Go Back To Get Ahead

The other night, I was digging through some papers from, as it turned out, years ago.

There were E-books galore, (including my own), pages of notes and things I had typed, as well as blog posts and articles from my former life on the web. And then there was the small stack of emails Larry and I had written back and forth, and back again, over the years.

It was funny, (in a different kinda way), that a lot of what we had typed about was still the same stuff we type about today.

I don't so much mean the brief asides we wrote about celebrities or politicians or local professional sports teams just totally blowing perfectly possible seasons by winning just a few games, (though that happens quite a bit). I'm talking about what the future holds, what we will be doing in say a few years (or even next week).

Like I said, it's funny in that it is the same over the years. Some of which we have made decent strides towards, yet it remains as central focus that doesn't seem to go away.

While I can't quite speak for Larry at the moment, my own ideas were based on a few ideas.

• Helping others is a primary focus.
• Is fun, involves humor, (definitely is not always serious).
• Provides me with a sense of having done something meaningful.
• Writing, maybe speaking or instructing in some fashion, is involved.

Those are what pushed me to writing my first few e-books several years ago. Since then, daily life has managed to get in the way much more than one would have wished. BUT, the primary focus which keeps coming up in our emails has never gone away.

So my questions to you are these:

• What have you been thinking about year after year that you should be doing?
• What idea or image keeps popping into your mind?
• What, (and I hate the word), regret do you still have inside you?
• What did you like or love doing in the past that you don't do any more? (not because you can't, but you just don't).
• How can we help you get started on this?

Leave your thoughts and comments, and together, we shall see what we can accomplish.

A Few Things Learned This Year

While we like to talk about looking forward and not dwelling on the past, it is helpful at times to look back over the past year and see what happened that we learned from. Ok, so this is mostly my (David's) list.

1. Write it down to give it a chance.

Being writers, Larry and I write a lot of stuff about stuff. We've even written back and forth about what we were thinking about stuff prior to writing it down so it would become stuff prior to our actually writing about the stuff we had written about. (It makes sense to me, really).

Fact is, if you don't write it down somewhere, put it someplace where you will see it rather often, it just won't happen. Get it outta your head. (maybe that would have been a better #1 title. You have enough to think about, why not make the list of what you want to accomplish and get to feeling it, being it, doing it.


2. Don't wait for perfect.

Ouch! (#1) Doctors are not perfect, computers are not perfect, car companies and banks are not perfect (told myself I wouldn't go there), secretaries are not.... ummmmmm, yeah! they are.

Everything can be improved upon. Even that paper you got an A+ on back in high school can be made better with what you know now. Thing is, if you have this idea, this feeling, this urge to do something that will make things better, then go ahead and get started on it. Don't wait for the "perfect" moment, the "perfect" date, the "perfect" place or the "perfect" whatever. There is no such thing. So, just do (Oh! wait, that's then next one).

3. Do it, you'll feel better.

You ever have those moments when you just get on a roll? You know, you start something at say 10:00 in the morning and the next time you look up, it's already 2:00 and you've missed lunch? That's what happens when you just go ahead and get started on something.

Now Larry has probably known this longer than I have (See, I'm still learning), since he's been writing at a high consistent level for years. You write even when you don't necessarily feel like it. I've heard it said before a different way... It's the writing that will bring on more writing. Try in in your own field.

4. Let folks know where you are.

Just like when you knew you were going to be late, and you needed to phone home to let mom know where you were, what you were doing and why you were gonna get your butt beat because you were already late for dinner and didn't tell her ahead of time, it's a good thing to let folks know where you are.

We did that last week with a quick post. It could be thought more of as a warning that we will be doing more, being more, giving more, presenting more, but that's part of things as well. Don't necessarily tell everything in your playbook or your plans ahead, but let them know you are there and will be back with a bang.

5. Go through the damn door

Finally, when you have made up your mind in some fashion, push forward and go through the damn door. If you don't there could be someone on the other side rushing through and hitting you with it breaking your collar bone, sending you to the emergency room where they hook you up to an EKG machine (left arm for guys, right arm for women, testing for heart attacks), and then to the doctorss office for the first time in many years, taking 4-6 weeks to mend itself into some fashion that you can then use it to pull up your pants. (See David's posting about Be Naked for the new year).

But I digress. Push forward and don't let the simple things stop you.

---David

We're Coming Back, Really!

I soooo want to just say that we will be taking a bit of a break from all of the blogging and related stuff. BUT, (and that's a big but), I am sure you can see we have pretty much taken our own form of a sabbatical of sorts.

