find at least one thing each day that makes me happy and record it everyday for a year

I am happy because I meet new people everyday. They show me that there is so much to life than living. I am happy because there is so much hope, so much possibilities for the future. I am happy because I am happy.

Jef

Note: Please visit my website: http://jefmenguin.com

The ability to recover is something I believe I must be thankful of. It is not always easy to come back when the momentum is broken. But I am bound to bounch UP! Sorry, if that does not sound right, but you can get the picture. I am going up! I am making things happen.

And I will share whatever I can share with the world.

Note: Please visit my website- http://jefmenguin.com

Day 1

This is day one again.

Last Saturday I conducted a teambuilding workshop for the officials of a Barangay in Pasay. I have conducted workshops for government agencies, but never for barangay officials. One friend told me that the most difficult group to handle are barangay officials. He said that many are know-it-alls, people who seemed to know all the answers and reasons why answers cannot be done. That comment was of course not encouraging.

The teambuilding was scheduled to start by 8.30am but the only two participants arrived on time. I was informed that there are 25 expected participants. The rest, 17 more, arrived five before ten. Not an encouraging introduction. And some others came before lunch time.

Three minutes after I started my self-introduction (there was no program and no one to introduce me), I got interruptions after interruptions. But that was not a problem at all. Having handled children before, I know how to handle interruptions. Sometimes adults act like children too. And I do understand why people interrupt me.

Before I started the afternoon session, one participant approached me. This was after I showed them the video on Susan Boyle’s audition in Britain’s Got Talent. She said that some of them first thought there was nothing they can learned from me. I simply smiled. That was not new to me. I have heard the same comment for the last five years. And I know that it won’t take them half an hour to realize that they are going to experience something different, moving, and inspiring.

They are used to lecturers. They are used to being bored by people with great credentials on paper. They are used to someone being introduced as the best in his field.

My friends said that it is best to wow the audience with your credentials. It is best to wow them with your introductions. It is best to start with a bang. And end with a big bang.

I don’t do any of these.

Please don’t tell people about how great I am. Don’t lie to them or you will not get my trust. Two weeks ago, someone introduced me as a motivational speaker, sought after by companies, booked for the whole 2010, that we are friends, and that he has known me for a long time. I can accept that I am a motivational speaker, but not the rest. That guy has seen me only twice for the last 30 days, has not seen me in action, and has no idea on how I conduct my seminars in metro manila or anywhere in the Philippines. I don’t want to start my seminars with a lie. I don’t want to start the seminar with ego boosting. Or even self-affirmation just to get my participants to listen. He reminded me of that marketing manager of a five star hotel whom I met last month. He said that he heard so many good things about me. Having heard that line for a hundred times, I asked him to mention one good thing he heard about me. Of course, he was not able to give one. He cannot even pronounce my name correctly. These guys must have read Dale Carnegie but never truly understood him.

Back to the team building workshop. During my icebreaker activity, some of them commented that they were experiencing that activity for the first time. And they were immensely enjoying themselves. Fore every activity I heard some of them said that they were learning a lot. They showered me with praises. Yes, praises still make me feel good. But I want you to know that I am more concerned about what they feel about themselves. My goal is to be invisible during my sessions and focus the spotlight on my workshop participants. The workshops are not about me. It is about them. I still look for the spotlight; Slowly, I am learning to surrender the spotlight to my workshop participants. I have directed plays before. And making people shine has always been in my DNA. I was just mis-educated and I am unlearning many things I have learned from others. It is when we are invisible that people start to feel us.

Out there seminar participants are spectators. On Friday, the same participants attended a session on Good Governance facilitated by the DILG. The told me they were bored to death. I was not surprised. Everywhere you have seminars that kill your brains and enthusiasm slowly. Speakers present mind-boggling theories, but don’t care about you. I have also bored some participants (and many of my students) in the past. After all, I have learned teaching from many boring teachers. But I don’t blame anyone; my learning is my responsibility. During the past five years, I taught myself to change my way of thinking, to set a high standard for myself, and to do things differently everyday. One powerful principle (not technique) I have learned is to make the participants shine during my seminars and workshops. Breathe life into them. Turn your participants from spectators to stars of the show.

Again, I expect someone to say that my principles are wrong. I don’t debate with theories. Bring my seminars to your organization, or bring your employees to my public seminar.

I can speak only from experience.

Thinking about this makes me happy today. And I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share my life to the barangay officials.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com

They said that they are going to refer me to various companies. They prayed for me and for the success of my training programs. They asked God to use me so that I can inspire more people every time I conduct seminars and workshops. WIN Atrium is truly a blessing to me. For four Wednesday, they inspired me while facilitating the Speak with Confidence workshop. It was moving to see people stand and hear them speak. They did not have the skills of toastmasters. But they have shown the seeds of passion and purpose. So, being reminded of what they “learned from Jef Menguin” is not only flattering. It was inspiring. Yes, these and more made me happy.

