Get your copy of the book, Shape the Future, Lead Like a Pro
“I’m concerned that I’m backing away from making the right decision–because I’m backing away from risk,” my client, Henry, said.
“Here’s something that can help: You can have a strategy for making a great decision while facing risk,” I replied.
I then gave him information that I placed into my new book.
Here’s an Excerpt from my book: Shape the Future, Lead Like a Pro: 3 Skills Every Great Leader Needs to Succeed [click here to look inside the book].
My intuition gave me certain questions to help me ascertain if something is what I call the “Right Risk.”
- Will I grow?
- Will I learn?
- Will I make new alliances?
- Can I avoid “losing the store”?
- Can I make money all the while?
- Does my heartfelt intuition call me to go forth in this direction?
Now, I’ll talk a bit about each question and add some wise council from Walt Disney.
1) Will I grow? Will I learn?
I’ve written over 2 million words. Over the years, I have been working to improve in the craft of writing—both nonfiction and fiction. I don’t get stuck like I did several years ago. I’ve learned how to jump in and get writing even when I don’t feel like. Writing has become like dancing to me: You stretch, you learn the steps and then you have moments of real grace.
Many of us writers learn to revise and revise.
“Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it’s done right.” – Walt Disney
2) Will I make new alliances?
Many times, we make the biggest strides forward when we team up or at least get some coaching. This is one of the reasons why I find so much meaning as the Spoken Word Strategist and Executive Coach. I help my clients learn things faster, get unstuck and streamline their process to reach higher levels of success and fulfillment.
My phrase is: Alliances make advances.
I’ve hired more than ten editors. I’ve learned from each one. Often, we go farther faster when we team up with effective people.
For example: In the early years, Ub Iwerks drew Mickey Mouse for the first animated Disney films. Without Ub’s contribution, Mickey would not have looked nor moved the way he did. This is an example of the power of alliances: Walt Disney’s story sense and Ub’s design/animation sense.
Later, Ub left the Disney Company to head his own studio. This bothered Walt a lot. Still, it’s said that of all the telegrams that arrived to celebrate the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt kept only one telegram—the one from Ub.
Years later, Ub returned to call upon Walt. Ub wanted a job, and Walt gave him the facilities so Ub could experiment with some technical processes. One of Ub’s advances made it possible to efficiently make the feature film, 101 Dalmatians.
Walt had a habit: He would ask the team members to “plus” [add to/improve] each scene of a film.
Now it’s your turn.
How can you team up with effective people?
What gaps in your knowledge or resources do you need shored up by working with others?
Write down notes about how you can gain team members or collaborate with others.
3) Can I avoid “losing the store”?
“Everyone falls down. Getting back up is how you learn how to walk.” – Walt Disney
My point is: Build in a buffer zone so you avoid “losing the store.” By this I mean, be careful about a budget and the use of resources. If possible, avoid spending too much on a project.
Some people note that in the same year James Cameron spent $200 million on Titanic, Steven Spielberg spent $63 million on Jurassic Park.
We realize that Titanic called for more expenditures. They built a replica of the great ship, for example.
Still, Steven Spielberg is a master of choosing what to place in a movie and what to leave out.
For example, a river scene with attacking pterodactyls was dropped from Jurassic Park (considered too expensive) and only revived for Jurassic Park III.
“The difference in winning and losing is most often… not quitting.” – Walt Disney
To avoid quitting, it can be helpful to retain some money to keep going.
Be careful of budgets of time, money and other resources.
4) Can I make money all the while?
When the Walt Disney Company opens a new theme park they start with a few rides. Then over the years they add more attractions.
“Disneyland is like a piece of clay: If there is something I don’t like, I’m not stuck with it. I can reshape and revamp.” – Walt Disney
At the Disneyland Resort, when California Adventure Park opened several things didn’t go as planned. In the first year 2001, only 5 million visitors attended. To give perspective to that, in that same year Disneyland saw 12.3 million visitors. In response, the Disney team lowered ticket prices.
How bad were things? The park only had about 5,000 to 9,000 visitors on weekdays although it was built to have a capacity of 33,000.
Okay. That was a rocky start. Disney CEO Bob Iger announced a multi-year revision of the park. It had cost $600 million to build California Adventure Park. The Disney team would further invest $1.1 billion to revise and remodel the park. Let’s remember the idea “make money all the while.” California Adventure has been open and earning income across the years.
One detail that captures my interest is that the entrance area was changed to a representation of Los Angeles as it appeared when Walt Disney moved there in the 1920s. What a great idea! This brings in the element of magical, nostalgia energy similar to Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A.
Find ways to bring something to the marketplace and keep improving the product in subsequent versions.
5) Does my heartfelt intuition call me to go forth in this direction?
“When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do. And one thing it takes to accomplish something is courage.” – Walt Disney
A number of people have asked me, “How did you write 45 books, Tom?”
I reply, “I was called to each one. I wanted to go on the journey of writing each particular book.”
“You reach a point where you don’t work for money.” – Walt Disney
Walt Disney emphasized: “Disneyland is a work of love. We didn’t go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.”