For those observant many, the most recent post (not counting this one) was way back earlier this year on November 9th. Before that was sometime before Halloween, and then another one some 7 weeks before that.

But yes, we are still taking that break, mostly because of the end-of-the-year rush with work things happening, too many parties with the rich and famous we just must go to, and that game of Risk we started back in the late 90s just never seems to end.

What we won't tell you right away...

So yeah, I don't think we're gonna come out here and tell you to get to work, make a commitment, write every day, (though I do believe Larry and I do, it's just that most folks won't see it or know it's us. Well, at least that's Larry's roll as a ghost writer. Me, mostly emails and slightly creative inside joke newsletters for friends).

But Then Again...

Because of what the two of us do anyway, (all of those behind the scenes stuff not exactly connected to BEL), we just might discuss how to keep pushing forward, write when you don't really feel like it, balance your work life with your life life, bust loose in the new year (without surgery).

I can't tell you, exactly...

There is that saying when giving presentations.

• Tell them what you are going to tell them
• Tell them.
• Tell them what you told them.

Now that works for those times when one is giving a talk, but it doesn't work so much here. First of all, we're not 119% sure what exactly BEL will always be about. And it would be crazy to tell you we will be giving away free pizzas when we don't even know where to get enough pepperoni to feed so many folks.

Biz

But over time, BEL will work itself out and become something well worth the price of admission to this site. If you run your own business, work for a business, a not-for-profit organization, want to have a business, need a business, want to write, are a writer, need a writer, give presentations, want to improve your presentations, want to get started presenting, or just want a present, (umm, might not be able to help you on that last one), but this will be the place to be.

E

It's all online. So it's electric (boogie ooogie ooogie).

Life

Also, if you have a life, need a life, want to do more with your life, need to balance your life, feel your life is out of your control, or just want ideas for what to do, this too can be the place to get started.

By now, and if you have read some of the previous posts over the year(s) either here or on our own sites and blogs, you know that we don't always come off as serious (though we have our moments). The way things are presented may not always be seriously boring (or is that boring because it's so serious?) Whichever. But what we will bring you will help, if you work with it. (wow, that was serious), sorry about that.

Anyway, as I started to say at the top of this, we're still on break. So I have no idea why I have sat here and written so much. But stay tuned.

And to do that, feel free to follow us on Twitter.

BEL: http://twitter.com/bizelifeguys
Larry: http://twitter.com/LarryLNichols
David: http://twitter.com/djstoddard

Until then, just promise us not too much eggnog, ok?

David & (Larry, but he is working his fingers off right now, but will be back as well).

Keeping Busy Does What Exactly?

I've been sitting here for maybe the past hour or so looking at this screen, with the title you see above, wondering just what I am thinking about this. In the process of looking at the title, I have taken time to check mail about 17 times, (nothing there), posted a few Twitter comments, updated the MySpace page to take out what was no longer correct, looked out the window about 14 times wondering when my shoulder will be well enough for me to get back out there and rake the leaves away, and have come back to this blog entry wondering still what it is I am meaning by the title.

I've been busy.

As I can read into what I just typed, I really have been busy doing stuff. Strange thing is it doesn't really look as if I got anything done on what I had set out to do. (The goal was to have this post written, and yet it sits here, staring back at me, with all it's empty spaces mocking me.

Life and its busyness - a writer's view.

As a writer, I have heard way too often of the "necessary" distractions which can keep us from actually getting our writing done. And, um, yes. I have fallen prey to many of those. But that is a story worthy of it's own posting later on.

Writers have this thing, mainly because writing is such a solitary activity which is often done at home, of having many more distractions right in front of us because they are ours.

Necessary Distractions?

Things like needing to take the trash out, water the plants, wash the car, cut the grass, rake the leaves, paint the garage, wash the dishes, make lunch, trim the bushes, repair the bathroom doorknob, (don't ask), wash the windows, take out the plastic soda bottles from the office and make the bed, (which no, I don't totally understand why this is so necessary, most of the time).

Yes, pretty much anyone "lucky enough" to work from home has these distractions right in front of them on a daily basis. Ooops, hang on. I really need to dust this monitor and desk, it will only take me a minute.

(15 minutes later)

Ok, I'm back. You know how it is, one thing leads to another. After dusting the desk, I noticed just how dusty the shelves in here are along with the window ledge. And of course, the trash wasn't taken out last night, so I had to do that, along with raking the leaves from the driveway since I was out there. But I am back now. Really. Back to whatever I was writing about.

