Change the World in Less Than Five Seconds

Smiling is the quickest way to change the world. Period. How many times has your mood changed when someone gives you a genuine smile? I know that it is the quickest way to change my mood and spread positivity. YOU can change the world for the next week by smiling at everyone you meet. Whether it is at work, the gym, or your local McDonald’s do give the people you interact with a smile. The simple act will help you change the world!

Having trouble smiling? Follow these simple tips:

Think of something you really enjoy – We all have those moments that we are very proud of. Replay these memories in your mind and it will help you smile through the toughest times.

Imagine your wildest dream(s) coming true - What is your dream? Imagine it coming true. As a matter of fact, always imagine your dreams coming true, it will give more meaning to your life, and success.

Pay yourself to smile - If you can’t break a smile try this – pay yourself to smile! While it may be a difficult really accurately charge yourself, thinking about paying yourself $1 every time you genuinely smile at someone. At the end of the week you should have a nice chunk of change that will certainly put a smile on your face.

Still not convinced that smiling will change the world? Well here are some personal reasons that you should smile:

1. Smiling makes you more attractive
2. Smiling reduces stress
3. Smiling helps the immune system
4. Smiling makes you seems successful
5. Smiling helps you stay positive

So change the world and smile!

What are some ways that your smile has changed the world?

B.I.G. Tips on Being Successful

Just stay busy, stay workin’…The key to staying, on top of things is treat everything like it’s your first project…like it’s your first day like back when you was an intern…just stay hungry.

-The Notorious B.I.G.

Any hip-hop fan will probably say that the Notorious B.I.G. is one of the greatest MCs of all-time. Although his life was tragically taken at a young age, he became legendary where others have fell short. What pushed him to become so great? While many will say his talent did, I believe his attitude toward success helped propel him. Like The Notorious B.I.G. just treat each day like an intern. Whether you are running a multi-billion dollar business or managing a lemonade stand, here are a few simple steps to achieving the success that you have dreamed about.

1. Seize every opportunity  – the beautiful things about successful interns is their willingness to learn. Why do people lose this zest once they become full-time employees? Unfortunately, for a large portion of us we have a lot to learn. Instead of resting on your laurels, reach out and connect with those who can help you achieve your dreams.  You never reach a point were you have arrived, the learning process should continue with books, periodicals, listening, seeking mentors and your growing network.
2. Volunteer for projects – When I joined the military, my father gave me one sound piece of advice “never volunteer!” While this advice did get me out of some pretty humiliating duties (port-a-potty clean is NO fun), it did little to build my reputation as a team player and a leader. Interns who are serious about gaining employment often find themselves doing routine tasks such as making copies,  fetching donuts, or making endless phone calls. In the end, they are most likely hired because of their likability, and willingness to sacrifice for the team. Ask any successful person you admire and they will tell you that you have to pay your dues at some point. Whether you volunteer for a huge project at your job, or an inconspicuous duty at your church, giving yourself to others will pay huge dividends. Give your time without expecting anything it return. In the end, you will come out much better than when you started.
3. Never pass up an opportunity to impress – Interns are constantly under the microscope when working. One little action can make or break their opportunity to get that important job. Every little detail from your dress to how you speak at a presentation will make a lasting impression on their potential employer. As we grow in our careers, however, we often become stagnant and let those “little things” get in the way of our success. We care less about impressing others, and slowly begin losing our relevance to those around us. Seek ways to go the extra mile in everything that you do. Whether it is impressing your employer or spouse, a little bit of extra will go a long way.

While The Notorious B.I.G. ultimately will be branded as a “gangsta rapper” by popular culture (getting gunned down isn’t the best way to go) he had a good idea on what it took to be successful.  Treat everyday like an intern, and you will begin to realize your success growing.

