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Jan 26

3 Reasons Why Your New Year’s Resolutions Will Fail

By Ryan Avery Motivation 2 Comments

Many of us set New Year’s Resolutions and after March 80% of us give up on them! Why? Here are three reasons your New Year’s resolutions will fail:

You Have Too Many of Them. Quit trying to accomplish five things at once! It’s overwhelming! Instead, try putting all of your energy into accomplishing just one thing. If you are spread too thinly, you could easily lose focus and eventually give up.

You Jumped on a Band Wagon. You decided to do something because your friends or family are doing it and not because you really want to do it! If you don’t believe in it, it will be easy to quit or forget. Do something that you really want to do and that makes you feel good. Forget the wagon!

You Are Doing The Same Thing. Come on… what is the definition of insanity again… “doing the same thing, expecting different results!” Just because it is a new year does not mean it is going to be easier, or that you are going to be more motivated. It means you must do something different. You have to hang around different people. You have to write your goals down and share them with your family and friends. You have to identify the consistent behaviors that hinder you from accomplishing your new year’s resolution and change those behaviors. Like they say, “If you don’t like change, you will like irrelevance even less!” Change your ways and you will change your world!

If you want to, you can share with us what your new year’s resolution or goals for this year are in the comments below. Come on… put some positive pressure on yourself and let us hold you accountable! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Jan 16

Love0

How to Make a Sizzle Reel

By Ryan Avery Motivation 3 Comments

How do you show leaders you are capable of speaking to their teams? How do you prove to meeting planners you should be their next conference keynote speaker? How do you illustrate your ability to add tremendous business value, share inspiring stories, and make your audience’s lives better? You make a sizzle reel!

We live in an awesome time to be speakers. Twenty years ago you had to get everything on tape, pay big bucks for editing, produce a VHS tape, pay for postage, find physical addresses for meeting planners, and wait for weeks and weeks to know if your package even arrived.

Now with free video-editing software, quality cameras under $500, and a little thing called the internet we can save money, time, and energy while having a global reach! The time is now for you to start thinking of creating a sizzle reel if you are a speaker.

Here is how you make one:

Start Collecting Videos of You Speaking. I have two ways I do this. I bought a semi-nice handheld camera that I ask someone in the front row to operate. In exchange, I usually give them a product off of my table at the end of the night. In my contract I ask for a copy of all video that is being recorded on sight; sometimes I request my own videographer (which can cost a couple hundred bucks but is well worth it). Doing so gives me plenty of options for camera angles, audio, and is insurance in the event of any technical glitches. Start collecting videos… yesterday!

Collect Videos Testimonials. I messed up in this area in the beginning. I had/have great video testimonials, but I cheaped out by purchasing a camera with poor sound capturing ability. Bad idea! It is worth the extra money to buy the microphone or the camera that collects good sound. Remember, how you present yourself can determine how much you get paid. Low quality equals low prices. High quality equals high prices! These testimonials are crucial for our continued success as speakers.

Those who sign up for the blog today (right-hand corner of this page), I will send you the four best questions you can ask for a video testimonial that illicit the best responses. Those who are already signed up for the blog, I will include them in my monthly newsletter!

Collect Photos of You Speaking. More importantly, collect the photos of you speaking on the spot. Do not wait for the photographer to send them to you or send you a dropbox link. I have waited hours after a speech so the photographer can give me their photos. I would estimate only 1 out of 10 times did I actually receive the photos from a photographer who said, “I will send them later!” or he or she would not send me the ones I actually wanted. If you hire professional photographers, that is a different story; but, often the best photos I get are candid shots by people in the audience or volunteers at the conference.

Use Editing Software or Hire an Editor: I have done both. I use iMovie, and I have also hired an editor. Either method works. It really depends on how much time you have, how awesome your video editing skills are, and how much money you are willing to pay. Skilled video editors are everywhere. Find them using Craigslist, Fiverr, Elance, your local college journalism students, and a long list of professionals in your area. Just Google “Video Editor + City Name” to find an editor near you.

Over the course of the next six to twelve months collect as many videos, photos, and testimonials as you can. Organize them so you can easily find them again when you want to edit the photos yourself or share them with your editor.

Take time to put your sizzle reel together. Share it with your friends, family, community, and clients. Let them see you sizzle on stage and the value you can bring to groups, teams, and leaders around the world! Happy sizzle reel making and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Jan 05

Love0

6 Reasons You Should Be More Attractive

By Ryan Avery Motivation 3 Comments

This sounds harsh, but it is true! Prettier people have it easier than ugly people! I am not only talking about your appearance, I am talking about having an attractive attitude, outlook, and energy! The good thing about our individual beauty is that we can do a lot to improve the way we look and feel without changing our core values.

We also need to do a good job identifying what attractive looks like to “us” and not “them” because being attractive is more about a feeling than a look. It’s more about confidence than about your cheekbones or chic clothes! Being attractive is all about how you feel!

So here are… Six Reasons Why You Should Be More Attractive:

1) You get paid more: According to Daniel Hamermesh, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin, and author of the new book Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful, says a good-looking person will earn, on average, $230,000 more over the course of a lifetime than someone who is perceived as less attractive.

2) More people like you: More people want to be around attractive people than they do ugly people–both physically ugly and emotionally ugly! If you don’t agree, look at any magazine on the shelf. You will see a supermodel who gets paid millions or politicians without brains, but a little more beauty can help win an election!

3) You feel more confident: This is the most important one. Remember: being attractive is a feeling, not a look! Plus, if you want to be a leader, you have to look and feel as though you have confidence. Simon Sinek says the only things a leader needs are followers. Well, you can’t and won’t get those followers if they don’t have confidence in what they see in you!

4) Things are easier for you: I mean all you need to do is read all eight reasons from this Business Insider article to see why!

5) You appear to be friendlier: According to PickTheBrain.com those who smile more bear less stress, a smile is a universal sign of happiness, and smiling helps us get promoted! And if you think it is all about looks, think again. According to Orbit Complete, 69% of people find women more attractive when they smile than when they wear make-up! When you seem happier, less stressed, and confident, more people are going to want to be around you!

6) You are more likely to get a job: According to the 2011 Economic Letters attractive people are 10.3% more likely to be considered for a job compared to 7.6% for less attractive people. Have you ever wondered why some companies ask for your photo in a job application? Are you guilty of looking at someone’s social media before you hire them and judge them based on their looks? I have been guilty of this myself!

In two days I will post an article called “Six Ways to Be More Attractive“. I believe everyone is attractive in his or her own right, but all first have to believe they are! As sad as it is, pretty people (both inside and out) have it better! The good news is we all have the opportunity to look and feel more attractive on a daily basis! As always…

Dream BIG,

Ryan

Question: In your opinion, why do you think we put so much value on being attractive?