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Accelerator University

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Unemployment rates are still high and graduating with a college degree guarantees you nothing…but what’s the alternative?
The current 20 something workforce has abandoned their hope in corporate America and turned to entrepreneurship. The learning curve is steep and the risk factors are high, but you do have more control than if you worked for someone else. 
When starting a business, experience is what you need. If it’s your first company, you need mentors to help you avoid mistakes and advice to help you succeed. Where can you find that?
First, turn to your network. If you don’t have a strong network, you better start building one. Success in your career depends on who you know, not what you know. 
If your idea has the potential to scale, now you can turn to investors. If accepted, one of the greatest learning environments in business is to be a part of an accelerator. 
An accelerator is usually a 3 – 4 month business incubator where you receive a free shared workspace and initial financial investment in exchange for a small percentage of equity in your company. Where the real value lies is with the accelerator’s owners/sponsors who become your mentors. Their experience and guidance is invaluable. 
The concept of mentoring is what is lacking from the traditional education system. Listening to a professor lecture isn’t how we learn. Visual or hands-on training is the best way to retain information and learn new skills. 

How much more effective would education be if mentors were assigned to each student?

It’s something to seriously think about…

Pete Carroll on Sticking With a Vision

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At a recent Nike WinForever Workshop, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll spent a few minutes talking on the topic of sticking with a vision. Specifically, he talked about putting forth this WinForever philosophy that we preach every day–and sticking with it.
“You can do whatever you want to do with yourself,” Carroll explains. He urges that you take the WinForever vision to your work, coaching staff, family, etc.
“I promise you’re going to be thrilled about what changes,” Carroll says. “It may not come easy.” We know that if it were easy, it wouldn’t the real deal.
He ended the workshop with one strong statement to the audience, which you can grow from as well:  “I want to challenge you to compete. Battle. Fight your way through this. Stick with it. Don’t let up.”
“There’s nothing you can’t do.”

Follow WinForever on Facebook and Twitter as we continue to inspire a community of individuals to perform at their best every day. If you are ready to take the next step to maximizing your potential sign up here to Join the WinForever Movement.

Can You Fix Your Weaknesses?

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Gallup’s short answer is no. “There are no weaknesses, just overdone strengths.”
This applies to your performance, not your character (which needs constant development).
 
Here are 3 reasons why:
The “Myth of Balance.” You can’t be good at everything. When you try to be a “jack of all trades, ” you end up being a “master of none.” Take pro athletes as an example. They stick to doing one thing really well and get compensated for it. Generalists don’t get hired, specialists do.
Mediocrity. There are some things you’ll never be good at. For me, I like to move at a fast pace, so I hate waiting for other people. I can try to be more patient in certain situations, but overall I’ll always be somewhat impatient. It translates to my career because I want to take action. I’d rather delegate research and analysis to someone else because I hate it and also suck at it.

Overdone Strengths. There’s a dark side to every personal strength.

If you’re loyal, you can become blind to a fault. 

If you’re analytical, it can paralyze you from taking action. 

If you’re extroverted, you might talk too much. 

When you’re potentially great at something, remember there are situations where you need to dial down the intensity. Your strengths can become a weakness if you’re not self-aware of their implications.

This question comes down to focus. Would you rather work on developing your strengths or fixing your weaknesses? The choice is to: go towards (strengths) or away (weaknesses) from your desired target. Which will you choose?

Do What Matters Most

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Guest Post by Charles Lee

#LiveForward

Life is Short. Do What Matters.

I know that we’ve heard it many times before. Life is short.

Yes, one out of every one person dies and none of us can predict when our day will come.

Since most idea-makers live in the realm of optimism (which is also one of our greatest strengths), it is quite possible that we may feel fairly invincible at times. The main drawback of this is that we may find ourselves doing things that may urgent in the present, but takes away from things that really matter to us at the end of the day. This may be as day-to-day as accomplishing daily goals or as significant as spending time wisely with those we truly love.

I’ve been trying to be more intentional of late to spend the majority of my time doing things that ultimately builds the things that matter most to me. This means that sometimes I have to say “no” to good opportunities. (I don’t know about you, but this is extremely hard for me!) Staying focused is difficult and yet necessary. 

I know you know this. This is just a simple reminder for all of us to do what we know we ought to do.

The Power of No

Scott Asai2 Comments
Saying YES may be easier, but there’s much more power in saying NO.
Here are 3 reasons why saying NO benefits you:

Prioritizing – Time is valuable, so how you spend it is crucial toward reaching your definition of success. Saying NO puts what is important to you on a list. When you say NO it means you are saying YES to something more valuable. Saying NO helps you spend your time wisely.

