Seinfeld’s “Art of War”

“If you break the human struggle down to one word it is “Confront”. – Jerry Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld was a guest on The Tim Ferris Show.  

I tuned in to laugh.

What I heard sounded more like Sun Tzu discussing “The Art of War”.

Seinfeld spoke with the intensity and directness of someone who served on special force’s missions not the comedy stage.

Tim Ferris, who has an amazing ability of getting guests to reveal their daily habits and routines, got Seinfeld to open up about how he produces such legendary material.     

The following strategies are what Seinfeld used to stay relevant in Hollywood for 30+ years and create his nearly $1 billion dollar net worth.

Here are 3.5 strategies from Seinfeld’s “Art of War”:

1) Daily Reps

Seinfeld’s career is based on ONE THING.

Writing.    

His TV show and stand-up routines were created from his daily writing sessions.

Just one problem.

Seinfeld does not like to write.

How does he handle this? 

His secret is putting in DAILY REPS. 

Seinfeld picks a SET TIME and a DURATION each day.

Sometimes his writing session lasts sixty minutes.

If the day is busy, maybe it’s only thirty. 

But the key is that he shows up each day for a set amount of time.   

Seinfeld said, “You have to learn to show up every day and do the work or you will die in the ecosystem you were trying to live in. If you do not show up every day, you will not survive.”

What’s your ONE THING?

Figure that out.

Then put in your DAILY REPS.

2) Hit the Weights

Seinfeld believes WEIGHT TRAINING & MEDITATION can solve almost any problem.

Our bodies need a daily physical stressor.

Our minds need a daily cleansing.

Seinfeld told Ferris, “You have to bend the aging process and slow down the natural decay with physical exercise…If you look at anyone who succeeds at a high-level in any field, one of the constants in all of their stories is weight training and physical activity.”

Seinfeld told Ferris that he believes most people’s bodies get a free ride to about age 43, “Then God moves on and gives all the gifts to the 18 to 40 crowd.”

Seinfeld said, “No one is going to ask you to leave, but no one is giving you anything else, you have to create it yourself.”

How do you feel physically?

If you’re not already doing so, it may be time to find a weight training program that works for you.

Time to bend the curve back in our favor.

3) Know When to Pivot

A professional knows when it’s time to pivot.

Seinfeld said, “Each project is like a cyclone.  The storm forms, gathers energy, rages full throttle, then slowly dies out.”

Seinfeld’s revealed his main influence to end his TV show at the nine-year mark was The Beatles. 

The Beatles were together for nine years.    

Seinfeld says he could have kept his show going but believed the “cyclone was fading”. 

Sometimes our best move is to move on. 

3.5) Ethics and Boldness

Ferris asked Seinfeld what he hopes to pass on to his three kids?

Seinfeld answered, “ETHICS and BOLDNESS”.

Boom.

A parenting course in two words.

Teach your kids to do the right thing.

Teach them to have the BOLDNESS to take on scary projects where they might fail.   

That’s where the magic is hiding. 

When we look back over the past year, it’s easy to feel that life is designed to make us quit.

Some days feel like a street fight. 

Others like a beautiful masterpiece.

We need a plan that works for each.

#TheArtOfWar

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog

Just Quit It

“Ask yourself at every moment, “Is this necessary?” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Welcome to The Vibe!

The blog that shows up on snow days.

Each week we discuss ONE IDEA to help you live a better life.

This week’s topic is QUITTING.

And how QUITTING can put you on the path to WINNING.

The Vibe: Just Quit It

In 1997, Steve Jobs took the reins at Apple for his second stint as CEO.

Apple was in bad shape. 

The company lost over $1 billion that year. 

On the verge of bankruptcy, many thought Apple was finished. 

Steve Jobs had a huge challenge in front of him. 

What was Jobs’ first move?       

He became one of the greatest QUITTERS in the history of business.   

Jobs cancelled 70% of Apple’s product line overnight.

Apple went from 17 products to only 4.  

Jobs FOCUSED Apple only on the few things it did best.

He QUIT everything else.

The result?

