After hitting on a brilliant new life plan, our first instinct is to tell someone, but Derek Sivers says it’s better to keep goals secret. He presents research stretching as far back as the 1920’s to show why people who talk about their ambitions may be less likely to achieve them.  Something to think about….

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One of the characteristics of leaders is CERTAINTY. People are looking for certainty; in business, in life, as a parent or a spouse, certainty is a fundamental character of leadership. Click on the clip… what do you think; is Steve CERTAIN about what he is saying?… or is it more like an opinion?

I’d say his level of certainty is a “10″ on my “1-10″ certainty scale.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen numerous “speakers and coaches” attempt to impact their brand by performing one of the above exercises. Below is an example of a graduate of one of the courses. Watch and learn!

Episode 2 of 4 from Dan Lier’s YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL

Green Day

I am a big believer in being open to new ideas and the “never ending” learning process.  Here’s a nice leadership piece from Robin Sharma.

Last night I watched a documentary about the rise of Green Day. They have morphed into one of the world’s most popular as well as influential rock bands, selling over 65 million records, filling stadiums in cities across the world and inspiring a whole new generation of musicians.

Here are the 5 business as well as personal leadership lessons we can gather from Green Day’s ascent:

#1: Every dream starts off small.
Green Day started off called Sweet Children. They played to empty halls and few gave them any chance of being successful. However, their vision was larger than their doubts and they stayed the course like the best Leaders Without Titles always do. Amazing things happen when you stay in the game longer than anyone thinks you should.

#2: They out-practiced their competition.
The original members of Green Day came from broken homes. Parents were not around much. So most of their free time they practiced. Often they would write songs all day and play guitar all night. Like all genius-level performers, relentless practice over an extended period of time births extraordinary performance.

#3: They were well grounded.
After Dookie sold over 14 million copies, the members of Green Day reached superstardom. However, rather than succumbing to the seductions of success, they remained grounded. They started their families and they remained true to their roots. This has allowed them a longevity that so many rock bands never achieve.

#4: They understood the power of renewal.
After the success of their breakthrough album Dookie, Green Day toured the world relentlessly. But then after that – at the peak of their success – they took a complete year off. They spent time with their families. They pursued other musical projects. And they refilled their well of inspiration. Rather than burning out, this period of time allowed them to come back stronger and to continue having fun at their craft.

#5: They dared to innovate.
The albums that followed their breakthrough release actually sold many less records. However, Green Day were willing to relentlessly innovate. The album they were working on before American Idiot came out was actually a mess in the sense that their master tapes were stolen. Many bands would have given up. However Green Day saw it as an opportunity to rewrite the entire album. They came up with an idea of a rock opera and released American Idiot. This became their biggest seller and 15 years after they started, they reached a whole new level of fortune.

I believe you can apply these principles to many opportunities in life.  Take action today!

Sushi Roku - Vegas

Jennifer and I visited Sushi Roku last night, as we were looking for an hip place with a cool vibe.  We walked into BOA Steak House and it was a bit stuffy; then walked into Sushi Roko and it was perfect.  Cool, hip music with light conversation and laughter throughout the restaurant.  A full Sushi bar of course and an overall cool environment… and if you’re luck you can have a strip view to top it off.

We got lucky and had the table straight back and to the lelt… overlooking the strip, looking south toward Paris and PH.  Very cool.  We enjoyed to Sushi Roll; cripsy spicy tuna with alvacado… excellent, then spicy yellow tail.  We both ahd the Crusted Salmon for the entree with some rice and a salad.  Incredible taste and freshness and the coffee was incredible… almost like a turkish blend.  The service was fantastic as well.

I give it Sushi Roko a solid “9″ on the 10 point scale.  So if you’re staying at Caesars or shopping at the forum shops… give it shot.  I think you’ll be extremely satisfied with food, service and ambiance.

Sushi Roku – Las Vegaswrites… L.A.’s wildly popular Sushi Roku is now in the newly expanded Forum Shops on the Las Vegas Strip. With it’s critically acclaimed Modern Japanese fare and Zen-like atmosphere, Sushi Roku is a favorite among both locals and visitors.

Reservations are recommended.

Dining Style: Casual Elegant

Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi, Asian

Neighborhood: Caesars – The Forum Shops Cross Street: Flamingo / Las Vegas Blvd

Menu: View menu on restaurant’s website Price: $30 and under Website: http://www.innovativedining.com

Email: confirmationslv@innovativedining.com

Phone: (702) 733-7373 Hours of Operation: Lunch: Sunday-Thursday 12:00pm-3:45pm, Friday-Saturday 12:00pm-3:45pm Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 4:00pm-10:00pm, Friday-Saturday 4:00pm-11:00pm

Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa Executive Chef: Andres Rondan DressCode: Business Casual Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes

John Maxwell

… from John Maxwell, one of the best in mentoring leaders.

Use these simple relationship rules to improve your daily communication with others:

Get Along with Yourself - The one relationship you will have until you die is with yourself.  Treat yourself with the respect and love you deserve.

Value People – You cannot make another person feel important if you secretly feel that he or she is a nobody.  Recognize that everyone has innate value and treat them accordingly.

Make the Effort to Form Relationships – The result of a person who has never served others? Loneliness.  Chuck Swindoll said, “It’s like they say in the Army, when you dig a foxhole, make enough room for two.”  Reach out, make room and enjoy new relationships.

Understand the Reciprocity Rule – What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.  Give generously, love unfailingly and show respect to everyone.

Follow the Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  If every person make more decisions based on the Golden Rule, we would all make more right decisions.

With profound simplicity, Coach John Wooden redefines success and urges us all to pursue the best in ourselves. In this inspiring talk he shares the advice he gave his players at UCLA, quotes poetry and remembers his father’s wisdom.