Hypnosis Rocket Fuel

“To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it, to believe that democracy was impossible and that the Party was the guardian of democracy, to forget whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again: and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself -- that was the ultimate subtlety: consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed. Even to understand the word ‘doublethink’ involved the use of doublethink.”

— George Orwell (1984)

Jim Neighbors just woke me up with Back Home Again in Indiana. That Gomer fella can sing! I trust you slept well; we did; we always sleep well after a travel day; something about those miles wear on our bodies.  I woke and snuggled with my Queen; I no longer feel the need to jump out of bed, choosing instead to hold on to my life partner.

Our week in FL was one of my favorite weeks of the year. A get away with my Queen, the most beautiful woman in the world. We got some sun, spent time with family and friends, ate some great seafood, drank some excellent wine, sipped on some Tito’s during the day, and got to bed at our usual bedtime of 9:00 p.m.  One of my favorite vacations ever.  Thank you, Cousin and Whit, for the time and laughter; we will see you both soon.

We left our hotel about 7:30 yesterday morning, we Ubered to the airport, it was busy, people coming and going getting in their last bit of travel welcoming in the new year. Our flight left at 10:00; it was full; we flew to Atlanta and had a 3-hour layover. We only do nonstop flights as travel professionals, but we had to make an exception based on our late decision to “getaway.” With all the unknowns, we couldn’t book ahead due to our fear of another lockdown. We are booking another trip to Mexico in February, more family and friends will join, play is essential to our lives.  

While in “Hotlanta,” we dined at a restaurant that had QR codes at each table. Two servers were staffing the entire restaurant of about 50. You put the QR code on your camera; the menu came up, you ordered everything from your phone, and once it was done, they brought it to your table.  You paid from your phone as well, a creative way to keep the kitchen moving.  Most restaurants during the pandemic switched to a QR menu, but this was next level. I sent my friend in the POS space the concept, and he said, “not a fan; if you don’t serve me, I will just stay home.”

My take was a little different; I think using this technology can reduce staff and improve performance.  Waite staff can focus on your comfort and assist as needed. Many restaurants will adopt this platform; time will tell, but innovation for sit down dining has occurred. I did think about moving each QR code to a different table and watching the madness ensure, but let my 14-year-old self just “think and not do” the deed.

We got home about 6:15, a long day of travel, our pup was happy to see us, and we were delighted to see PVHT.  Her collar was a little tighter; it seems our baby is growing up. We thought she would be about 25 pounds, but she just passed that mark and continues to increase in size.  Vegas odds are now that she’s going to be a 50 pounder, so much for our little lap dog. We joke she looks like a kangaroo, long, lean, and her webbed feet are like hands.

Thank you to my dear friend GG and Jimmy Chu for keeping her company while we were away. If you need an overqualified dog sitter that does hypnosis, I’ve got your man! Speaking of hypnosis, I was listening to Joe Rogan on the ride home; he talked about the power of hypnosis, how it became integral to Mike Tyson’s success, and the many benefits of the tool.  If you have some head trash you need to dump; hypnosis might be a superior technology to tap.  I’m going to engage him with my sales team to see if we can add some rocket fuel to our sales mindset.

We plan to work this morning, do some laundry, head to the Ale Emporium for some lunch, and the Costco to buy things we do not need. We will come home, relax, do some more laundry, cook something here for dinner, and then get to bed early to start our new work year tomorrow. I’m planning my calendar a little tighter, filling up the gaps with exercise and education. 

I received a few referrals last week, starting the year strong with some more considerable opportunities.  I’ve invested in some new technology that will allow us to sequence folks, drip information they might need to thwart OSHA issues or poor driving behavior. Our mission this year is to not focus on what people do but instead on who they are. We’ve done this for years but never articulated it as we will in 2021.  I don’t care if you are a butler, trash hauler, or CEO; let’s connect and see if we can find some common ground. If business develops, all the better, but as a company, we will be talking to strangers and seeking out thought leaders and referral partners for the coming years.

How will you spend this coming year? Are you moist about the opportunities that are hidden from view, only to be found by getting out of your comfort zone? Are you open to meeting new friends and people that share your worldview, maybe tapping into someone that thinks differently so that you can get insight into new but disparate viewpoints?  My views of the world have changed and will continue to evolve.

This year, my job is to travel virtually to other tribes and find leaders who have built a unique tribe. I want to learn from others and maybe share tips and tools I have learned during my journey. I am seeking out those wiser than me to grow my mind, body, and spirit.  That is my mindset: who I will be this year, and I ask you this final question. Who will you be in 2021?

“To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it, to believe that democracy was impossible and that the Party was the guardian of democracy, to forget whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again: and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself -- that was the ultimate subtlety: consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed. Even to understand the word ‘doublethink’ involved the use of doublethink.”

— George Orwell (1984)