No one needs to tell you how stress can take its toll.

Yet there seems no easy way to ramp down the stress factor. If anything, we seem to be more stressed than ever before. The news closes in on us on all sides and we seem trapped.

 However, there's a way that can ease that stress considerably. It could even be considered a form of meditation. It's called "writing down what delights you".

Let's find out how easy it can be to be delighted and decrease our stress considerably.

One of the biggest problems when starting up a speech is that you have to find something that captures the attention of the audience. Instead, what we often get is a round of introductions, blah, blah etc. All of which causes the audience to get restless.

How do you get the attention of the audience instantly?

Better still, how do you do it with a story that has already gotten a great response? Let's find out.

When we want to increase our sales, we search for new methods. However, that search is often quite unnecessary. What's needed instead is a tiny bit of common sense.

With little or no effort, you can change the way the client perceives you and your company.

Re-oxygenation isn't that hard. Check out this episode!

You can also listen to:

Why Restricting The Numbers Of Sales Increased Profits (And Will Give You More Downtime)

After three months of staying put in New Zealand, we finally made a long trip.

Long in terms of distance, as well as duration. For the past three years, most of our travel has been within New Zealand and a week in Fiji. 

However, the month-long vacation is what brings out all the stories. And here are some stories from Spain!

More travel stories: 

Bumpity-Bump Travel Stories

Often enough your client may need a transcript for a long video or workshop.

Not everyone needs or wants a transcript, and it does cost a lot to produce transcripts for everything. In the past we've had AI driven transcripts, but they too have been untidy and it requires a lot of tidying up.

However, Chat GPT is different.

Learn how to use Chat GPT and YouTube to create a superb, accurate and very context-driven transcript for just about anything.

More on Chat GPT

Will AI And ChatGPT Replace You As A Writer?

All of us cringe at the thought of getting feedback. Yet, we all need feedback to improve.

There are formulas for feedback but they don't work as well as they should. However, this method of balance is tricky. We can't praise people all the time, and we can't say what we really think.

Is there a way out?

Yes, there is, if you use this method of balance by Randall Stutman from Admired Leadership. His method works so well, you could give feedback all day and people will ask for more.

More on Feedback: Listen or Read

Why Clients Shy Away From Giving Feedback Despite Liking Your Products and Services

There are times when you need to introduce yourself, such as for a personal website, social media profile, or professional bio. That's where you and I often get stuck.

We were told not to keep praising ourselves, and yet, without listing our achievements, how are we supposed to create an aura of expertise? 

The answer is simpler than you think. All you need to do is add a touch of surprise, and your blurb becomes super cool. Find out how in this episode.

Next recommended podcast:

How to avoid embarrassing time overruns when making presentations?

When we start writing, we know we're hopeless. However, in time, we all get to the stage where we're average.

What does it take to become outstanding and then an absolute maestro in writing?

The answer doesn't lie in "practice, practice, practice". Instead, it's something as mundane as a combination of "structure" and "confidence". But even as you try to get better, your brain won't let you progress.

Why does all of this happen, and how do you get out of this rut? Let's find out in this episode.

Next Step: Can you create expertise through article writing?
Here is how: A mini-booklet that helps you quickly improve your article-writing

What if you ran into clients that have never heard of you?

And what if they've never heard of your products or services? Would they still buy from you?

It seems highly implausible, even impossible that you'd get a client interested. And yet, the reality can be remarkably different. A business philosophy can turn a client around and make them interested in you, after hearing just a single line. 

Let's find out how.

Next Step: Here are three fun podcasts
Psychotactics Philosophy
The Crazy Philosophy Of Psychotactics (And Why It May Help You In Your Business)
The Philosophy of Psychotactics—Part 2

It's more than likely that you've tried to create uniqueness before. Yet, it seems a bit of a pain, because it sounds so trite.

Well, how about we look at uniqueness from a "construction" point of view.

Instead of just trying to dream up the uniqueness, how about we look at it with "guardrails" so that we hit the target every time? Let's give it a shot because one—or two of these methods—will certainly work for you.

More on Uniqueness: 

Why Being Contrarian Creates A Stunning Uniqueness Factor In Business

When a client buys a product, what goes through their mind?

Often you'll notice they have a similar product, so why do they buy again?

There are four reasons why your client (and you and I) keep searching for products. And no matter how saturated the market seems, clients will keep searching. This is good news for you, because if you give them what they want, they'll keep coming back. It seems irrational, but it's perfectly rational.

Let's find out why this irrational behaviour exists.

Once you finish listening to the podcast: 
Listen or read—Selling Strategies: How To Sell Without Selling In A Crazy Online Market

AI has sent a chill down the spines of many of those who create content for a living.

—Won't so much content saturate the market?
—And why would a client choose your work when some other work can easily be put together by AI?

The reason why you needn't worry, is because people have not changed much.
They still make their decisions based on specific logic.

Let's see how you, me—we all make decisions.

Next Up: Will AI And ChatGPT Replace You As A Writer?

Rerun 6: Three Unusually Zany Tips To Change Your Mindset (And Behaviour)

Rerun 4: How To Restart A Stalled Project: The Middle Of The Project Method

If you're a teacher, you might be surprised at times at why people seem to learn so slowly. You may wonder if it's because of your method of teaching or if it is the material. 

The reasons why learning is so slow aren't always apparent, but it usually comes down to a factor of trust—and control.

Find out how trust and control become crucial elements in learning as well as teaching.

Once you finish listening to the podcast, head on over to find out:  
Learning Strategies that help you  retain what you learn

We all know the little things that recharge our batteries. 

