Change your life by choosing a theme song

Music is a powerful way to create a mood. Don't you get your best workout when you listen to high energy songs on your iPod? Now, instead of using music just to make you exercise harder, imagine if you used it to shape your attitude toward work?

I recently read a post by Claudia Anderson-Scimeca where she wrote about your life having a soundtrack. I was immediately reminded of the TV show Ally McBeal and how her character had a theme song (for those those who didn't watch, Ally was a neurotic lawyer who still loved her ex-boyfriend despite the fact that he was now married to someone else). Even though Ally's therapist had suggested she come up with a theme song to help her cope with her romantic feelings, I can't help but to think the idea may be of benefit in the business world.

Imagine it.

You've just started your own company and you're about to walk into your first client meeting. Your theme song starts playing in your head. Is it Bon Jovi's "It's My Life"?

What about when you get up in the morning and you know it's going to be a tough day? How about putting Katrina and the Waves' "Walking on Sunshine" on in the jukebox in your mind?

Need an extra dose of booyah before you do that big presentation?  Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" kicks into gear in your noggin or how about "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor?

Going to a networking event? How about putting "Get the Party Started" by Pink onto the turntable?

Getting psyched up for a comeback of epic proportions? How about the little-known, but incredibly uplifting "Far from Over" by Frank Stallone? 

Or just want to go for an all-occasion theme song? "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey never fails or what about "How You Like Me Now" by The Heavy or "TNT" by AC/DC? 

Think about it. A theme song can be your own little secret. No one needs to know that you're playing it in your head and getting pumped up for what's next.

Why not give it a whirl? Hire a DJ and let him loose in your mind. What will he play? What will your theme song be?

Being first is not the key to success

Have a bright idea? Take it to market! But, don't fool yourself into thinking that because you're the first to offer a product or service, that you'll dominate your niche. Case in point: Hydrox cookies.

Now, one of the things I love about social media is that I learn so much. For example, this week I saw an update on Google+ from Matt Fox that said Hydrox came before Oreo, despite popular believe that Hydrox was a knock-off of the now famous cookie. "You don't have to be 1st to market with a product to dominate the market," Matt wrote. He's so right.

I looked into the history of Hydrox a little more and verified that it was, indeed, four years older than Oreo. For the trivia lovers, the "hydr" stands for hydrogen and the "ox" stands for oxygen, which when combined creates water. I don't know about you, but that makes no sense to me as the name for a cookie. But, I digress.

So, think about your niche. Have you held back because there's already competition out there? Have you talked yourself out of something because you think you have no chance? The reality is that Oreo is celebrating its 100th birthday this year and Hydrox no longer exists.

Why are you waiting? Being first doesn't make you better. It just makes you first.

What would you do with an extra 24 hours?

Today is February 29, a day that only occurs once every four years. It's an extra day. A full 24 hours.

As you go through your day today, look at each minute--each hour--as a gift. Will you use your extra day to take a chance? Make a difference? Create a memory? Change your life?

Time is something that seems to grow on trees when we're young. As we age, time becomes more precious. We complain that we don't have enough hours in the day; that time flies by too quickly.

Today, on this leap day, do something outstanding. Whether it's something personal or professional, don't let the this extra day slip away. Embrace it. Cherish it. Relish it. Rock it.

What will you do with your extra 24 hours?

Does failure have an expiration date?

Ever tried to do something and failed? Did you try again? How about again? Did you finally give up, knowing that you tried your best but just couldn't do it? Me, too. But, it turns out failure sometimes has an expiration date.

This morning I was driving in the car and "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People came on the radio. There's a section in the song where the chorus is done in whistling. When that part came on, I broke out in a beautifully lyrical whistle. But, the thing is...I can't whistle.

When I was a kid, I tried to learn how to whistle countless times. I couldn't blow out and make any sound. Throughout my adolescence, I'd try and fail. Whistling was something out of my reach.

As an adult, I suppose I forgot about whistling. It's something I'm never around. But, when that chorus kicked in on the radio, I instinctively whistled my little heart out. And as soon as I was about five second in, the shock set in. Amber...can...whistle!

Are there things you've tried in your life and failed at? Starting a business. Balancing a budget. Writing a book. We all have things we've tried to do which ended in failure. Most of us have even tried multiple times before we decided to give up. But, it's never too late to try again.

Who cares if a year has passed. Or five or ten. Maybe that break is just what you needed. Perhaps the life experience you've obtained during that time, your environment, your mindset, or some other circumstance has changed just enough to turn that former failure into a raging success.

So, today, I invite you to revisit something which you previously failed at during your life. A big thing or a small one. It doesn't matter. Just give it another try. Who knows. Maybe your failure has an expiration date just like mine did.

* Disclaimer: I never really knew the words to "Pumped Up Kicks" until I wrote this post. Click here for the lyrics and an interesting debate on the meaning behind the song, some defending it saying it's about bullying and others upset that it's about school shootings.

Turning "I can't" into "I can"

I have an elderly neighbor who likes to tell me "You can't". You can't fix that, you can't lift this, you can't solve that. For years, I've responded the same way. "I'm smarter than you think" or "I'm stronger than you realize". Every time she's said "You can't", I've quite handily conquered the challenge.

However, if there came a time when she said "You can't" and I actually had a problem doing whatever it was, I would find a way to do it. I'm determined and pride myself on finding solutions. I'd find a way if only because she said I couldn't.

Cheerleaders in our lives are important. People who support us, give us compliments, and inflate our egos. However, naysayers can be just as motivating. The desire to prove someone wrong can be just as powerful as the desire to make someone proud.

If you think you can't, you're probably right. But, if someone else thinks you can't, release your inner Hulk and show that person what you're made of. Success is even sweeter when you accomplish what others thought impossible.

Now, go seize the day...

Who says you don't rock? Be your own cheering section!

I work hard. You work hard. We all try our best out there in the world. Some days rock; others don't. But we persevere.

This morning I woke up, ready to take on the world. Then, I got knocked down a peg. I saw a tweet from a new Twitter friend, Erica Allison, saying I should have been on some list. I saw a second tweet from Erica, telling someone else about my Kloutgate: The Battle Between Mean Girls and Influencers blog post.

First off, I was touched by the kindness of Erica's support. Apparently she thought I had been slighted in some way and came to my defense. Pretty darn sweet of her, especially considering Erica and I only really connected a week ago. So, off I went to scour some Twitter streams to see what list Erica was talking about. And, I eventually found it: 32 Brilliant Bloggers Talk About Klout.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, after looking at the post, I felt bad that I wasn't included. My Klout post got great traffic and catapulted up to the seventh most read piece on my blog to date. I was pretty proud that it had done so well. But, apparently, I wasn't on the gal's radar who wrote the brilliant bloggers piece. Or, heck, maybe I was and she didn't think I was brilliant. Stranger things have happened.

I traded a few tweets with another new friend, Lisa Thorell, someone else who Erica said should have been on the list. I said to her, "we make our own success" and then I brushed off the hurt feelings. Onward and upward.

Life is full of ups and downs. Some days we're on top; other days we aren't. We decide how we feel. We decide how we act. We make our days happy or miserable. It's all on us.

So, as you go about your day today, do your best. Whatever it is you do, do it as well as you can. If someone notices, great. If not, that's fine, too.

Pride comes from within. And, as nice as it is to be acknowledged, having a sense of self and a feeling of fulfillment is really what it's about. We are frequently our own harshest critics, but shouldn't we also be our own biggest cheerleaders?

Now, seize the day and get out there and impress yourselves. I know you have it in you. And, so do I...

P.S. Congratulations to the talented Erica Allison for making the list and for all her support!