Leaving 2019 Inspired

“Here’s to those who inspire us and don’t even know it.” – Anonymous

Below are the BOOKS and IDEAS that inspired me in 2019:

BOOKS

Here are my favorite books for 2019.

Each of these helped me see the world in a better way.

Stillness is the Key (by Ryan Holliday) Is it possible to be poised, calm and focused even on our most hectic days? Ryan Holiday shows us how. Holiday distills 2+ years of research on ancient philosophy and modern neuroscience to deliver a playbook on how to live a more meaningful life. My favorite book of 2019.

Digital Minimalism (by Cal Newport) The average person spends over 2 hours a day staring at their phones. That’s over 30 days each year. That’s crazy. Cal Newport shows how to control our technology, so it doesn’t control us. (Favorite idea: Remove all social media apps from your phone.)

Wise Guy: Lessons from a Life (by Guy Kawasaki) Guy Kawasaki was Apple’s chief evangelist under Steve Jobs. He is a legend in Silicon Valley and one of its ultimate consigliere’s . Kawasaki shares a series of personal stories on family, career, and how to live a meaningful life. So good. Get the audible version.

Leadership in War (by Andrew Roberts) Winston Churchill said that if someone wanted to understand politics and leadership they needed to “Study history. Study history. Study history”. Andrew Roberts proves Churchill’s point in one of the best leadership books I have ever read. The good (Churchill, Napoleon, & Margaret Thatcher) and the bad (Hitler & Stalin) are on full display. (PS – Napoleon was one of the OG ballers.)

The Art of Simple Living (by Shunmyo Masuno). Page a day books were one of the new genres I really dove into in 2019. This one was my favorite daily reader. Masuno, a practicing Zen Monk, gives 1 idea each day on how to live a more focused, joyful life.

Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations (by Admiral William McRaven) William McRaven wrote a memoir that reads like a Brad Thor novel. McRaven was part of some of the most famous US military operations of the past decades: capturing Saddam Hussein, rescuing Captain Richard Phillips, and the special forces mission that killed Osama bin Laden. Get the audible version that is read by McRaven.

Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness (by Gretchen Rubin) Clutter is everywhere. Rubin shows why getting rid of things we don’t use, need, or love, frees up our minds (and closest) for what we truly value.

Gridiron Genius (By Michael Lombardi) Lombardi had the unbelievable good fortune to be mentored by 3 NFL legends: Bill Walsh, Al Davis, & Bill Belichick. That’s 12 Super Bowl rings of knowledge showing you the ropes. This is a fascinating look into what separates good teams from great ones and champions from dynasties. (PS – Fly Eagles Fly).

Podcast

The Tim Ferriss Show | Jim Collins — A Rare Interview. Forbes calls Jim Collins “one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds”. Collins’ books have sold more than 10 million copies. This podcast is master class on how to build and lead an organization.

YouTube Clip

Warren Buffett, Bill Gates on the Charlie Rose Show. Maybe the most knowledge ever dropped in 90 seconds on YouTube. Buffett and Gates tell us why we have to guard our most precious resource – time.

Happy holidays.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Wish you a massive success in the new decade!

#InspireSomeone

– Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.Net

The Best of 2018

“Here’s to those who inspire us and don’t even know it.” – Anonymous

Here are 3 of the BEST BOOKS I discovered this year.

A great book changes the way you THINK.

A great book makes you SEE the world differently.

A great book changes how you APPROACH life.

These 3 are that type of book.

As a BONUS, I also included my favorite PODCAST episode of 2018.

Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue (by Ryan Holiday)

Holiday is my favorite author. His latest book “Conspiracy” is a modern-day combination of Machiavelli’s “The Prince” and Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”. I knew little about Peter Thiel. I’ve not thought of Hulk Hogan since high school. I never heard of Gawker. No matter. This is an amazing book about strategy, the danger of hubris, ego, and human nature. Two of Holiday’s other books, The Obstacle is the Way and The Daily Stoic, are the books I gift most to others.

The Captain Class: A New Theory of Leadership (by Sam Walker)

Hands down the best leadership book of 2018. Walker goes on a search to find – What makes a team elite? How does a great team become a dynasty? It’s NOT how much they spend. It’s not their “system”. It’s not even their star players. It’s whether or not they have great CAPTAINS. The Captain may not be the most talented or well know, but they are the glue that holds the team together. The captain’s GRIT, TENACITY, and CHARACTER determine how far their team can go. Amazing stories.

Leadership In Turbulent Times (by Dorris Kearns Goodwin)

Goodwin explores the decisions that shaped lives and times of four of the greatest US Presidents – Lincoln, FDR, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson. Kearns shows how good leaders became great leaders by rising to the occasion of unbelievably difficult circumstances. This is one of those massive books that you are bummed when you hit the last page.

Bonus: Best Podcast Episode of 2018

The Tim Ferris Show: Coach George Raveling — A Legend on Sports, Business, and The Game of Life (#332)

Raveling is a pioneer in civil rights, business, and coaching. If a university ever offered an MBA in Life, this podcast would be on the syllabus. Do yourself a favor and download this episode. It’s a master class on how to live an incredible life.

Hope you enjoy.

Wish you a REMARKABLE 2019!

#TheBestOf2018

-Joe Ciccarone

Leaving 2017 Inspired

“Here’s to those who inspire us and don’t even know it.” – Anonymous

Below are the PEOPLE, BOOKS, & PLACES that inspired me in 2017:

People

Ryan Holiday is my favorite author. Holiday’s writing draws modern day wisdom from ancient philosophy. His latest book, Perennial Seller shows how to create perennial success by basing your work on timeless principles. His other book, The Daily Stoic , is the book I give to others the most.

Seth Godin has the greatest blog on the planet. He has published a daily blog post for over a decade without fail. His blog is the first thing I read each morning. Godin challenges people to stop hiding and leap. He is known for asking, “Would they miss you if you were gone?” The answer is up to you.

Jocko Willink spent 20+ years leading & training Navy SEALS. His Jocko Podcast is a weekly wave of leadership & life lessons. Jocko tells stories from military history, modern day business, & Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Willink inspires you to rise up when others fade away.

Tom Petty is the person from 2017 who I never met, but will miss. Petty, who died this year at 66, has been part of the soundtrack of my life since high school. His concerts were the best. Petty’s, “I Won’t Back Down” inspired me through tough times. RIP Tom. Your music made many “Feel A Whole Lot better.”

Books

Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done was my favorite book of 2017. Jon Acuff breaks down why starting is not the problem; finishing is. Acuff writes about simple tactics to overcoming obstacles that keep us from finishing. One of my favorite quotes from the book, “Starting is fun, but the future belongs to finishers.”

The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck was my surprise book of 2017. I had no expectations, but found myself completely engaged and not wanting it to end. This book informs and entertains. The first chapter drops more “F” Bombs than the bar scene in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. The F*cking premise of the book is that our time & energy are limited. They are the greatest resources we have. We need to figure out who & what are most deserving of them and “not give a F*ck about everything else.”

Tools of Titans by Tim Feriss is a true gift. Imagine having access to billionaires and world class performers like Brene Brown, Peter Theil, General Stanley McChrystal and Malcolm Gladwell. Then imagine having them share their best habits, routines, and tactics. Thanks to Feriss, we now do. You can open this book to any page and get inspired.

Principles by Ray Dalio. Ray Dalio is a self-made billionaire and a legend in the financial world. Bill Gates and Tony Robbins go to Dalio for advice and council. This book is filled with ideas and principles that lead to success in business and life.

Places

Our family’s most “Magical” week of 2017 happened in Disney World. We took our first family trip to the Magic Kingdom. Mickey did not disappoint. I was skeptical going in. Impressed on the way out.

Happy holidays.

Wish you a REMARKABLE 2018!

– Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.Net

Take The Plunge

“You have two choices, control your mind or let your mind control you.” – Paulo Coelho

There is a scene in the documentary “I Am Not Your Guru” where Tony Robbins jumps into a 57° plunge pool immediately after waking up.

Brrrr…

Robbins TAKES THE PLUNGE every morning to tell his mind that he is in charge of the day.

PROFESSIONALS get up and go to work.

AMATEURS wait to be in the mood.

Our brains are hardwired to keep us SAFE and COMFORTABLE.

They are not concerned about our SUCCESS.

When our brain spots a PERCEIVED threat, it tells us to go in the other direction.

This worked great 10,000 years ago when we were being chased by saber-tooth tigers.

Not so much when this same FEAR crushes our present day CREATIVITY.

Our minds will try to convince us not to:

Wake up EARLY.
WRITE that blog post.
Make that UNCOMFORTABLE sales call.

We can’t let our MOOD decide if we will execute or not.

There are ways we can PRIME ourselves to do the work that our minds are trying to keep us from doing.

4 WAYS TO TAKE THE PLUNGE:

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COLD

Want to create your mood the moment you wake up?

Cold shower.

Standing in a cold shower for 30 seconds is an incredibly effective way to tell your mind who’s in charge.

CREATE ROUTINES

Before each Jiu Jitsu class, I head to the pull up bar in the back of the academy.

I do a set of 10 pull ups.

This routine tells my BODY & MIND that it is time to train.

No matter what thoughts are bouncing around in my brain when I walk in, after I hit pull up #10, I am totally focused on training.

FOCUS ON THE OUTCOME

Muhammad Ali said, “I hated every minute of training, but I loved being CHAMPION.”

For me, writing consistently is a struggle but I love having a WEEKLY BLOG.

I focus on how I will feel after I hit the PUBLISH button.

SCHEDULE & PROTECT

Each of us need to use some sort of calendar.

SCHEDULE what’s important.
PROTECT what we schedule.

If we don’t, life will eat our time for breakfast.

Robbins says, “When you train yourself to do it anyway, you will have a freedom that few people will ever find.”

There will always be things we HAVE TO DO that we don’t WANT TO DO.

Free yourself by taking MOOD out of the equation.

How will you tell your mind that YOU ARE IN CHARGE?

Feel the fear.

Do it anyway.

#TakeThePlunge

-Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.Net

Create Your Beautiful Day

“It’s a beautiful day – don’t let it get away.” – U2

The lights go out.

A man dressed in black comes out of nowhere.

He walks calmly to a seat behind the drums.

A sea of 40 year-olds hold up their phones.

The man starts pounding the beat to an anthem we played in college.

70,000 people jump to their feet.

A man wearing a knit hat in 90 degree heat strolls out.

He tears off a guitar riff that sounds like lighting.

The crowd goes insane.

Then a man with purple sunglasses emerges.

The stadium shakes.

Welcome to the Joshua Tree Tour.

I attended U2’s concert in Philadelphia.

It was an amazing experience.

What can U2 teach us about SALES & LIFE?

A ton…

To SUCCEED in today’s world, we need a plan.

U2 has been rocking for over 30 years.

Even though they are ONE of the most successful bands of all time, they leave nothing to chance.

U2 creates a script for every show.

FOLLOWING a script gives the band the freedom to be their creative best.

This same principle can help us.

Each day we need to WRITE our own SETLIST.

Work off a script to maximize your chances to succeed.

Each morning create your own BEAUTIFUL DAY:

3 Ways to Create A Beautiful Day:

Define Your Priorities

U2 centers each show around their Joshua Tree album.

It’s the heart and soul of the concert.

What needs to be at the heart of your day?

Write that blog post?
Send out that customer proposal?
Have that tough conversation?

Life can come at us in MYSTERIOUS WAYS.

We have to tune out the distractions.

Decide where your focus & energy need to go.

Shun the busy work.

Work on things that matter.

Schedule Your Big 3

Every U2 concert is planned out on paper before Bono’s sunglasses go anywhere near the stage.

The band knows what songs they will sing.

They even know what order they will be sung.

We should do the same.

Write a list of everything you need to do.
Narrow that list down to no more than 3 priorities.
Put your BIG 3 into your schedule.

This is HUGE.

What gets scheduled, gets done.

Bring Your Energy

A U2 show feels like gulping down a triple espresso from La Colombe.

Give your best energy to your top priorities.

What part of the day do you have peak energy?

Early morning? Night owl?

Work on your Big 3 priorities when you’re at your best.

Each day is a gift.

Don’t let it get away.

Go To WAR on your priorities with energy and focus.

Watch your life RATTLE & HUM…

#CreateYourBeutifulDay

-Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.net

The Secret Ingredient

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view – until you climb into their skin and walk around in it.” – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

My grand mom was a KILLER cook.

Her chicken cutlets were incredible.

The cutlets were so good, they caused arguments before Sunday dinners.

A constant stream of cousins would walk by and grab the cutlets as they came off the frying pan.

Everyone would downplay how many they swiped.

There would be none left to put on the table.

This cutlet heist played out over decades.

The early bird gets the cutlet…

One day I asked my my grand mom to teach me how to make them.

My version was average at best.

The cutlets all made it to the table.

Something was missing.

Years later I learned I forgot her “secret ingredient” that tied everything together.

The art of COOKING & SALES share the same principles.

Leaving out 1 ingredient can separate AVERAGE from REMARKABLE.

In SALES, that secret ingredient is EMPATHY.

Empathy is defined as the ability to step into someone else’s shoes & experience emotions from their perspective.

In his new book, Sales EQ, Jeb Blount writes, “Empathy is the most important of all the Sales Emotional Intelligence traits.”

The BIGGEST communication problem in SALES is we tend to listen to reply, not understand.

This habit can crush opportunities and destroy relationships.

Your EMPATHY must precede your advice.

If your customer doesn’t feel you UNDERSTAND them, you have zero chance of INFLUENCING them.

People like to think they’re special. This mindset carries over to their perceived problems.

It doesn’t matter how simple the customer’s problem is to fix.

It doesn’t matter how amazing your solution is.

Your solutions (and sales) will go unheard if your customers don’t feel you understand them.

3 Ways To Bring More Empathy to Your Sales Game:

Never Interrupt or Correct

Give your customer your full attention.
Listen. Then listen some more.
Let them say everything they need to say.

ReState Their Position Back to Them

After they finish speaking, say, “If I hear you correctly, you feel that…”
Then list each of their points back to them 1 by 1.
This will make your customer feel heard.
This will make them receptive to what you have to say.

Show How Your Can Help

Only after you do the above, offer your ideas.
Be Concise.
Be Relevant.

Empathy is a key ingredient for success in SALES and LIFE.

Empathy will increase your influence.

Empathy will help you close the sales that feed your family.

Will that food make it to the table?

Depends who’s cooking…

#LeadWithEmpathy

-Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.net

Steal Like An Artist

“Good artists copy, great artists steal.” – Pablo Picasso

A few years out of college I made a BIG career change.

I made the leap from accounting to sales overnight.

I went from spreadsheets and a windowless cubicle, to trying to convince car dealers and and shady mortgage lenders to buy radio ads.

It was like going from the library to a crowded party.

Brave new world…

My biggest obstacle, besides cold calling and daily rejection, was that I had no idea how to sell anything.

They did not teach “How to Close the Sale” in Tax Accounting class.

Professional sales is a combination of:

Art.
Science.
Tenacity.

There are tactics, routines, and strategies that separate the AVERAGE from the ELITE.

Anthony Iannarino writes,”Every salesperson needs the right MINDSET, a refined SKILLSET, and an effective TOOLKIT.”

An early mentor of mine said, “You need to become a student again.”

He told me everything I needed to learn was already out there.

“Don’t make basic mistakes. Learn from the successful people who came before you. Read the great books that define the industry.”

That day I decided to steal ideas from the best minds on the planet.

It’s an ongoing theft that continues to this day.

Below are 3 books that will raise your game to another level.

3 Books to Elevate Your Mindset, Skillset & Toolkit:

Mindset

Meditations (By Marcus Aurelius):

This book is like no other. It’s the personal diary of one the most powerful men who ever lived. Aurelius wrote this to remind himself to stay humble, disciplined, & have strong ethics while the world treated him like a god. This is one of the rare books that make you a better person after reading it.

Skillset

The Little Red Book of Selling (By Jeffrey Gitomer):

Gitomer is the best sales trainer on the planet. Gitomer writes how VALUE, CREATIVITY, REDUCING RISK, and RELATIONSHIPS affect the customer’s buying process. This book is loaded with actionable ideas you can use the moment you read them. Get the audio book read by the author. I learn something new each time I listen.

Toolkit

Power Questions (By Andrew Sobel):

Great questions are the ultimate sales tool. Sobel provides 300+ questions that can stop a customer in their tracks. There is no book I refer to more before a big meeting. This book will take your ability to create meaning dialogue to another level.

Tony Robbins says, “Books can compress decades into days.”

Sales, like life, is an art form.

Steal from the greatest minds.

Create your own masterpiece.

#StealLikeAnArtist

-Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.net