Apple went from a $1 billion loss to a $300 million profit in one year. 

Apple would go on to become the world’s most valued company.

And change life forever with the iPhone.

This Steve Jobs’ story destroys one of the greatest myths ever told…

“Winners Never Quit.” 

This quote looks great on Pinterest.

It’s found in grade school classrooms and gyms everywhere.

Just one little problem…

It’s total BS. 

In his book “The Dip”, Seth Godin writes, “Winners quit all the time. They just quit the right stuff at the right time.”

Sometimes our best move is to move on.

We need SELF-AWARENESS to realize what’s no longer working so we can move on to what will.

We all have HABITS and PROJECTS that no longer serve us.

They hold us back from being the best version of us.    

Maybe you check your phone every 2 minutes, all day long, even when you’re around family and friends.

Perhaps COVID got you spending way too much time on Netflix at night and it’s crushing your quality sleep.   

Or maybe that BIG project your business took on last year no longer makes sense.

We all have something we need to QUIT.

This is true if you are a legendary CEO, an Academy Award winning actor or a working parent just trying to get it right.

Reflect for a moment.  

How are you getting in your own way?  

What are you doing that no longer serves you?

Find the courage to JUST QUIT IT. 

In an interview before his death, Steve Jobs was asked what was his greatest accomplishment at Apple?

Job’s replied, “I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.”

It’s a new year.

Time for a fresh start.

We’re moving forward.

And only bringing the good stuff.

#JustQuitIt

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog

Take the Gold

“Within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” – Ryan Holiday

New Year’s Eve 2020 was like that frat party in college where the kegs kicked and the police showed up at the same time.

Everyone wanted out.

And we dashed to the exits at midnight full speed.

Good riddance. 

2020 did an amazing job smashing most of our plans. 

But we survived.

Now it’s time to turn the page.

Before we drag 2020 out to the curb with our dead Christmas tree, we need to do one thing. 

TAKE THE GOLD with us.

There’s a saying from Ben Franklin, who was no stranger to challenging years, “The things which hurt, instruct.”

2020 was a fantastic teacher.

It did an incredible job of showing us our weaknesses. 

It tested our mental and physical health.

Punched our daily routines in the throat.

And tried it’s best to cross collar choke our businesses. 

It forced us to evolve or become irrelevant.

But OBSTACLES also have a positive side.    

They not only obstruct, they instruct.

Obstacles show us what we need to change

In The Obstacle Is the Way, Ryan Holiday writes that obstacles can teach us a better way.

“What impedes us can also empower us.”

When we are forced to find new ways of doing things, progress is not far behind.

Here are 3 GOLD NUGGETS I am bringing into the new year:

LESS COMMITMENTS

We stopped trying to be everywhere.

2020 crushed our superficial relationships.

Which is NOT a bad thing.

No driving an hour each way to that party you did not want to attend on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

There was less work travel because we found out that not all meetings need to be live. 

We got to hang out and spend quality time with our number one customer – our family.

We did less and learned to do it better. 

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Fire pits on a Friday night with your friends.

Long hikes with your family on Christmas Day.

Outdoor bike rides in December.

These are no longer just for people in the OC. 

You may need to dress in 6 layers for the Philly winter, but 2020 showed us that the great outdoors is the gym that never closes and never charges a monthly fee.

BUY TIME BACK  

Time is our most precious asset.

No one ever has enough of it. 

2020 taught us that we can delegate out time drains like market trips and Costco runs.   

I never realized how much time was wasted going food shopping. 

Now the market gets dropped off at your doorstep with a few taps of your phone. 

If we save just an hour per week NOT going to the market, that’s over 2 full days you just bought back to do whatever you please in 2021.

Word.

Years like 2020 show us what we need to change.

They show us a better way. 

The new year is in front of us.

Time to turn the page.

Just TAKE THE GOLD with you.

#TakeTheGold

Wish you an amazing 2021!

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog

The 2020 Book List

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

2020 was the kind of year that sent you to the wine store or the book store.  

Sometimes both on the same day.  

It was a year of milestones.

It was a year we had to think differently. 

