Ben Neumann: Views From The Trenches

I firmly believe that a business can develop only to the extent the owner(‘s) personally develop(s). Reality is that most people, without a proper vision, do not reach their full potential; in fact, 8 out of 10 will not reach the level of success in business or in life they desire.

You wonder why? Simple answer. Unpopular, but simple. Because in business, as in life, most people don’t act – they react. Harv Eker clearly nails this in his book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, “Most people are unconscious. They are asleep at the wheel”. While most unfortunate, most people acknowledge only what they can see and concentrate on success – and their lives – on a pretty shallow level. They live firmly in the "visible" world.

Not you, you say?! So, what type of person are you? What do you think about yourself? How confident are you in your abilities and talents and do you have reason to be confident? Who are your mentors; who do you look to for inspiration and motivation? How much do you trust or not trust others? What is your "perseverance factor"? In other words, how well do you act when you are not in your optimal frame of mind, in spite of difficulty, distress, or apprehension?

Iceberg, straight ahead
Your personality, the way you think and what you believe are key factors in your ability to succeed. I frequently use my iceberg analogy to describe this principal: the theory that the visible part of an iceberg represents less than 10% of its total size; the other 90% remain invisible beneath the water. Applied to real life it means that knowledge or technical skills are no longer enough for success in today's world, and entrepreneurs feel this now more than ever. These things represent the mere 10%, or the "tip of the iceberg" of today's needed competencies. Keeping with my iceberg analogy, where "skills" and "knowledge" are "above the water line", deeper competencies such as deeply-rooted motivation, self-concept, and a mature enough personality are usually hidden beneath the surface, yet have enormous influence over ones daily behavior. It is these deeper, enduring competencies that need to be identified and selected. Therefore, if you wanted to effect change in an iceberg – or your business, profession, or life - wouldn’t you agree it would be a better to work on improving the invisible 90%?

Envision the fruit, and effect change from the root
In his bestselling book, Eker uses a different, easy-to-understand analogy; a fruit tree. Imagine trying to improve an apple that an apple tree produces by focusing on the apple that is already hanging off the branch. If you want the tree to produce better quality, larger, sweeter tasting apples; you need to work on what’s not visible – the roots. It means you need to start early on, be ahead of the game. Picture, envision how the final, perfect apple will look, feel, smell, and taste. Have a vision of the outcome and start at the roots.

If you want to grow your company, increase your external success – invest some time on your internal growth. Envision the newer, better you; the “YOU version 2.0”. Keep in mind, as humans, we are part of nature, not above it. When we align ourselves with the laws of nature our lives unfold more smoothly. When we don’t, it might get rough.

Posted by Ben Neumann at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Adam is my personal trainer and the owner of Los Angeles' S.T.A.R. Fitness Training (a division of Star Enterprises, Inc.). Given my latest determination to get back the my fitness level of my days as a kick boxing athlete I asked Adam to post a few of his experiences and opinions about health and fitness (you can only enjoy your business success if you stay healthy!) on my blog. We share many of the same philosophies (he from a fitness and health point of view; I from the entrepreneurial and business end). Interesting parallels as you will see! Anyway, here's his first post:

Health equates to happiness. Now one may ask the question, what is it to be truly healthy/happy? One can have all the money in the world and be miserable. One can be the fittest person in the world and always feel lonely. One can have all the friends in the world and not a cent to his name. I believe one is truly healthy when that that person is in equilibrium with himself and the world around him; when you can understand yourself and others. When you know what the right and wrong choices are and when you learn from your mistakes. The new year gives us all a chance to apply to ourselves what we have learned from our errors. Life is about learning, and applying that knowledge. That’s what fitness is all about. I teach people how to move in certain form and sequence. They reciprocate by showing what they've learned. It never ends. Just as there is a limitless amount of information and knowledge to be attained throughout life, there is no limit to what the human body can achieve so long as the correct progression is applied. While what I do for a living focuses primarily on physical performance, I like to believe that the fundamentals of exercise transcend into other aspects of life. You are your body. We are all living organisms on this planet that must learn to adapt to the world around us. Unfortunately our species hasn't yet evolved and adapted to the sedentary lifestyle that the majority of us live. The technology that makes our lives easier today has out grown the rate by which our species evolves. As a consequence more people are inflicted by diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The only way to counteract the effects of modern technology and its tendency to make us lazier is to exercise on a regular basis. Technology is amazing, don't get me wrong, but we must keep in mind that now we don't have to hustle physically to survive as our ancestors once did. Our hustle for survival involves working day in and day out in jobs that don't demand very much of the human body. I think you all get the picture. In conclusion, I wish you ALL the best in the New Year, be thankful for what you have and work hard for what you want. Don't lose sight of the relationships that make you who you are, and don't lose sight of the relationship you have with your body. Remember, be good to your body, you only get one!

Posted by Adam at 07:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I guess "Happy New Year" well wishes are called for so here we go. ;-)
Went to the gym nearly daily before New Years with hardly anyone being there. Than Jan 1 happens and the place is packed. It is truly amazing what an effect New Years Resolutions can have on people's minds. As if the date is reason enough to change. As with every January it'll fade out within less than 4 weeks and go back to normal.

I'm so health-focused right now it is hard to allow other things into my mind. 30 pounds down since Dec 4 and my fitness level has not been better since my days as a martial arts athlete. My visit to the Hilton Head Health Institute seems to have truly changed my life (I hope it stays that way). I'm working out between 1 and 2 hours every day and use an online food diary to keep track of what I eat. So far so good!

I just watched another episode of the NBC hit show "The Biggest Loser" last night and the motivational boost I'm getting out of this is enormous. The way I'm looking at my health right now, and for the time being, I can honestly say that currently for me every day is New Years Day!

Posted by Ben Neumann at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)