March 17th, 2011

Today in my new business, MIGHT club, the revolutionary web application software that is our core product was completed! Six months in the making. Should have/could have cost easily cost us high six figures, but it did not. My partner and I didn't get it done with money. We got it done with what we call MIGHT: power and possibility-thinking.

First of all, we assumed it must be possible to get our expensive dream done without money.

It's easy to think the magic key to all your dreams, visions and projects is lots of money. But I assure you it is not. I recently watched two separate entrepreneurs allocate more than $500,000 to create software and never get a finished, working system. Time and time again, I've seen money not be the magic key. Because money can't buy vision. You have to bring that. Disney had to bring that. And money can't buy success. You have to manage and guide that. When you take money and apply it to your dream, passion or project, it's only going to take your abilities and flaws and magnify them. So truly, money isn't the magic key to your success. You are. You, your vision, gumption, creativity and possibility-thinking are. Remember that and money will be a whole lot less important to you making remarkable things happen.

See most people hope money can help them avoid having to envision, decide or create "it" themselves. But I assure you, if you're out to do something remarkable, you have to lead with vision, clarity and decisions. Money can't have a vision or make decisions for you. And people you hire can only do as well as you guide them to.

We got hundreds of thousands of dollars of programming work done, on-time!, and without money because of a clear compelling vision that inspired both confidence and creativity in the programmers, an insanely well developed series of diagrams that we could show the programmers of what we wanted (when you can give a super-detailed picture of what you want makes it vastly easier for others to give you what you want), and by some sharing of the profits on the back end. See, we got it down with power and possibility-thinking.  

MIGHT is more powerful than money.


November 17th, 2010


November 15th, 2010


November 15th, 2010


November 15th, 2010


November 15th, 2010


October 25th, 2010

When I was 26 years old, I felt an immense creative urge rise up inside of me. To write a book.

A book to help college students live their passions and dreams. And it was an utterly FRIGHTENING urge.

 

I couldn't have been more insecure about my writing when the desire to write this book broadsided me. And backing up my deep insecurity was the fact that I was in fact, a bad writer. (I've got the early pages still to prove it).

 

But despite insecurity, fear, doubt, lack of a good reason (I was informed that the long arduous, six month writing task would likely only earn me $5000 over the long run) – despite these things plus a lack of time, I dove into the urge because on the other side of my negatives, I could feel a blissful desire to go for it.

 

That was 15 years ago. I finished the book. It has thus far sold 120,000 copies. 

 

 

But if you want to really know why you should answer your most blissful callings, even when doing so seems to daunting, here's your answer:

 

Today I received this email from a young woman who's name I will keep private:

 

"First of all, you should know that I have never felt the need to write to an author before, though I have read many books. However, I feel you deserve to know the effect your book Major in Success (4th edition) has had on me.   

    I honestly believe that this book has saved my life. Though I received letter upon letter from well-known schools from all around the country (including Harvard, Caltech, MIT, and Rice) during my senior year of high school, I was no nearer to knowing what I wanted to do. Most letters remained unopened, and all ended up in a looming pile stuffed in the corner of my room and forever haunting my mind. I was completely clueless about what college to go to and what to study. Even when I was in grade school the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" filled me with an unmitigable horror. This is because I thought that I had to pick a life-long career at only 17 years of age. I knew I was clueless and depressed, for I had no idea of where I wanted to go in life. I was reading books to escape my life, trying to cover up the pile of confusion stuck in my mind. And that's when I realized that I should read books to help me figure out my life instead of escape it. I checked out your book, expecting it to show me how to pick a major. Little did I know it would completely change my outlook on life. 

   You taught me that I don't need to figure out my entire life before college–instead you encouraged me to use college to figure out my interests. You taught me to always do what I liked and what I think is interesting, no matter what others may think. You even taught me to admit even my wildest dreams to myself, no matter how unreachable they may seem (including writing a book of my own). But what I am most thankful to you for is the calming sense of relief you have given me. I am forever thankful to you for helping me remove the horrific pile of uncertainty and distress from the corner of my mind.

    I am now a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, with an undeclared major. I am using this time to take classes that explore my main interests–literature, math, and chemistry–and I've been exploring different clubs. I'm still not exactly sure what I want to do after college, but I am following your advice and keeping a journal. Maybe someday, once I have my "dream job" I will be one of your success stories.

    I just have two questions: Do you really believe that if someone follows what they really love that they will eventually succeed–even if the job is rare and unusual? Is it really a lie that the "coolest jobs are one in a million" and "require great talent" (p. 20)?"

 

There is a person somewhere in the world, and somewhere in time who is waiting for you to give your gift.

When are you going to give it?

 

If you have a passionate belief in your vision and know that you've got a bright future ahead, but are currently hampered by low income, stress and overwhelm, for a limited time I am offering the opportunity for a Complimentary Big Bliss, Big Brilliance, Big Bank Account Strategy Session to explore what you can do to have a breakthrough on your bliss. I have a limited number of appointments available and request that only applicants who are serious about truly realizing big gains on your bliss, brilliance and your bank account apply.

 

To apply for your complimentary session with me, email lyne@goodthink.com and she'll send you the next steps.

 

Live Mighty,

Patrick


October 20th, 2010

 

What will you do with all your MIGHT?

 

Ten days ago, on 10/10/10, we launched the revolution. On a whisper.

It was raw, rough and unrehearsed -

just as every revolution must begin. 

But it was REAL.

Ridiculously real.

 

And for the historical records, four people – ready for a new HOW -

heard the whisper, and joined us.

Exactly enough to start the revolution.

 

OLD WORDS keep you where you're at.

Old words keep you thinking and living and getting the same.

These are the OLD WORDS.

 

Goal setting.

Planning.

Passion.

Vision Board.

Mission.

Purpose.

Persistence. 

Coaching.

 Platform.

 Sales.

 

These are the NEW WORDS of the revolution;

New words give you new perspective and

new perspectives give you new results and new experiences:

 

Alignment.

Bliss.

Significance.

Talent.

 Gifts.

Born to Be.

Possibilities.

 Opportunity Management 

Assets.

Consistency.

Enjoyment.

Ease.

Accountability.

Support.

Daring.

MIGHT.

 

Ours is a revolution in HOW. Change your How and you change

the quality and the quantity of your results:

 

How you live your life.

 

How you work your dream.

 

How you make a difference

 

This revolution is being led by people who

 think and work DIFFERENT.

 

We call it the 3 Hour Remarkable Work Week.

 And we call it MIGHT.

 

Did you know that MIGHT is the only word

 in the dictionary that means both Power and

Possibility?

 

This revolution is being led by mavericks

and creative types who work with power and possibility.

NOT probability.

 

It's time for great souls to Awaken to their great MIGHT.

 

Astound yourself.

Join the revolution.

Before it's too late.

Before you lose yourself.

 

I'll leave it up to you to find us.

You shall know us by our VELOCITY.

 

Burn Bright,

 

Patrick


October 16th, 2010

Are there two aspects of your bliss that you can't put together logically?

I have a hard time rationally understanding how I can be both a success coach and an artist. To me, they almost seem at odds with each other.

I must confess I've long felt like it was almost a curse, to not just have the desire to be one of the two. It would be so much simpler from my career perspectives. And I might be so much more easily understood by those trying to understand who I am. Oh Patrick, he's a speaker. Or, Oh Patrick, he's a theater solo show performer. Then I'd have one website. One focus. One brochure. And you'd have an easy understanding of me. 

I've spent more days than I care for you to know trying to figure which one I truly am, so that I can leave the other behind – and just be the best version of the ONE me I can. Instead of two versions of me.

But I think I've finally figured it out. I am who I am. And the way I tick inside doesn't fit into a tidy box. I am not a speaker, or an monologist, or a coach, or a entrepreneur – I'm a complex mix of many blissful desires that when played out on life's stage add up to the photo album of my life – one of much variety. On stage in a theater one day, a comedic actor. On stage another day, an inspirational speaker. At the head of a table another day, a large company co-founder.

Not that there isn't a theme, a thru-line to it all because there is: No matter what I'm doing; speaking, writing, storytelling, comedy, entrepreneuring, or interviewing – what's always present is my authentic and unique spirit. Somewhere in all these things, my true essence is present. I don't pretend to know what my true essence appears to be to others. (Please tell me if you do) But I know it's present because I don't do things that aren't truly me.

I've got to pay bills, make my mortgage, support my family, blah, blah, blah – but I've always got to be me doing it.

George Carlin was 20 years into a successful comedy career when he was very clear that the problem was that there was no real George Carlin in the George Carlin comedy show. So although successful he was deeply unsatisfied. Of course I'm still seeking the truest version of my artist voice every time I work, but I think I've been fortunate to get a good portion of my true self into all my work. 

I'm on a photo shoot today, and just thought I'd type a note instead of doing nothing during the waiting, so let me wrap this up and figure out what I'm trying to say here…

Being true to who I actually am has meant coming to terms that I am the complex mix of my blissful urges. They don't fit neatly into a simple category that makes me simple to understand. And that's very good thing. Because if we have the courage to express our true complex self, that's what makes us not like everybody else.

Burn Bright!
Patrick, 

speaker, author, actor, storyteller, entrepreneur, artist, coach, interviewer, teacher, learner, optimist, realist, nice guy, jerk, outward, inward, foolish, wise, serious, ridiculous, pleasant, moody, kind, screw up, do gooder, self-centered, big hearted, open-book, very private, loving, complex person.