Our homes became our offices.

Outside became the new gym.  

We all had to ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES.  

One of the silver linings of the pandemic was the opportunity to read and listen to some incredible books.

Each year I share the very best of what I came across.  

You can check out the best of lists I shared in 2019, 2018, 2017, & 2016.

BOOKS

These books made me think.

They changed my mind.  

Some got under my skin.

But that’s what great books do.

They help you see the world in a different way.

Can’t Hurt Me (By David Goggins): One of the most powerful stories of self-transformation you will ever read.  Goggins turns a childhood filled with racism, depression, poverty and abuse into a future with the US Special Forces. Goggins is the only person in history to complete the training of the Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, and Air Force Tactical Air Controllers.  Get the audio book.  It’s one part book, one part podcast where Goggins riffs the backstory of each chapter and drops more “F” bombs than the bar scene in Goodfellas.  

Eleven Rings (By Phil Jackson):  This book is a master class on leadership.  Phil Jackson has won more championships than any coach in the history of pro sports.  He is the winningest coach in NBA history.  Known as the “Zen Master”, Jackson reveals his unconventional leadership style that brought out the best in superstars (Jordan, Kobe), unpredictable personalities (Dennis Rodman) and the average role player.  Favorite Quote:  “Things never get solved, they just come together and then fall apart again, then the process starts over.” 

Shoe Dog (By Phil Knight):  If it is possible to earn an MBA from studying a single book, this would be it.  Phill Knight borrowed $50 from his dad in 1963 and turned it into the $30 billion monster called NIKE.  The stories Knight tells are amazing.  The struggles and obstacles Knight had to fight through were incredible. One of the best memoirs I ever read. 

Greenlights (By Matthew McConaughey):  This book caught me by surprise.  I had low expectations and was blown away.  McConaughey tells the funny and candid stories that led him from a blue-collar family in Texas to one of the most famous people in Hollywood.  The stories resonate with you long after you put the book down.  The audio book is killer.  Narrated by McConaughey, it gives you the feeling of being bellied up to a bar with the actor as he tells stories while you share a bottle of whiskey.

Lives of the Stoics (By Ryan Holiday):  Holiday examines the lives of the most influential philosophers of the ancient world. The book is made up of 26 mini biographies that synthesizes a modern day lesson of each philosopher’s life.  No one is better at making ancient wisdom relevant to the modern world than Holiday.  

The Practice (By Seth Godin):  This little book will challenge you to show up each day to do your best work and share it with the world.  Godin, who has the most read business blog in the world, has a way of getting under your skin and inspiring you at the same time.  

PODCAST

Tim Ferris Show: Brene Brown (#409 – Feb 04, 2020) Striving versus Acceptance, Saving Marriages, and More.  Every time Ferris talks to Brene Brown I learn something about relationships, how to better interact with people, and myself.  An amazing 90 minutes on how to make relationships work while being your authentic self.  

Thank you for reading my blog.

Wish you a remarkable 2021!  

#InspireSomeone

Until next week,

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog

Greenlights

“Eliminate who we are not first, then we will find ourselves where we need to be.” – Matthew McConaughey, Greenlights

Welcome to The Vibe!

The blog that shovels the driveway after hitting the “publish” button.  

Each week we share ONE IDEA that helps you live a better life.

This week’s topic is FOCUS.

And why doing less gives us the GREENLIGHT to become more. 

The Vibe:  Greenlights

Do fewer things better.

Walk away from the unessential.  

Go all in on what matters most. 

Doing this will lead you to what Academy Award winner and now best-selling author Matthew McConaughey calls a GREENLIGHT.

In his memoir, GREENLIGHTS, McConaughey tells funny and candid stories that led him from a blue-collar family in Texas to one of the most famous people in Hollywood.  

Greenlights is a book that resonates with you after you put it down.  

The audio book is killer.  

McConaughey does the narration himself.  

Think south Texas meets Dennis Hopper.  

The audio book gives you the feeling that you are drinking beers with McConaughey at a bar in Austin as he tells stories.  

No surprise, McConaughey is a phenomenal storyteller.   

