A Few Great Examples for Getting Started/Inspired

I really like this list of things to let go of from Raj Setty's blog. I bet reading his list will help you decide what ought to be on your "let go of" list. One that I would add to my list is to let go of the belief that my life is missing something or needs something new to be optimal.

From pal Rosa Say, I love this post about vitality. "Vitality" is one of those words that we hear more from yoga instructors than business people. Why? Are we too chicken - too timid - too aloof - too brainwashed - to want to experience energy and exuberance at work? Let's all talk about vitality at our next staff meeting, OK? Put the ummph into 2009 from the get-go.

I like the Zen Habits blog a lot and if it is not in your blog reader, it ought to be. Here is a great place to start - their best of 2008 round up of the most popular posts. Select one post to share with your team with a box of Krispy Kremes.

Kris, over at the HR Capitalist, is smart and I think all managers and HR pros ought to be reading his blog. In this post, Kris offers his resolutions for 2009. I like #1 a lot and think we could all benefit from giving it a go.

From the 800CEOREAD blog, comes this list of the best business books for 2008. I had the pleasure of interviewing two of the authors for my podcast - Dan Pink (Adventures of Johnny Bunko) and John Kotter (A Sense of Urgency). Click on their names to listen to the podcasts.

Dan over at the Great Leadership blog offered his list of best "Leadership and Management Development Books." He had John Kotter's book on the list, too.  He also recommends Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - which is a great one that I would recommend. The importance of practice and opportunity - in spite of our "drive through" mentality - is so valuable to contemplate and to put into action. And Dan included one of my books on his list, Developing Great Managers, which was a nice surprise. Thanks, Dan!

My pal Terry Starbucker shared his 2009 mantra and list of intentions. One was that I continue to pester him about writing a book. Here's a bit of encouragement, Terry (and for all of you who might want to write a book). As some of you know, nonfiction books are sold to publishers based on a proposal (you don't write the whole book first). If you have been thinking about writing a book, here are a few things you can do to get started:

• Pick up a couple of books on how to write nonfiction proposals - there are dozens of them. My favorite is Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write by Elizabeth Lyon. Follow the advice in the book and create a book proposal.
• Sign up for a writer's conference that lets you meet and pitch to agents and editors. It is great practice to share your elevator speech about your book. The more you practice, the more you will understand your own book. A great conference for this purpose is the San Francisco Writer's Conference because they have something called "speed dating with agents." You meet many agents, each for just 3 minutes. It is always in February, so if you start working on your book proposal now and sign up for the conference today (for added healthy pressure), you can be pitching your idea soon. I will be attending the SFO conference this year, so sign up and we can grab a latte. Even if you do not get an agent interested in your book - the experience will be very valuable because you will learn what you need to do to make you and your book more attractive and marketable.
• Add a few blogs to your reader that highlight the publishing industry. Here are three to start you off: The Book Deal (Alan Rinzler), Jeffrey Krames' blog, and Buzz, Balls, & Hype (MJ Rose).

Well, that's a brain full, isn't it?