November 2006 – Guru Gilbert

Maybe you are supposed to read this…

Do you believe in God?

Seriously, do you believe in God?

Do you believe someone created this extraordinary, incredible, ridiculously amazing world?

There are millions of different theories. If people refer to the Big Bang theory and believe that’s what created the universe then think about this:

Out of nothing comes nothing.

For example, take an empty fish bowl. Put it on your dresser and keep it there for the rest of your life. I guarantee you that by the end of your precious life, nothing will be in it.

Someone or something would have to put objects in the fish bowl for something to occur.

Now, how about this:

I know what will happen if I take hundreds of mice and put them in a big circle with a lot of cheese on one end. They will all scurry and eventually find their way to the cheese. It may take longer for some. Some may die in the process. Some will get sidetracked, but most of the mice will find the cheese somehow.

They wouldn’t know if they were going to find the cheese during their journey.

And, as I’m standing over my little pretend experiment, I’d know where they’d end up. They wouldn’t.

The fact that I am able to take my thoughts and ideas and then process them to make my fingers press buttons on a keyboard that trigger a signal to transmit that touch so it appears on my screen so you can then read it and interpret it in your mind to form your own ideas and beliefs is mind boggling to me.

The human body is by far the most complex system on this planet. The systems, enterprises, ideas and creations that the human body has created are almost as remarkable.

Now, if I took a piece of red metal, in a shape of an octagon with the word STOP in the middle, a green metal post, a post hole digger and a few screws and scattered them on the street what would happen?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing would happen. Someone has to fasten the sign onto the post with the screws and dig a hole into the ground. I’d say the chance of the stop sign assembling itself and digging a hole for it is virtually zero.

All of that being written, all religions aside, wouldn’t it be crazy to think that someone or something didn’t create this?

Do you ever think what is this? What are we? What is this world? What is the purpose of life? Is someone or something making you sit at your computer right now and read these words? These words, too. And this.

I always do. It fascinates me. I’m a very curious person.

I certainly will not go through life and not question things.

I believe something or someone created this. Whether that idea is true or not is not for me to determine. Nor, is it for me to determine what you should believe.

But if God or someone/something is smart enough to do everything he has done already and take into consideration all of the analogies and ideas expressed above, do you think he knows what’s going to happen to us?

Destiny is a crazy thought.

Do you believe that everything that’s going to happen in your life is predetermined?

Is everything that happens to us inevitable? Does God want us to use our strengths and abilities? And, if we don’t, will he teach us a lesson?

I believe every single person on this planet has a Michael Jordan inside them. It just takes some longer than others to figure out what it is. Did God purposefully do this? Was this predetermined? Does he know what you are going to be doing in 5 years? In ten minutes? Tomorrow?

Are you meant to be reading this…right now?

Am I supposed to be writing this…right now?

I’d really love to hear you thoughts on this.

Maybe, just maybe, you are supposed to read this and comment on it…right now.

Just be

I was on the subway this morning coming back from a meeting with a client. It seemed as if everyone was in a good mood – looking forward to the holidays and the long weekend.

Everyone was sitting quietly awaiting their destination.

Then, this fairly young, good looking man walked through the adjoining subway car doors.

He was wearing army pants and a nice crisp army sweatshirt. It was evident he had pride in how he wore his army gear.

I offered him my seat. He looked at me and said, “No!” in a very shameful, almost embarrassed voice.

Immediately, this look came across his face.

A look of, “I can’t believe I’m about to do this and I really don’t want to do this.”

I just sensed it. He seemed disgraced at himself.

Right after that, in a loud enough voice, so everyone could hear him over the rumbling subway he said, “Hi. My name is Bill. A year ago I was in Iraq, serving our country and unfortunately, I lost my leg. My upper thigh is now becoming infected and I really need money to stop the infection from spreading. I’d really appreciate anything you can do to help! Thank you!”

As he was speaking you could hear a pin drop. I’ve never seen anything like this.