And his stories are surprisingly relatable.    

McConaughey says the biggest trap he falls into is OVERCOMMITTING.  

He takes on too many projects.

He puts too much on his schedule.  

This lack of FOCUS leads him to “Make B’s, not A’s”.  

McConaughey says that at one point he was running 5 different companies.  

Then one day his phone rang.

It was his own production company.

He unexpectantly found himself not wanting to pick up the phone and talk to his own employees.  

McConaughey had no idea why.

The people calling were his people.

They were calling about projects being run by his own company. 

Faster than you can say, “Alright, Alright, Alright.”  McConaughey had a revelation.  

He realized he lost FOCUS.

He was OVERCOMMITTED.

This caused him to produce average work. 

McConaughey says he was “tired of making B’s in five things.  I wanna make A’s in three things.”  

McConaughey made a decision to FOCUS only on his top THREE PRIORITIES:  Making movies, his foundation, & his family.  

He gave himself the GREENLIGHT to walk away from everything else.  

On the spot, he picked up the phone, called his attorney and shut down his production company and music label. 

FOCUSING on less, helped him become more.

We may not be making movies.  

But each of us are writing the next chapter of our life.

That story is written by what we give our FOCUS and ENERGY to each day.

We are at the end of an ass kicking year.

Some of us will try to make RESOLUTIONS in an attempt to make our next chapter better.  

Stop.

REDLIGHT!

No need to add anything to your already full schedule.

The magic is in the SUBTRACTION.   

Pick ONE THING that no longer fits the story you are trying to write.  

Just let it go.

No need to be DAZED and CONFUSED.

FOCUS on the few things that mater most.

McConaughey writes, “Get rid of the excess in our life that keeps us from being more of ourselves.” 

This takes SELF-AWARENESS.

This takes COURAGE.

But it’s so worth it.  

Do it for your BUSINESS.

Do it for your FAMILY.

Do it for YOU.

Less B’s.

More A’s.

Giddy up…

#Greenlight

Until next week,

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog

Burn the Boats

“Without commitment, nothing happens.” – T.D. Jakes

Welcome to The Vibe!

The blog that is already standing in line for the vaccine.

Each week we share ONE IDEA that can help you live a better life.

This week’s topic is COMMITMENT.

And why sometimes we have to go ALL IN.

The Vibe:  Burn the Boats

In 1519, the explorer Herman Cortes sailed from Cuba to Mexico.

Cortes was looking to get himself and his native Spain rich by looting the “new world”.

But Cortes had one little problem.

His crew was nowhere near COMMITTED to this mission as he was.  

They were far from home. 

The conditions were bad. 

The natives were unfriendly. 

The crew couldn’t even get into any of the good nightclubs in downtown Veracruz. 

No sooner did they land in Mexico there was talk of a mutiny. 

Some of the crew spoke openly of stealing the boats and sailing back to Cuba without Cortes.

Trouble was brewing. 

Cortes faced an incredible test of his COMMITMENT to this mission.     

How could he accomplish the most important mission of his life under these circumstances?  

Did Cortes give a speech?

Did he round up the conspirators?

Or maybe take everyone to Cancun for a team building weekend? 

Nada.

Cortes did one of the most legendary actions in history.  

He BURNED THE BOATS.  

All gone.

Bye Bye.

Now there would be no way home but through. 

BURNING THE BOATS changed the game.  

It left Cortes and his crew no other option.

Succeed or die trying. 

Cortes showed everyone he was not just INTERESTED in this mission. 

He was dangerously COMMITTED.

We may not be 16th century Spanish explorers.

And most of us are at least a vaccine away before we start EXPLORING foreign lands again.  

But each of us has a MISSION in our lives that needs our full COMMITMENT.

Maybe you are trying to save your business. 

Or you need to repair a broken relationship.

It could be that you are facing a health problem that has no easy answer.  

Whatever challenging MISSION you are up against, it’s going to take everything you got.  

We won’t succeed if we are just interested.

We have to prove that we are full on COMMITTED.

Our commitments test us to see what we are really made of.      

