Never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it over,” was the motto of some of the best inventors of all time. Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Marconi, and others are legends because they were masters at rewinding and restarting their inventing process. One of my clients just sent me a “wish list” this morning, which has helped me better understand what he’s doing and how he is thinking. Here’s how he described his objective for the list: …To see the big picture – what a great way to describe our efforts. A clear and complete view that keeps things running smoothly is a common goal. To see what needs tweaking, where we could be doing more, where we should be stopping and starting – that is a great goal too. When we look at the big picture, we find solutions that make all the time spent “tweaking” worth while. And, even better – when a big picture view shows up, it is usually because we took a hard look at the big picture earlier. Great work. Now, a day after he sent me his email, he shared his take on the “big picture” with me as a follow up. It’s another perspective on how he’s approaching life. “You know, it’s ironic how this [wish list] actually changed my thinking. I never expected to send the list – I was happy with the changes and how we started working last week. But there was a part of me that wanted something to show a ‘big picture.’ So I made a list of changes we wanted to see and then did a little ‘graphing’ and my head was spinning. You see, I didn’t think we had done much in any category except the ‘basic stuff.’ I was so wrong. I was surprised by all the changes we had made and was more than ready to ‘move up’ to the next level! Thanks for helping me better see the big picture.” The first time I see my “big picture” change, it’s quite a sight to see. If you’re getting ready to write your own “big picture” list, keep it short. Keep it short because I assure you the time you spend thinking about the “big picture” of your life will be time well spent. But, it’s an iterative process that requires repetition. As you write your list, you’ll begin to see areas of strength and areas of weakness. By looking at the big picture from time to time, you can figure out where you want to focus your attention and energy for the betterment of yourself, your business, and your organization. No matter what area you choose to focus your attention, there is a strategy you can implement in the future to reap even greater rewards. If you’re ready to write your “big picture,” here are a couple of thoughts to keep in mind. As you make your list, always include a specific amount of time (1 hour, 1 day, etc.) to complete the list. Start with the end in mind and finish with a plan. Always leave a way for you to achieve more. You’ll be amazed at the new thoughts that come to you. Make the “big picture” of your life, business, or organization the most important item on your list. Here are a few ideas to get you started: If you want to work smarter, don’t be afraid to stop working harder. If you want to change your business for good, build a long-term plan. If you want to become a better leader, take a step back and look at what’s going on. As you move forward, start with the end in mind. As you read through the “big picture” of your life, don’t be afraid to make a couple of changes. What one thing on your list can be done differently so you can spend more time doing what you love? What can you do better than anyone else so you can become the best at what you do? Start somewhere. There is always a place to start. Take a look at your lists from time to time. Ask yourself if you’re in the right place, doing the right thing, and moving in the right direction. If not, make some changes. You can’t live in a place that’s not right for you. Now, the “big picture” is in your hands. What do you do next? If you’re interested in my upcoming webinar: “Big Picture Thinking,” click the link below. ]]>http://www.brianarmstrong.com/2017/05/05/big-picture-thinking/feed/2https://www.brianarmstrong.com/2017/05/05/big-picture-thinking/The Future of Social Mediahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BrianArmstrong/~3/BbCp_Q9Ux5g/ http://www.brianarmstrong.com/2017/04/12/the-future-of-social-media/#commentsFri, 12 Apr 2017 14:30:57 +0000http://www.brianarmstrong.com/?p=815The term “social media” was initially defined to be a social experience for the public to connect online. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube were all thought to be a place to come together to share our passions and dreams, while building meaningful relationships. However, most recently we’ve seen the true definition of social media evolve. Today, social media sites are more than just a place for personal reflection; they have become a platform for businesses to sell products or services. Businesses have discovered that many of us are less than honest with ourselves, and our personal interests do not match our professional goals. The best definition I’ve heard of social media was, “Social media is all about people.” If that’s the case, there are some major issues we’re facing in the business world today. The “people” we are, and the way we interact are different. In fact, we’re becoming two very different people. On the one hand, we’re seeing more than 70% of the global population using social media. Everyone from teenagers to grandparents to every man, woman, and child are on social media sites. When most people think of social media, they think of people sharing their personal lives: “Happy Birthday.” “X and Y are going to Hawaii for vacation.” “X went to the mall and was just walking around.” These are all simple thoughts that many people have in their minds when they interact with other people online. There are a few, though, who are in the business of selling their products or services through social media. As the majority of people use social media, there is an emphasis on the positive. People like to share happy times in their lives or their successes in life. It’s very obvious to everyone that the majority of this takes place on social media sites like Facebook. But then we see posts from a different group of people, a group that is more in the business of selling things on social media. This group uses their social media accounts as a very real way to sell their products or services. Some are successful at it and some are not. Their posts are typically from years ago or years away. They don’t share happy times in their lives; they want you to buy now. If it sounds unethical, it actually is unethical. The only thing going for these business people on social media sites is their product or service. Everything else is fake. Now, this can’t be the case with all social media, can it? What about those of us who run our own business, and we interact with other businesses in social media? You have to remember that there’s a difference between the group of people using social media for their business purposes and the group of people who are involved with a business but not involved in social media. There are people who do both, but I don’t think you’ll find very many of those. While social media is a great tool for a business owner, I believe it is more important to make real relationships with your current clients or customers. Do you go to the beach on vacation and leave your social media accounts at home? Does the social media you use at work affect the person you are at home or in the public? My personal thoughts are that it’s a terrible idea to spend your entire vacation online. Yes, social media is very important in business, but I think it’s even more important that you’re able to walk into a room and look people in the eye and have a real conversation. How can you do that if you spend all your time online? The bottom line is that people are going to spend time on social media and it will expand greatly. It is important to know that if you want to interact with those people and build a relationship with them, do it over dinner or a lunch, instead of on social media. It doesn’t matter what business you have, you’re going to have to make real relationships. In my opinion, I think the business model of the world is being changed with social media. There are millions of people online who just want to sell something or provide a service. If you want to reach out to those individuals, there’s only one way to get them interested in what you have to offer. That’s by making real relationships with