Rants & Ravings, From Me to You.

The web is a vast, ever changing entity that is difficult to keep up with. It would be foolish of me or anyone else to think they are keeping abreast of the life force that creates it. It baffles me to think of all the tools and resources available to me and others that we don’t even know about.

The cream always rises to the top and eventually you would find out about face book, twitter, Digg, craigslist, just from the sheer amount of users and buzz.  Google does this with search, anything you want to know about. Google it!

Here’s the question; how do you find it, if you don’t know that you should be looking for it?

There must be tools that others are using that could help you, or others that you know. The key is:

• Getting the information to them
• Showing them the value
• Having someone act upon it

Doing two out of the three doesn’t work. It’s got to be all the way or nothing.

I started this blog to meet like minded people and share. Share things that I found interesting, cool, funny, and things that could help people. I now have people I consider friends half way around the world that I have never met in person. I have a rule that I use, share without regret. Don’t worry about the people that laugh, ridicule and put down the things that you share.

I challenged myself to write this blog, in order to share those things with the world that I found useful. Somewhere out there is something that I probably never knew I needed or could help me.  It’s that thought that keeps me reading, looking, writing and my mind inquisitive each and every day.

So, without further ado, here are some of my most precious resources.

Twitter – I have three active accounts that I use for three different passions.

• Baseball
• Business
• Giving Back/Volunteering

Blogs – I read religiously here are a few of my favorites

• Seth Godin – http://sethgodin.typepad.com/
• Lifehacker – http://lifehacker.com/
• Tim Ferris – http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/
• Google – http://googleblog.blogspot.com/
• Google Docs – http://googledocs.blogspot.com/
• Entrepreneurs Journey – http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/

Books – I read constantly check out this post for some of my favorites. (although they change all the time)

• http://jvanwyk.com/2009/06/24/book-suggestions/

Triiibes – Something I just joined and love. Don’t be a lurker!

Alltop – This website is extremely useful because it categorizes everything by your interest. Check it out – http://alltop.com/

If I can share something that makes your life, job or business better, I will consider that the best news of the day. If more of us do it, it will become common place and those that are struggling to do real work will be able to do it better, cheaper and faster. Please share with me your favorite resources; I’m always prowling for new leads! Leave me a comment below.

Leaders aren’t born, their made. Many leaders share the same core attributes. However, you don’t come into this world as a leader; many factors are involved in creating the leader. It takes years and in some cases decades. Good leaders continue to learn, adapt and have the foresight to spot opportunities as they arise. They aren’t much different than anyone else; except for the smallest amount of time it takes them to makes the decisions that mold the future. However, not everyone can be a leader, so……

Maybe you’re a doer. You don’t like the pressure or expectations that come with being a leader. You hate being in the limelight or the center of attention. You might work better being known as the person who gets things done and is dependable. Not the person whom the finger is pointed at and spoken about in hushed tones. We need doers in this world just as we need leaders, and although doers and leaders share a lot of the same attributes. The differences are vast.

Leaders push past limitations to the place that most don’t want to venture. That big dark place that is uncomfortable and scary. The one your mother told you about. Leaders may know words and phrases like “indecision”, “unsure”, “we can’t” and “it can’t be done.” They just don’t accept them. They take them in, let them wash over them and hand them off to the doer with a vision attached.

The doer does what they do and completes the project, or task to meet the goal. While dragging, prodding and prompting the followers kicking and screaming to the finish line. Followers can’t follow without a doer; doers can’t do without a leader, and leaders can’t lead without each of them.

Most people fall into this follower category.  Followers are a dime a dozen. We need them in many aspects of business. However, the follower will never succeed past their own limitations. If you are a follower, be prepared to work hard. Stop complaining about the boss, or your low pay. You chose to be a follower. You can just as easily choose to be a doer by changing your mindset.

Which one are you? Which one do you want to be? Or, do you just want to be a couch potato that eats sausage all day? To each his own, but don’t complain that life isn’t fair. You control the outcome, not your boss, parents, siblings, friends or significant others. You chose your lot in life, if you want to make something special, do it. It won’t be easy and you won’t always feel secure while doing it. Just remember one of my favorite sayings when that insecurity taps into your conscience, and makes you feel unsure. “It’s wiser to simply smile, knowing that the magic is out there.”

Stay strong mentally, physically and emotionally in order to choose if you want to be a leader, doer, follower or just sit on the couch eating sausage all day. The choice is yours, it always has been.