Our commitments show the world who we really are.

What’s the ONE THING you need to dangerously commit to? 

Seth Godin asks, “What would you still try even if you knew you would fail?” 

That’s your MISSION.

Time to go ALL IN.

An amazing journey will follow.

#BurnTheBoats

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog

Ruck & Roll

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

John Muir

Welcome to The Vibe!

The blog that says it wants to get together over the holidays then ghosts you until January.

Each week we discuss one IDEA to help you live a better life.

This week’s topic is how to stay healthy during a pandemic.

And why sometimes NATURE is the best medicine.

The Vibe: Ruck & Roll

Everyone is done with this pandemic. 

But this pandemic doesn’t seem to be done with us.

2020 has been a STREET FIGHT.    

A global pandemic.

A contentious election.

Virtual school.

And to top it all off…

The Cobra Kai is back.

And we have no idea if we should be rooting for Daniel-san or Johnny Lawrence.  (…No Mercy!)

We didn’t ask for any of this. 

But it’s here.

And we need the best version of ourselves to show up each day to FIGHT THROUGH IT.

A strong BODY and a clear MIND are essential. 

But that’s way easier said than done. 

Pandemics crush routines. 

They blow up the familiar.

They close gyms.  

Or at least make gyms NOT the ideal place to be.

Running on a treadmill, next to a sweaty dude in a “Tough Mudder” tank top with no mask, is not on my pandemic bucket list.  

Pandemics force creativity. 

In 2020, OUTSIDE became the new gym.

Get Rolling

Pre-COVID, biking was something my wife & I did only on vacation and BK. (Before Kids).

When we moved out of the city, we hung up our bikes in the garage of our new townhome. 

Fifteen years and 3 kids later, we took those bikes down for the very first time to put them in a moving van.   

Who said kids won’t change them?  LOL.

2020?

We’ve been logging 4-5 bike rides a week.

I forgot how MIND CLEARING outdoor bike rides are.  

It’s awesome cardio.

Rolling past the fall colors is spectacular.  

The brisk air is therapeutic. 

Your head clears.

The mind resets.  

A bike ride still gives me that mini vacation feel. 

Which is so needed during a year like this one.  

Go Ruck 

Early in the pandemic walking also made a comeback.

Walking may be the most timeless exercise. 

2,000 years ago, the Roman philosopher Seneca wrote, “We should take wandering outdoor walks, so that the mind be nourished and refreshed by the open air and deep breathing.” 

We started by taking short walks on cold March nights.

The walks evolved into longer hikes through neighborhoods I never knew existed. 

It was great to be OUTSIDE and MOVING.

But something was missing. 

The walks were good for the mind.  

But the body needed more. 

After a long walk, I still felt like I needed to workout.  

Then the answer appeared…

During a walk I was listening to David Goggin’s incredible book, “Can’t Hurt Me.”  Goggin’s writes how he uses a weighted “ruck bag” for endurance training.

A few days later, I read Tim Ferris’ blog post raving about his favorite new purchase, the “Go Ruck” bag.

Sold. 

I’ve been using the “Go Ruck” for 5 months.

It’s fantastic.

The “Go Ruck” is a weighted backpack that turns your walk into a workout.

It’s low impact.

And helps you build STRENGTH and ENDURANCE.

Two things we all need more of in 2020. 

Hands down my favorite pandemic purchase.

This past year has been a slog.

The only certainty is that life is going to keep crashing into us.

So let’s keep our minds CLEAR and bodies STRONG. 

Find something that works for you.  

Get outside. 

Get creative.

Get moving.

It’s never been more essential. 

#RuckAndRoll

Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.Blog

50 Lessons on the Path to 50

50 Lessons on the Path to 50

“If a man looks at the world at fifty the same way he looked at it when he was twenty and hasn’t changed, he wasted thirty years of his life.” – Muhammad Ali

Welcome to The Vibe!

The blog that believes age is a MINDSET.

Each week we discuss an IDEA that helps you live a better life.

This week’s topic is 50 Lessons on the Path to 50.

But let’s keep this “turning 50” thing between us.

