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Jun 29

Why Leaders Should Be Adventure Seekers

By Ryan Avery Adventure No Comments

I recently had the opportunity to go scuba diving at Ocean Park in Hong Kong. When you visit, I highly recommend you go and be prepared to spend the entire day there because it has a lot to offer!

I was giving a couple speeches in Hong Kong and instead of hopping from hotel to hotel I thought I would be adventurous in-between speeches.

You are 2 feet away from hammer head sharks and hundreds of other fish!

I knew Ocean Park was one of the top rated tourist attractions in the world, so I reached out to the theme park’s PR department to ask if I could scuba dive with the hammerhead sharks, manta rays and more than 5,000 other fish they have in their 2.5 million gallon grand aquarium.

A week later, they said yes and granted me access to a behind-the-scene tour of how the aquarium works and an up close and personal experience with the animals.

Just in case you want to know what a manta ray eats.

Wherever I go, I enjoy doing adventurous things (skydiving, white water rafting or rock climbing) for a variety of reasons. When we as leaders and speakers become adventure seekers it allows us to:

Meet New People: As leaders, the more people we know, the more people we can help. Being a good leader means you are good at building relationships. I think if more people traveled, the world would be a better place because you learn that your way is not the right way or the only way, rather it is the way that works for you. As leaders we need to meet more people so we can make better decisions, expand our thinking and continue to learn.

Create New Stories: There are people who think that your life is what it is and you can’t do much to change it; you have to play the cards that you are dealt. Well I say, if you don’t like your cards, play a different card game. A card game that allows you to have the winning hand! We can create our own stories, we don’t have to wait for them to come to us! What story have you been waiting to create? Go out there and make it happen!

Enjoy New Experiences: Sometimes we get stuck in routine. That is where boredom can sink in. We as leaders need to be trying, exploring and having new experiences on a regular basis to keep our minds fresh, our perspective open and to see all the world has to offer outside of our own little bubble. What is one experience you can create for yourself this week that will let you grow as a leader?

My friends at D89 joined us on the adventure and they were so amazing. They showed Chelsea and I around the entire city after we got done. They hosted one of our events, took us to a party and were so gracious to host us while we were in Hong Kong (Thank you Derek)! All of D89 is amazing and I learned a lot from them.

So the next time you are feeling less than motivated or you feel like you are searching for something to do in life, instead of drowning in self doubt, build up the courage to ask, do and try! Who knows where it will take you?

Thank you to the team at Ocean Park for the awesome experience and to Donna for making it happen! I can’t wait to come back and visit and to see what my next adventure will be.

Remember it’s the dreamers who take action that change our world. Take advantage of today, plan for tomorrow and always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Feb 11

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Six Lessons Leaders Can Learn From Tiny Little Babies

By Ryan Avery Motivation One Comment

I had the chance to hang out with a few of my entrepreneur friends this weekend who happen to have the cutest babies I know! After spending the day with them, I realized we, as leaders, can learn a lot from these miniature humans!

1) Cry and get over it: Babies fall, they fail, and they make mistakes. They cry for a minute, and then they move on to the next thing. They don’t look back.

2) Be happy with the simple things: Babies have fancy toys, nice clothes, and fancy food! What do they play with that makes them the happiest? The boxes the toys came in. They have no care for fancy clothes other than what feels good to wear. They are happy, too, with a simple diet of milk and mushy food high in nutrients! Now, I am one who likes to wear nice clothes, and I prefer tasteful food; but, I can do a better job being happier with the simple things in life!

3) Tell people how you really feel: Babies don’t keep their emotions inside. When they are angry, they let you know. When you are happy, they let you know. When they like someone or don’t like them, they let the person know. They don’t care what people think of them. They care about letting others know what they think!

4) Be curious and try new things: Babies are constantly crawling to explore new territory and scanning for new things to touch! They are alive and happy to be alive, because there is so much out there to explore, see, taste, and touch!