Walt had been called to create Disneyland:
“Disneyland really began when my two daughters were very young. Saturday was always ‘Daddy’s Day’ and I would take them to the merry-go-round and sit on a bench eating peanuts, while they rode. And sitting there alone, I felt that something should be built, some kind of family park where parents and children could have fun together.” – Walt Disney
So, my friend, I now invite you to pause and ask yourself: “Does my heartfelt intuition call me to go forth in this direction?
My heart has called me to direct feature films, create graphic novels, write and sing songs as part of a band, teach MBA students at Stanford University, write 45 books—and more.
I’ve answered the call again and again.
What does your heart call you to do?
Yes—there may be years in which you do a “rent job” to support yourself and race home and do your heartfelt work.
We, who adopt the plan of “Whatever it takes,” step forward without regrets.
Just imagine what you might do if you quieted down fear and took some good steps forward.
Make a plan and step forward. Shape your future.
Warmly,
Tom
Tom Marcoux
Spoken Word Strategist – Executive Coach
Speaker-Author, 45 books so far 🙂
CEO
PitchPowerFest.com * GetTheBigYes.com
Get the Advantages to take your business to a higher level. Learn Leadership Advantages, Pitch Advantages, and Success Advantages. To Soar with Confidence, you learn and use principles for top level communication to board members, team members and the media.
“Marcoux demonstrates how to “Prepare a Compelling Story that Moves Emotions.” He mentions techniques that he teaches clients for developing compelling Ted Talks.” – Dantalion Jones
Learn the vital skills of pitching your ideas and enrolling others into your vision. Get that “Big Yes” to funding your project. “This insightful book shows you how to zing a curveball right past the parts of the Hollywood exec’s brain that want to say no before you even make your pitch. You will learn what works when pitching, and more importantly, why, so you can get to YES much more often. Buy this book now. Consider it Spring Training before the big game.” – Danek Kaus
This invaluable guide, used by people in 15 countries and now in its second edition, will help you become immune to dark persuasion. Learn to use countermeasures to defend yourself against unethical persuasion and seduction tactics. Break any trance in which a salesperson is trying to get you to buy something not to your benefit. “Learn how to defend yourself against manipulation. Best book you’ll ever read to protect yourself, feel strong and move forward in your life. Highly recommended!” – Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter
Imagine dining with Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller, and John Lasseter. These seven people share one thing: They’re great communicators. So this book will help you become a great communicator. “Marcoux especially stresses the importance of personal branding, of coming across as trustworthy and dependable.” – Einar Masson
What the Rich Don’t Say about Getting Rich: Work Smarter, Live Better
You want wealth, abundance and enjoyment–yes? Wouldn’t it be great to learn the real strategies that the Rich use to create Sustainable Wealth? This book takes you behind-the-scenes to what really works. You’ll see a lot of myth-busting, and you’ll learn the strategies that get real results. “Tom Marcoux gives you an inside look on the psychology of what it takes to be successfully wealthy in life. It’s more than just taking advantage of opportunity, but also about taking care of yourself. This book discusses a number of strategies that we often overlook when it comes to leading a successful life that leads to wealth generation.” – Barry Adamson II
Amazing You: Enjoy the Power to Get It Done, Get Stronger, Get Credit for It … featuring Secrets of Extreme ConfidenceWould you like to Amaze yourself? This book helps you Get Stronger so you can Get It Done! You’ll learn how you can Get Credit for It! All three elements are crucial so you rise to a higher level of success and happiness. Think about it. If you get it done, but you’re a physical wreck—you lose. If you get things done, but you don’t Get Credit for It—you cannot get new clients. And, you’ll lose your current clients—if they don’t know, in their gut, how their lives are better because you’ve brought them significant benefits. Here’s a secret: You can unleash the Amazing You! Executive Coach Tom Marcoux helps you develop Extreme Confidence. “Tom Marcoux, once again, has written a book filled with practical insights and veteran business expertise that allows individuals to acquire the tools to balance personal and professional life. Tom’s wisdom possesses depth and the experience of someone who has ‘walked the walk.'” – Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli
Learn how you can tap into your natural gifts and tendencies to radiate Three Types of Charisma. Discover how to influence people with your words. “Marcoux explodes this myth: Charismatic people always feel comfortable before and during an important event, such as public speaking, networking or some other social event. This book shows how you can feel discomfort but still come across as confident and charismatic.The secrets include ways to radiate all three forms of charisma Marcoux describes as Warm Trust Charisma, Natural Charm Charisma and Magnetic Charisma.” – Danek Kaus
Shape the Future, Lead Like a Pro: 3 Skills Every Great Leader Needs to Succeed
This book will empower you with the 3 Skills every Great Leader needs to succeed: Relate, Optimize and Intuit. Learn to excel as a RoiLeader. The Bottom-line: You need an “unfair advantage” of top communication skills. Use Expansive Thinking to handle Disruption and get out ahead of it. “Shape the Future, Lead Like a Pro empowers you with essential leadership skills. Integrity is the foundation of Authentic Leadership. This book helps you lead and retain people who appreciate true leadership and who will excel for your organization.” – Christopher Salem, Host of Sustainable Success Radio Show
GetTheBigYES.com 