(Clever Title re: Links)

Thought I’d share some note-worthy sites I’ve stumbled upon the last week or so:

The War Eagle Reader - OK, I’ve actually visited TWER before, but since they scored an interview with Brian regarding LUCERO’s first-ever show in Auburn, they deserve some link-cred. Also, check out the Vintage Auburn posts (HT: Zandura101)

FreeThinkBham’s "Hipster’s Guide to Birmingham" – I have no interest in “progressive action and info”, but this Guide seems pretty spot-on (I doubt I’d even qualify as a young professional or “executive” hipster though). I’ve only been to Urban Standard for lunch once, but it was tasty (HT: BhamTerminal).

A Trip Down South - I'm no fashionista (J. Crew and “Banana” never look good on “husky” fellas like myself), but this blog is pretty good stuff (apparently there’s a whole ‘nother world of male sartorial blogs out there). I did subscribe to GQ once, but it’s been a solid year since I purchased something from Brooks Brothers.

The Selvedge Yard - Stephen sent me this blog which seems to celebrate all things classy (classic) and manly (Reminds me of EDSBS’s Digital Viking: Guide to Spicy Living). The old school (60’s and 70’s) pictures are pretty sweet.

Archie McPhee – Yes, I’m a dork. I bought a Seth Godin action figure. This website is AWESOME and flipping through the catalogue, I could easily blow $100. Reminds of the magic shop in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. PS – I think you know what to get me for April 16th??

Linchpin

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned I had a “few” books on my reading list, and last Sunday, I was able to check Linchpin off that list. Now, I’ve got to tell you something.

Seth Godin has completely blown my mind.

Seriously, this book was entertaining, inspiring, and a (relatively) quick read. (It’s difficult to summarize 240 pages into one post, but) Seth basically explains how the world (economy) has changed, and the only way to succeed in this new environment is to be indispensible (a linchpin). The last 250 years, we’ve lived in a “factory” society (it makes no difference if the factory makes cars, food, health care, or tax returns), and according to Seth, the American Dream was:

Keep your head down
Follow instructions
Show up on time
Work hard
Suck it up
. . . and you’ll be rewarded.

As we’ve seen the last decade (what with bankruptcies, lay-offs, economic uncertainty, etc.), this path is no longer a guarantee to a comfortable life. The new American dream is:

Be remarkable
Be generous
Create art
Make judgment calls
Connect people and ideas
. . . and we have no choice but to reward you.

But Seth isn’t necessarily imploring you to create art with a paint brush or a musical instrument. We are all artists, because "art, at least as I define it, is the intentional act of using your humanity to create a change in another person."

No one said being a linchpin would be easy. We’re pre-disposed (our “lizard brain”) to fight this notion of standing out and being remarkable. It’s much easy to just “do your job” and collect a paycheck. But if you want to be successful (aka happy), you can’t give in to this resistance.

There’s so much more to this book, but for the list-oriented people like myself, to be indispensable you must:

Provide a unique interface between members of your organization
Deliver unique creativity
Manage a situation or organization of great complexity
Lead customers
Inspire staff
Provide deep domain knowledge
Posses a unique talent

But what inspired me to tell you about how completely mind-blowing this book is??

I’ve been following Seth’s blog for about a year. In December he gave his readers a chance to get a preview copy of Linchpin a few weeks before it was released. Pretty sweet, huh?? All Seth asked in return was to make a donation ($30 minimum) to the Acumen Fund and share your thoughts on the book if you so feel led. In 49 hours, he raised over $108k. When I received my copy in early January he included a note thanking me for the donation and said there would be another surprise a few weeks later (aka now).

Like I said, I finished this book Sunday and I feel like I’ve been telling people about it since. Monday I even mentioned it to our Training Coordinator and said it would be a great book to deliver a training session on (I told him I’d be happy to help, of course). This is the kind of book you want to buy for all your co-workers, friends, and family.

Well, today I get home from work and see a random package from Barnes & Noble addressed to me??? (Did the LOML pre-order me The Big Short???). I opened it up and inside was another note from Seth. He said an important part of being indispensible is generosity, and he wanted to give me a SECOND COPY of Linchpin to share with a friend. ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?!?

Seth, you’re a gentleman and a scholar, and you’ve got a new convert in your tribe. Thank you for writing this book.

PS – the Tuna Tartare Burger I had for lunch today at FLIP Burger also completely blew my mind.

Help me, Help you!

After fellowshipping with some of my high school friends in Memphis last week, it’s come to my attention that everyone does NOT use Google Reader (or other RSS feed readers)?!?!? Come on people now!! (smile on your brother, everybody . . . )

I’ve (subconsciously) pushed and prodded you to move towards Google Reader (here, here, and here), but now I think it’s time for a full out tutorial/explanation about the BENEFITS of using RSS Feeds!

(If you already use Google Reader, feel free to browse away . . . or catch up on all those old Seth Godin posts you “Mark as Read”)

Do you ever wonder what that icon is that looks like the North Face Logo?? It’s the RSS logo, and basically means you can add that website to a RSS feed reader.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I was going to type up some long, drawn out explanation, but I just found a really good youtube explanation here:

Another couple of neat/cool things you can do in Reader is to star and e-mail articles (I feel like I do this a lot) and check out your Trends. Here you can see which sites are most frequently updated, inactive, or obscure (click to embiggen). Thank You, 33 Blog Subscribers.

Anyways, if you find yourself checking the same sites every day, expecting an updated post (Big Girl, huh??)*, only to leave feeling sad and lonely, you might want to check this out. Srsly.

* RJOH, I love you!!

You know, like a cow’s opinion

Do any of you read Seth Godin? If you haven’t heard of Seth, he is a very successful entrepreneur/marketer, who along with Malcolm Gladwell, is one of today’s socio/psycho-behavioral experts (the Alabama, to Gladwell’s Auburn, if you will). He’s written some pretty neat books (Purple Cow, Tribes, etc.), and everyday he posts some very interesting thoughts on his blog (If you’re in Sales, PR, Marketing, etc., I don’t see how you can’t be reading his (FREE) daily advice).

Well today, he posted a pretty thought provoking question:

Let's say your goal is to reduce gasoline consumption.
And let's say there are only two kinds of cars in the world. Half of them are Suburbans that get 10 miles to the gallon and half are Priuses that get 50.
If we assume that all the cars drive the same number of miles, which would be a better investment:
Get new tires for all the Suburbans and increase their mileage a bit to 13 miles per gallon.
Replace all the Priuses and rewire them to get 100 miles per gallon (doubling their average!)
Trick question aside, the answer is the first one. (In fact, it's more than twice as good a move

Being the auditor I am, I had to know how he came to such a bold conclusion (what were his assumptions??). So I e-mailed him to ask for his formula.

First, I’ve got to say how impressed I am, that Seth replied (on a SATURDAY morning) within 1 hour!!! Seth, you’re a gentleman and a scholar.

But his reply didn’t really answer anything. He just said “assert 1000 cars and 1000 miles driven per car and use excel. you'll see”

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, ok. Maybe, he was trying to be the wise teacher that encourages his students to try out various formulas on their own???

I’m no car expert, but let’s say it costs $500 (?) for a new set of tires, and $5,000 (??) to re-wire your Prius (I realize this is probably WAAAAAAAY under-priced, but I had to start somewhere).


Click to Enlarge)

Sure enough, it does cost LESS to get new tires on your gas-guzzling Suburban, than re-wire your green Prius, but it’s really a moot point. In both situations, you’re better off (financially) BEFORE these improvements????

So, if you’re goal is to reduce gas consumption (AND you want to save money), you really should just be riding a bike??