Be Part of Something Bigger Than You

Stoic Quote of the Week

The soul should have someone it can respect, by whose example it can make its inner sanctum more inviolable. Happy is the person who can improve others, not only when present, but even when in their thoughts!

-Seneca

What I learned this week:

One of the things in my core thoughts, make-up, and values is being part of something bigger than myself. That is one of the reasons I named my company Tribe + Purpose because being part of a tribe is being part of something bigger than yourself. This “membership” allows me to have an impact on a larger group of people. It also allows me to fulfill some of my psychological needs identified by Maslow. As Tribe + Purpose continues to grow, so does the impact and the feeling of fulfillment I get from it. But this isn’t about my company; this is about one of our long-standing clients, Atlas Advisors. I’ve known the owner for several years, well before I started Tribe + Purpose. This week I was included in Atlas’ annual gathering that brings the entire company team together to have face-to-face interactions, update on the progress and what is happening next. Being included as part of the Atlas team is quite an honor and allows me to share what I can to help them succeed; I also get that instant feedback from everyone on the team. I consider it an honor to support the growth and success of the Atlas team; I believe it is even more important that I am treated as a member of the team, not an interloper. If you are not part of something larger than yourself, or if you are but don’t feel like you are treated as a value-added member, then I recommend you find something that fills that void in your life. There are hundreds of organizations that can help you fill that need. That could just be what you are missing to feel more fulfilled in life.

Planning thought of the week:

One of the planning rules drilled into my head in the Army was the 1/3-2/3’s rule. That means that for however much time is available to plan prior to executing; the leadership team should divide it into thirds. The higher-level planning team takes the first third of the time to finalize their plan and issue it to the subordinates allowing the subordinates, 2/3s of the time to develop and prepare their plans, i.e., three days before the projects start, one day for the project leadership to prepare; leaves two days for the project team to plan and prepare.

Business idea I heard about or thought of:

Do you have camping gear, ski gear, or some other kit in your house or garage that sits there for 48 weeks a year? What if that gear could make you a little extra cash while you aren’t using it? I’ve run across this business idea a couple of times over the last several years. If you think about it, it makes excellent sense. Why not loan out the propane stove that I use at hunt camp for two weeks a year and earn $7 a week for it. At that rate, I’d be able to buy a new stove to replace it with just six rentals. I wouldn’t rent out my sleeping bag, but there are a lot of other items like a stove, tents, chairs, cots, etc., that make perfect sense for this business concept.

Veteran opportunity of the week:

One of my favorite veteran nonprofits, Bunker Labs, has created a veteran gift guide landing page. I love this because the page has links to more than 50 veteran-owned business products. You can check out the page here.

Someone I met this week:

Do you talk to your Uber driver? I love hearing people’s stories, and I always check in with my Uber driver. I always ask a few short questions, “how’s business today?” “How long have or will you drive?” “How long have you lived here?” Even on the short rides, I ask these questions, and the stories I hear and what I learn about people are amazing. One of my Uber drivers this week was from Senegal, and we had a great chat about visiting family ‘back home’. He said he could probably beat me back to his home before I could get to mine in Texas, if I was driving, and he was flying, ?. It is always fun to hear people’s stories.

Link to current The Cam & Otis Show podcasts Ep 129 The Process Map & Model with Amanda Russo CEO of Cornerstone Paradigm Consulting: https://thecamandotisshow.buzzsprout.com/506248/9681182-ep-129-the-process-map-model-with-amanda-russo-ceo-of-cornerstone-paradigm-consulting

Thank you for your support.

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