5) Always be learning: Babies are digesting new things everyday! They are thirsty for knowledge.

6) Laugh often: No matter how much they cry, babies always laugh. They smile, they enjoy, and they experience happiness. They want to be happy and do what it takes. They say what they need to say in order to find that happiness.

Sure, babies scream on planes, make a mess, and deprive their parents of sleep; but, we as leaders can do many things to be more like tiny little babies! Move on! Be happy with the simple things, tell people how you feel, try new things, learn something new, and laugh often! Enjoy the day, and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.s. Thank you Jessica and Devin for letting me use your little one for this post! Y’all are awesome!

Dec 10

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The 12 Photo Challenge on 12/12

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

Where has 2014 gone? I still can remember partying like it was 1999 as we shot off fire-works on the street in my hometown neighborhood in Houston, TX and thinking how crazy the world would be in ten years! Well, it is 15 years later and here we are!

So what better way to remember this year than taking a night and looking at all of your photos from 2014. All of them!

But here is the challenge! Go through all your photos and remember all your ups and downs, twists and turns, and lessons you learned along the way. Choose twelve photos that stand out for you the most–twelve photos that depict your year!

Pick these twelve photos and share them with us on Facebook on 12/12. Include the following information when you share your blog article or photo album:

NAME: 12 photos for 12/12
(Example: Ryan Avery: 12 photos for 12/12)

Here is text for the album or blog description:
Several of us are getting together to go through all of our photos this year and selecting twelve photos that highlight the best, worst, happiest, saddest, coolest, adventurous, or most terrifying moments of our year!

Here is the hashtag for the album and photos:
When sharing your photos or article on social media use: #12x12x12 so we can all follow each other and see what others post. Tell us about your year’s greatest lessons, stories, insights, sorrows, and triumphs! Let’s see how we can portray our year using twelve photos from the past twelve months!

I am looking forward to seeing your albums and seeing what photos you pick for 2014! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Dec 08

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3 Ways to Expand Your Comfort Zone Today

By Ryan Avery Family & Personal Life No Comments

Whether introverted or extraverted, we can all expand our comfort zone. Here are three ways to expand your comfort zone starting today:

1) Walk into a store and try something on you can’t afford. I did this last week with a Dolce and Gabbana jacket. Wow! It made me feel uncomfortable. The jacket was priced more than my first car! You could tell that all the store clerks knew I was not going to buy it. Go into any Gucci, Tiffany’s, even a Lamborghini dealership and try it out! It will boost your confidence all while expanding your comfort zone.

2) Talk to someone to whom you would never usually speak. Perhaps a homeless person on the street, or someone who has a different sexual orientation, skin color, gender, or race than you! We will all benefit the more all of us get along and become comfortable with each other.

3) Say yes to something that you’ve never tried. Go skydiving or bungee jumping. Go to a new restaurant. Order a different drink at an unfamiliar bar! Say Yes, and see what adventures await you!

Expand your comfort zone because the more comfortable you are the more confident you will feel. I challenge you to try one of these things today and see how big your comfort zone becomes. I bet it will expand by at least 20 feet! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Nov 28

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If you want to be the best…

By Ryan Avery World Records No Comments

This article will be short and sweet! If you want to be the best, then all you need to know is this: the only competition is you! You can’t be the best by comparing or holding yourself to other people’s standards. If you want to be the best you need to do your best!

What are you doing today that will make you the best at what you do and remind yourself you have the potential to be number one in your desired category? Stop competing against others and start competing against yourself! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Nov 21

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7 Ways to Stop Procrastinating Starting Tomorrow

By Ryan Avery Leadership, Motivation, Productivity No Comments

Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges leaders can face. I know the first step for me in getting over my procrastination addiction is finding ways to not let the pressure of the deadline motivate me. So what can we do about it?

