Hi friends, this is a bi-weekly newsletter sharing tips and strategies for my subscribers and friends to grow their businesses.

At the top of Copper Mountain early season.

I have learned a lot about health and resilience this last year. It has been one of the hardest years of my life, but I am grateful for learning resilience early as a young man through college cross-country, engineering, entrepreneurship, and the many kicks in the face life has to offer all of us.

I have been thinking a lot about Jim Rohn’s statement,

I have kept up disciplines that have helped me stay engaged and thrive for my family, friends and clients. A few are:

• 20 minute morning and after dinner walks with Sonya
• Weekly weight workout routines
• Reading across many different books
• Playing lots of tennis
• Enjoying friends

I need these lifelines to support my emotions, my health, and my focus. I could not compromise because of the intensity of our battles.

If you are riding a high wave in life, I cheer you on! However, if you are facing immense challenges, then treat yourself well, so you can show up in the midst of the turmoil. It’s foundational, and you will learn resilience this way.

I enjoy helping friends, colleagues and entrepreneurs grow, so here are some resources, tips, and strategies you may find useful:

Tips and Strategies:

• Incentive to stay small. Here’s a powerful graphic showing what happens for each team member or employee you add to your startup:

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Complexity by number of team members.

What happens if you plan for being lean and talented rather than large and complex?

• All writers are readers first. I liked the thinking about building your inputs so you can have fantastic outputs. Build a habit and a space so you can intake a lot of information and perspectives so you have something to share.
• Sales tools rock. Yesware, which I have shared with many clients and friends, is a supertool for prospecting. They were generous to recommend 22 other sales tools as well.
• Creativity time. It’s hard to get clear. So, I like to take my legal pad, ditch the computer setup, and simply go to a hotel lobby or coffee shop and write out what I am thinking. It’s important for me once a week. I am also planning on moving towards strategy times where I take a book and a legal pad. Read, take notes, and conquer! If you are simply grinding, create space and time to think bigger.
• Skills matter most. My son, Gabe, is transitioning to a new sales job, and he took time to write about the 50 things he learned from his previous job. It’s fantastic to reflect and also think about what skills he intentionally wants to gain in his next gig. If you prioritize skills attainment, that can focus you on what makes sense for your career path.
• Rebooting Twitter. As of this writing, I have 4,149 followers on Twitter. I decided to tighten up my thinking and use it as a space to collaborate, post shorter content and work on ideas. My hope is to create engagement, collaborate with others around thoughts, find what resonates and refine my thinking. My process is:
  1. Walk, talk, think
  2. Tweet
  3. Review what works
  4. Expand ideas on blogs, newsletters and video content
• A Drucker Quote. “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently something that should not have been done at all.” At this end of year, what projects and commitments can you simply discard?

Cool Products:

• ​Portable pullup bar. I’m up to 12 pullups! Consistency is key. Going after 20.

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• Optimize your software spend. My friends at SaaShop consolidate your SaaS purchases, give you one bill and help you save money over time.
• Grow yourself this year. Erwin McManus’ book, Mind Shift, explains from his experience how to elevate your performance. People’s success is based on their mental structures and the limitations we adopt or self-impose. You don’t have that next level because you are not that person … yet.
• Upgrade your annual reviews. My team at TruPotential Group recently shot this video. I got to play a small role! Get the coaching and tools for running world-class annual reviews with your people.
• Mindmapping. I have run strategy meetings and clarity with mindmapping. I like using Xmind for its simplicity and flow. It’s a powerful way to visually see issues, solutions and options with a team.

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Leadership Thought

President Eisenhower once was asked at a news conference why he took so many weekend vacations…
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Mr. Eisenhower said, “I do not believe that any individual, whether he is running General Motors or the United States of America, can do the best job just by sitting at a desk and putting his face in a bunch of papers. Actually, the President ought to keep his mind free of any inconsequential details and doing his own thinking on the basic principles and factors so that he can make clear and better judgments.”

Let’s Work Together! I work with business owners, entrepreneurs and executives who want to grow their business. Connect with me at don@dondalrymple.com, and let’s explore a deal or business coaching.