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I wasn’t able to write about it yesterday. I went to a prospect to present my proposal for a teambuilding program. When the COO introduced himself and asked me how I plan to handle the teambuilding workshop, I knew I need not present. We talked about the venue, even went to the venue, and the materials we need. Don’t get me wrong, but so far my best clients are those who don’t waste your time.

Based on experience, it is quicker to close a deal when I am talking to the decision makers. The most difficult audience to please are those who are simply tasked to look for speakers. They asked a lot of questions, often they request to see me for an interview, but 90 percent of the time, these are the very same people who don’t get the approval of their boss. I suspect that after so many questions, they still can’t explain to their boss what I can give. Of course, they don’t really know what I do. They based their answers on their experiences with other speakers. And they expect me to be like them. So yes, I was also happy yesterday because I talked to a decision maker. I win 90 percent with a decision maker, and less than 50 percent with the others.

I hope that everyone who contacts me to request for a training proposal will help me make an appointment with the boss. Leaders don’t like to waste time. They respect mine too.

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The fourth batch of business writing workshop for Iplus (epldt) ended today. And yes, this one made me happy too. I met new friends and I believe more opportunities. My seminars with these people are always easy to handle. You simply need to give them more than what they expect. And I am very sure that they did not expect too much.

Just like what I said before, though I gave them many techniques, the best thing about this business writing workshop is its focused on fundamental principles in communication. These principles will serve as seeds. These seeds will grow in them. Please don’t expect them to submit a flawless written work. I don’t teach perfection. I do emphasize results.

A salesletter that does not sell is not effective. An application that does not get an interview is just a piece of paper. Business writing is about building connection, adding value, and making change. It is about creating business for yourself and for your company. You get the fundamental principles in communication and I know that you will strive hard to learn even more.

A friend called me up this evening. She said that she is getting frustated. Managers told her that their staff did not learn anything. One thing, the managers were not in the workshop. They don’t see the slightest difference. I thought she should invite them also in their workshops. I am confident about this: these managers also have problems, sometimes even bigger problems, than their subordinates. I can explain this someday to you.

Basta masaya ako. I am happy because I have shared something of great value to the participants. They have always said that they learned many valuable lessons. And I believe them. So yes, knowing that people are learning from you should me you happy. I am happy.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com
askjef@jefmenguin.com

I am happy because God has given me a creative mind. He allows me to think beyond common things. He makes me see beyond the horizon.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com

I am happy today because once again God has given me the opportunity to share my ideas to others. Presently, the workshop participants are “counting” their blessings using focused free writing.

In my business writing seminars, I encourage my clients to be more creative. The mind creates first before it corrects, and that’s the best way to write too. We create (write) before we correct (edit).

This morning, I started by encouraging them to create first.

Hey, we are almost done.

Thank you.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com

I have conducted Business Writing workshop today. There are 14 people who attended the workshop, 14 reasons to thank God, 14 reasons to make me happy. My prayer is that they too have learned something from the workshop. Some people may not be able to appreciate my business writing workshops though, for I design the workshop to help those who dream of of something bigger.

Business writing is about building goodwill and, of course, making good business. Where most workshops focused on grammar and style, I focused on principles. And when people understand the principles, people become more efficient. You see, learning techniques will not be enough. Techniques based on wrong and unclear principles will produce bad fruits. Techniques become clear when you have clear principles.

I told the participants that they cannot go straight to the point… unless they know their point. They cannot make the sale, create business, and build goodwill if they do not even care to know their purpose and audience. Put purpose and audience into the picture and you will understand why your communication must be clear, concise, and correct. Tomorrow will be another day. We’ll have fun!

Thank you God because of this day. I am alive and will be counting the great things in my life.

For the start:

1. I have more business opportunities than ever, more people to inspire.
2. I have just applied for new bank accounts. I have been thinking about this for some time now. In few days, everything will be processed.
3. I am applying for a passport. Again, since I want to travel the world, this is one good step. Right?
4. I will be conducting most of the training in my new seminars. More money? Yes, more money.

The day is just starting, will be back later.

I have always believe that we must count our blessings. I have been emphasizing this in my seminars. Having read the challenges people made for themselves, I thought I should make the same challenge for myself too. Actually, I am thinking of creating my own entries in my blogs simply for this one. One category in my blog- http://jefmenguin.com – is about the miracles we experience every day.

I am not sure if 43things will allow me write about my daily success, but when I am online, I like to do that. I hope also that I will be able to inspire other people.

Jef Menguin
inspire@jefmenguin.com
http://jefmenguin.com