Here are Seven Ways to Stop Procrastinating Starting Tomorrow:

1) Make a list: Write down all the things you need to get done on a piece of paper, on your computer notepad, cell phone, or anywhere you look on a regular basis.

2) Break it up: Let’s say you have 19 things to get done on your to-do list. Pick three to accomplish each day. Not 19! Three tasks, that’s it! If you have one really large task, break it up into even smaller components. For example, if you need to create a proposal for a new client, break it up into (a) research the company for one hour (b) write the proposal for three hours (c) spend one hour proofreading and seeing what else you need to add before sending it off to the client. Get three things done each day that are the most important. If you accomplish those, then move on to more! This will help you feel accomplished and train your brain to get more done.

3) Ask yourself what happens if you don’t get it done: What are the consequences if you procrastinate doing what you have planned? Will you be more stressed? Will you have to ditch your friends or family? Loss of sleep? What do you lose if you wait till the very end to get it done?

4) Ask yourself what happens if you do get it done: On the flip side, what do you get if you do it now? More time? More money? More experiences with your kids and family or friends? More opportunity to accomplish more? Knowing what you’ll get will help motivate you to get it done early!

5) Eliminate temptations: The best way to stop procrastinating is to get rid of the time wasters: social media, your cell phone, and people coming in and out of your office asking you questions. When I have tasks I need to do, my wifi is off, my phone is not in my office, and my door is shut. If you are being interrupted every ten minutes, it is hard to get anything done!

6) Get someone to hold you accountable: Let others know what you want to get done and by when. We seldom like to let those we love and like down, so if you tell them what you plan to do and by when, they will motivate you to get it done. You can also add a little more pressure by saying to the person, “and if I don’t get it done a week before my deadline, I will give you $20 cash!”

7) Reward Yourself: After every three things I accomplish each day, I reward myself. I either go for a walk, get a drink with my friends or watch a show with my wife. Don’t wait for the big reward at the end; reward yourself every step of the way!

Procrastination can be your worst enemy. It is definitely a habit worth breaking! Try incorporating one of these into your daily routine and see how much better you feel and how much more you accomplish in an everyday work situation! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan Avery

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Nov 18

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Ryan Avery’s Videos

By Ryan Avery Motivation, Videos One Comment

Here you can watch several of Ryan Avery’s full keynotes and trainings in a variety of industry settings. Below Ryan illustrates his flexibility when working with you and your team, his ability to relate to his audience and his value to all in attendance.

WATCH: Ryan Avery Training Reel
Ryan Avery has trained leaders on every continent in the world. Ryan has proven experience in captivating diverse audiences that range in age, size and industry. Watch now what value Ryan Avery brings to this team of leaders at Diageo’s World Class Business Training Day and the refreshing, proven and valuable content he delivers every time!

WATCH: Ryan Avery’s Keynote Speaker’s Reel
Get the taste of what it’s like to have Ryan Avery as your keynote speaker and what his audience members say after they hear him speak. When you are looking for the keynote speaker to wow your audience, to motivate your audience and to educate your audience in the most refreshing, proven and valuable way, Ryan Avery is the speaker you are looking for!

WATCH: EXECUTIVE KEYNOTE – Vistage International VES
Ryan Avery delivers his Go from A to THE keynote at the Denver Vistage Executive Summit in front of 300 CEOs and their Key Executives. Ryan Speaks to 40+ Vistage groups and events throughout the year with his average rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 in content and delivery.

WATCH: LARGE AUDIENCE KEYNOTE – Uponor User Conference
Ryan Avery delivers the opening keynote at Uponor’s User Conference at the Las Vegas Bellagio hotel in front of 1,000 leaders. Ryan spoke for 35 minutes instead of 60 minutes as to get the conference back on track with time. Ryan is flexible, professional and the easiest speaker you will ever work with.

WATCH: COLLEGE KEYNOTE – IACURH Conference
Ryan Avery delivers the custom keynote for IACURH’s annual conference titled, “This is Our Time” as it was the theme of the conference. Ryan spoke, inspired and educated more than 300 college students and he ended his talk with a rousing standing “O” ovation!