Deal?

The Vibe: 50 Lessons on the Path to 50

Here are 50 Lessons on the Path to 50.

Some of these are lessons that have stuck with me since childhood.

Others were realized only after MISTAKES and FAILURES.

These IDEAS can help you live a better life no matter what age they are put into use.

Your results may vary.

#50For50

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog

Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad

Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad

“Now don’t be sad, cause two out of three ain’t bad.” – Meatloaf, Bat Out of Hell

Welcome to The Vibe!

The blog that believes the kids should be back in school while still not letting anyone inside their home.

Each week we discuss ONE IDEA that will help you live a better life.

This week’s topic is your FIRST DOG.  

And why sometimes “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.” 

The Vibe: Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad

We adopted our first dog.

She’s was an 85 pound lab rescue.

The experiment lasted 68 hours.  

The dog went back with the foster, ready to be adopted again.

Never Say Never

Rewind 10 years back.

The year was 2010.

It was the year the iPad was released.

The cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore fist pumped on the board walk.

And every mom in the suburbs sang along to Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister”.

That’s about the time I went on record saying I had ZERO interest in doing any of the following: 

  1. Move.
  2. Have a 3rd kid.
  3. Get a dog.

So funny…

Let’s start with the fact that I am writing this while looking out to the back yard of the house we bought two summers ago as my 8 year old is doing cart wheels next to me.

The new home is great.

Having a third kid is awesome.

Getting the dog?  

Well…

“Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.“

Pandemic Puppy

I started hearing whispers of us needing a puppy a few days into the COVID-19 shutdown.

Two of our kids talked about it non-stop.

After weeks of them asking, we agreed to start “looking” for a “small, little puppy” on two conditions:

  1. The kids would do the majority of the work.
  2. They would stop asking us about getting a puppy.

We soon found that trying to get a puppy during a pandemic was like buying a house in a seller’s market.

There was very little inventory.

And the good ones went really fast.

We missed out on the first 5 little dogs we applied for.

Then the next thing you know, we are pulling up to a farm about an hour from our house to meet an 85 pound lab rescue.

Her name was Willow.

We spent about 30 minutes petting and playing with her.

Willow was friendly, a bit assertive, and about an 8.5 on the energy scale.

Oh…

And definitely NOT small.

The foster told us there were 2 other families coming to meet her after us.

We got back in the car with a decision to make.

Two of our kids were SO EXCITED.

They were ALL IN.

It didn’t feel right to me.

But I wanted to give our kids an experience I never had as a child.

So I broke the cardinal rule I run decisions like this one through…

“If it’s not “Hell Yeah!”, it’s a definite “No”.

I went along and said “Let’ do it!”

68 Hours

We had a few days before Willow was going to be officially ours.

So we geared up by buying every conceivable toy, leash, and other dog swag at PetsMart.

We also took a crash course in dog training by watching Brandon McMillion’s Master Class.

It was the equivalent of watching a few Jiu Jitsu videos on YouTube before jumping into the Purple Belt division of a BJJ tournament.

Three Words come to mind…

Brace for impact.

The foster, who was fantastic, dropped off the dog to our house late on a Friday afternoon.

To make things extra interesting, our lawn was aerated a few hours before Willow arrived.

We had no idea if we were scooping up dog or dirt.

Willow immediately took to my wife and I.

She wanted little to do with our kids no matter how much they tried to engage her.

We quickly realized our youngest kid, who was the most excited about getting a dog, could not even walk her.

The dog was too strong & energetic.

By the end of the second day, my wife and I were doing the majority of the work for a dog we got for our kids.

By the end of third day, we were realizing that we may have bit off more dog bone than we could chew.

To cap off our third night together, some neighbors started shooting off fireworks.

Uggh.

I heard about dogs not liking fireworks, but now got to see it first hand in our living room.

After the fireworks calmed down, we all looked at each other.

It was time to change course.

We called the foster.

We both agreed it was best if the dog went to another family.

That next day our entire crew played with Willow one last time before the foster picked her up.

Our three days of furry chaos was coming to a close.

When Willow saw the foster in our driveway, she took off, leaped into her car and never looked back.

No offense taken.

As they pulled away I was somewhere between SAD and RELIEVED.

Thank you for being our first dog.

Wish you an amazing life.

#TwoOutOfThreeAintBad

Joe Ciccarone

http://www.SalesVibe.Blog

A Long Strange Trip

A Long Strange Trip

“What a long strange trip it’s been.” – Jerry Garcia

Welcome to The Vibe!

The blog that refuses to get a haircut until this whole quarantine thing is over.

Each week we discuss ONE IDEA that will help you live a better life.

This week’s topic is A LONG STRANGE TRIP.

The Vibe:  A Long Strange Trip

Last week I was standing in the produce aisle.

I looked up and saw a man quickly walk into the market. 

He was wearing a camouflage jacket, camouflage baseball hat, gloves and a black bandana pulled up over his face.

My first thought was “active shooter”.

I was ready to dive behind the avocado table.

But then the man grabs a shopping basket.

He starts examining the blueberries.

All good.

No threat.

Just a guy buying blueberries while rocking out his version of pandemic gear.    

The past 70+ days have been A LONG STRANGE TRIP.

Restaurants shutting down. 

No graduations parties.

No baseball. 

No jiu jitsu class.

Drive-by birthdays.

And the final insult…

Washing off your groceries (I hate you Covid-19). 

Not fun.

To say this summer may be different is like saying the next Pope may be Catholic.

A friend asked me a question that really made me think.

“Do you want your post-lockdown life to look more like it did before or now?” 

At first, I thought my friend may have had a high fever.    

But when I thought about it, it was a real POWER QUESTION. 

The past few months were rough.

An invisible virus shut down the entire planet. 

Everyone’s life changed overnight. 

But a crazy experience like this can be an amazing teacher.

What do we need more of in our lives? 

What do we need less of? 

Ben Franklin, no stranger to uncertainty, wrote, “Those things that hurt, instruct.”  

Look back over the past 2 months.

What are you going to bring with you?  

We need to take more out of this experience than just The Ozarks and White Claw.

3 Things I Learned from A LONG STRANGE TRIP: 

Prepare the Night Before

I started the quarantine wasting a ton of time.

The lockdown blew up everyone’s routines.

I was unfocused.

Everyone was home. 

Distractions were everywhere.  

A few days in I stole an idea from Jocko Willink.

Jocko calls it PRE-STAGING.

I started preparing for the next day the night before. 

It sounds simple (it is) but it’s also amazingly effective. 

Each night I charged my MacBook Air, placed it on my desk and opened it to the project I was working on.

The book I planned to read was put on the table with my journal and highlighter next to it.

I scheduled the next day’s workout in my calendar.  

My son and I confirmed a time for our BJJ session.

PRE-STAGING sets the tone for the next day.

It also makes the next morning way more FOCUSED and PRODUCTIVE.

Long Walks Are Magic 

There’s a great quote by Nietzsche that’s says, “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.”

We never walked so much as family.  

Some were walks during sunset on way too chilly March nights.

Others were long, meandering walks through neighborhoods I never knew existed. 

Walking may be the closest thing to a magic pill.

It makes you feel better.

Walking makes you think better. 

The more we walk as a family, the more meaningful our conversations become.  

You get to hear what’s on everyone’s mind. 

You get to bounce ideas off each other. 

Long walks are here to stay. 

Work(out) from Home

It took a global pandemic to teach me that you don’t need to drive 20 minutes to the gym or yoga studio to get an awesome work out.

There are so many ass kicking workouts you can stream and rock out right at home. 

Saves time.

No traffic.

No parking problems.  

And you’re on no one’s schedule but your own.    

Namaste Covid-19 for shining the light on home workouts. 

Anthony Bourdain wrote, “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts…But that’s okay. The journey changes you. You take something with you.” 

A long journey can make you see the world differently.

We return home a different person. 

We just have to be open to the lesson. 

Keep traveling…

#ALongStrangeTrip

Joe Ciccarone

www.SalesVibe.Blog