BENJAMIN ZANDER: THE POWER OF MUSIC

For the weekend, I wanted to share one of my all-time favorite TED talks. This one is by Benjamin Zander who talks about his love of classical music. If you are not a classical music fan, please do not be turned off by the topic.

Mr. Zander is a wonderfully passionate presenter and his storytelling will move you regardless of your musical tastes.

By the way, if you are a presenter, this is a wonderful talk to model for your future presentations. He infuses story, instruction, audience involvement, and lessons in a way that is almost effortless.

Schedule 20 minutes out of your time this weekend to be inspired. Enjoy!

QUESTION: What makes this presentation so powerful for you?

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN 30 DAYS?

This 3-minute TED video sets the stage for my blog posts this week. Matt Cutts works for Google and has an intriguing 30-day challenge for you and me.

High points from the video:

• Try something new for 30 days.
• 30 days is just about the right amount of time to start a new habit.
• Instead of months flying by, the time was much more memorable.
• Self-confidence soared as the 30 day challenges became more challenging.
• You can do ANYTHING for 30 days.
• Small changes = sustainable results.
• Question: "What are you waiting for? I guarantee you, the next 30 days are going to pass whether you like it or not. Why not think about something you have always wanted to try and give it a shot … for the next 30 days."

MY 30-DAY CHALLENGE

I will write more about this tomorrow, but my 30-day challenge is to notice and record the "magic" moments of life. My wife does a marvelous job of recording our life using the philosophy behind Project 365. She takes a picture each day and writes a short blurb about the picture. She has been doing this for over a year now and it is a great way to remember our life. This is highly recommended.

Recording "magic" moments is about finding the small, magical times in life that we experience but rarely record. I will explain the process and, hopefully, compel you to try this 30-day experiment with me tomorrow.

QUESTION: What have you been putting off that could be the object of a 30-day challenge? Please leave comments below.

How to start a movement

One of my favorite websites is TED. TED is a nonprofit devoted to ideas worth spreading. You can find short videos on numerous topics given by outstanding people.

To introduce you to TED, below is one of my favorite TED videos delivered by Derek Sivers. In this short 3:00 video, Derek shares how to start a movement. 

Below are the major points that Derek shares in this video:

1. Leaders need the guts to stand out and be ridiculed.
2. The first follower is an underestimated form of leadership in itself.
3. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader.
4. New followers imitate the early followers – not the leader.
5. Understand the importance of nurturing the first few followers and treating them as equals.
6. When you find a lone nut doing something really great, have the courage to stand up and join in.

Question: Have you ever followed a lone nut to create a movement?