Boundaries – Imagine a game of tug of war, but you’re on both sides of the rope. When you always say YES (even to things you don’t want to do), your life is pulled around by others. It’s like being in the passenger seat of a car and not having any say on where you’re going. Draw a line between the things you want (YES) and don’t want (NO). Determine what’s inside and outside of your boundaries to help communicate and clarify your core values and desires.

Respect vs. Like – Most people don’t like to say NO because it lets others down. Instead of being known as a YES-man (or woman), wouldn’t you rather be respected because of your honesty to say NO? When you say YES to everyone, you become a hostage in your own skin. You become unhappy with all your obligations, yet have no one to blame except yourself. Saying NO means you understand you can’t please everyone. Choose NO and uphold your values.

People who say NO are respected. Life isn’t a popularity contest. Make decisions for yourself, not others. Practice saying NO now so when more important decisions come along you’ll feel empowered to make the right choice.

The Startup Baby

Scott Asai5 Comments
There are a lot of myths out there about raising a child, as well as starting your own company. As a new dad, let me tell you that with a plethora of information available, there’s no better teacher than experience.
Here are some parallels between being a parent and owning a Startup:


Time. Sleep is determined by the baby, so when the baby actually sleeps, you better sleep also. Your schedule for the time being revolves around your newborn because they can’t help themselves. As a Startup company, unexpected events will arise and your schedule can be quite unpredictable. Some days you will have enough time to work, while other nights you will go sleepless working on a project. Time is finite, so spend time on what matters. 

Development. Some days you’ll feel confident as a parent and other times you’ll feel clueless. It’s not about being perfect but putting forth your best effort to help guide and develop your child. In a startup, there will be peaks and valleys. The learning curve is steep. Overall, focus on making progress and look for visible growth.
Adapting to Change. Adults may be older, but try and control a kid and your life will be ruined. Kids evolve at a rapid pace and adjust quickly to new experiences. The Startup World is never calm and flooded with risk. If you’re not ready to “pivot” (business term for switching to a new direction), you may overlook a great opportunity. Being flexible in a fast paced world is crucial to any amount of success.

You can’t learn about parenting or starting your own company without actually doing it. Do your research and talk to others with more experience, but be ready to learn through trial and error. Nothing can fully prepare you for the “birth” of a new child/business, but don’t forget the most important part: starting!

TV Teaches Me About Risk

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Guest post by Jeff Okita
In most dramatic stories, the level of intensity rarely stays high for the entire show. If it did, the viewer would become fatigued and there would never be a climax to look forward to. Stories need dips so the audience can better appreciate the peaks. Put it all together and the contrast creates the overall excitement and anticipation for what’s next.
Replace the X axis (horizontal) with “time” and the Y axis with “challenges.” The up and down movement currently represents my life. I live a high-risk, high-reward lifestyle. The juggling of various responsibilities is a burden I welcome. I’ve learned a ton over the past 3 years, pushed myself a lot, but wonder if stability would have been a better choice for me.
Entrepreneurs have to embrace risk, like it’s a good friend. Maybe risk should be coupled with periods of stability, yet the troughs give you time to heal and mentally prepare yourself for the risk-taking peaks. Only then can we truly appreciate the risks.

Go With The Wind

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In golf, the absolute worst condition to play in is when it’s windy. Rain, heat or cold can be uncomfortable, but wind absolutely challenges your skill level.
Since playing golf is frequently compared to life, what happens to you in “windy” conditions?
How many times have your plans been completely rerouted? Life is more about how you respond to your circumstances than how much control you have over them.
Take for example relationships. Sometimes you want so badly for a relationship to work out you do everything you can. Yet if it was meant to be, it shouldn’t be that hard. That’s not saying you won’t have bumps along the way, but if your goal is to make things work regardless, most likely you’re forcing it. Relationships are a lot of give and take, so when unforeseen circumstances blow your way, you should step back, look at the situation objectively and evaluate what’s really going on. 
The same applies to your career. You might be applying for jobs and not getting what you want. It’s frustrating, but maybe where you are is exactly where you’re supposed to be. What can you learn from your current situation that you can take to your next destination? Your dream job could be eluding you because something better is out there. Keep networking, applying and looking. When the time is right, you’ll know it. 
Sure, this is a bit optimistic in mindset, yet the alternative is fighting with the wind daily and losing. Going with the wind isn’t sitting on your butt waiting for lighting to strike, instead it’s taking everything into perspective while navigating ahead. You and I like to be in control. We prefer to plan our routine. Yet, how many times do things actually go according to plan? 

My challenge to you is make plans, but be willing to change them based on current circumstances. Life isn’t about what happens to you, but how you respond to it. Historically the wind is undefeated, so see where it’s blowing and ride it to your destiny. 