WATCH: NON-PROFIT KEYNOTE – Vancouver District 96 Conference
Ryan Avery delivers the opening keynote for the D96 Conference in Vancouver, Canada in front of 200+ Toastmasters. Ryan has spoken to over 30 Toastmaster Districts around the world and has helped start 8 clubs in four countries since 2012.

WATCH: World Record Video
Ryan Avery and his wife, Chelsea Avery, recently set the World Record for being the Youngest Couple to Professionally Speak on All Seven Continents. They were a combined age of 29 years, 8 months and 12 days. They accomplished this by professionally speaking in seven continents in seven months, with their last training in Antarctica on November 28, 2015.

Nov 05

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How to Accept a Business Card in China

By Ryan Avery Motivation No Comments

In the United States, we often quickly whip out our business card, hand it over with one hand and watch the recipient place it directly in their pocket without barely looking at it! This is the opposite of what you want to do while you are in China.

There is etiquette to giving and receiving a business card.

First: When giving a business card, always hand over the card with two hands touching the top corners and handing it over to them where they can read your name (as shown in the above image).

Second: When receiving a business card make sure to grab the bottom with two hands, review it, look at it for a second or two. Then provide at least one compliment about them, their position or the card itself.

Third: Don’t place the card in your back pocket or any place that would indicate you do not care about the card. If you put it in your front pocket, or suit jacket or wallet, make sure you are looking at the card when you are placing it there to show them you care about it and will follow up shortly.

Here is a quick tip that can make a big difference when you are doing business the next time you are in China or working with someone from China. Keep using your voice to make a difference and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Oct 15

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Adventures of Public Speaking: Panama City Beach

By Ryan Avery Motivation, Videos 3 Comments

What leadership lesson can we learn from swimming with a school of baby manta rays?

Oct 08

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VIDEO: How to Use a Whiteboard to Accomplish Your Goals

By Ryan Avery Motivation, Videos No Comments

I use a whiteboard to help outline my goals, ideas and coaching sessions. How can you utilize a whiteboard? Are you a whiteboard fan? Share by clicking on a social media icon below and let’s connect!

Oct 06

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Five Days of Giveaways

By Ryan Avery Motivation 4 Comments

This week I am giving away five prizes for fun! Here is how you enter to win each day:

1) Subscribe to the blog in the right hand corner of this page (if you are already subscribed, you are awesome, and you will be eligible to win, as well).

THEN

2) Each day share and tag one of your favorite articles from RyanAvery.com on Facebook and/or Twitter. For every post you share and tag, your name will be entered in the daily drawing. So, simply by subscribing and sharing on Facebook and Twitter you can have a total of three chances to win, every day!

Here are nine articles to consider sharing:

3 Easy Ways to Make $500 Speaking
10 TED Talks Everyone Should Watch
Don’t Think The Worst In People

4 Reasons to Co-Author Your Next Book
5 Lessons Learned Being a World Champion
6 Reasons Real Leaders Are Really Speakers

What It’s Like Being Married to The New Wifestyle
What’s The Best Investment to Make in Today’s Economy?
How to Get Over The Past and Focus on The Future

Subscribe to the blog, share an article and get entered to win one of FIVE awesome prizes:

1) Monday: $25 CASH

2) Tuesday: Signed copy of Speaker Leader Champion

3) Wednesday: 30 minute private coaching call

4) Thursday: Signed copy of Speaker Leader Champion

5) Friday: 30 minute private coaching call

Reminder: you must be a subscriber to this blog in order to be eligible to win, so be sure to subscribe, and then post an article on Facebook or Twitter. Be part of these five days of giveaways and make some money, get a copy of Speaker Leader Champion and/or a private coaching session!

I will post the winners in the comment section below everyday. I look forward to seeing who wins! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan