started a meme. He compiled a list of habits that have contributed to his success. He then “tagged” several bloggers and challenged them to do the same.

Here are SOME of my habits.

1. I carry a book with me everywhere I go. I always have a book in my car, at my desk, in my house, or wherever. If there is down time, I read it. If I arrive somewhere early, I read. You get the picture?
2. I hardly ever listen to the radio in the car. I suppose I miss out on a lot of discussion about music since I know little about the subject. However, I get a lot of my thinking and day dreaming out of the way in the car. I often dream about the impossible, so it helps me come back to reality when the trip is over since I get it out of my system.
3. I spend time with my family. I know everyone else is listing this, but spending time with your wife and children everyday is a great motivation to work harder and provide for them.
4. I go to Church. That may be a given for most and aside from the eternal ramifications/discussions of going or not going, I think spending time each week with a group of Christians reminds you that the world is not as bad as the news would make it seem. There are in fact good people.
   
5. I park in the farthest parking space. I park far from the building for several reasons. The additional exercise is good. I never have to worry about finding a space. In fact, on average I think I make it in and out of a store faster than if I searched for the best spot. I also have more time to enjoy my surroundings which keeps me relaxed. I love my long stroll on a cool morning into the office. I also love using my huge umbrella on a rainy day.
   
6. I think about this question every night when I go to bed: What made today be a good last day on earth, if it were my last day? I sleep much better because my mind is at peace. It makes me happy to think about the good events of every day, regardless of how awful the day may have seemed at the time. I am reminded that there were a lot of good things that actually happened.
   
7. If it is broke, I first try to fix it myself. I can't tell you how much money I have saved and how much I have learned by trying to fix things on my own. I figure if it is broke and I can't fix it, I will still have to call someone to come fix it anyway. So, I may as well try myself, right?
   
8. I people watch. I can sit in a mall or crowded room for hours and just watch and observe people. I like to see how they act and react. I watch what they wear and how they walk. I notice their expressions and how they talk. It helps me view myself and appreciate who I am.
9. I don't curse or cuss. Ok, I have done it before and sometimes a word may slip, but I do make it a habit not to use bad language. If you think about what people are literally saying when they use profanity, it often doesn't make sense. The context just sometimes doesn't work. I'm not offended when people cuss around me, but I do think people sound stupid when they do it...except I will admit that a well timed cuss word can be hilarious!
10. I keep a blog. It's nothing fancy as you can tell, but knowing I need to find something to write about makes me stay in touch with the world. It also helps me improve my writing, grammar, and spelling.

There is my list. I now tag...um...

- Tim at My Blogging Adventures
- Kraig at Telling History

Neighborhood vs. Country Living

Bill Hampton got me thinking more about whether I want to live in the country with land or stay in my neighborhood. My wife and I discussed this the other night while we were taking a nice walk around our neighborhood. It has caused me to reflect on my growing up.

I grew up on 30 acres. I ran through fields and woods. I swam in creeks, branches, & ponds. I shot cows with my BB gun. Caught snakes and lizards. I ran from skunks. By the time I was 10, I was chasing down coons, deer, coyotes, wild cats, & opossums in our old beat up 79' CJ. I went fishing, bird hunting, and camping on Friday nights. I hung ski ropes in every possible tree that swung over a cliff (My brother even tried to make a zip line with an old rope and pulley). I carved secret messages into trees with my pocket knife. I had miles of trails for my Honda XR-80. I rode it back in the day when parents didn't worry about helmets. I pretended to be Braddock (Chuck Norris), a GI Joe character, Rambo, and do you remember the America Ninja Movie? He kicked a guys butt with a bucket on his head and killed another man by throwing a screw driver into his chest...it was awesome!

We didn't have a curfew, but we knew to be near the house around dinner time. We'd then go back out at night and play war in the dark, spotlight wildlife, and catch lightning bugs. Life was always an adventure growing up. I had a half a mile driveway I had to walk when I got off the school bus - rainy days sucked!

My mom must have been worried sick about us all day long. Looking back at the things I did, I wonder why I am still alive today.

I know people worry about their kids being abducted in neighborhoods today, but having the nearest neighbor my age being over a mile away, we didn't just run outside and play ball. It took a lot of coordinating to get together. We knew our neighbors because that was expected in small town country folk. I always wanted to live in a neighborhood, and now that I do...I like it. I am getting to know my neighbors a lot better and they are great people. However, I miss the country sometimes. Both are nice and I know I can be happy in either one.

Half your age...

I woke up last night at like 2am, and for some strange reason I just started thinking about in what year I would be/have been half the age of other people. I don't know why, but out of no where I came up with the math formula to figure it out. I couldn't go back to sleep until I figured it out. I'm not a geek or nerd. I really have no idea why I was compelled to do this, but I guess it is simple enough for most anyone to figure out. I thought you might like to know it.

Oh, and if you still think I am nerdy, you can know it's not true since I didn't write code and create some handy online calculator. I don't even have the ability too.

(x - y) + x = z

x = Year you are born
y = Year the other person was born
z = Year you will be half the other person's age

You math-a-letes can check my work.

Virginia Tech Massacre

Yesterday (April 16, 2007) on the campus of Virginia Tech, 33 students were killed by a senior student, Cho Seung-Hui. It is the largest shooting rampage in US history.

I don't have much to say about it other than I am sorry for all of the parents and friends who lost loved ones in that brutal act. As a parent I can't imagine my child being in that situation.

