The Power of Little

Most of us are constantly looking for bigger, better, “more bang for our buck,” etc. And yet we often underestimate the power of doing the little things. Because doing the little things seldom results in immediate visible results, we tend to ignore them. And yet over time, these little things add up to results that are BIG!

Here are a couple of examples. Last year at the suggestion of one of my clients, I started using the Mozilla Firefox browser. No big deal in and of itself. However, one of the things that I really like about this browser is that it supports multiple add-ons that make my computing life easier and more productive. One of those add-ons is a word translator that once installed, allows you to see the meaning of the word in a foreign language as your mouse hovers of any word on a given page (see Spanish example on the image below)

Since I installed this nifty little program I’ve been learning 2-5 new words a week in French. Since I already have a pretty good foundation in this language, these additional words are building my vocabulary quite effortlessly. At the end of 1 year, this could mean anywhere from 100-250 new words. Not bad for very little effort.

Another example has to do with riding my bike around town. While I haven’t been doing any long rides lately, I pretty much ride all over La Jolla. This means that I ride my bike anywhere from 1-3 times/day – to grab lunch, work out, run errands, etc. These rides range from 1.5 to 5 miles round trip.

The result is that I typically end up riding some 30-50 miles every week this way. While it isn’t much, it still adds up. Not only do I get some exercise that I wouldn’t otherwise get, but I also get to save money on gas, help the environment (those short trips are very polluting) and I even save time – that’s because if you’ve been to La Jolla you know what parking can be like.

Mao Tse Tung once said “A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step”. If you embrace this concept, you will notice your productivity will soar (thought it probably won’t be easily visible right away.)

Technorati Tags: Productivity, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Podcast Episode #25 – Choice to Make a Difference

Episode # 25 of Xtraordinary Living is out. The topic is Choice to Make a Difference. I interview Cheryl Weatherford founder of A Passion for Paws Rescue, a certified non-profit dedicated to saving the lives of Akitas and other large breeds that have lost hope of finding a new home while awaiting death.

In our 25th episode, you will hear:
– How, even in Cheryl’s early childhood, dogs played a role in her life
– What business and entrepreneurial skills she brought to forming the organization
– How the death of her only son, Paxton, at 33 years old, propelled her into defining her life vision and purpose
– Ways to turn grief into fulfilling action, and why it’s imperative to do so
– Why she chose the name “A Passion for Paws”
– What are some of the ways people get involved with helping the dogs: sponsors; foster homes; and adopters
– How the families also benefit by having a dog, from children learning responsibility to seeing unconditional love at its best
– And much more!

In this episode Cheryl shares why and how she made the choice to lead an extraordinary life. Her belief is . . . “part of living is giving back to the community.” Through A Passion for Paws, she not only accomplishes helping the animals, but also she honors her son. Enjoy this podcast dedicated to choosing to make a difference!

By the way, one of the ways you can support A Passion for Paws is by registering for the “QuoteActions” program using this link. When you do, 20% of the revenues will go to A Passion for Paws. You can find out more about “QuoteActions” and the 2-week $1 trial here.

After you listen to Cheryl’s interview, post your thoughts below. Also, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 206-337-0637 and record your comments and tell us what you think. For your comments you will be entered into a contest to win a fully loaded iPod nano. Watch for details, but start getting your entries today.

This episode is approximately 28 minutes long. To listen to it, click Podcast Episode #25

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/rickipll/feed.xml

Technorati Tags: Dog Rescue, A Passion for Paws, Akitas, Making a Difference, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

The Joy of Learning and Discovery

A key ingredient in Xtraordinary Living is constant learning and discovery. One of the best aspects of having started blogging and podcasting, is the amount of learning and discovery I’ve experienced over the past year. Not only have I met incredibly talented and interesting people, but I have been exposed to things that are quite exciting. This post is about using technology as a way to help us become more connected.

I recently joined two networking sites: LinkedIn and MyBlogLog. LinkedIn is primarily designed to help you connect with business associates while MyBlogLog helps you connect with other bloggers.

I remember reading a book by John Naisbitt called Megatrends where the author talked about how the more “high tech” we become, the more “high touch” we crave. Twenty years later that certainly seems to be the case.

As humans we crave a sense of connection. And with technology becoming more entrenched in every area of our lives, that need for connection with other humans gets amplified. While many people use technology as a way to isolate themselves – after all who needs people with so many exciting gadgets – the choice can be made to use technology as a way to get more connected. My experiences in both these networking communities validates the latter.

I have recently been introduced to someone whom I wanted to meet for some time as a result of a LinkedIn contact. And thanks to MyBlogLog I have not only learned about many new and exciting features and information on blogs and podcasting, but the traffic to this blog has increased by 20%. In addition, I’ve met some truly friendly and helpful people.

Don’t be afraid to check out some of these sites and see if they may be a good fit for you. You can check my LinkedIn profile on the right sidebar and MyBlogLog’s community on the left.

Technorati Tags: MyBlogLog, LinkedIn, social Networking, Connecting, Networking, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Swimming with Whales

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is that I get to travel to incredible places and experience some things that few people in the world ever get to do. One of my most Xtraordinary experiences ever was swimming with Humpback whales in Tonga.

I’ve had the privilege of sharing some incredible moments with these beautiful animals in two different Learning Vacations.