After he spoke about 90% of the people on the car pulled out their wallets and took out a dollar or two. It was amazing.

Bill wasn’t proud of what he had to do. He seemed disgraced at himself. I saw the look on his face right before he was about to do his shtick and as he was collecting money.

Bill’s expression on his face is an expression I will never forget.

I think everyone on the subway won’t forget it anytime soon, either.

All politics aside, sometimes, we need to just be. To live in the now and enjoy our surroundings.

We are all so lucky. Enjoy your health. Enjoy your friends. Enjoy your family. Enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

How do you see this? I want your input!

opportunityisnowhere

Either you saw it as opportunity is no where or (hopefully) opportunity is now here!

We can wait and wait and wait until it’s the perfect time no matter what our dreams are. There is never a perfect time. There never will be. Now is the time.

Every day people are making the best of their life. They see opportunity no matter where they are and are going after their dreams no matter what their situation, circumstance or fear.

These poor quality pictures were taken yesterday. Both on my way home from work. The first picture is of a break dancing team that managed to get over 150 people to stop in their tracks. And then got those people to give them a dollar or two. They were amazing.

The second picture is of a band. About 50 people were watching this band. And paid to do so.

Both of these groups are going after it. They want it. Whether they have nothing to lose or need the money, they are making the best of their current surroundings. Are you?

Opportunity is now here!

Here’s my question to you. I want you to fantasize a little. Day dream for a few minutes…

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

Let me hear it.

For all who say, “Exactly what I’m doing right now!” I admire you.

I’ll be there soon enough. And hopefully, we all will!

It’s amazing what people won’t do

Why do people wait 5 minutes for a spot that is only 1 minute closer to their destination?

In our get it now, need it now society, convenience plays a huge role in our lives. Companies have wisely responded with all sorts of free delivery policies and incentives.

In the city of New York, delivery has become expected. If you don’t deliver (and deliver for free) you are a dinosaur.

It’s astounding what people pay for convenience.

Room service is a service that makes money charging people for service to their room. Supermarkets in the city charge you a premium to deliver your just purchased goods.

Fresh Direct is a business built on convenience. They charge you a turkey sandwich and a frank for wanting groceries delivered to your door. Franks anyway, I think it’s a rip off.

But, people love it. People are lazy. People don’t want to move. And people don’t want to be bothered picking out their own fresh veggies.

I always thought the coolest thing about NYC was the fact that you could get McDonald’s delivered. What a McTreat!

How can you sell your products more conveniently to your customers?

If your customers are online be there. If they aren’t; find where they are. Then be there.

Marketing has become convenient marketing.

Make it as convenient as possible for your customer’s to buy from you. As soon as it’s annoying and, well, inconvenient, the purchase will be aborted.

Whatever you’re selling you must make it as easy as cake for your precious customers to get what they want from you. Any extra clutter is going to divert people.

You’re in business to serve people. Whatever product/service/idea you’re selling! Your number one priority should be to serve those people like they are family. You are nothing without them. Write this down:

I am nothing without my precious customers!

As a loyal reader to my blog (and I thank you!), I wouldn’t practice what I write about unless I made my posts easily accessible. The more convenient it is for you to get my posts, and the more choices you have to access my posts, the happier you will be. (Hopefully!)

3 ways you can read my blog:

Continue to check my blog every 35 seconds for new posts
Subscribe to my blog and get new posts in your RSS reader
Or, subscribe for email updates and get an email directly in your inbox with the freshly baked, warm, gooey inside, chocolate melting new post. (“Mmmm!, that sounds delicious, how do I do that?”)

On the right side of my blog, after you scroll down a smidgen, you’ll see a box. Just enter your email address, click subscribe and you’ll get an email confirming your subscription. Open the email and activate your subscription.

That’s it.

And just in case you are hesitant, I’d never rent, sell, or share your email address with anyone.

And never is a strong word. But, that’s because I am nothing without my precious customers!

