BALANCING ACT: BLENDING LIFE, WORK, AND RELATIONSHIPS® A free monthly newsletter about balancing life, work, and relationships based on the books and popular workshops conducted by Alan Weiss, Ph.D.

 
 

Balancing Act®: The Newsletter

(No. 300, July 2024)

This is the 300th edition of Balancing Act®, which began 25 years ago. In 1999 we had the Y2K scare, Harry Potter, Tiger Woods winning his first PGA championship, Power Mac G4, Time Magazine naming Albert Einstein “Person of the Century,” the creation of the Euro, and the debut of SpongeBob. I wrote about dealing with guilt and the need for stimulus in our lives.

I was 54 and I felt great. I was still doing a lot of corporate work and Million Dollar Consulting, my fourth book, was only seven years old, and I had written eight. Today, the sixth edition of Million Dollar Consulting is on the shelves 32 years later, and I’ve written well over 50 commercially published books, appearing in 15 languages.

I began Balancing Act® with the intent of helping people understand that there’s more to life than work or career, and that the more “balanced” we are the more interesting we are to others. I also wanted to provide remedies for some of life’s greatest challenges. There were a few special issues, including one I wrote about 9/11 on 9/13 while driving home from California cross-country with all air travel suspended.

My appreciation for your support and interest. If you’ve been with me since the beginning, I’m impressed with your dedication! Thank you, and here’s to another 300.

Oh, yeah, did I mention that I’m 78, still on top of my game, and feel better than ever?!

(You can find the Balancing Act® archives here.)

Balancing Act® is our registered trademark. You are encouraged to share the contents with others with appropriate attribution. Please use the ® whenever the phrase “Balancing Act” is used in connection with this newsletter or our workshops.

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Balancing Act® is in four sections based on famous quotations:

  1. Essays
  2. Musings
  3. Developmental Stuff
  4. ORTIYKMWOYBNT-O Department

Follow me on Twitter. Every day I provide 3-5 brief, pithy pieces of advice for growth. Join the thousands who read these “quick hits” every morning. Over 9,000 followers! Why aren’t you among them? And find me on Facebook.

Listen to my free Podcast Series on Apple Podcasts or on ContrarianConsulting.com: Alan Weiss’s The Uncomfortable Truth®. And watch A Minute with Alan® daily on all social media and my blog.

Essays

Hair Apparent

The global hair growth supplement and treatment market size was estimated at $7.74 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $8.09 billion in 2024. This includes topical treatments, implants, and assorted other effective and ineffective products and services. While I see an obvious increase in men, in particular, who shave their heads for a deliberately bald look (which sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t), I’m guessing the pharmaceutical company which actually develops an effective and short-term hair growth treatment will be worth a fortune.

These Times

The New York Times is an obviously liberal publication, it has been for a long time, and once you realize that you can read it intelligently, discounting it’s bias, which leaks from editorial over to “factual” reporting. (There are conservative sources that do the same, but not this egregiously. The Wall Street Journal, more conservative, will print opposing views while the Times rarely does.) But sometimes it does become unbearable, for example in a book review where the reviewer departs from the content to comment on the politics of the writer. To me, the Times’s motto is now “All the news that (we see) fit to print.”

Trump This

I’m observing that Donald Trump was found guilty of an “e-class felony” in the misuse of campaign funds. That’s the lowest level felony, and one assessed when people commit fraud on tax returns (that is, evading taxes, not merely avoiding them, the latter being quite ethical and legal). I make no political point here, merely to say that if every person who has evaded taxes and been caught or is as yet uncaught were found guilty and imprisoned, we wouldn’t have to worry anymore about long lines at sporting events or hard-to-get tickets at the theater or a reservation at any restaurant.

Musings

There was a New York Times article last month pointing out that many people who sought to enter the “life coaching” profession would end up spending far more money than they ever earned because of poor instructors, unethical organizations, and what amounted to “pyramid schemes.” (Read More)

I’ve never been certain about what a “life coach” does as a specialty. It seems that all coaching is meant to improve our lives—if it’s effective—no matter what aspect of our lives it focuses on. And I’ve believed that coaching isn’t therapy, coaches aren’t clinicians, and there are areas to avoid because, otherwise, we’re giving an uninformed opinion on family relationships, or investments, or whatever.

When Marshall Goldsmith and I wrote Lifestorming together, we agreed that most “life coaches” were female, and that most of them were making very little money. That meant that they were not confident in their own value, and their clients certainly didn’t believe it was worth too much. And, as many of you know, I don’t believe in coaching organizations or certificates or certifications at all. Who certifies the certifiers? (Sed quis Custodiet ipsos Custodes?)