Warning! The following videos may cause you to get so inspired that you’ll want to experience this yourself! Should that be the case, we’ll be going back to Tonga in 2008 and you may want to join us. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Swimming with Whales, Humpback Whales, Adventure Travel, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Structure – One of the 3 pillars of change

Earlier this month I wrote a post about the 3 necessary elements – Vision, Structure & Support – to have a fighting chance of succeeding when trying to change something in our lives. This post is about Structure.

The dictionary definition of structure is: anything composed of parts arranged together in some way; an organization. A synonym for Structure is: System.

What this means is that unless you have a system in place for you to achieve something, you probably won’t. Examples of systems include: automatic withdrawals from a checking account into a savings or investment account (to build wealth), working out with a trainer or enrolling in Yoga classes (for fitness), automatic backup (for your computer data), email auto-responders (to notify people you’re out of the office), etc.

Our new “QuoteActions” program is designed to provide a fast, easy and inexpensive Awareness Structure to keep our mind focused on positive things during the day and reinforce conscious thinking.

As the name states, “QuoteActions” consists of a quote that is either inspirational, motivational or introspective and a recommended supporting action that helps make the quote “come alive”.

When you think about how most of us start the day – by either reading, watching or listening to the news – you realize that our day typically starts by being exposed to a barrage of negative news. After all, that is what the media sells. The “QuoteActions” program is a great way to offer an alternative to that and start the day on a positive note.

If you are a PL&L client and you are really committed about making some of the changes you need to make to help you create an Xtraordinary Life, then you ought to at least give this program a try. I’m quite certain you will find it to be a very nice addition to your course curriculum.

If you’re not a PL&L client, then this is the least expensive & most convenient way for you to see whether what we offer is a good fit for you in your life.

If you are already a “QuoteActions” user, I would love to hear from you about how you are liking the program and what kind of impact has it had in your life.

To find out more about this program, you can click on any of the “QuoteActions” links or on the logo above.

Technorati Tags: Structure, Change, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Podcast Episode #24 – Entrepreneurial Spirit

Episode #24 of the Xtraordinary Living podcast is out. The topic is Entrepreneurial Spirit. I interview Brian Blacher who is the owner of San Diego-based ActiveKidz, an activity sports center for children from 12 months to 8 years. Brian also has an adult personal training business called Funxion Fitness in La Jolla.

Born and raised in South Africa during apartheid, Brian and I discuss how and why he came to the US. He paints the picture, of as a young boy, watching 16 mm films of American TV and realizing that separateness was not one of his belief systems. He came with a suitcase, money for six months and his dreams. You’ll hear how he turned those goals into reality. Brian details his challenges and his celebrations. As a 3rd degree Black Belt in Judo he explains the importance his love and commitment to the martial arts has played in his life design. He discusses how he balances his roles as an entrepreneur and a father. If you’ve ever daydreamed about owning your own business, Brian shares his candid advice. If you already own a business, his story will refresh and stimulate you to get back to the basics for continued success. Enjoy this podcast dedicated to entrepreneurial spirit!

After you listen to Brian’s interview, post your thoughts below. Also, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 206-337-0637 and record your comments and tell us what you think. For your comments you will be entered into a contest to win a fully loaded iPod nano. Watch for details, but start getting your entries today.

This episode is approximately 22 minutes long. To listen to it, click here:Podcast 24

If you listen to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing. Just head out to iTunes and set it up so that future episodes get sent directly to your iPod or other portable media player. The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Technorati Tags: Entrepreneur, Small Business, Kids, Fitness, Xtraordinary Living

You might be richer than you think

Did you know that the State of California is holding more than $4.8 billion in Unclaimed Property? These assets have been turned over to the State for safekeeping by banks, businesses and other organizations as required by law.

There is no charge to file a claim for Unclaimed Property. Last year, more than 239,000 accounts were returned, and the average amount received was almost $1,000! You can use this Web site to search for property you may have lost or forgotten. There are 7.6 million accounts, so there is a good chance that you, a friend or family member has unclaimed property.

After typing my name to search if I had any claims available – I didn’t – I found that my grandfather had about $200 in an old savings account. What was interesting was that when he opened the account, he listed the address of the house where I was born in Mexico City. That certainly brought a lot of memories!

However, a good friend of mine claimed (and received) almost $800 and my wife Jessica had about $45 dollars she was owed from a previous insurance payment. The claim process is very simple and doesn’t take much time. I invite you to see if you or someone you know does have some money just waiting to be claimed.

Technorati Tags: Free Money, Refund, Windfall, Xtraordinary Living

Xtraordinary Living Blog celebrates it’s 1-year anniversary

Today is the 1-year anniversary of the launching of this blog. It has been a fascinating journey and I thank you all who have commented and given me feedback over this past year. I hope that I’ve been able to contribute as much value to you as you have to me.

In today’s post, I want to recommend reading Alan Deutschman’s article “Change or Die“, where he talks about the scientifically studied odds against people changing behavior. However, he also mentions how those odds can be reversed by the addition of 3 elements: vision, structure & support.

Last November during our PL&L staff retreat, we set a goal to have a greater impact in our client’s lives in 2007. Looking at Deutschman’s 3 elements of change, we concluded that PL&L has done a great job in 2 of the 3 areas – vision & support. However, we have been sorely lacking in the structure department. So we set out to correct this.

The challenge was how to do this in a way that didn’t tax our already thin resources. The answer we came up with was that we could do this by using technology more effectively.

The result of these conversations has led to the launching of the “QuoteActions” and Engage&Excel programs this past month. I will be writing future posts about these programs soon.

Technorati Tags: Change, PL&L, Structure, Support, Xtraordinary Living