| On April 24th, 2006, I took the day off to | | | | 59. It's not cool to be an asshole. |
| celebrate and reflect on the past 2000 days | | | | |
| of wearing a nametag 24-7.I challenged myself | | | | 60. It's impossible to be too friendly. |
| to come up with a list of 101 Life Lessons | | | | |
| Learned. It wasn't easy, but I finally | | | | 61. If a strange man named Stephen starts |
| finished the list this morning.I was always | | | | calling you every single day for three weeks, |
| told, "Don't tell 'em what you did, tell 'em | | | | it's probably a good idea to remove your home |
| what you learned."Therefore, here are 101 | | | | phone number from your website. |
| life lessons I've learned from wearing a | | | | |
| nametag 24-7 for the past 2000 days. | | | | 62. If a strange man named Stephen starts |
| Enjoy!1. Friendly always wins. | | | | showing up at your office, it's probably a |
| | | | good idea to get a new job. |
| 2. Be the first one. | | | | |
| | | | 63. Tom Peters was right: dull encounters = |
| 3. Be the only one. | | | | dull you; cool encounters = cool you. |
| | | | |
| 4. Be a sleeper. | | | | 64. Stop worrying about which side of you |
| | | | chest to wear a nametag. Nobody cares. They |
| 5. Be interesting. | | | | only care if they can read your name from ten |
| | | | feet away. |
| 6. Be UNFORGETTABLE. | | | | |
| | | | 65. You'd be surprised how many strangers |
| 7. Be the world's expert on yourself. | | | | will grab, touch, poke and molest your chest |
| | | | (and therefore violate your personal space) |
| 8. Be somebody who reminds everybody of | | | | if you wear a nametag. |
| nobody else in the world. | | | | |
| | | | 66. When people ask you, "So, what do you |
| 9. It's really hard to beat up a stranger if | | | | do?" make your answer memorable, valuable and |
| you know his name. | | | | unique. If their response isn't "Hmm, that's |
| | | | interesting..." or "Cool!" you need to rework |
| 10. Nametags are NOT about you. They're | | | | your answer. Remember, even the most boring |
| about everyone in the world except you. | | | | jobs can be explained in an UNFORGETTABLE |
| Don't boycott them. Wear your nametag for | | | | way. |
| other people. Always. | | | | |
| | | | 67. Authenticity, not charisma. |
| 11. Jack Canfield was right: if everybody | | | | |
| says you're out of your mind, you just might | | | | 68. Fans, not customers. |
| be onto something. | | | | |
| | | | 69. Never underestimate the power of |
| 12. Everybody is somebody's somebody. | | | | approachability. |
| | | | |
| 13. Never wear a nametag into a strip club. | | | | 70. People buy people first. |
| | | | |
| 14. Never wash your shirt with a nametag | | | | 71. Find a way to make people stop, think |
| still stuck on it. | | | | and say, "Wow!" |
| | | | |
| 15. Never use your older brother's fake ID | | | | 72. Create encounters that otherwise would |
| to get into a bar and then forget to take off | | | | not have existed. |
| your nametag at the door. | | | | |
| | | | 73. The best way to make someone feel |
| 16. If the Washington Post calls you "The | | | | comfortable is through self-disclosure. |
| World's Foremost Authority On Nametags," you | | | | |
| may as well take it. | | | | 74. Never apologize for your art. |
| | | | |
| 17. Don't be different, be unique. | | | | 75. Respect people's no's. |
| | | | |
| 18. You are what you charge. | | | | 76. The best swimmers are always in the |
| | | | pool. |
| 19. Market yourself daily. | | | | |
| | | | 77. Find a way to keep yourself visually |
| 20. Nametags will not get you dates. If | | | | accountable. Wear a piece of jewelry that |
| you're a jerk, not even a nametag will make | | | | symbolizes a personal value; tattoo a credo |
| you approachable. | | | | on your wrist, whatever. Anything to keep |
| | | | you consistent. For me, it's really hard to |
| 21. Find a way to give yourself away. | | | | be a jerk to someone else when I'm wearing a |
| | | | nametag, which I do 24-7. Which means I |
| 22. If you want 10,000 free nametags, you | | | | can't be a jerk. (Good!) What about you? |
| can always drop the name of the company that | | | | |
| manufactures them on CNN. | | | | 78. Mother Theresa was right: people don't |
| | | | remember what you said; they only remember |
| 23. The greatest compliment someone could | | | | how you made them feel. |
| ever give you is: "Thanks for being | | | | |
| yourself." | | | | 79. Break the silence. Every day. |
| | | | |
| 24. Do not despise the day of small | | | | 80. If you don't smile, they won't believe |
| beginnings. | | | | you. |
| | | | |
| 25. Find a daily ritual. | | | | 81. If you build it, they (might) come. |
| | | | |
| 26. Get a job that people couldn't pay you | | | | 82. What's in a name? Everything. Your |
| NOT to do. | | | | character. Your life. Your brand. Your |
| | | | values. |
| 27. Nerds, dorks and geeks rule this world. | | | | |
| | | | 83. If you walk into a hotel on New Year's |
| 28. Give people permission to talk to you. | | | | Day wearing a nametag on the tuxedo you slept |
| | | | in, people are probably going to say |