Until I am in a similar situation, I cannot blame anyone for the way they reacted. That includes students, faculty, and officials. After this catastrophe, and other similar event, I am convinced that if I am ever in this scenario I would hope I have the mental capacity to react in the best way possible, whether that means running or retaliating. There is no good way for a scene like this to end.

God bless all those who are involved.

Primal Leadership

I just finished Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, & Annie McKee. No, it has no connection to Hanlon's Primal Branding.

The book in a nutshell is simple. As a leader, you should be aware of your self and others when it comes to emotions. The book refers to the importance of having a high EI (emotional intelligence).

I enjoyed the read because it takes a completely different approach to leadership compared to the past few books I've read on the subject. It caused me to do a lot of reflection on myself. Although it is easy to read a book like this and think about others who need to read it, I actually found myself easily thinking about myself more than others.

A few things that stood out to me...

• Smile more.
• Keep your Customer Service people VERY, VERY, happy. They need & deserve it, because there job is so emotionally draining.
  
• Write a page about how you would like for your life to be like 15 years from now and make a list of 27 things you want to do before you die. These exercises will help you identify what is important to you and who your ideal self is (I haven't done this yet, but maybe in a future post - why 27? I have no idea).
  

Cold Cup of Coffee

Just a quick note... Every morning at work I fix myself a cup of coffee. As I get busy working I sometimes forget to drink the entire cup. Usually, there is a large gulp left over and I hate not finishing a drink, regardless of what I am drinking. Being wasteful is not a part of my lifestyle. Plus, if I leave it sitting on my desk for very long, it may get turned over by accident.

I just thought I would just let everyone know that I really hate that last gulp of cold coffee and it seems like it happens everyday.

My Total Money Makeover Money Tools

Dave Ramsey's My Total Money Makeover has just launched the new version 2.0 of the money tools. I have to say I am pretty proud of how this software has turned out. The team has done a remarkable job of building this and it is one of the easiest budgeting softwares I've ever used. Plus, if you are in debt, the software really caters to helping you see the big picture on dumping your debt. Paying off your debt snowball is integrated into the software, along with tracking your daily expenses. Having access to this software alone is worth the cost of membership to the site.

I know this is a shameless plug for My Total Money Makeover, but that's ok...I really do think it's awesome and I am proud to be a part of the My Total Money Makeover team. I can't wait until version 3.0 comes out!

The Kim Komando Show

On weekends I really enjoy listening to The Kim Komando Show. First, it's talk radio that isn't about politics. Second, it's about technology, computers, etc..., of which I have an interest. She also presents the subject on my level. It's not over my head "geek talk".

Anyway, I was over at Komando.com, reading about Kim and saw the following quote.

“When my father would ask me what I did in school, if I didn’t have anything noteworthy to tell him, he would make me read an article in the Wall Street Journal and then report back to him what I learned.”

Great idea! If my dad had made me do that when he asked me at dinner, "What did you learn today at school?", who knows where I'd be today. I guess I better pick up a subscription to the Wall Street Journal before my son starts school.

Scan, Focus, Act,

If you have problems trying to get started on developing an idea, here is a model that has worked well with our team. It is called the SCAN > FOCUS > ACT model. You can learn more about this model at MG Taylor Corporation.

The gist of it is pretty simple. You start at a 40,000 ft. view and funnel your way down and begin focusing on some key areas that will give you the best results. Then, you act on those areas by developing them in detail. You may have to work the model several times to refine each item you spend time focusing on. It's a great "next step" to brainstorming ideas.

Personality Tests

There are all kinds of personality tests out there but this morning I took one over at Personal DNA. i enjoyed the test because it was creative in terms of functionality. It wasn't just agree/disagree type answers. At the end of the test they give you your results. Here was mine. You can scroll over the colors to see the different results.

The DEBTective

You may have seen DEBTective in my blog-a-log but I don't think I have ever talked much about it. I had a major hand in getting DEBTective's blog off the ground last year, and I continue to be impressed with the content he adds.

Although I will never let you in on the real identity of the DEBTective, I will tell you that the blog and web site are powered by Dave Ramsey's My Total Money Makeover. I think you'll enjoy it, so check it out.

Dave Ramsey on Power 100 List

I just read this morning where Dave Ramsey is #25 on the Power 100 list for Business TN Magazine. It is BTN's fourth annual list of the 100 most powerful people in Tennessee. It is an interesting list to read through. Check it out (beware of the pop up).

There are many good names on that list. UT fans will be glad to see Phil Fulmer and Pat Summit on the list.

Shorpy

I just discovered my new favorite blog today. It's http://www.shorpy.com, the 100-year-old photo blog. The blog is named after a kid who is in several of the photographs.

Anyway, I enjoy looking at old photographs and wondering what life must have been like before my lifetime. There is just something about an old photograph that intrigues me.

Tests of Faith

Some of you grew up in churches where you always went to church when the doors were open right? If you didn't - well, that was being a bad Christian and you may as well plan on spending eternity in hell. Any of you know what I am talking about? It was the same thing with drinking, dancing, smoking, gambling, etc... There were these "tests of faith" people conjured up and and applied based on their own belief system and traditions. It's no different than when the Pharisees looked at Jesus as a bad Jew because he did not observe the Sabbath like they felt he should.

So here's my question...if I failed these "tests" then what would happen if I applied the same thinking to the church of Satan? What if I failed to be a good church attender as a member of Satan's church? Would I not be allowed into Hell?

Ok - obviously I don't believe that being a bad Satanic church member would keep me out of hell but maybe you see my point.

Let God do the judging.