See how easily one can become distracted? Yes, things needed to be done. But did they need to be done in such an un-timely fashion?

I'll leave it to you to decide on your own about what is necessary to do versus what is just an untimely distraction, when it comes to doing what you are doing.

Larry's up next to give you tips, tricks and treats of keeping distractions to a minimum.

Larry has been able to fight these urges, to do something else, for a lot longer than I have. He has managed to create creative copy for clients, write witty words with wonder, and type tons of terrific tomes of tunage, while not allowing the personal world of what would be wild to work on without winding up with nothing done.

So stay tuned for his posting in the near future. Once it's written, we'll link to it from here as well.

Your turn.

But for now, what is it that is getting in your way? Yes, it may need to be done, but does it need to be worked on while you are busy doing your work? If you were working away from home on the job, where you wouldn't be able to wash your car, (necessarily), what would you be working on?

65 To Go - Git Er Done, or Stay The Course?

Like everything, why are there so many schools of thought on.... well, um... everything?

Do you play for the tie or the win? Do you reuse plastic bottles or turn them into other things? Should you vacuum before you dust, or dust first? Should you turn your calendar's month the night before the month actually changes? In bowling, when you need a spare to win, do you still throw your normal strike ball or play it a bit safer to avoid a split?

All good topics for debate, but they don't necessarily make sense to go into overly deeply here.

But one that comes up (and maybe it's just me), is the whole end of the year thing. I know there are those "extra" things that need to be finalized before the year is up. But what about your normal activities?

Should you work more on those, harder on those, deeper on those, more focused on those as the year nears completion? Or should you just keep doing what you have been doing normally, same pace, same focus, same style and grace as the rest of the year?

I suppose it depends a bit on what your business is, what your activities include, what it is you are connecting this post to. I'm sure there are some activities which would be nice to get done by the start of 2009 (that end-of-year deadline can be a nice thing).

I guess my question is do you put extra emphasis on some things this time of year at the risk of letting other things slip by? Do you rush some things through (probably a bit too quickly) and hope mistakes are not made or things get sloppy?

How do you see it:

Is it better to rush a few things at the end of the year to get em out of the way, or just keep on doin what you've been doin?

--David

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
David Stoddard
That guy who rambles about stuff, but it makes sense, somehow.
www.djstoddard.com

Making Inconsistency The Constant Consistency

If you learn nothing else from us, let it be this.

Do as I say, not as i do. (Though this will be changing in the near future).

To those observant many, you may have noticed we have not been posting in quite the consistent nature as we may end up hinting at. After all, consistency is a way to not only win friends and influence people, it's also a nice way of building a following of folks who are interested in what you have to say, like what you give them, honor your thoughts with their comments, and even not ask to borrow that hat you word to the Cardinals Cubs game last night.

For us, we feel (and by we, I mean me as I sit and write this as a way of filling in the space for September 9, 2008) that we haven't been slacking off of our duties of publishing worth while information or even the occasional (often) ramblings which we have been known to do in our own parts of the WWW.

We like to think of it more as building up to something truly something. But for that something to happen, we must get started doing something, anything, which will in turn become something which is truly something.

What You Get To Do

For now, look back at the archives of the BEL Blog here and get a feeling for where we began, where we began heading, and where we will begin again from where we left off. And let us know what you think, what you feel, what you had for dinner and what time we should be there next time.

What You Get Out Of It

While I would like to say you can have a new car or a boat or a small stack of 20 dollar bills, I can say that all I want, it won't quite make it so. But what you will get is the feeling you contributed to the world at large, the web at large, the larger than life moment of something greater than all of us combined. And after all, isn't feeling great worth it in itself?

But really. We shall get our own tails moving in a more consistent fashion. Placing more articles, information and ideas out here for you to take with you, hang on restroom walls for everyone to read, and just sitting back watching the grass grow along with your business, your career, your life and a whole lot more.

Until then, get busy reading today.

Because if not now, when?

--David

David Stoddard
the Unmotivated Motivational Writer
http://www.djstoddard.net

One of the BEL BOYS

Everything Has Value, But How High Is Yours To Yourself?

I was cleaning out a few boxes last week and came across this stack of cards. they seem to have once been in some sort of Rolodex type calendar or something. But these were scattered all over the place in this dusty box from the back of the basement.

Anyway, being the quotation reader kinda guy that I am, I looked through them. Many said the usual stuff like "Be the best you can be," and "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." You know, the usual stuff from years past. (not that that's a bad thing, but I had read many of those before.

Then I came to this one.

"If you really do put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise the price."

It got me thinking first about all of discussions writers have about writing for free when you are just starting out. Should you do it? Should you volunteer your mad word writing skills just to get a few clips? Will folks expect it out of you all the time? What will this then do for the profession? When will you ever get paid what you are worth?

But this same sort of thing should relate to all of us in whatever we are doing. Questions such as...

How much is my time worth?
Is what I am doing now adding value?
Will doing this or that help me later on to do these and those?

If you can see a larger benefit later on, then you may want to think about it. But if there is nothing in it for you, unless it just makes you feel good that you contributed to something you are passionate about, you might want to look at something else.

Remember that you have value to yourself first. It's up to you what you are worth in the long run. But it doesn't hurt to earn more right now if you can.


--David

David Stoddard
The Unmotivated Motivational Writer
http://www.djstoddard.net
http://www.insearchofourselves.com
http://www.biz-e-life.com

To Leave Or Not To Leave (An Impact), Is That The Question?

To Leave Or Not To Leave (An Impact), Is That The Question?

I have been having a most fascinating extended conversation with a few of my "Deep Thinking," philosophically oriented friends about the whole "ethical / moral / spiritual" ramifications of leaving any sort of noticeable, detectable impact on the world, once we are officially done doing our time and have finished passing through this particular physical manifestation amidst our Pilgrim's Progress?

One side says that we are to be as thoughtful, considerate, conscientious, careful and graceful as humanly possible to ensure that, just like when you go camping or hiking in nature, you end the experience by meticulously "policing" the area to ensure that you left behind absolutely no evidence that you were ever there.

Now I'm an ex Cub Scout - Boy Scout and was raised by my parents to be a very devout nature enthusiast and protector of the realm, so I quite instinctively totally understand and agree with this theory, at least as far as it applies to our effects on nature when sojourning out into the pure and pristine beauty of the woods and wilderness.

The other side seems to say something well along the lines of: "Every individual that comes to planet earth should do everything in their power to make sure that they leave something behind for their posterity." We owe it to this wondrous opportunity to even exist in this time and place to gift the world with something of positive value for the future inhabitants when we leave,, be that information, literature, art, music, stories, film, buildings, statues, whatever."

I think that's a very powerful and positive point of view. I am ever so grateful for those who went before me and left behind a trail of insightful books, inspirational poetry, engaging art, reflective and stimulating music, and lots and lots of time tested, valuable information on how to do everything from build a boat and grow tomatoes, to how to write the perfect press release or compelling website copy.

Is it the natural, inherent, "bridge-building" peace-maker in me that sees that these two concepts are not really at odds with one another at all, but in fact work in a perfect symbiotic cooperative manner with one another?

My view on this is that one can simply apply both strategies to one's life and not only be very happy, satisfied, popular and well liked, but at the very same time, avoid a bunch of additional bad karma / sin / negative energy or whatever you call it in your personal cosmological world view or spiritual path, predilection or predisposition.

I say, always consistently strive to make as powerfully positive an impact and impression on the rest of the world as possible, while being equally conscientious to avoid leaving even the slightest / lightest parcel of negativity or damage behind for others to have to carefully maneuver around and effectively side-track without stepping in it.

That seems to be the path that works best for me, what are your thoughts and insights on the subject?

Larry ;-)

"On Words And Up Words"

Larry L. Nichols
http://www.wordandwebwiz.com/
http://www.onwordsandupwords.blogspot.com/
http://www.larrylnichols.wordpress.com/
http://www.biz-e-life.com/

Words are my paints - Minds are my canvases.

Monday Morings Are What We Make Em

• Another day of the week.
• Another Monday.
• Another new beginning.
• Another chance for a change.
• Another best day of our lives.
• Another shot at getting more accomplished.
• Another day to make the most of.
• Another morning.
• Another afternoon.
• Another evening.
• Another opportunity to do great things.
• Another day to smile.
• Another day to look forward to.
• Another day like no other.

So Tell me, what is today like for you? How will tomorrow be better?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

David.

David Stoddard online at www. d j stoddard.com

and www.biz-e-life.com

The Amazing Benefits Of "Tag-Team" Co-Writing! (Part 5)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

(Larry) Sounds good to me. So, what benefits do you personally find yourself experiencing when co-writing in a "tag-team" effort and what specific benefits and values to you find that the reader gets and enjoys from the process?

(David) For me, the "tag-team" way of doing things helps me focus by branching out with different ideas. I know that may or may not make sense, but that's what it feels like to me.
In this article alone, I have written about things I had not necessarily written about before, or at least in a way that has been presented. I don't ever remember writing about W.C. Fields, but there he is in letters and words.

(Larry) Exactly! The other person is quite comfortably, naturally and automatically utilized as a springboard for new and originally undiscovered pathways, concepts, avenues and perspectives that never would have ever occurred to the single, individual, independent mind alone, limited to whatever is already available inside a closed system of conceptual consciousness.

It's like suddenly having the ability to see what's out there to the left, right and behind, as well as an nearly endless number of "degreed" variables in between, instead of always simply, single-mindedly and methodically pushing endlessly forward with a pre-set and dialed in stream of consciousness. I love it! Two writers working in "tag-team" tandem increase the possibilities creative awareness to an infinite degree.

(David) Plus it also helps to clean things up in one's mind, as well and helps narrow down the focus (or search for just the right word). Finally, it provides a feeling that yes, I am on the right track. The ideas I type tend to get a vote of approval or maybe a thought that something needs to be altered a little bit.

(Larry) You are precisely 100% right on that point David, but isn't it nice to know that if you were only a mere 97% right, I would be here by your side to help find that missing 3%! I know that I am so very appreciative of the fact that you are there to prod me on to look deeper, write clearer, think wider or narrower, as the case and need may be.

(David) For the reader, I'd like to believe the co-written version, while longer than just a single article, gives a bit more of an entertaining way. It gives life to a given article. It adds excitement, conflict, and a lot of other words which normally wouldn't be there had it been just 1 person.

(Larry) Bingo! That's really whole gist of the matter, right there. While a relaxed, comfortable blog post might end up LONGER than usual, as we both discuss the multiple variable involved from two very distinctly different perspectives, length is not always the natural, guaranteed outcome.

When it comes to actually doing REAL paid "WORK," be it web copy, articles, press releases, sales letters, marketing promotions, newsletters or books / e-books, whether about business, the internet or life in general, there is a combined, laser like commitment to crystal clear and concisely clean focus!

(David) So yes, while it certainly provides perspective from a 2nd point of view of sorts, a 2nd opinion, a 2nd pair of eyes, a 2nd helping of potatoes and that bacon you had mentioned earlier, it also helps us to keep it clean and simple, directly to the point and right on target. That is the benefit of having two experienced editors on our two man writing staff. Two heads are better than one kind of thing. Finally, I think it shows that we are just "people," much like those reading what we write.

(Larry) I completely concur. It is a very valuable, dual role, simultaneous processing tool to naturally:

(1) expand on the possibilities of an idea or concept, while at the exact same time, it helps improve the content by effectively

(2) "double filter" editing, limiting and focusing in on exactly where the message is now, and where it is intended to arrive at when the process is over.

This means the great and significant advantage to the reader is, there is constantly an editor, a second brain and set of eyes to catch a vital point that might be inadvertently over-looked by one writer who is so busy making sure he gets 1 , 2 or 3 major premises down on the page before they disappear into the ether, that 2 or 3 equally interesting ideas might accidentally be completely forgotten about in the process of desperately trying to "get it all down."

Plus the second person, who knows the first person well enough to have a pretty good idea where their mind is probably going with a concept, is right there on the spot to instantly ask an important question or request an example or two in order to ensure further, specific clarification of what is being conveyed to the reader.

I'm most definitely happy and very satisfied with the benefits provided by writing with the tag-team tandem approach. I thank you Sir, for your much appreciated participation.

With that, I momentarily step away from the coffee table to go watch the birds goofing around and eating stray french fries out on the deck for a while.

Hey ..... my coffee's COLD!

The Amazing Benefits Of "Tag-Team" Co-Writing! (Part 4)

This is part 4 of our conversation on working together as writers. If you missed the first 3 parts, they can be found here.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

(David) W.C. did have a way of being a Wise-Cracking, West-Coast, Wild-Child, with Wonderful-Comedic timing and tendencies.

That's why I was a bit surprised by his answer about pressing on, stamina, perseverance, never giving up and doing what you feel you want to do."Son. It's like I've said before. If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then Quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it."

(Larry) Well I say a hearty "Amen" to the first part of his exhortation, the whole thing about pressing on, stamina, perseverance and never giving up on pursuing what you feel, or know it is that you want to do.

Creative screen writer / actor / director Woody Allen has been immortalized for decades for his vast number of deeply brilliant and often simultaneously humorous lines, but one of the most famous Woody Allen quote is actually quite profoundly serious in it's significant substantive stance that "90% of life is just showing up!"

It's true. You don't always have to have all the answers completely figured out and lined up in a decisively masterful "step-by-step" order arrangement. Sometimes just having the motivation and determination to show up with a sincere conviction and unwavering, driving commitment, is all you really need.

Just like the extremely resourceful "MacGyver" before us, we never fully know for sure, exactly how or what tools we will need to utilize in order to succeed at our objectives. Once we "show up," with a determination to see things through till the very end, that's when we finally have earned the opportunity to personally experience the immediacy of the circumstance.

Then and only then are we really in a reasonable position to most effectively interpret for ourselves precisely where we stand and decide whether it's going to take (a) the toothpick, stick of chewing gum, magnet, harmonica, can of hair-spray and the clock radio or (B) the "D" sized battery, slab of bacon, mini pocket calculator, cigarette lighter, plastic straw and the litre of orange soda to get us out of the current jam we find ourselves in and back onto the road to victory.

So yes, without a doubt, absolute perseverance and total commitment are vitally important to "team effort" writing project.

(David) I think you are right. And this article seems to be a perfect example of having an idea at the beginning, but then taking on a life of it's own down the road becoming more than what we thought it could become later on. What started as an article has become more of a transcript of 2 people talking about what it is to write together. This has brought about a few extra topics that we may not have thought about had this had been strictly scripted in (as you mentioned) a step-by-step manner.

Sure, it could be a whole stream of consciousness exercise (and that, by the way, is an exercise which is quite beneficial to anyone either in business or wanting more out of life, but isn't quite sure what that is). In this case, our "article" has become the beginning of a road map. An example of what can be created with just a single idea.

But in the end, one does need to get back to what works, what was begun in order to get something accomplished. So how about we move on to something more useful and personal?

The Amazing Benefits Of "Tag-Team" Co-Writing! (Part 3)

Part 3 of our conversation about working together. Didn't catch the first or second, click here for 1, here for 2.


(Seeing how Larry's mouth has been filled with the peanut butter and celery deliciousness, not to mention that each stick contains no less than 3 tablespoons full of the sticky peanutty rich filing - which David just forgot to mention - this has forced Larry to spend a great deal of time rearranging his tonsils in an effort to talk. So for a good 2 minutes, David gets a chance to wax poetic).

(David) Yup! I agree. (Understand that David had been sitting there waiting for a breath so he could go to the restroom. Talk of the Titanic and all of that water really wasn't helping).

(David now makes his way back to the living room drying his hands with several paper towels as Larry is finally able to open wide enough to not only stick his tougue out at David, but to also ask him a serious question).

(Larry) Any other comments that need to be discussed or addressed?

(David) Yeah, finally, as a famous actor told me in a totally made up, in my own imagination interview I conducted, we are all actors. No matter if it's our daily life, if we are on stage or screen, or even online, our best role is of ourselves. It keeps us real. Makes us real. And is the best we can possibly do.

(Larry) Sounds like a pretty smart guy. It's a significant truth that goes all the back to William Shakespeare, and probably well beyond that, though at the moment, off the top of my head, the Shakespeare line about us all being actors on the stage is the earliest historical reference to the concept that comes to mind from history.

If you have to play a role, why not choose to play the one role that no one on Earth can ever possibly even come close to playing as well as you, the role of yourself. If you are ever going to stand out and be noticed, appreciated and congratulated for effectively playing a character in life, the one you have the best chance of pulling off to perfection is "Yourself!"

Any other wise words from your actor friend?

(David) Well, before he left, I asked him about this partnership so many may seem to be worried about. He said there are 3 kinds of folks to worry about when you are working with them. First are animals. Second are children. And third, are experienced ghost writers.

So what can I say. I love animals.

(Larry) Ah, sounds like you were interviewing the ghost of W.C. Fields. Yeah, he and I have had our differences over the years, it only makes sense that he would take this opportunity to get another dig in at me over my career as a ghost writer.

Even after all these years, that's one very verbose ghost who doesn't like his lines written for him or being told what to say. ;-)

Personally, I'm a little surprised that he didn't offer up a warning about the corporate copywriter instead of the ghost-writer. After the last several years spending so much of my time writing copy and designing "Brands" for big companies, I, much like Mr. W.C. Fields, feel as if I have been spending "way too much time" working side by side with a bunch of "children" and "animals!" (LOL)