Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

As I look upon the close of another great year, let me stop and reflect for a moment on all the amazing people that have appeared in my life. I consider myself so thankful and absolutely grateful for all those who have crossed my path and sometimes stayed in it even when I wasn't paying attention. For the love, the support and the downright kick in the behind when I needed it the most. I appreciate and thank these people for all that they have brought to my life.

So Santa, as you make your final push towards Monday, I hope that you pack a little something extra for each of these people in your sleigh. Because each of them has been very good this year and the Ripples they have created on my behalf (and others)deserve the very best that you can give them.

Kathy
Dad
Mom
Asha
Donna(eh!)
Carlon
Prince
Thom
Mike O'
Michelle
Sonya
Marc
Daniel
Jay
Ellen
Ann
Nancy
Sylvia
Jon
Bill
Marcie
CJ
Cynthia
Deborah
Cheryl
Steve
Mike
Jen
Rosy
Dianna
Michael
Pete
Alyson
Brian
Bryan
Robert
Richard
Bijoy
Josh
John
Adam
Kevin
Carol
Chris
Denise
Dan
Val
Harvey
Bob
Maura
Nogie
Lisa
Tom
Steve B.
Nicole
Lisa G.
Jesse
Sharon
Artie
Rick C.
Marta
Juli
Stacy
Khari
Rachel
Judy
Mitch
Nancy

Thanks for remembering these amazing people on Christmas/Hanumus (or whatever we are calling it these days!) because they are most certainly on my LIST of Amazing people!!!

Sincerely,

Steve Harper

P.S. I know I told you I didn't really want an XBOX 360 but if your elves just happen to pack a spare....you know where to find me!

Blind Traveler

Blind Traveler

You cross my path but I don’t see you

Why I have no idea

You are there, plain as day

Yet through you I look as if you were invisible

I am searching for something more

If only knew more was already before me

I travel down this road or rather this path

Blinded by my own ambition, my own arrogance

Something more is just ahead I can most certainly feel it

Yet your path has touched mine for a reason

But still I ignore you

I remain blind to that which is so obvious

People appear in our lives for a reason

Their purpose is not ours to judge but rather to explore

If only I could have known this sooner

The paths that have crossed mine which meant nothing

Now I realize they were not nothing, but something

The paths were actually doors, inviting me to walk in

Oh how the blinded traveler toils and waits

For life to bring them something real, something of value

When the gifts are already there

If only they would open their eyes to that which occurs

Happening all around them in fact

Crossing their path, my path…all for a reason

© Steve Harper – SWOT Publishing, Inc.

Share Your Ideas

In today's society we are taught to protect our "stuff." Ideas that have any potential what-so-ever should be kept secret and not shared with anyone for fear that they may be stolen. Keep them to yourself and it stands to reason that the ideas, if they develop into anything, shall pay off for you and you alone. Share them and you will certainly be ripped off!

This way of thinking is broken.

Much of this way of thinking is a by-product of our culture. We are immersed in negativity in the almost every sense of the word. Turn on the news and nothing but bad news. Pick up and paper and more of the same. Read most business publications and you can see stories of who screwed who. Even the Internet with the advent of Bloggers to some degree, suck us in and help us realize that people are genuinely out to get us if we aren't careful.

So it makes sense why we would want to protect our turf right? WRONG!

Now I don't suggest you run right out and start sharing your ideas with complete strangers...though I could easily be accused of doing just that. I do however recommend that nothing happens in a vacuum. You need other people to take a look at what you are creating (or want to create) and give feedback, different perspectives and outright opinions. You want to hear the good and the bad. You want to have people that you know looking out for opportunities or applications for your idea because if you think about it that's when your idea becomes more than just an idea. It becomes something real.

As most of you know I have created something amazingly illogical with The 8 Minute Ripple (click here to listen to a PODCAST). This unique connection activity is opening thousands of peoples' eyes to a new way to build their personal and professional community of resources. Notice I don't say "networks" anymore? That came from feedback I received from someone I shared the idea with, I asked them to experience a Ripple event and then asked for their very direct and honest feedback. It was always community to me in my mind but I was afraid people would not get that or confuse the function with something else. It took my sharing the idea and my concern to get the feedback that community is exactly what I want and why people like this particular person valued the function of Rippling so much.

A breakthrough!

I recently shared with a few entrepreneurs how I was positioning The 8 Minute Ripple to be more than just a nice alternative to networking events. For example....

I am bringing the power of the Ripple to the corporate arena as well. By helping companies realize the value of helping their internal staff connect, really connect there is a tremendous number of very direct and trackable benefits that a company can realize. From increased productivity and new channels of creativity to decreased absenteeism and improved employee loyalty.

I shared this concept and openly admitted that I still had some obstacles to overcome before the concept was full baked. One such obstacle was needing some other outside resources that supported some of the research I wanted to include for prospective clients. Within in a few days I had one particular gentleman bringing me a book that additionally supported my concept (just with different language and concepts) and through the same small group a direct connection to the author. Now I would submit to you my faithful reader, accelerating this idea would haven't been possible without first sharing it. Sharing it and, here's the kicker.....asking for help!

My biggest fear is to be that 70 year old guy who looks back on his career and say..."If only I had..." I want to leave with no regrets! True that involves a certain amount of risk but I, like most people, believe that people are generally good. When I focus on sharing my ideas with those who support me, want to help me and appreciate the level of trust I invest in them....how could I go wrong?

Ripple On My Friends!

Steve