by D.J. Vanas

I often hear people say that money is the root of all evil.  However, this oft-misquoted biblical text actually says it’s the “love of money” that can be our undoing.  Few subjects are as emotionally charged as the concept of money – earning it, spending it, investing it, losing it, dreaming about it, wanting it… needing it.

We live in a society that is oftentimes contradictory, and at other times absurd, in the way we view money. If we pay a person $25 million a year to play a game, we don’t bat an eye.  But if a teacher gets more than $50k a year, they are accused of being in it for the money.  We love it, we hate others with it, we get inspired by it, we dream about it, fear for a lack of it, and yet have problems we could have never imagined when we suddenly get lots of it (study the Lottery effect and how many families are torn apart through feuding and fighting once a family member wins the lottery).

On the other hand, a lack of money can cause our undoing as well.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, and that can translate into poor decision-making or worse. We have all seen people do terrible things because their lack of money makes them desperate – then they lie, steal, or cheat to get it.

Here are a few ideas to gain perspective on this heavily charged subject:

Money is a tool, not the ultimate goal – a homebuilder’s goal is not to collect a beautiful set of tools, but to build a beautiful home. Why do you want money?  To eat it, ride in it, lay with it, or let it teach your kids its wisdom?  Of course not.  Money is a means to an end, not the end in itself.  It’s simply a tool that can help you build and do other things.  If you are in doubt on this one, consider this…

I hear conversations all the time that revolve around this idea: “if I were rich, I’d be happy and all my problems would be over.”  I have a friend named Dan who bought several thousand shares of inexpensive stock in the company that employed him.  The shares were bought at less than twenty-five cents a piece – and traded at $68 per share when his company went public!  Dan was an instant multi-millionaire.  He paid off his mom’s house, bought her a car and paid off his student loans.  He quit his job, traveled throughout Asia and Europe and stayed with friends all over the US.  After a year, he was bored out of his mind.   Dan went back to work to connect with the highest human need – not to have millions, but to feel valued and useful.

Money is a by-product. When we align our talent and ability with our passion, we pursue excellence and money has a way of finding us in return.  Money is merely a by-product of success, a residual effect of effort.  When we chase money for its own sake, it can become the quickest way to chase it away.  Don’t make it the sole reason for your work or your days will quickly become frustrating or worse… boring.

Bottom line – keep money in perspective and don’t let the media drive you to twist your perspective to match theirs.  After all, your worth is not found in your bank accounts or the car you drive.  Your worth is found the fact that you are… you.

A motivated entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker, D.J. Vanas started Native Discovery Inc. in May of 1999 to “build the warriors to tomorrow…today.” D.J. uses traditional warrior concepts and colorful wisdom found in Native American culture to inspire others to achieve their best in life, school, and career. For the past decade, D.J. has used his dynamic programs to build warriors in 49 states and internationally to over 3,000 audiences at organizations such as IBM, NASA and hundreds of tribal communities, governments and schools.

by Zoe Training staff

Imaginibbles…Chief Imaginator…Creativi-Tees…these are words that originated from the creative mind of Tamara Kleinberg – an idea tinkerer, serial entrepreneur, nationally published author, innovation artist, and martial artist. She is also a speaker and trainer who helps organizations and associations looking to ignite innovation, provoke new ideas, and challenge people to unlock their creative potential.

We asked Tamara what motivates her to maintain that quirky, creative edge, and to inspire the same in others.

What are your most popular presentation topics?

“Think Sideways” and “Playing on the Fringes.” “Think Sideways” gives people a rich understanding of how imagination is the competitive advantage as well as dozens of tools to strengthen the imaginative spirit and get into a creative state of mind daily. It’s for people who want the courage to dream big and act entrepreneurially. “Playing on the Fringes” is about the expectations of the new economy and the top tools for breaking free from old patterns of thinking. It gives participants a road map to the fringes for unique and ownable ideas.

Why did you become a speaker/trainer?

After climbing to the top of the corporate ladder as an innovation and brand consultant for Fortune 500 – Procter and Gamble, General Mills, Clorox, etc. – I realized a few things. First, that many of my colleagues had lost the ability to imagine. Second, that lost talent made it hard for people to do more with less, adapt better to change, engage creative problem solving, see and create ideas and opportunities, and dream big. I wanted to help people unlock their imaginative and innovative side so that they could get all those wonderful benefits back. Speaking and training was a natural fit and I’ve loved every minute of it.

Do you have a favorite quote? What/why?

“Do or do not, there is no try” – Yoda. I am a free spirit wrapped in a type-A personality. That means I love action. I love to put imagination to work and to see innovation come to life.  I hate excuses and love challenges. I think Yoda sums it up very well.

Tell us a recent book you’ve read and would recommend:

I love imaginative fiction like “Water For Elephants” and “Harry Potter.” For me, there is nothing more powerful than suspending belief and being transported to a different world. And, while I love a great business book, I also like to follow entrepreneurs and leaders that I think are doing amazing things right now. I don’t want to wait five years for the book to come out. I want to learn from them while they are doing it. Today, I am following Johnny Cupcakes, Tony Hsieh from Zappos, and Steve Spangler Science.  I go to their websites, read their blogs, and look for news about them. I’ve learned a lot just from paying attention and keeping my antennas up.

What are you most grateful for in life?

I’m grateful that every day I wake up excited to get the day going. I love my family time, my work time, and of course my “me” time.  I’m grateful that I’ve been able to build a business that fosters imagination in people young and old. I’m grateful for the big and small things every day, like my hot cup of coffee in the morning.

Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

I love this question. I see myself overseeing an empire that includes creative apparel, TV shows, keynote speaking, training, and my dog sitting next to my desk. I started this dream a few years ago and every day gets me a step closer. This is why imagination and innovation are so important. Every day you have to create what hasn’t yet been created and visualize and make your dreams come true.

by Zoe Training staff

Did you know that unleashing your creative side helps bring about a new way of looking at life and business? As a speaker, improv teacher, and stand-up comedian, it’s Avish Parashar’s objective to show audiences how they can learn a lot about themselves and their potential for professional excellence – while having fun in a creative format. For Avish, teaching improv is all about helping participants learn how to respond to unplanned challenges, for with all things in life – no matter how well things are planned out – things tend to go wrong or the unexpected usually happens, and it’s good to know how to maintain your sanity and achieve success during those moments the Universe throws you a curve ball.

What’s your favorite topic(s) to present on? Why?

“Ding Happens! How to Deliver Great Leadership, Service, and Teamwork – Even When Things Goes Wrong”

This topic lets me combine everything creative I love – improv comedy, stand-up comedy, and storytelling – with content and a message that resonates with audiences. I get to be funny and creative while helping people do better both professionally and personally. It’s awesome!

Three words that describe your presentation style:

Energetic. Interactive. Hilarious.

What are some things that surprise you or inspire you about your interactions with clients/participants?

In all of my presentations, I have the audience play improv comedy games. Even though I have done it for years, I still think it’s so cool how almost every audience – regardless of age, gender, industry, or position – are willing to play along and have fun. They also come out of each exercise with some great examples of creativity. There are exceptions, but most audiences, even if they don’t know it, are fun, playful, and creative, and that inspires me.

Do you have a favorite quote? What/why?

My favorite quote changes from time to time. Right now it’s Steve Martin’s answer when people ask him how to make it in show business:

“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

Everyone knows the value of being “good.” I’ve recently realized the critical difference between “being good” and “being so good they can’t ignore you.” The former is a way to keep happy clients. The second is a way to get people beating down your door to hire you. I keep this quote present as a constant reminder to myself to keep getting better.

What’s one thing on your “bucket list” you hope to do in the next year?

I have wanted to write a novel since I was eight years old (I’m little older than that now). I started one last year and am halfway through it. I fully intend to finish not just a first draft, but a completed manuscript by the end of the year. Whether it gets published, well, that’s another story…

Why did you become a speaker/trainer?

I have always loved doing two things: performing and teaching. I have been on stage since before high school, and devoted a lot of my life to it. I have also always loved to teach, but not in a traditional “classroom” setting. I remember training in karate and being excited to get my black belt, not because of the achievement (though that was cool) but because in my school getting a black belt meant you could teach! I love it. One day I went to a big motivational seminar and as I watched the speaker, I had a revelation: the speaker was doing a great job teaching and performing. The two things I most love combined in one. From that point, I knew I would be a speaker someday.

by D.J. Vanas

We all know the classic story of the three little pigs.  To protect against the big bad wolf, one pig built a house of bricks, one of sticks and one of straw.  Similarly, we all know the different facets of customer service – the good, the bad and the downright ugly.  Put them together and we have a new twist on a classic tale.  I give you the illustration below, The Three Little Pigs of Customer Service, in hopes that it inspires you to deliver great service to others whether you’re a health care worker, a CEO, a military member, a project director or a dedicated parent.

Once upon a time, in the land of Customer Service, there lived three little pigs…

The First Little Pig – built his house of straw.  This was poor decision making from the start.  This little pig provides the most selfish model of customer service for his own good – whatever is easiest and quickest, requires the least amount of concern, care or effort.  At work, this little pig does just enough to keep his job and is often as crusty as a pork rind to anyone who dares to bother him.  In his mind, customer service is not “in his job description” (even if it actually is).

The Second Little Pig – built his house of sticks.  This model is obviously better than straw, but that’s not saying much in comparison.  This little pig provides just enough customer service to keep his complaint box clear and the boss off of his back.  When you need help, this little pig will point the way, if they aren’t busy, but don’t expect to be taken there.  They may provide a smile if they’re in the mood and you aren’t being difficult by asking for anything “complicated.”   Basically, this pig goes through the motions to serve – but the emotions are absent.

The Third Little Pig – built his house of bricks.  He chose to use solid material and to be thorough while others play and cut corners.  This pig is in it to win it, providing outstanding customer service by giving his full attention to customers (e.g. no iPod in the ear, personal phone calls, eating, etc.).  He is friendly, authentic and enthusiastic to help.  He goes above and beyond black and white job descriptions because he has the ultimate goal of not pleasing himself but others.  This pig realizes that customers are not a burden, they are the reason he has a job at all.  Because of this, he lives in a house of security and comfort when the big bad wolf comes.  When layoffs come, his bacon is safe and even if his house is blown down, he builds another one much quicker.  When promotions come, he gets it because he’s built his reputation on bricks!  They become successes and know it wasn’t luck, but by design, applying simple concepts consistently.

I would not dare ask “what pig are you?” so in order to avoid that sticky wicket, I’ll instead ask, what model do you see yourself most often fulfilling?  These examples give us a reference to rate not only customer service provided to us, but more importantly, the customer service we provide to others.

A motivated entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker, D.J. Vanas started Native Discovery Inc. in May of 1999 to “build the warriors to tomorrow…today.” D.J. uses traditional warrior concepts and colorful wisdom found in Native American culture to inspire others to achieve their best in life, school, and career. For the past decade, D.J. has used his dynamic programs to build warriors in 49 states and internationally to over 3,000 audiences at organizations such as IBM, NASA and hundreds of tribal communities, governments and schools.

by Zoe Training staff

As part of our Zoe Spotlight interview series with our Zoe Associates, Diane Sieg – an emergency room nurse turned speaker, author, coach, and yoga instructor – reveals some of her pivotal background and reasons why she chose her current path in life.

Why did you become a speaker/trainer? After working for over 20 years as a nurse in emergency rooms across the country, I wanted to help people get out of the “emergency room of life” by empowering them to make better choices.  I wanted to help people be more proactive in their lives instead of putting them back together after the less-than-ideal decisions were already made.  Of course we teach what we need to learn most, so as I have recovered from my own adrenaline junkie and crisis caretaking tendencies, I can give practical tools and action steps that I know work with myself, my clients, and my patients.

What’s your favorite topic(s) to present on? Why? My “STOP Living Life Like an EMERGENCY!  START Living with Intention” program. With all the fear and uncertainty in the world today, we think that dong more, better, faster is the answer, which keeps us in crisis caretaking and emergency living.  The real solution is to live with more intention, and I have created a daily practice to help you focus on your deepest intentions regarding your finances, work, relationships, or health.

What are your favorite groups of people to work with? Healthcare and women’s groups are my niche, but I have spoken to bankers, sales teams, and aerospace engineers!

What are your most popular presentation topics? STOP Living Life Like an EMERGENCY!  is still my most requested program.  People really relate to the notion that the answer is not always to do more, but to be more intentional with what you do.

Three words that describe your presentation style? Authentic, Energetic and Interactive.

What are some things that surprise you or inspire you about your interactions with clients/participants? How hungry audiences are to have a manageable and realistic system to focus on their deepest intentions.

by Zoe Training staff

Polly Letofsky, the only woman to walk around the world, shares with audiences the details of her daunting journey started in 1999 to raise breast cancer awareness, and she provides inspiration and clarity on how each of us can make it through our own private daunting journeys.

Through a series of interview questions, Polly shares some of her most enlightening moments, insights into her life as a speaker, or personal quirks just for the fun of it.

What’s your favorite topic to present on, and why? My favorite topic to present on is “Little Steps, Big Feat,” because everyone can relate. Sure, not everyone has to — or wants to — take on a daunting journey like a walk around the world, yet we’re all going through our own individual journeys: getting out of debt, losing weight, raising teen-agers, starting a business. And they all have the similarity to a walk around the world in that you take one, small, manageable step at a time.