If you want to become a coach, or improve your existing coaching skills, find someone who is clearly successful, respected, and whose brand is well known. Don’t accept some video sessions, upsells for “additional skills,” or some certificate to hang on your wall.

No one is going to pay you for a certificate.

Development Opportunities
2024 Virtual Workshop Series

2024 Virtual Workshop Series
Major Growth Issues for Professional Services Providers

I’ve designed this series around the most frequently asked questions in my global coaching program, and from the advice I’ve provided that has most rapidly propelled people to much higher income and far less labor intensity. Everyone enrolled in each 90-minute program will receive a recording. I also encourage questions in advance.

All sessions are on Mondays at 10:30 US Eastern time so that you can begin your week with new approaches. The sixth session is intended to create a far more powerful 2025

Session One: Ghostbusters
July 22, 2024

Learn how to prevent people from “ghosting” and what to do in case they do refuse to return calls and emails. However, my methods for avoiding this entirely are highly effective, and can be applied immediately—in fact, as soon as you leave the workshop or video. People call me back because they can’t afford not to.

Session Two: The Real Story
August 26, 2024

Story telling has been proven to be one of the most effective and high impact methods to influence others. Learn the three components of any great story, how to create them, introduce them, deliver them, and exploit the results. Discover the events in your life that are great stories that you don’t even realize you own. And learn how to immediately recall the appropriate story when needed extemporaneously.

Session Three: Brevity
September 23, 2024

Learn to shut up.

Session Four: Achieving and Sustaining Results Leadership
October 21, 2024
Step away from the hackneyed “thought leadership” (Does that mean you have more thoughts than everyone else?) and into the rarefied atmosphere of unequivocal achievements and concomitant brand power. Believe it or not, the thinking didn’t go into creating drills, but rather how to create holes.

Session Five: How to Be A Contrarian and Live to Tell About it
November 18, 2024

You need an “edge,” the ability to unsettle people. There IS such a thing as “too much quality,” and “overly happy employees.” The customer is NOT always right, and while the early bird may get the worm, it’s the early worm that gets eaten. Follow me right to the edge without falling over it, and learn how be a constant object of interest.

Session Six: The 20-Hour Week, the Million Dollar Year
December 9, 2024

Some people say, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” I say, “The smarter I work, the luckier I get.” Learn how YOU can create a 20-hour-a-week approach to your profession and/or practice, and how that can create a million dollars (or more) annually. These are not metaphors. I’m serious. You don’t believe that? Well, what if a thousand people bought this entire series that you are considering right now? That’s over a million dollars for me “working” 90 minutes a month for six months. If you think I can do that, but not you, I thank you, but shame on you! Don’t you think you ought to invest enough to see what you’re capable of, and if it’s possible for you? I mean, even if it’s 25 hours….

All sessions are recorded and distributed promptly as part of the program. The Special Sessions (below) are arranged with me at mutually-convenient times over the ensuing 12 months.

Single Session: $350
Two Sessions: $650
Three Sessions: $900
Four Sessions: $1100
Five Sessions: $1,200
Six Sessions: $1,300

Special Sessions: All six plus six 30-minute Zoom coaching calls with me, one-on-one: $2,500. These appointments will be adjusted to accommodate differing time zones.

LEARN MORE
Not Without Honor…

Not Without Honor…

“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”
—The Gospel of Mark, 6:4

Join me for a monthly newsletter that will explore, analyze and predict ramifications of issues and events in global societies. Each issue will focus on topics that will include politics, social mores, the arts, sports, technology, financial affairs, and other contemporary issues.

Develop the ability to discuss current issues with dexterity and insight and become an object of interest to others, whether clients, colleagues, or friends. The discussions will be brief and focus on three-to-five issues per edition. Letters and commentary from readers will be welcome.

For example, as we are undergoing the dynamics of morbidity outpacing fertility in most developed countries, there will be a profound labor shortage if actions are not taken rapidly. This includes such diverse political systems as China and the US. There are three key areas, that must be utilized to accommodate what is apparently a multi-generational problem. We’ll discuss what they are and analyze what must be done to successfully resolve the dilemma.

You get the idea. The first issue launches in October. The fee is $500 for the year of newsletters, including all back issues if you join during the year. If you subscribe prior to August 1, the fee is $400.

LEARN MORE
The Spontaneous Session

The Spontaneous Session

People laugh today when I tell them I’ve “prepared” for a Zoom or live session. They know my speeches are mainly riffs, and that I never change a word or phrase when I’m writing my books. (My all-time best-seller, Million Dollar Consulting, through six editions, has had exactly one paragraph changed by the publisher.)