Rewind Wednesday: A Halo and Your Personal Brand

Have you ever wondered why a certain person has been promoted over you? In most cases, you might be harder working, better educated, or even more well rounded. Still, you lost out on the big promotion. Chances are you were a victim of a cognitive bias known as the “halo effect“. Most people view other people/objects as generally good, or generally bad. For example, consider the follow test conducted at The California Institute of Technology as reported by Randolph Schmid of The Associated Press:

They asked 20 people to sample wine while undergoing functional MRIs of their brain activity. The subjects were told they were tasting five different cabernet sauvignons sold at different prices.

However, there were actually only three wines sampled, two being offered twice, marked with different prices.

A $90 wine was provided marked with its real price and again marked $10, while another was presented at its real price of $5 and also marked $45.

The testers’ brains showed more pleasure at the higher price than the lower one, even for the same wine

What does this mean for your brand? It means that perception is everything! Most people make the connection of high price, with fine wine and we readily accept it. Think about it, are Tiffany’s diamonds any better than those purchased from other stores? Does a Lexus do a better job than a Ford getting you from point A to point B? Is the guy in the Brooks Brother suit better equipped to lead your department than the man with the t-shirt suit (they are pretty cool)? To be honest, no one can answer these questions with 100% certainty, but because of the halo effect we normally consider one good trait, and make the assumption that something (or someone) is generally good.

When thinking about your brand, the halo effect can really help you by leaps and bounds. Focus on the best traits of your brand and build them relentlessly and people will begin to generally think of you or your product as good. Marketers have done this for years with great success (why do you think celebrity endorsements are so popular?). I encourage you to use this to your advantage in building your brand…
Now let’s rewind to the post that got me interested in this halo effect in the first place.

A Halo and Your Personal Brand

November 15, 2007

Have you ever thought about the bad decisions that you have made in your life? Why is it that people who are considered “smart” do such stupid things? Even the most educated people often fall victim to stupid or irrational actions.

In a recent post on PsyBlog titled “Why We Do Dumb or Irrational Things” 10 of the most influential psychological studies are presented. The author provides insight on psychological phenomenons like cognitive dissonance, false consensus bias, social identity theory, and bystander apathy. Each of these studies tell us a lot about our brain, and what forms our decisions. One study, however, remains important in developing your personal brand, the halo effect.

The halo effect exists when individuals make broad judgments (or assumptions) about a product or thing based on a particular trait. For example, consider Paris Hilton. Most people will say that Paris is attractive, therefore, according to the halo effect, we are conditioned to believe that others traits are positive as well. Politicians and celebrities use the halo effect particularly well. Most people who are voting for Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, or any other candidate know very little about what these individuals will do in office. They use the “halo effect” in order to make themselves more electable. Think about the smiles, and positivity that oozes from these politicians, it provides a reason for the general public to “support” their cause.

When considering your own personal brand, the halo effect, can go a long way to build how you are perceived. To some people, this effect comes naturally. People who are really attractive experience success because attractive people are viewed as better. This is precisely the reason you rarely finding unattractive people promoting products. Attractiveness is not the only attribute that can give your brand a boost. Other attributes like wealth, knowledge, or physical strength could have the same effect. The challenge is to create a halo effect for your brand.

Create value for your target market and promote yourself with your very own halo effect. Chances are you will be more successful at achieving your objective than you could imagine.

The Notorious B.I.G. and Your Personal Brand

Just stay busy, stay workin’…The key to staying, on top of things is treat everything like it’s your first project…like it’s your first day like back when you was an intern…just stay hungry.

-The Notorious B.I.G.

You can learn, from an intern

What pushes ordinary people to become great? Have you ever wondered why some people remain at a certain level, while others excel? In my opinion, it is very easy, be like The Notorious B.I.G. just treat each day like an intern. Here are a few simple steps to humbling yourself for success.