Three words that describe your presentation style: Lively. Inspirational. Fun.

What are some things that surprise you or inspire you about your interactions with clients/participants? I have yet to meet an audience member who has walked around the world (ha ha), yet it seems everyone tells me a part of the speech that they could relate to in their life’s journey.

Do you have a favorite quote? What/why? “Be yourself, who else is better qualified?”

What’s the most unusual location (or circumstances) you’ve presented in? The manager of an event center never showed up for an annual teacher’s convention I was speaking to. A group of 200 school teachers were standing outside the parking lot fretting and making last minute contingency plans.  A Marriott Hotel up the road took the group and scrambled to set it up. The teachers were naturally upset about the upheaval, and I knew that being the opening keynote speaker, I had my work cut out for me. I quickly re-planned my speech to use this episode to draw a parallel to the unexpected hurdles I met on the road. When they laughed uncontrollably, I knew they had climbed over that hurdle and went on to have a productive, albeit memorable, convention.

Standard Starbucks order? Ooh, I love Pumpkin Spice Latte season! Decaf!

by D.J. Vanas

Before Europeans arrived on the shores of North America, our Native peoples had a vibrant, robust economy not based on a currency or coin of the realm – but on trade and barter. Buffalo robes were traded for pipestone, pipestone for turquoise and turquoise for corn. It was one great stock exchange with piecemeal trade routes running from Alaska down through South America. These were all seen as good trades.

Remember the scene in Dances with Wolves where Kevin Costner traded his hat for a knife, albeit unwillingly. What did the Indian guy say once the exchange was made? You got it – good trade.

In a very real sense, our entire lives work this way, constantly making decisions to give up something of value in return for something else. Unlike our ancestors, we don’t walk or canoe the fruits of our collecting or hunting to exchange for value in return. Rather, we give up our time and energy to gain success in business, we sacrifice hang out time with friends for academic achievement, or give up high-calorie foods to gain a lighter body weight.

Unfortunately, the reverse of this is true as well. Sometimes we settle for bad trades. We surrender opportunities to move forward in exchange for endless hours in front of the TV (or on Facebook) or joining the “water cooler team” at work and spending time gossiping or complaining.

What could a person get in exchange for sacrificing just 30 minutes a day in front of TV? (that adds up to three and a half hours a week) Perhaps they could spend more time with family, go back to school, pursue a hobby, work on financial investments, get more sleep, read, take a walk, meditate, etc. All of these seem like good trades. What could you get?

The really big achievements require really big sacrifices – but at the end of the day, these are the ones that become landscape-shapers on our journey. For instance, I’ve never met a single person who thought the money, time and sacrifice to get a college degree weren’t worth it. And again, on the other hand, frivolous uses of time will reap frivolous results. Life is a great exchange that is open 24 hours a day for our entire existence and is always returning to us in results what we put forward in time, effort, choices and actions.

A critical key to success is the awareness of this dynamic and the ability to be disciplined enough to make decisions at will so you indeed receive a good trade.

A motivated entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker, D.J. Vanas started Native Discovery Inc. in May of 1999 to “build the warriors to tomorrow…today.” D.J. uses traditional warrior concepts and colorful wisdom found in Native American culture to inspire others to achieve their best in life, school, and career. For the past decade, D.J. has used his dynamic programs to build warriors in 49 states and internationally to over 3,000 audiences at organizations such as IBM, NASA and hundreds of tribal communities, governments and schools.

by Sarah Michel

Let’s be honest…this time of the year can be very stressful. Shopping, decorating, addressing greeting cards, hosting and attending parties, mailing gifts, studying for school finals, housing out of town family members and winding down your business for 2009 are all stressful activities. The fact that we’re expected to do them all simultaneously forces me into the fetal position, rocking and sucking my thumb!

How did things get so out of control? The intent of this time of year is to stop momentarily and step off the merry-go-round of life and focus on the people and things in your life that you’re thankful for. Actually letting people know how much you appreciate them, is the best gift you can give someone.

I admire people who have walked away from the commercial focus of this season doing away with the traditional gift orgies that leave most of us in debt this time of year. Many of these creative people I have met have chosen to have family “white elephant gift exchanges” where everyone brings a gag gift, tacky Christmas sweaters or an inexpensive theme gift where the focus is on just being together and having fun.

I recently attended a family holiday party where we “adopted” a family that had just gotten their first Habitat for Humanity home and we all brought a house warming gift for the single mom and her three sons. We all went around the room and said what we were thankful for, all 62 people, including children. Every single person mentioned their family and friends. When you really think about it…is there anything else that really matters more?