For most of us, a walk in a real forest would calm us down and give us that much needed energy. Yet, as we go about our everyday lives, there seems to be no way to slow down. If anything, we're told to speed up. 

Here's a solid case for why that walk into that forest is so needed and how to recalibrate your energy once again.

Next Step: Read or listen to: How To Increase Energy (Even In The Midst of Chaos)

If you haven't already heard the news on the street, you soon will. AI is going to take away all our jobs as writers.

Anyone can create a course in minutes, write an article like a pro, or generate thousands of outstanding headlines.

Is this just a rumour or is this our dystopian future? Here's a slightly sane answer from New Zealand.

Next Step: Read or listen to

Writer's Block Series: How A Lack of Energy, Not Time, Causes Writers to Stall and Crash

Even if you have a workable metaphor, how do you use the metaphor in your article?

The key is to go backwards and find the one word or one idea that you want to convey. Almost magically, the word seems to fit the metaphor.

Not convinced?

Listen to this podcast and find out how to go about this relatively-easy task.

Next Step: Here are—Three Unknown Secrets of Riveting Storytelling

You'd think you would need to have some scintillating stories to write a metaphor.

Or worse still, you'd believe it's a skill that only some people have and can never be learned. Well, you know what they say, right?

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. And the proof of writing metaphors isn't in some fancy story but rather in the mundane activities in our everyday life. 

Ready to go on a metaphor trip that's fun? Well, here we go.

Next Step: It's time to find out—Why Storytelling Needs The Thumpity-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

The myth that is perpetuated is that you just need to sit at your computer and get an endless number of clients. 

The reality is the face-to-face connection is far superior. 
This is why musicians, politicians, et cetera hit the road. Face-to-face – even with the smallest audience is extremely powerful.

Here's how you go about it.

________________________________________

Next Up: Why List Building Fails (And How To Avoid The Almost Obvious Failure)

Why are some books, videos and audio so much "better" than others? 
Or rather, why do we consider so many to be dry and boring?

The style of delivery matters, of course. A well-spoken audio, a well-crafted book is always going to stand out. Yet, all information can do with the cherry on top—namely, entertainment.

In this podcast, we're going to explore why entertainment is so crucial and how much is too much.

Next Up: How To Create Your Information Product In Four Layers (And Why It Appeals To Clients)

Sometimes, all it takes is for us to sit in a car, and all hell breaks loose. 
Here are a few stories of how things went a bit "off-the-road" during our travels.

Did you enjoy the travel stories series? Here are a few more.

India Travel Stories: The Cheese Story
India Travel Stories: The Goa Cashew Nut story
3 ½ Slightly Unusual Vacation Tips (That Makes Travel More Fun)

At the start of the year, it's almost natural to want to wipe the slate clean and start doing something new. We create goals, set deadlines and hope like crazy that things will work out well. 

The part we consistently forget is the "stop-doing" bit.
The very same issues that have been a pain in the neck before, will continue to be a nightmare in the future.

Why is this stop-doing list so very important?
Let's find out in this episode

________________________________________

Next Step: Listen or read 
How "Doug Hitchcock's" Goal Setting Worked Wonders—And Why We Successfully Use It Year After Year

No matter what industry you're in, there's already competition.

This isn't just some random competition, but rather people who are better established than you. They've worked with your clients before, have a greater profile and probably a fancy portfolio.

And then there's us—you and me with no way to get our foot in the door.

But are things really that hopeless?
Can we come from behind to take over the coveted job from our competitors?

Here's how you go about understanding how to overcome your mental block and put a quick, workable strategy in place almost overnight.

Next Step: Find out—How To Overcome Mental Blocks That Derail Your Progress

Practice, practice, practice! Isn't that how you get better?

Well, yes, but the problem with that mantra is that few of us have the time to get to schedule in as much practice. What if you stopped believing in endless "practice, practice, practice"? Suddenly you'd have to have answers to problems pretty rapidly. Instead of spending endless time in practice, you'd be able to get fluent not at just one, but two, possibly as many as a dozen skills.

However, first you've got to figure out what professionals do and how they go about their lives.

Let's find out, shall we?

Next Step—Listen or read:
The Charlie Brown Moment: Why We Choke Under Pressure (And How To Practice Under Lucy Moment)

We all seem to know that fluency takes time—lots and lots of it. It also takes a lot of effort and learning. We're told that to be fluent, we have to put in thousands of hours of work.

However, what if that premise were wrong?

What if you could be fluent at something in a matter of weeks, or better still, in a matter of minutes? It sounds almost scammy doesn't it? And yet, fluency is closer than you'd think.

Here's a look at fluency in a manner you've probably not encountered before.

Next Step: Have a look at: (Audio and text)
Accelerated Learning: How To Incredibly Speed Up Your Skill Acquisition

In the first part of this podcast, we noticed that there's a logic to choosing what elements to fix on the sales page. We're looking at attraction, conversion and risk. And at the same time we're trying to slow down the client from skimming.

This episode puts the brake on skimming by using graphics and captions.  Let's learn how to use them effectively.

Next Step: Are there different copywriting strategies for landing or sales pages? 
Here is a link to 21 articles on "How To Write Your Sales Page".
(Audio and text)

When creating sales pages—or even when fixing them, you have a long list of elements to tackle.

So many in fact, that you may just put off the fix for a few weeks, which ends up taking a few months. The reality is that you and I can't do it all at once. Why not take on a few elements, instead?

If you were to fix things, where would you start?
Here are two of the ones I'd get cracking on, right away. And there are two more showing up in the second part of this podcast.

Next Step: Have you listened to How To Create Extremely Focused Sales Pages—The Pebble System? Let me know what you think.