1. Seize every opportunity to learn -the beautiful things about successful interns is their willingness to learn. Why do employees lose this once they become full-time employees? My guess is by this time we feel that we are masters of our own domain. Unfortunately, for a large portion of us we have a lot to learn. Instead of resting on your laurels, reach out and connect with those who can help you achieve your dreams. You never reach a point were you have arrived, the learning process should continue with books, periodicals, listening and your growing network.
2. Volunteer for projects – When I joined the military, my father gave me one sound piece of advice “never volunteer!” While this advice did get me out of some pretty humiliating duties, it did little to build my reputation as a team player and a leader. Interns who are serious about gaining employment often find themselves doing routine tasks such as making copies or fetching donuts. In the end, they are most likely hired because of their likability, and willingness to sacrifice for the team. Now, I understand that volunteering is important in building your career. Whether you volunteer for a huge project at your job, or an inconspicuous duty at your church, giving yourself to others will pay huge dividends. Give your time without expecting anything it return. In the end, you will come out much better than when you started.
3. Never pass up an opportunity to impress – Interns are constantly under the microscope when working. One little action can make or break their opportunity to be successful. Every little detail from your dress to how you speak at a presentation will make a lasting impression on their potential employer. As we grow in our careers, however, we often become stagnant and let those “little things” get in the way of our success. We care less about impressing others, and slowly begin losing our relevance to our employers and those around us. Seek ways to go the extra mile in everything that you do. Whether it is impressing your employer or spouse, a little bit of extra will go a long way.

The Notorious B.I.G. hit the nail right on the head with branding yourself for success. By treating each day like an intern, and staying hungry for success, you can go a long way towards becoming not only a better employee, but a better person.

What are others ways that an intern can teach us to be successful?

Video: James Seay’s Develop Your Brand Workshop

Clips from a workshop that I have provided for hundreds of people interested in developing their personal brands.

Contact me at jseay1 [at] gmail.com for speaking inquiries. Enjoy!

Naming Your Child For Success

As a parent, you can never under-estimate your ability to influence you child’s life. Decisions that are made today will have an effect on the child’s entire life. The first major decision parents face is what to name their child and this decision could have a large impact on your child’s future success.

This is the most basic lesson in personal branding, but many people largely take it for granted. Recently, Neil Patel a blogger at Quick Sprout, posed the question to his readers How Do You Name A Baby For Success? There were a number of responses and it became clear that your name is a large part of your brand.

Think about some of the biggest names in the media today, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Paris Hilton, Brad Pitt, Angelia Jolie have strong names that separate them from the pack. I would argue that a large part of their success comes from a strong name that stands out. Of course, similar boring names have also achieved great success, Will Smith in particular, comes to mind. The question, however, is how important is your name for success?

Would you remember Mark Twain if he was just Samuel Clemens? Would you laugh at Whoopi Goldberg if her name was Caryn Johnson? These two icons realized the importance of a name that communicated their personal brands. According to the Social Security Administration, the top baby names of 2007 are Jacob and Emily. In 1907 John and Mary were the most popular names names in America (James was number three in 1907, and out of the top 20 in 2007, go figure). A great name can go along way in what you end up becoming.

While your name alone will not guarantee your success, it will go a long way as your child grows to become a professional. Parents should keep this in mind when naming their children. What name would best reflect this person in the future? Will naming your child Apple or Seven actually improve the chances of your child succeeding? Probably not. A strong name, however, can be the first building block of developing the personal brand of your child. Just ask my son, James Seay Jr. (-:

How You Can Change the World

How would you like to completely change the world? As a child, I often dreamed about making a difference in the world. My dreams always centered around me ruling the world with an iron fist. This view change when my professor challenged me to change the world one person at a time. While world domination would be nice, I have discovered another way to change the world, with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) has been in existence for over 100 and has one mission, to improve the lives of youth through mentoring. The value proposition is simple, people connect and lives are enhanced. According to the BBBS website, your time directly contributes to the development of America’s future:

• More confident in their schoolwork performance
• Able to get along better with their families
• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
• 52% less likely to skip school.

The organization has helped power many youth to more successful, fulfilling lives and it is much easier than world domination.