This year my family opted to give each other an “experience” instead of traditional gifts and we’re heading to Hawaii for Christmas! I think ten years from now my children will not remember what gifts they were hoping to open Christmas morning, but I’m betting they will remember everything about this amazing experience we’re giving them instead.

If you need a little reminding of the “reason for the season” here are a few ideas to consider:

Perfecting Connecting® Action Steps:

• Look for a volunteer opportunity in your community that you can do together with your family/friends. Sharing a giving experience together is a great way to reconnect.
• Introduce a new and creative idea that takes the focus off of the commercialism and puts it onto the importance of family and friend connections like adopting a needy family, white elephant gift exchange or taking a trip together with no gifts exchanged. Just being together is the gift.
• Pick up the phone, write a letter or send a card to 5 people you’re thankful for and let them know how much you appreciate them and how grateful you are to have them in your life.

I’m very thankful to all of you in my network and I look forward to our paths crossing in 2010.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

Sarah Michel, CSP, is an international speaker who works with organizations and associations, creating behavioral changes by teaching people how to intentionally connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime through her Perfecting Connecting® keynote and training programs.

by D.J. Vanas

I was flying home after a visit with the wonderful people of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe in Kansas and settled into my seat next to the window. Boarding last, and very reluctantly, was a young woman who meekly climbed into the middle seat. My nose was buried in a book but I noticed the strange hand motions, as if trying to push away bad dreams, from my seatmate and looked up at her in curiosity. Her eyes were squeezed shut and leaking tears, her upper lip was pulled up and trembling as a painful grimace spread across her face. It was the face of abject fear.

We made eye contact and I gave her a reassuring smile. Seconds later she tapped me on the shoulder and I took off my headphones. She could barely get the words out. “I-I-I don’t mean to bother you. B-b-but can you please talk to me?” I put my book down and found out she was on her way to Colorado to get married up in the mountains in forty-eight hours. Due to a severe fear of flying, her doctor had prescribed Xanax. In her rush to get the flight, she had forgotten to take it until she boarded so it hadn’t kicked in yet. With each bump (and there were many on the flight) she clenched her face and fists in terror. I tried to joke with her, but it’s hard to laugh when you feel like you might die – plus, I wasn’t that funny anyway.

Instead, I started asking her questions about the wedding – the dresses, the flowers, who would be there and where they’d go for the honeymoon. I tried to get her to feel and see the wedding, the joy it would bring and the beautiful beaches and aquamarine waters of their honeymoon destination, Jamaica. It started to work (maybe the Xanax too) and she relaxed a bit. In turn, she started asking me questions about what I was reading.

I explained that I’m a speaker and writer and had just finished the manuscript for my latest book, an inspirational novel. I was reading How to Get a Literary Agent since I’m on the hunt for one now that mine retired. I’ve been fearful and stressed about the process of finding an agent, shopping the manuscript to publishers, and a hundred other details. Some days I wish I had Xanax… She was thrilled to hear I was an author and peppered me with questions and comments on the journey ahead. The tables suddenly turned. She focused on the joy of completing my latest work, sharing it with the world and what doors would be opening. In a matter of moments, she had me feeling and seeing myself hooked up with a superstar agent, a sweet book deal, on the New York Times Bestseller List and on Oprah! I was smiling from ear to ear in that vision just as plane popped out of a cloud layer. In the distance was a massive thunderhead lit up like it was on fire with wild, brilliant colors from the descending sun. We both looked out the window. “Ooooooooooh.”

Fear reminds us we’re alive and that this isn’t a dress rehearsal! It reminds us that this life is an adventure and has what all adventures have – joy, pain, struggles, happiness, excitement and fear. Every hero in every story has had to face his or her fear to get to the joy of victory – as do we – and accomplishing any worthy goal will include this dynamic, this truth. It’s a normal and natural part of the process of accomplishment. After all, if life was easy all the time, it would be boring. Whether it was my seatmate enduring the fear of the flight to get to the joy of the wedding and Jamaica or me facing my fears on the journey to reach higher ground in my career, the lesson is clear: face the fear – and then do it anyway.

A motivated entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker, D.J. Vanas started Native Discovery Inc. in May of 1999 to “build the warriors to tomorrow…today.” D.J. uses traditional warrior concepts and colorful wisdom found in Native American culture to inspire others to achieve their best in life, school, and career. For the past decade,  he has used his dynamic programs to build warriors in 48 states and internationally to more than 1,700 audiences at organizations such as IBM, NASA, and hundreds of tribal communities, governments, and schools.