How about those Knicks? (Famous athlete picture included!)

JohnStarks.bmp
(Click on above link to see picture of John Starks!)

One of the luxuries of working for a company like Ernst & Young is definitely some of the perks.

Last night I had the good fortune of being invited to a Knickerbockers game.

These weren’t any old seats though. These were the corporate club suite seats.

The corporate club suite seats are very cool. There is a special entrance for club suite seat ticket holders to avoid all lines. These aren’t floor seats. They are the sky boxes all the way at the top of the Garden.

You walk into these corporate suites and it’s a whole other world up there. It’s like a miniature hotel room complete with every food and top shelf liquor you could possibly imagine.

The point of these corporate club suites must be for the experience. It’s a “Hey, you are paying top dollar as a client and we’ll hook you up and entertain you!” You scratch my back and I’ll scratch your back. Quid Pro Quo.

It has to be for the experience. I was the only one really watching the Knicks get crushed by the Spurs. Everyone else was fake laughing, boozin’, schmoozin’ and stuffing their face.

Don’t get me wrong. I did plenty of that, too.

But no one cared about the game until all of the sudden the huge deficit was cut to three points and the amazing deafening roar of the crowd began chanting, “Defense!” Boom. Boom. “DEFENSE!” Boom. Boom!

Sometimes people aren’t buying things for the actual product. They are buying the experience.

Cold Stone has great ice cream but is it that much better than good ol’ Ben & Jerry’s? (Ugh, how great is Half Baked!?!) You are paying a premium for the experience of watching them mix your ice cream in front of you.

There are thousands of businesses built on experiences. Hibachi is a restaurant built on an experience.

Sitting in the corporate club suite seats is a totally different experience than sitting on the floor. If you want to entertain and socialize with clients then the club suites seats are the way to go. Having unlimited gourmet food and alcohol is all part of the wonderful experience.

Here’s a thought exercise for you:

How can you reinvent your product/service/job so people want it for the experience?

How could you experience more experiences?

We’ve all heard people tell us, “At least do it for the experience.” Or, “You have to try it at least once!”

I think that’s very important. That’s called zooming. Or expanding your comfort zones.

If you don’t expand your comfort zones then how will you grow as a human being? You will constantly remain scared or fearful.

The best part of last night’s experience was meeting John Starks.

The photo above was taken right after I got his autograph.

I asked him to make it out to GuruGilbert.com and told him to check out my blog because he was going to be in it. He looked puzzled (but just in case)…

Johnny boy…Welcome! What did I tell you? I’m a man of my word. The picture came out good, right?

Oh, and make sure you tell all your friends about your picture on my lil’ site over here. Patrick, Charles, Anthony, Xavier, L.J, all of ‘em.

Horses wearing mounted Police officers

Every day as I walk to work I laugh.

I always crack up when I see the mounted police officers on their horses. They are scattered throughout Times Square. Is this a coincidence?

I think it’s phenomenal marketing.

These police offers are celebrities. They take pictures with tourists. I’ve seen lines of people waiting to pose with ‘Mister Ed’ and the police officer.

How do you even get to become a mounted police officer? Is it a privilege or a punishment? “Detective Hanratty the time has come. You have proved to us you can enforce the law. We want to reward you. How would you like to be a mounted cop?”

Do these mounted cops really do anything? Let’s face it, if something terrible happens they can’t abandon ship.

I couldn’t imagine the scene if a lady’s purse was stolen and the victim screamed, “Help, my purse was stolen!” What’s the cop going to do? Kick it into high gear, jump over cars, and run over people to catch the thief.

I don’t think so.

Maybe they help move along traffic but who’s listening to a cop on a horse?

I think they serve a very important (marketing) purpose.

To keep tourists happy and to keep them coming back to New York City so it remains as one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the world. It’s part of the Big Apple. It’s part of our culture.

What else do these mounted horses do besides attract and retain tourists (and maybe regulate traffic)?

There is a smell…

…and it smells like a $hit!