My time with BBBS in the past was very fulfilling, and I am looking forward to connecting with a Columbus area 8th grader through a new BBBS program called Project Mentor.

Don’t follow my foolish dreams of the past, world domination is so not cool. I encourage you to change the world by dedicating your spare time to our future, the youth.

Volunteer with BBBS

Volunteer with Project Mentor

Watch Video about Project Mentor

Is Your Brand Generic?

As consumers, we are forced on a daily basis to make a very difficult choice. Should you buy generic or brand name? Of course, the generic route usually means savings and more money in your pocket. Or does it?

I have always wondered why people continue to purchase brand names, when they could save money by purchasing generic products. The answer lies in the relationship each brand name can form with the consumer. For example, Cheerios has positioned itself based on its healthy benefit. In these health conscious times this alone, could drive the purchasing decision for many. On the other hand, Toasted Oats just offers a substitute for Cheerios, with no other clear value.

When it comes to your own personal brand, are you generic? There are thousands of people in the world who present themselves as seasoned professionals or driven-leaders, but does that truly separate them from other professionals? Most likely, these people are just a generic as the Toasted Oats brand. There is no clear value proposition or differentiation, just more of the same old stuff. In the end, this people hurt themselves when thinking about the next career move or promotion.

With a few simple steps, you can make yourself a name-brand and avoid the doldrums of the generic brand.

Develop your value proposition

What value do you offer? We all know that Starbucks offers premium coffee, IKEA will give you cheap furniture and Disney will offer fun for your family. These companies spend millions of dollars creating this value proposition, what about your brand? Are you are proven sales star with a knack for getting things done? Do you offer cost-saving strategies with innovation? My personal value proposition is Imaginative solutions for success®. I aim to provide my clients and employer with creative means at achieving goals. I encourage you to do the same for your personal brand.

What makes YOUnique?

You have heard this a thousand times, we are all unique. There are no two people, that are completely the same. Think about about bottled water. Most of us have consumed a certain type of bottled water in the last 12 months. Surprisingly enough, you probably purchased a “brand-name” water based on its uniqueness. Of course, you could have purchased the water that comes in the milk jug for cheaper, but you went for the Dasani because it was unique and different. Your personal brand will be successful based on your ability to differentiate your brand from others. Are you a new college grad or Generation Y expert? Are you an insurance professional or a person with a knack for driving profit? Being different will help power you to achieve your dreams.

Personal branding is very difficult, and takes time and commitment to get it right. At minimum, however, you should promote your value proposition and carefully differentiate yourself from others. This alone will help you separate yourself from 99% of other in the workforce.

Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification

Video: RU Relevant

This is a great message about the importance of being relevant. Whether it is a product, service, or person being relevant is the key to success. Check out Hajj Flemings website for more information. Enjoy!

Dude, Where’s My Personal Brand?

The popular (well maybe not popular, but funny nonetheless) movie, Dude Where’s My Car provides a great analogy to developing your personal brand.

On some level, most people brand themselves in a positive light. Whatever your expertise might be, your brand (like Aston Kutcher’s car) can disappear overnight. It could become irrelevant, outdated, or just plumb boring in the blink of an eye.

Here are a few tips on ensuring your brand (and success) do not disappear overnight:

• Conduct a SWOT analysis on your brand

This will give you a firm understanding on what to avoid (Britney Spears please insert bar-hopping to your THREATS) and what to focus your efforts on. The stronger your brand, the less likely that it will disappear.

• Do not be afraid to make adjustments

Any great brand understands that adjustments are necessary to remain relevant. Think about Bill Gates, the richest man in America, making a parody of his life after Microsoft. Looks like he is preparing for his life a pop-culture superhero!

• Embrace criticism like a friend

As much as we all like to brand ourselves as experts, criticism will allow you to reach new heights and strengthen your brand at the same time. Every strong brand has a team helping power its success.

These are a few simple steps that can drastically improve your chances at ensuring your brand does not disappear.

What are some other ways that you can strengthen your personal brand?