If ever there was a living source of eclectic resources for advancing your dreams, this was the man. The teaching community lost a wonderful spirit on December 5th.
Jim Rohn (September 17, 1930 – December 5, 2009) was mentor, motivator, author, and cheerleader of entrepreneurs, during a successful career of nearly fifty years. He touched countless lives and loved making a difference for many people who were launching their own entrepreneurial careers.
He was fond of the beauty of the basics. He taught that success comes more through personal development than a narrow focus on business alone. A new idea during his early career, working on personal development was something he modeled as well as he taught. He loved to greet attendees at seminars, and became good friends with many who started out as students.
His body of work will continue to influence, through his books, articles, CDs and the plethora of anecdotes and stories being passed on. He epitomized the quest for positive purpose, and will be missed, if still followed, by many.
These insider similarities between ventriloquists and really good entrepreneurs can help anyone communicate their Positive Purpose. The Five Tips were discovered recently and we simply have to pass them on to all of our readers:
Be able to speak with more than one voice.
Communicate effectively with lots of people
So they feel your attention is specifically focused on them.
Help them feel you understand and care for each one.
Get caught doing something that makes you happy.
Communicating your satisfaction and happiness
Makes you a source of positive motivation
And encourages interest and audience participation.
Be willing to share the spotlight.
No one likes a mega-limelight hog.
Collaboration can make competing even more effective
And send you to stardom with less ego bruising.
Use your talents and skills for good causes.
Give back to the community
It’s good business —
And it’s the right thing to do.
Leave your audience wanting more.
Athletes call it leaving at the top of their game
Great singers say their voice will tell them when to retire
The most effective marketers put out a clear call to action
and then let the buyer make the decision to act
Veritably all successful entrepreneurs (or other performers) know these rules. Comedians use common experiences to establish feelings of connection among their audiences. Listeners feel they are a part of the process because they catch glimpses of themselves in the act. Sometimes both figuratively and literally!
Laughing is contagious. So is happiness. Broadcast your positive image and be a presence everyone will want to associate with. Invite participation both directly and indirectly. Model the attitude you hope to foster in others.
How engaging would a ventriloquist be all alone on the stage? Much of her best material could not be communicated in it’s usually effective way. The same is true of entrepreneurs who need others to help them achieve goals and dreams. Going Big means getting support, sharing tasks, collaborating on projects, and sharing the spotlight. Be appreciative of your helpers, mentors, and cohorts. Find good ones.
Giving and giving generously are standard markers of success. Whether referring to moral character, community image, networking acumen, or business strategy, giving is good. For all the right reasons.
This is the hardest one for most folks. Saying your piece and exiting, leaving your audience wanting more, is a learned skill. Getting to the place where you have confidence can be a lengthy journey. Shorter, much shorter if you have good teachers.
Adapted from an article by Laraine Winn, PhD, founder of Educanopy.com, an organization focusing on multidisciplinary continuing education, collegial cooperation and self-improvement. More at Educanopy.com/blog.