| 29. It's not easy to be yourself. | | | | something. |
| | | | |
| 30. Figure out exactly who you are and then | | | | 84. If a two year old girl walks up to you |
| go be that person every day. | | | | in the middle of Starbucks, smiles and points |
| | | | at your nametag, it's best to peel it off and |
| 31. Find a way to paint yourself in a good | | | | stick it to her hand. Trust me on this |
| corner. | | | | one.85. Boredom is the enemy. |
| | | | |
| 32. Everyone has at least one big idea. | | | | 86. In the history of the world, nobody has |
| | | | ever yelled at another person for |
| 33. Own a word. | | | | "Communicating too much." |
| | | | |
| 34. Be that guy. | | | | 87. Don't try to impress. Inspire first. |
| | | | Then people WILL be impressed. |
| 35. Confidence is king. | | | | |
| | | | 88. Steve Pressfield was right: when people |
| 36. If you really want to show (not tell) | | | | see you begin to live your authentic lives, |
| people that you're committed to an idea, you | | | | it drives them crazy because they're not |
| can always tattoo that idea on your chest. | | | | living their own. |
| They'll never doubt you again. | | | | |
| | | | 89. If you wear a nametag around Mexico, |
| 37. The world cannot resist a man on a | | | | locals will more than likely smile at you and |
| mission. | | | | simply say, "Mr. Escott!" |
| | | | |
| 38. Intentional Discomfort is the greatest | | | | 90. If you wear a nametag around |
| teacher of all. | | | | Switzerland, locals will more than likely |
| | | | smile and you and simply say, "Bonjour |
| 39. Everybody should write a book. | | | | Scott!" |
| | | | |
| 40. Life is not about finding yourself, it's | | | | 91. And if you wear a nametag around New |
| about creating yourself. | | | | York City, locals will more than likely not |
| | | | smile and simply say, "Get the hell out of my |
| 41. Validate your existence on a daily | | | | way, Scott." |
| basis. | | | | |
| | | | 92. Some people are just not friendly. |
| 42. Do something cool on a daily basis. | | | | |
| | | | 93. If you get an email out of the blue from |
| 43. There's nothing more approachable than | | | | someone who just saw you speak and he said, |
| authenticity. | | | | "Your speech changed my life," you're |
| | | | probably doing a good job. |
| 44. Consistency is far better than rare | | | | |
| moments of greatness. | | | | 94. If you get an email out of the blue from |
| | | | someone who said, "You're nuttier than a bag |
| 45. Don't be selfish with your knowledge. | | | | of trail mix," you're definitely doing a good |
| | | | job. |
| 46. Just because the Today Show sends a | | | | |
| camera crew to St. Louis to follow you around | | | | 95. Coming up with a list of 101 Life |
| all day doesn't mean they will actually air | | | | Lessons Learned from Wearing a Nametag 24-7 |
| your segment. Jerks. | | | | for the Past 2000 Days is pretty hard. |
| | | | |
| 47. You don't know intimidation until you've | | | | 96. Which is why I'm running short on ideas. |
| given a speech to 300 people who are twice | | | | |
| your age, have three times your experience | | | | 97. (Well, almost.) |
| and know four times as much as you do. | | | | |
| | | | 98. I saved the three most important ones |
| 48. You are an empty sheet of paper in the | | | | for the end...99. If a 7 year old kid says he |
| minds of people you encounter. | | | | wants to be an author - then 15 years later |
| | | | actually becomes an author - he's probably |
| 49. You have less than three seconds to | | | | doing the right thing with his life.100. If a |
| create a first impression. | | | | 19 year old kid wins an award for "The |
| | | | Speaker You Could Listen to For Hours," then |
| 50. Hate mail is a gift, even if it's true. | | | | actually becomes a professional speaker 4 |
| | | | years later, he's definitely doing the right |
| 51. Indiana Jones was right: it's not the | | | | thing with his life.101. And if all of that |
| years, it's the mileage. | | | | stuff happened to him simply because he |
| | | | decided to wear a nametag 24-7 to make people |
| 52. If you don't have a blog, you're a putz. | | | | friendlier, there must be a God.LET ME ASK YA |
| | | | THIS... |
| 53. If you don't carry your business cards | | | | |
| with you wherever you go, you're a putz. | | | | What was the single biggest learning |
| | | | experience of your life?LET ME SUGGEST |
| 54. Make daily appointments with yourself. | | | | THIS... |
| | | | |
| 55. Everyone has a story. And everyone | | | | Compile a list of 101 Life Lessons Learned |
| wants to tell that story. So ask them. | | | | from that experience and email it to me!© |
| | | | 2006 All Rights Reserved.Scott Ginsberg is a |
| 56. Smiling will never get you in trouble. | | | | professional speaker and the author of HELLO |
| | | | my name is Scott, The Power of |
| 57. If someone is wearing a nametag, use | | | | Approachability and How To Be That Guy. He |
| their name. It makes them feel great. | | | | helps people MAXIMIZE their personal and |
| | | | professional approachability - one |
| 58. It's impossible to be too friendly. | | | | conversation at a time. |
| | | | |