Battling OCD: Obsessive Comparison Disorder

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Guest post by Paul Angone
Nothing is more vital to twentysomething success than comparing yourself in every way, at every step, to everyone, both near, and far.
Family, friends, acquaintances, enemies, Seth Godin, Justin Bieber, Jon Favreau, Jon Acuff — all are fair game, all are incredible motivational tools if you just allow yourself to study them at every angle and decipher how they have done their lives much better than yours.
Pour over your friends’ Facebook profiles. Find all those at the same age who have “Director” or “Vice-President” in their title. Go through every picture of her My Life is Awesome Album. Measure how big their smiles are. Study their well behaved kids. Figure out the square footage of their newly remodeled house. Look at how nice their husband’s suit is. Find the brand. Google it. See how much it must have cost. Go buy a more expensive suit for your husband. Lease a BMW. Take a picture. Put it in your My Life is Awesome-er Album.
We used to only be able to accomplish this feat of full out, look-you-up-and-down-comparison, at our ten year reunion. But now with Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube we have the opportunity to compare ourselves to everyone, every, single, day. What a blessing.

“The key to success is comparing yourself to everyone, everyday. Then let that anxiety and fear propel you to work harder, faster, and with more motivation.” ~ Guy Who Had Nervous Breakdown at 33

Once you have studied, and obsessed, and found all the ways THEIR story is so much better than YOURS — like the jockey’s whip on the winning horse, you can use all this information as a measuring stick to smack your rear end into action. And pull down your pants first so that you can really feel the sting.

OBSESSIVE COMPARISON DISORDER

Or don’t.
Don’t compare yourself to THEM.

Don’t cram YOUR plotline into someone else’s story.

You’re not them. They’re not you.
Your story doesn’t fit in theirs. I’d be like watching When Harry Met Sally and then all of the sudden Shawshank Redemption cuts in. Billy Crystal wouldn’t have worked crawling through a sewer pipe to escape from prison. Billy Crystal worked with Meg Ryan. 
If we try to cram two separate stories together, then we’ll have a fragmented life that has no idea who or what it is — a story that will ultimately bomb at the box office.
As successful author/blogger Jon Acuff recently wrote in his article We Only Need 1 Tim Ferris (Jon Acuff – someone I like to compare myself too and then proceed to not write for a month because how could I write as well as Jon Acuff),
“We’ve already got everyone else, but you. We are short one you. We need you. We need your dream, in your unique way, with your unique thumbprint.” ~ Jon Acuff

YOUR STORY

So yes, be inspired by others stories but do not let their story dwarf yours. Do not become inflicted by Obsessive Comparison Disorder – a disease that runs ramped in American culture today. A disease that tells us to buy things we shouldn’t. A disease that devours Bubonic-Plague-Style creativity, energy, and peace — three vital characteristics you are going to need to write your story really well.
So the next time you find yourself wishing your life could be theirs, lingering a little too long on their Facebook Album as you fight the fight of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, remember:

“The the grass is always greener on the other side, until you get there, and realize it’s because of all the manure.” ~ Paul Angone Original (Imagine That!)

Superteams

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The NBA is a perfect example of a new phenomenon happening more regularly: Superteams.
LeBron James and Chris Bosh were harshly criticized (me being one of them) when they left their former teams to join Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat. Players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan all went on record saying they would never recruit each other to join forces. 
This trend may be highlighted by the NBA, but it’s spread into the business world as well. Joint ventures and co-founders are doing business together daily while strengthening their companies with added talent. Let’s look at a couple of reasons why this is happening:    
Collaboration: When there is more combined talent overall, there are more strengths to work with and it’s easier to eliminate blind spots. Creativity increases dramatically with more brainpower in the room. Alternative options are looked at because each person has a different worldview.
Reliance: It’s much easier to focus on growth when the burden is shared. Responsibility is divvied up so no one person has to carry the entire load. When one person is down, there’s someone else to pick that person up.
Generational: Millennials in particular prefer to join forces and collaborate. It’s a fundamental recipe for success. They are hard-wired to do things together. Rarely do you see any single 20-something founders of companies.
Think of it as team leadership. Shared resources usually bring about a better product/service. Although it may be a concept accepted more readily by Millennials, overall its an idea that works to everyone’s benefit. Long gone are the days of the lone ranger. Our egos may push us to be the superhero (Ironman), but why run solo when you can join forces and become a Superteam (Avengers)? 

Look deeply into your network and ask “Who are my potential business partners?” You can accomplish so much more with talented people around you, so start reaching out. You don’t even have to figure out what you’re going to do together, that may just come out of brainstorming! So what Superteam will you be a part of?