What I want to do on Halloween is give you a treat by showing the tricks of my trade. I will actually demonstrate how you can be spontaneous and also highly impressive, controlled, and effective. You will walk out of the morning able to use spontaneity in business meetings, social and civic settings, in speeches and presentations, and in conflict. If you stay for the afternoon, you’ll be able to practice this with your colleagues and then with me. If you can do this with me you can do it with anyone!

If anyone else is providing this kind of help, I don’t know about it. If you stay for the afternoon, I’m buying lunch. And at the end of the day we’ll vote as a group on the best extemporaneous performance of those remaining and I’ll provide a credit for your entire fee to use for any of my future programs.

Stop saying, “I wish I had said….” or, “Next time what I’ll do is….” You don’t have to risk $200,000+, and I guarantee you won’t be risking this tiny investment either in freeing yourself to be even more successful immediately.

October 31, 2024. Las Vegas, venue TBD. 9 am to 4 pm (afternoon optional)
Full day $1,250, Half day $950 Lunch included with full day.

LEARN MORE
Thought Leadership 2024

New:

Thought Leadership 2024

I’m hosting a tenth Thought Leadership Conference, and our first such session post-pandemic, in the Delray, Florida area on September 10-12, 2024. This will probably be the last such “live” event of its kind since my future plans are to create a quarterly Zoom subscription for this endeavor in 2025 and beyond.

We will focus on:

  • The No Normal® of the workplace and how to market and succeed in continually turbulent times.
  • What the impending US presidential election will mean for professional services.
  • How to create weekly, relevant, dramatic IP.
  • Staying ahead of the innovation curve using your own past and continuing “body of work.”
  • Passive, global income generation—creation and sustainability.
  • Options for successful use of discretionary time.
  • Financial realities and metrics for safety and security (and prudent risk).
  • Topics raised in the prep work sent to participants.

My newest book, Building Dynamic Communities: creating an evergreen client ecosystem, to be released in June, will be my gift to you, and the morning of the third day of the 2.5-day event will be optional and included in the fee. I’ll be “riffing” on that day on politics, society, education, personal wealth, and so forth.

The fee is $15,000, which includes rooms, breakfasts, lunches, and a cocktail reception. Finally, if you attend this session you may join the quarterly Zoom sessions next year for free, a $2,000 value.

My very special guest is the leadership guru, Hall of Fame speaker, and great wit Lou Heckler, who will be with us throughout the workshop.

LEARN MORE
Million Dollar Consulting® Global Online Program

Million Dollar Consulting® for the World

I’ve provided 14 modules with videos from me, from your colleagues globally, slides, and text. They include everything from launch to self-esteem, proposals to fees, closing business to creating a brand. No upsells! It’s only $115. What do you think about a 10,000:1 ROI? We have over 500 people from 47 countries.

LEARN MORE
Million Dollar Consulting® Global Online Program ADVANCED

New: Million Dollar Consulting® for the World ADVANCED

The new program contains over 60 videos and has 15 modules focusing on what to do in the buyer’s office, overcoming crises, financial planning, and much, much more.

LEARN MORE
Sentient Strategy Certification

Sentient Strategy Certification

My new book on the topic released in March 2023, so this is an ideal time to market Sentient Strategy. Write me to apply, join over 70 people certified in six countries. One-time fee of $12,000, includes 90 days of my support, free admission to all future certifications, and admission to a private web board with other Sentient facilitators. In a recent program a particpant sold a $100,000 strategy program within 48 hours.

EMAIL ALAN

NOTE: I’ve reinstated my inexpensive, limited coaching program I last used during Covid because I’ve found people who need help right now growing their practices. I’ve offered it to past coaching participants, but I can handle several more people at this point. Five calls at your desire: review proposals, prepare for meetings, create passive income, etc. $2,024. You simply have to use them before the end of the year, 30 minutes each. Should pay for itself 20 times over. You can write to discuss ([email protected]) or sign up by paying here: alanweiss.com/store/quick-pay/

Want to join me for my Book Sprint? In 60 days complete a proposal for an agent or an acquisitions editor (or the outline and marketing plan for a self-published book). We have an 80%+ “hit rate” for obtaining book contracts, complete with my introductions. The schedule is flexible and I’ll create one around the first people to register. The fee is $4,500—we meet weekly by Zoom with assignments in between and a common Drop Box to review each other’s work. Write me at [email protected].

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I'm an Old Cowhand...

I was watching a playoff basketball game and wanted to check on a hockey game score, so I reached for my iPad to check on that. But my iPad wasn’t where I thought it was. I started to search, while keeping my eye on the game. My wife asked why I was wandering around.

“Have you seen my iPad?” I said, half-accusingly

“Yes,” she said, “you’re watching the game on it.”

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© Alan Weiss 2024

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