30 X 30 by Ian: Reflections after turning 30

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For anyone younger than 30, becoming the age of 30 is a milestone in of itself. Any older than 30 can disregard this post, but I recommend reading it – it’s very insightful.

From the website here…

Excerpt

Be Brief:

“Brevity is the soul of wit,” Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet. He gave those words to Polonius, a counselor to the king and a “tedious old fool.” But Polonius was smart on this one: brief is better. “Always leave ‘em wanting more,” might be the modern entertainment industry’s adaptation of the same idea. Here’s another snappy quote: “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” That’s from the Bible. If Shakespeare, Hollywood, and Jesus Christ can agree, it must be true. So keep it short.

The Paleo Diet

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The Paleo Diet is a great diet that returns humans to their “caveman” roots. With the correct diet, you can lose massive weight while keeping your body properly nourished. There is more about it here from FitBomb – excerpt below:

Q: What foods can you eat on a Paleo diet? And what can’t you eat?

A: I do my best to stick to whole, unprocessed foods: meat, eggs, seafood, non-starchy vegetables — and some (but not a ton of) fruit, nuts and seeds. I try to avoid eating things with sugar, grains (yes, whole grains, too), legumes (and not just because of their fart-inducing properties), and polyunsaturated fats. In short, I eat anything that can be hunted or gathered, and try to avoid stuff that’s processed, cultivated, or sealed in colorful packaging labeled “HEART-HEALTHY!” or “LOW-FAT!” (Really. I’ll explain later.)

The Art of the Handshake

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The handshake is much more than two hands coming together to serve as an introduction. The handshake is the first impression you will have of a person. It is the first time you will be touching them. This single act will not, unfortunately, persuade the opposing party. However, a poor handshake can dissuade them entirely.

You need to be firm in your handshake. It needs to be exerted with subtle control. You must gauge the other parties force and match it. If you over-exert pressure, you will stir negative subconscious feelings. Correspondingly, if you under-exert pressure, you will stir negative feelings as well. It needs perfect execution.

When you shake their hand, extend your second and middle fingers. If you can, lightly touch their wrists, where their pulse is. This will give a surge of connection in their deeper subconscious.

Another cool tip is to lightly brush the bottom of their elbow with your other hand. This gives a second, deeper connection to them.

They will carry a stronger, better impression of you if you can master this. Practice it with your friends, family, and strangers. Then go out and make a million dollars.

Chunking Up and Down in Conversations

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Chunking up and down are phenomenal ways to hypnotize someone you are conversing with. What is chunking?

Chunking up is the act where words are replaced with different words in less specificity. Chunking down is the opposite, where you replace words that have more specificity.

For example, if you were talking about laptops, chunking up would be describing the larger classifications such as computers or electronic devices. An equal classification could be a desktop computer. Chunked down, you would use different devices such as hard-drives, processors, video cards, etc.

Why is this important? Discussing in different levels of detail pull conversations up and down different levels and various classifications. It gives that conversation more power and fluidity.

3 Tips When Doing Business in Japan

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Early this year (January 2012), I had the opportunity to visit Japan for a number of business meetings and the launch of the brand, Brooks Running. The Japanese are extremely detailed and finely tuned in even the most minute aspects that we commonly overlook. Because of the cultural differences, understanding, acclimating, and performing Japanese business practices and interactions require skills that take time to foster. Let me preface by saying I am, by no means, an expert in Japanese business. However, I immerse myself in their culture, their values, and their thoughts. Here are some of my thoughts:

  1. Touching? Japanese people are no accustomed to touching. This, of course, has evolved quite significantly in the last 5 years. Any businessman currently engaged in business, have adapted to touching, but still a handful of people prefer a no-touch policy.
  2. Introductions? Asian culture encourages bowing when they greeting both strangers and acquaintances. This is a culmination of thousands of years of cultural development. Handshakes are more common now, but you will consistently see Asians bowing to each other. This is a means of respect. Typically, the lower the bow, the more the respect.
  3. Shoes? What do shoes have to do with business? Maybe because I’m in the shoe industry, I do this; however, a great deal of businessmen have similar practices. When Asians bow, they consciously examine the apparel and the shoes the opposing party is wearing. Make sure you shine your shoes to give an extremely presentable first impression.